Chapter 6: Disappearance Aftermath
August 30th, 1989; Godric's Hollow
Lily Potter was ecstatic. After almost 8 years apart, she would finally be able to see her eldest again.
It had taken almost a year after Jasmine had been left with her sister for her to get her mind straight again. James had been so patient and understanding during that time and Lily had made a swift recovery. Her pregnancy had also helped her since the hormones associated, funnily enough, added some balance to her already rampant emotions.
However, the happiness had swiftly disappeared when she found out what happened to her eldest. Her rage at her husband had been beyond comprehension and only the fact that going to get Jasmine may have adverse effects on her due to the ward failing stopped her from going to get her. As it was, she almost fell into another depression at the thought that, in her almost deranged state, she had given the okay for Jasmine to be left with her sister. Only the thought that her falling into another deranged state would hurt her soon to be born child stopped her.
She had failed Jasmine; she wouldn't fail her new child as well.
Now, after all these years of tears and heartache, Dumbledore had finally found a solution. Rather than change the already existing ward, he found a way to cleanse their land of the dark magic using a combination of phoenix tears and other ingredients. This would allow them to take down the Bonds of Blood ward and put up another Fidelius. This would be better for both their, until then, nonexistent social life, but more importantly, they would be able to bring Jasmine home.
Nathan himself was curious to meet this elder twin he didn't remember. His parents had told him about her, of course, but he didn't remember her himself and everything he was told was second-hand. His parents had been both worried and surprised he didn't sense his twin like all twins did. However, they believed this was a side effect of the Bonds of Blood ward and hoped it would be reestablished once they met again.
Lily still remembered how Jasmine had looked like miniature version of James with her eyes when she last saw her. Nathan on the other hand had grown red streaks in his hair that were probably from her, as well as having his father's hazel eyes. Before he grew the red streaks, he had looked like a perfect carbon copy of his father but now he looked like his own person. Lily wondered if Jasmine had grown red streaks as well or if she had kept her hair the same color. The thought that she didn't even know brought a pang to her heart.
Still, Lily focused on the positive and was beyond happy because not only would Jasmine come home at last, but she had had a daughter about a year after Jasmine had been left with the Dursleys. Little Rose Potter had been born in their living room with her very own father as nursemaid and Madame Pomphrey coaching through the Floo on February 8th 1983. That meant that Jasmine would have a little sister to look after as well. Lily and James always wanted a big family, and they were ecstatic that it was becoming a reality. Lily had been overjoyed when Rose had been born with her red hair and James' hazel eyes. She looked a like a miniature version of her with James' eyes and attitude. Even at 6 she was just as mischievous as her older brother Nathan.
It was five minutes to 9am and Lily was rushing around the house trying to get ready. "James! Nathan! Come on, we need to go pick up Jasmine!"
The sound of people running down the stairs was heard and James and Nathan rushed into the living room where Lily was waiting. "Sorry, honey." said a breathless James. "But we have to wait for the others. You know that Dumbledore has to be there to take down the wards at Petunia's house before we bring Jasmine here and place the Fidelius. If not, the two overlapping magics could backlash against each other and hurt Jasmine." James was black-haired with hazel eyes standing at a respectable 5'8". Lily remembered when they were young, he had been a bit of a braggart and a little bit cruel but had matured into a good man who she fell in love with.
Lily sighed in exasperation. "I know, I know. But I can't wait to see Jasmine again! I hope she's had a good life. I've missed her so much and we can even tell her that she has a little sister now as well." Lily bit her lip and looked at Nathan and Rose through the window. They had gone outside to wait for the others. "Do you think she'll forgive us, James? I mean, we did abandon her. I didn't even get to say goodbye. Not really, anyway."
James brought Lily into a hug. "I'm sure that once we explain she'll understand. We did it to protect both her and her brother. Her brother stayed with us simply because you would have gone completely crazy if things stayed as they were. You know how you were in that time. It was for the best. Plus, it isn't like she could remember us leaving her, after all. She was only one year old when we left her with them."
Lily bit her lip in worry, hoping her previous belief of Jasmine having eidetic memory was false. "Couldn't we have at least asked Petunia to take her in? I mean, we just let Dumbledore leave her on the doorstep! That has to be rude."
James sighed. "Yes, Albus could have done things better but what's done is done. All we can do now is hope she forgives us for our actions."
Lily sighed deeply. "I know. But I just can't get this bad feeling out of me. Petunia always hated the fact that I had magic and she didn't. I'm just afraid she took it out on Jasmine."
James hugged Lily and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "You're just being paranoid again. What kind of person would hurt a child due to jealousy?"
Lily reluctantly nodded and separated from James when she heard the crack of Apparition outside. They had already taken down the ward around their house and Albus had cleansed the land of dark magic. They had put up wards to protect themselves but allowed their closest friends access.
Lily looked through the window to see Professor Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus standing outside and talking to Nathan, who seemed to be explaining something to them while Rose giggled at the faces Nathan made. They had run outside at the sound of Apparition, already expecting their favorite uncles. Lily and James went outside and greeted everyone before Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Well, everyone. We must be going. Jasmine is waiting for us and I doubt you wish to wait much longer." His eyes twinkled as he saw Lily barely holding back her joy at his words.
Sirius smirked before turning to Remus. "Well, you have to stay with the kids, Moony. You did draw the short straw this time around."
Remus just rolled his eyes and led the kids back into the house, ignoring their protests.
Dumbledore chuckled at the sight before presenting everyone the sock that would serve as the portkey. Everyone touched it and Dumbledore activated it.
They appeared on an empty street with identical houses on both sides. Sirius and James made jokes about this being the Twilight Zone (they had seen a few episodes before Lily forbid them from seeing it anymore) before Lily shushed them and turned to Dumbledore.
"Which house is Jasmine in?" She could barely hold in her excitement at seeing her eldest again.
Dumbledore waved his wand and frowned when he received the results. "That's strange... it appears that Jasmine isn't here. Perhaps she's out visiting a friend. We'll wait for her at her aunt and uncle's house then."
Dumbledore put up a Notice-Me-Not charm around them before starting to wave his wand in complicated patterns. Soon, a glass-like dome appeared over the house which symbolized the ward protecting it. With a final tap in the ward's direction, the dome shattered like glass before disappearing.
Lily had been a bit put out that she wouldn't see her daughter immediately but agreed with Dumbledore's suggestion. After making sure that the ward was down, the group of four magicals walked up to the house marked as number four and Lily knocked. James and Sirius looked around at the perfectly identical and symmetrical lawns and made dramatic faces of disgust. There was absolutely no imagination in this place.
A few minutes passed before the door opened, showing none other than Petunia herself. Petunia immediately scowled at the sight of Lily and the others (especially Dumbledore who was wearing a bright purple cloak and equally bright colored clothes underneath) before sneering at Lily.
"What are you doing here?"
Lily frowned at the way Petunia greeted her and the bad feeling she'd been having for a while grew. "We're here to pick up Jasmine. Can you tell me where she is?"
Petunia sniffed imperiously and glared down at her. "She's not here and I don't know where that freak is. Hopefully dead in a ditch somewhere."
Petunia tried to close the door on their faces but James stopped her by putting his foot in the way and glared at her. "What do you mean you don't know? We left her here so you can take care of her!"
Petunia glared at James so strongly that he unconsciously took a step back before she started to quietly tear into them. "Exactly! You left her! You didn't even have the common decency to ask first! Did you ever think that perhaps we weren't economically ready to handle another child so soon after having our first?! We had just enough for ourselves and no other! Then you dump your unwanted daughter on us and expect us to just raise her as if she was our own especially when we all know she'll be a freak like all of you?! Not likely! We were barely making by once she arrived! The least she could do was make herself useful around the house! And just when Vernon has a deal that could make it all better, it fails no doubt because of her freakishness. So, we left her like the garbage she is! Let her eat off the streets like all the other freaks!"
During the entire rant the wizards had gone steadily paler and paler until by the time she was done, they were bone white. Lily was the first to recover her ability to speak. "How could you?! She was a child! Where is she?! Where is my daughter?!"
Lily had lost all control and had entered the house where she was forcibly shaking Petunia who was trying to fight off Lily in vain. James managed to place his arms around Lily and separate them, but he looked just as angry. Lily started crying into James' arms and so it fell to Dumbledore to speak.
"Where did you last see Jasmine and when?"
Petunia sniffed in disdain although everyone could see she was shaken up by Lily's actions. "In New York City, three years ago. We left her in the hotel we were staying at."
Lily paled at the news that her daughter had been abandoned in the middle of a city while James slowly started to become red with anger. "How could you abandon a child in that city all by herself?! What kind of monster are you?!"
Petunia's eyes flashed with angry fervor. "It's no less than what freaks like you all deserve! As the Bible says, 'God shall suffer no witch to live'. You all deserve to burn!"
Lily took a step back at the sheer hatred in her voice. She never imagined that her childhood jealousy would lead to this. She thought she had gotten over it as time passed but it seemed as if the opposite had happened and her jealousy had turned into outright hatred. However, Petunia hadn't killed Jasmine outright and that was her only hope that her daughter was still alive.
Lily marched up to Petunia and glared into her eyes who, surprisingly, just glared back. "The Bible also says, 'Look not for evil in your neighbor's house lest you find it in your own doorstep.' You're a monster, Petunia, and someday you'll pay for your sins."
Petunia just sneered. ""I did find it at my doorstep, where YOU abandoned it. All we did was exactly what you did so be gone. Leave, witch. You are not welcome in this house of God."
Lily looked like she had been smacked in the face at her sister's words but rather than argue, she just turned around and walked out with the others following. Once the door shut behind them, the group apparated back to Godric's Hollow where Lily turned to Dumbledore with tears in her eyes. "Please tell me you can find her, Professor. Please don't tell me I've lost my daughter."
Dumbledore suddenly looked his age and sighed wearily. "I will try my dear but it has been three years and the trail have no doubt gone cold in the intervening years. To make matters worse is that America is not an ICW allied country and they've declared us unwelcome in their country. Getting permission to visit there will be difficult. They think our society backwards and bigoted which I must admit has a basis in fact. However, I will contact a few squibs I know that live there and see what they can dig up. No doubt that any usage of accidental magic would be noted and we can only hope Jasmine has used it at some point."
Lily sobbed and James hugged her while trying to stop his own tears. Sirius looked a mixture of angry and downtrodden while Remus just looked defeated when Dumbledore explained what happened. Being the most learned of the trio, Remus knew that the chances of finding Jasmine after three years were almost impossible. The American Ministry would deny them the chance to enter the country, especially once they learned of the circumstances. Remus doubted they would allow Jasmine to return once they learned they had abandoned her to abusive relatives. Not even the excuse of it being for her own good would work since some may argue that Jasmine was better off anywhere else than with those people.
Remus sighed as Dumbledore apparated away to contact the American Ministry for the no doubt rejected permission to enter the U.S.
Remus only hoped Jasmine was okay.
Chapter 6: Disappearance Aftermath
August 30th, 1989; Godric's Hollow
Lily Potter was ecstatic. After almost 8 years apart, she would finally be able to see her eldest again.
It had taken almost a year after Jasmine had been left with her sister for her to get her mind straight again. James had been so patient and understanding during that time and Lily had made a swift recovery. Her pregnancy had also helped her since the hormones associated, funnily enough, added some balance to her already rampant emotions.
However, the happiness had swiftly disappeared when she found out what happened to her eldest. Her rage at her husband had been beyond comprehension and only the fact that going to get Jasmine may have adverse effects on her due to the ward failing stopped her from going to get her. As it was, she almost fell into another depression at the thought that, in her almost deranged state, she had given the okay for Jasmine to be left with her sister. Only the thought that her falling into another deranged state would hurt her soon to be born child stopped her.
She had failed Jasmine; she wouldn't fail her new child as well.
Now, after all these years of tears and heartache, Dumbledore had finally found a solution. Rather than change the already existing ward, he found a way to cleanse their land of the dark magic using a combination of phoenix tears and other ingredients. This would allow them to take down the Bonds of Blood ward and put up another Fidelius. This would be better for both their, until then, nonexistent social life, but more importantly, they would be able to bring Jasmine home.
Nathan himself was curious to meet this elder twin he didn't remember. His parents had told him about her, of course, but he didn't remember her himself and everything he was told was second-hand. His parents had been both worried and surprised he didn't sense his twin like all twins did. However, they believed this was a side effect of the Bonds of Blood ward and hoped it would be reestablished once they met again.
Lily still remembered how Jasmine had looked like miniature version of James with her eyes when she last saw her. Nathan on the other hand had grown red streaks in his hair that were probably from her, as well as having his father's hazel eyes. Before he grew the red streaks, he had looked like a perfect carbon copy of his father but now he looked like his own person. Lily wondered if Jasmine had grown red streaks as well or if she had kept her hair the same color. The thought that she didn't even know brought a pang to her heart.
Still, Lily focused on the positive and was beyond happy because not only would Jasmine come home at last, but she had had a daughter about a year after Jasmine had been left with the Dursleys. Little Rose Potter had been born in their living room with her very own father as nursemaid and Madame Pomphrey coaching through the Floo on February 8th 1983. That meant that Jasmine would have a little sister to look after as well. Lily and James always wanted a big family, and they were ecstatic that it was becoming a reality. Lily had been overjoyed when Rose had been born with her red hair and James' hazel eyes. She looked a like a miniature version of her with James' eyes and attitude. Even at 6 she was just as mischievous as her older brother Nathan.
It was five minutes to 9am and Lily was rushing around the house trying to get ready. "James! Nathan! Come on, we need to go pick up Jasmine!"
The sound of people running down the stairs was heard and James and Nathan rushed into the living room where Lily was waiting. "Sorry, honey." said a breathless James. "But we have to wait for the others. You know that Dumbledore has to be there to take down the wards at Petunia's house before we bring Jasmine here and place the Fidelius. If not, the two overlapping magics could backlash against each other and hurt Jasmine." James was black-haired with hazel eyes standing at a respectable 5'8". Lily remembered when they were young, he had been a bit of a braggart and a little bit cruel but had matured into a good man who she fell in love with.
Lily sighed in exasperation. "I know, I know. But I can't wait to see Jasmine again! I hope she's had a good life. I've missed her so much and we can even tell her that she has a little sister now as well." Lily bit her lip and looked at Nathan and Rose through the window. They had gone outside to wait for the others. "Do you think she'll forgive us, James? I mean, we did abandon her. I didn't even get to say goodbye. Not really, anyway."
James brought Lily into a hug. "I'm sure that once we explain she'll understand. We did it to protect both her and her brother. Her brother stayed with us simply because you would have gone completely crazy if things stayed as they were. You know how you were in that time. It was for the best. Plus, it isn't like she could remember us leaving her, after all. She was only one year old when we left her with them."
Lily bit her lip in worry, hoping her previous belief of Jasmine having eidetic memory was false. "Couldn't we have at least asked Petunia to take her in? I mean, we just let Dumbledore leave her on the doorstep! That has to be rude."
James sighed. "Yes, Albus could have done things better but what's done is done. All we can do now is hope she forgives us for our actions."
Lily sighed deeply. "I know. But I just can't get this bad feeling out of me. Petunia always hated the fact that I had magic and she didn't. I'm just afraid she took it out on Jasmine."
James hugged Lily and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "You're just being paranoid again. What kind of person would hurt a child due to jealousy?"
Lily reluctantly nodded and separated from James when she heard the crack of Apparition outside. They had already taken down the ward around their house and Albus had cleansed the land of dark magic. They had put up wards to protect themselves but allowed their closest friends access.
Lily looked through the window to see Professor Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus standing outside and talking to Nathan, who seemed to be explaining something to them while Rose giggled at the faces Nathan made. They had run outside at the sound of Apparition, already expecting their favorite uncles. Lily and James went outside and greeted everyone before Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Well, everyone. We must be going. Jasmine is waiting for us and I doubt you wish to wait much longer." His eyes twinkled as he saw Lily barely holding back her joy at his words.
Sirius smirked before turning to Remus. "Well, you have to stay with the kids, Moony. You did draw the short straw this time around."
Remus just rolled his eyes and led the kids back into the house, ignoring their protests.
Dumbledore chuckled at the sight before presenting everyone the sock that would serve as the portkey. Everyone touched it and Dumbledore activated it.
They appeared on an empty street with identical houses on both sides. Sirius and James made jokes about this being the Twilight Zone (they had seen a few episodes before Lily forbid them from seeing it anymore) before Lily shushed them and turned to Dumbledore.
"Which house is Jasmine in?" She could barely hold in her excitement at seeing her eldest again.
Dumbledore waved his wand and frowned when he received the results. "That's strange... it appears that Jasmine isn't here. Perhaps she's out visiting a friend. We'll wait for her at her aunt and uncle's house then."
Dumbledore put up a Notice-Me-Not charm around them before starting to wave his wand in complicated patterns. Soon, a glass-like dome appeared over the house which symbolized the ward protecting it. With a final tap in the ward's direction, the dome shattered like glass before disappearing.
Lily had been a bit put out that she wouldn't see her daughter immediately but agreed with Dumbledore's suggestion. After making sure that the ward was down, the group of four magicals walked up to the house marked as number four and Lily knocked. James and Sirius looked around at the perfectly identical and symmetrical lawns and made dramatic faces of disgust. There was absolutely no imagination in this place.
A few minutes passed before the door opened, showing none other than Petunia herself. Petunia immediately scowled at the sight of Lily and the others (especially Dumbledore who was wearing a bright purple cloak and equally bright colored clothes underneath) before sneering at Lily.
"What are you doing here?"
Lily frowned at the way Petunia greeted her and the bad feeling she'd been having for a while grew. "We're here to pick up Jasmine. Can you tell me where she is?"
Petunia sniffed imperiously and glared down at her. "She's not here and I don't know where that freak is. Hopefully dead in a ditch somewhere."
Petunia tried to close the door on their faces but James stopped her by putting his foot in the way and glared at her. "What do you mean you don't know? We left her here so you can take care of her!"
Petunia glared at James so strongly that he unconsciously took a step back before she started to quietly tear into them. "Exactly! You left her! You didn't even have the common decency to ask first! Did you ever think that perhaps we weren't economically ready to handle another child so soon after having our first?! We had just enough for ourselves and no other! Then you dump your unwanted daughter on us and expect us to just raise her as if she was our own especially when we all know she'll be a freak like all of you?! Not likely! We were barely making by once she arrived! The least she could do was make herself useful around the house! And just when Vernon has a deal that could make it all better, it fails no doubt because of her freakishness. So, we left her like the garbage she is! Let her eat off the streets like all the other freaks!"
During the entire rant the wizards had gone steadily paler and paler until by the time she was done, they were bone white. Lily was the first to recover her ability to speak. "How could you?! She was a child! Where is she?! Where is my daughter?!"
Lily had lost all control and had entered the house where she was forcibly shaking Petunia who was trying to fight off Lily in vain. James managed to place his arms around Lily and separate them, but he looked just as angry. Lily started crying into James' arms and so it fell to Dumbledore to speak.
"Where did you last see Jasmine and when?"
Petunia sniffed in disdain although everyone could see she was shaken up by Lily's actions. "In New York City, three years ago. We left her in the hotel we were staying at."
Lily paled at the news that her daughter had been abandoned in the middle of a city while James slowly started to become red with anger. "How could you abandon a child in that city all by herself?! What kind of monster are you?!"
Petunia's eyes flashed with angry fervor. "It's no less than what freaks like you all deserve! As the Bible says, 'God shall suffer no witch to live'. You all deserve to burn!"
Lily took a step back at the sheer hatred in her voice. She never imagined that her childhood jealousy would lead to this. She thought she had gotten over it as time passed but it seemed as if the opposite had happened and her jealousy had turned into outright hatred. However, Petunia hadn't killed Jasmine outright and that was her only hope that her daughter was still alive.
Lily marched up to Petunia and glared into her eyes who, surprisingly, just glared back. "The Bible also says, 'Look not for evil in your neighbor's house lest you find it in your own doorstep.' You're a monster, Petunia, and someday you'll pay for your sins."
Petunia just sneered. ""I did find it at my doorstep, where YOU abandoned it. All we did was exactly what you did so be gone. Leave, witch. You are not welcome in this house of God."
Lily looked like she had been smacked in the face at her sister's words but rather than argue, she just turned around and walked out with the others following. Once the door shut behind them, the group apparated back to Godric's Hollow where Lily turned to Dumbledore with tears in her eyes. "Please tell me you can find her, Professor. Please don't tell me I've lost my daughter."
Dumbledore suddenly looked his age and sighed wearily. "I will try my dear but it has been three years and the trail have no doubt gone cold in the intervening years. To make matters worse is that America is not an ICW allied country and they've declared us unwelcome in their country. Getting permission to visit there will be difficult. They think our society backwards and bigoted which I must admit has a basis in fact. However, I will contact a few squibs I know that live there and see what they can dig up. No doubt that any usage of accidental magic would be noted and we can only hope Jasmine has used it at some point."
Lily sobbed and James hugged her while trying to stop his own tears. Sirius looked a mixture of angry and downtrodden while Remus just looked defeated when Dumbledore explained what happened. Being the most learned of the trio, Remus knew that the chances of finding Jasmine after three years were almost impossible. The American Ministry would deny them the chance to enter the country, especially once they learned of the circumstances. Remus doubted they would allow Jasmine to return once they learned they had abandoned her to abusive relatives. Not even the excuse of it being for her own good would work since some may argue that Jasmine was better off anywhere else than with those people.
Remus sighed as Dumbledore apparated away to contact the American Ministry for the no doubt rejected permission to enter the U.S.
Remus only hoped Jasmine was okay.
