Chapter Text
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Potter
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress
It was what her letter from Hogwarts said. She held this precious piece of parchment in her hands like it was a lifeline. And it was, at least for her. She was ready, ready to go to school her parents attended, go to learn magic that was more suited to her internal magic than magic her papa was teaching her. She was already powerful, but there was a terrifying opportunity before her.
She could leave Dursleys behind. Now no one would look at her strangely when she traveled and explored the wizarding world without a guardian or apparent reason. She now had a reason to be there – to prepare herself for school. She was part of it now.
She hoped desperately that she could be accepted among her people. Because they were her people now and she would protect them at all cost. She would make herself and them great.
Not that she wanted riches or to be a leader, no. But she wanted to thrive and her people would be dragged on this road with her. She did not wish to be a ruler or anything like that. She wanted a good life for herself and her papa. She wanted friends to be safe and happy. She wanted family, a true one full of love. She wanted to leave a legacy her descendants would be proud of.
She wanted to learn magic and discover all the secrets of this world. She wanted to travel and to live without being scared to enjoy life. She wanted to be able to protect herself and her loved ones. She wanted to be powerful enough that no one could harm her precious people.
She would be a protector. This is what she could be. She wanted to help others. And protectors helped people too. She wanted to be kind and good. She wanted to make the world a better place.
There was so much to learn! So much to see! And Hogwarts was her first step. A good place to start her journey through life. Her papa was excited too. She could tell from the way he was getting impatient, from his smiles and lighter attitude. He laughed more. He taught her more mischievous magic like making someone only taste one flavor or how to make someone fart at the most inopportune moments what was disgusting but also childishly hilarious.
Now she had things to do, however.
Her first course of action should be to write a response with her confirmation. She would need to talk with her relatives, convince them (or threaten them if necessary!). Then she should go to Ms. Eva for help with getting her supplies. She also needs to learn about all affairs pertaining to her family and inheritance (papa was very adamant about that and she trusted him explicitly).
She let the owl fly away because she wanted one on her own. Papa told her that her parents had a postal owl but did not know where it ended up after her parents died. It was so cool to use owls to send mail to each other. She wanted to make friends so she needed an owl to write to them and to write to Ms. Eva during her school years. She was not alone, she had people who wanted her and it was important to keep them close to her heart.
Papa helped her with writing her response. It was nice and to the point. She used her technique of memory drawing to write it because she wanted it to be neat and without any imperfections. Looking at her supply list she was sure she would do the same with her homework if her teachers wanted her to write it on parchment with a quill. She liked her penmanship well enough, but anything official would be written with the help of magic.
‘How should we talk with the Dursleys?’ she asked her papa when the response was ready and safely sealed into an envelope.
‘Well…’ he looked contemplative for a moment. ‘We’ll be trying to get out of here for good, yes?’ he wanted to clarify.
She nodded eagerly. She sure wanted to be out of Privet Drive No. 4 and never see them again. If they were problematic, she could and would make them a lot of trouble.
‘We have two options. Play it safe for now or play it risky from the start.’ he seated himself on the side of her desk top. ‘To play it risky we would need to… persuade them that it would hurt them to try to stop you from doing what is needed. To play it safe we would just convince them that it’s better for them when you’ll be gone.’
‘The safe option is better… and if they step out of line they can still be threatened.’ she answered with a frown.
‘Why?’ he asked with interest.
It was a trick question, she knew. He did that from time to time, he was checking her reasons and motives and expected an answer that was more than just like “I don’t like violence” or something similar. He would let her do what she decided was best, even if he always argued with her before she did anything. She could also be sure that if she was heading into a disaster he would stop her.
She loved him for the freedom he was giving her. He had expectations of course, things he was unmoved on like learning self-defense or her doing her best at learning whatever she could but she didn’t mind. She liked it and he gave her enough free time to do things she wanted to herself too.
Good thing she had an answer ready.
‘I don’t want to burn this bridge just yet. We may not succeed in leaving permanently and I don’t want them to act even worse than they already do.’ she had no problem to admit.
‘Alright.’ he agreed easily and with a smile. ‘You should do it before Vernon comes back from work. Petunia is way more smart and sensible about matters like that.’ was added as an afterthought.
And he was right. Aunt Petunia was less aggressive and more inclined to listen, whereas uncle Vernon was easy to anger and the only person he listened to was his wife and sometimes his sister. He was also much more stupid and no one could win with stupidity and stubbornness.
She contemplated her course of action for a moment. Talking with her aunt was always nerve wreaking and required her full attention because it was an exercise of her sneakiness and wit. All matters needed to be phrased just right to sound unthreatening, a little bored and uninterested, sometimes even unhappy. It wouldn’t work now however because Petunia could be petty and would not permit her to leave if she believed that Jasmine truly wanted to stay because it would be a victory for her.
Victory and validation that she turned Jasmine away from magic.
Jasmine could not permit that. It was Jas that was a winner. She was on the very top there.
It didn’t take her long to decide that she would just state the facts. She now could show that she knew about magic, she would not play a defenseless little girl. She wouldn’t be threatening but she would not shy away from stating it clear that it would be better if they parted ways for the school year.
The best time to talk to Petunia was after she returned from her meeting with other housewives around the neighborhood. It was maybe 2 hours before Vernon was meant to be home, Dudley was with his friends and her aunt was relaxed and in a better mood after a good gossip session.
She took this occasion.
‘Aunt Petunia? Do you need any help?’ she asked when the older woman was starting to prepare dinner. It would further help her with getting what she wanted if she helped.
She was treated with a suspicious look but her aunt gave a nod of approval.
‘Start peeling potatoes girl.’ she said curtly and Jasmine did not wait to start with the task.
For some time they worked in silence that was not uncomfortable, but not companionable either. It was often like that if she was not making any trouble. As much as her relatives hated her they could tolerate her when she behaved.
‘I got my Hogwarts letter.’ she told her suddenly.
It was a calculated move on her part. She wanted to shock her aunt. And she succeeded when she stilled with a jar of seasonings in her hand. She then looked at her with a pale face and a scowl.
‘What did you say?’ she nearly squeaks out.
‘I got my Hogwarts letter. And I think we both know it would be better for all of us if you let me go there.’ she admits calmly without stopping her task.
There is silence between them for a moment. Petunia looks at her with a truly scared and baffled expression.
‘Why…?! How dare you…?!’ the blonde started with indignation.
‘We both knew I was different. You don’t want me with you. It’s a chance to part ways for most of the year.’ she interrupted her calmly and finally looked her aunt in the eyes. ‘You don’t need to pay anything. I won’t bring any magic matters here. We can do it the easy way or I will find a way to make it happen regardless.’
Judging by her aunt’s look she knew it too.
‘I’ll talk to Vernon.’ she said icily after a long stretch of silence.
And that was that.
***
Petunia did talk to Vernon and convinced him it would be better to send her to this ‘freak school’. She didn’t know what Petunia convinced him with, but she did. There were rules of course, but it was to be expected so she was not that worried. And so the next day she went to share the news with Ms. Eva.
Ms. Eva lived alone in a little flat above a local grocery store. It was cozy and warm, it was also her safe space since the incident. She could be herself there, she could use magic to summon her books to herself, she could cool her tea to perfect temperature with her magic, she could clean after herself with the help from magic.
Ms. Eva even gave her the keys so she wouldn’t need to use magic to unlock the door for herself. Not that Ms. Eva minded, she told her that she’s happy because Jas sees her and her home as safe. She was also told to make herself at home.
And somehow it was home. Her father’s quiet presence, his sarcastic comments and Ms. Eva singing, dancing and cookies that were always ready on the counter in the kitchen. It was warm, familiar and safe. Papa taught her how to put runes on the walls, doorframe and windowsills. Said runes were meant to protect them from unwanted intruders and anyone with malicious intent.
When she came in she immediately took off her shoes and went to throw herself on the worn but comfortable blue sofa that stood in the living room. Her adult friend was seated on her only and favorite armchair in the same shade of blue. She held a cup of tea in her hand and a book in the other.
When she looked at the older brunette she saw an amused smile directed at her. Another normal occurrence, a ritual of sorts even.
‘Hello to you too, Jasmine.’ the woman said dryly.
‘Hi!’ she grinned at her cheekily.
It was the same smile she shared with her papa, the one she could make look wicked or charming in an instant. She didn’t know when she started smiling like that, but it felt natural She was not scared to how this side of herself with Eva and it felt good to be accepted without question.
‘So what happened that you decided to grace me with your presence, your highness?’ she was sassed right back and she giggled.
She could see her papa smile indulgently at them as he placed himself on a window seat. She discussed with him her desire to tell her mentor about him and they agreed that Eva would not betray her trust. She wanted her to know about it and had hopes that her papa could find a friend in Eva even with communication issues. She hoped to change that soon.
‘Two things! I want to share a secret with you and show you something cool!’ she bounced on her seat with excitement that felt good.
‘A secret? Something wicked?’ Eva teased her just a tiny bit. ‘And something cool? What a surprise.’
‘I’ve got my letter from Hogwarts!’ she boasted, took out her letter from her pocket and waved it around.
With a childish excitement, Eva threw herself on the sofa too and got the letter from Jasmines’ hands with impatience. She carefully unfolded the parchment and she started reading with a grin.
Eva was excited for Hogwarts too, more than she ever admitted. Jasmine was just happy to share her happiness with someone she liked.
‘ Congratulations.’ she said gently and an arm was placed on her shoulders in a quick but warm hug. ‘So a trip to London is in order soon.’ she mused.
‘Will you go with me?’ Jasmine asked immediately.
‘Does Saturday morning sounds good?’
‘Yes!’
She hugged Ms. Eva with a smile and has hidden her face on her shoulder. She can’t help smiling and wondering if it’s like having a family. A moment after gentle fingers started combing her hair carefully and with lots of attention.
‘And the secret?’ Eva asked mildly.
This gave Jasmine a pause and she looked upon her papa for guidance. He looked calm and content and there was an encouraging smile on his face. He was visibly not worried and it made her feel a little more sure about what she was going to reveal.
‘It’s… something unusual. More than anything we already encountered.’ she admitted with some caution. When the brunette didn’t react visibly, just looked curious and interested she felt courage burning in herself. ‘There’s… a spirit that is somehow bound to me. My papas’ spirit.’ she said quietly and with unusual for her seriousness.
It caused a reaction. Ms. Eva looked shocked, but she soon schooled her expression into something more relaxed.
‘Is that so?’ she murmured but smiled softly anyway. ‘I wondered…’
This was Jas’ time to be surprised.
‘You… noticed?’ the younger one whispered with a bit of apprehension.
‘I did… I mean…’ she started, sighed and pushed her hair out of her face. ‘I can sometimes hear when you talk to yourself or see when you look at nothing and start smiling like a maniac. Or when you seem to listen to something I can’t hear. I just… I suspected.’ she smiled at Jasmine with so much sadness but also something delicate and gentle.
‘Oh…’ it was the only reply that she can give to her at the moment.
‘It’s alright. You deserve to have a parent sweetheart. Even if the said parent is a ghost.’
She felt a hand on her shoulder and it was colder than Ms. Eva ever was. She knew it’s her papa and she relaxed into it without a thought. Her papa was with her. Ms. Eva didn’t feel like she was strange. It felt good and freeing.
Her world was perfect at that moment. She wanted it to remain that way.
***
Kol was not disappointed in Eva. She took his presence well and started to include him too as James and Lily did all those years ago. Jasmine was always up to translating and with memory drawing spell they could converse when Jasmine was doing something else as well or just when she was sleeping.
She also gave him an idea and a project to work on with Jasmine. It was about making him visible to others. Kol was sure they could do something like that and it would be useful when they wanted to involve others in their affairs.
Eva may not be educated in magic but she was creative and brilliant. Talking to her and exchanging ideas was probably one of the most entertaining things he did this decade, if not a century. Time with his daughter was still the most precious, but having someone mature to talk to was nice. He realized how much he missed it.
He was the one to explain everything to the brunette when Jasmine fell asleep on her back then. Eva didn’t bat an eyelash on Jasmine being a daughter of Original Vampire, having two fathers and a mother or him being still alive, but daggered. She raged though when she heard about what exactly happened to Lily and James. Kol never thought he would learn some new curses from this slip of a woman, but he was surprised and it was delightful.
She was a good person and she loved Jasmine. She was also very protective of his daughter what was endearing if Kol was to be honest. And she was hot when she was furious, but that was a completely different cup of tea he would not touch, not now and not before he was out of his coffin.
They would see if she stuck around.
***
On Saturday Kol and Jasmine were ready to bright and early. They skipped breakfast and Kol painstakingly helped Jas put on some light disguise that consisted of more boyish clothes like baggy jeans and a hoodie with short sleeves with the entirety of her hair hidden into a normal green beanie. It came with the advantage of hiding her scar as well. She still looked like herself, but her key features were obscured and she did look more like a young boy than a girl, but it was good.
It was Kols’ idea to conceal his daughter’s identity. He was sure that there must be some semblance of peace in the wizarding world and her letter from Hogwarts was a clear sign she was not hunted either. But he was sure that people would be curious about what happened that night in Godric’s Hollow and he didn’t want anyone pestering his daughter when she had so much to learn about the world she was entering.
Eva was waiting for them in her car, well cared for dusty blue Jaguar XJ from late ’60. She told him when asked. She was visibly proud of her car and he needed to admit that it looked very nice. Who knew that the dancer liked cars and knew what she was talking about? He would never suspect.
Petunia was kind enough to tell Jasmine where the entrance to Diagon Alley was, so they weren’t worried. Eva knew where this Charing Cross Road was, so it was all good.
The ride was uneventful. Jasmine was munching on the sandwich she was given by Eva and the older woman was sipping blood from her thermos. Music was playing loudly and they were singing along with the radio. It was positively domestic.
Jas was clearly enjoying herself if her smile was any indication.
When they finally stopped in the heart of London and found Leaky Cauldron they asked the barman to open a gateway for them.
‘Muggleborn?’ he asked them with an easygoing smile.
‘Somewhat… My sister was. I was there with her back then but…’ the older one among the females lied masterfully and a fake, sad smile appeared on her face as she looked away.
The barkeeper looked regretful at that. He said his condolences with sincerity and opened the alley for them.
It was just as stunning as the first time he was there, maybe even more so. Everything was just so colorful and bright. People were different there, they smiled and bartered with shopkeepers, children were running around and no one was afraid. It was glorious. It was also something he was more familiar with than the modern world. There time seemed to stop some centuries ago.
‘Welcome to Diagon Alley!’ he has theatrically spread his arms and smiled at his daughter with mischief. ‘Are you ready to make them fall to their knees for you?’
Her answering smile was just a little bit predatory and her eyes were glinting with the same desire to cause as much chaos as possible.
He clearly didn't need to worry about her. She would be alright.