Sirius changed a lot as the days went by, their relationship was colder and colder. They were in the middle of May now and Jessica tried everything she could to make things go back to how they used to be, but even with all her efforts Sirius grew distant.
Adding to that, James and Sirius started picking on Severus again. One day Severus was running, apparently late for something and Sirius cursed him with a Locomotor Mortis, Severus legs locked at once and he fell face down on the floor. But that was not all, they were hitting him with jelly-legs jinxes all the time, mostly at the Great Hall when lots students were around and the one Jessica thought it was the worse one, the knee-reversing hex that causes the target's knee to become backwards, for her dislike the knee-reversing hex was very popular with them, their favorite thing to do besides hanging Severus upside down by his ankle. Lily and Jessica fixed all the things James and Sirius messed up a second later, but they still couldn't help Severus with the shame he felt every time he was hit with something.
One may think Jessica had enough to handle already, but sadly it wasn't enough. James and Lily started pressuring Jessica to try to talk with Sirius and make things get straight again. Sirius was always in bad mood and all his friends were starting to get annoyed by it and they knew Jessica was the only one who could fix it.
"Come on Lily," said Jessica one day as they were getting ready in the morning. "I know Sirius told James what's wrong, you could just ask him."
"I tried Jess, lots of times," Lily said impatiently. "Sirius does not want to tell James what's wrong. To tell you the truth, he says everything its fine."
"I don't understand why he won't talk to me," Jessica said frustrated. She did try asking what was bothering him several times and always got the I am fine answer.
"Jess, you will have to make him talk," Lily finally said. "It's the only way things can get back to normal."
Jessica was really scared as she left her dormitory looking for Sirius, she felt insecure. He was not at the common room but some girls told Jessica that he left a few minutes ago. She looked a bit inside the school then headed to the grounds. She saw him sitting by the lake, alone. It was the chance she was waiting for.
She sat by him, but Sirius didn't even look at her. She did not know what to say, or how to start.
"It's a pretty day outside. Nice and warm, isn't?" she asked, but he did not say anything. She knew she probably sounded really dumb. "Sirius, will you look at me?" It took him a moment before looking at her, their eye met. "Will you tell me what is bugging you lately?" He tried to look away. "Looking at me, please."
"I don't even know what's wrong," he sighed.
"Will you tell me what's in your mind then?" she asked kindly. "What are you thinking right now?"
He took his time before speaking again.
"How long did you date Brian ?"
"A summer, two months and a half, why?" said Jessica feeling dazed.
He gave an ironic laugh. "And you told him you loved him."
"Oh, Sirius I was young and stupid," she said delicately. "I said that because he was my first boyfriend, I didn't know any better. I did not love him."
"How can I trust you when you told me?" she heard him mutter. "We were dating for just two months."
"You can trust me Sirius, I do love you, really," she pleaded. "Please believe me."
He looked deep into her eyes. "Okay," he sounded dry and turned to the lake.
Jessica knew at once that the problem was not over, there're more to it. "What else? Tell me, we need to be able to talk things over."
"I don't know how to say this," he said sighing deeply. "I am afraid I will get dumped like he said."
This was very serious, she knew she had to think well before speaking, and she took her time, then said. "Do you remember the talk I had in private with Professor Slughorn?"
"Yes. Are you going to tell me what you kept in secret?"
"Yes," she said with a smile, but he didn't smile back. "He was worried with our relationship, he says I will go places, I will do things, and I guess he was afraid you were going to keep me from it."
"WHAT? Did he say that?" Sirius was really mad now. "What is he thinking? He has no right.."
"Wait. I told him off, and he apologized. Do you want to know what I told him?" he nodded. "I told him I was not going anywhere without you. I wouldn't dumb you."
"That is exactly my point." He stood up running his finger through his hair, he tried to shake his frustrations way, catching attention of some students lurking around the lake. "I know you wouldn't. But I don't know if I want you to."
Jessica jumped to her feet, her heart racing. "What are you trying to say? You don't love me? If in my future I have to sacrifice things because of you I will, unless you want to tell me your love is not strong enough, unless you tell me my sacrifices are not worth the little you feel me." She felt her heart sinking.
"No, no, no, of course I love you," he said trying to calm her down. "With every fiber of my being, but since Brian told me that stuff I realized I would keep you from important things. When I get off school I won't go looking for a job right a way. I want to live my life out there first. But you are different, you worked so hard to get good grades to go off to do something amazing, and I do not want to stay in your way, keeping you from your great achievements."
"Sirius, you are being ridicules," she snapped. "I belong by your side. I don't want a career if that will keep me from you. Please, lets just forget all this."
"NO, I WON'T. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING." He shouted, several of people were looking at them now. Jessica eyes got full of tears. Sirius felt really bad, he put his hand on her shoulders. "I am sorry I yelled at you. Jessica I need some time. I need to be by myself for a while to think about things."
"What good will that do?" she said with tears rushing down her face.
"Please, give me some time?" he implored. "Please."
"Okay," she said weakly, feeling devastated.
Sirius gave her a kiss on the forehead and left. Jessica stood there, frozen, with tears falling freely. She looked around, several people were staring at her, she spotted Severus reading a book under a tree, he quickly turned his eye the other way once their eyes met. Feeling humiliated, she decided to go back inside.
She got to the common room James, Lily and Remus were sitting on a table writing essays.
"Jessica, what happened? Sirius walked by us did not even look." Remus got to his feet. "Oh, are you crying?"
"What happened Jess?" asked Lily quickly coming to her friend.
"He broke up with me," she said letting out a small sob.
"HE WHAT?" James roared jumping on his feet too.
"Well, he asked for some time. That the same thing, isn't? How many couples do you know that go back to normal after some time apart?"
"Oh, Jessica I am so sorry," said Remus going on her direction, but she ran to her room before he could get to her, sobbing.
Jessica spend the whole weekend in bed, she cried, cursed, slept and then cried again. Lily brought food to her, but she ate just a little, she did not feel like eating. Lily tried to talk with her a few times but Jessica did not want to talk, so Lily stopped trying. On Sunday she got three letters from home, mom, dad and Willy. They were super worried about her, apparently someone wrote them telling what happened, they asked her to write back but she did not feel like writing either. Late that day Lily came in and tried talking with her again.
"Jess, you need to put yourself together," she said quietly. "We have classes tomorrow and we are just a couple weeks from our NEWTs."
"I will go to classes tomorrow don't worry," but started crying again. "Have you seen Sirius?"
"Yes, but he won't talk to us though. He is alone all this time."
"Did he ask about me?"
"He did, he asked if you were out of bed yet. Someone told him you are here crying all this time. Try to get some sleep, tomorrow it's a new day, new week."
"Will you stay here until I fall asleep?" asked Jessica trying to dry her tears.
"Yes, I will be here with you." Lily sat on the floor by her, and held her hand till she fell asleep.
The following week was worse than she thought it would be. Her friends were dividing themselves so neither Sirius or Jessica would stay alone, sometimes Remus and Peter hanged out with Jessica another time James and Lily. Studying was getting hard too. Every time she sat on the library it reminded her of Sirius, sitting by her, making her laugh every five minutes, the laughs were replaced by tears, it was the only place she couldn't avoid crying in public.
Lots of people were asking her what happened, and every time she answered that Sirius asked for some time, she felt her heart aching like never before, the pain getting stronger every day. On Saturday they went to Hogsmeade. NEWTs was just a week away so it was a nice break, to refresh their minds. Lily and James said they were going with her. She assumed Remus and Peter were going with Sirius.
They were at Honeydukes when Professor Slughorn came to talk with Jessica.
"Mss Thompson I have someone here that I want you to meet. Will come with me to Hog's Head?
Jessica followed him, she never went there herself, it was a pub full of weird looking wizards. Slughorn helped Jessica to a chair on a table where a men she did not recognize was sitting.
"This is Galactus Brisson he is the head of the Department of Mysteries. Have you heard of it?" asked Slughorn.
"Of course I have," said Jessica, feeling underdressed to be meeting such an important man. "It's nice to meet you sir"
"The pleasure it's mine. Slughorn told me lots about you." Jessica blushed a little, she was looking around, it was a really weird place, why would someone want to hang out here, she kept thinking. "I like to come here Ms Thompson, because I always learn a lot, always something suspicious going on."
Could he read her mind? How rude, she thought. He was looking around.
"AHA, that's why I like to come here." He had his eyes fixed on a table in a corner, Jessica looked and saw four figures, but didn't think she knew who was sitting there, the air was so full of thick smoke she could barely see. "I see Mulciber and Nott there. I have reasons to believe they are Death Eaters. The other two are students, they've been meeting here, trying to get fresh graduated students to join them. Do you know the students names, Professor?"
"It's hard to see, give me a moment…" he was focusing hard. "Oh dear, I see Rosier, he is a beater on the Slytherin team, very talented." Jessica gave Slughorn a furious look, Rosier played really dirty, always causing several injuries per game. Slughorn did not even noticed Jessica's behavior, because she was still trying to see who the other student was. "It's hard to see the other one, wait… Yes, yes… It's Severus Snape," he added shaking his head.
Jessica's heart sunk, Severus joining Voldemort? It had to be a mistake. She looked at the table, she had to try hard to focus her sight, then she saw him. It was indeed Severus, talking with death eaters.
"I wanted to meet you, because I think I have a job for you," said Brisson. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"
"No, please, go ahead." But her mind was not there she was looking at Severus.
"Do you know what you will do after Hogwarts?" he asked.
"I am not sure, I want to work for the Ministry, no doubt. But I also want to fight Voldemort and his followers if possible." Brisson gave a small gasp when Jessica said Voldemort name.
Severus stood up, he was leaving.
"Are you okay my dear? You look as pale as Bloody Baron," asked Slughorn.
"I am really sorry. Now it's not a good time." She stood up. "Please forgive me." And hurried out the door.
"Miss Thompson…" Brisson started but she couldn't hear anything else as the door closed behind her.
She looked around, searching for Severus. She saw him going up the street. Jessica jostled her way through a group of Ravenclaws, walking as fast as she could till she got to him.
"Severus I need to talk with you," she said breathlessly.
"Oh boy, I will leave, I don't want to hear what she wants to say," said Rosier, rolling his eyes. "But if you give him problems I won't be far," he threaded her showing his wand.
"What do you want?" said Snape on a sniffy voice. "Now that Sirius finally dumped you need a shoulder to cry? I am not available, go away."
"I saw you Severus," she said urgently. "I saw you with those people."
"What people?" he pretended.
"The Death Eaters," she said.
"I don't know what you are talking about," he said turning to his heels. "Goodbye." He started walking away quickly.
"You do too," she said trying to keep up with him. "Severus, are you joining Voldemort?"
"Don't speak his name, are you a fool?" he turned to her, looking furious.
"I am not afraid of him," she exclaimed.
"But you should." He got really close to her and said no louder then a whisper . "I am joining the stronger side, the powerful one, the side that will win. The Dark Lord has plans and I like them. It's none of you business who I join. But I will advice you, if you want to live to join the Dark Lord."
"NEVER," she said louder the she needed, some people turned their attention to them.
"It's your choice," he whispered even lower. "I will send you flowers to your funeral."
"Severus come on," she said smiling. "This is stupid."
"No it's not, this is very serious. I ask you, please join us," Severus tried to wheedle her.
"I rather die than join your evil master," said Jessica bitterly.
"I am glad we got that settled," he said full of arrogance. "You will die, as you wish, and I will be on his side. Hunting stupid fools such yourself."
"Unless I hunt you down first," she snarled. "And believe me I will bring you down if I have to."
"Or we can settle this now," he pulled his wand out. "Shall we?"
"I am not doing this again, let me remind you, last time you were unconscious for a week."
"Get your wand out or I will attack you anyway," he warned her.
"Go on. I am not afraid of you," she said challenging his limits.
He stared right past her shoulder, and put his wand away. "You are very lucky," he said and slopped away.
Jessica turned around, she saw, Lily, James, Remus, Peter, Sirius, Professor Slughorn and Galactus Brisson, all of them had their wand out. Jessica knew at once they were all pointing it at Severus.
"I am really sorry about this sir," Jessica apologized to Brisson.
"I've seen enough," he said, making her felt awful, she blew it. "And I like it," he added. She felt relieved. "I shall contact you again soon, I have the perfect job for you." He and Professor Slughorn left.
Jessica looked at his friends. She saw Sirius, gave him a small smile and waited to see if he was going to say or do something, but he didn't. He turned around and left, Remus and Peter followed.