Bess woke up just under an hour later to Sirius gently rubbing his thumb over her cheek, kissing her nose, and whispering to her that he needed to go.

"Sorry," she said as she yawned and rubbed her eyes.

She noticed that there still weren't many students awake, and was glad that not many people would have seen her sleeping.

Sirius smiled down at her, rubbed the outside of her thigh with his hand, and said, "no, I'm sorry, love. Just-"

"Did I drool on you?" Bess asked as she wiped her mouth and grimaced. She was, in that moment, incredibly happy that he was still wearing his black shirt from last night.

He chuckled and said, "yeah... it's fine though, it was kind of cute."

"Cute? Oh Christ. I didn't snore did I?" She asked with wide eyes and a pleading expression. She knew she didn't sleep like a goddess, but she'd been hoping she'd at least act kind of cool around Sirius.

He rubbed his nose with hers and said, "yeah, again, cute," with an indescribable look on his face.

"Oh god." Bess whined, rubbing her hands over her face.

Sirius grinned down at her for a while until James coughed loudly, and Sirius shook his head, as if clearing his mind.

"Ah yeah. Sorry," he said to James and Remus, before turning back to Bess. "Uh- love? Remus' Mum isn't too well so he's going home in a few hours. James and I are just going to get some kip so we can see him off."

Bess nodded, pushed his arms to the side and stood up.

"If the girls ask, could you let them know where Remus is this weekend?" Sirius asked, as he put his hand on Bess' back to steady her as she arched her back and stretched.

Bess was so disorientated that she forgot completely that the full moon was that night, and that Remus would be becoming a werewolf until the next morning. She would later wonder if his transformations felt worse in winter, when the nights were longer.

Her eyes widened and she moved to sit next to Remus on the sofa. "Oh god, Remus! Is she okay? I'm so sorry. I didn't even think to ask... and here I am, getting drunk when we could have been-"

Remus cut her off and smiled at her before looking down anxiously. "Don't worry. I only just... I only just got the letter."

"Is there anything I can do?" She asked slowly.

As she looked at his face, she finally remembered. She grimaced inwardly, but otherwise tried not to react.

"No. It happens a lot. But uh- she'll be fine, I'm sure." He said, nodding slowly, still not meeting her eye.

She nodded and put her hand on Remus'. "If there is anything, let me know?"

His gaze moved from the floor to her hand and he nodded before whispering, "thanks Bess."

"Okay. I have some chocolate upstairs if you'd like it? I find people sometimes forget to care for the carers." She said as she moved her hand back to her own lap.

Remus smiled again and shook his head. "That's alright, I stocked up in Hogsmeade. Thanks though."

Sirius, who had watched the exchange from his armchair, stood and pulled Bess up off the sofa. As he wrapped his arms around her, he chuckled. "You're too nice, love."

"I am a Hufflepuff..." she replied. Her eyes widened slightly. She hadn't meant to say that but couldn't stop herself. She still didn't know if she should ever mention that she chose Gryffindor over Hufflepuff, especially not now - would Sirius think she'd been following him?

Luckily, Sirius barked out a laugh and squeezed her slightly before pulling back to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'd love to spend time with you this weekend, love, but tonight, the guys and I are-"

"Honestly? I don't want to know what mischief you'll be up to!" She said, giving him a look, "I have a detention tonight anyway, so I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked, stopping him from having to make up an excuse.

He nodded and Bess raised an eyebrow as she pulled out of his embrace and turned to James. "Please don't do anything stupid, and most importantly, don't get yourselves killed," she laughed out as she began to walk over to the dormitory stairs.

She heard Remus wince, but Sirius called after her, "can't promise that, love!"

She turned and dramatically rolled her eyes, walking backwards, before blowing him a kiss and turning back to the door.

xXx

After telling the girls that Remus wouldn't be around until Monday, Bess spent the rest of the day in her dorm room, only leaving for meals.

She'd told the girls she had something personal she needed to do, and had closed her curtains around her bed to ensure her privacy.

She spent the time reading through her notebook and trying to remember things. There were so many gaps in her knowledge and she felt like she was letting everyone down by not knowing every little detail that could help the war effort.

She kept trying and trying, pushing and pushing herself, until she hit a snag... She was trying to remember who in their year became Death Eaters when she felt an indescribable pain surge through her head.

The pain pulsed and grew until she could barely see. She wanted to scream, but she didn't know how to explain what she'd been doing to her dorm mates. Lily, especially, would be incredibly angry with her. She'd told the redhead that she'd stopped trying to push past her mental blocks.

So instead, she cast a quick silencio on herself. It was just in time, as a moment later Bess began to scream, the pain in her head overtaking everything else.

She could barely see through the pain, it felt like her entire body was on fire.

She clutched her head and screwed her eyes shut, trying to focus on her breathing.

Just when she thought the pain would never stop, it did. As quickly as it had come, the pain left her.

She panted from the exertion of it all. She could feel the sweat dripping down her neck. When she raised her hand to her hair, it felt slick with moisture.

James' words repeated in her head. "If you try and remember your past... you could cause irreparable damage."

But that doesn't make any sense! How can I remember some things, but- Bess thought. Oh. The memories can flow and be triggered naturally. But I can't push them or I'll hurt myself.

This will definitely complicate things.

By the time her breathing was under control, she'd taken the silencing charm off herself, and she'd pulled back the curtains around her bed, it was already five o'clock.

She groaned as she realised that she would have to miss dinner if she wanted to have a shower and get everything ready in time for her meeting with Dumbledore.

Sighing deeply, she placed the heel of her hand against her forehead and stumbled to the bathroom before showering, getting dressed, downing her remaining pain potion, and walking purposefully towards the Room of Requirement.

xXx

As she stood outside Dumbledore's office at seven o'clock that night, Bess didn't know what to expect. Her heart was racing and she felt nauseous, but she walked up the stone steps and knocked on the large wooden door anyway.

Gulping as it swung open and revealed the large, round office, she stepped inside and walked slowly towards Dumbledore's desk.

The older wizard was sitting down, writing at his desk, and didn't look up as he said, "Miss Coulson. Please take a seat."

Bess remembered how busy he was in the books, so she just sat down and used the time to look around his office again.

As she did, she accidentally made eye contact with Professor Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait. She regretted her decision instantly, but she felt like she couldn't look away.

She recognised some of his features in Sirius – the dark hair, his nose… but differences – his eyes were dark where Sirius' were light, and, even removing his facial hair, his face shape was different.

Sirius and Phineas both shared aristocratic features, but on Sirius they were enchanting, striking, handsome. On Phineas they were sneaky, with an air of him being above everyone else. No. Above her.

If she'd forgotten his blood purist views before, she certainly didn't after she recognised the look he was giving her - she'd seen the same look on Regulus. Interestingly, she realised that Regulus and Phineas bore the more striking resemblance.

Her eyes widened slightly and her breathing increased as she realised this. She thought back to meeting Regulus, and felt fearful. She hoped Phineas and her conversation, if they had one, would kinder than the one she'd had with Sirius' little brother.

Though, she thought, at least he won't be able to physically attack me.

She watched as Phineas sat forwards in his chair, trying to get a better look at her.

After a moment he frowned, sat back in his chair and chuckled humourlessly. He clasped his hands together and said "so you are the witch who has enchanted my worthless great-great-grandson. I can't say I'm impressed."

Bess didn't reply, but blinked furiously, clenched her jaw, and held her head up slightly. She knew it would just make him talk more, but she had more important things to think about or do other than getting riled up by a racist portrait.

Phineas continued, "it is true, he has a… rebellious… side, but if you think for a moment that he would allow the lineage of The Ancient and Noble House of Black to be tainted by a Mudbloo-"

"That is enough, Phineas," Dumbledore said, quietly but sternly, stopping Phineas in his tracks.

Bess watched as Phineas pursed his lips angrily as he stared down at her.

"If he's so worthless, why do you care what... or who... he does?" Bess asked slowly, glaring at the portrait. A second later she had a moment of realisation and asked, "do you have another portrait?"

She quickly stood and walked towards where his picture was hung.

Phineas watched her approach until she stopped in front of him. "I do."

"Where is it?" She asked quietly, cocking her head to the side.

Bess knew there was something she was missing, but she couldn't remember what it was. She knew Phineas, so she knew he was important, but she didn't know how.

Phineas was silent for a moment as he appraised her. "I do not need to answer your questions."

"But you expect me to answer yours?"

She was angry. She knew she needed to know this information, but she couldn't force it - she needed him to tell her, or she'd have a blank spot in her memory with his name on it. She couldn't explain why, but something seemed important. She needed to know what she was missing.

Phineas appraised her for another moment before he rose to her challenge. "I do not bargain with Mud-"

"Phineas." Came Dumbledore's voice again. "You will not speak of Miss Coulson in that manner."

Phineas looked as though he wanted to argue, but he was too preoccupied. "Fine. As you wish Dumbledore," he said quietly, though he hadn't taken his eyes off Bess. "I do not bargain."

Bess narrowed her eyes and said, "tell me where your other portrait is."

She was expecting Phineas to glare at her, but he didn't move or say anything.

"Phineas." Dumbledore said.

Bess almost jumped – he'd come to stand behind her at some point, but she didn't know when. "Please let Miss Coulson know where your other portrait hangs."

Phineas rolled his eyes and pursed his lips. It took a minute, but finally he spoke again. "At my ancestral family home. 12-"

"-Grimmauld Place," Bess whispered. "Oh my god." Turning to Dumbledore, she said, "we need to cover his portrait. Or something. He can't know anything I'm going to tell you."

"Miss Coulson… I can assure you-" Dumbledore began, but Bess cut him off, raising a hand.

"No." She said through clenched teeth. "He may serve the Headmaster of Hogwarts, but his true allegiance lies with his family. At least for now. How else would he know who I am?"

"The walls have eyes," Phineas said.

"Yes. And ears." Bess said, looking quickly at the portrait before turning back to Dumbledore. "Please Professor. I can't trust him. Not yet."

"Al-" Phineas began, before Dumbledore pointed his wand at the portrait and a blindfold wrapped around his eyes and a pair of large mufflers appeared over his ears.

"This is rather unorthodox, Albus, even for you!" She heard a woman cry, and looked up to see a middle-aged witch leaning out of her chair, staring at the pair.

"Elladora." Dumbledore warned with a look, before he gestured towards the seat Bess had vacated, "Miss Coulson, please sit. It seems we have a lot to discuss."

Bess nodded and walked back over to the chair. She didn't want to sit, though, she wanted to pace. So instead of sitting down, she put her hands on the back of the chair and gripped it tightly.

"Bess… may I call you Bess?" Dumbledore asked as he sat down in his chair and put his hands together.

Bess nodded. "Of course."

"Bess. Has Mr Black told you about his home life?"

Bess gulped and blinked. "No."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow but simply nodded. "Where shall we begin?"

Bess frowned and looked down at her hands. She knew she shouldn't just go straight in to it, but at the same time, she didn't know where else to start. And this time, Dumbledore would be no help in filling in the blanks.

She reached round to her back and pulled her notebook from where she'd tucked it in to the waistband of her skinny jeans. She raised it up and shook it gently.

"I- I've written everything I can remember in here."

Dumbledore nodded and reached his hand out. Bess shook her head slightly and returned it to her back, sliding it in to her waistband.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you read it. Not yet. I showed you so that you know that if anything happens to me, there's a back up. Instead, right now, I would like to tell you only what you need to know."

"Bess..." Dumbledore began.

Bess shook her head again. "I can't tell you everything in here. I even... I even have your death day in here."

Dumbledore pulled back his hand and put it to his mouth.

"How can you assure me that what you speak is the truth?" Dumbledore asked slowly.

"I think I should start with a pretty sucky truth... Voldemort has created Horcruxes, and I know where they are." Bess said firmly.

Dumbledore's eyes widened and he stood swiftly, walking around the table to stand in front of her. "If you won't let me see the diary, how can I believe you?"

Bess gulped. "Because there's one in the castle right now. And the only thing stopping me from getting rid of it is the fact that I can't destroy it. I- I don't know how to cast fiendfyre, I haven't killed the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets yet, and I don't know if the killing curse would work on an inanimate Horcrux."

"An inanimate one? How do you know all of this?" He asked her quietly.

Bess took a deep breath and reached in to her back pocket. As she did she tried not to smile as she remembered a conversation she'd had with Sirius over the half term week.

"-they're so small! There's no way I can keep my wand in them!" She'd giggled, dodging out of Sirius' embrace.

Sirius had chuckled and looped his fingers in to Bess' belt loops, pulling her roughly forwards, so their chests slammed together and her hands had gripped his biceps to steady herself.

As he'd grinned down at her, he'd moved one of his hands to her back and slipped his hand in to the back pocket of her new skinny jeans.

Bess had pursed her lips to stop herself from smiling and looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"See?" She'd asked, as she'd brought her hand round to rest over his. "Can't even fit a whole hand in there, let alone a wand."

He'd bitten his lip and stared down at her as he'd pulled his hand back slowly, bringing it to rest on her hip instead.

"Turn around." He'd whispered.

"Sirius..."

"Turn. Around." He'd whispered again, raising his eyebrows.

She'd rolled her eyes and turned around as she pulled her hair over one shoulder.

"Capacious extremis," he'd whispered behind her, and she'd seen a flash of light.

"An extension charm? That's advanced magic... I thought you weren't allowed to-"

"Everyone loves a rebel..." He'd replied, as she'd turned her head to the side to look up at him.

From her enlarged back pocket, Bess removed a silver tiara, which she handed to Dumbledore.

She watched as he read the inscription - "wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure".

"This..." Dumbledore whispered, before looking up at her. "Where?"

"It was in the Room of Requirement. Tom put it there when he came to talk to you about a teaching position years ago."

Bess could see Dumbledore's grip on the diadem strengthen, his knuckles turning white. But this was the only indication she had that he felt anything other than calm.

Finally, Dumbledore nodded. "I will listen to what you have to say."

Bess was incredibly thankful that she'd decided to go and find the Horcrux before their meeting. She'd gone in to the room and searched for the bust of the warlock, near the vanishing cabinet. She was grateful that both Voldemort and Harry had such... terrible hiding places.

"You might want to sit back down again?" She offered. She watched as he walked back to his chair and sat back in it, placing the diadem on the table in front of him, before she continued. "Now this is going to sound crazy, but the world I come from… there's a series of books about a boy named Harry…"

By the time Bess had explained about Tom Riddle's history, his time at Hogwarts, Horcruxes, and that she knew definitely where two of them were, Dumbledore had placed his head in his hands.

When she finished, he slowly raised his face and stared at her with almost unseeing eyes.

Finally, minutes after she'd stopped talking, he spoke. "I cannot-"

"But Professor!" Bess cried. She knew she needed to get him to see the truth. She needed him to understand that what she was saying was true.

He raised a hand to silence her, and used his other rub his chin before he spoke again. "No. Miss Coulson. I do believe you. However, I cannot fathom that such an object has been hidden within the halls of this school for so many years without my knowledge.

"I have been... careless... to dismiss you." He finished, looking up at her.

Bess agreed, but she didn't want to say "I told you so," so she just didn't say anything. Instead, after almost two and a half hours of standing, she sank in to the chair opposite Dumbledore.

After a moment, he asked, "are you sure that there are only four?"

Bess nodded. "Yes. In nineteen-seventy-nine, he'll create and hide another one."

Dumbledore's eyes snapped up to meet hers again. "What?"

"It's his intention to make seven of these."

"Seven? Merlin." Dumbledore said, rubbing his hand over his face. "I will need to formulate a plan before we can find the others." He sighed and sat back in his seat again, bringing his hands together in front of him.

"Thank you sir. I... I honestly wasn't sure where to start. I only managed to get this one out because the boys finally left me alone tonight," Bess said, sighing and putting her head in her hands.

She thought about how lucky she'd been that they had probably been too busy preparing to join Remus in the Shrieking Shack to notice her vanishing from the map for an hour as she'd searched for the diadem.

"You were going to do this on your own?" He asked quietly.

"Yes." Bess replied, looking up at him, propping her elbows on her thighs, and resting her chin on her fists.

"Why?"

"Like I said, I don't want my friends to die this time."

"Do all of them perish?" He asked quietly.

Bess frowned and pursed her lips. She didn't know how to reply. The Gryffindor girls were her friends as well, but she didn't know if they would survive the war or not.

Silence filled the room for minutes before Dumbledore spoke again. "Do you think this is fair?"

Bess frowned and looked up to the wizard. "What?"

"Lying to your friends. To Mr Black. I am assuming that you have not informed them of your true background? Nor the fact that you are willing to sacrifice yourself for them?"

Bess took a deep breath, wondering where he was going with this. "No. I don't… think it's fair, that is. But what am I meant to do? I made a decision a long time ago to not tell anyone about this, and…"

"And yet here we are."

"I didn't see myself getting so... attached. I thought it would just be acquaintances… friends maybe. I didn't know how hard it would be. But you're right. If I'd done this on my own I'm sure I would have died in the attempt to get all four. Which is why, when you finally approached me, I jumped at the chance to become a partnership," Bess answered truthfully.

Dumbledore nodded and said, "I think you arrived at this school prepared for hardship. It was the lack of it which lulled you in to a false sense of security."

Tears filled Bess' eyes. She felt like she was being told off for forming attachments. "I- Professor."

"I think that it would be best if you were to severe your friendships until we have destroyed the Horcruxes. It will not be safe for any one. If he found out what you were doing..."

Bess nodded. She understood what he meant – she thought of Harry, and what he'd done to protect Ginny.

He continued, "I know that you've been careful, but imagine if you reference something which you should not know yet."

"Like with the Dementors?" Bess asked in a whisper.

Dumbledore nodded.

Bess thought again about Ginny and Harry. But Harry had Hermione and Ron as he tracked down the Horcruxes. At the very least, he had Hermione.

She took a moment, thoughts running through her head as she put a hand on her stomach and gripped the chair arm with her other. She felt sick at the idea of not being around Sirius. The others as well, but she needed to be with Sirius. It was something she'd never felt before.

She raised her eyes and looked at the wizard in front of her. A tear fell down her cheek as she whispered, "I can't, Professor."

"Why not?"

"Because… Sirius. I- I liked him before, when I… when I knew him from the books. It's hard not to... feel for him..." to grieve his death, she added silently, "but meeting him… spending time with him?" Bess looked down at her lap. "I- I'm not strong enough to give him up."

"You love him." Dumbledore said, and it reminded Bess of when he'd asked Snape if he still loved Lily.

Bess nodded and wiped away her tears as she sniffled.

"Does he know?"

She shook her head and sat back in her chair, resting her elbows over the arms. "I don't think he feels the same way. But… I can't- he's- I can't-"

Dumbledore looked at her for over a minute before he spoke again. "I do not think you should reveal any of this information to your friends. However, if you insist on continuing to study here and continuing your relationships, then perhaps…"

"Perhaps?" Bess asked, looking up again.

Dumbledore drew in a quick breath. "Do you remember what I theorised when you first tried to explain everything to me?"

"Yes," Bess nodded, frowning and narrowing her eyes. "You- you think I should tell them that I think I'm… that I had a… a mental break?"

"I wouldn't go that far… but yes. I believe that you should find a time to inform them that you were in a traumatic event, and that some of your memories were..." Dumbledore said, before trailing off and waving his hand as if trying to think of what to say next.

"Hidden away to preserve them?" Bess asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Oh," she said, her eyes widening in realisation. "So I could say that if I mention anything which I shouldn't know, it might just be what I was taught before, coming out?"

"Yes."

She let out a small laugh. "That's actually a good idea."

Dumbledore chuckled, his eyes twinkling, and said, "I have been known to have them from time to time."

"But then I'd have to explain about my age..." Bess said to herself.

As quietly as she'd spoken, Dumbledore still heard her and responded. "That, is something I cannot help you with."

"I can't tell them about what we're doing here at all, can I?" She asked, rubbing her hands down her face.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to?"

"No. Not with… all of them. I can't trust someone."

He narrowed his eyes and asked, "who?"

"I'll let you know if it comes to that, but for now we're fine. It's just… I can't trust them not to remember little things I say. Especially if this will be my cover story."

Dumbledore nodded.

They sat in silence for a few more moments before Bess spoke again. "Thank you, Professor... you know, for believing me this time."

"No. Thank you Bess. For continuing even when I tried to stop you," he said, smiling at her.

She frowned and stammered out a question which had been on her mind for a while. "Why- why do you think I came here?"

Dumbledore looked at her over his half moon spectacles and simply said, "I cannot answer that, Miss Coulson. I have never heard of such an event taking place."

"What do... what do you think happened?" She asked quietly, staring at the old wizard.

She'd stopped trying not to look in to his eyes while she'd explained about the Horcruxes - he hadn't once attempted legilimency on her and she trusted that he would only do so if he felt he needed to.

After a pause, he said, "I think that is a conversation for another day."

Bess nodded and sighed deeply, putting her hand to her mouth and staring at the table, deep in thought.

"But please, answer me one more thing?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bess nodded and bit her lip.

"Do you wish to return to your version of reality?"

Bess, who hadn't thought about the possibility of going home in weeks, frowned. Did she still want to go home?

"I- I'm not sure, sir. I think... I think I want to stay here until at least after the war is over." She said quietly.

Dumbledore nodded. "So we can count on your support until Voldemort has been vanquished?"

Bess raised her head and nodded firmly. "One hundred per cent."

They stared at each other for a moment before Dumbledore's eyes flickered to the side, and he said "alas, it is getting late."

Bess looked over at the large clock and saw that it was already almost ten o'clock - she only had a few minutes before she would be breaking the weekend curfew. She was glad the Headmaster's Office was also on the seventh floor - she'd be able to run back and miss Filch completely.

"I should go. Will you..."

"I will keep this safe, Bess, and I will destroy it." Dumbledore said, nodding.

Bess sent him a sad half-smile and walked towards the door.

"Bess?"

She turned to look at her Headmaster, who was now standing behind his desk, his hands clasped together.

"Would you like a lemon drop?" He asked serenely.

Bess tried not to laugh as she looked at the bowl next to the entrance of his office. "Thank you, Professor," she said as she grabbed six sweets and left the office.

As she stepped off the stone steps, she thought she heard voices down the hall. Frowning, she continued on her path towards the portrait hole, only stopping once, when she thought she heard something scuttle by her.

xXx

A/N:

So, I go in with a plan for each chapter, and then it just evolves with Bess, so I thought this chapter would take ages to write, but Bess and Dumbledore just flowed! I was originally planning for Dumbledore to not believe her, but then I realised that Bess wouldn't go in empty handed, and it shortened it! I do now have the first 1000+ words of the next chapter though, as I wanted a stand alone Dumbledore chapter again, but Bess' next chat with Sirius started flowing and I couldn't stop writing! So there'll be another chapter tomorrow, or on Saturday.

Thank you for the reviews, Guest, Ghost Claw 001, CharlotteGryffindor, potterrs, HorseGirl16 and GuestHP - (however I do the first kiss, it's totally going to fall flat now! Their closeness at the moment is so intimate and caring, I'm almost scared for when they move to the next stage! haha!)

And thank you to everyone reading, following and favouriting! As I write this, I have 100 people following this story, which is absolutely crazy to me! You guys rock!