Bess spent the last few days of her break wondering why there were suddenly no newspapers around the house, and it was only on the first, when they boarded the Hogwarts Express, that she found out what the 'bigger things' that Euphemia had spoken to Sirius, James and Lily about, were.

As they walked on to the train, Bess heard people whispering. Conversations stopped and started quickly as students opened and closed doors, but she only heard snippets.

"-killed over break."

"-missing-"

"-attacks-"

It was enough for her to piece together that there had been another spate of attacks over the Christmas holidays, which explained the sudden lack of information - she didn't think Euphemia and Fleamont would have wanted her to read about any of this. Not when she was recovering, and not when it was almost one year to the day since she'd woken up in St. Mungo's.

She found out more about what had happened over the break once she'd finally 'convinced' Sirius to let her sit with the girls on the train - he had been all too happy to string her along, pretending he wasn't happy with her leaving his sight for fear of another student hexing her, because her method of convincing him had involved a great many kisses. When Remus and Peter had arrived at the boys' compartment, he'd finally told her he didn't mind where she sat since he felt she was safest on the train and at Hogwarts. Rolling her eyes exaggeratedly, Bess had whacked him on the arm and left him laughing with the boys.

As she headed towards the girls' compartment, Bess spotted Grace walking in to a compartment further down the carriage, and hurried to catch up with her. She was worried as she could tell that the older girl had been crying, and thought that something had happened with Scott.

However, when Bess opened the compartment door, she realised it wasn't just Grace - all of the group inside were in various stages of distress, either crying or staring blankly at the walls.

It took her a moment to realise that one of their number was missing. "Where's Ama?" she asked quietly, as the train began to move.

Bartie, who had tear tracks glistening down his face, grabbed Bess' hand and pulled her inside, quickly sliding the door shut behind her. Once she'd sat down beside him, he shook his head, and handed her today's newspaper. Staring up at her from the page and smiling brightly was Amarella, flanked by an older couple.

HIGH-RANKING AUROR AND FAMILY MURDERED

In a brief statement Friday evening, Minister for Magic Harold Minchum announced the demise of yet another prominent Wizarding family, bringing the total number of deaths this week to fourteen.

"It is with great sadness that I stand here today to inform you that the Bucks family, consisting of Robert, Florence and Amarella, aged 52, 46, and 17 respectively, are no longer with us," said Minchum, looking broken by the news as he addressed reporters in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic.

"As you know, Florence Bucks was a fantastic Auror, who was working with the Ministry to protect the citizens of our wonderful nation from any harm. Her husband, Robert, worked within the Muggle Liaison Office, and although I never met him, I have been assured by his colleagues that he was just as warm and kind hearted as his wife.

"Their daughter, Amarella, was in her final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredibly bright witch, she was on her way to becoming a force within the Ministry herself, having already secured an offer to begin Auror training upon graduation if she succeeded in her subjects.

"The family will be greatly missed by all, and our hearts are with their family and friends on this most awful of New Year's Eve's."

When pushed to confirm reports that the attack was carried out by You-Know-Who himself, Minchum replied, "I would like to put an end to any speculation, and can now confirm that we believe that this attack was connected to the spout of killings across the country carried out over the past week. We believe that by staging these more prominent attacks during national holidays, You-Know-Who and his followers are attempting to entice fear and anguish around what should be happy occasions.

"It is therefore my wish to end this conference by saying that we here at the Ministry of Magic continue to denounce the horrid acts of You-Know-Who and his followers, and will do everything in our power to bring them to justice. Our Aurors are working around the clock to ensure your safety, and will continue to do their best to protect our citizens."

The Minister's statement was met with great alarm from the wizarding community, who were under the impression that Mrs Bucks would take over from current Head of the Auror Department, Orville Poults, following his resignation earlier this week for failing to stop these attacks. You will remember, of course, that it was he who ignored reports of Muggle baiting in the London area last Christmastime, just days before Lucas Grouse, a high-ranking Ministry Official, was found murdered alongside his Squib sister and her Muggle husband.

We have been informed that Grouse's niece, Miss Daphne "Bess" Coulson, somehow managed to survive the attack, and now attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. [For more on Miss Coulson, see page 5].

Bess stopped reading, her vision blurred with tears. "B-But-," she stammered, "but we were- we- we were just in the library together. I- she- she wrote to me three days ago. We-"

"I know," Bartie replied, wrapping an arm around Bess' shoulders as they stared down at the photo of Amarella.

"B-Bess?" Grace stammered, leaning over to put a hand over Bess'. "I'm so sorry about your uncle. I- we- we knew, but we didn't- we didn't put two and- and- and-"

Bess took a deep breath and covered Grace's with her own. She couldn't imagine how much pain the group was going through - Bess had only known them all for four months, but her heart was breaking for her friend's loss - and yet Grace's kindness and selflessness still shone through as she put her own feelings aside to comfort Bess.

"I- I didn't either," Bess replied with a small sob.

"Well I'm so-"

"No, Grace, I'm sorry. I didn't- I didn't think- I- I'm so sorry this has happened. And we shouldn't be talking about- about- about me. This is about Ama," Bess said, through her tears.

Silence fell over the group as Grace squeezed Bess' hand before withdrawing and returning her head to Scott's shoulder. The quiet was only broken by sobs and sniffs for over an hour and a half until the door slid open to reveal the trolley lady.

"Merlin. You all alright?" She asked, staring around the group.

Scott laughed out of shock, but his emotions soon took over and he began to laugh even more, tears running down his face. Soon, everyone joined him - it was cathartic to laugh and cry and wipe their eyes.

When they stopped, Bess bought everyone a cockroach cluster in memory of Ama, who loved the weird snack. They counted to ten and popped them in their mouths, all grimacing as they ate them. Bess took a proffered bottle of pumpkin juice from Bartie to try and choke down her one.

"Merlin. That really is disgusting," Lucy said before she gagged.

"I don't know what's worse... the smell, the look, the taste, or the thought that they're made from actual cockroaches..." Merritt replied, pulling his girlfriend back towards him.

She jumped up and gagged again, before opening the compartment door and shouting, "Why wait until after I've had one to tell me that?" as she ran towards the loos.

Bess chuckled, remembering what Ama always used to say, "They're not real cockroaches!"

After a few minutes, and once Lucy had returned, Bess stood reluctantly and motioned to the door. "I'm really sorry, but I should get back to the girls... I said I'd have lunch with Lily before her prefect rounds, and I don't know who's heard yet..." Bess trailed off.

Amarella was a prefect, and had completed her rounds with both Remus and Lily on occasion. However, it being the first of January, and a Saturday, Bess couldn't be sure that many of the students on the train would have bought a copy of The Daily Prophet that morning, and so may not have heard the grim news - she surmised that they'd all be too busy talking about what had happened earlier in the week, and catching up with their friends.

Grace, Lucy and Scott stood to give her hugs, and she fist bumped Merritt - their customary greeting and goodbye -, before Bartie opened the door for her. As she walked through, he nudged her arm, and she turned to face him.

"You okay?" she asked quietly, looking at the distraught boy in front of her. His blonde hair looked windswept from the amount of times he'd run his hands through it, and his brown eyes were red rimmed. Amarella and he had been incredibly close, almost like brother and sister. Bess didn't know how he was able to stand heading back to Hogwarts given her loss.

He dropped his head, staring at the ground by their feet, and put his hands in his pockets. "No. I- we were- we were- Merlin, Bess, we were meant to start Auror training together in September. That was our plan. For years! I don't... what am I meant to-" he sighed deeply and shook his head.

Bess didn't reply, but instead moved forwards and pulled him in to a tight hug. "Thanks," he mumbled after a while and pulled away, before raising a thumb to her cheek, wiping a tear from her face. "Wonder how many of us will be seeing Thestrals this trip...?" he asked with a dark humoured chuckle as he dropped his hand.

Bess took in a deep breath and lightly punched his arm before smiling and turning towards the open hallway. As Bartie slid the door shut, Bess tucked some curls behind her ear and looked up to see Sirius standing by the girls' compartment door with a face like thunder. She realised he must have misinterpreted what had happened.

James was leaning nonchalantly against the carriage wall just behind Sirius, but Bess could tell he was mainly there to stop his friend from doing anything stupid.

Bess rolled her eyes angrily and walked towards the boys. She could barely believe that Sirius was actually getting jealous right now, although it wasn't too much of a surprise, not after what had happened with Bartie and the Thestrals. When she reached them, she pulled out her copy of the Prophet, which Bartie had geminio'd for her, and opened it to the front cover.

Sirius' face softened as he read the headline and skimmed the article. "Merlin. Bess," he groaned, before pulling her into his arms. "I'm so sorry."

"Why were you glaring? Don't you trust me?" she mumbled against his chest, before pulling back.

She couldn't help the hot tear which fell down her face, and angrily wiped it away, just as Sirius reached up to try and do the same. He sighed and let his hand drop down as he said, "No! I- It's just..."

Bess rolled up the paper and stuffed it in to the extended back pocket of her jeans. "Just what?"

"I- I- I don't... I just don't trust him," Sirius replied with a grimace. Bess could tell how uncomfortable he was, now that he understood why she'd been with Bartie.

"Why?" Bess asked, before blowing out a puff of air and shaking her head, "This is just like with Scott. Why can't I have friends who are guys?"

Sirius sighed and moved his hands to rub her upper arms. "You can, love, I'm sorry. It's just... your goodbye... it looked so intimate. I understand now, but..."

Unfortunately for Sirius, he was about to find out how Bess really dealt with loss and intense pain and upset - she pushed people away. She couldn't stop herself. She just felt hot and angry, and wanted to be alone.

"You don't act like this when I hang out with James," she said angrily, motioning towards the bespectacled boy, who raised his hands in a 'whoa' pose, and moved backwards.

"I know. I just..." he trailed off until Bess raised and eyebrow and he realised she wasn't about to let him go without an explanation. "Well, it's because I know James isn't after you."

Bess' eyes widened and she said, "Neither's Bartie!"

"But-" Sirius began, before Bess cut over him with an exasperated laugh.

"Come on! This is Scott all over again."

"No it's not..." Sirius said, as his hands stopped rubbing her arms, and he tried to pull her in to a hug. When she stopped him, he added, "Bess, come on, okay? I'm sorry, I know I was jealous, but please, let me comfort you. I can help."

"No you can't. Bartie just lost his best friend and you're accusing him of trying to steal me away from you. It's ridiculous. Especially after the break we had together."

"I know. I know, Bess, I said I was sorry."

Bess glared at him and pulled away completely. "You said you were all in. And I am too. And I bloody love you. But Scott, and Bartie? They're just my friends! And my other- my- my other friend just fucking died. I have bigger things to worry about than your stupid jealousy."

Sirius moved forwards and tried to hold her again, but she dodged out of his embrace. "I know, and I said I was sorry. Please, just let me help-"

"No." Bess wiped her eyes with her sleeves, and let out a frustrated noise before she rubbed her face roughly.

"Bess-" James began, but Bess cut him off by raising her hand.

She knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't stop herself. "Argh! I just- look- no. I'm just-" she stopped and took in a deep breath as she covered her face with her hands. Lowering her arms, she said quietly, "I should leave before I say something I regret. Excuse me."

Bess pushed past Sirius and pulled open the compartment door, stepping inside. She heard it click shut behind her, and sighed, realising that all of the girls were staring at her.

"Another argument? I understand why you didn't want to take the train on the first of September now..." Jo said, before laughing.

Bess chuckled bitterly and rolled her eyes, before sniffing and asking, "Where's Lily?"

"Rounds. Someone had to cover for Bucks. Did you see her at all? Lily was pissed!" Solstice replied. She missed Bess' wince when she mentioned Amarella.

Bess shook her head and sat down in a seat, picking up a random magazine and opening it to a page, though she couldn't focus on what she was reading.

Thoughts whirled around her head and she realised that she didn't want to be the one to tell the girls after all - if they didn't already know, she didn't know how she could bare to tell them as well. They were all Gryffindors, and Amarella was a kind and smart Witch who knew a lot of people. Her loss would be felt throughout the school, but especially in the Gryffindor Tower.

It had been hard enough to show Sirius the paper. When his face had fallen, it had just confirmed to her even more that Amarella was gone.

She had had months to come to terms with the loss of her friends back in her own world, and as she'd told Sirius, that was still hard. But she knew that they were still probably all alive. It felt completely different having the sudden shock of losing a friend to the Death Eaters. It propelled Bess' head in to a spin, and she felt herself losing some of her confidence in being able to defeat Voldemort - it had all suddenly become so much more real, and felt like any innocence she had left had been wrenched from her.

Bess realised she needed to leave the compartment - she just couldn't handle being around the happy girls. Thinking through her options of where to go, she realised that she didn't want to go and sit with Sirius at the moment, she couldn't be sure she wouldn't try to pick another fight, and the ache in her heart was refusing to let her return to the compartment she'd just vacated with Grace, Scott, Bartie, Merritt and Lucy.

So, after a moment's pause, she reached down to grab her leather jacket, which Sirius must have been coming to give back to her when he'd seen her with Bartie, and pulled open the door, saying a quick, "See you in a bit," to the girls as she headed off to sit in the first carriage with open seating she could find.

After five minutes of walking up through the train, she found an empty seat in a carriage and sat down amongst a sea of Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. She felt more at ease here - it wasn't as confined and intimate as the compartment, and the kids were all people she didn't know well, so they left her alone.

She still had the paper in her hand, so she opened it up, trying to not look at the photo of the smiling Amarella, and turned to page 5 to read the continuation of the article.

Placed on the gossip page, and sandwiched between an article about hair growth, and another entitled 'The Rise and Fall of The Drunken Elf: Rockstars to Rags, a cautionary tale,' Bess found a small article, 'One Year On: Daphne Coulson Dealt Yet Another Blow,' and was displeased to see that it was the only article on the page written by an R. Skeeter.

Having heard nothing of Daphne Coulson since she survived a horrific attack last year, this writer is excited to say that she has managed to obtain the exclusive scoop on 'The Girl Who Escaped Death'!

Bess tried not to roll her eyes. "Why not 'The Girl Who Lived'?" she muttered to herself bitterly.

Apparently a beautiful young witch, Miss Coulson, who has the male population of Hogwarts lusting after her, had the pleasure of counting the late Miss Amarella Bucks as a close friend. In fact, the two were seen together daily, either eating in the Great Hall, or studying in the Library.

However, sources say that Miss Coulson and Miss Bucks couldn't have been more different, as Daphne has a troublesome streak, and spends half of her time talking back to Professors.

In fact, one reliable source said that, "She wasn't allowed in to our Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons because everyone was worried she'd go mental. She's a bit unstable after her parents' deaths." Another added, "She'd probably be a competent Witch if she applied herself, but she's too busy sticking her tongue down Sirius Black's throat to really try in school. That's why she and Amarella were friends - Bucks pitied her and helped her finish her homework."

Taking a moment aside from the tragic loss of Miss Bucks, this writer has to ask - is this budding romance between the dashing heir of the Pure-Blooded Black family and the newly revealed daughter of a squib a tragedy waiting to happen? Is it revenge sought from a broken-hearted young girl? Or just a good old-fashioned teenage rebellion on Mr. Black's part?

Well, dear reader, unfortunately for Mr. Black, I have it on good authority that, "She's just stringing him along. She never asks him to meet up with her, they didn't go to Hogsmeade together, and she's just so... closed off most of the time. We're all just waiting for her to ditch him for something better."

Well... Watch this space! When it happens, you'll be the first to know!

Bess shook her head and frowned down at the words. Most of this is utter shite, she thought, and in any case, whoever Rita's sources were didn't know why she was trying to encourage Sirius to spend as much quality time with his friends as possible. And that if she let him know her true feelings for him, she'd barely be able to let him out of her sight.

Once she'd read the article three more times, she reached up to gently hold the charm Sirius had given her as she mindlessly turned pages and 'read' words until her stomach let out an almighty rumble and she looked at the time. It was past five, which meant that the train would be stopping within an hour.

She realised with a jolt that she needed to eat something, and fast - her next chance would be at the Welcome Back Feast, which wouldn't start until seven.

With a quick shake of her head, she stood up and walked out of the carriage, working her way back to the girls' compartment, as she had plenty of snacks in her trunk.

Instead, as she practically ran out of the carriage, she slammed straight in to Regulus. She hung her head, and brought her hands to her face as she sighed deeply.

"Merlin. New robes again?" he asked, and she remembered him saying that his mother would want him to buy new robes as she was, "filth."

Bess sighed, and reached her hand in to her pocket slowly as she asked, "Why don't you just attack me and get it over with?"

Regulus laughed haughtily and raised an eyebrow. "Because... after my brother's display after the last time, it's much more fun to watch as he descends in to madness trying to protect you while you swan about and only pretend to love him."

"What are you talking about?" Bess asked incredulously, shaking her head for the millionth time that day.

Regulus merely looked down his nose at her and said, "Oh please. You may not believe the gossip pages, but in my experience, they never lie. Though... maybe I should just hex you... Mother would want that," he added with a sneer.

Bess rolled her eyes, her hand around her wand in her pocket, ready to fight if necessary. "I wouldn't have pegged you for a gossiper. But look, if you're not going to hex me, can I just get past, please?"

Regulus scoffed and pushed Bess roughly to the side, before striding through the carriage she'd just vacated. Rubbing her shoulder slightly, which had hit in to the doorway, she stumbled through another carriage.

She could feel the nausea beginning to rise in her stomach, so she ducked in to the toilets. Just as she stepped inside, she felt a wave of sickness hit her, and she only just managed to lock the door and non-verbally cast muffliato before she threw up the contents of her stomach - breakfast and a cockroach cluster.

Shaking, she cast a quick teeth cleaning spell, and flushed the loo. She popped the seat down, and sat down heavily on it as she tried to focus on getting her breathing in check.

It took her around an hour of sitting on the loo to feel better, and even then, she still felt nauseous and upset.

She felt the train stop, and put her head in her hands - she just needed a moment to herself to think properly.

A moment turned in to fifteen minutes - she could still hear students piling out of the carriages, taking their time, and she didn't want to join a large throng of students at that moment.

Fifteen minutes turned in to forty five. Finally breathing somewhat normally, Bess finally stood up on shaky legs, and opened the door.

The train hallway was dark - the lights, which had been on as they'd travelled through the winter darkness, were now off, and Bess could see the stars through the windows.

She took a deep breath and walked towards the exit. The door handle was stiff, and Bess had to put her power behind her as she pushed down, before finally turning it. As the door swung out in to the dark night, she gulped in a large breath of the cold night air and closed her eyes.

"Why is it always you?" A voice called to her, and Bess opened her eyes as a figure began to move towards her.

Bess gasped and reached for her wand, until she relaxed her grip as the man stepped in to view, illuminated by one of the platform's streetlights. "Jasper?"

He sent her a small smile and said, "Yeah, apparently when a student of your notoriety goes missing on a train, they come and get this chump."

Bess groaned and lifted a hand to her forehead. "I didn't go missing! I was in the loo!"

"For three hours?" He asked with a frown, as he crossed his arms.

"No... Two and a half..." Bess said, grimacing and dropping her hand.

"Bad breakfast?" Jasper asked with a hard, singular laugh. "Come on, you have to get back to the school."

"Wait... why're you here again? and what do you mean notoriety?" Bess asked, before clenching her jaw and frowning deeply at her friend.

Jasper sighed and rubbed his face before crossing his arms again. "After the past... after the past week, a few Aurors were stationed in Hogsmeade for the weekend to make sure all the students got back okay. When you didn't turn up with the others a few minutes ago, Dumbledore sent me to check on you," he said with a shrug. "And you're notorious now because... well, because you're the only person to survive last year's attacks. Fucking politics, but Minchum wants you safe and back at Hogwarts. He's only doing it for his rankings I'm sure, but orders is orders."

They both stared at the ground for a moment, before Bess whispered just loudly enough for Jasper to hear her, "Could I just stay here and never leave?"

He smiled bitterly and they looked at each other. Bess could tell that he was just as affected by the news of the Bucks family as her - if Florence had been a prominent Auror, she was sure that Jasper would have worked with her.

After a moment he asked, "Mind if I join you?"

Bess grinned despite herself, and said, "Please do! I'm sure the trolley lady will be happy for all the extra business!"

Jasper chuckled, before kicking the ground, the smile falling off his face. He waited for a few seconds before he sighed and lifted his head to ask, "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Bess laughed bitterly. "Last time I talked to you, Delbert told me about Bellatrix."

He nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. I really didn't know."

"I know," Bess replied, nodding slightly.

Jasper turned around and began to walk, gesturing to Bess to follow him. She jumped down on to the platform, put her hands in her pockets, and half jogged to catch up to him, quickly falling in to step with the taller wizard.

"Did you know?" Bess asked quietly, as she pulled out the paper from her extended back pocket and hit it against his arm.

"About which bit? The Bucks family? I can't tell you anything. Ongoing investigation," he replied in a hard voice.

"No. About... about my parents. I mean... about my mum here being a Squib, not a Muggle?"

Jasper sighed deeply. "No. There are... there are things they didn't tell me. I was only a- I was only a trainee when it all happened. I think they thought if I stayed on the case you'd feel safe or something. I'm younger than most of the other Aurors who saved you, and... well... turns out I form attachments with pain in the arse sixteen year olds easily," he said, motioning towards her and sending her a half-smile.

Bess nodded and sent him a weak smile. "Thank you. You know... for sticking with me." Jasper nodded and moved closer as they walked so that he could nudge her with his elbow. Bess continued, "It's weird... I miss our chats... and our dinners. Do you remember when Delbert got drunk and fell off his chair?" she asked, with a quiet laugh.

Jasper smiled and nodded. "Yeah... and when he flipped the table to demonstrate what that hag did in Oxford?"

Bess laughed again, and the sound echoed into the night. She sobered immediately. "Did you know her well? Uh- Ama's mum?"

"Yeah. I knew her..."

"I'm so sorry."

Jasper shrugged and shook his head as he turned to the right, leading them up the path towards Hogwarts, bypassing Hogsmeade village. "It's the nature of my job."

"I know. But I feel like it shouldn't be."

They fell silent again and Bess looked around as they walked, down the heavily wooded path, noting how different everything looked bathed in moonlight.

Jasper broke the silence by turning to look at Bess as they walked and saying, "I didn't know about Lucas either. I really did think he was just your teacher. Makes more sense now though. Of course he'd teach you magic if your parents didn't feel comfortable with you going to Hogwarts."

"Why'd the Ministry keep that quiet? And about my mother being a Squib? And if she was from a magical family, why carve Mudblood into my arm?"

"Because to the Death Eaters, you're as good as. Half-blood or not, to them, a Squib is as useless as a Muggle, but maybe even slightly worse, because they're born in to a magical family but have no powers... And as for keeping it quiet? That was an order from the Poults and Minchum I think," he said, shaking his head. "Must've been. Half the bloody office didn't know until this morning," he added angrily.

"Why's it important?" Bess asked, watching his face carefully.

"Death Eaters killing Squibs now? Who's next? Half-bloods? Pure-bloods? It means no one's safe," he said, before he stopped and rubbed his hands over his face.

Bess stopped a few paces ahead of him and turned back to face him. "Are you okay?"

After a moment Jasper dropped his hands, and shoved them in to his jacket pockets. He nodded, his jaw clenched, before he spat out, "Yeah. I have to be."

Bess frowned and moved forwards to place a hand on his arm. "Do you? You can talk to me if you need to."

"Huh... So that's what it sounds like," Jasper replied with a small smile on his face.

Bess couldn't help but send him a half smile back, and dropped her arm, putting her hand back in her own jacket pocket. "What?"

Jasper nodded his head from side to side and said, "Oh you know, the pot calling the kettle black."

Bess really did laugh then, and Jasper chuckled, before they both sighed and fell in to a walk again, Jasper leading the way.

After a five minute silence, Jasper said, "Okay. Let's talk. But topics can in no way include jobs, or school, or anything to do with death or what happened last night."

"Okay..." Bess said slowly, before swinging her arms and opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Jasper raised an eyebrow and she smiled and bit her lip. "Okay. Uh- so I blew up at Sirius earlier. Don't look at me like that! It's... okay, so I have two guy friends, and Sirius is jealous of my relationship with them. It's fine when we're in a group, but straight away it's just one-on-one time? He gets... worried..."

Jasper smiled slightly, and Bess felt a warmth surround her as she thought of the fact that she'd distracted him from his unhappiness for a moment.

"Yeah, Del is definitely one to look out for..." he said, before pursing his lips to try to stop his smile as she glared at him.

"Shut up! You and Del he's fine with... It's... two guys from school. They're in the year above, and-"

"Aha!" Jasper said, nodding, a sympathetic look on his face. "Yeah I get that."

Bess frowned. "You do?"

"Honestly? Yeah."

"Could you explain?" She asked slowly.

"Okay... I guess... bare with me, trying to access my sixth year brain. Ah, yup, there he is. Merlin, I've really grown up..."

"Will you stop it and just explain, please?"

Jasper chuckled. "Okay... you practically fell in to his world and flipped it upside down. I've seen the way he looks at you... it's like he can't quite believe you're real. He looked absolutely smitten, and he probably feels the same level of protectiveness over you that I do, but..."

"But what?"

"Oh come on, Bess! You're his girlfriend! And you're a good looking girl at that. And... well... it's just hard not to be happy when you're around. So... it stands to reason that your... loveliness... could be misinterpreted by some guys."

"Oh Christ. Don't tell me you're in love with me too now?" She asked with a quiet laugh.

Jasper laughed outright. "Bloody hell! You're only seventeen! I'm just saying, sixth year me can see where he's coming from. Older me thinks he should learn to assess a situation before getting jealous, but hormones don't work that way..."

"Yeah? Well I can't see it properly... I'm a one man kinda gal."

"You may be, but there are some girls in that castle who definitely aren't, and I'm guessing he's not used to loyalty in a relationship on either side. Add in the fact that he's a hormonal seventeen year old boy who's, quite frankly, more than a bit impulsive and reckless, he's probably scared you'll go off with the next best thing. You know what? While I'm in the right mind, tell me about those two guys."

"Why?"

"Because this is the only thing that's stopped me from wanting to drown myself in a vat of Firewhiskey all day. Your teenage drama is just the distraction I need. Or you are. Either way, keep it coming," he said quickly, before raising an eyebrow.

Bess sighed. "Okay... they're both really smart, and funny, and kind. Scott is a seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team... And Bartie's been accepted for Auror training in September if he gets the grades..."

Jasper nodded. "And Sirius is the disinherited son of a Pureblood family who isn't on the Quidditch Team, is a bit of a troublemaker, and probably hasn't worked out what he wants to do in his life yet?"

"No... he's the strong willed adopted son of two wonderful people, chooses not to play Quidditch for the team because that's James' thing and he's too busy being a rebel, and he wants to fight against Voldemort after he graduates. I'm thinking he'll probably apply to become an Auror in a few years."

"It's sweet that you know all that about his, but I still think that the fact that these two boys practically ooze 'what a girl wants to settle down with', means he pretty much bleeds insecurity when it comes to you."

"I don't- What do you mean? Why?"

Jasper stopped again and stared at Bess. "Bess. I think you're incredible. You were strong enough to survive torture. You taught yourself magic. You managed to convince the best Wizard of our age that you should join Hogwarts even when Delbert and I couldn't convince him... Once you put your mind to something, you're unstoppable. It can be intimidating I'm sure."

"But not to you?"

Jasper smiled and started to walk again. "Grew up with three sisters. I don't have time to be intimidated by strong women."

Bess smiled back before she asked, "How do I- is there anything I can do to help it?"

"I don't know... what do your friends say about it?"

"Uh, they don't. I don't really talk to them about him..."

"No?"

"No... I find it... weird..." Bess said, trailing off. It was true. She'd managed to avoid most big conversations about her relationship with Sirius.

"My advice? Talk to them. Let them know how you feel about him. Open up a bit. Embrace being a seventeen year old girl."

"This counseling service is getting weird..." Bess said with a large smile. She felt... fine... for the first time in hours. She could still feel the dull ache of pain in her chest, but Jasper was right - this was a good distraction from talking about Amarella and Florence. "What's your issue?" She asked quietly.

"It's uh- it's not important... anyway, it's time for me to go. You have a new chaperone," he said, nodding ahead of them to the gates, which loomed over the end of the path.

There, just inside the gates stood Professor Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

Bess nodded to him before turning to give Jasper a tight hug. "Write to me?"

"You're the one who ignored my last letter..."

"I didn't ignore it. My reply's probably waiting for you at home," she said with a smile, before she turned and walked through the gates, turning as she reached Dumbledore's side so she could send Jasper a wave.

"See you on Thursday, kid," Jasper replied, before turning on the spot and disappearing with a pop.

xXx

It's 1977, y'all! Hope you liked the chapter!

PM replies to reviews coming tomorrow now instead! I had a long day and reviewing and writing this took longer than I thought! Apologies for any grammatical errors!

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