In the end, everyone but Bess lost their appetites, so they postponed Sunday lunch, and Bess snacked throughout the day, until six o'clock, when the boys broke their fast with gigantic sandwiches, and made sure to make one for Bess.
When the three teens were truly stuffed, Euphemia insisted on an early bedtime, which meant stories and hot chocolate began at seven thirty.
"Sirius? Do you remember a story called, Gullible Gertrude and the Magic Stealer?" Euphemia asked as she spooned marshmallows into her mug.
Bess felt Sirius nod beside her as he absentmindedly rubbed circles at the back of her neck with his thumb.
"James, do you know it?" Euphemia asked, looking over at her son, who shook his head, "didn't think so. It's very anti-Muggle so we never read it to you. Don't worry, the bit I want to tell you all isn't too long and isn't bad," she said as she walked over to the bookshelf and began to search.
Bess snuggled into Sirius' side and put her feet up on the sofa next to her. She tried to relax, but she was nervous to hear the story.
"Love?"
Bess turned to Sirius, her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyebrows pulled together. She was anxious, not because of the story, but because she had the impression that it was significant in some way.
She still hadn't had a chance to chat with Euphemia, and didn't know if she would until after Christmas Day now.
Sirius smiled and moved his thumb from her neck to gently massage her the skin between her eyebrows. "Don't worry, she really won't say the bad bits. Euphemia just loves tales, and this one may end up being anti-Muggle, but it's a really cool story at the start."
Bess nodded anxiously, and licked her lips before biting her bottom lip again. Sirius sighed and dropped his hand as he slipped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her in even closer. He placed a kiss on her cheek and nuzzled her face until she turned to him, when he placed a slow, loving kiss to her lips. As he pulled back, he rubbed his nose against hers.
Euphemia returned and sat down next to Fleamont, and Bess turned away from Sirius, who shifted in his seat, putting his feet up on the table. Bess sent him a small, anxious smile, before putting her hand on his thigh.
Euphemia opened the book and, finding the right page, began to read, instantly grabbing everyone's attention.
"A long time ago, there was a witch named Gertrude.
"She lived in a small room, in a small house, in a small village, in a small world.
"'I hate it here,' said Gertrude, as she waved her wand and cleaned her house.
"'I hate it here,' said Gertrude as she waved her wand and tended to her plants.
"'I hate it here,' said Gertrude as she waved her wand and made her dinner.
"'I hate it here,' said Gertrude as she waved her wand and dressed for bed.
"Every day, Gertrude grew more and more tired of her magical life, until one day, she heard a whisper.
"'I love it here,' said the voice, whispering across the void.
"'You should come to visit. You'd love it here as well.'
"Gertrude, possessed by the voice, ran to her garden and collected her herbs.
"She ran to the apothecary and bought ingredients.
"She ran to the forest and collected the moon plant.
"Three months she spent listening to the voice across the void.
"Three months she spent brewing her potions.
"Three months she spent hoping and wishing.
"Until finally, she drank her potion and whispered:
"Volo vivere ibi.
"Volo vivere ibi.
"Volo vivere ibi.
"Thrice she chanted, clapping her hands.
"Suddenly, a light burst through her small room, through her small house, through her small village, through her small world.
"Gertrude awoke in a different universe.
"It goes on to say that Muggles are terrible and that she missed her magic and managed to return to her world, but you get the idea."
Bess clenched her jaw and frowned at the table in front of her. "Could... could we hear the rest?"
"Love, I don't think it's worth it..." Sirius said, trailing off and coughing slightly to cover a groan as Bess began to squeeze and rub his thigh absentmindedly.
"I'd really like to, if that's okay?" she asked Euphemia, who smiled knowingly and nodded.
"She looked around at the small dirty room, in the small dirty house, in the small dirty village, in the small dirty world, and frowned.
"Reaching in to her pocket, she pulled out her wand to clean the room, saying, 'I hate it here' as she waved her wand.
"However, nothing happened.
"'What's going on?' she asked, as she tried to wave her wand again.
"Nothing happened.
"'My magic! Someone's stolen my magic!' she cried as she waved and waved.
"Soon enough, she realised that the voice across the void had tricked her.
"It had lured her from her magical world and had stolen her magic, making her live as a Muggle!
"'Send me back!' she cried, as she turned on the spot.
"'Send me back!' she cried as she tried to floo home.
"'Send me back!' she cried as she fell to her knees in anguish.
"Days turned to months, months to years, and Gertrude found no escape from her magic-less life.
"'I hate it here,' she said as she scrubbed her dirty house from top to bottom, rubbing her hands raw.
"'I hate it here,' she said as she tended to the garden and cut her hands on the horrible, useless plants.
"'I hate it here,' she said as she prepared her dinner, burning her hands on the revolting Muggle stove.
"'I hate it here,' she said as she got dressed for bed and crawled in to the disgusting bed.
"'Everything here is bad.'
"Until one day, she heard a whisper from the void once more.
"'I love it here,' said the voice, 'magic makes me powerful, it makes me strong, it makes me better than you, Gertrude. You, so weak that you allowed a Muggle to take your magic.'"
Bess raised an eyebrow and looked at Sirius, who tried not to laugh as he leant in to whisper, "It's a children's story. Got to be quite obvious on the 'Muggles are awful' front."
"Did you ever believe this?" She asked, anxiously.
Sirius frowned and shook his head, reaching up to stroke her face. "No, love. I grew up in the middle of London with no escape. Across the road from my house, there was this gated garden. The Muggle children used to play in it every day. They looked so happy. I was jealous. When my mother would tell me this story, I'd just think about what I wouldn't give to lose my magic and join those kids." Before Bess could say anything, he leant back and clenched his jaw slightly, deep in thought.
She rubbed his thigh again and snuggled in closer as she tried to catch up with the story.
"'I want to go home,' she said as she gathered her ingredients.
"'I want to go home,' she said as she brewed her potion.
"'I want to go home,' she said as she poured the Muggle's blood into her pot."
"Jesus fuck. I missed so much..." Bess whispered, and heard Sirius chuckle bitterly. She turned to look at him quickly. He was still glaring at the table.
"Volo ire in domum suam.
"Volo ire in domum suam.
"Volo ire in domum suam.
"Thrice she chanted, clapping her hands.
"Suddenly, a light burst through the dirty room, through the dirty house, through the dirty village, through the dirty world.
"Gertrude awoke back in her own room, in her own house, in her own village, in her own world.
"'I love it here,' said Gertrude, as she waved her wand and cleaned her house.
"'I love it here,' said Gertrude as she waved her wand and tended to her plants.
"'I love it here,' said Gertrude as she waved her wand and made her dinner.
"'I love it here,' said Gertrude as she waved her wand and dressed for bed.
"For Gertrude knew now that the longest day as a Witch was worth more than a lifetime as a Muggle."
"Harsh," Bess joked, sipping her hot chocolate and reaching forwards to grab some more marshmallows, trying to cover the taste of the bile which was burning a path up her throat. "So, she managed to come back?"
"Yes."
"Do you know how long it took her?" Bess asked quietly, wondering how long she'd have left in this world if Daphne decided she wanted to return.
Euphemia shook her head and frowned at the book in her hand. "No, but she did, eventually. I have a few others, if you'd like to hear them?"
"I'd say that's enough anti-Muggle rhetoric for tonight, don't you, Euph?" Fleamont supplied with a wink.
Bess smiled slightly and nodded, settling back against the sofa cushions as Euphemia rolled her eyes and shoved her husband, saying, "You know I don't believe all of that stuff!"
"Bess, you okay? Sorry, it's not the nicest tale," James said, leaning forwards to get a better look at her face.
She shook her head and smiled at his concern. "Well I missed a bit, but honestly, it wasn't that bad."
"Muggle sacrifice isn't bad?!"
Bess grimaced. "I really did miss a whole section there..."
"Too busy staring into Sirius' beautiful grey eyes, eh?" Fleamont asked with a teasing grin.
"Dad! Please don't say that!" James cried, throwing a cushion at his dad, who was waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
xXx
Bess woke up suddenly.
As she gasped for air, she grabbed her wand and cast lumos, before putting her hand to her chest as she thanked the higher powers that be - from the looks of her surroundings, and the fact that she could still use magic, she was still in Sirius' world.
Ever since she'd heard the story of Gertrude three nights previously, she'd found herself terrified that she'd be sent back to her own world at any time.
She rubbed her face and groaned before swinging her legs round, putting on her slippers, and walking over to the large expanse of windows next to her bed.
She sat down on the window seat and tucked her legs up to her chest as she looked up at the stars, trying not to think about how little time she might have left with Sirius.
Part of her wanted to walk along the hallway, slip into his room, and crawl under his covers to share the night with him, but the more rational part of her reminded herself that she was in someone else's house.
And he was probably asleep.
So instead, she located Orion's belt in the stars and sighed, smiling slightly as she leant back against the wall. She sat like that for a while, just staring up at the stars, lost in her thoughts, until she heard a knock at her door.
Frowning, she called, "Come in," and waited for whoever it was to walk inside. A quick glance at the clock said it was already past midnight.
Sirius popped his head around the door and, when he didn't see her in her bed, looked around until he spotted her.
"Come here," she said, grinning at him and motioning him over. She was relieved and incredibly happy that he was there.
He grinned back at her and walked in, closing the door behind him and bounding over to where she sat.
"What're you doing, love? You should be asleep," he said as he reached her, dropping to his knees, and grabbing her hand in his.
"Bad dream. How'd you know I was up?" She asked, swapping the hand in his grasp so she could reach down and push some hair out of his eyes.
"Needed the toilet and saw your light was on. Thought I'd check. Anything I can do?"
Bess smiled and shook her head as she began to scratch his scalp. "Just got to ride this one out I think."
Sirius' eyes fluttered shut at her scratches, and he sighed, before asking, "What're you doing?"
"Stargazing..."
"I know that! What're you looking at?"
"Well I didn't do astronomy, so the only thing I really know is Orion's belt. I feel calm when I find it," she said with a shrug as dropped her hands and moved back to look through the expanse of windows again and pointing up, even though she knew he knew every star in the sky.
"Scoot down?" He asked, standing and motioning for her to move forwards. She smiled and nodded, shifting on the long window seat.
He sat behind her and pulled her back to his chest, his legs either side of her. As he circled his arms around her, she realised how hot she felt, her blood still boiling from her panic. She leant forwards and pulled off her long sleeved top, leaving her in just a camisole vest top and shorts, before leaning back into his embrace.
She looked over her shoulder, her lips brushing his clenched jaw as she tried to look up at him, and saw that he looked incredibly angry. "Sirius?"
"I'm sorry. I've seen them before, I know I have, but... Bess. Love," he said, as he moved his arms and ran his hands from her shoulders to her forearms, turning her left arm so he could read the scar. He took a deep breath, his expression softening, and said, "Love, I'm so sorry."
"Sirius, you didn't do this."
"But my cousin did," he said, shaking his head.
Bess frowned and looked down at his hands, which were gripping her wrists. She didn't want to talk about Bellatrix. Not now. She just wanted to be with Sirius. "Can we just not talk about her? Not tonight?"
Sirius nodded and leant down, nuzzling Bess' neck until she moved her head to the side to give him better access. He moved her hair aside and pressed a long kiss to the juncture of her neck and shoulder, as he began to run his hands up and down her arms.
"Will you show me where Sirius is?" She asked quietly.
He chuckled. "I'm right here, love."
"Oh shut up, you know what I mean."
He trailed kisses up her neck until he reached her earlobe, which he flicked with his tongue, before kissing behind her ear.
When Bess moaned, she felt his chuckle vibrating through her back, his breath moved the curls at the side of her face. He wrapped an arm around her again as he moved a hand down to play with the hem of her camisole top, and dropped another kiss to her neck.
"Okay, Orion's belt?" Sirius said finally, abandoning his kisses and pointing up at the stars.
Bess reclined in his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder so her face was next to his, and looked at the sky. "Yeah, I see it."
"Okay, look just below it... there's a bright star diagonally down and to the left."
Bess frowned and leant forwards slightly, narrowing her eyes and staring for a little bit before she found it. "Yeah. I think I've got it."
"That's Sirius."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Brightest star in the night's sky."
"It's beautiful."
"Thanks."
"Oh shut up, I'm being serious."
"No... I'm Sirius."
"I hate you," Bess said with a laugh.
"Love you too," he chuckled as he moved the strap of her top, sliding it down her arm, and leant down to press kisses against her shoulder as she stared up at the Dog Star.
They sat like that for a while, Sirius alternating between kissing her neck and playing with the hems of her top and shorts, and explaining constellations and stars.
Finally, Bess looked over and saw that it was almost two in the morning.
"We should get some sleep..." she said quietly, wishing he wouldn't leave, but knowing he would - James, Bess and Sirius were going shopping in Muggle London in the morning for last minute gifts, and he knew she felt uncomfortable with the idea of kissing too much in front of the Potters, let alone being caught in the same bed. She was really only worried that they'd be disapproving of their behaviour.
Sirius nodded, shifted behind her and stood. He kissed her again and said, "Okay, well if you need anything, let me know. I'll see you in the morning, love." He turned somewhat reluctantly and began to walk towards the door.
"Stay?" Bess asked quietly, unsure if he'd even hear her.
He did - he turned around, slipping his hands into his pockets, and tilted his head. "Love?"
"Will you stay with me? I- I know I said it's weird since we're at James' parents', but you could sneak out early doors?"
He grinned and nodded and said, "Thank Merlin." He walked over to her bed, tugging off his t-shirt. "Is this okay? I run hot," he said, indicating his bare torso. Bess, who was too busy admiring his built frame, didn't answer. He chuckled as he saw her staring, and slipped underneath the covers. "You coming, love?" He asked, as he reclined against the headboard.
Bess smiled, before walking over and settling down beside him, resting her head on his chest and laying her arm across his stomach.
Bess felt him trace her back and arm lightly with his fingertips, and closed her eyes, listening to his strong heartbeat.
"Bess?" He asked quietly. Bess, who was just falling asleep, moaned in reply, and he continued, "I've never slept with anyone before."
Bess scoffed and opened her eyes slightly, suddenly more awake. "What would you call the last night of term?"
She smiled as she felt the vibrations of his laughter through his chest.
He took a deep breath in and paused before saying, "No, I mean, I've never slept over. I've never woken up next to someone before. Unless you count James, Remus or Peter..." he added with a wry laugh.
Bess smiled and turned in his arms, resting her forearm across his chest and putting her chin on the back of her hand, looking up at him.
"Is this okay with you?" She asked quietly.
Sirius nodded and leant down to kiss her deeply. "Is this okay with you?"
"Sirius, I asked you! Of course it's fine with me!"
"I know, I just... I'm not used to all this... affection. I can't stay away from you. I love it, but it's just... new. I'm worried I'll scare you away if I don't hold back."
"You won't. And you'd better get used to it," she whispered in reply, "because I'm not going anywhere if I can help it."
She meant that with all her heart. If Daphne did try to come back, she'd fight tooth and nail to get back to him.
"Promise?"
"I promise. I will try to stay with you, for as long as you'll have me. I will fight to come back to you."
Sirius smiled at her, and Bess gulped slightly before leaning in to kiss him again.
"Sirius?" She asked as she drew back, staring down at him and panting slightly.
"Love?"
"W-would..." Bess trailed off, not knowing how to broach the subject again, especially now that they were in someone else's home.
"Love, tell me?" He asked, his voice deep and husky.
Bess gulped slightly as she looked down and realised he was staring at her lips. She leant down and kissed him passionately, almost squealing as he tightened his hold on her and rolled over in one smooth movement so that she was underneath him, without breaking the kiss.
He pulled away for a moment and stared down at her as his hand played with the hem of her top again.
Bess stared up at him before saying, "I love you, and I want you."
He stared at her for a moment and blinked a few times before he captured her lips with his.
xXx
The next day, Christmas Eve, Bess awoke to gentle shaking, and Sirius whispering that he had to go. She nodded and accepted his light kisses, before rolling over again and going back to sleep.
She awoke the next time to James storming in to her room and shouting, "GET UP!" in stark contrast to his friend's kind rousing.
This time, Bess groaned and rolled out of bed, showered, changed, and stumbled downstairs, still half asleep.
"You got a letter," James said impatiently as he thrust a small envelope towards her.
In answer to Bess' raised eyebrow, Sirius said, "He needs to get Lily a present today. Hermes is fast," he said, nodding at the owl sat by the kitchen window, tucking in to a large pile of treats, "but if he doesn't send him off by five, it won't get to her in time."
"Aha."
Bess sat down at the large oak table and thanked Sirius as he poured her some juice and piled a cooked breakfast onto her plate while she opened her letter.
"Oh god."
"What's wrong dear?" Euphemia asked, taking a sip of her tea.
"My friend's having an awful time at home. Lots of arguments. She's getting really upset. I might need to abandon ship on Boxing Day to head to hers," Bess replied, re-reading the letter.
"What? No!" Sirius said loudly, dropping his cutlery and turning to stare at her.
"Do her family have wards?" Euphemia asked quickly.
Bess looked between the two, and said, "No... They're muggles."
"Then ask her to come here. I'm not comfortable with you staying anywhere without protection right now, especially after..." Euphemia said firmly.
Bess looked up at Euphemia, who was frowning deeply, a look of immense worry on her face. Bess realised this was only the second time she'd seen that look, the first being when Fleamont had broken his leg.
She gulped, understanding that 'after' meant 'what happened last year.'
She was about to try to argue, but she stopped when she saw the look on Sirius' face, and then looked to James, who shrugged and said, "Just invite her. It's not worth it," through a mouthful of eggs.
Bess wrinkled her nose and brushed a little bit of egg off her sleeve, before asking, "Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn't ask normally, but I really think she needs me."
Euphemia looked to Fleamont, who nodded and dropped his paper, saying, "Of course. The boys can help me prepare the guest room after we get back from London."
"Thank you. Really," Bess said sincerely. She noticed they hadn't even asked who it was, but had offered their home up anyway.
"Who-" James began, before the clock chimed and he jumped up, waved his wand to vanish all of the food on the table, and summoned his coat.
"James Potter. You are underage!" Euphemia cried as Bess and Sirius rolled their eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. Arrest me later. Let's go!" He said as he ran to the door.
In London, Bess sent a reply to her letter via owl, James having declined to let get use Hermes who had an important delivery to make when they got back.
After that, Bess and the boys broke away from James' parents for a few hours to head in to Muggle London. Bess knew that the only reason they were allowed this freedom was Sirius being overage. Bess introduced the boys to HMV, Foyles bookshop and Dr Martens, before taking them to Chinatown for lunch.
They were still raving about the food when they returned home, and James sent off his present for Lily - a beautiful green scarf that Bess had helped pick out from a Muggle shop.
That evening, after everyone had gone to sleep, Sirius returned to Bess' room and they spent the night together again.
However this time, when Bess woke up to James banging on the door, she just about registered a strong arm wrapped around her as the door opened - Sirius hadn't woken up in time to get back to his own room.
"IT'S CHRISTM- OH COME ON!"
"I'm so sorry!" She cried as she grabbed the cover more securely around her, even though she was wearing her pyjamas.
James groaned and walked back into the hallway, and Bess could hear him saying, "Fuck sake! Not what I needed today!"
"He'll be fine," she heard Sirius mumble as he stretched.
"You are in big trouble, mister!" She replied, pulling back the covers.
Sirius threw his head back against the pillows and groaned as Bess jumped up and summoned her Christmas outfit before running out the door to the bathroom.
When she got downstairs, James was still muttering angrily, and Bess could hear words like, "Stupid... One fucking day... Ruined everything..."
As she entered the kitchen, she gulped, and sat on a stool next to Sirius, who was still in his pyjamas. James was breaking eggs and chucking them in to a large bowl as Euphemia and Fleamont drank their morning tea at the table behind Bess and Sirius.
"I'm so, so sorry, James. I really am. I know it was wrong," Bess implored.
"What? I don't care about that. Do what you want," James said, waving his whisk in the air.
"Then why?"
"Euphemia had Christmas Day, I had Boxing Day, that chump over there had Christmas Eve," Fleamont said, and Bess turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "How long it'd take you two to throw caution to the wind," he added with a chuckle.
"What?!"
Sirius barked out a laugh, and said, "James was on the money then!"
"I was?" James asked excitedly as Bess punched Sirius on the arm. "Yes! That's five galleons!"
"You bet five galleons on it? We're not even worth a bit more?" Sirius asked, chuckling in to his mug as Bess hid her head in her hands, torn between embarrassment and amusement.
"Ah ah ah, Pads my old boy, five galleons added to my allowance every week for six months! Think about the pranks we could pull with that!"
"I hate your family," Bess said loudly, groaning as everyone laughed.
After being assured that no one cared that Sirius and Bess had spent the night together, Sirius ran upstairs to move his things in to her room for the rest of the break, and to get ready.
They spent their day making dinner, drinking wizarding cocktails, wine and juice, eating chocolates, sweets and incredible food, and laughing. Bess had never had such a wonderful day.
Finally, at eight in the evening, they retired to the living room to exchange presents - James' family had mini presents throughout the day, saving their more personal ones for the evening.
Euphemia's last gift to them all had been ridiculous pyjamas, and Fleamont's had been large bird themed hats.
Bess grinned as Sirius opened his present from her - a massive stack of LPs, including the new Queen album, before she began to gush about the artists and her favourite songs as he stared down at them.
"It's an awful present really, because they're my favourites, and you might hate them but-" Bess was cut off by Sirius kissing her deeply.
"Love, thank you. Mine... mine won't be as impressive I'm afraid."
Bess smiled and shook her head. "It'll be perfect."
James had just opened Bess' gift of Muggle fairy tales when the doorbell rang. The wards would have warned the Potters if anyone with ill will had crossed them, so they felt safe enough for anyone to answer it.
Nearest the door, Bess jumped up and ran into the hall as James said, "This one's about someone called Sleeping Beauty! What a stupid name!"
"Already?" Bess asked as she opened the door. She waved her wand and sent her friend's trunk upstairs.
"She all but chucked me out."
Bess nodded as her friend took off her coat and shoes, before wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in to the living room.
"Nice scarf."
"Thanks! It was a gift."
"Lily?" James cried as the redhead stepped into the room, before quickly trying to cover up his Christmas themed pyjamas, and tearing off his embarrassingly elaborate hat.
xXx
Alert! My baby still sick! So my updates will be very sporadic, but here you go, I've been working on this when I can.
Volo vivere ibi is Latin for 'I want to live there', and volo ire in domum suam means 'I want to go home'. Well, according to my translations at least haha!
Bess is slowly finding out more as Euphemia tries to explain to her what's going on, but I promise, she'll talk to Dumbledore and do some more work against Voldemort soon! But three Horcruxes located, Bess deserved a bit of a break to figure out why she's in this world!
Thank you to Itsyourfriendisa, E (Guest), CharlotteGryffindor, themugglepadme24, Ghost Claw 001, idreamtosmilealways, and Avalon Rivers! I'll respond to your reviews ASAP!
And as usual, thank you to everyone who's reading, favouriting and following! I'm over the moon that you're all still loving this!