"Professor," Bess said, nodding at the older wizard, who was smiling down at her in a rather different manner than usual. She imagined this was how he would smile at Harry, or the Marauders for that matter.
"Miss Coulson," he replied with a nod, as he turned back towards the castle.
Bess was about to start walking when she realised that she didn't know this was the Dumbledore. "How do I know it's really you?"
Dumbledore clasped his hands behind his back and turned back to her, smiling serenely. "Lemon drops were in my office when we met in October, sugar quills in December," he replied quickly, and Bess sighed in acceptance and walked over to him.
"We'll have to come up with something no one else could know or find out for next time... But, why're you here?"
"Should I not be?"
"No... I guess you should... you know... protect your weapon."
"Weapon?"
"Let's call a spade a spade, shall we? But shouldn't you be at the feast?" Bess asked, as they began to walk.
"Ah. Well... Mr. Black was quite upset when you didn't arrive at the castle with the other students, and insisted that I return to my office to find out where you were. In any case, I think Minerva is still attempting to access the Great Hall. Peeves has taken it upon himself to barricade the doors and is refusing entry to anyone on pain of being impaled by a rather large sword."
"What?"
"I think young Mr. Lupin put him up to it, as Peeves was shouting, 'I told you I could do it, Looney Looney Loopy Lupin,' as I left. Though of course, as usual, I cannot prove anything."
Bess tried to hold back a laugh, but it bubbled up and she turned her face away, trying to turn it in to a cough.
Dumbledore was silent for a moment before he asked, "How... are you?"
Bess took in a deep breath as they walked, and stared out across the Great Lake, before she finally turned to the older wizard and said, "Do you remember what I told you? That I liked Sirius before I even met him?"
Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly before he nodded cautiously, but Bess didn't notice.
"And that was him in his thirties, and I barely knew anything about his life now, only what he told Harry. I..." she trailed off and looked back across the large expanse of water, staring up at the castle, which was getting closer and closer. Bess felt a pang in her chest as she thought of the fact that she'd be once again confined to its halls. It had been her dream to study here for so long, and yet sometimes, it felt like a prison.
"Miss Coulson, maybe we should talk about this another time."
She pursed her lips and shook her head slightly as she kicked a stone up the path. She was already regretting wearing her slightly heeled boots, as they were rubbing uncomfortably against the soles of her feet as she walked uphill, and fast, to keep up with Dumbledore. He seemed to be on the clock, as he didn't slow down once. "I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have got close to him. I just... I just kept getting drawn in."
"Is that a bad thing?"
Bess scoffed and raised her hands slightly, making her jacket move away from her body for a moment, as her hands were still deep in her pockets. "What? Having nightmares about the love of your life dying trying to save his best friend's son's life? Yeah, I'd say that's a terrible thing, wouldn't you?" Bess asked angrily, removing a hand from her pocket and wiping away her tears roughly as she stopped to stare at the ground.
"Bess-" Dumbledore began, but Bess talked over him.
"His last words haunt my dreams in the most heart- heart- heart-breaking way," she sobbed, as she looked up at the night's sky, her vision blurred from her angry tears. "I just- I just want the boys to have more time together. And I know I've already-"
"Please, stop-" he interjected, but Bess didn't even register his voice as she kept talking.
"-changed everything, and we're half way to defeating him, but what happens if everything I'm doing is for nought? What happens if I lose him? What-? I can't handle that. Losing Amarella was hard enough, and I only knew her for a few months-"
Dumbledore tried again. "Bess. Stop talking." But again, Bess ignored him again.
"I've known about Sirius' death for years! I sobbed when I read that book, and I was nine! I'm twenty-one now. Falling in love with him was never part of my plan here. I was meant to avoid all of them. And now if I don't do something soon, I'm going to lose him, and I just... I can't do that-"
"Elizabeth-" Dumbledore tried again, his voice breaking slightly. Bess' vision was swimming with tears, and she barely glanced at him before she continued waving her hands and looking around in anguish.
"No. Look. I will die before I let anyone take him away from this world. So if... if I need to break up with him to keep him safe... or if I need to leave school... or we need to step up our plans to-"
"Elizabeth. Stop. You need to stop talking right now."
Bess finally stopped, and looked up at the older wizard. She thought she could see his features changing, but she knew it must have been a trick of the moonlight mixed with her tears. She wiped her face roughly, and asked, "What? Why?"
He sighed deeply and sent her a grave and apologetic look as he cursed. "I'm sorry. We thought it'd make you laugh... cheer you up a bit."
Bess gasped as the older wizard's face began to bubble in front of her, his blue eyes turning a murky brown before settling on hazel, his height and shape changing rapidly, until finally, James Potter stood in front of her, looking rather ridiculous in star themed robes. With a flick of his wand he transformed them back in to his school uniform, and transfigured his glasses back from Dumbledore's crescent moon shaped ones to his round ones.
"You-" Bess began, but she cut herself off. This was her fault, not his. And as angry as she was that he'd tricked her and betrayed her trust, she knew that she'd been the one to truly fuck up. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
They stared at each other for over a minute, James' jaw clenched, his eyes swimming with unshed tears, as the light slowly left Bess' eyes. Her tears stopped falling, and her vision clouded as she realised that there was no going back now. After everything she'd tried to do, everything she'd tried to hide, James Potter now knew that Sirius would die protecting his son.
"No. I'm sorry. I didn't even think- I'm so used to- we thought a prank was just what people needed..." he trailed off, hanging his head, and lifted a hand to his forehead. "Even Elms was laughing..." he added in a whisper. "It would've been right up Bucks' street. She bloody loved telling Peeves off..."
"But how... and why?" Bess asked quietly, gesturing towards James.
James held up a hand, and gathered himself together for a moment before he began to speak. "Well, Sirius was worried about you obviously, but didn't know if you wanted to see him. So Dumbledore said he'd go and ask the Aurors to make sure you were okay." He sighed, "we have a stash of Dumbledore Polyjuice ready for a prank we're- no, sorry, I know you always want plausible deniability... uh- so I just... I said I'd check on you... try and make you laugh. Pretty sure Professor Serpen was meant to take you all the way to the castle when he found you, but..." he shrugged.
"How did you know I was going to be at the gate?" Bess asked in a whisper.
James smiled sadly, and wiped a tear away from his face. "I uh- uh- okay... you know that dog you saw at Christmas?" When Bess nodded, he looked to the sky and continued, "it- uh- it's... kind of a pet? And we had it run back to the station to find out where you were..."
Bess tried not to smile as she thought about Sirius bounding down the lane in dog form, trying to search for her. She felt a warmth build inside her, but it was still being overwhelmed by the ice cold pain of her grief and now, of her confession.
"And Jasper wouldn't have thought anything of it since Hogwarts is so protected, and you were on the other side of the barrier..." Bess said, trailing off and rubbing her forehead.
She sighed heavily and looked up at James. They stared at each other for a minute before they were interrupted.
"Alright, you two?" Sirius called, but Bess' gaze never left James'. She could hear Sirius jogging slightly, his feet padding across the wet ground as he made his way towards them. "Dumbledore just got back and Minnie's almost..." he trailed off as he finally reached them and looked between the two, his small smile falling from his face. "Did you not find it funny? Shit, I'm sorry, love. I- look- I can make you feel better. Okay? I'll think of somethi-"
"No," James said, finally moving towards his friend, and coughing slightly as his speech stuttered in pitch before landing on his usual low tone. "Uh- she did. But uh- we got talking about what happened last year, and well... both got a bit choked up, didn't we Bess?"
When he nodded to her, Bess nodded as well, and she turned to Sirius with unseeing eyes. "Yeah."
"Love..." Sirius began, reaching his hands out to her, and pulling her in to a hug when she stepped forwards him, before leaning down and kissing the tears from her face.
"She'll be fine, Pads," James replied. "She'll be fine. Because as much as she thinks she's alone in her specific fight, she's not. I think she feels a bit... worried... that she's been keeping some information about our futures from us, but I think it's exactly what she needs to do to protect us all. And that we all understand that we need to embrace these last months of Hogwarts."
"You do?" Bess asked quietly, as Sirius tucked her head under his chin.
James didn't skip a beat before he replied, "Yes."
Bess was suddenly reminded of Euphemia as she looked at James, whose expression told her all she needed to know - he would be beside her from now on. Not just waiting for the time when she'd be willing to bring them in to her journey.
"I feel like you two didn't just talk about last year..." Sirius said suspiciously, looking between the two.
The moment Bess and James were sharing ended, and James choked out a laugh, rearranging his featured masterfully to show joy rather than upset. "You're right... Bess saw something in the future."
"What was it, love?" Sirius asked, looking down and cupping her face. She could tell he knew it was more, much more than that, but was grateful that he wasn't asking for more.
"I think it included a white dress, two 'I do's' and cake, didn't it?" James asked with a forced wink, though Bess could tell that he too, was beginning to feel the pressure of their chat lifting slowly off their shoulders as Sirius stood right in front of them both, very much alive. For now.
Bess smiled slightly at his new story and nodded. "Yeah."
"Sucks that you didn't see the proposal though... but I'm sure it'll be grand," he added with a grin as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Probably..." Bess choked out, as she buried her face in Sirius' neck. She could feel the vibrations as he chuckled quietly at his friend.
"Only..." James began, before trailing off and shaking his head. "Never mind. Come on." He turned and started off in the direction of the castle. Bess and Sirius walked quickly to make it to his side, dropping in to pace with him as the path started to slope downwards.
"Only?" Sirius asked as they walked, his arm firmly across Bess' shoulders, while his other hand tucked back in to his trouser pocket.
James shrugged. "I just never pegged you for the marrying type, Pads."
Bess choked and spluttered as she glared at James.
Sirius just smiled and continued to lope along the path, pulling Bess along with him. "Ah, well Prongs my old friend, that's because I'd never met the right girl before."
Bess turned to look at Sirius, and said, "I did not see that, Sirius."
He grinned and kissed her on the nose. "Don't worry, love, I know. You can't see your own future. Which is going to make it even more fun because you'll never know when it's coming."
"What?" Bess asked, eyes wide as she looked up at Sirius, who simply shrugged and winked at her, before taking his hand out of his pocket and casually rubbing her left ring finger.
"What ring size are you?"
"What?!" Bess cried, before letting out a frustrated cry as the boys began to laugh. When James doubled over, clutching his stomach, she pushed a guffawing Sirius, and continued along the path on her own.
"Oh come on, love!" Sirius managed to shout to her between laughs, as she swung her arms and leant backwards to try and keep her balance as she stomped down the hill, her upset and heart-break leaving her for just a moment.
A minute later, she felt an arm fling itself around her shoulders, and was enveloped in a different smell to Sirius'. "I'm with you. He won't die. Not on my watch," James whispered quickly, before Sirius finally reached them again.
"How did they look? Did they find it funny?" Bess asked Sirius. "James said Lucy was starting to laugh when he left?"
"Yeah... I mean, they all cried again, and then laughed... and then cried. McGonagall wasn't trying very hard to open the doors or anything either. I think everyone just needed a break."
Bess nodded and reached her arms out, wrapping one around each of the boys' middles as they walked together.
"It's going to be a long year..."
"Merlin. It's only the first!" James replied with a small laugh, though the look on his face told Bess that he agreed.
"Why'd you stay on the train, love?" Sirius asked quietly.
Bess sighed. "I don't know. Maybe if I stayed I wouldn't have to come back? I'm going to miss the freedom of the outside world... and the innocence of it."
She felt Sirius' arm snake around her middle as he squeezed her side quickly. "I really am sorry. I'll... I'll try harder to not get jealous."
"I know... thank you." Bess nudged his shoulder with her forehead quickly, before she looked up, quickly locating Sirius in the stars, staring up at it as they walked.
Soon enough, they'd reached the courtyard. "Do you do new year's resolutions in the wizarding world?" she asked quietly.
"What're resolutions?" Sirius asked.
"It's where you say things you want to do in the year. Like a goal."
"Nah, don't think we do," James replied quickly. "Why? What would yours be?"
"To learn how to fight... like Sirius said the other day, I duel like a second-year..." Bess said with a small laugh.
"I wouldn't say that... you put Snivellus in the Hospital Wing for three days..." Sirius said, barking out a laugh.
Bess closed her eyes for a moment as he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. When he moved back, she opened her eyes and asked, "Would you help me?"
They both replied at the same time. "'Course."
"Are you okay, Elizabeth?" James asked, as they reached the Entrance Hall. Bess could hear students on the other side of the gigantic wooden doors which led in to the Great Hall.
"No..." she began.
Sirius kissed her lightly on the cheek and finished her sentence, "But you will be?"
Bess nodded. "I hope so."
xXx
January passed quickly. The boys had stuck to their promise, and had scheduled in two meetings every week to try and teach Bess duelling skills.
They'd managed to work around all three of their commitments, and had only slightly impacted the boys' time with the rest of the Marauders, as Remus and Peter both came along to the duelling sessions, and Remus shouted encouragements and tips as they went along.
It had, however, impacted Bess and Sirius' time together, but Bess had explained to an annoyed Sirius that a few months of sneaking time together while he helped to teach her duelling would pay off in the long run, and he'd agreed.
Their time had been lessened further by a combination of Bess spending more time with her older friends, grieving with them, and Saturday morning apparition classes which had begun in January.
Peter had initially sulked when he'd realised Bess would be the sole focus of the Marauders for a few hours every week, but had realised quickly that he could cheer James and Sirius on and win their winks and thanks.
Bess had also tried to include him in the training, throwing a lifeline to the boy. She didn't want the others to know what he would go on to do, as if she had her way, there would never be a chance of him turning against his friends. It still didn't make her comfortable around him though.
Sirius and James, in an effort to make sure she was prepared, had well and truly left their happy-go-lucky, we-love-Bess hats at the door, and had embraced their roles as her teachers. This was a blessing, and a curse, as during their combined four hours of training every week, Bess was pummelled. Though her skills were getting much, much better.
During one particularly gruelling session, where Sirius had cried, "You can't always use protego, love. Or expelliarmus. Sometimes you need to fight like a real witch!" as he'd stupefied her the second time, it was only Remus' encouragement and tips that had gotten her through it, and after Bess had been stupefied for the third time, she'd relied on Remus' help catch Sirius and hex him in return.
During another session, when Remus had told Bess to use anteoculatia, which made James grow a large set of antlers, Bess had repeated her remark that Remus would make an absolutely brilliant Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and he had, once again, shied away and refused to agree.
Two days after this, Bess had cornered the sandy haired boy and taken him for a walk in the grounds. She'd taken her time in explaining her seeing abilities, and about world travel, and explained why it was so important that she learn to defend herself. She'd also let slip accidentally on purpose that he really would be the best DADA teacher Hogwarts had seen in a long time, but made sure to not mention anything about his condition.
He hadn't believed her at first, until she'd taken him to speak to James, Lily and Sirius, and they'd finally managed to convince him of the truth. The fact that Lily was also backing them up helped infinitely - he'd thought it was an elaborate and very odd joke before.
When Bess had explained that she didn't want to tell Peter, he'd agreed straight away, saying that as much as he trusted Peter, it wouldn't help anything for him to know, and it was her secret to tell when she was ready, and they couldn't influence her in any way. He'd also added that he was incredibly honoured and grateful that she'd decided to share this information with him, and their friendship had solidified even more.
Which is why, at the start of February, Bess found herself being pulled up the Boys' staircase by Sirius.
When he found her, she was sitting in the common room playing exploding snap with Lucy and Merritt.
When Sirius bounded over to her, Merritt nudged his girlfriend, who rolled her eyes as the cards blew up due to Bess' distraction, and as Sirius pulled her away from the couple and towards the stairs she heard them cat calling behind her.
But she didn't care, as she was excited to finally have some proper alone time with Sirius for the first time in over a month.
Her excitement was doused when she saw the other Marauders were still in the room.
When she cursed and groaned, Sirius laughed, sent her a wink, and mouthed, "Broom cupboard."
Bess mouthed, "Never," back as she smiled back.
It had become a running joke between them both that since they could secure a completely empty dormitory during their stolen hours together, they'd only be able to make love again if it were in a broom cupboard. And she wouldn't agree to that.
Not just because it would be somewhat awkward, but also because he'd admitted one night that he'd probably had a make out session, or more, in most of the cupboards around the castle.
Neither of them were particularly happy about any of it for now. Though Sirius had taken comfort in her reasoning. What Bess had worried were flashes of jealousy, he had told her he found heartening - he'd taken it to mean that she was as affected by him as he was by her.
As Sirius closed the door, Remus stood shakily, and waved awkwardly at Bess.
"C- could you sit down?" He asked, reaching out a hand and gesturing towards Sirius' bed.
Bess frowned and looked over at the expanse of red covers and then back at her sandy haired friend. "Okay... why do I feel like I'm on trial here...?" she asked with a small laugh, slightly worried that she'd done something wrong. "Have I broken some rule or something? Because if I have, I'm-" she cut off as Remus shook his head.
"You haven't. It's just... I've decided... I... Look, there's something I need to tell you... and I'm not sure how you'll take it, and I- I- I just... I need you to..."
"Sit down?"
"Yeah."
Bess nodded and walked over to the bed slowly, before sitting on the edge of it, facing Remus. She was sure she knew what he was about to tell her, but felt wholly, stupidly unprepared. She hadn't been thinking of how she'd explain to him that she would stand by him no matter what.
She noticed Sirius and James move slightly, coming to stand closer to Remus, as if ready to protect him. Peter hovered just behind the duo, watching through the gap between their shoulders as James folded his arms across his chest, tucking his hands underneath his armpits, and Sirius adopted his usual carefree stance of hands thrust in to his pockets.
Both looked at ease, but Bess, could see the subtle signs of worry, anguish and fear in their expressions.
Sirius' refusal to meet her eye, choosing instead to stare at his bedside table, combined with his slightly detached and haughty expression told Bess that her reaction to what Remus was about to say meant a lot to him.
She wasn't sure what they all thought her reaction would be, but she knew that since they'd decided that they would stick by her, if she reacted badly to Remus' condition, they'd be in a very tough spot.
She was brought out of her thoughts by Remus, who coughed lightly to grab her attention before he spoke.
"This is... this will change your perception of me," he said, and Bess raised an eyebrow, trying to remind him about what she'd told him about herself not a week previously, without giving Peter a heads up. Remus nodded slightly, before he continued, "it will though... It's..." Remus took a deep breath in and frowned at the floor for a long minute before crossing his arms across his chest protectively and shaking his head. Another minute passed, and Bess was just about to ask if he was sure he wanted to tell her something, when he said quickly, "I'm a werewolf."
Bess didn't know how to react. She became lost in her thoughts as she tried to figure out how to say that it didn't matter to her, but without taking away from the seriousness of his situation, and not making light of it - her default in worrying situations was to make light of the matter and joke. This time, she felt that Remus deserved a serious reply.
She tried to say something many times. Her mind raced with words unsaid, trying to put together a good speech as her eyes darted around the floor and she opened and closed her mouth and played with her hands.
She reached up a hand to massage her forehead to try and alleviate some of the pressure and ache caused by her deep frown.
"I know. I know that what I am is repulsive... and a monster... and I understand if you don't want to be friends with me any more. I also... I also know that you mean a lot to Sirius, and I'm... as long as you don't tell other people about my condition, I'm..." Remus said, trailing off as he looked around, trying to find words.
Bess cursed and ranted in her head as she listened to him speak. She clenched her fists, grimaced, and groaned in frustration, still staring at the ground. "Don't. Please don't."
"I understand if-"
Bess let out another cry of frustration and her eyes moved from the floor to the window - she knew if she looked at him she wouldn't be able to stop her word vomit. "No. You don't. For god's sake, Remus, you're... you have... there's so much I want to say right now, but none of it is... argh! I can't find the words. I mean, I- ugh- I can think of them, but none- ugh christ!"
Bess clenched her fists again before unfurling them and tensing them in to claw shapes. After a moment she put her fingers to her forehead and roughly rubbed circles into the flesh there.
"Just... just say what you're thinking? I'll... I'll deal with it," Remus said in a barely audible whisper.
Bess looked up at the ceiling, managing to avoid Remus' gaze still, even though she could feel the boys staring at her, watching every one of her reactions. "What if- what if it's- what if what I say isn't- what if it sounds heartless? Or comes across badly?"
"I'll deal with it."
Bess took in a deep breath and nodded, before finally lowering her gaze to make eye contact with Remus. She realised that it wasn't just her own eyes swimming with unshed tears - he also looked choked with emotion.
She took another deep breath and concentrated on making her voice as audible and clear as possible. She started off slow, speeding up and gesturing as she began to explain her thoughts.
"Remus Lupin. You are a kind hearted, wonderful man, who is a bloody marvellous wizard. You are not a werewolf, you are someone who suffers from lycanthropy, and thirteen nights a year turns in to a werewolf.
"If I met you down a dark alleyway and I was a Death Eater, I'd probably shit my pants. Not because of your condition, but because you're a bloody accomplished wizard who's so talented and just... you're amazing!
"I- I- I- I can't even begin to say how much respect and love I have for you. You're just... yeah, there's no other- you're wonderful. And if you put all of your good on one side of a set of weighing scales and put your lycanthropy on the other, the good would be here," she said, raising a hand to the sky, "and the lycanthropy would be here," she continued, lowering her other hand to her knee. "The good would far outweigh the negatives of your condition. I'm not saying you're not flawed, because come on, you hang out with those idiots," she said, pointing over to James and Sirius without breaking Remus' gaze, "and you can be a real prat, and you're all too keen to turn a blind eye, but you are pretty fucking great.
"And I'm so sorry that there's a whole society out there who feels that it's right to put you down and turn your condition in to your identifier, because it shouldn't be. It shouldn't hold you back. And honestly, when you said you were repulsive, I wanted to slap you. Because you're not! And I'm sorry, but there are people out there right now hurting people left right and centre. They're the monsters!
"I mean come on, Remus, the worst thing you'd do to me in the Great Hall would be accidentally spill juice on me or something. I mean, that did happen, and you're still apologising for it three months later.
"And this is where I think it gets so hard, because I don't know how to say any of this without sounding like I'm putting down your condition or trying to make light of it or make it smaller than it is, because I know it's massive and it affects and will affect your life...
"But to me, that's not your identifier. It's not who you are. You're... you're the loveable, cardigan wearing... funny... handsome guy in the class, whose thirst for knowledge is unparalleled. You... you love chocolate. And you drink tea at breakfast and coffee at dinner.
"You put your thumb in a book to save your place... you could totally beat Peter at chess but you choose not to... you're a bloody awful liar... you're loyal to a fault, and you're probably too nice sometimes... and then also too reckless and stupid at others.
"You're also incredibly funny, which I know I said before, and you're witty, and sarcastic. You're... you're wonderful, and I- I- I don't know how to- I don't know how to convey how much I care for you. And, I'm so worried that I'll say something which might upset you, but I guess I have to just say it like I thought it-
"You are so much more than your condition, and it's not that I don't care about it, because I do, and I promise you, I will always be here for you as a shoulder to cry on, a person to talk to, and someone to lean on, but it's that... for me, it will never define you.
"So, please, tell me if I get something wrong, or overstep the mark. And also please tell me if there's anything you'd prefer me not to say? Like... I don't know... if I see you struggling but we're in a group, what should I say to see if you need anything?
"Should I ask if your mum's okay? Or... or if your furry little problem's being a pain this month? Or should it be more subtle? Like 'bad night?' or something?
"And what if there's a bad moon? Should I get you chocolate? Or is that overkill? Or... or do you just want me to never mention it again?
"I don't- I just- I don't want to make you uncomfortable, and I don't want to say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, because you trusted me with this, and I don't want to let you down."
Bess, who had been wringing and waving her hands, looking up to the ceiling and back at Remus, and frowning, stopped.
She opened and closed her mouth a few times before shaking her head and wiping away a few tears as she looked at him, her face contorted with worry and sadness - she knew that she'd royally fucked up, as Remus was just staring at her with wide eyes with his mouth dropped open.
After a moment, Bess spoke again, "I'm sorry. I know it's not what you probably wanted to hear. I know it's not as sensitive as you probably wanted either, but I couldn't find the words. I promise, I'll try and figure out how to say all this in a better way."
Remus didn't reply, but still stared at her. Bess broke the silence again as she wrung her hands together and bounced her foot nervously. She was mentally slapping herself for not being more prepared for this conversation.
"Did you know that Remus was one of a pair of twins who founded Rome? Well, uh, they were brought up by wolves... And Lupin comes from Lupine which means wolf in Latin? Which is kind of ironic when you think about it," she said with a small chuckle, "your name basically being Wolfy McWolf...
"I'm sorry. I joke when I'm nervous. I... I thought I'd be more prepared for this conversation, but I didn't think it'd happen so quickly. I thought after the hospital wing last year we wouldn't talk about it again until at least next year, or even not until after we graduated, if anything."
"The hospital wing?" Remus managed to choke out, finally speaking again.
"Yeah, when Peter asked if I was more scared of rats or werewolves?"
His eyes widened, and he gasped out, "You knew then?"
"Oh god. Uh- yeah. I- I did. Uhm... I've known for a while actually," she said, her face contorted with worry.
"It didn't change your view of me?"
"Of course not. But it wasn't my place to say anything, so I just tried to make life a tiny bit easier for you when I could..."
Remus frowned and thought for a moment. "You gave me chocolate in our Potions class in October..."
Bess nodded slowly. "I was walking behind you all and you were complaining about Sirius eating all your chocolate. I remembered it was the full moon the next day, so headed back to get the bar for you. Didn't seem fair to make you wait for Sirius to go for a walk, whatever that meant." She really didn't know what it meant, but knew it was significant in some way, so his phrasing had stayed in her head.
A secret passageway to a chocolate stash of theirs perhaps? Her eyes widened and she suddenly remembered that the passage to the shrieking shack wasn't the only way to get out of the castle. She shook her head quickly and frowned at the ground, trying to stop herself from remembering any more in that moment, as the important thing she needed to focus on was talking to Remus.
"You okay?" Remus asked as she looked up, and she nodded quickly. "Sorry, just... your eyes... uh... never mind. Is that why you arranged for Sirius' birthday party to be on the Friday night? We all thought you'd try and get him to have it on the Saturday..."
Bess didn't reply verbally, but nodded quickly.
"December... you kept making puns. I thought it was just a phase...?"
Bess grimaced and shrugged her shoulders. "I thought you needed a laugh."
"When Peter mentioned the full moon and Skye overheard and you turned it in to a full-"
"Body wax? Thought you needed a save there. I didn't do astronomy but everyone else did and might have put two and two together..."
This time, Remus didn't say anything. Instead, he stood up, and Bess mirrored his movement, standing as well. He moved forwards quickly and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she hugged him back tightly.
"Have you always known?" he whispered in her ear, and she nodded against his shoulder. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it wasn't my secret to tell."
They stood like that for a while, until Remus pulled back and dropped his arms as Bess moved her hands to his shoulders.
"Wow. I just told you my biggest secret and you accepted me without a pause."
"There's nothing to accept. You're Remus. Your lycanthropy doesn't change that."
"I don't think anyone else would agree with you there..."
"I know at least four other people who feel the same way, and when you're older you'll meet more I'm sure."
They smiled at each other for another moment before Remus stepped backwards.
"Right!" Sirius cried as he clapped his hands together. Bess and Remus looked over at him. He was standing next to a beaming James, and a smiling Peter, who was clapping his hands together quietly. "Well done, Remus. Well said, love, but we'll talk about it tomorrow. Now, all of you, out."
"Can't I even-?" Remus asked, gesturing to Bess. She thought he wanted to talk to her more about what he'd just revealed, but Sirius shook his head.
"Nope. All of you, out. Now. You can talk to Bess about this later."
"Rude..." Bess muttered under her breath as she began to walk towards the door, and she heard Remus chuckle.
"Not you, love," Sirius said firmly, as he turned her around and slapped her on the behind, before shoving his friends out the door.
"Why-?" Bess began to ask, but she stopped and smiled slightly as Sirius cast the locking charm, followed quickly by muffliato.
He grabbed her thighs and lifted her high, settling her against him and making her yelp and hold on to his shoulders as he carried her over to his bed.
"Sirius! Is this really the time? Remus literally just told me he's a were-" she was cut off by Sirius, who threw her on to the bed and climbed over her.
"Trust me. He's not the only wolf in here..."
xXx
Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - potterrs, CharlotteGryffindor, Ghost Claw 001, themugglepadme24, idreamtosmilealways, lira. ashryver, and HorseGirl16!
It really spurred me on to get this out to you! Hope it wasn't too long! Let me know if you'd prefer shorter chapters?
And thank you to everyone who's reading, following and favouriting!