"Bess?"
Bess woke to Lily calling through her curtains. She could barely muster the strength to reply, and it took her a few moments of blinking and looking around for her eyesight to adjust to the darkness of her bed.
"Bess? You okay?" Lily called again, this time sounding a little more worried. "Is it okay if I open the curtains?"
Again, Bess didn't reply. Instead, she raised a hand to her forehead and heaved in a long breath. She felt nauseous, and her whole body felt like she'd just run further, and for longer, than ever before. There was a pulsing in her limbs, almost as if her muscles were still shaking and contracting from the pain she'd gone through the previous evening. Her forehead and underarms were sweaty and she could feel the pinpricks of panic stabbing uncomfortably on the back of her neck all the way down to the tips of her toes.
Lily opened the curtains slowly, inch by inch bathing Bess' bed in light. When it reached her eyes, Bess winced and screwed them shut. When she opened them, it took her another few seconds for her eyes to adjust again to the brightness. They did so just in time to see Lily's reaction to her state.
Still wearing her uniform, Bess could tell she looked worse than Lily had ever seen her before. Probably even worse than the last time she'd had a vision - she'd been stupefied for the past two visions, and so she'd not had to go through the almost hour long pain that came after one.
"Oh my god. Oh my god. What happened?" Lily whispered in alarm as she stared down at her friend.
"It-" Bess tried, her throat felt scratchy and raw, just as it had done when she'd first woken up in this world. She'd been screaming for ages, albeit silently, but without a pain potion or one of Fleamont's incredible sore throat potions to help her.
Lily placed her hand on Bess' cheek and stared into her eyes. "I'm going to get Sirius, okay?" she whispered.
But Bess shook her head. "No," she croaked out in a broken whisper. "Please. No."
"Why?"
Bess couldn't answer. Instead she just shook her head and gestured vaguely with her hand.
"Wait. I'll get you a potion, okay? Wait here," Lily replied.
Bess rolled her eyes and made a noise with said, 'where else am I meant to go?', and Lily almost smiled as she withdrew and ran to her bed.
By the time she returned, Bess had been able to move slightly, just a little, but enough to rearrange herself on the pillows to help prop her head up enough to drink a potion without drowning on it.
Lily helped further by bracing her arm around Bess' shoulders and lifting her up as she poured the potion into her mouth.
"Everyone's at breakfast," she explained. "They went down early since it's the last one before we leave, and I thought I'd wake you so I stayed... I'm so sorry, Bess, I should have known something was wrong when you didn't come to the feast!" Lily said with a dry sob as Bess chugged down the potion.
It wasn't as strong as others she'd had, Bess was sure of that, but it was a start, and she was sure that Fleamont and Euphemia would have something with them, or at least could deliver something to Bess, later in the day.
"S'ok," Bess managed in a hoarse whisper as the potion sent an uncomfortable fire-like warmth down her throat, seeping through her body. The feeling stopped soon, and Bess was left with dull aches and pains, her throat still a little sore, but nothing compared to what it would have been had Lily not been there. "Thanks."
"It's not, though. When you weren't at the feast, Sirius wanted to look for you. He even checked the map under the table, but when it said you were in the dorm I told him not to. I said you probably just needed space or something. I should've let him come to find you, and I should've come too," Lily said with tears in her eyes. "You were on your own, Bess..."
"I know," Bess replied, sitting up slightly, Lily's arm falling from around her shoulders. "It's okay. I wanted to be alone for this one."
"What? Why?"
Bess tried to swallow, but found her mouth too dry to. She tried to wet her lips, but again, her tongue was so dry, like rough sandpaper. She managed to lift her wand and summon a glass, filling it immediately with cool water from the tip of her wand. She gulped down three glasses before she replied to Lily.
"I want to go home today. I want to be happy today."
"And if you'd told us what had happened, or you'd been with us when it did, everyone would be fussing over you and worried about you..." Lily said, furrowing her brow in thought. "We might not-" she stopped at the look on Bess' face.
"You would have," Bess replied, nodding. "You all would have. I know exactly what would have happened. Sirius would have said he didn't care about pretending not to be together anymore, he would want to be by my side the whole day, and you'd all be fussing, and when we got to the flat, Sirius wouldn't let me have a tour, he'd send me off to bed. I want to enjoy today, and tonight, and the next few days. I don't want everyone treating me like I'm an invalid."
"We wouldn't-" Again, Lily stopped at Bess' look. "Okay, you're right. But I can't just pretend that this hasn't happened to you."
"You don't have to. Just don't tell anyone else... Look, I need your help. I need..." Bess trailed off and sighed deeply as she swayed from the effort of sitting upright. "I'm going to need your help."
"Just tell me what to do."
They started with clothes - Bess summoned everything she wanted to wear, and then Lily helped her to the bathroom. Bess sat on the toilet catching her breath from the effort of walking, and watched as Lily ran her a bath.
While Bess washed, Lily prepped her another potion, this time to help with energy, and delivered it to her within fifteen minutes. She helped Bess chug it down, and then handed her a towel. Bess' pride was too great to allow Lily to help her dry off and get changed, but only because she felt too vulnerable in the moment and wanted to keep some of her dignity.
Next, Lily helped to apply Bess' make up as the energy potion kicked in. By the time Lily was done, Bess looked a lot less pale, her eyes less bloodshot, and her lips less colourless, and Lily had stopped shaking and was finding the prospect of lying to her boyfriend and her two closest male friends (and Peter, "But he doesn't count, because he wouldn't understand what's going on") a lot more palatable.
"Can you stand?" Lily asked Bess as she finished applying a thin layer of blusher to her cheeks.
Bess stood and smiled before turning to the mirror. "Wow..."
"Good wow or bad wow?" Lily asked apprehensively, watching Bess' face closely.
"Good. Good wow. Sorry, it's just been a while since I've actually looked in the mirror and felt... well... this is going to sound so stupid since I can't even stand properly right now, but I feel... I feel good. I feel like I look like... like me," she whispered, turning each way to see more of herself and her outfit.
She was wearing a pair of ripped jean shorts with a grey tank top tucked in, and she had her trusty white trainers, and a blue jumper she'd stolen from Sirius' 'Christmas clothes' collection. It was slightly baggy, and just long enough to cover the top of her shorts and for her to be able to pull the sleeves down over her hands for comfort.
"Good. Okay, can you walk on your own?" Lily asked, turning from the mirror and waving her wand, sending the make up and all of Bess' remaining belongings to the top of Bess' trunk, which shut itself with a loud click click.
They spent the next fifteen minutes practicing walking, and waiting for the energy potion to continue to build Bess' strength.
By the time the rest of the girls arrived, Bess was feeling infinitely better, and although still weak - she wouldn't be going for a long walk today, that was for sure - she was a lot stronger physically and mentally.
Bess blamed her absence at the feast, at the end of year chill out which had happened in the other sixth year girls' dorm, and at breakfast, on intense period pains, which the girls immediately sympathised with. They immediately sprang into action, only stopping their fussing when Lily assured them that Bess had taken a strong pain potion, an energy potion, had enough supplies for the journey home, and was going to be taking it easy. Mary offered up her backlog of magazines, Jo gave Bess a large bar of chocolate, Skye passed her a magical hot water bottle, and Solstice gave her a homemade rub which would help with her aches and pains.
Bess couldn't help but shed a tear at their kindness, which earned her multiple hugs before they joined the rest of the Gryffindor tower in descending upon the carriages waiting outside the castle. This time, Bess wasn't perturbed by the Thestrals, and merely smiled at them as she waited for her carriage.
She smiled over at Scott, Grace, Bartie, Merritt and Lucy, who were graduating without Amarella, but who were in high enough spirits considering. Bess had already said her goodbyes to them, as they all knew that this would be the last train ride they'd share together and they wanted to have it as their group of five.
The train ride passed quickly for Bess as, once she sank into the window seat, her eyes closed and she fell into a dreamless sleep for most of the journey back to London. Occasionally a bang from a game of exploding snap, or loud giggles would wake her up, but otherwise she didn't wake properly until the train passed through Stevenage and Lily shook her gently awake, telling her that there was only about half an hour until they'd arrive at the station. Before they arrived, Bess wolfed down the snacks that Lily had bought her, and downed another round of pain and energy potions, which immediately made her feel a lot less sluggish.
The train came to a stop and the girls said their goodbyes in the carriage, Jo, Skye, Solstice and Mary bundling out of the door as they ran off to find their parents, calling promises of letters and meet ups throughout the summer.
Bess made her way out onto the platform with Lily. She'd declined the offer to stay for a day or two with the redhead and her family - what if Delbert decided to come after Lily? And instead, on the platform, with a wide radius around him as people tried to move around the formidable figure and stare at him at the same time, stood Alastor Moody.
He was dressed in a leather coat (which Bess thought Sirius would be jealous of), black trousers, and a shirt. Bess did think he looked very warm, especially for the summer, but didn't say anything - she didn't think he'd appreciate her input.
His face, which had already looked a little worn, was sporting a large cut which ran from his hairline, through his eyebrow, and onto his cheek. Bess wondered how long it would be until he found himself with his worst facial scars.
"No one's gonna let you live this one down," Lily whispered as they made their way over to the wizard, their trunks floating behind them. "I'll bet you two sickles Bartie writes to you first asking if you can give him tips on how to act around Moody..." she added, leaning in to Bess, and nodding over at Bartie, who was staring at the Auror with wide, adoring eyes. Bartie only had a month to wait until he received his NEWTs, and then he'd know if he was going to be training under Moody or not, a dream which he'd shared with Amarella before she'd been murdered.
When Bess and Lily reached him, Moody leant in and growled, "Six, two, four, four, two."
Bess had received word from Dumbledore a week previously to say that Moody would reveal himself to Bess using that password, and for her to reply with, "Fairy Lights."
Moody nodded once and turned to Lily. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" he asked, rather rudely in Bess' opinion, but if Lily was hurt at all, she didn't show it.
"See you in a few?" Lily asked as she began to push through the crowd in the opposite direction, holding up a finger to say 'just a minute' to a couple who were stood by the entrance to the platform.
Bess nodded enthusiastically and watched as Lily made her way over to her parents, hugging each one in turn before she was pulled into a tight embrace with both of them. Bess wondered how they'd taken it when Petunia had become angry and bitter over Lily's witch status. Lily said they dealt with it well, but Bess wondered if they were just sparing Lily some of their heartbreak.
Shaking her head to get rid of that thought, Bess scanned the platform and made clandestine eye contact with Sirius, who was standing with the Potters and James in the same place that they'd met the older couple back at Christmas. He sent her a quick wink and a smile as he placed his hands in his pockets and then turned on the spot, disapparating at the same time as James and his parents. Bess sighed deeply. She couldn't wait until she saw him again, until she was actually with him again.
"Hurry up," Moody called, cutting through Bess' thoughts. "And put that on," he said, gesturing towards her jumper which was wrapped around her waist as he eyed up her scars which were on show.
Bess knew that he meant that the Muggles might question the marks and the word on her left forearm, so she nodded and pulled on the thick material, already feeling too hot. Moody waved his wand and a coolness settled upon her. She thanked him and sent him a small smile which he dismissed, looking around, searching for something.
She was still a little shaky, but any nerves she had were lost in the instant she saw that he was gesturing for her to stand beside him. It was one thing going up against Death Eaters on her own. Quite the other when she was with the most famous Auror of all time.
"Too lazy to carry your own trunk now?" he asked in a gruff voice, waving his wand to shrink the trunk, which he slipped into one of his pockets. "Hold on," he commanded, thrusting out an arm for Bess to take.
She opened her mouth to complain but before any sound came out, the world went black and she felt an intense spinning and compressing feeling overwhelm her, only for it to stop a moment later when they arrived outside of a large café.
"We're only a couple of streets away from King's Cross, but it's easier to blend in to the crowd of Muggles this way," he said, turning and walking away from her quickly. "Hurry up, girl!" he shouted over his shoulder, and Bess ran to catch up with him. "We've got two Aurors trailing us, but don't fall behind."
"Can we slow down a bit then? I'm not feeling too well," Bess said breathlessly as she tried to keep up with his pace.
Moody stopped immediately, and Bess ran into his back. She was thrown back a few places, and rubbed her sternum as he whipped around.
"Why? What happened to you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing to slits. "Serpen said you were quick on your feet at Easter."
"Period pains," she replied without a beat, and tried to hide her smile when Moody's eyes widened and he cleared his throat. He didn't seem too embarrassed, just a little surprised at her frankness.
"Do you need anything to help?" he asked in a low tone as people passed them in the street.
"No, I'm good, just a bit slow that's all," she replied, noting the older wizard's caring tone.
"Right, then stop complaining and let's go. If I die because you can't keep up, I swear to Merlin I'll hunt you down in the afterlife," he replied in a louder voice as he turned and walked off at a fast, but slower than before, pace. Bess smiled and ran after him again.
"Where're we going?" she asked after over an hour of walking in what she felt was an aimless, but purposeful fashion.
She was sure they'd walked a ridiculously convoluted route so far, and didn't think Moody had any intention of stopping any time soon. She thought of Harry and the bitterly cold broom ride he'd endured for hours to get from Surrey to London, all because Moody was convinced they needed to take the longest route possible to shake off any followers. How much longer? she wondered, already feeling a little hungry. She'd only had a pumpkin pasty and some sweets since lunchtime the previous day, and she was beginning to wane.
Moody barely spared her a glance as he continued down the small side road and onto the main Muggle high street, which Bess recognised instantly as Regent Street.
"We're being tailed. Got to shake them," he replied, grabbing her arm for a moment to pull her behind him as they walked through the crowded street.
There were cars blaring their horns, people shouting to each other over the racket as they walked at a fast pace or stopped suddenly to have a look in the shop windows. Bess felt a social anxiety rise in her chest at being surrounded by so many people for the first time in a while. When Moody's words finally registered, she felt a sickness rise in her throat as she thought about the implications of his sentence.
"How d'you know?" she asked casually, trying to keep her features neutral in case her panic gave anything away.
"That feeling on the back of your neck? The one telling you something's wrong?" he asked, as he pulled her in front of him and placed a large hand on her back, pushing her forwards. Bess nodded. "Listen to it. Give in to the feeling and then ask yourself, if I was a Death Eater, where would I be? How would I act? Now think back. Seen anyone suspicious since we left the station?"
Bess thought for a long moment. "There was a man staring at us when we walked down Carnaby Street. He wasn't wearing wizarding clothes, but I don't think I've seen Muggle clothes like it. I thought he was just a weird dresser... and that he was staring because you're white and I'm mixed race... But thinking about it, it's the middle of London in the seventies, this happens all the time."
She couldn't see Moody's reaction, but imagined that he was nodding. "Pollux Bardoc. Nasty bugger. If I didn't have to get you to the safehouse I'd've gone after him myself. I'm sure there're more. Keep your eyes open," he growled, pushing her forwards more.
Bess, having grown up in the hustle and bustle of London, kicked herself into gear and began dodging and walking quickly through the crowd, her tiredness and hunger being overrun by adrenaline as she led them towards Leicester Square. Moody's hand remained a constant presence on her back and she continued on her path, using the feeling as an anchor to remind her that she was with an Auror, and that he was still there, still with her.
"You know this area?" he asked as they walked past the box office, across the intersection, and continued down the road towards Covent Garden. Bess nodded and he replied, "good. Take us to the Royal Opera House. It's a Muggle place-"
"I know it," Bess replied over her shoulder.
"I'll keep a look out," replied Moody.
"What happens if they attack us?" she asked in a strong voice as she focussed solely on the people and road in front of her.
"You've got a wand, haven't you?" he replied rhetorically. "Use it."
"In front of Muggles?" she asked, her eyes widening at the thought of accidentally hitting a Muggle, or, more likely, a Muggle getting hit by a Death Eater's spell.
"Please wait while I owl the Dark Lord to see if he cares about killing Muggles," Moody replied gruffly.
Bess let out an angry breath from her nose and carried along the road. "Jesus, fine. I was just asking a question."
"Well save the stupidity for when we're at the safe house. Where's your wand?" he asked gruffly.
"In my bag," she said, reaching down to unzip the fabric which was bouncing at her hip.
"Pocket. Put it in your pocket," he said quickly, pushing her slightly in the back, as if urging her to do it now.
"It won't fit, I'm wearing shorts," she replied, opening her bag as slyly as she could as she cursed the fact that she'd chosen shorts today and not her trusty black jeans. If she'd chosen her jeans she would at least have an extendable pocket to put it in. "And they're Muggle women's fashion, the pockets are laughable," she called back.
"Ridiculous. Then at the very least hold it, girl, what're you playing at?" he asked in an impatient tone, pushing her forwards again when she began to walk a little slower.
"Sorry," Bess replied as she placed her hand on her wand. "Out of my bag, or in?"
"In. Don't want them to think we're prepared," he replied. "But keep your eyes open. Anything suspicious, you tell me straight away."
Bess nodded and sped up a little.
After a while they reached a side street off Covent Garden, just a few roads away from the Royal Opera House. The lane was lined with light coloured brick walls which were interspersed with large windows. As Bess and Moody hurried down the long alley, the only sounds came from shoes clicking against the cobblestones, the faint conversation from the Muggle couple walking in front of them, and the chatter from the main streets either end of the passageway.
They were about halfway down the narrow alley when Bess heard it - a faint pop behind them, followed by another, and then another.
"Get down," Moody shouted, shoving Bess, who stumbled slightly and fell forwards.
A/N:
Thank you to Ghost Claw 001, CharlotteGryffindor, Avalon Rivers, and themugglepadme24 - (thank you! Hopefully she will!) for your reviews!
And thank you to everyone following, favouriting and reading!