Bess found Jasper standing in the kitchen, a large knife in his hand. In front of him lay two trays, one with a chicken covered in pepper, lemon slices and freshly picked rosemary. The other held mounds of potatoes.

"Jasper," Bess whispered, tip toeing towards him.

Jasper looked up and grimaced, nodding at her outfit.

Bess rolled her eyes and secured her bathrobe tighter around herself. "Grow up," she whispered. "I need a favour. I need to see Dumbledore."

"When?" he asked loudly.

Bess shook her head and put her finger to her lips, pointing over at the open double doors which led to the lounge. Jasper frowned, but nodded.

"You don't seem surprised," she whispered, creeping closer to him.

Jasper tilted his head. "Only a matter of time," he replied quietly. "After everything- please stop creeping towards me like that. You're weirding me out."

"I'm trying to be quiet," she hissed, looking over her shoulder.

"Remind me not to recommend you for Auror training when all this is over," he sighed when she reached him.

"What were you saying?" she asked, glaring playfully.

Jasper began to chop, focussing on the potatoes again. "Look, after everything you've told us so far, I'm not the only one who's noticed you haven't even got to the part where Harry finds out how to defeat Voldemort. And I'm guessing that has to do with asking Dumbledore before you can tell us?"

Bess frowned. "No, Dumbledore just doesn't tell Harry anything until he gets into his sixth year."

Jasper's eyes widened and he turned to her, dropping the knife. "You're shitting me."

"No," Bess chuckled. "But in any case, I need to see him as soon as possible. There's something I need to ask him. It's unrelated to the stories."

"Can I ask for you?" he asked, leaning against the counter.

Bess shook her head. "No, it's too important. I trust you, of course, but it's just something I need to do myself."

"Okay," he said. "I've got to make contact with Kingsley on Friday evening, so I'll pass on the message. If you can wait two days for an answer?"

"Is 'going to see Kingsley' code for 'there's an Order meeting but don't tell Bess'?" she asked.

Jasper smiled and let out a huff of a laugh. "Can't get anything past you... we just think it's for the best right now if you're kept within the Fidelius. Occasional midnight marriages aside. Just in case."

"Take the others," Bess whispered.

"What?"

"Take the others to the meeting," she replied. "I'll stay here."

"Are you sure?" he asked slowly. "Because last time-"

"Yeah. Really, it's fine. Last summer I was backed into a corner and fearing for my life. I was... I was in a completely different place mentally. This is different. Take them to the meeting and I'll stay here," Bess said again, smiling slightly. "I promise I won't try anything. Just get me that meeting with Dumbledore."

Jasper nodded, and Bess tip toed back out of the kitchen. She stopped by the door and turned. "Pass me that pack of crisps," she hissed over to Jasper.

"What? No. They're for lunch," he replied, not looking up.

"It's my wedding day," she replied.

Jasper huffed, but waved his wand, sending the crisps into her outstretched arms. "Thank you," she said, grinning.

She made it halfway to the stairs when she was caught by Sirius.

"What're you doing, Love?" he asked, grinning. He was leant against the doorway of the second entrance of the living room, his hands in his pockets, an easy smile on his face.

"Snacks," she replied, shaking the packet at him.

"And?" he asked.

"Asking Jasper if I can meet with Dumbledore," she whispered as quietly as possible, looking past him at their friends who were all still putting up decorations the Muggle way. James, Remus and Sirius were wearing robes, while Lily was wearing a beautiful midnight blue knee-length cocktail dress. "I don't want the others to worry though. I'll tell you why later if that's okay?"

Sirius looked over his shoulder as well, and then turned back to Bess. "Okay, but I'm coming with you," he whispered. Adding, "please," when she raised an eyebrow.

She pursed her lips. "What's your bargain?" she asked. "What? You thought I'd just roll over and accept the possessiveness?" she teased, actually incredibly happy that he'd offered to come with her. She wasn't sure if she was ready to give him up yet, even for a few hours.

Sirius smirked. "In my trunk you'll find a few things of interest..."

"All my clothes?" she asked, smiling.

"Maybe you're not ready for the rest," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Don't know if you'd be able to keep your hands off me if I disclosed-"

"Tell me," she said, gulping.

Sirius leant in, his lips just a hair's breadth away from her ear and whispered, "I have two bottles of Mr. Magdekite's Curly Hair Tonic and an almost full bottle of your Muggle conditioner."

Bess gasped.

"And..."

"And?" she asked. "There's more?"

Sirius kissed her cheek and then whispered, "Your comb and hairbrush."

"Marry me," Bess moaned.

Sirius laughed and rolled his eyes. "It's all in my washbag. Now," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her even closer. "Are you sneaking around just in case someone finds you and tells you to come downstairs instead of continuing your bath?"

Bess nodded, sighing and sinking into his warmth. She took a deep breath and moaned again - he was wearing his cologne.

Sirius laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Go. Take your time," he whispered against her hair.

"Thank you."

The party started the moment Bess descended the stairs, her hair freshly washed, a new dress on, and a giant smile on her face.

Their celebrations took up the rest of the day, and by the time Bess remembered to ask about the diary, she was too tired for a proper chat about it, so filed it away in the back of her mind.

xXx

That night, she woke in a cold sweat, gasping for air. It took her a minute to understand where she was. But when she did, she fell back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling.

Sirius snored beside her.

She thought about waking him, but decided against it. She didn't want him to know that she'd had another nightmare. She didn't want him to worry.

It was the second in as many days. Both so vivid and terrifying.

In her dreams she'd been battling a dark and unknown person, twisting and turning and running and ducking and jumping to get away from the barrage of spells they were sending her way.

She'd ignored it the last time, but this time she couldn't.

She checked on Sirius, making sure he was asleep, and then slipped out of bed, writing him a little note. Then she pulled one of Sirius' jumpers from his trunk and made her way downstairs, wand in hand.

She sipped some water and then stepped out onto the patio, sighing in the cold night's air.

And then she began.

She'd had a week off from her training, but once she got into it, she remembered the steps and spells that Daphne had taught her.

She practiced for over an hour until the sun began to rise over the fields behind the garden, flooding the grassy hills with light.

"Who taught you that?" Sirius asked.

Bess turned, gasping. She held out her wand, staring at him while she tried to catch her breath.

He was sat on the doorstep, as if he'd been there for a while. His forearms rested on his thighs, a half-drunk mug of coffee in his hands.

"What?" Bess asked tentatively, lowering her wand.

"Who taught you that?" he asked, nodding towards her. "You used to duel like a second year. Now you look prepared to go after Voldemort himself."

"Daphne. The vision she had," Bess said, sighing. "I'm still hopeless, but it's easier when someone teaches you what to do step by step."

"Do you know who you'll be-"

"No. I don't,... I know the markers... the uh- I know what will happen just before I have to fight. But I don't know when it'll happen. She said it would be easier for me that way. No context, no trying to change what's coming," Bess explained.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he asked, frowning. He raised the mug to his lips and took a sip.

Bess looked around for a moment. She tipped her head back and looked up at the lightening sky. "I didn't want to... I didn't want to talk. I just... I just needed to do this. I don't know, get some energy out I guess?" she said, finally looking at him again.

Sirius nodded and accepted her answer, looking thoughtfully at the ground.

"I'm sorry," she whispered when he didn't move.

He shook his head slowly. "Wake me next time," he said.

"It'll be boring," she said. "I just run through the same-"

"Bess. Wake me next time," he said, smiling slightly. "I waited almost seven months for you. Trust me when I say that nothing about you is boring to me. And even if it was, I'd be here. I can't..." he stopped to sigh deeply. "I don't like waking up and you not being there. I was worried."

"I'm sorry," Bess said, walking over. She sat down on the step next to him and leant her forehead against his shoulder. "I wrote you a letter, I thought you'd read it when you woke up."

Sirius scoffed. "You weren't there, you really thought I'd have time to look for a letter?"

"How long've you been down here?" she whispered.

"About half an hour. I meant what I said. You're good," he said, hooking a finger under her chin to make her look up at him.

"Just have to work on my peripheral vision?" Bess asked with a small laugh.

"Nah, you're alright. I've been working on my disillusionment charms. You'd never know I was here," Sirius replied with a twinkle in his eye and a half smile that made Bess weak at the knees.

Bess stared at him for a long moment, and then she ducked her head, resting her forehead against his shoulder once more. She didn't want him to see the tears which were pooling in her eyes.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, gently shrugging his shoulder to nudge her.

Bess sniffed deeply and wiped her eyes on her sleeves.

"Shit, love, really, what's wrong?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her.

"I don't... I don't forget that you went through it too, but sometimes it hits me that I was gone for you as well. I... I spent the whole time I was back in my world trying to figure out a way to come back to you. I couldn't sleep. I had to force myself to eat so I would be strong when I came back... I.. Sirius... God, I..."

"Love, it's okay," he whispered.

"No, no it's not. It's all so... all so messed up. I used to cuddle that Babylon candle and think of you and whisper that I loved you. And sometimes it was like I could hear you saying you loved me too, and it was the thing that kept me going. And now I'm here and I feel like I've got my fight back because I don't ever want to lose you again. And that was me. I can't imagine what you were going through while I was gone," Bess whispered, finally looking up at him.

Sirius didn't look at her. Instead, he stared out across the garden. Bess watched him silently for a little while until he cleared his throat and looked down, placing the mug on the patio in front of the step they were sat on. He gulped, and then turned to her.

"I don't want to talk about it. What it was like when you weren't here. I just... I don't think I can. Not yet. And Merlin knows it's been hard since you've been back. Finding out the truth about Peter... that was a blow," he said, looking away from her again.

"I'm sorry," Bess whispered.

"Don't be. Just proves you don't know who to trust."

"Has he written at all?" she asked, frowning.

Sirius nodded, still looking out towards the hills. "He's tried all of us. I read mine, Lily threw hers in the fire. Remus tucked his away, and James... well, I'm pretty sure he would've replied with a cursed howler if he could."

"Does he know why you left him at Hogwarts?" she asked. She'd not asked any of them about Peter so far, but she did find herself worried about him, and him being alone. As much as she didn't like him, felt uneasy around him, or hated his character for what he would go on to do if she didn't stop it, she couldn't help herself from feeling sad for him - his friends had just disappeared one night.

Sirius shook his head. "No. Course not. James told Lily and Remus they needed to go and not to bring Peter, so they didn't. Peter asked where they were going and they said something about being back soon."

"Do you know what you'll say to him?" she asked hesitantly.

Sirius shook his head. "It has to come from James though."

"Why?"

Sirius scoffed. "You think Peter will accept a letter like that from me? He worships James. He'll believe him if he says we're not coming back and not to ask questions."

"He worships both of you."

"Maybe."

"Blame it on me? Then he'll have someone to-"

"Love, this isn't your fault."

"It is though, it's-"

"You're actually worried about him, aren't you?" Sirius asked her with a weird expression on his face.

Bess frowned, but nodded. "I just... I can't help thinking about how I'd feel if you all just left..."

"You're too empathetic. You know it's a completely different circumstance, right?" he asked, still staring at her weirdly.

Bess nodded. "Of course I do. But... but what if leaving him there will secure his fate? What if we'd taken him with us. I can't help wondering if he would have changed... realised the error of his-"

"Don't," Sirius said, his face stony now, his eyes emotionless and cold.

Bess shuddered in a breath. She hadn't seen him look like that since...

"It's different," she whispered. "There was nothing you could have done to help-"

"I know," he muttered through clenched teeth. His nostrils flared and he turned to stare across the grass again.

"Honey," Bess tried, "he said he didn't want to go with-"

"I. Know," he said again, his jaw clenching even more.

Bess pursed her lips and nodded. She knew he needed a little bit of time. It was almost as if she could feel his self-loathing.

She placed her cheek on his shoulder and stared across the hills with him. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Hey," he whispered after a while, leaning his cheek against the top of her head.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She moved her head to look at him properly.

"I'm sorry," Sirius said, turning to her again. "I just can't help but see the parallels, y'know?"

"Pup," Bess said, placing a calming hand on his arm. "Leaving Peter and leaving Regulus are two different things."

"Maybe," he whispered.

"No, they are. Regulus chose to stay," she whispered. She wanted to tell Sirius about Regulus and what he would do to try and bring down Voldemort, but she didn't think now was the time. She needed to approach that subject carefully.

After a while, Sirius sighed. "Are you going to practice some more before breakfast?" he asked.

Bess nodded. She knew he needed some time.

He kissed her on the tip of her nose and retreated into the kitchen, sitting at the table close enough for her to know he was there but far enough away to not disturb her. She watching him over her shoulder.

Hearing a noise, Bess looked up sharply to see an owl swoop down and land on the doorstep next to her, holding out its leg.

Attached to it was a rolled up newspaper. She frowned. They'd been here, in Yorkshire, for half a week and she hadn't seen anyone receive a paper yet.

They must have been hiding them from you, she thought to herself.

Rather than tell Sirius it was there, she removed paper from its leg. She didn't watch it fly off, but unfurled the newspaper quickly instead.

Her face, in black and white, smiled up at her. As did James', Remus', Lily's, and Sirius'. It took Bess a little while to recognise the scene - the coupled-up foursome and Remus were sitting around a table filled with food.

Bess was laughing and shaking her head at something Sirius had said. She was alternating between that, and placing her head in her hands as she continued to laugh and shake her head. Sirius had his arm around her shoulders and was roaring with laughter, throwing his head back. When Bess would put her head in her hands, he would duck his head slightly and stare at her with a proud smile on his face. She recognised it as his, 'Merlin, I love you,' face. She wondered how she'd ever been so blind to think he didn't love her back, even at the beginning.

James and Lily sat shoulder to shoulder, their photo-versions alternating between laughing at Sirius, and smiling at each other.

Remus sat on the end of the table, shaking his head, a book open on the table in front of him, an easy smile on his face. One arm was slung across the back of an empty chair next to him, in his free hand he held a large slice of cake.

Bess remembered the day the photo was taken well - it was the same day that she'd found out what had really happened to her and Lucas. It felt like a lifetime ago now, the six of them - the Marauders and Lily and Bess - eating mountains of food after Bess had cried her heart out to Lily in that little stone room.

She smiled slightly at the memory of being around that table. They'd cheered her up no end, and made her feel so safe and loved. Even Peter, who had taken the photo at Sirius' encouragement, had been kind to her.

She picked up her wand and cut around the black and white photo. She folded it up and tucked it into her pyjama trouser pocket.

And then she began to read.

THE FACES OF BRITAIN'S CORRUPTED YOUTH?

As speculation over the whereabouts of five missing Hogwarts students and their disgraced former teacher grows, our Witch-on-the-ground, Rita Skeeter, asks the tough questions.

Bess shook her head, sighed, and stood, heading inside. She placed the paper in front of Sirius and then walked over to the counter to start a pot of coffee.

"Love," he started.

Bess turned and smiled. "Thank you for hiding it from me," she said when he looked confused. "Rita's the worst and I need to focus on remembering the books and what Daphne taught me, not reading lies."

Sirius scoffed. "I thought you'd be more pissed that we were keeping all this from you..."

"I would've been last year... last week even, but I feel so safe here..."

"You didn't feel safe at the flat?" he asked slowly. "Love, I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry," Bess laughed. "I felt safe there, but there was a lot going on. Here... here it's all of us and I know I'm working towards bringing Voldemort down, not trying to not die. And I don't have the worry that I'll go back to my world anymore... It feels... It sounds ridiculous but it feels like the world is brighter, somehow. Like there's no dark cloud looming over me."

"Only the nightmares?" he asked.

"I think they're more warnings to keep up my training. Nothing too sinister, I promise."

Sirius nodded and pursed his lips. She knew he wanted to say more.

"What else are you keeping from me?" she asked, smiling and walking back over to him. He slid out a chair beside him and sighed.

"When Jasper met up with Kingsley-"

"Went to an Order meeting, yes," she replied, smirking.

"What's the point in- anyway, yes. Fine. When Jasper went to the last Order meeting, Dumbledore mentioned a couple of missions coming up that he wanted James and me to go on. Now, we said no for now. James isn't really a hundred percent yet and I didn't know how-"

"Tell Dumbledore you can do it. I'm not going to stop you. I'll be safe here, I'm surrounded by everyone. Go," she whispered, pushing his hair back. She kissed his cheek slowly.

"You're sure?" he asked warily.

Bess smiled and nodded, kissing him quickly. "I'm sure. Now, in the words of you, through a letter Lily wrote to you where she quoted you back to you... 'The Order comes first.'"

"What?" he asked, frowning.

Bess smiled and picked up her coffee. "I know I made no sense, but it'll come up when I tell you about the seventh book."

Sirius groaned. "How long d'you think it'll take to get through these? I don't think I've been able to feel my arse since you got halfway through book one. That sofa's nice and all but I'd quite to be able to do something other than listen and sit..."

Bess grinned. "Can't promise nothin'," she said.

"You're sure it's okay if I'm needed and have to go?" he asked, leaning forwards to rub his nose against hers.

"I'm sure," she said, knowing that there was a strong chance he'd be sent off very soon - the next Order meeting was tomorrow.

xXx

Over the course of the next day and a half, Bess managed to get through most of Harry's Sixth Year, describing Voldemort's backstory.

She didn't manage to get to the Horcruxes properly, as she knew that it was a later revelation for Harry and she wanted to go into as much detail as she could to make sure they all understood what they were getting themselves in for... But she had managed to explain Dumbledore's hand, all the way to Harry and Ginny finally getting together. (She avoided Remus and Tonks' relationship for now).

They'd had to take a little break for a few hours when she'd explained that Regulus had died, and that Remus was sure that he'd changed his mind about being a Death Eater, and not made it out alive. Sirius had locked himself in the bathroom and turned on the shower. When he came out again, he seemed fine, but Bess knew that he was questioning everything now. Every interaction with Regulus.

In stark contrast, when she said that Harry kissed Ginny, it made James' day, week, and month.

"Yes, son!" James cried. "You get your redhead! Bloody well done, mate, bloody well done!"

"He's fictional," Remus sighed, smiling and shaking his head.

"How dare you. That's my son you're talking about!" James replied, grinning still.

They argued jokingly about Harry's official living status for a little while, and then they adjourned to the kitchen for dinner.

Once they'd eaten, Bess waved from the door as James, Lily, Jasper and Sirius left for the Order meeting - she'd had to practically chuck them out of the house, but they'd gone, and she was glad.

When she closed the door, Remus smiled at her. "I guess it's just us then?" he asked.

Bess rolled her eyes and laughed. "Don't think I don't know you're here to babysit me. I promise I won't go anywhere," she said, smiling kindly at him.

For a moment she felt sorry for him that they'd chosen to leave him behind with her, but then she'd remembered that he'd asked to stay with her. She didn't know if he was avoiding the Order, or if he just felt pity for Bess and wanted to stay with her, but either way, she was glad it was him - he was the best Defence tutor Harry had ever known. And he was immensely talented. If anyone managed to get past the wards to attack them, she was in safe hands.

"Well, what d'you want to do?" he asked, shifting from one foot to the other awkwardly.

"I think there's something we need to talk about," she said, walking into the living room.

"What?" he asked, frowning and following her. He sat down on his usual armchair and watched Bess as she poured them both a glass of wine.

She turned and gave him a glass before she sat down in Jasper's armchair, sitting cross-legged on the sofa cushion.

She took a sip and then sucked in a deep breath. "Tonks."

Remus nodded. "I'm assuming we end up together?" he asked.

Bess stared for a moment. "I- well, yes..."

"You don't have to look so surprised. It's okay. I kind of assumed I'd end up with a woman since you mentioned I had a baby at one point and they didn't inherit my lycanthropy... I was waiting for you to mention someone but you never did... but you also mentioned Tonks having a romance which was odd to you now... Makes sense that it'd be her I guess..." he said, staring down into his cup.

"Should I... Should I mention it to the others?" she asked slowly.

Remus shook his head. "Not at the moment, if that's okay? Need to get my head around it myself and then I'll... I dunno really, I'll figure it out?"

"What's there to figure out?" she asked, frowning.

Remus scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Sorry," Bess whispered. "Of course."

Remus smiled at her and drained his cup. "Right, I've got a defence book to swot up on. Fancy a study session until the others get back?"

Bess smiled and nodded. "Yeah, sounds good." But when Remus left to walk up to his room in search of his book, she knew she wouldn't see him for the rest of the night.

She sat back and sipped her wine, thinking of a way to explain about the Horcruxes properly. She wondered what Sirius' reaction would be to Regulus' sacrifice.

But in the end, she shouldn't have worried - she didn't have the chance to explain what happened next, because when they came back later that night, Sirius, James and Lily were ashen faced. And Jasper wasn't with them.

When she asked what had happened, Sirius shook his head. Later, he explained that an Auror they'd all become close to during the Order meetings they'd been allowed to attend over the past months, had been killed.

Jasper had been asked to do some surveillance work, Lily explained, and so they wouldn't see him for a few days. They all decided to put off hearing more until he was back.

"It's only fair," James reasoned.

But Bess' slight reluctance didn't come from wanting to tell the others without Jasper there, it came from her want to speak to Dumbledore. And James, Sirius and Lily hadn't heard Jasper ask Dumbledore for a meeting.

And Bess couldn't just write to the older Wizard, what if her letter was intercepted?

So she resigned herself to waiting a little longer for Jasper's return. Maybe, she thought, he'd have a time and a date for her.

But a few days turned into several and several turned into more. In the end, they didn't see Jasper for three and a half weeks. In that time they celebrated Remus' birthday, the boys had made it through their first full moon without Peter, and they were now preparing for James' birthday.

In fact, when Jasper returned, Bess was levitated off the ground, giggling and placing tinsel against the ceiling, while Lily stood below her, her wand out as she kept Bess in the air.

The door opened and the two women turned, Lily almost dropping Bess in shock.

Jasper looked awful - his hair was longer, he had a scraggly beard, and his eyes were red, as if he hadn't slept in days. His arm was bleeding slightly, and his clothes were dirty, torn, and had what Bess assumed was dried blood on them. She didn't want to think about the other stains.

"Is Sirius here?" he asked in a gruff voice. "I've got a letter for him."

xXx

A/N: Berius heavy chapter this time. Time needs to pass, and there's no way Sirius would stay idle while there's a war to be fought!

Thank you thank you thank you thank you to Momochan77, Ghost Claw 001, Avalon Rivers, MieuxGemineux, and Rereading Guest for your reviews.

Rereading Guest, just... Thank you. Your review of chapter 25 made me so emotional. Thank you for rereading, and for showing me so much love.

Also, I've got heart palpitations - the HBO reunion! Harry Potter got me through so much when I was growing up, so overwhelmed by the reunion!