I am not JK Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other characters you recognize in this story. I also would like to say that I borrowed the idea of Dark Magic from a story I read somewhere on the internet(I can't remember where I read it or even exactly what the story was about). No plagerism is intended and though I did borrow the idea I have made my version of Dark Magic completely from my own imagination.

Chapter Ten

A Note and a Spell

Taylor had just started to weave through the crowd by the tables looking for Hermione and Ron like she had said. She had already seen Harry and Ginny sitting at a table talking to each other. Taylor felt a chill go through her and she glanced around. Nothing looked out of place and people were carrying on as before. It must be the after effects of the talk she just had with Lupin. She had the horrible feeling that he put two and two together and realized who she was. Would that be so bad, she asked herself? He was the last close link she had to her parents; their last surviving best friend. Maybe I'll go over and stand by the house alone so I can think, thought Taylor. She turned away from Ron and Hermione, and she ran into Harry.

"Taylor, you and I have got to have a talk now," Harry said his voice low but firm. He took hold of Taylor's arm and he started to guide her back towards the area where she had talked to Lupin and Moody.

Taylor was just about to ask Harry why he had changed from his dress robes when they heard several screams.

The sky went suddenly dark and the very air around them was cold. Dark shadows could be seen everywhere. People started screaming and running. Someone ran into Taylor and knocked her out of Harry's grasp and onto the ground. When she looked up, Harry had his wand out and his voice bellowed, "Expecto Patronum!" Followed closely by several more voices saying the only spell that would drive Dementors away. Taylor scrambled to her feet, looking around wildly, she had never heard of Dementors attacking such a large group of mature wizards and witches before. Something was up.

Taylor could just make out, on the far side of the crowd, more dark shapes converging on someone. Only they weren't Dementors. Taylor's wand was out and she was running full tilt towards the dark figures. She could just make out bushy brown hair over one of the hooded figures shoulders. The next stride brought into view someone with red hair lying on the ground. Taylor yelled the first spell that came to her, "Petrificus Totalus!" A hooded figure keeled over frozen. She had to dodge sideways though as the rest of the hooded figures, there were three of them, sent several spells her way.

Taylor switched spells, firing off a couple she had just read in those books at Mrs. Briggs. One came out of her wand as a long jet of red that wrapped around one of the figures, bringing him to the ground. The other missed its mark but left an ugly black spot on the ground where it hit.

Taylor had to stop the two remaining figures. If they made it to the fence and over it, they would be outside the impregnable charm put on the Burrow and they would be able to Apparate away with Hermione.

Taylor heard a familiar voice behind her now yelling spells also, but he was to far away and the spells were missing. Taylor jumped sideways from a spell and fired one more as she landed and jumped again, this time over Ron's still body. Hermione was fighting back hard and Taylor watched as one of the figures turned his wand on her and used it. Taylor screamed "No!" and watched as Hermione went limp. Two more strides and she was right on top of them. She leaped and tackled them, just as she had seen muggle football players do back in Canada.

The impact drove the air out of her lungs and she landed in a heap on the ground with the two hooded figures and Hermione's unconscious body. Taylor gasped for air and was suddenly pulled roughly up off of the ground. She could see about a dozen witches and wizards standing around with their wands drawn pointing at the figures on the ground. When Taylor looked to see who had pulled her up her eyes collided with a pair of very angry green eyes.

"Just what the hell do you think you were doing, you could have been killed," Harry snarled, his hand tightening on her arm where he had pulled her up off the ground and hadn't yet let go. Suddenly his arms went around her and he gave her a fierce hug, almost crushing her ribs in the process. He let her go just as quickly, and stepped back. His eyes were still angry but now they dropped to Hermione, who was being looked at by Lupin and Moody who had arrived on the scene with the others.

"I think she was just stunned. She'll be okay in a few hours. We'll have a healer look at her anyway." growled Moody as he straightened up and glanced at Taylor and Harry. Harry had hold of Taylor's arm again. "I think maybe you two and I should have a little chat, before tonight is over." Moody gave them a hard stare, then his magical eye started to look behind him as if searching for something else.

"Yeah, okay," Harry said, and he turned to go check on Ron, pulling Taylor with him. He was so mad at her right now he wanted to throttle her. After he had sent his Patronus stag after the Dementors, he had turned to look for Taylor. He remembered her being knocked out of his grasp, but he had seen her fall to the ground as he swung his wand up at the Dementors. When he didn't see her on the ground he glanced up and his heart came up into his throat. Taylor was running full out at the hooded figures, firing spells and dodging this way and that.

Taylor turned and looked at the two figures on the ground as their hoods were pulled off by a couple of wizards. It was Draco Malfoy and a Slytherin named Montague whom she could just barely remember. Then Taylor lost sight of them as Harry pulled her with him through the crowd over to where Ron lay on the ground. Mrs. Weasley was kneeling beside him, her wand out, passing it over him like one might do with a metal detector at the airport, thought Taylor. She noticed Mrs. Weasley's wand was shaking slightly. Fred was standing with his arm around Ginny, who looked very pale. Mr. Weasley came over and said "Molly, there are Healers on the way, he will be alright."

Harry stopped and Taylor did too. When she looked up at Harry she noticed that he was pale also and a tiny tremor went through his body when a healer knelt beside Ron with their wand out. They brought Hermione over and laid her beside Ron, so the healer could look at her also.

"Miss Porter, I need a word with you, right now." Moody suddenly growled beside her, making her jump. She hadn't even heard him walk up to her. "Potter if you'll excuse us." Moody growled as he looked at Harry's hand, that was still gripping Taylor's arm.

Harry's eyes narrowed, but his grip remained firm. "What do you want with Taylor? Where ever she goes, I go." Harry wasn't taking any chances that she would slip off without telling him, and he was sure she planned to; he just knew it somehow.

Moody looked from Harry to Taylor with his magical eye sizing up what was going on. "Well now Potter, unless there is something you would like to tell me, I think you had better let Miss Porter come with me."

Harry stiffened. He couldn't tell Moody he suspected that his underage sister was going to go running off after him when he left for Godric's Hollow; as soon as he found out if Ron and Hermione were going to be all right. He pinned Taylor with a look that said you better get right back here, but he said in a deadly calm voice "Okay, Moody. I'll see you shortly Taylor." He let go of Taylor's arm, and walked over to where Ginny was standing with Fred.

Moody turned and limped away. Taylor followed, she wasn't sure what Moody wanted but she was sure now that Harry was going to leave very soon. She had to get her backpack from the house as soon as she could. Moody stopped by the second hooded figure that she had dropped, the one she had used the new spell on. His hood was off now, she didn't recognize him. But he was as still as stone; not frozen, but still; his eyes were open but they were red.

"We need to know what spell you used on him." Moody growled, but his voice was more menacing now. "Then I want to know where you learned it!"

Taylor knew she was in trouble, but when Lupin joined them she became really worried. So she told them what the spell was, that she didn't know what it did before today. She had just been so worried they were going to get Hermione over the fence that she had used whatever spells came to mind.

Lupin frowned at her, but his voice was gentle, "That is a dark spell, Taylor. You should never use a spell, if you don't know what it does. You should know that by now. You can go now, thank you."

Taylor turned and headed for the Burrow; she wasn't going to tell them where she'd gotten that spell, no way. What she needed to do was get her things, go to Godric's Hollow and wait for Harry there. He would be angry, but Taylor decided that the security around him would be increased. This was Harry's only chance to get away before that happened, so she needed to be one step ahead of her big brother.

Lupin turned to Moody as soon as Taylor was far enough away so she wouldn't hear, "Do you believe her explanation about that spell? That it was the first time she used it?" his voice was filled with worry that Taylor might be heading down the wrong path.

"Well I've never seen a sixth year student who could perform that spell as well as she just did, even from ones who have traveled down the road to the Dark Arts. Most full-grown witches and wizards can't even do it, after years of trying. Still what she said was true, unless she has learned to lie better than any Dark witch I know," Moody was very worried also, but for a little different reason. He was worried about how close Harry Potter was, to this Miss Porter. "We had better keep a close eye on her."

Witches and Wizards were going, one after the other from the Weasley's flue, as Taylor hurried by. Up the stairs she raced, two at a time and into Ginny's room. She took off Ginny's school robes. They were dirty, but nothing a wash wouldn't fix, and laid them on her bed. Next she grabbed a quill and parchment and quickly wrote a note to Harry. She sealed it with a tap of her wand. Hopefully Hermione was okay. She would recognize the charm right away and save Harry time. She picked up her backpack, pulled out her dark traveling cloak and put it on. It would be kind of warm for the heat of the early August evening, but it would help her blend in with the guests that were leaving. It wouldn't do to be caught by Harry, or Moody for that matter.

She left Ginny's room and climbed up the stairs to Ron and Harry's room. Hedwig cooed softly when she opened the door. Pig, Ron's little owl, twittered from his perch. Taylor went right over to Hedwig, "I have a letter for you to deliver, but you need to give me at least five minutes before you take it to Harry. Can you do that for me Hedwig?" Hedwig cooed again and gently nipped Taylor's finger. She understood what she was to do. "Thanks Hedwig." Taylor turned and quickly left the room. She had to hurry if she was going to get out of the Burrow, unseen, and out onto the road so she could Apparate away in five minutes.

Down through the house she went, out past the line of witches and wizards still waiting to use the flue. Out the door, she could see where Ron was still lying on the ground, but Hermione was sitting up. Taylor breathed a sigh of relief; if only Ron was okay now. She could also see Harry with his arm around Ginny now, but their backs were to her, so she hurried towards the gate.

Her heart was pounding; only a few more meters and she was walking with a couple of wizards. As she went out the gate and they Apparated around her, Taylor turned for one last look and saw Lupin walking towards the gate too. He stopped and looked at her in surprise. As he opened his mouth, Taylor spun, concentrating hard on where she wanted to go.

"TAYLOR! NO! WAIT!" Lupin yelled but she was gone. He spun on his heel and raced back towards the Burrow, to where Moody was standing talking to Mr. Weasley and Bill. The healer had just floated Ron into the house on the way to a bedroom on the second floor. Lupin halted in front of them. "Taylor's gone," he said trying to keep the panic out of his voice, yet keep it low too. Harry, Ginny and Hermione were walking into the house just a little ways away. It wouldn't do to let Harry know about this yet; he'd go tearing off after Taylor.

"What do you mean Taylor's gone; has she been grabbed by someone?" Mr. Weasley asked, his voice rising in alarm.

"Shh! No, I mean she went out the gate just ahead of me and Apparated away," Lupin hissed. He was losing the battle to control the panic that he was feeling.

Moody's eyes were both on Lupin. What had gotten into Remus today? He was so uptight about this young Porter girl all of a sudden. "Where do you think she might've gone?" Moody asked.

"I don't know, I don't know." Lupin repeated. Oh if only James where here, or Sirius. They were better at handling touchy situations. He just felt lost.

Harry, Ginny and Hermione had just entered Ginny's room to wait for the healer to finish with Ron, so they could go see him. The healer had said that he would be all right, but he would need a week or so of bed rest. Hedwig flew in and landed on Harry's shoulder and held out her leg for Harry to take off the note tied onto it.

Harry's brow wrinkled, who would send him a note using Hedwig? "Who's this from anyway, Hedwig?" he asked as he turned the note over. There was no name written on it at all; not even his own.

"What's that Harry; who's it from?" asked Ginny as she came over to stand by him.

"I don't know there's no name on it." he said trying to open it, but it wouldn't open.

"Let me see it Harry." Hermione demanded and he passed it to her. She turned it over then began to grin. "I know who this is from," and she tapped her wand on it, a small puff of pink smoke came from it and it opened in her hand. "It's from Taylor." she said, as she passed the note back to Harry.

Harry went as still as stone; his hand with the note in it was still reaching out towards Hermione.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

He realized suddenly that he hadn't seen Taylor since she had gone off with Moody. He had become preoccupied with how Ron and Hermione were doing, and she had slipped his mind. He shook his head. What kind of brother was he? He unfolded the note and began to read.

Dear Harry,

I hope Ron and Hermione are ok. I thought it was important that I go ahead and meet you at the place we discussed a couple days ago. Here is a map to help if you need it. I hope you will not be too upset I didn't wait for you. Love T. Porter.

Harry stared at the note as if willing it to not be true. She surely wouldn't go off all by herself, not after what just happened this afternoon.

"Harry what is it?" and Ginny took the note from Harry and read it. "Merlin's beard, what has she done?" whispered Ginny as she handed the note to Hermione.

"Oh, my…" whispered Hermione when she finished reading the note. "Harry, you have to tell someone, so they can go get her before something terrible happens to her!"

"Yeah, like me killing her when I find her," Harry mumbled under his breath, but he said to Ginny, "Ginny will you go get my bag? It's in my trunk, in Ron's room. We'll be in seeing Ron when you get back." To Hermione he said, as he helped her up from the bed as she was still a little weak, "Come on, we need to talk to Ron before I go." He stuffed the map into a pocket of his robes with one hand, as he guided her out of the room and down the stairs to the room where Ron was.

Hermione was still hanging onto the note when they entered the room Ron was in. She handed it to him to read as Harry let her sit on the bed. He began to pace restlessly.

"So, I guess you are going to go tonight, without me and Hermione? You planned on leaving tonight anyway didn't you?" Ron asked, but his voice wasn't angry, only resigned to the fact that Harry was going to go without him. He was in no shape to argue anyway.

Harry nodded "Yeah I had already planned on going tonight. I told Ginny and was going to have a talk with Taylor, then tell you two, when the trouble started." Harry said, his voice soft, his eyes sad, as he looked at his two best friends. They had suffered enough because of him, he thought.

Ginny came into the room then, carrying Harry's bag. "I still don't think this is a good idea, and Taylor isn't going to come back just because you tell her to, you know." Ginny said as she handed the bag to Harry. She had been dreading this moment since they had reached an agreement to be together until after the wedding. She had wanted to look so pretty for him today.

As Harry gathered her into his arms and held her close, the creature in his chest purred. If only he could stay here. He kissed her on the temple, breathing in the smell of her hair. She lifted her face and he kissed her soundly on the lips, forgetting for a moment where he was, just reveling in the feel of her, the taste of her. But all too soon, maybe it was the sound of Ron coughing, he drew back with great effort, the creature protested with a snarl, and he released Ginny. He let his arms fall to his sides. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done.

There was a knock at the door and Mr. Weasley stepped into the room, followed by Lupin. "Ah good, you are all here. Feeling better I hope Ron? And, you too Hermione? Well I have some news that might come as a shock to you all. Well there is no easy way to say this, but… Taylor Porter Apparated away from here about a half hour ago. I don't suppose you know where she has gone, do you?" Mr. Weasley sounded very worried; he kept glancing from one to the other as he spoke.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, I know where she has gone. I'm going there myself in a few minutes. I have some things I need to check out for myself. I plan on sending Taylor back if I can, but I am leaving here. Alone." Harry said, his voice sounding so much more mature than seventeen.

"But Harry, you can't be serious. You can't go running off alone with Vol… Vol… with You Know Who and his Death Eaters out there looking for you! The Order is waiting downstairs to take you some place safe." Mr. Weasley said trying to sound reasonable.

Harry lifted his bag and swung it over his shoulder, then he turned and nodded at Ron and Hermione, smiled at Ginny and marched from the room. On his way out the door Lupin put his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry paused.

Lupin whispered in his ear, "Look out for your sister." And took his hand off and let Harry go out.

Harry glanced back over his shoulder at Lupin wondering how he knew. He was surprised for sure, but there was no part of him that was upset about that fact. If he didn't have to face Moody and some more of the Order downstairs, he would of stopped and talked to Lupin about it.

A/N Well there you go another chapter today! :) I know it is a long weekend for those of you in the US so I thought I'd treat you with 2 new chapters!

First I need to explain a couple of things. I know what some of you are going to say and that is that Ron and Hermione are letting Harry go without them fairly easily, and I agree. However they were both stunned with nasty spells and are in no shape to go no matter how much they want to. Plus I want to say once again this chapter was written BEFORE Deathly Hallows came out so my attack at the wedding did not come from the seventh book but what I thought might happen. I was rather shocked to see the attack there actually! :) Also I'm sure many of you have questions about the spells Taylor used as well as the books that she read and I promise all will be explained in later chapters! :) If you have any other questions then I am only too happy to answer them!

Thanks again to my bata barbc! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend whether it be a long one or not!

Until next time, cytpotter