Choices of the Heart Chapter 27 through 30, a harry potter fanfic

A/n Warning: Chapter 27 deals with mature romantic matters of a mildly disgusting nature, if only because of the ship. Have a throw-up bucket handy or better one of those spit buckets boxers have in their corners. Also this is all JKR's we are just playing with her Hogwarts sand castle.

Quote: "He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart"

Attribution: C.S. Lewis

Choices of the Heart
by Ydnas Odell aka DA Jones

Chapter 27: Big 'D '& Hanny

Between Six-forty five and six forty eight p.m while the world went to hell, Hannah Abbot went to heaven in the arms of Dudley Dursley. She was kissing him fiercely in a public park in Little Whinging, Surrey and quite ignoring her muggle step-fathers order that Dudley actually run.

For that was what she was supposed to be doing, encouraging Dudley to run; but instead she was encouraging Dudley in other ways. But in any event her head was all fuzzy and all she could think was: 'Kissing is a sweet science, no wait that is boxing.'

Dudley was a sweet kisser, jabbing back at her tongue in little pleasurable ways, but he was not a sweet boxer. From what Hannah had seen as a pugilist he was more of a pummeler, piling up victory after victory with brute muggle force.

Even his kisses had that sort of demanding irresistible energy, a kind of power that left her breathless and weak kneed like one of Dudley's opponents after his patented right cross to the jaw.

Those usually laid his victims flat on their backs, but if part of him were planning to overwhelm her with pleasure like he overwhelmed his opponents with power, well it was not going to happen tonight.

Dudley broke away from her lips and then started kissing her jaw line and then her neck.

She sighed: "Big D!"

She pressed herself to him bodily and reaching up, pulled him down and kissed him frantically, needily, desire throbbing, the needy animal part of her to the fore. That part wanted Dudley -- wanted Dudley to take her virginity now, right now, right here on the hard plastic picnic table behind her.

The one that was just barely hidden by bushes from the swing-set; where just a few moments before he had stopped to give her the most romantic push on the last remaining swing; but Hannah wasn't …well, she wasn't Susan Bones. She wouldn't allow herself to give in to her naughty animal instincts.

The truth was that although she was developing feelings of great affection for the great sweet oaf named Dudley Dursley and might even be falling in love with him; she wasn't going to sleep with him. Hannah fancied herself a nice girl and if Dudley wanted something from her, well …let's put it this way….he would need a ring and not the boxing kind if he hoped to schedule a bout.

Now he led with his famous right cross while he continued to kiss her, pawing under her sweaty Abbot's Gym tee to cup at her left breast, the thumb making soft circles and teasing the nipple hard and sending a shudder through her as his heavy fingers sought passage under the elastic of her sports bra.

"Dudley! Merlin, that's good!"

He pulled his hand away and jumped back as if he had seen the shadow of a basilisk; but that was impossible, muggles couldn't see a basilisk, not unless they were killed or if lucky turned to stone by one.

Funny though, he was as white as basilisk's stone.

"Dudley?"

"No, nothing… it was just something you said, something my cousin…but…no…you couldn't, it's just a coincidence. That's all, love."

She captured his lips again and his color quickly improved, moaning he palmed her breast fully again through her T and using his bulk began to push her back towards the table, but Hannah broke the lip lock and twisted away:

"DUDLEY!"

"Oh, HANNY! You're like sugar Hanny; so sweet. I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOU! "

He brought his lips down, ran one hand through her hair and the other…Merlin, give me strength thought Hannah. With the other hand he toyed with her nipple again, then kissed it and then reached to paw under the elastic.

She snoged him madly.

What was the matter with her, she wasn't this wanton. They hadn't even gone on three dates yet for Merlin's sake and she was letting him paw at her, was delighted at the pudgy pawing, was about thirty seconds away from surrendering her first shag and in a public park no less.

Hell, it had taken her three years even to allow Ernie the privilege of 'breast awareness' and in three minutes Dudley had blown past all those barriers and she wasn't sure she wanted to whistle him to a stop.

But she reached under and firmly gripped his wrist and jerked it away. "Dudley, no!"

"Hanny…I..."

"DUDLEY TAKE A STANDING EIGHT! We're in a public park!"

"Hanny…believe me, that won't be a problem!"

She stared fixedly into the fathomless depth of his small watery blue eyes; pointedly ignoring other parts of his considerable anatomy.

"Dudley, I'm not like your other girls. You want me? You're going to have to earn me."

He grinned at her lustily.

She was not sure whether Dudley ever could 'earn her.' Because it was possible that she would never offer herself to a muggle. Not that she had anything against muggles; her own step-father was a muggle for Merlin's sake.

But if she married a muggle the odds would be poor that all of her children would be magical and she didn't want her children to relieve the heart-break of her dear non-magical half-sister Anna. She still remembered how her sister had cried and cried when her Hogwarts letter hadn't come.

Poor little Anna had never gotten over it and had been sulky ever since. It was Hannah's fault of course, she never should have told Anna all those wonderful tales of life at Hogwarts; no matter how true they were; when it was so painfully obvious that little Anna Belle wouldn't be able to follow in her footsteps. Hannah should have known second year when Anna hadn't been able to follow her onto the platform. She should've made Hogwarts sound awful; should have scared poor Anna with tales of Slytherin's heir and Snape and werewolf professors and horrid homework. Instead of getting her hopes up.

All she could do was pray every day that someday soon the muggles would let poor dear Anna who she loved so much out of the asylum. If only Anna hadn't tried to kill herself.

Hannah told herself she couldn't blame herself for that. It wasn't her fault. No matter how depressed Anna was, she wouldn't have done that if she hadn't found mother. If Anna hadn't come home from school to find their poor mom transfigured into a human-headed ass and chopped into twenty-five pieces, they would still be a happy family.

No, it wasn't her fault it was Mama's. Why did she have to join what Professor Dumbledore called the order?

Mama! Tears suddenly poured down her cheeks, leaving Dudley completely nonplussed.

"Hannah? Are you ok, I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No not you,"…Hannah said sniffing, regaining control of herself almost as suddenly as she had lost it. "I was thinking about my mother again."

"Oh, her again?"

"My mother was murdered you insensitive pig!"

"I'm not fat! I'm a heavyweight!"

"You're a heavy weight all right, five pounds to heavy. This is your big fight Dudley and daddy says you've got to make the weight limit. Why do you think my father wants you to run? Why he Ok'd me coming here. He thought I could get you to run today."

"You have."

"Not enough."

"Well you've exercised me in other ways." He said with a leer.

"And what I should do is exercise my option to dump you for being so obnoxious."

"And I should dump you for using such big words."

"They're not as big as you are round."

Dudley acted hurt. "I'm barrel shaped; my father says I have the perfect boxer's geometry. Plus you like it. "

"I do, but oey, isn't geometry a big word?"

"Well, my father has to know it, since he sells and manufactures drills and all. Besides boxers, know geometry, didn't your pops teach you nothing, he being a trainer and all you you'd think you'd know all about the squared circle!"

Hannah groaned and smiled. "Dudley that's bad."

"And you're beautiful, Hanny especially when you're mad. I'm sorry about your mum…I really am…it's a shame about that satanic cult, but now I suppose I can jog again…at least I'll have a good view."

"Of me bum."

"And a lovely bum it is…a bum that's shaped like a hot cross bun, your sweet bun bum is the nicest, hottest, shapeliest sweetest bum in all England…probably the tastiest too. I want to eat it all up."

Hannah sighed. "Dudley, can't you say one romantic thing that doesn't have to do with food?"

"No. Hannah, you have hair the color of royal honey (he ran a hand through it), a delicious cherry nose (he kissed it), eyes the color of deep chocolate (he kissed her brow), skin like fresh cream, (he kissed her neck) breasts….breasts like soft delectable pies (he ran a hand over one), strawberry nipples, hot cross bums (he squeezed one), lips… (he kissed them) lips…that taste like raspberry jam…"

"That's the lip stick. You like?"

"Hannah Abbot you should know by now…you're an incredible feast of delight, I like and want every part of you."

"Do you love me?"

"Hannah…I…"

She reached up and silenced his lips with her fingers. "Forgive me; you don't have to answer that now…for now let's jog."

"Or we could shag."

Shocked though she shouldn't have been, Hannah just said: "No. We'll just jog Dudley."

Exasperated she turned and ran.

Dudley's voice floated up from behind her. "You know shagging burns calories too!"

Hannah laughed and at precisely 6:48 cut out of the park and made a left on Magnolia Road putting pavement between herself and Dudley, making sure to move her bum in the way he liked.

Meanwhile two blocks away on Wisteria Walk, the Patils were calmly watching the furious Death Eater attack on 10 Downing Street through Ms. Figg's old tellie until Parvati suddenly pointed and exclaimed: "That's dad!" and just as suddenly apparated away. Leaving only a stunned Padma and Ms. Patil who shaking her head turned to her remaining daughter and sighed:

"Thank Merlin you're a Ravenclaw!"

Choices of the Heart

by Ydnas Odell aka DA Jones

Chapter 28: Die, Zabini!

Quote "Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."

Attribution: — Eddie Rickenbacker
World War I hero

Raging anger pumping through him, Ron dove and ate dirt as Zabini's killing curse roared past -- too high. Thank Merlin. He didn't want to die, certainly not yet - he was to young and if he had too, well he wanted it to be Voldemort, not scumbag Blaise. He'd never live that down.

He scrambled to his knees, spitting. The ground atop the embankment was flat and featureless save for a few scrawny trees to far away to provide cover.

"You missed Blaise!"

He was at a clear disadvantage. Zabini had taken his wand and he was no good at this wandless stuff.

"Avada Kedavra."

Ron sprawled flat and ate dirt again. Spat dust. He needed help. The audiowyrm.

"To all DA, HELP!"

He heard gravel skitter. He turned on his knees; Zabini was coming up after him, trying to improve the angle. He had no choice. One chance.

He leapt off the cliff.

"Die Zabini!"

There was a war on outside or so it seemed. This wasn't a riot.

Lavender, ducked low in her seat. She had cast a shield charm on herself and some nearby students but some random spells had penetrated the side of the car and a window had shattered, the flying glass taking out a Hufflepuffs eye. The poor kid was screaming.

Lavender was terrified. Susan crouched next to her in worse shape, visibly shaking. "We're going to die, Lavender! We're going to die!"

And then some Hufflepuff shouted over the din: "It's the Dark Mark!"

Lavender turned and looked over Susan's shoulder out the far side window. There it was. The green snake eating skull glowing high in the sky just like the photos she had seen in the prophet and over Dumbledore...that day. Suddenly there was an acidic smell and Susan moaned.

"The Death Eater's are here, but Harry isn't. We're going to die."

Lavender made a face at the shaking pale faced girl. Susan was so terrified that she had pied and shit herself. This from a Bones; the supposed bastions (and bastards) of the Wizarding World – the family that fought for truth, justice and fee free flooing; the family whose members had been Aurors and explorers for generations, the family that splayed sphinxes and snowmen and killed Dark Lords with tea cozies; no wonder Susan hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor, there nothing Bones about her.

"Tergeo!" Lavender said calmly using a cleaning spell Hermione had taught her. She shook Susan. "Get a hold of yourself Sue; we have to fight back. Everyone needs you, especially your housemates!"

And then came Ron's cry for help over the audiowyrm: "To all DA, Help!" and then moments later: "Die Zabini!"

"RON!"

Fred had heard Ginny's cry about Percy over the audiowyrm, but there was nothing he could do about it right now. He was otherwise engaged.

A cold clammy hand reached out form the sudden fog and tried to yank him off the top of the engine cab were he stood with George, several house-elves and a couple of Aurors.

"Liberatio!"

The hand released, another grabbed for him and but he kicked it away. However a house-elf near him wasn't so lucky and let out a screech as she was dragged off the cab with a horrible clatter and rattle.

Out of the fog he heard a terrified shout, probably from a muggle or a half-blood. "ZOMBIES!"

George was also struggling with the mysterious gray hands.

"What are they, George?"

"Inferi!"

And then came a cry from Ron over the audiowyrm: "To all DA, Help!" and then a separate scream over the still open channel: "Die, Zabini."

"Seems like our little brothers in a tussle, Fred."

"And so are we."

"But Ron has the advantage...Watch that! Over there, on your left... good curse! The dead don't die!"

"Percy screamed. "Mum, Gin look out!"

But before Ginny could react Seamus Finnegan had leapt from nowhere and tackled her mother. One moment she was running towards Percy with her mum. The next her mothers life was spared by inches.

Now Seamus was on his knees yelling with fury at the blond middle aged witch who had just tried to kill her mother.

"WHAT THE HELL, MUM!"

With a gasp, Ginny realized that Seamus's mother was a death eater.

"You've chosen the wrong side, Seamus," said the witch with a sick smile.

"Mother, you can't be a Death Eater. Father is a muggle!"

"Your Father was a muggle…Seamus. I've already removed that huge mistake from my life."

"Mother, you…."

The witch was suddenly crying, huge tears leaking. "That's right, Seamus. I've executed your father. The world needs to be pure if it is to be safe and prosper and now I think I'll erase my other error."

"MUM, PLEASE!"

"I love you honey, but you're not pure. Avada Kedavra!"

And Seamus pitched backward to land crosswise on top of Ginny's mother; glassy eyed and dead.

"SEAMUS!"

Ginny swung her wand. But Seamus's mother, his murderer had already skipped away, concealed by a thick fog that had suddenly appeared from the south. Panicked people were streaming from that direction. In her shock she heard one frightened male shout: "ZOMBIES! Who has a gun? You have to shot them in the head!"

And another cry: "No you half-wiz dolt. These are wizard Zombies you can't shoot them!"

"So what do you do?"

"I don't know...running away might be a good idea."

Mum had pushed out from under Seamus off her and was now sobbing and rocking, hugging him.

"Poor Seamus! How could she do that Ginny? How could a mother kill her own son? How!"

"I don't know, mum."

She went over and took Seamus from her mother, hugged him herself. Felt tears come, to many already today. Seamus hadn't been her closest friend, but he was Dean's and when she had been dating Dean, Seamus had always been there.

She remembered his antics at Quidditch matches, taking a turn dancing with him at the Yule Ball, relaxing with Dean and him at the lake despite the fact that Dean kept on hinting that he should leave, a game of exploding snap, the time she had disastrously tried to set him up with Romilda, so Romilda would stop bothering Harry.

How in the name of Merlin was she going to tell Dean or Harry?

Harry might snap. He'd push her away more. He couldn't take another death….and Seamus, poor Seamus had died by the hand of his mother.

Percy came running up, along with Flitwick and two Aurors -- a wizard with a pony tail and a witch with an eye patch.

"Mother are you all right?"

"Percy!" Her mother hugged Percy hard.

Percy squirmed away and then reached down to pick up Seamus's wand.

"No time for that, mum! Genera, take mother and get back on the train, it's the safest place."

"But, Percy!"

"Do it! Williamson, take Aurora and get to the cab, get this train moving. Now!

Just then Ginny heard Ron cry through the audiowyrm: "To all DA, help! And then scream "Die, Zabini!"

It wasn't the women with the green colored robes who did it, but someone else. Arthur was never sure who, but in the midst of his conversation with the women, a gravely voice said simply with no preliminary:

"Avada Kedavra."

One of the Aurors crumpled.

Screams and shouts started up in the narrow last car along with pushing and shoving as some of the Slytherins realized there were Death Eaters amongst them.

Colin and Lee raised shield charms, but before Arthur could raise his, a random stunner struck Dennis Creevey and he slumped against Colin.

"Out…Out…Leave Clark he's dead!" said Arthur to Mr. Creevey as the muggle milkman tried to lug the Auror out the door with them.

They spilled out dragging Dennis with them and ran around to the station side. A dark mark hung over the first Slytheirn car and a heavy fog was rolling towards them from the south.

And then from the far side of that car and somewhat above Arthur heard his son Ron shout: "Die, Zabini!"

Choices of the Heart
by Ydnas Odell aka DA Jones

Chapter 29: Former Sons & Future Daughters

Quote: Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.

Attribution: Anne Frank

There was a cry of pain through the audiowyrm that Anthony Goldstein knew couldn't mean anything good. The professor had collapsed. Greta had fled. Only to apparently end up locked in combat with Angelina Johnson somewhere down the stairs and now it seemed that the Gryffindor had lost. And now Anthony was locked in another duel with his step-dad Stanley and his step-mum Pony was to upset to be of help.

But he had to get out of here, not just for himself; but for Pony, Pansy, and the others.

With a cry of: "Sopor!" Anthony fired another brown sleeping spell at his step-father, but the former beater side-stepped and retaliated with a nasty blasting hex that missed Anthony but shattered the silver instruments on the headmaster's desk, sending pieces pieces flying and scorching a smoking hole in the portrait of Dilys Derwant.

The former headmistress cursed a blue streak and waved a fist of rings in anger as Anthony instinctively squeezed under the desk for cover. There was not a lot of room. Most of the space was already occupied by his sobbing step-mom Pony and she wrapped her arms around him protectively but he squirmed away and took careful aim over the rim of the desk. "You killed Dad! Stupefy!"

Stanley contemptuously flicked the stunner aside and stalked him. "Actually Greta did. For a Ravenclaw your not to observant are you, son?"

"Don't call me son! You're not my father and Greta's not my mum!"

Stanley mocked him with a little-girl like voice: "So you're a sad little orphan like Potter now?"

Anthony's answered by silently ejecting a whole shelf of books at the back of Stanley's head, but the bastard turned at the last moment and the books bounced off in random directions. A medium-sized tome landed with a thump at Anthony's feet.

In gold leaf on a black cover with the silvery outline of a sexy witch holding a wineglass it said: 'Glamour & Gab Charms For The Lonely and Frustrated Bachelor.'

Why did Dumbledore have that book? Really the whole idea that his headmaster might have a sex life freaked him out, especially if what Ernie had said of him were true. Then again, why did Dumbledore have that book?

Just then a purple retaliatory curse streaked past his ear; which reminded Anthony that at the moment there were far more important things to think about; 'Dad's dead' -- than the headmasters sex life; staying alive for one.

Frustrated he threw the book at Stanley, who blocked it with his free hand.

"I think your taking the Ravenclaw maxim about books as weapons a little too literally, Tony" said Stanley sneeringly. "Your Ravenclaw cleverness is all Pony's fault. She and that tramp Ira."

"DON'T CALL IRA A TRAMP!" said Pony rising theatrically, tears streaming, hair and mascara erratic and her wand pointed at Stanley. "He was a drunk, not a tramp!"

"He was a useless muggle-loving fool who couldn't hold his mead and wouldn't stop whining over his long dead wife even when he was shagging you. You're a fool Pony and Toni's a disappointment. I tried to raise him as true pure-blood, but Ira had other ideas. Tony, if you had lived more with me and Greta you'd be more like your sister. At least she has the sense to know where muggles and mudbloods belong!"

"They belong wherever their talent takes them," said Pony defiantly "muggle-borns deserve the same rights as all wizards!"

"No! That filth just pollutes the flow with their dirty magic, like muggles pour chemicals in a river."

"Flow! All you Slytherins talk about 'the flow.' It doesn't exist. It's rubbish. It's a myth not even the Quibbler would publish!"

"It exists. Murdaigan Macnair says so in: 'The Silent Source: Heading-Off the Muggle-born Menace To The Magenvironment'.

"You believe Macnair's malarkey, Stanley? Murdaigan got his degree from the same people who sell Kwikspell. His theories have been discredited by every reputable doctor of Magenvironmancy.

"They've been paid off by the muggle-born."

Anthony's step-mother actually humphed. "Paid off! Most muggle-borns can't even afford their school books. There's never been a muggle-born member of the Wizegamot, never even a Quidditch player."

"And that's another thing; I won't have my taxes going to support welfare for single mud-blood mothers with six children. They should work for a living."

But they can't get the jobs pure-bloods get because of discrimination!"

"Be Silent Witch!"

"No...I didn't stay silent then and I won't now. Silence is the first demand of husbands, bigots and dictators, I won't be silent. EXPELLIARMUS!"

With her heart racing, breathe short and legs cramping Hermione pounded down dark and twisty corridors in full pursuit of Marietta, ducking the girl's increasingly erratic and exotic curses and the sword arms of the clumsy suits of armor that the Ravenclaw sent after her; she should have been terrified, but instead she was filled with a vague form of elation.

In other circumstances she felt that this could be fun. In other circumstances Fred and George may have even sold tickets. But there weren't gentle or fun circumstances. She was in full-out pursuit of the sneak. She should have tattooed Marietta's face with 'snitch' she thought, it what she was in addition to a murderer.

Marietta had the staff and a year of schooling on Hermione and had to know some things that Hermione didn't. But all Marietta seemed to be doing was trying to buy distance and time.

Several times already during their running duel, she had turned and stood at bay, engaging Hermione in a brief flashing fury before fleeing again; each time gaining distance, and using her superior conditioning to her advantage. But although running and retreating, she had given as well as she got.

If she was honest with herself Hermione knew that if the Ravenclaw had been better at aiming on the run, or had time to figure out how to use the staff properly she probably would have escaped by now. And Hermione would've had several dead friends and some nasty curse to show for it.

At full speed they rounded a corner into a large hallway lined on either side with marble busts of famous witches on Tuscan stands and Hermione screamed: "REDUCTO!" Aiming the curse at the part of the ceiling that was just ahead of the fleeing Marietta. The ceiling crumbled and a slab of granite fell; but Marietta pointed the staff and a beam of silver light shot out from it and halted the stone, but Marietta's arms shook and she went to her knees with a grunt.

In her desperation Hermione aimed a wild stunner at Marietta's back, but Marietta lay on her right shoulder and made a brief circling movement with her wand and the stunner bounced away and then she swept the staff forward with her left hand and released the stone, sending it sailing towards Hermione, who dove to her right in an awkward tuck and roll as the slab crashed with an echoing boom just behind her and sprang to her feet, wand ready, but gasping for air.

Marietta taunted her: "Running out of ideas or just breathe, Hermione?"

This was a problem. Hermione was no athlete and she knew it, she was rather proud of that tuck and roll she had just done, dexterity was completely unlike her. Compared to Marietta she was out of shape. Ravenclaws were always trim, prim and athletic; even Luna could have a sort of hippie regality to her and there was not a single one of them that anyone could call fat.

It was another of their infuriating maxims; something about flabby bodies leading to flabby thoughts. Which Hermione knew made sense given the effect blood sugar levels had on emotion.

"I think you just need to catch your wind, maybe a breeze will help. NULLAERIS!"

With a great whoosh, a windstorm gushed past Hermione, knocking her over, flaring out her bushy hair and threating to drag her feet first down the hall. All her remaining air burst from her lungs and she clawed at the ground for traction as her eyes began to bug-out.

Marietta had turned her wand into a singularity and was creating a vacuum in front of her, while preserving a pocket of air around herself. Even the portraits around Hermione were affected. One lady in waiting was flying like a flag on a flimsy bending pole, as her red bloomers flew in full display.

Hermione saved herself with a non-verbal bubble head charm and then retaliated with a non-verbal stunner that exploded the bust of a Medea next to Marietta and sent the stone shrapnel flying into the Ravenclaw's face.

Marietta's concentration broke and the wind died and then Hermione's wand slashed through the air and a coil of ropes sped towards Marietta, but Marietta silently conjured a flying phalanx of whirling blades and the ropes fell torn to a cloud of threads.

Hermione conjured a square wooden shield and the blades impacted with a series of thumps. She then with an exhausted groan threw the heavy shield at Marietta, tossing it like a large Frisbee; conjuring wings for it mid-flight.

But Marietta blasted it apart and Hermione had to duck behind a stand to avoid the shards and the grasping arms of a reaching suit. Then Marietta turned and ran again and Hermione followed bubble and hot headed.

Marietta was winning. But Marietta couldn't win. If she escaped, if Hermione didn't get that staff back from Marietta, Luna would die and Harry couldn't take even one more death. Plus, Justin had been hit with Sectumsempra and didn't look good. His only hope might be invoking the 'time hex' that had enveloped Pansy.

Down two more corridors, around a bend, through a door, and then Hermione fired and hit with a tripping hexes and Marietta went sprawling; the staff skiding away.

Hermione leapt for it, but Marietta summoned it; but as it flew towards Marietta Hermione conjured a vase in midair and the staff banged into it with a clang and flipped away as the vase fell to the floor and shattered.

They circled each other, Hermione bubble headed, each equidistant from the staff, wands pointed; carefully avoiding the sharp pieces of vase that formed a rough outline around their prize.

"Marietta, leave the staff and I'll let you go," Hermione shouted in a funny sort of way her voice much like a muggle who had inhaled a helium balloon.

"You won't do that. You're too righteous."

Marieta quickly slashed her wand in an loopy "E" pattern and hit Hermione with a gout of electric blue flame which came in just under her guard and blasted her back. Popping her bubble and leaving fizzling feedback ringing in her ears.

As Hermione lolled on the ground covering her ears Marietta fired a stunner, but Hermone came to her senses in the nick of time and blocked it asMarietta scopped the staff and ran again.

After climbing to her feet and conjuring special pink ear muffs to stop the ringing, Hermione just barely ducked under the swinging arm of a suit of armor as it tried to cleave her head with an ax. But she drove it back with a two impeding spells and then was past and in full pursuit of Marietta.

Around a corner, down a corridor of classrooms, up a stair, down stairs, past the Grey Lady; Marietta fled. But then she turned a bend and found herself facing a locked door. It wouldn't open with Alohorma.

So Marietta whirled around to face Hermione, who had squared-up to block the only exit; and raising her wand said:

"It's showdown time."

"Surrender, Marietta. Madam Pomfrey's death was an accident and so was Michael's, you're not in your right mind, surely the Wizengamot."

Marietta sneered: "That bag of old spineless bones."

"Since when do you consider anything of the ministry useless?"

"Since they let my mother die…"

"Marietta…I.."

"Don't feel sorry for me, Hermione….I don't feel sorry for Harry!"

"You had a terrible loss…but just leave the staff…"

"I can't do that."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand, Hermione."

"Try me."

"You like her."

"Excuse me?"

"You think she's the oddest person who's ever lived, that she's annoying, but you like her."

"Who?"

"Loony Lovegood, she has to die!"

"I won't let you do that. You'll have to kill me too!"

"Touching, but I won't take your life; not when you're needed and not when there is a far simpler way; one that takes advantageous of your virtue."

Marietta drew her wand across her point down as if etching the floor and said: "Funicoitus!"

A golden line started flashing and Marietta went to work on the door trying various spells.

Meanwhile Hermione turned to blast apart a suit of armor that had caught up with her and then with her pink earmuffs still on bent down to study the line. Running her wand just above it.

"What is it?" pondered Hermione. "An age line, I thought only Dumbledore…"

"No something different, its a coitus line. So I win," said Marietta smiling. "Since you can't cross and it's only a matter of time 'till I get this door open, I win."

"I guess I'm not as virtuous as you thought!" said Hermione boldly stepping over the line. The golden glow flickered and died as Marietta backed away open-mouthed,.

"But you're a virgin!"

"I'm not," said Hermione tersely.

"Ron?"

"No, but it should've been."

"Cho was right then, was it Harry?"

"No!"

"Who then, Krum?"

"No, of course not and it's none of your business. Surrender Marietta!"

But instead Marietta spun and blasted the door off its hinges with "Expulso!" and the chase was on again, through parts of the castle Hermione had never seen before, but continuing in the general direction of the greenhouses. Marietta was pulling away, Hermione was just too tired.

So firing ahead, she took a trick from Fred and George and turned a stretch of floor into sticky mud and foolhardy Marietta tried to plow right through in her low-heeled shoes.

Stumbling she landed with a splat, face first and then rolled, half-climbing to her feet as Hermione pounced.

Marietta threw her over her shoulder and the Gryffindor landed on her back with her own wet splat as her earmuffs flew away; but halfway through the toss; Hermione had sent ropes to bound Marietta's hands; so Marietta stomped on the Gryffindor's head as she quickly used wandless magic to burn throught the ropes.

Grabbing the Ravenclaws foot Hermione threw her off balance, and then was to her own feet just in time to block Marietta's own desperation ropework counter; and send a flying mud fist in reply. But Marietta blocked it and sent a a stunner that missed wide but sent statue shrapnel into Hermione's face.

Mariette used Hermione's distraction to get to her feet and wands held high they circled again as Hermione wipped blood and mud from her brow and asked: "Why are you trying to kill Luna, Marietta? Has Voldemort sent you on a mission, like he did Draco? One you must complete…or what Cho dies? You don't have a family, who can he threaten?"

"No one, You must know I'd never be a Death Eater, Hermione! They killed me mother, they'd have to kill me first before I'd join them. I'm on your side Hermione, but…you just don't understand!

"You're right I don't. I doubt Harry wants a murderer on his side!"

"I'm not a murderer! If I kill it's because I have to; in order to do the right thing. I'm trying to save the world Hermione!"

"Funny way to do it, killing. You're insane, Marietta!"

"That's what Cho thinks, but she's wrong. I admit its a cold a cost-benefit analysis. But what's one or two people; even if their innocent when the worlds at stake. When you look at it dispassionately it's a small price to pay to prevent what is to come".

Hermione thought about Dumbledore and Cedric and Sirius and now Pomfrey."One life is always to many Marietta and you've already killed two, maybe three of four. I won't let you harm Luna. This madness ends ends; whatever your motives Harry has enough else to deal with. You're not getting away with that staff. "

She sent a stunner. Marietta blocked it with ease . They circled still. In the distance Hermione could hear the closing clanks of suits of armor. She was lucky this corridor was free of them.

"Llisten to me Hermione," said Marietta. "Luna has to die! She's the flower of the end; Justin too if the world is going to live. The others two were accidents which I'm sorry for, but Luna has to die. Voldemort is an evil toddler compared to what she'll bring."

"You're mad! Luna isn't going to be a dark lady!"

"It's not Luna I'm worried about, it's her daughter."

"Luna's daughter? You really are out of your mind."

Marietta barked with laughter. "Have you ever met a Ravenclaw who isn't? We're all loony to some degree, I guess in that way I'm kindred with Luna; it's our nature, but Lady Ravenclaw made a prophecy and it's so specific it can't be about anyone else."

"What is it?"

Marietta adopted a solemn tone. "The love of the fanciful flower of the moon and the soaring child of the flightless birds shall begat in the two-thousandth cycle of the light of life since the son of the source of love and life; the mistress who'll bind all to the source and all shall become all and nevermore. "

That's Rowena Ravenclaw's prophecy. Help me! Let me go and it won't come true. Sometimes horrible things need to be done for the greater good. Luna if she understood, and if she wasn't infected by prophecy might even willingly sacrifice herself. It's the right thing."

"Its not. She wouldn't and murder is never the answer and that prophecy it could mean anyone!"

"Is Harry's prophecy any clearer? You're still acting on it. Sometimes you just can't risk being wrong."

"It's not …I mean."

Marietta went all wide-eyed. "You mean there is a prophecy about Harry!"

"What, no….none of that chosen one business, there's no prophecy about Harry, just like there's no prophecy about Luna. It's all insanity! But Harry did make a prophecy once."

"He did?"

"He said you'd betray us. I should have listened," Hermione lied icily as Marietta's suits of armor began to splash through the mud behind.

Marietta ignored her comment. "Ravenclaw's prophecy is a prophecy about the end of the world. Does Harry's prophecy match that? Luna and Justin are the trigger points of the end time. I still want to help Harry defeat You-know-who, that is important, but not as important as this. Will you help me."

"Give me the staff Marietta, and I'll get you the help you need, I don't have time to stand here debating with a madwitch. Every second I waste brings Luna closer to death."

"And saves the world. Given that I'm in favor of debate, it's so much more interesting then dueling. So what should we debate about? Marx and Merlin? Gamp's Laws?"

Hermione pointed her wand. "Marietta, the only philosophy Gryffindors care about is the philosophy of action."

"Which means?"

"It means that we don't believe in the verbal kind of argument, when a physical one will do as well…BATTO-BATSU-OMO!"

Suddenly bats erupted from Marietta's nose and attacked her eyes and she screamed: "Bats! I hate Bats!" and turning stumbled away down the hall, arms up to protect her face and for the moment half-blinded.

Hermione grinned, and after a brief moment to try to catch her breath and another to blast aside about the thirtieth lumbering suit of armor, took off yet again in pursuit. Ginny would be so proud.

After a furious but short battling blur of flashes, curses, hexes, jinxes and counter-curses Anthony and Pony had lost.

Pony had been sent flying to land with a sickening thud and Stanley had taken Anthony's wand and was lording over him ready to deliver the coup-de-grace, smirking and strutting, pontificating on everything his step-son had ever done wrong; when McGonagall rose from the dead and missed from a foot with a stunner.

Even though she missed, the act so 'stunned' Stanley that he literally starred at her fish-mouthed for a second and then dropped Anthony's wand, turned on his heel and fled.

Anthony was not sure what he was more startled by, the fact he was alive, McGonagall was alive or the fact that she had missed. Not even Neville Longbottom would have missed from a foot.

"Are you all right Professor?" he said while helping her up and retrieving
his wand.

"I'm fine, it'll take more then two second-rate Death Eaters to do me in Mr. Goldstein," said McGonagall raising herself painfully.

"Although I do admit they took me by surprise. Reparo! There that's better. Greta shattered my glasses; I couldn't see two inches in front of my face. They might as well have used a blinding hex. Here help me tend to your mother; do you know what's happened to Ms. Johnson?"

"She was fighting with Greta. I think she's been hurt. "

Chapter 30 of Choices of the Heart by Ydnas Odell
Angelina & Anthony

Quote: Sadness flies on the wings of the morning and out of the heart of darkness comes the light.

Attribution: Jean Giraudoux

Angelina awoke to someone kicking-in her face. The force of the blow knocked out several of her teeth and she spit them out, a new trickle of blood trailing down her chin.

"Get up Auror scum!"

She looked up at what she considered a ludicrous site. Stan the man, the beater, he of the pink and silver flashing robes; 'Stan the Man' it said; then again 'Stan the Man'; was beating the crap out of her; well he probably thought he was good at that; but she took solace that she was leaving some blood on his nice new silk robes. He wouldn't like that. He was smarter than his wife; at least he had taken her wand.

"How is it, that you-know-who lets you wear that robe, Stanley? I wouldn't think pink was an approved Death Eater color!"

"Shut up! Incarcerous!" Rope sped from his wand and bound her arms; and he then turned to Rennervate his wife.

"Where have they taken my daughter?"

"Pansy?"

"No, Hermione Granger…of course Pansy!"

"Where do you think they took her?"

He slugged her as hard as he could. Angelina blacked out again.

In the medical ward Tonks cried: "Cho, I need your help!"

But the Chinese girl ignored her, and just continued to compress her boyfriends bleeding chest and breathe for him, while getting more and more distraught by the moment. Pomfrey's fading ghost was flitting about frantically.

Tonks was no healer, she knew a modicum of battlefield medicine and that was it. But she knew when someone was dead. What Cho was doing to was hopeless and was doing nothing but prolonging the poor boys pain, but if something like that had happened to Remus...

She took a breathe, ignored the now unconcious Luna for the moment, Luna was up to Hermione, but Michael and Justin would both die…if…

She pushed past Cho and rennevated Bill.

"Tonks…? What…happened," he asked groggily.

"No time to explain, help Cho!"

He was up to his feet quickly, but not very steadily. His reserves were dangerously low.

"Merlin what's happened to Michael?"

Tonks sent Wickers to find McGonagall so the anti-floo wards could be lifted and dragged Dobby away from Cho to help with Justin's wounds. The 'ghost' tried to give instructions but was barely a whisp now. All Tonks could do for the Hufflepuff was what little she could remember from her short muggle first-aid class; and basically imitate Cho.

Anthony Goldstein turned and stared blankly at Dumbledore's slumbering portrait and pointedly away from his dead father, trying to find his center, to slow his pounding heart, to calm himself down.

He needed to think. The last two or three minutes had been a buffeting blur of physical and emotional blows and he just needed thirty seconds to try to grasp the facts. His father was dead. His step-mother Greta had killed him. His step-father Stanley had just tried to kill his other step-mum Pony and him.

Pony lay in a heap in the corner, half-conscious and moaning with a streak of thick blood matting down her jet black hair; while the headmistress examined her.

Professor McGonagall had just saved both their lives. The Parkinson's were Death Eaters, but his step-sister Pansy was alive; Angelina had stopped responding to his calls over the Audiowyrm and if alive was probably badly injured and he had just become aware that the ceiling was screaming:

"Kodikas Galonos! Kodikas Galanos! All professors and staff and trained house-elves able to assist please report to the Hospital wing immediately. Kodikas Galonos! Kodikas Galonos! Kodikas Galonos! All able to assist please report to the hospital wing immediately. Kodikas Galonos..."

He had a headache. Had he cracked his head against the underside of the desk sometime during the battle; or was it just the screaming?

"Anthony help me with your mother," snapped McGonagall. His mother had been revived but still looked half passed out, her head lolling.

"We need to get her to the hospital wing, so Madam Pomfrey…"

The headmistress was fusing with Pony, his step-mum had a concussion or worse. "Ms. Goldstein, don't sit up too quickly, you have a nasty head wound and…"

"Professor, is she going to be ok?"

"Mr. Goldstein, she needs to go to St. Mungo's; help me to get her up and then we can at least get her to the hospital wing." I'll adjust the anti-floo charm so we can get their quickly. Madam Pomfrey needs me!"

He stepped over his father's body, took one of Pony's arms and placed it on his shoulder, just as a panicky house-elf apparated into their mist and pulled at the Headmistresses' sleeve:

"Wickers!"

"Misses….Mcgonagall …Misses…McGonagall ….Medical emergency….Misses Tonks says she needs you to risk raising the floo, misses…several students…several students are near death, Misses."

"No! Death Eaters?"

"One of the students misses, a Ravenclaw; Marietta Edgecombe.she's lost her mind Wickers thinks. He does."

"Wicker's tell Madam Pomfrey that I'll be there shortly and tell her there's Death Eaters in the castle --"

"Misses. Oh…no misses…Wickers, regrets to inform you….that Madam Pomfrey is dead."

McGonagall's gasped in shock. "Dead? H-How?"

"Marietta killed Madam Pomfrey!" exclaimed Anthony.

"And she's stabbed another student…owe its terrible. Wickers never seen so much blood, misses…and the other student…not breating Misses Tonks says…come quickly Misses, please…or I fear…misses come….Misses Tonks needs you, misses."

He was pulling on McGonagall's sleeve with urgency while the headmistress stood there open-mouthed tears glistering in her eyes.

"Is Angelina with her," asked Anthony?"

"Tonks is by herself, sir….injured students, she needs you misses, she can't save them all herself. Misses. Come you must come."

Meanwhile the ceiling continued to scream:

"Go! Wickers!" cried McGonagall " and tell them I'm coming!" and with a pop the house-elf apparated away. Then turing quickly the head of Gryffindor said: "Mr. Goldstein take your mother!" and pushed the lolling Pony into his arms. ...I'll follow immediately."

Then she grabbed the floo powder from the top of Dumbledore's hearth and tossed it into the fireplace; but it lay still like black and gray chunky talcum powder until McGonagall finished with whipping her wand through figure-eights and figure-sixes and other strange weaving and muttering incantations in language Anthony wasn't very familiar with but which he assumed was high-Aramaic and then the fireplace flared-up with a ferocious green whoosh!

"Into the floo Mr. Goldstein, hurry!"

Anthony obeyed but as he started to duck and crawl into the floo he asked:

"But what about Angelina, she's not answering me…shouldn't we?"

McGonagall snapped at him. "Ms. Johnson is an auror, she can take care of herself! Now go!"

She shoved him in, and tossed more the powder after him; more cold green fire surrounded him and he briefly felt the familiar spinning sensation and then he was dumped unceremoniously onto an antiseptic blue tile floor. Rising to his feet and raising Pony, he saw a oak claw-footed desk and bookshelves that rose to the ceiling filled with healer's book, scrolls, journals; glass vials of various potion and healers instruments plus family photos and a general gallimaufry of bibelots and knickknacks.

Pomfrey's office.

He could hear sobbing and frantic voices coming from a door at the far end. He dragged his mother towards it.

Anthony pushed it open to see a tall red-headed man, his face ridged with horrid inflamed scars, prodding with his fingers at Michael's chest and shaking his head. Cho was standing behind him, glassy-eyed, panicked, weeping. Her hands wet with Michael's blood. His friend was lying there too pale, like Anthony's father; covered in blood; blue-lipped. Not breathing. Mike!

Cho tried to push forward, but the man grabbed her by her shoulders and stopped her. "I'm sorry. He's gone," he said gently. "That knife was cursed. It's been turning his heart and lungs into a kind of stone. There's nothing you can do…maybe if I hadn't been stunned." He shook his head. "It's too late."

Cho raced forward and tried to climb on Michael: "No, MICHAEL!"

The man pried her off saying: "I'm sorry!"

As Anthony watched she collapsed against the man beating at his chest sobbing: "Cedric was enough, not Michael too…please God not ..Michael too….not Michael too…Marietta..I….I…I. can't live."

Still holding Cho the man reached inot his robes with one arm, patted himself down. He was looking forsomething Anthony thought. Maybe his wand?

It was then as the man looked around that he and the others first took in Anthony.

"Anthony?" mouthed Cho weakly.

Tonks was behind her, doing something frantic to Justin. Luna was passed out?

The man moved towards him and took his slumped mother. She was bleeding heavily from the scalp again.

Anthony hugged Cho and looking her hard in the eyes whsipered. "We have to be stong, ok...just like Rowena...I know about Marietta...don't mourn now, there's no time...we'll do it later, together" and to the others said: "McGonagall's coming. There are Death Eater's in the castle!"

Harry ran, his feet pounding up the stairs as dashed towards the Room of Requirments. He had left Snape's book there. If he had only remembered it before.

He knew that the counter-spell to Sectumsempra must be in there somewhere and it might be the only way to help Justin. He just hoped that he had enough time.

As he passed the large Gargoyles that guarded the entrance to what he still thought of as Dumbledore's office; he caught a glow out of the corner of his eye as a force slammed him in the back.

He landed against the far wall in a clump and his wand skittered away to plummet over the edge of the stairs towards the entrance hall far below.

"Potter? Oh… the Dark Lord will be most pleased."