A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chappy up but I've had midterms and crap. But here I am with a long-arse chapter! This is like a million pages long. Okay, so maybe only 11, but whatever. This is getting pretty interesting, and I'm not sure what's going to happen next. I'll take a poll at the end of the chapter I guess…
ATTENTION EVERYONE! I'M LOOKING FOR A BETA READER! I need to revise my previous chapters and I don't like proofreading before I post, so if you're interested than review or email me.
Enjoy! Thank you to my reviewers! Keep those reviews coming!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Thirty-Nine
------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello, Lora. Do you have any idea why I asked to see you here today?"
"Would it have anything to do with our resident targets for evil?"
"Why, yes, it would."
"I thought so. Listen, sir, I've tried the meeting thing, believe me. It just never works because all of the weird stuff happens in that class and add my duties on to that…it's a lot of work and time."
"But this is also one of your duties, Lora. Perhaps you could corner them after class on a normal day before they dash out the door."
"I don't think that would be a possibility, sir. For one, there is no normal day in my class and for two, I don't think I would be able to grab a hold of them before they escape. I believe the only way I would get them to stick around is to make an announcement in front of the whole class that I need to speak with them."
"Take whatever measures are necessary, Lora. Your instruction was to help protect them. That, after all, is your job."
"Yes, I know, and I apologize for not taking you more seriously sooner. I know being busy is no excuse; I have lives to help protect. Do they have any idea what they are going to be up against?"
"I haven't a clue if they know. We're not even sure what they are going to be up against. I do not think it would be wise to tell them anything about it until we are sure ourselves. Even then I am not sure if we should tell them anything. Is your class being educated in the meanwhile so they will be able to help if need be?"
"Of course they are, sir. I do not know if they understand a word that comes out of my mouth because the ideas are so farfetched to them, but I'm teaching them all the same."
"Then it might be a good idea to test them on the information. It might be crucial that they need to know about all of this before the end, though let's hope they will never use a speck of what they learned about this in their entire lifetimes. However, testing might still be a good idea."
"Better safe than sorry. Was that all you needed to talk to me about, sir?"
"I believe so. Unless there was anything you wanted to talk about, Lora?"
"No, sir, there wasn't anything. I'll arrange a meeting with them tomorrow, then. Considering that they all return tonight…"
"It looks that way. But if they don't return then we'll have to work around it. Good day, Lora."
"Good day."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pepper, Harry, Ron and Hermione were trying to decide where to go. Almost no place was open this early, so they were driving the streets of San Francisco, Ron marveling at the fact of how little mermaids wear. He claimed that he wished the mermaid in the portrait in the prefect's bathroom wore as little as Phoebe did. Hermione and Pepper had to take turns hitting him. They ended up driving around, parking, getting out to walk a few miles, getting back in the car and repeating the process a few times until lunchtime.
For lunch they went to a small, moderately crowded café that they didn't need reservations for. Hermione and Pepper sat on the inside of the booths, Harry and Ron sat next to them.
"So, fill me in on all the goings on at Hogwarts," Pepper requested, opening her menu.
"Did I tell you my discoveries on the new girl?" Hermione asked.
"No," Pepper said, looking interested.
"Well, these guys aren't acting as strange around her anymore because they've learned to avert their eyes and think other thoughts…Anyway, I found out that she's part Siren."
"Part Siren?" Pepper repeated, slightly stunned at this news. "Why would Dumbledore let a Siren into the school? Can't you go mad if you obsess over her because of her charms or something…?"
"Yes, my discovery exactly," Hermione said. "I have no idea why Dumbledore would allow a Siren in school. But you have to learn to ignore her and her pull so nothing happens to you."
"Maybe she's on our side and Dumbledore's using her to get to a Death Eater so we can learn stuff about Voldemort's plans," Pepper suggested.
"Perhaps, though I'm not so sure," said Hermione. "I've been paired with her in a few classes and she doesn't seem too friendly."
"What I still want to know is why you're not affected by her at all, Hermione," Ron said.
Hermione's cheeks tinged pink. "It's because I'm so comfortable with who I am," she half-mumbled. "I'm not as insecure as other girls so I don't want to be like Eowyn. No offense, Pepper," she added quickly, looking Pepper in the face.
"That's all right, Hermione, it's not your fault I'm insecure," Pepper said, though she was a little surprised. She didn't think that she was that insecure… "And you shouldn't be embarrassed about being happy with yourself."
"You're probably the only girl in Hogwarts who isn't affected by Eowyn Cuomo," Harry told Hermione. Hermione's cheeks turned pinker at this comment.
Their waiter arrived and they ordered their food, after which Hermione and Harry announced that they needed to go to the lavatory. Actually, Hermione announced it then after some silent prompting from her Harry followed.
Pepper slid in the booth so that she was sitting right across from Ron. "So what are you going to do for Hermione today?" she asked.
"Who said I was going to do anything?" said Ron.
Pepper raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him. "Oh come on Ron, I'm not that stupid. I know you're going to do something because you're not that stupid either."
"Well I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend, but I'm not so sure that I'm going to anymore."
"Why not? I'm sure she'd love that, Ron! Are you doing anything else?"
"I was going to tell her I love her, as well…"
"But you're not so sure? Ron! You can't doubt this! She should know that you love her. I think it's a great idea," Pepper said, elated at this news.
Ron narrowed his eyes at her in suspicion. "Do you know something I don't know?" he asked.
Pepper shook her head, though she could tell Ron wasn't convinced.
Hermione and Harry came back from the bathroom, and a moment later their food arrived. Throughout the meal they made some small talk, Pepper shooting Ron significant looks and Hermione doing the same to Harry.
When lunch was over Pepper decided to take everyone dancing at an old, under-21 disco dance club she knew of. Ron wasn't too keen on the idea but Pepper ignored his protests.
It was only three-thirty in the afternoon but the dance club was already full of people. Pepper immediately grabbed Hermione's wrist to drag her to the dance floor. Hermione grabbed Ron and Ron grabbed Harry so the four friends headed, in a line, out to dance. Pepper started moving at once, not having really danced in public since the Masquerade Ball. Ron just stood there, bobbing his head uncomfortably, until Hermione grabbed his arm and made him dance with her.
Harry made his way over to Pepper, who already had her eyes closed as she danced and who was singing the words of the song. He watched her for a few moments before touching her on the hip to get her attention. She jumped a little and opened her eyes, lowering her arms too.
"I just wanted to tell you that we can start making the potion once we get back to school since we have all the ingredients," Harry yelled at her over the music. She stopped dancing altogether and her eyes got wide. "Do you still want to do it?" he asked her, his hand still on her hip.
She looked down at his hand nervously and he removed it. She looked back up at his face. "Yea, I still want to do it," she told him.
The two of them stood in silence for a minute, not dancing, just looking at each other. The sexual tension was so thick you could slice it in to cubes. Finally Harry excused himself to go get a drink and Pepper slowly started to dance again, trying to forget the feelings that were filling her just moments ago.
Pepper danced her way over to Hermione, who was alone now that Ron had gone off to get a drink with Harry. "Hey!" Pepper called, shimmying up beside Hermione.
"Hi! Has Harry said anything to you?" Hermione asked.
Pepper's movements slowed for a moment. Had Harry talked to Hermione about the Curse? She decided that he hadn't and that Hermione was talking about something totally different. "No," she told Hermione, a puzzled expression on her face.
Hermione pretended that nothing had been said between the two of them as she grabbed Pepper's hand and the two began to dance to the disco music together.
Hours later they returned to the Manor, exhausted and laughing. Pepper stumbled into the door first, panting from laughing so hard. "Hello?" she called into the large house as her friends filed into the foyer behind her. She got no answer so they all went into the sitting room, flopping into chairs. "So, what are we going to do for dinner tonight?" Pepper asked. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm really hungry after all of that dancing."
"Could we go to your aunt's club?" Hermione suggested. "I'd like to go back again."
Pepper shrugged her agreement and Harry and Ron concurred as well. "I want to go change first, though," Pepper said. "After all, we're going out to a lovely Valentine's Day dinner…Come with me, Hermione, I can lend you something."
The two girls headed up the Manor steps to Pepper's room, where Pepper opened her wardrobe at once. She pulled out her favorite dress for herself. It was red with a low neckline and an A-line hem at the bottom. For Hermione she took out her Valentine's Day dress of two years ago, since Hermione was a little smaller than Pepper was. It was long and white with pink and red hearts scattered over the fabric. It was a little more revealing than clothes Hermione usually wore, and she protested a little, but Pepper insisted she wear it. It was obvious that Hermione did not live in a house with three aunts who dressed slightly like tramps.
"Why do girls take so long?" Ron sighed, slumping down in his chair.
"I'm sure it will be worth it, Ron," Harry assured his friend. "Once Hermione comes down those stairs she'll be more beautiful than ever, I'm sure. Then you'll be even more motivated to go through with your plan."
"Pepper says I should tell her, too," Ron said. "She told me it was a great idea and that Hermione would love it if I did that. I think she knows something that I don't."
"She could," Harry shrugged. "She is Hermione's best friend, after all. They probably have long discussions about you when they talk girl stuff."
Ron looked at Harry, intrigued. "You think so?" he said.
"Yeah, I'm sure Hermione talks about all sorts of stuff you do that makes her knees melt…" Harry pretended to swoon and Ron laughed.
"And what about you, Harry? Are you going to do what you wanted to do tonight? Because, like you said, once Pepper comes down those stairs she'll be even more beautiful than usual."
"If that's possible," Harry muttered.
Ron smiled knowingly. "I think you like her more than you're letting on, Harry."
Harry shrugged again. "Don't you agree that she's beautiful?"
"Don't tell Hermione," Ron said seriously, though Harry could tell he was smiling. Harry smiled as well, amused at Ron.
"Do you really love her?" Harry asked.
"Who, Pepper?" Ron joked.
"No, Hermione, you git," Harry said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"Yea, I think I do," Ron said. "I think about her all the time…I don't think I could tell you a time when I'm not thinking about her."
"Sounds like love to me…" Harry said. "Not that I'd know from experience or anything."
"Hey, Harry, when am I going to do this? Knowing Pepper, she'll want us all to sit together at a table and everything, where Hermione and I have no privacy."
"I could drag Pepper off to the bathroom or to dance," Harry suggested. "We'll figure it out, Ron, don't worry."
"You mean like Hermione dragged you off today?" Ron asked. "What was that all about, anyway?"
"She wanted to know if I was going to do anything for Pepper today," Harry said.
"Funny, that's what Pepper asked me when you two left," said Ron. "I wonder if they did that on purpose."
"If they did then that would mean that they both fancy us and they want us to do something for them. Which is a good thing."
"True. What is taking them so long?" Ron cried, tired of waiting for the girls to come downstairs.
"Well WE, unlike you, wanted to actually look nice," came Pepper's accusing tone from the stairs.
Ron and Harry both craned their necks to see Hermione and Pepper descending the stairs in dresses. They both widened their eyes a bit as they stood up and made their way over to the girls, who were heading for the front door. Pepper grabbed her keys off of the rack by the door and they started towards the door and out to Pepper's car to go to P3.
Apparently, a lot of couples liked the club. It was full of two-person tables, candles, and pink. A band was playing on stage, though it was a rather toned down band compared to the ones Pepper was used to hearing here. No one was dancing because the music wasn't exactly for dancing. It was more for falling asleep to, in Pepper's opinion.
The four friends headed over to the bar where Pepper saw her all of her aunts and uncles sitting, plus Paige's date. Pepper sat on a stool next to her Uncle Leo and Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down as well.
"Hey," Pepper greeted.
All of her family plus her Aunt Paige's date turned to look at her down the counter. They all started saying hello to Pepper and her friends simultaneously. When they were through Pepper asked for a table for four.
"Sorry, Pep, but in case you haven't noticed, there are only tables for two," Piper pointed out to her.
"And we can't move them together?" Pepper asked hopefully, already suspecting the answer.
"No, sorry. In case you haven't noticed, the tables are round. Plus, it would ruin the purpose of tables that seat two people," Piper said.
Wrinkling her nose, Pepper headed out into the pink, dimly-lit room to search for two tables close to each other. None of the teenagers could find two tables next to each other because the room was so packed with couples. There was one table in the corner of the club and another one closer to the bar. The four of them stood there, not sure what to do.
"Well," Pepper said, "it looks like we can't sit together." She was about to suggest she sit with Hermione as a joke but Ron said, "Hermione and I will sit together," so quickly she couldn't get any words out.
"All right, but Harry and I are taking the table in the corner; it's the farthest from my family," Pepper said. The pairs went their separate ways, Ron and Harry jumping for joy (inwardly) at these arrangements. Harry made a mental note to thank Ron later.
The table was small and round, decorated with a red tablecloth, a small vase with a single white carnation and a lit pink candle as a centerpiece.
Pepper was surprised when Harry pulled out her chair for her to sit down. Thanking him, she took a seat. "So, how have you liked today?" Pepper asked as they looked at their menus, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She and Harry were alone – well, as alone as you could be in a club full of people.
"It's been fun," Harry replied. "I'm glad Dumbledore let us leave Hogwarts for the day. Since your aunt is human again are you coming back to Hogwarts with us tonight?"
"I'm not sure, I'll have to talk to my aunts. They may want me to stay until at least tomorrow to make sure everything works out all right."
"I think you should come back tonight, because you've missed so much school already. The rumors flying around are crazy, too."
There was a pause where they both studied their menus. Then Harry said, tentatively, "Pepper, is their anything going on between you and Malfoy? If you don't mind my asking, that is."
She looked up at him from her menu. "There's nothing going on between us, Harry. There was just my pregnancy scare. Now we have sort of an I-owe-him-big-time-because-he-saved-my-ass relationship."
"But you don't…erm…fancy him, do you?"
Pepper looked at Harry in bemusement. "No, Harry, I don't fancy him," she said, though she wasn't so sure if she meant it.
"Oh…ok…good," Harry said, looking back down at his menu.
Pepper was a little confused. Then something hit her about what Hermione had said earlier today: Has Harry said anything to you?
Pepper took a deep breath. Did that mean Harry was going to try and reconcile their relationship? Is that what Pepper wanted? Did he really like her that much?
She decided to study her menu and what was going on at the table of Ron and Hermione. She hoped that Ron was admitting his love for Hermione and asking her to be his girlfriend like he had planned to do.
"Are we going to start making the potion for the Curse as soon as we get back to school?" Harry wondered.
Pepper chose not to look up at him. "If we have a place to do it," she said.
"We definitely have that," said Harry.
Another silence followed, in which their waitress came to take their order. As soon as she left Harry said, "You know you're really beautiful tonight."
"Thanks," Pepper said, feeling her cheeks turning pink. But she couldn't stop thinking about what Hermione had revealed earlier: It's because I'm so comfortable with who I am. I'm not as insecure as other girls so I don't want to be like Eowyn. No offense, Pepper. Why was she, Pepper, so insecure? A list of reasons began to form in Pepper's head, but she pushed the list aside, trying to forget about her insecurity.
"Do you know if Ron's going to tell Hermione what he said he might tell her?" she asked Harry.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hermione, there's something I have to tell you," Ron said hesitantly, looking up from his lap at the expectant face of Hermione.
"Yes, Ron, what is it?" Hermione asked. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as she waited for what Ron had to say. He seemed very nervous and Hermione wondered if anything was wrong.
"You look gorgeous," he said quickly, suddenly scared of what he really wanted to tell her.
"Thank you," Hermione replied, blushing a little as Pepper was doing at the table across the room.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a while, in which their waitress came by and took their orders. Finally, Ron said, "No, Hermione, that's not what I needed to say."
Hermione looked up at him again. "No?"
"No, it wasn't. What I really want to say is…I love you Hermione!"
Hermione's jaw dropped to the floor in shock. She sat like that for a moment before the initial shock wore off and she realized how unattractive she must look. "What?" she hissed.
"I love you," Ron said, lowering his head in shame.
"I love you too," said Hermione, beaming.
Ron raised his head, his eyes as wide as saucers. "Really?" he asked stupidly.
"Yes, you great git!" Hermione giggled.
They both stared at each other, huge smiles on their faces, before Ron decided to pop his next question. "Then, er, do you want to be my girlfriend?" he asked.
Hermione nodded furiously.
------------------------------------------------
"Do you think he's done it?" Pepper asked Harry, craning her neck to try and see around the bar. "I'm going to go see, I'll be right back." She got up from the table, much to Harry's disappointment, and went over to casually sit over at the bar with her aunts.
"Hello," she said, going through the hole in the counter so she was behind the bar. "Why are you guys all here and not out on your romantic dates?"
"It's romantic here," Piper said, sounding slightly offended. "The whole staff was decorating all afternoon."
"Well I don't think I appreciate the fact that you took away all the four-person tables, I'm getting just a mite uncomfortable with Harry over there," said Pepper, trying to find Hermione and Ron's table through the dark club.
"Are you really?" Piper asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
"Yes I am," Pepper replied.
"Why? What's he doing?" Paige asked, leaning on the counter. "Oh, Pepper, this is my date Keith, by the way."
Pepper flashed a smile in Keith's direction and he flashed one back at her in greeting. "Anyway, I don't want to go over there again. I've been trying to talk about Ron and Hermione the whole time because I think they're going to admit that they love each other. Hermione said something to me earlier about Harry saying something to me…it's all just confusing and I think it'll end up with Harry asking me to be his girlfriend—again. I don't know if that's what I really want…"
"I thought you still liked him, Pepper," Leo said, stacking up glassware.
Pepper shrugged and finally spotted the table Ron and Hermione were sitting at. "I think I do but our last shot at a relationship ended in shambles over some misunderstandings. I don't know if we trust one another enough on that level. Well, as nice as it's been talking to you all, I'm going to find the lovebirds."
Pepper left the bar but once she got closer to Ron and Hermione, Hermione caught Pepper's eye and gave her a look that told her to scram. So, Pepper went back to her table, where Harry was sitting all alone.
"Sorry about that," she said as she sat down. "I think they're officially a couple now."
"Finally," Harry muttered.
Pepper was tired of this obvious awkward state between the two of them so she blurted out, "Harry, will you just say what you need to say? We're always so comfortable with each other but this night has just been awkward!"
Harry looked at her in surprise. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to be my girlfriend," Harry said plainly.
"Oh," Pepper said, only a little surprised at this offer. "Well…" She knew that she still liked Harry, she just wasn't sure if she was ready for another relationship with him. "You see Harry, I like you…a lot…but after what happened to break us up I'm not sure if we're really ready to be boyfriend and girlfriend."
Harry chose not to say anything to this. "You mean because we don't trust that we won't cheat on one another?" he asked after a while.
Pepper nodded. "Exactly. I mean, it was just stupid, what ruined our relationship, and I don't really want that to happen again."
"So you think we should work more on our trust issues?"
"Yeah, I suppose that's what I think we should do that. Perhaps we need to get to know each other better or something, I'm not really sure. All I know is there's something we need to work out before we jump in to a relationship like that. I really value your friendship, Harry, and I don't want that to be ruined."
"But you do like me?"
"Yes," Pepper said, smiling, "I do like you Harry."
"Well good, at least that's settled," he said.
"Halliwell!"
Pepper heard the shout (as did most of P3) and turned her head to look at the owner of the suspiciously familiar voice.
Draco Malfoy was hurrying towards her, weaving his way through tables and waitresses. Pepper and Harry stared at him in disbelief. Pepper wondered if she was seeing things. He reached their table, a little out of breath, but there was still a composed demeanor about him.
"Malfoy?" Pepper asked, getting out of her chair.
He scanned her body with his eyes and smirked before speaking. "Listen – the Dark Lord's coming. He's got a tracking device on you and he knows that you're here, away from Hogwarts, where Dumbledore isn't. I don't think he knows Potter's here, but he knows you're vulnerable."
Pepper stared at him in shock and utter disbelief, her mouth as big as it could be. "Why's Voldemort coming after me now? To kill me? Doesn't he still think that I'm carrying his heir?"
"Look, there isn't much time to explain, you've got to get all of these people out of here."
Pepper, bewildered, rushed over to the bar; pulling her Aunt Piper out of it so she could talk to her away from her Aunt Paige's date. "What is it?" Piper asked, irritated.
"Get everyone out of here, right now. Voldemort's coming here so they could die."
Piper's eyes had question in them but Pepper said, "Just do it!"
Pepper didn't pay attention to the excuse Piper made up to get everyone out of the club; her head was spinning too fast. Could Malfoy really be here, telling her what he just did? Was Voldemort really coming to P3? Did he really have a tracking device on her? Why was he attacking her here? now?
Malfoy and Harry came over to Pepper, as well as Hermione and Ron. "Pepper, what's going on? Why's everyone leaving? What's he doing here?" Ron asked, wrinkling his nose at the sight of Malfoy.
"Relax Ron," Pepper said absentmindedly, watching the grumbling couples file out of the club. She couldn't believe Voldemort was going to come here…
Harry touched her arm to get her to come back to her senses. "Pepper, we've got to do something."
Pepper's aunts and uncles wanted to know what was going on, too. They all crowded around. "Pepper, why did you want everyone to leave?" Paige asked. "And who's this?" She indicated Malfoy.
"This is Malfoy," Pepper said.
"Isn't he supposed to be evil?" Paige asked.
"Well, yes, but—oh there's no time, I'll explain later. Malfoy, I'd introduce all my family, but I don't think there's time. Anyway, so Malfoy claims –"
"I don't claim anything, Halliwell. I just came from a Death Eater meeting, I know what's going on!" Malfoy shouted, angry.
Pepper grimaced at him a bit before continuing, "Okay, so Malfoy knows that Voldemort has some sort of tracking device on me and he knows I'm vulnerable because I'm not at Hogwarts so he's coming here. Wait, Malfoy, why's he coming? Did he find out I'm not really carrying his heir?"
"What?" Phoebe shouted. "You mean you're pregnant!"
"No!" Pepper said quickly. "I thought I was for a bit but…another time, okay, that's a long story. In short, I'm not pregnant with Voldemort's heir even though he thinks I was." She turned to Malfoy again. "So explain to me why he's coming here!"
"He thinks you're too innocent and good to carry his heir, Halliwell," Malfoy smirked. "He wants his evil baby to be in an evil body. He thought that the baby would turn you evil but since it's been two months and that hasn't happened he thinks you're having a negative effect on it so he wants to kidnap you, put the baby in someone else's body and kill you."
"But that's what the Seer wanted to happen when Phoebe was pregnant," Cole said.
"That means," said Pepper, "that Voldemort's working with the Seer! Damn! Does this mean factions of demons will be coming too?"
"I bet that's how he knows where you are, Pepper," said Leo. "Because the Seer saw you were here."
"But doesn't that mean he'll know the Charmed Ones and Harry Potter and the former Source are here?" Piper wondered.
"So Voldemort and the Source are working TOGETHER?" Pepper cried.
"But what's the Source to get out of all this?" Paige wondered.
"They both want Pepper dead," Piper whispered, but everyone could hear her.
"Why would they want me dead?" Pepper asked.
"Because you're the most powerful witch in the world," Leo said.
Pepper stared at him. "Are you serious?" she asked. "Do I, like, threaten them or something so they want to kill me? Oh my god, I'm going to die! We're no match for them!"
"Calm down, Pepper, we can figure this out," Phoebe said. "We can use the Source vanquishing spell…"
"But we don't know it!" said Paige. "Though I could always orb back to the Manor and find it…"
"No," Malfoy said, "we're going to need all the help we can get."
"Has Dumbledore been informed?" Hermione asked.
Malfoy nodded. "Though I'm not sure how long it will take him to get here. I Apparated here, but sent an owl to Dumbledore right before I left the Death Eaters meeting."
"So does this mean that Voldemort and the Source are on their way here?" Pepper asked in horror.
"What's the Source?" Ron asked rather loudly.
"The source of all evil," Pepper replied, turning back to wait for Malfoy's answer to her question.
Ron's mouth dropped open. "The source of all evil is coming HERE?" he exclaimed.
"That's what I'm trying to find out!" Pepper said, turning her attention to Malfoy once more.
"I think they've got to do some last minute plans and then, yes, they're on their way over here," said Malfoy.
"To kidnap me and take my nonexistent baby and then kill me?"
Malfoy nodded. "They'll probably be here within the next half hour, and I'll bet they send some Death Eaters ahead of them."
"Probably some demons as well, by the sound of it," Leo said.
"Shit," Pepper said. "This is just great."
"We won't let them take you, Pep," Piper said reassuringly. "We'll do whatever it takes to protect you."
"Some Aurors might be handy right about now," Harry said.
"Wait – Harry – this could be your chance to fulfill the Prophecy," Hermione said, turning to him. "Since Voldemort will probably be focusing his attention on Pepper you can catch him off guard…"
"Do you think the demons will band together to kill me?" Pepper asked her uncles, wondering if either one of them had an answer.
"When I was the Source I tried telling them we had to band together to achieve one common goal, but they wouldn't listen. Thus, I doubt they will do that," her Uncle Cole said.
"Well at least that's some good news…" Pepper sighed.
Her aunts and uncles went off to the bar to form a plan, leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, Pepper and Malfoy standing there. "Why does everything always have to happen to me?" Pepper asked miserably.
"You're the most powerful witch in the world, Pep, I'm sure you'll be able to do something about this," Ron said.
"Obviously you have never met the Source," Pepper mumbled.
Piper came back over to the group of teens. "Paige orbed home to grab the Book of Shadows. Do you all have your wands?" she asked. All five of them nodded. "Good."
Suddenly, a demon appeared behind Harry. Luckily, Pepper was standing across from him so she yelled, "Look out!" in time.
Before the demon could throw anything at anyone, Piper blew him up. "So is this how they're going to play this game?" Piper asked. "Well, I think we're okay if they're sending a demon at a time. We can do this, Pepper, don't you worry."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Okay, so I'm wondering what's going to happen. Should Pepper A) be kidnapped, B) save the day, C) go out with Harry, or D) Die!!! Alright, so I know that last one probably won't be a popular thing, but whatever. So tell me what you think, you can have more than one answer…