AN/ Hey, not trying to abandon you guys or anything, I promise! Uh, thanks, once again, for any reviews... I would like more though! Reviews make me smile, and I could use a good smile cause it's been a long week! I'm going to see Cronicles of Narnia tomorrow, hahaha I'm such a nerd! Well, I'm just rambling so... Oh, if any of you know any really good Katie/Oliver stories, let me know! Those and Lily/James stories are my favorite! Okay, thanks tons, talk to you later!

Love From,

MotherCrumpet

Chapter 30: Not Our Time

The sudden loss of support caused me to fall on top of her body. Moresby laughed.

"Silly of her wasn't it? If she hadn't have been so noble, ah well we shall never know if she might have lived," Moresby laughed a cold, cruel, laugh.

"You just made a huge mistake," I snarled, pulling myself back up onto my feet, my ankle wobbling dangerously.

"Oh, did I? Take a look around you, there's nobody to help you, no one to hear you scream," Moresby gestured to the empty room around me. Lily and Corrine's 'buddy' had fled like I warned Corrine to.

"Oh, how sad, you won't be surrounded by your friends and father while you die. They'll come in to find you in a couple hours and all that they will find will be your long dead body," Moresby taunted me ruthlessly.

"Shut up Moresby," I retorted.

"Oh, you cut me deep. I think I'm mortally wounded from that," Moresby laughed as he came closer, "With you out of the way there won't be anything standing between your sister, me, and our dreams of ruling the world side by side."

"You're demented," I snapped, "You'll never rule the world, not as long as my father and all the other good people stand in your way."

"Oh, contraire, your twin sister will be indestructible once you're out of the way. You are the only one that can stop her, like it or not. And I've got you in my sights."

"You know, Moresby," I said, judging the distance between us carefully, "I don't know who I hate more, you or Lily."

I waited until he took another step closer and then dove at him. He froze in surprise as I tackled him to the floor. I wrestled the wand away from him and broke it in two throwing it across the room. I sat on his chest with my wand on his neck, if only that had been the end.

A pair of stubby, yet surprisingly strong, arms went around my neck and I choked. I couldn't think straight and my head started to spin. Then I was off of Moresby and Lily had flung me across the room and was kneeling next to Moresby making sure he was okay, not because she cared about him, but because it would be easier if he could do her dirty work.

I peeled myself up off the ground and limped behind one of the pillars. I sunk to the ground and took what little rest I could. My arm had been cut and my nose was bleeding. I wiped it off on my sleeve and tried to slow my breathing.

"Oh little Potter, come out, come out, wherever you are!" Moresby called in a sweet voice, it made me sick.

"Riley, you're not playing hide-and-seek are you? You used to love that game," Lily joined in the calls; her sweet voice didn't just sicken me, it made me want to hurl.

"Potter, if you're going to die anyway don't you want to die bravely? Don't you want to die standing up like a valiant heroine?" Moresby's voice had grown louder. I decided it was time to act.

I always found rolling across the floor amusing, until I was doing it with a sprained or possibly broken ankle and to save my own butt and the rest of the world on my shoulders, according to Moresby. It was really comforting to know that if I croaked the world was doomed, I mean honestly it can't get much comforting than that.

Rolling out from behind the pillar I pointed a well aimed curse at Moresby. It hit him dead on and he fell to the floor in a full body bind. What luck I was having!

I dodged a spell that Lily had sent my way and responded with a jinx of my own. She dodged it and went running off into the Labyrinth.

"It's not our time to duel yet," Lily called back after herself.

"Why didn't you listen to me, Corrine?" I felt tears running down my face. I felt horrible; because of me someone was dead, because Lily and I were born the world was going to be subjected to another Voldemort. People would be terrorized and even killed, all because I was alive, no, because my sister was alive. I would gladly have never been born rather then know I would cause hundreds of deaths over the next few years.

I picked up Corrine's body, don't ask me how, and carried her cradled in my arms out of the Labyrinth. As I exited there was cheering, and then there was silence as everyone saw that I had a dead Corrine Hodgepeckins, the amazing Quidditch player and all-around nice person, in my arms. There was a moment of shock and then utter chaos set in. I collapsed on the stone of the third floor corridor.

Chapter 31: Hospital Wing or Circus

"Sir, they aren't anywhere to be found."

I was sitting in Professor Longbottom's office just ten minutes later still with my sprained ankle, cut arm and I was all around crappy feeling. My dad hadn't been able to talk to me after I came out of the Labyrinth because he had to go look for Moresby and Lily. Corrine's parents were hysterical and Professor Longbottom had to coax me to even let go of Corrine. I hadn't gotten to talk to anyone but had been taken directly up to Professor Longbottom's office. They were getting ready to make me relive my whole night and I didn't want to so I was sitting as curled up as possible in the chair with tears running down my bloody, dirty face and hoping they forgot I existed, but there would be no such luck.

"Riley," Professor Longbottom sat down behind his desk, "I know you've had an appalling night, but I'm afraid I have to ask you to tell me exactly what happened tonight. It's of the utmost importance, or I wouldn't be asking you. You have shown phenomenal strength tonight and all I ask is that you dig deeper to find whatever strength you can so you can relate tonight in full detail."

It took a minute for me to get started but it got a little easier as I went along. I surprised even myself with some of the details I remembered but when I came to the part where Lily ran off I found I couldn't continue. The words stuck in my throat and I swallowed them back down.

"Thank you, Riley," Professor Longbottom said kindly, "You and I will have to talk more tomorrow, most likely with your father as well but that is good enough for now. Professor Delacour, would you please take Riley down to the Hospital Wing where you will find her friends and family. She is to spend the night there and nobody is to be allowed to question her unless she says it's okay. After you get her down there please go check on the students in the Great Hall, I will meet you here in a little while."

"Come on Miss Potter, let's get you settled," Professor Delacour looked at me almost affectionately.

I stood up and swayed on my ankle but Professor Delacour hurried over and helped me all the way to the Hospital Wing. There I was greeted by my worried friends and family.

Spencer was the first one to me and he kissed me passionately. Then, when he saw me wince as he put me down, he gave me a piggy-back ride over to the waiting bed.

"Mother of Macaroni, you're looking pretty beat up," Carmen said as I was set on by the next wave of hugs.

"Yeah, I guess," I said wincing as Celeste jostled the bed.

"Move out of the way, I'm coming through to do some healing and this girl needs healing!" The nurse came bustling over busily.

She fixed my ankle and the cut on my arm and then handed me a pair of pajamas. I took them wordlessly and she pulled the curtains around my bed. Spencer kissed me on the cheek and walked around the curtains with Colby, Dean, Alicia, Angelina, Carmen and Cammy. Celeste and Lauran helped me get into the pajamas and then into bed.

"Go to sleep, Riley, you must be exhausted," Alicia said stroking my hair as the nurse moved the curtains away.

"No," I said firmly.

"Why not?" Celeste said, thinking I was going to be difficult.

"Who's talked to Mr. and Mrs. Hodgepeckins?" I asked and Celeste immediately lost her Riley's being stubborn look for a she's being smart look.

"Professor Longbottom was going to talk to them," Alicia assured me, "You can go to sleep."

"Nope, I think I need to talk to them. I was there when she..." I trailed off.

"It's okay I wouldn't worry about it," Carmen told me soothingly.

"No, it's not okay," I replied swinging myself out of bed and putting my shoes and a dressing gown on.

"Riley," Alicia warned, "you need rest or you're going to overdo it. Now get back in bed."

"Alicia, I'm going to talk to them, it's the right thing to do. They should hear how much of a hero their daughter was. It won't make the pain go away but maybe it'll soothe it some," I was already almost out the door.

Spencer appeared at my side, "I'm coming too if you insist on going right now."

"No, only me, it's… I'm not going to…" I couldn't finish any one thought and just broke down crying. Spencer pulled me into his arms, the place I had felt so safe just hours before now felt like it was mocking me.

"You're not going to talk to them are you?" he asked softly, "You refuse to go to sleep because you don't want to live it for a third time. You want away from people who love you because you're afraid you'll be their death."

"No," I replied even softer, "I know I'll be their deaths."

"Maybe you will be the death of me," Spencer kissed me on the head, "but I'd rather live and then die knowing you love me than live and die without you."

"But when you or Celeste, or Lauran, or anyone else dies, how am I going to feel then? Maybe it'd best if I'm like Lily, unable to love," I didn't really mean any of that.

"No, because that's what set you apart from Lily, you can love and she can't," Spencer took me back inside the Hospital Wing and held my hand as I got back in bed, "Go to sleep, I'm right here if you need me."

I was already asleep by the time my head hit the pillow.

"I MUST SEE HER RIGHT NOW! THIS IS A MATTER OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE AND I MUST TALK TO THE EYEWITNESS. MORESBY'S MURDERED A STUDENT AND TAKEN ANOTHER STUDENT WITH HIM. HE MUST BE FOUND!"

I woke late that night to the sounds of shouting in the Hallway. I hadn't dreamed at all yet, I guess I was too tired.

"You can't see her until tomorrow and then you can only ask her questions if a parental unit is there, and you sent Harry away looking for his other daughter." Professor Longbottom spoke calmly but was starting to sound irritated.

"I must speak with her NOW!" The Minister of Magic came strolling into the Hospital Wing shouting.

"Be quiet Minister, the kid's have only just gotten to sleep," Alicia said irritably.

"I'll be as loud as I please, thank you very much," the Minister replied, though somewhat softer.

"You can't question her Minister," Professor Delacour insisted, "She needs sleep and her father isn't here to sit in on the questioning."

"Call her mother!" The Minister exclaimed then he walked over and shook me, "Wake up dear child!"

"I've been awake," I replied grumpily.

"For Heaven's sake call the girl's mother!" The Minister waved Professor Delacour away.

"You can't, well you can but she won't count as a parental unit or whatever," I said quietly.

"What nonsense is this?"

"Olivia Potter, that no good, dirty," Alicia Weasley used some pretty strong language to describe my mum.

"Alicia, really, just explain it calmly and get on with it, although I agree wholeheartedly with every foul name you called her," Angelina cut in.

"That witch abandoned Riley, she said that Riley was no longer her child and that was that," Alicia finished restraining herself.

"Alicia, would you please not use that language in front of the children, if you must use foul language, do it properly," Carmen said and everyone laughed.

"So, there's really no questioning her until her father gets back," the Minister looked upset.

"No, there isn't," Professor Longbottom said with a nod.

"Well, goodnight then, sorry to have woken you," and with that the Minister turned and walked off.

"Funny man that Minister," Cammy commented, "Riley get some sleep."

"Okay," I replied falling back asleep in no time flat but not before I heard Carmen make a comment about the Hospital Wing.

"You know, I was never really sure if this was a Hospital Wing or a circus, right now I'm leaning towards the circus!"

AN/ Hahaha, I love Carmen! Thanks again to Nyx-Night who made her up, my Best Friend in the whole world! Go read her story if you like Carmen as much as I do! Carmen and Cammy's European Vacation is hilarious! You'll laugh so hard that you cry! At least I did! But enough free advertising, get to the reviews, and please tell me and good Katie/Oliver or Lily/James stories you've read!

Love From,

MotherCrumpet