A/N: I do not own Pitch Perfect or Harry Potter or any of their characters

Fifth Year

It went on and on.

His attacks getting more and more furious, her countering becoming clumsy and tired.

She wondered if she should just give up. If she'd known what he was casting, she might have done. It was the not knowing that kept her on her feet and throwing back defensive spells. Not knowing what his spells would do to her.

"You're on the wrong side, Beca," he yelled, speaking to her finally.

Beca just shook her head, too exhausted to speak.

"You can't win. The Potter boy will die. All of you will die." The curses kept flying. "Stop now and he'll let you live."

Beca took the opportunity to send a stunning spell at him but he deflected it with ease.

He shook his head, disappointed.

"You're on the wrong side," he said, raising his arm to attack again.

Beca toyed with the bacon on her plate one Friday morning, staring down at it without much desire to eat.

Hogwarts had gotten significantly less fun this year, and that wasn't just because it was their fifth year so they had to study for their O.W.L.s.

The mood around the castle had changed. There had never been such a divide amongst the students and even some professors as there was now. There were the people who believed Harry Potter. Who believed Voldemort was back. Believed he was the one who'd killed Cedric, and had tried to kill Harry too.

There were those who believed the Daily Prophet. Who believed Harry was an attention seeking liar.

Then there were those like Malfoy who knew He was back because of who their parents were, but were happy to support the rumours spread by the Daily Prophet.

And then there were those like Beca. Beca knew for a fact He was back, but she didn't take any joy in it like Malfoy or his other friends did. She knew because she'd seen the Dark Mark on her dad's arm, standing out sharply against his pale skin. She'd seen Death Eaters coming and going all summer. She'd seen them greeting her dad like an old friend. He'd asked her to keep out of his way for most of the summer, and she'd been only too happy to oblige.

Beca was snapped out of her thoughts by the impatient looking owl standing before her, nipping her hand with its beak.

"Ow," she said, snatching her hand back. The owl hooted and held out its leg. "Sorry."

She took the paper and unfolded it as the owl took flight.

'Same time, same place?'

She recognised Chloe's handwriting immediately, and she smiled. She looked across the Great Hall to the Hufflepuff table where Chloe was sitting. As if she'd been waiting for her, Chloe looked up. Beca nodded, and Chloe smiled before looking back down at the newspaper in her hand.

There was one good thing so far about fifth year.

Beca and Chloe had started dating. Secretly.

After their kiss at the Yule Ball, they had met up a few more times, just the two of them. But with their classes, homework, and the excitement of the Triwizard Tournament, they hadn't really had much of a chance to spend time together.

They'd written to each other constantly over the summer, both frustrated that they had to wait days to get a response, but with each letter they grew closer together.

So, upon their return to Hogwarts, Beca and Chloe decided to date in secret. Beca was too afraid of her dad finding out for them to be open about it, so they would sneak around whenever and wherever they could.

For the past few weeks they'd been meeting in the grounds just outside the castle. It was the same place they'd shared their first kiss, and they found they could use a secret passageway which lead them outside to get to it. The hard part was getting from their dormitories to the passageway itself, but once they were through and outside it was harder for them to get caught. Teachers didn't patrol the grounds as often as they did the inside of the castle, and they'd managed to find themselves a bit of a blind spot.

Beca had to admit that all their sneaking around and walking the castle and grounds at night made her feel sick and anxious, and Chloe would have agreed if they'd discussed it, but they didn't see another way. Beca didn't want to think what would happen when they were eventually caught, but the alternative meant not seeing Chloe at all.

The Hufflepuffs and Slytherins only had Care of Magical Creatures together, and Flitwick had been made to disband the choir after Umbridge refused to give them permission to reform. They weren't able to visit each other's house common room, or even see each other between classes due to heightened security.

They tried on one occasion to sit together in the library and talk quietly, but every time they opened their mouths they were loudly shushed by Madam Pince, so the whole thing was pointless.

So they snuck around after hours, and prayed they wouldn't get caught.

That night, Beca sat in the gloomy green light of the common room, watching the time tick by on her watch.

"You're going to get caught one of these days you know?" Stacie said, not looking up from her book. They were the only two left in the common room, which wasn't unusual at this time, but Beca was still thankful for it. It was much easier sneaking out without a room of prying eyes.

"Yeah, I know," Beca said rubbing her eyes. She was tired. It was the third time this week they were doing this, and Beca hadn't been sleeping well. "We just don't know what else to do."

"You could try not being randy teenagers?" Stacie said.

"It isn't like that," Beca said, blushing furiously. "We just talk most nights. She just… She gets me, you know? She's like… She feels like home."

Stacie softened. "I'm not trying to ruin these late night dates. I actually think they're super cute. I just don't want you to get caught. Especially with Umbridge doing these crazy detentions."

"I know," Beca said. "This whole situation is far from ideal." She looked at her watch. "I gotta go."

"Be careful," Stacie said, looking up as Beca left the common room.

It was a quick journey to the entrance of the passageway, and Beca made it without running into anyone. She slipped behind a tapestry, tapped a loose stone three times with her wand, and crawled on her hands and knees down the short passageway which was revealed when the stones parted. She tapped the stone wall at the other end three times and again, the stones parted to let her out before sealing shut behind her. Sometimes it felt like the castle really was encouraging them to break rules.

When the cold air hit her face she felt calmer. She kept to the shadows and made her way to the place where Chloe was meeting her.

She was the first to arrive and she sat on the grass with her back pressed into the wall, and she waited.

Soon she heard the slight grinding noise of the wall opening, and she braced herself. Either Chloe or a professor would be turning the corner at any moment, and she wouldn't know which one until it was too late.

A shadowy figure emerged and got closer and closer, and then they were right in front of her. Beca saw the red hair and blue eyes which were just visible in the moonlight and she felt herself relax. Chloe sat down beside Beca and they hugged without saying a word.

Their tight embrace quickly lead to a kiss. Beca's hands were in Chloe's hair, holding her close as if afraid she might be snatched away at any moment. When they stopped kissing they rested their foreheads together, eyes closed but smiling. Both breathing heavily.

"Hi," Beca whispered.

"Hi," was Chloe's whispered reply.

And they leaned in to kiss again.

"What on Earth do you think you're doing?!" A shrill voice demanded, the light from their wand falling over them.

Beca's stomach sank like a stone.

Professor McGonagall was standing in front of them, her mouth open in shock, her wand held above her, showering them in light.

There was nothing they could do, or say.

"Come with me, both of you!" She snapped, and all they could do was follow.

Chloe had started sniffing on the way to McGonagall's office, and Beca reached out to take her hand. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Chloe took it, and used her other hand to wipe her eyes. "Me too," she whispered back.

"In here!" McGonagall said. She saw the two girls holding hands and seemed to soften ever so slightly. "Sit down."

They did.

Professor McGonagall sat behind her desk and folded her arms. "Well?"

Beca glanced over at Chloe who seemed incapable of forming words. So, her eyes fixed on her knees, Beca started talking.

"I know we shouldn't have professor," Beca said once she'd finished her explanation. "We just… We didn't know what to do."

"Is all of this true Miss Beale?" McGonagall asked.

Chloe nodded and sniffed again, wiping her eyes.

"Anything to add?"

"Just that we're sorry, professor," Chloe said.

McGonagall sighed. "I'm disappointed in you ladies. I had thought that you were both smart enough to know that sneaking around the school and into the grounds after hours is an incredibly foolish thing to do. Especially in these times where we have dangerous wizards and witches out there, and… and even in this castle."

They both looked up.

"If you had been caught by a… a different teacher then this could have been much more serious. Not that it's not serious now, because it is. Very serious. That being said," she cleared her throat slightly. Beca and Chloe desperately wanted to glance at each other, to confirm what they were both thinking, that the professor was acting… weird. But they didn't dare look away from her, and McGonagall carried on talking. "That being said," she repeated, "I cannot pretend that I don't understand why you did it. I was once in a similar position myself… And, well, those were different times, it wasn't even legal then, but what I'm trying to say is I understand. And I am sorry that you have not felt comfortable or safe enough to be yourselves at this school."

"It's not the school's fault professor," Beca said, finally glancing at Chloe, "it's my dad. If he found out about me and Chloe he…" Her voice cracked and Chloe reached across and took her hand. "He can't find out professor. Please."

"And he won't. Not from me, not because of this," McGonagall said, gently.

"Thank you," Beca said, sinking into her chair with relief.

"In terms of your punishment," McGonagall said, trying to regain some of her stern composure, "I will be taking 50 points from both Slytherin and Hufflepuff, and you will each receive a week's detention."

"Yes professor," Beca said, thinking they'd gotten off lightly.

"Thank you professor," Chloe said, thinking the same thing.

"Before you return to your dormitories I must press upon you the importance of not doing this again. We are living in dark and troubling times and it is not safe to do what you're doing," McGonagall said.

"We won't do it again," Chloe said.

"We promise," Beca added.

And McGonagall surprised them both by smiling, just slightly. "Miss Beale, if I could offer some advice, you may wish to speak to your head of house professor Sprout. If I'm not mistaken she has been happily married to her wife Rosalyn for 20 years. I believe she may be able to offer you some wise counsel. I am afraid I cannot say the same for you Miss Mitchell, however my door is always open should you wish to talk."

"Thank you," Beca said again. "I mean it, thank you professor. I'm sorry we let you down."

"Very well. I shall send you the dates and times of your detentions on Monday. Now, off to bed please, both of you. Separate beds if you would be so kind," McGonagall said.

"Ahem, ahem," a voice said from the doorway, making them all jump.

They turned to see Professor Umbridge standing there, smiling sweetly, her hair up in pink rollers.

"Can I help you Dolores?" McGonagall asked. Her voice lost all the warmth it had moments ago.

"I was just checking that these two are receiving the appropriate punishment for sneaking around school after hours," she said. Her voice was light and airy but it filled Beca full of dread.

"There punishment has been decided thank you very much," McGonagall said. "Girls, off to bed please."

"Just one moment," Umbridge said, her voice rising slightly higher. "I don't believe a week's worth of detention is suitable punishment, do you? After all, this isn't the first offence, is it? According to young Draco Malfoy, and some of the other Slytherins, you've been out and about quite a bit, haven't you Miss Mitchell?"

Beca glanced up at Professor McGonagall, but she wasn't looking at her. She was staring at Umbridge with such undisguised fury and hatred Beca was amazed Umbridge could carry on smiling.

"Yes, professor," Beca said.

"And did you join her on these occasions Miss Beale?"

"No," Beca said, quickly. "No, tonight was the first time. I was on my own before. Just looking for places to meet."

"Well, in that case Miss Beale you may keep your current punishment of a week's detention with Professor McGonagall, as this was your first offence," Umbridge said, before turning to face Beca. "Now you, Miss Mitchell, will need something more severe. I think two weeks of detention with me for a start. And perhaps an Owl home to your father? I know him quite well, and I know he'd appreciate this kind of information."

"No," Professor McGonagall said, sharply. "You are not her head of house, and you were not involved in catching her breaking any rules. If Professor Snape is unhappy with the punishment I've decided on then he may discuss it with me. This has nothing to do with you, Dolores."

"Oh but I think you'll find it has, Minerva. There's been a new educational decree, you see. And I am now Hogwarts High Inquisitor, which gives me more powers than a simple teacher or head of house would have," Umbridge said, her voice as sickly sweet as it was possible to be.

"Professor," Beca said, looking up at McGonagall, tears filling her eyes now, "please don't let her do this."

"Professor McGonagall has no power here, Miss Mitchell," Umbridge said, her voice suddenly sharp. "Let's make it three weeks of detention, shall we?"

Beca swallowed hard. Chloe opened her mouth to argue but Beca shook her head.

"Very well," McGonagall said. "You've made your point. May I escort these two back to their dormitories?"

Umbridge smiled. "Very good, Professor."

"Come with me, you two," McGonagall said, her voice shaking with suppressed anger.

They didn't speak again as they walked the silent corridors and of the deserted school. They stopped off at the Hufflepuff common room first, and McGonagall allowed them to say a quick goodnight.

"Thank you for lying to her like that," Chloe said softly, squeezing Beca into a tight hug. "It's going to be okay, you know? We'll think of something."

Beca nodded and tried to smile. "Night Chloe."

"Goodnight."

McGonagall then walked Beca down towards the Slytherin dungeons.

"I'm going to do all I can, Miss Mitchell," she said. "I promise you that."

"It's okay, professor. I imagine she'll have sent the Owl before she even spoke to us. Whatever happens I'll just have to handle it," Beca said, feeling tired and emotionally drained.

"If I have to go to the headmaster about this, I will," McGonagall said as they reached the entrance to the common room.

Beca smiled and shook her head. "I think he has enough to be dealing with professor. Voldemort is back, you know? There's a war coming. I'm sorry we dragged you into this. Thank you for your help," Beca said. "Goodnight."

McGonagall's hand touched Beca's arm lightly. "I will help you in anyway I can," she said softly. "I promise you that."

And then she turned and left.

Beca spent the next few days on edge, waiting for a response from her father. It was the not knowing that was killing her. Not knowing if he knew, not knowing how or when he would respond. It was tying her stomach in knots. Her heart beat painfully fast every time the post arrived. She felt the rush of relief when nothing was delivered to her, which was quickly followed by the punch in the stomach of knowing it had to come soon.

Detention with Umbridge was almost a welcome distraction.

And it wasn't that she particularly enjoyed carving 'I must obey school rules' over and over again into the back of her hand, but the pain at least gave her something to focus on.

Chloe had been beside herself the first time she'd seen the scars on Beca's hand.

"Is that what she's making you do?! Write lines with your own blood?! She's sick! There's something wrong with her, tell-"

"Hey," Beca had said softly, "it's okay. Professor Snape has given me something to stop the pain, I just need to soak it in Murtlap essence." Chloe opened her mouth to argue, but Beca cut her off. "I know it's really fucked up. But I can deal with this, okay?"

"Okay," Chloe said with a sigh. "But I really don't like this. She shouldn't be able to get away with it."

"I know," Beca said. "But this is just how it is for now. She won't be here forever, the other teachers will see to that if Fred and George don't do it first."

But as calm and composed as Beca was trying to seem in front of Chloe, inside she was falling apart.

The pain in her hand was horrendous, but it was nothing compared to the constant anxiety of not knowing when the reaction from her dad would come.

After two weeks of detention, with the letters on the back of her hand now refusing to heal, a howler arrived for Beca.

"Just get it over with," Stacie said as the smoking red envelope quivered in front of her.

With a trembling hand Beca opened the envelope and soon the screaming voice of her father echoed around the Great Hall.

He told her that she was a disgrace, that she was disgusting, that she was better off dead like her mother.

Some Slytherins around her began laughing, but most of the Great Hall was silent. If she'd looked at the head table she would have seen Umbridge smiling serenely, and McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout staring at Umbridge with cold fury. Through the tears in her eyes Beca saw Chloe get up off her seat and make her way over. Stacie had taken her un-cut hand and was squeezing it tightly, as the howler went on and on and -

"Reducto!"

It was gone. Turned into smoke and ash.

Professor McGonagall was standing close to where the howler had been, her wand raised. "That's quite enough of that nonsense," she said. She turned to Chloe who had just arrived at the Slytherin table. "Miss Beale, perhaps you would like to take Miss Mitchell outside for some fresh air on this lovely Saturday morning?"

"Yes professor," Chloe said. She gently took Beca's hand. "Come on," she said softly.

Beca stood and allowed Chloe to lead her out of the Great Hall. She could feel the hundreds of pairs of eyes burning into her back, but she didn't care anymore. She just wanted it to stop. She wanted everything to stop.

"It's okay," Chloe said, her voice still calm and soft. They walked towards the lake and soon they were sat on the grass, Beca wrapped protectively in Chloe's arms. "It's okay, we'll think of something. I won't let him hurt you, I promise."

And Beca was too tired to argue. Too tired to point out that her dad was a powerful dark wizard. Too tired to remind her that he was stronger than any of them. That he could do what he wanted. She was too tired.

So just closed her eyes, and let Chloe hold her. She focused on Chloe's calming words and tried not to think about what would happen when summer arrived, and she would have to go home.