No Santa didn't return to my house so I still do not own Harry... oh well maybe next year!

Chapter Thirty-three

Deadly Knowledge

Dawn broke slowly in the cold overcast sky. The wind hadn't let up all through the long night making the sub-zero temperatures feel even colder.

Taylor had taken the last watch and had crawled out of her warm bed over two and a half hours ago to sit out here in the cold, wrapped in her cloak. Her teeth were now chattering and her hands, even inside her mittens, were stiff with cold.

She hadn't seen anything stir other then tree branches swaying in the wind. Much of the time Taylor had found that her thoughts wandered to a certain tall handsome Hufflepuff, despite her determination not to think about him.

It was still a long wait until she heard someone stirring inside the tent. When they finally came out, it was Hermione.

"Morning. Do you think you are too cold to fix some breakfast?" Hermione asked with a bit of a smile as she looked at Taylor.

"I can hold out for a little longer if you want to get it ready. I'm not sure I could hold the pot to put it on right now." Taylor grinned back as her teeth chattered.

Ten minutes later Taylor stood stiffly and went gratefully into the tent as Hermione came out to relieve her. Taylor headed straight for the table, where the little smokeless fire was burning and held her cold hands up to it. She noticed neither Ron nor Harry had yet gotten up and thought for a moment about going back to bed herself. The sound of the kettle boiling made her change her mind.

A simple warming charm and a hot cup of tea soon had Taylor thawed out and enjoying her porridge, one of the dried goods Hermione had packed for them. The sound of springs creaking and a groan told Taylor that one of the boys was waking up at least. A couple of minutes later Ron and Harry both emerged from behind the curtain where their beds were, looking quite groggy with their hair sticking up even worse then normal.

"Oh man! Is it ever cold out there!" Ron grumbled a few minutes later when he came back into the tent after going out to conduct his morning business.

Taylor couldn't help the grin that crept across her face as she dished up some porridge and poured some hot tea and set it on the table for Ron and Harry who had just come back in himself.

"You do know, it is very annoying for someone to be that cheery, this early in the morning, don't you?" Ron grumbled as he took his seat.

Taylor just grinned as she refilled her cup of tea.

The morning dragged by as they waited for dusk to come again, when they would move to the little clump of woods behind Briggs Cottage. They had talked about the pros and cons of moving that close to dark, but in the end decided that it was worth the risk, this time to lessen the risk that they would be seen before they were able to put up their wards around the tent. They had briefly discussed setting up somewhere else and returning to the tent after they retrieved the books but Hermione had been afraid that they might not be able to locate the tent again, if they went that far from it, after the wards were in place.

Hermione and Taylor had briefly explained the wards that they were using. There were all the standard anti-muggle charms that would make muggles turn away from the tent and the small plot of land that was warded, and the reflective shield that masked the tent and anyone standing inside the warded area so they couldn't be seen. Also a silencing charm so they couldn't be heard. There was an un-plot-able charm that would keep anyone from being able to find them if they came looking. Also an anti-apparation charm so that someone couldn't accidentally apparate into their tent. And last but not least, a charm to diffuse the magic trace so that someone couldn't be led to them by their magic signatures.

Taylor was sitting staring at the empty picture frame of Dumbledore's. She had taken it out last night and they had talked at length to their old Headmaster, telling him everything that had happened since they left Hogwarts. He had been surprised that they had discovered another horcrux but not as surprised about where they had found it. "People like Dolores Umbridge would find the pull of owning such an old, clearly magical, piece nearly impossible to resist." Dumbledore had said in a solemn voice.

"Hey Taylor, isn't it time for you to relieve Harry again?" Ron asked breaking into Taylor's thoughts.

Hours later, Taylor had thought the day would never end as she was finally helping Hermione pack up the tent. The sky was heavy with clouds making the cold wintry night settle in even earlier then usual.

"Okay, explain to me again exactly where we are apparating to." Hermione said as she shrunk the tent and put it in her handbag.

Taylor closed her eyes and imagined where she was going, explaining in great detail the small patch of woods behind Briggs Cottage right down to the funny knot she remembered on one of the trees.

"Okay," Hermione said as she slowly opened her eyes, "I think I've got it. Now as soon as I lower the wards we apparate. Ready Taylor?"

Taylor put her arm through Harry's and nodded. "Ready"

"On the count of three. One… two… three!" Hermione made a slashing motion with her wand and a faint hissing noise, like a drop of water hitting a hot frying pan, could be heard as the wards surrounding them dropped.

Taylor, concentrating hard, turned with Harry. At the same time Hermione did the same with Ron. A second later the squeezing pressure was gone and Taylor and Harry landed in a different stand of trees, and they managed to stay up right this time.

Taylor looked quickly around and with a huge sigh of relief saw Hermione and Ron standing behind her. The boys did a quick search of the immediate area to make sure they were alone as the two girls repeated their wards from yesterday and began setting up the tent. It was nearly dark by the time they were through but they didn't dare to light even their wand tips until they made sure all their wards were up and they couldn't be seen.

"Okay, they are finished." Hermione said with a sigh, "Lumos"

"Lumos" Taylor muttered then held her wand up high so that she could see as she entered the tent to light a couple of candles.

"Taylor, you do remember that you can do soundless magic right?" Ron asked with a quirk of his lips.

"Oh yeah. I remember. I just like to hear my voice so much that I couldn't resist." Taylor said dryly as she rolled her eyes and set about lighting the cook stove and getting their supper started. Mrs. Briggs didn't leave for her bridge night until at least six thirty so they had almost an hour and a half before they headed out after the Dark Magic books.

The only good thing Taylor could say about the food that she had prepared was that it was hot. She had tried to find something to add to their supper from the woods that they had stayed in that day but there just wasn't anything. It was too late in the year for any kind of berries. Even the odd herb she had seen was frozen and useless. So they were stuck with the dried soup base that Hermione had packed them, and trying to make it last as long as possible, she had watered it down as much as she dared.

Outside the wind moaned through the trees again, and the tent canvas flapped, as a cold draft pushed in under the door.

"Man, it's going to be another cold one." Ron shivered as he refilled his cup with tea.

"Let's just hope it doesn't snow." Taylor said as she got up to wash the dishes. Harry was outside on guard and Taylor was feeling restless. Pouring heated water into a large bowl she washed up their bowls, spoons and cups. Harry had already eaten before he went out to relieve Ron. When the dishes were washed and dried Taylor looked at the old clock that sat on the table ticking, it was only six o'clock.

"Here Taylor," Hermione said passing Taylor a thick book, "I'm looking for a potion to help ward off the cold. You can look in this book for me."

Taylor smiled at Hermione as she took the book and sat down. "Was I that obvious?"

"Let's just say that it's either you read or I petrify you." Hermione grumbled as she disappeared behind her book again.

Forty minutes later Harry came into the tent behind Ron. After a quick rehash of their plans, Harry handed his invisibility cloak to Hermione as he stored his mirror inside his cloak. Ron had his so that he could warn Harry if they saw anyone.

"Okay, remember if there is trouble we meet on the moor. Everyone remember their code words?" Harry asked briskly as he glanced from one to the other as they all nodded.

Taylor glanced at the clock on the table. It was six forty-eight. "Let's go, so we can be in and out long before Mrs. Briggs gets back," she said nervously. Now that the time was here her stomach knotted and she began to doubt what she was doing was right. Mrs. Briggs had never been anything but extremely nice to her, now here she was planning to sneak into Mrs. Briggs' house and steal from her.

"Let's go." Harry said and headed out the door in the tent.

Taylor followed and as she stepped outside their protective wards she gripped Harry's arm, took a deep breath and concentrated on the old oak tree she had sat under on numerous summer days reading, and turned.

With a soft pop Taylor stood facing the oak tree, now bare for the winter. "We're here." Taylor whispered as she looked around cautiously her wand in her hand.

Harry looked at the dark little house, or cottage as Taylor called it. He could see the neat little walkway that led to a dark door of the white cottage. It was a nice yard, one that was well taken care of, but still welcoming. He could picture Taylor sitting out here in the summer reading.

"Come on." Taylor whispered as she slowly walked out of the deep shadow that they were in and up the walk. When she reached the door Taylor put her wand into what looked like a keyhole and whispered "Harry Potter". She heard her brother's sharp intake of breath and she grinned in the dark, as there was a soft click and the door opened as Taylor turned the doorknob.

Taylor pushed the door open and slipped into the dark cottage, closing it again as soon as Harry was inside. "This way," she whispered as she crossed the dark kitchen and slipped silently up the stairs to her room.

Taylor closed the blinds, walking easily around the dark room from memory. "Lumos." she said when the blinds were all closed and her brother lit his wand also.

Harry held his wand high and looked at the room where his sister had spent her summers. There were bookcases on three of the walls and half of the fourth. A single bed sat in the corner, a small night stand beside it. There was nothing of Taylor in here, and yet he could easily imagine that his sister had been quite happy here.

"The Dark Magic books are in a hidden bookcase over here." Taylor said after looking around for a second as she pulled out a book and reached her hand into the bookcase to pull the lever hidden there.

"Mr. Briggs was quite clever really. Even if a witch or wizard was looking for this bookcase they wouldn't likely find it. It's a manual lever, very low tech and muggle. Likely anyone searching for Dark Magic books wouldn't be very well versed in muggle technology." Taylor said with a grin as the top part of the outer bookcase swung forward to reveal a smaller one behind it.

"Yeah, anyone but a nosy, underage witch." Harry grumbled as he peered over his sister's shoulder to look at the books inside.

Taylor glanced at Harry and grinned, before she carefully began taking out the books and handing them to her brother. "Just put them on the bed, not all of them are Dark Magic."

When the two shelves were empty Taylor knelt beside her bed and began quickly separating them into two stacks. Dark Magic in one pile and old texts and a couple of journals into another, she then stacked the Dark Magic books, seven in all, into her book bag.

"What are these other ones?" Harry asked as he picked one up. One Thousand Magical Herbs And Fungi. "This is a school book." Harry said surprised.

"Yeah, but it's a first print. I'm not sure if it's truly valuable or just sentimentally so." Taylor said as she took the book from her brother and put it back into the hidden bookcase along with all the others she wasn't going to take with her.

Taylor picked up her book bag and putting out her wand tip she went and opened all the blinds again, then she led the way down the stairs. They hadn't gone more then a few steps when there was a noise from the kitchen.

Taylor and Harry froze.

An eerie green light flickered in the kitchen, then a woman's voice muttered a spell and the kitchen brightened as candles lit all along the walls.

Taylor's heart started to pound in her ears as she recognized the voice, Mrs. Briggs had come home early!

"Oh deary me. All right who ever you are, come on out! I know you are in the stairway. I can see your feet."

Taylor glanced down and sure enough she was just far enough down the stairs that the candlelight reached her feet. Hands shaking, and her stomach now down near her toes, Taylor started down the steps.

"It's just me, Mrs. B." Taylor said in a croaky voice that she barely recognized.

Stepping off the last step and into the full candlelight, Taylor could see the elderly witch standing, with her wand out and pointing at her.

"Taylor?" Mrs. Briggs gasped in surprise, then "What is our code?"

"Green firebolt." Taylor said as her face turned red, Harry was right behind her and now he knew her silly code names that were all about him.

"Yellow curds" Mrs. Briggs whispered in a weak voice. "Dear Merlin child! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Then the older witch looked at the young wizard standing behind the young witch she had taken in seven years ago.

"I'm so sorry Mrs. B!" Taylor exclaimed in a high voice as her heart continued to pound.

"Who is this you have with you, deary?" Mrs. Briggs asked as she began to recover from her shock.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Mrs. B, this is Harry Potter. Harry this is Mrs. B or ah Mrs. Briggs." Taylor tripped over her words as guilt weighed heavily on her.

"Harry Potter! Oh bless my soul! Taylor has told me so much about you! I know the story of course but Taylor has told me about how great a friend you have been to her. It just warmed my heart to know that Taylor has a friend like that!" Mrs. Briggs gushed as she came over to Taylor and Harry. First she pulled Taylor into a motherly hug, and then she hugged Harry too.

"Uhm, Mrs. B," Taylor began after she straightened her glasses that were knocked askew by the elderly witch's hug.

"Deary, what are you doing here? I heard about your escape from Alastor at the Ministry yesterday," Taylor groaned, "Not that I am complaining, but you know I am going to have to tell him. He has witches and wizards looking all over the countryside for you two! I suppose you know that do you?"

"Mrs. B, I am sorry. I don't mean to disappoint you, but Harry has something to do. Something that will hopefully stop You-Know-Who one day and I am helping him." Taylor said, looking the kind witch in the eye.

"Deary, don't you think I haven't figured that out? I thought as much when you left in the summer," ("I'm sorry I didn't tell you in person but…" Taylor began) "Taylor dear, it's all right, I know you wanted to tell me. You are a good girl, with a big heart." Mrs. Briggs smiled fondly at Taylor as she laid her hand on the young witch's shoulder.

Taylor felt her face turn red in embarrassment and a fresh wave of guilt wash over her. "Mrs. B, I… I came here tonight to take a bunch of Mr. Briggs books. I'm sorry." Taylor said ashamed as she looked at the floor, she could hear both Harry and Mrs. Briggs gasp.

"Mrs. Briggs, Taylor only came to get them because I asked her too," Harry quickly jumped to defend his sister, who he could see was extremely embarrassed.

"Harry, I…" Taylor began but Mrs. Briggs interrupted her.

"Taylor dear, I need to know which books." Mrs. Briggs said in a stern tone that Taylor had never heard her use before.

"I was only going to borrow them, I…" Taylor said in a small voice.

"Taylor." Mrs. Briggs said in the same tone to stop the young witch.

Taylor glanced at Harry and then took off her book bag and setting it on the table she took out the Dark Magic books she had taken out of the hidden bookcase.

"Dear Merlin above!" Mrs. Briggs breathed as she looked at the books on the table. "Where did you find these?" she asked as she looked at Taylor.

"I found them in a hidden bookcase upstairs."

Mrs. Briggs pulled out a chair and sat down heavily as she stared from the young witch to the books.

"Mrs. B, are you alright?" Taylor asked concern lacing her voice now.

"I believe dear that you and I need to have a talk." Mrs. Briggs said her voice sounding a little stronger. "And you too Harry. I suppose Arthur's son and your other friend Hermione are waiting for you two?" At Taylor's nod she continued. "Then maybe you should ask them to come in too. We might be a while."

Taylor looked up at Harry and she could see he was carefully weighing what he should do. Slowly he nodded and said. "Okay, Mrs. Briggs. But we will be leaving here when you are done talking." His voice was respectful but firm.

"Of course Harry. It is not my intention to stop you in your quest to rid the world of You-Know-Who, but if you are looking at these books then there are some things that I believe you should know." Mrs. Briggs said seriously.

Harry nodded again, and then turning walked across the kitchen pulled out his wand put up a silencing charm and then pulled out his mirror to call Ron and tell him to come to the cottage with Hermione.

Taylor watched her brother for a few moments and then glanced at Mrs. Briggs who was watching her carefully.

A smile pulled at the wrinkles of the older woman's face as she said, "I do believe that some tea is in order, and maybe some biscuits and marmalade. Would you get me the biscuits from the pantry dear, while I fix the tea?"

Taylor went to the pantry and took down the container with the biscuits in it, then went and took out five small plates and put them on the table with the biscuits. Taylor was just getting some silverware when Mrs. Briggs said softly "He's a very handsome young wizard, and he was very quick to defend you."

"Mrs. B! You know that Harry and I are just friends." Taylor whispered as heat crept up her face. "Besides, he has a girlfriend."

"Oh deary I know, I was simply stating the facts. Besides, I hear there is a young Hufflepuff who has his sights set on you." Mrs. Briggs said with a sly wink.

"Mrs. B!" Taylor's voice squeaked a bit as her face burnt and her heart started to pound at a wildly fast tempo. How had Mrs. Briggs heard about Greg? Did Greg really like her that much?

Harry cleared his throat, which made both witches wheel to face him. His face turned a little pink as he said, "I told Ron and Hermione. They should be here in a few minutes."

Taylor's face was still bright red as she met her brother's eye and knew he had over heard what Mrs. Briggs had said.

A knock on the door saved both brother and sister from the awkward moment.

Harry went to the door and after several questions and the code words they had agreed upon, Harry opened the door and let Ron and Hermione in.

Taylor introduced her friends to Mrs. Briggs who welcomed them warmly, as if their presence was nothing unusual and asked them all to sit after she conjured a fifth chair to set at the table. Mrs. Briggs levitated five teacups and saucers to the table as she brought over the pot of tea.

"I made your favorite tea, deary," Mrs. Briggs said to Taylor with a smile as she poured it into the cups. "I hope your friends don't mind." Taylor's face turned pink again as her friends all said that was fine.

Sitting down Mrs. Briggs offered them all a biscuit before she said in a very serious tone again, "Now Taylor dear, I need you to tell me how you found these books."

Taylor explained how she had found the hidden bookcase summer before last and that she had started to read them last summer before she went away with Harry.

Mrs. Briggs regarded her for a few seconds before she began to speak. "I guess I should start where every tale does- at the beginning. You see Mr. Briggs worked at the Ministry of Magic in the Magical History Department. Even when he was still in school Mr. Briggs was enthralled in magical history. Over the years he began to research just one aspect of our history, Dark Magic. He knew that it was different from the Dark Arts, but still very dangerous. That was when You-Know-Who started to make himself known and fear of the Dark Arts escalated. Still Mr. Briggs didn't stop his research, he had heard that You-Know-Who was also searching for information about Dark Magic and he feared that if You-Know-Who knew more than our side that it would indeed turn the tables for the Dark side. About that time, Albus Dumbledore created the Order of the Phoenix, and he asked Mr. Briggs and myself to join. Of course we didn't hesitate. I met your mother and father in the Order, Harry. A kinder witch and a finer wizard couldn't be found," Mrs. Briggs said as she smiled kindly at Harry before she continued. "Albus knew that Mr. Briggs was researching Dark Magic, he even asked Alastor to work with my husband so that they could try to understand the ancient form of magic better."

"You see, the Magical History Department at the Ministry was considered a dead end job by most and little, if anything, that went on in that department was noticed by others. That was why Mr. Briggs and Alastor continued to work there. It was very convenient for Alastor. He could just slip down from the Auror office to the History department at any time and he wouldn't be noticed."

"It had taken nearly thirty years for my husband to locate and acquire all the books you see here on the table. I remember him sitting in his favorite chair upstairs for hours, studying and reading these books. You see my husband, while he was fascinated with the study of Dark Magic, he could never use it. Dark Magic is magic; for lack of a better way to explain it, it is magic in its rawest form. I believe Alastor explained to you, Taylor how our magic now has been refined so that as long as you say the proper incantation as well as move your wand properly, you get the desired result. The use of Dark Magic is a lost art. Very few witches or wizards alive today can perform magic using Dark Magic. Unfortunately one who can is You-Know-Who. My husband believed the reason You-Know-Who can use Dark Magic is because he is the last remaining heir of Salazar Slytherin. That is why Riddle could also speak Parseltongue, which you discovered Harry, when you rescued Ginny Weasley from the Chamber of Secrets. The founders of Hogwarts you see could, at least Slytherin and Gryffindor are rumored to have been able to, use Dark Magic; which even that long ago was becoming a lost art." Mrs. Briggs paused as she looked from one to the other of the young people at her table to see if they were all following what she was saying.

"So Gryffindor and Slytherin could use Dark Magic? If that is true, why didn't they keep teaching it in the school?" Hermione asked as if she were in a classroom.

"Because Light Magic, or the magic we use now, is so much more dependable. The same spell works the same for everyone. Whereas with Dark Magic, the results can be wildly different." Mrs. Briggs answered.

"But how can Taylor use Dark Magic? She has never even studied it, other than reading those books, and you said Mr. Briggs couldn't perform it just by reading them." Harry asked intently.

Mrs. Briggs chuckled a little. "My dear boy, I am no expert on Dark Magic. What little I know I learned from living with my husband. However Alastor and I believe that one of the reasons Taylor can use Dark Magic is because of her wand. It is made of yew, the oldest known wood for wand making."

Taylor gasped and slid her wand out of its holder to stare at it. Mr. Ollivander's words from so long ago echoed in her mind as a chill ran down her spine. "I believe that we will expect great things from you Miss Porter."

"But surely there are other witches and wizards with wands made of yew. Can they all use Dark Magic?" Hermione asked.

"No. As I said it is only one possible reason Taylor is able to use the ancient magic." Mrs. Briggs said as she shook her head.

"You said that it took Mr. Briggs thirty years to collect these books, if so he must have had some of the books before You-Know-Who came into power." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Yes he did. These three," Mrs. Briggs said as she pointed them out, "the other four he was able to acquire after You-Know-Who started making a name for himself. This one," Mrs. Briggs pointed to the thinnest, shabbiest one of the books, "was the last one he found. Only two maybe three weeks before…" Mrs. Briggs sighed as a sad look came over her face, "Mr. Briggs was killed. I believe that my husband somehow knew that he was being watched. It probably had to do with this book actually, though Mr. Briggs never told me where or how he came by it. All my husband ever told me was that he had a devilish time getting the book and that it was the oldest he had. After he was killed, Alastor came to see me and told me that Mr. Briggs' books were missing. It was widely speculated that Mr. Briggs was killed for these books by all who knew about them. Alastor, Albus and I thought so too, but we didn't believe that the killer got them even though we could never find them. Alastor himself searched this house, but he could never find them."

Taylor stared at Mrs. Briggs for a long moment in shock, she had never thought that Mr. Briggs had been killed in the war, and to find out he had been killed for the books that she had found… Taylor shivered.

It was several minutes before anyone spoke. It was Mrs. Briggs who finally said, "You need to understand just how dangerous these books are; not just their contents but just the mere fact that you have them in your possession is enough to put your lives in mortal danger."

A/N First I want to say that I know I am taking liberties with the apparation laws... in the books people have to have been to a place before they can apparate there, however that can be rather restirctive... so I took the liberty of "expanding" on that a little to be able to apparate to a place as long as it was described very well or one seen a picture of it. It opens up a lot of more places for Harry and crew to go for their tenting places (I also did this when Dumbledore sent them to places looking for horcruxes in the summer) and it also allowed Taylor to guide Hermione to Brigg's Cottage. Hopefully that isn't too much of a leap for people to believe. It is necessary in this story but I try to keep it to a minimum. What did you think of Taylor's code words for Mrs B? (I couldn't resist making Taylor use words about Harry as I can see her being just a bit wonder struck about having him for a brother espeicially when she figured that he would never hear them!) Plus I can see Taylor talking to Mrs B about her friends in the summer, remember she didn't hang out with Hermione and Ron nearly as much as Harry did so the older witch was her only companion for weeks on end during the summer.

So what do you think so far? Have any questions? If so leave a review and I will write back to you in 2012! :)

I am going to try to post another chapter before 2012... but if I don't Happy New Year! And THANK YOU for reading!

Until next time, cytpotter