If I owned Harry... well let's just say that I wouldn't stop at 7 books! And I would write the Mauraders story as well! In 7 or so books! :)

I will twist this quote just a bit... "Becasue I am a kind writter, I will make you suffer no longer for the next chapter..."

:) Cyber cookies for those who know who I am attempting to quote. ;)

Chapter Forty-two

To Live In Hell

"You're leaving again." Ginny said, it wasn't a question, as she leaned against the door frame of Percy's old room. The one Harry had slept in last night, when he had finally come down from Ron's room long after midnight.

Harry glanced up from where he had some things spread out on the bed. He'd been looking through Hermione's magically enlarged handbag that the tent and everything else was stored in. Taking out a couple of items that he wanted to examine before he left, like a rough map that Hermione had kept of where they had camped already and other spots that they could try.

"Yeah we are." Harry said firmly as he turned back to what he had been doing. It hurt him to see the pain on Ginny's face.

"I want to come with you!" Ginny said as she came to stand beside him looking at the odd assortment of things on the bed.

"Absolutely not."

"I could help! I could…"

"Get hurt, or killed… or caught like Hermione and Taylor. No you're not coming!" Harry said forcefully as he turned to look at Ginny. His voice softened as he put his hands on her shoulders. "Ginny if something happens to you… I don't think I… I wouldn't survive it. Hermione and Taylor…if… almost killed me, but you…" Harry paused searching for the words to let her know how he felt. "When this war is over… I need you Ginny. I need you to be there waiting for me." In a way Harry knew that he wasn't being fair. He knew that there was a very good possibility that he wouldn't live to see the war ended, but he knew if he did, then Ginny had to be there.

"Don't worry, I will be Harry! I love you." Ginny promised as she hugged him tightly.

Harry returned her hug as he dropped his head down by her ear. "I love you Ginny Weasley!" he whispered and then caught her lips as she turned her head and kissed her tenderly. Trying to show her how much he meant it.

"Oi! If you guys are going to do that, at least close the door! That's disgusting!" Ron groaned at the door.

"Go away Ron!" Ginny growled as Harry drew back, hating her brother at that moment for his untimely arrival.

"That is my sister you know, Potter!" Ron growled as he watched his friend back away from his sister as he crossed the room to the bed.

"A Bat-Boogie hex might be just the thing you need Ron, to keep your nose out of other people's business!" Ginny snapped as she drew her wand.

Harry caught Ginny's hand before she could do anything and shook his head. With a huff, Ginny slid her wand back into her pocket.

"Be aware Ron. If you ever break anything on Harry again, or if you don't bring him back to school in perfect health, I am going to hex you so thoroughly that Mum and Dad will not recognize you!" With that she turned on her heel and marched out of the room.

Ron watched her go, bewildered. "Witches! There is no understanding them."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley didn't want the two to leave, but in the end there wasn't anything that they could do to prevent it, shy of holding them against their will. Harry promised that they would be back in time to go to Hogwarts when the next term started. He just hadn't mentioned that the two of them might not be staying in school. It was difficult to say goodbye to Ginny, but with the thought of seeing her in five days, it was easier than it might be next time.

Mrs. Weasley packed them enough food supplies to keep them easily for the five days until term started.

This time was much different than the last time they had gone off. The two moved from place to place searching. Looking for any clue that a Death Eater might be near. They made camp late at night and were up and gone first thing the next morning.

Searching, always searching for any clue as to where Hermione and Taylor might be.

Taylor sat in the dark cell, her hands covering her ears as Hermione's screams echoed off the walls.

A Death Eater had come down and taken Hermione.

They always took Hermione first, leaving Taylor to listen to her friend being tortured above in the study. Almost inhuman screams tore at Taylor as she sat helpless, sometimes Petrified, though never stunned so that she couldn't hear, when she would attempt to try to stop them from taking Hermione.

Rocking back and forth Taylor cried. Her hands were raw from beating uselessly at the door and stonewall or digging just as uselessly at the rock floor, anything to try to get to Hermione and help her.

Time was meaningless. They could have been here for days, or weeks.

The only thing that they knew was that they would be taken upstairs to the study and tortured and then brought back down. Sometimes they would wake to find a little dirty water and some moldy bread lying on the floor.

Hermione had been able to make a tiny fire with wandless magic no bigger then a match, so that the two could see for short periods of time eating and drinking what was left for them. They found out that it was very draining to do wandless magic, and with the torture that they were forced to endure they hadn't made any more progress.

Hermione's screams finally stopped, and Taylor stood up, knowing that they would drag her friend back down here, and then they would take her. In a way she envied Hermione, for her friend was always unconscious when they brought her back and she didn't have to listen to the screams from above.

She could hear the thumps as they dragged Hermione down the steps and then the door was opening, flooding the small cell with light. The Death Eater dropped the witch onto the floor and turned towards her.

"Are you going to come along quietly this time Mudblood? Or do I get to have some fun too?" The gruff, nasally voice asked.

Taylor met his evil eyes, as anger coursed through her. She had received plenty of the fun that the Death Eater could dole out. She seldom went quietly. Every fiber in her being told her to fight. Fight them with everything she had.

She glanced down at Hermione lying on the ground and was relieved to see her chest was rising and falling. "You had better pray I never see you outside these walls!" Taylor hissed before she walked out of the cell as the Death Eater behind her laughed.

She never tried the same thing twice, and so this time when she was almost at the top of the stairs she jumped… backwards. Smashing into the startled Death Eater and causing him to fall back down the steps. Taylor landed on top of him and jumped to her feet instantly and raced back up the stairs as the Death Eater swore loudly.

She never made it past the top of the steps before she was frozen but still it was worth it.

"Dolohov how many times do I need to tell you not to mess around with this Mudblood? Bellatrix will be furious!" A slick sounding voice said from over where Taylor couldn't see frozen in place like she was.

Taylor was floated into the study and, as predicted, Bellatrix was furious.

"Why do I put up with such incompetent fools? Allowing a Mudblood to best you!" Bellatrix yelled at Dolohov as he came into the study. "You had better sharpen up before the Dark Lord gets here! He will not be as forgiving as I am!"

Taylor felt the charm holding her stiff released and knew what was coming. Taking a deep breath she forced her body to relax.

"Crucio!"

The spell caught Taylor as she was sinking to the floor. Pain enveloped her body and she fell, screaming onto the floor. But the pain was almost bearable, even though she still screamed and twisted on the floor in agony, it wasn't quite as intense. Also by relaxing just before the spell hit, when Bellatrix finally lifted the curse, Taylor didn't feel the debilitating effects quite as acutely, even after repeatedly enduring the Cruciatus Curse.

Taylor lay on her back breathing heavily. She heard a door open and then a voice she would recognize anywhere. A smooth, oily voice.

"I see you are playing again with the Dark Lord's prisoners. He will be most displeased if you fry their weak minds before he can question them, Bellatrix." Snape said.

"You don't worry about what I do. I can't wait to see what you are going to tell the Dark Lord about your long absence. I would be more worried about myself if I were you." Bellatrix said in a superior voice.

"Where I have been is between the Dark Lord and I."

Taylor rolled over onto her side so that she could see her old professor, extremely surprised to see him here. Knowing that he knew her secret. He looked over at her, his hard black eyes locking with hers for just a second before he looked away.

Bellatrix laughed and pointed her wand at Taylor again.

Barely conscious Taylor was dropped onto the floor of the cell. Even by relaxing as she did, the toll on her was high both mentally and physically.

It was silent for a long time, and Taylor wondered if she might have slept, or passed out. When she became aware again she could hear something moving in the dark, and a something touched her.

"Taylor? Are you there?" Hermione asked weakly.

"Yeah, do you think there is some water?" They had stopped asking if they were okay or all right, knowing that it was a senseless question.

A tiny flame pushed the blackness back some, enough to see a chipped cup sitting by the door.

Moving carefully Hermione crawled across to the cup, picked it up and brought it back to where Taylor was lying.

With an effort Taylor sat up, and carefully took the cup that Hermione passed to her. Her throat was parched, and she could have easily drunk the whole cup and still not been satisfied, but she couldn't do that to her friend. They never knew when they would get a little more water.

Slowly, cherishing every drop, Taylor took a mouth full of the stale, dirty water and held it in her mouth for a long second before swallowing. She then passed the cup back to Hermione who did the same thing.

There was enough water in the cup for each girl to have two mouthfuls of water.

The bread they hid in a corner under a loose stone, knowing that it would just make them thirstier. Maybe next time they would have a little more water and they could soak the bread before they ate it.

Hermione then let her tiny flame go out and the cell was once again pitch black. The two huddled together for comfort and warmth, wondering how long it would be before a Death Eater came for them again.

Taylor told Hermione about seeing Snape and what she had heard about Voldemort coming. With a detached sort of voice Taylor allowed her thoughts to take voice.

"I wonder how Snape escaped? He knows about me… I suppose he will make Voldemort happy when he tells him all about me." A pause. "Voldemort might actually ask us some questions. I think I would rather be asked questions then Crucioed for nothing more then to pleasure Bellatrix. I heard old Malfoy. He kindly froze me at the top of the stairs."

"Taylor, why do you keeping doing things like that? Keep antagonizing them?" Hermione asked sleepily.

"Because, maybe I'll get lucky and make them think twice about coming for us." Taylor growled as she wrapped her arms around the other witch protectively.

"You're just going to get yourself hurt or killed. Then where would I be? I wouldn't have a pillow or a warm body to lay beside."

Taylor didn't say any more, just let Hermione drift off to sleep.

Exhausted Harry still made his legs move. He had been on watch duty but the sun was now starting to lighten the eastern sky so it was time to head out. "Let's go Ron." He called and heard the other wizard groan before the bed creaked as he rolled out.

They had been searching for the two witches, non-stop for six days. They hadn't found anything. It was like the Death Eaters had all gone away. Or more likely were laying low before they did something big.

The Hogwart's Express had taken most of the students back to the school yesterday, but Harry and Ron had decided that they would use one more day to search. Not that they would have taken the train anyway. It was just too dangerous for them to be on the train in case the Death Eaters attacked it looking for them.

Harry had already contacted Moody and told him that they would meet the old auror at the gates of the school at seven that morning so he could let them in.

"I can't wait to get some good food! No offence Harry, but you're not the best cook… and I'm starving!"

Harry nodded suddenly feeling sorry for his complaints to his sister about the food she had prepared during the time they were away in the summer.

"With any luck, we'll be eating breakfast at Hogwarts." Harry said with a bit of a smile. He really wasn't sure why he was going back to the school. He should stay out here looking, but for some reason, he felt like he was betraying Hermione and his sister by not going back. He knew they wouldn't be at the school, but still, he had to go back.

It didn't take long to pack up the tent and pull the invisibility cloak over them both, then turning, Harry Apparated them back to the school gates. Their wands were out and they were ready for trouble.

Only Moody, Shacklebolt and Hagrid waited at the gates and after exchanging the code words, they went in.

Moody led them up to the Headmistress's office and after a quick word with Professor McGonagall, the two boys headed for their common room, a shower and changed into their school clothes. Their trunks were already waiting for them at the end of their beds.

The hardest part, by far, was walking into the Great Hall. Everyone turned to stare at them as they walked to the Gryffindor table and a buzz started soon after. The school, it seemed, had heard about Hermione and Taylor's disappearance and noticed that Harry and Ron had been absent the night before for the returning feast.

The Gryffindor table was relatively quiet, as Harry and Ron sat down beside Ginny and Neville. Their fellow Gryffindors left them alone as they ate.

Harry was glad to see Ginny again, and she talked to him and Ron while they ate. It was Neville though that told them about one other student that had gone missing during the holidays. The buzz though it seemed was about the Head Girl disappearing.

When they were finished, they all got up at the same time, the three boys heading out to the greenhouses and Ginny hooking up with a group of other sixth years to go to potions.

They were half way across the frozen grounds when a voice called to them from behind.

"Potter!" bellowed the angry voice.

Harry swung around, his wand sliding into his hand ready if there was trouble. He could see a small group of boys, obviously trying to hold someone back, over by a clump of bushes out of sight from the school or green houses. He could hear them arguing and then someone broke free.

"Potter! I want a word with you!" The Head Boy yelled as he shook off the last restraining hand and headed for Harry.

Harry glanced over at Ron and saw his eyebrow raise but he knew that his friend was ready. A quick look at Neville wasn't as reassuring. Still Harry wasn't worried about five, seventh year Hufflepuffs.

Greg Hunter's long legs carried him over the frozen lawn in long angry strides. He was seething! He had been at home when Moody had come to see if Taylor and Hermione were there. When his father had told the old auror that they weren't, Moody then told him about the two witches being taken by Death Eaters. Greg had asked the old auror a few questions but the only thing Moody would tell him was that there had been a fight and when help had gone looking the two witches were nowhere to be found. After Moody had left, Greg and his father had an awful row, about going and looking for Taylor himself. If his cousin Bruce hadn't been there, Greg didn't know what he would have done. The past eight days had been hell. His only consolation was seeing Potter in the Great Hall that morning and knowing he was going to confront the Chosen One! His friends had tried to talk him out of it.

By the time he stopped in front of Potter his blue eyes were hard and cold.

"What do you want Hunter?" Harry asked belligerently, he had a sneaking suspicion that he knew.

"Where is Taylor?" Greg snarled.

"What is it to you?" Ron challenged.

Greg barely spared the other wizard a glance. "Butt out Weasley. This is between Potter and me! Now I want to know what the hell happened to Taylor!"

"I believe Ron has it right. What is she to you?" Harry asked his voice going ice cold.

"You damn well know what she is to me! She is my girlfriend! Now tell me what the bloody hell happened!" Greg commanded, his voice going cold too.

"Taylor is no girlfriend of yours! Now if you know what is good for you, you will turn around and head back into the school and mind your own bloody business!" Harry ground out as anger ignited in his stomach and coursed through his veins. A fight was just what he needed to get rid of some of the frustration that had built up over the past week.

"I'm not scared of you Potter!" Greg growled before he quirked his mouth in a nasty grin. "Twenty points from Gryffindor."

Neville spoke for the first time. "What for?"

"For being a pigheaded fool!"

It was clear that Greg wanted to say more but one of the Hufflepuffs yelled a warning that someone was coming so he finished with. "And for dawdling between classes."

Ron let out a snort of disgust as Greg turned to head back towards the other Hufflepuffs, but he added over his shoulder. "This isn't over Potter!"

It was that night after supper when Greg found Harry again, this time in the boy's lavatory on the fourth floor. Harry and Ron where in there alone when the Head Boy entered, disarming them both before they had a chance to move.

"Now Potter you and I are going to finish our little chat! We don't need you as a witness Weasley." Greg stunned Ron where he stood.

Harry glared at the Hufflepuff as Ron fell to the floor. He was surprised at how fast he had been disarmed, and knew it was because he had let his guard down. A very dangerous thing for him to do.

"What do you want Hunter?"

With another flick of his wand the Head Boy sealed and silenced the washroom. "I want a private word with you, Potter. I want to know what happened to Taylor!"

"And I told you it was none of your business!"

"Well I'm making it my business!" Greg snarled as he walked closer storing his wand safely in his back pocket, out of reach of Potter. "I suppose she told you about coming to my place the day before she disappeared?"

Harry nodded not sure just what the Hufflepuff was getting at.

"Did she tell you that she was unconscious when I found her? Lying outside my house in the snow? Along with Hermione? Did she tell you that she was so weak when she finally woke up that she couldn't even sit up? My dad checked them both over. Hermione was just hit with a stunner, but Taylor had her magical powers drained somehow!" A muscle jumped along the Head Boy's jaw, his eyes never leaving Harry's face. "I see that isn't a surprise to you. I suppose you know that she is underage also?"

"What do you want Hunter? I know all that! Taylor told me everything." Harry snapped.

"I want to know what happened to her when she left my place! I want to know why you allowed an underage witch to go roaming all over the countryside with you. I want to know how you allowed her to be taken by Death Eaters! Taylor and Hermione, but you and Ron are here! Safe at Hogwarts!" Greg snarled. He was furious by the end as he clenched his fists by his sides.

"None of your damn business! Taylor is my responsibility! I'll worry about her!" Harry snapped as anger heated his veins.

"You sure as hell aren't doing a very good job!" Hunter bellowed as Harry's fist made contact with his jaw.

"Go to hell! You don't know jack shit!" Harry yelled breathing hard as if he'd just run up a long flight of stairs.

Greg shoved Harry into the wall.

"I know Taylor is helping you! With whatever the hell you are doing! I know that she is scared. Scared of somehow displeasing you. I suppose you know that she is willing to do what ever it takes to protect you? Including dying?" Greg asked coldly.

Harry stared at the Hufflepuff for a long time, shocked that his sister had told him so much.

"Look Potter. I'm not looking to find out what you are up to. I surmised that it has something to do with You-Know-Who. All I want to know is what happened to Taylor. I've been going crazy for eight days. I almost came to blows with my old man when he wouldn't let me go looking for her. I need to know… " Greg looked away from Harry for the first time as pain spread from his eyes to his whole face.

With a deep breath, Greg turned and walked away towards the other end of the washroom.

Harry watched him go, shocked by the agony in the other wizard's eyes. It was a while before he asked quietly "Why do you care? Two weeks before school let out you'd never even spoke to Taylor."

Greg turned around to face Harry once more. "It took me a lot longer than that to finally get her alone. You and Weasley are like bodyguards. You probably won't believe me, but I love her." Greg shrugged his shoulders indicating that he could care less if Harry believed him or not.

Harry stared at the other wizard for a long time. Remembering what Taylor had told him, about how she felt about the Hufflepuff, that she thought that she might love him. Harry looked up at the ceiling. This was the guy his sister more than likely loved. The one she had sneaked off to go see, and then returned to when she needed to go someplace safe.

"Look, I… I always wanted Taylor to be happy. She never showed any interest in a guy until you. I owe it to her to tell you what happened. I love Taylor too. Hermione and Taylor are the sisters I never had." Harry paused and swallowed the lump that had formed there. "We Apparated to a new campsite, but there was a group of Death Eaters there. In the ensuing fight, Ron was stunned and so was Hermione… I was going to Apparate Ron out of there and Taylor was going to go with Hermione… I was hit with a curse before I could go… Taylor… she put up her shield…" Harry drew in a ragged breath before he continued. "and told me to go, that she'd get Hermione..." Harry shook his head and looked away from the Hufflepuff as shame once again flooded his stomach causing it to roll violently.

Greg stood and stared at the Gryffindor as his anger warred with sorrow. He saw the agony on the Chosen One's face and could guess that it had taken a lot for Potter to tell him what had happened.

"There was no sign of her when you went back?"

Harry shook his head. "We've been searching ever since, but we haven't been able to find anything."

Greg looked away again. He'd wanted to know. Needed to know. Slowly he nodded his head. "Thank you Potter. I… just thank you."

Ron groaned then and Greg pulled his wand out and tossed the two Gryffindor wands to Harry. "He'll be fine in a few more minutes. I'll… I'll make sure that no one bothers you." He turned and, removing the wards, he left the bathroom pausing to wait outside. Making sure that no one went in until Weasley and Potter came out and could handle any trouble that they might find.

A/N Well there you have it another chapter! And what a chapter it was! Hopefully I was able to get the pain and anger and utter hell that not only Taylor and Hermione are living through but Harry, Ron and Greg as well. This was meant to be a chapter filled with pain... both physically and mentally! Hopefully I made it believable!

I want to take a few minutes and address a couple of things that have come up in reviews so if anyone else is wondering about the answers then they know as well. First is the question about Taylor's age and when she will be of age... The way I look at it this Harry just turned 17 the last of July, and Taylor is at least 1 year younger then he is... so Taylor would of just turned 16(whenever her last birthday was-sometime in August or September)((that will come up later in the story!)) so she will not turn of age until next August or Septemebr. Hopefully this makes sense!

The other thing that was mentioned was that Taylor is a superwitch... and while I apperciate the idea and even struggled at times with it, I have TRIED NOT to make Taylor into a superwitch. I look at her as being equal to Harry, they both have strengths but in different areas... like Harry struggles in Potions and Taylor is a wiz. Taylor struggles to keep up with her brother in DADA and in their research lessons with Shacklebolt. Harry also has his struggles with Voldemort and his abilities and so does Taylor... maybe Taylor struggles a bit more in this department in this story. I see them complimenting each other and I have tired to write them as such. Please let me know how I am doing with this!

Okay enough A/N rambling... I want to thank you for reading if you have gotten this far then... cyber cookies to you! :) and THANK YOU! Plus for those who Alert, Favorite and Review... You guys are the best! And last but not least barbc, my wonderful bata! Thanks girl! Well until next time(which will be soon!), cytpotter.