Nope not Jk Rowling just borrowing her wonderful charactors for a while and putting them through hell! :) I will return them... mostly intact. LOL!

Here is another chapter so you don't have to wait any longer... hope you enjoy.

Chapter Forty-three

Of Help Unforeseen

The screams tore through Taylor. Inhuman screams and they went on and on.

"Stop! Please just stop!" Taylor yelled as she beat on the door with her fists as a sob wracked her body. Hermione's screams became more and more feeble. Taylor knew her friend would pass out soon, but not before her screams inflicted more pain on Taylor's heart. She knew that if she ever made it out of here, those screams would haunt her forever. She had once envied Hermione for going first, now she was just glad that her friend didn't have to suffer through this torture as well.

Soon all was quiet above and Taylor listened for the sound of her friend being dragged back down here. Then she heard only footsteps and her heart clenched in agony, as fear unlike any she had felt yet gripped her. When the door opened her worst fears were confirmed. Hermione hadn't been brought back!

"Come on! I don't have much time!" a low oily voice hissed urgently.

Taylor shook her head, trying to clear it. Trying to think.

"Porter if you want Granger to live come here now! You need to listen. You will only get one chance!"

Taylor looked at her old potions professor as she tried to comprehend what he was saying.

"Come on! Move!" Snape hissed again as he grabbed her by the arm and forced her to move. "Now listen carefully. I will only have time to say this once! The Dark Lord is upstairs. He has come to question you. Guard your thoughts as best you can. Potter was abysmal at it. Let's hope you are better! Granger wasn't able to tell the Dark Lord much, most definitely not your secrets! Guard them well! When the Dark Lord finishes with you, we can only hope that he won't kill you outright. There will be a disturbance elsewhere that will draw everyone away. Are you listening?" Snape hissed as they started up the stairs. Taylor nodded numbly. "Your wands are over the fireplace on the mantel! Use the floo powder there and Apparate while you are in the Floo Network! Do you understand?" Snape hissed as he spoke very fast. "You will only have a few minutes in which to act."

As they neared the top of the stairs Snape put a full body-bind on Taylor and levitated her up the last few steps and out into the hall.

"Ah Snape. I thought I'd have to go give you a hand with that one! The Mudblood has tried every trick in the book!" A Death Eater grunted as Taylor was floated down the hall.

"I would hesitate to let the Dark Lord know that I allowed a Mudblood to get the better of me, especially when you were one of the incompetent fools who let Potter slip away from them again, am I right?" Snape purred silkily as he walked away from the frowning man who started to swear bitterly.

When Taylor was floated into the study she saw Voldemort for the first time. There were two others besides the tall, thin man in the long black cloak, but Taylor's eyes never left him. Anger surged through her, white hot.

"Ahh, Severus I see you at least did not have any trouble with this fierce Mudblood, that has most of my followers cowering in their boots." The cold voice said softly. "Let us have a look at this fierce creature!" With a flick of his wand, Taylor felt the binds release her and she staggered a bit sideways when her feet hit the floor. Taylor looked up at Voldemort as she squared her shoulders.

"Ahh another brave Gryffindor I see," the cold voice purred. With a flick of his wand Taylor heard the voice, this time in her head as it commanded. "Bow down to me!"

Taylor shook her head just slightly. "I said bow down to me!" Another voice asked softly, "Why? Why would I?" Taylor shook her head more forcefully and her eyes seemed to come back into focus.

"No! I don't think so." Taylor growled.

"Ahh, so brave… Crucio!"

Pain unlike anything she had ever experienced before pulsed through her, unbearable soul shattering pain. Taylor screamed.

Gasping for breath and shaking Taylor rolled over and pushed herself to her feet. As long as she was able she would not kneel or lay at Voldemort's feet.

"Ahh pitiful Gryffindor, you can not win against me. Now tell me, where is Harry Potter?"

Suddenly Taylor's necklace burned white hot against her skin as she gasped at an uncomfortable feeling in her mind, making her legs tremble.

"Ah so there is a Gryffindor who has learned Occlumency. Impressive."

Shaking as badly as if she had just endured another Cruciatus Curse, Taylor looked up at Voldemort's red slit eyes. A calm spread over her and she wasn't afraid.

"Tell me where Harry Potter is!" Voldemort ordered, as his eyes seemed to try to drill into Taylor's, her necklace burned once more but the calmness stayed and she didn't feel weak.

"I don't know where Harry is."

"Tell me what he is searching for!" Voldemort's cold voice commanded.

"I don't know what Harry is searching for." Taylor said calmly, the heat from the necklace somehow reassuring.

"Where are the Order of the Phoenix headquarters?"

"I don't know where the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters are."

"Crucio!"

Pain, endless, all consuming pain.

When it finally stopped, shaking she pushed herself up slowly until she was standing once more.

"Tell me what I want to know. I am a merciful Lord. I will end your pain quickly."

Taylor looked at Voldemort forcing her mind not to think and betray her. "You are… a mad man. Hell bent on destroying everything that is good in this world!" Taylor said as she squared her shoulders.

Again pain, that seemed to last forever.

"I am going to kill you Mudblood. Like I am going to kill all Mudbloods. Tell me what I want to know and I will make it quick, otherwise I will give you back to my loyal servant and she will torture you until you go mad." Voldemort's cold deadly voice said from right over Taylor.

Taylor rolled away and pushed up onto her feet swaying, but upright. "I do not know." Taylor fought to keep her voice even.

"Pity, such talents are wasted on you Mudblood. I could have made you very powerful, if only you had been deserving. Crucio!"

Harry sat in his empty dorm room staring at the little wrapped box in his hand. His scar was hurting and he rubbed it absently but he never took his eyes off the little wrapped box. It was for his sister from Hunter. He had found it accidentally a few minutes ago, when he had been looking in Hermione's handbag for something. He wondered why his sister had never opened it. Was it because perhaps she didn't want it? He doubted it. It was more than likely that Hunter had given it to her the night that his sister had sneaked off to see the Hufflepuff and she hadn't had a chance to open it. Or didn't want to after he had all but accused her of choosing the Head Boy over him.

Harry could feel the lump forming in his throat as he thought about what his sister had said about wanting to be courageous enough to know what love was if she didn't make it through the war… With a shaking hand Harry carefully put the little wrapped box back where he got it.

Shaking and almost too weak to move, Taylor heard a noise like an explosion and yells coming from outside the study.

"Lucius! Go see what is causing all that commotion." Voldemort ordered.

Taylor opened her eyes slightly. She needed to look unconscious, if Snape's plan was going to work. She could see Hermione lying near the wall on the other side of the room, the opposite end from the fireplace.

A few minutes slowly crept by before a frightened Death Eater opened the door to the study. "My Lord! It's Nagini! There was an explosion in the potions room!"

Taylor heard Voldemort gasp then in a thunderous voice "I will kill the imbecile who allowed this to happen! They will beg me to die long before I end their suffering!"

Taylor lay still for a few seconds after the door slammed, then she cautiously looked up, but the room was empty. Shaking so hard that her limbs would barely support her she crawled to the fireplace as fast as she could. Snape's warning that she wouldn't have much time echoing in her head, driving her faster.

When she reached the fireplace she used the marble bricks to help pull herself up. On top of the mantel, were the wands and the floo powder. Picking up her wand Taylor pointed it at Hermione as her other hand dug into the floo powder.

"Accio Hermione!" Taylor called and watched as her friend flew towards her.

Taylor threw the floo powder into the fire as she caught Hermione around the waist. She could hear footsteps fast approaching as she staggered into the green flames.

"Burgin and Burkes!" Taylor yelled as the door to the study burst open and in came two Death Eaters with wands drawn.

They were too late, as Taylor and Hermione spun away into the Floo Network

Taylor grit her teeth, and forced her mind to concentrate. Destination. Determination. Deliberation. Fixing the gates at Hogwarts firmly in her mind, Taylor twisted with all her might clutching Hermione against her.

The nauseating spinning stopped as she felt the familiar bands of Apparition squeezing her. The next second her feet slammed into the frozen snow covered ground beside the stone boars at Hogwarts.

Both witches hit the ground, and Taylor lay still as the snow soaked through the filthy rags that she wore.

Snow swirled around her. She was exhausted. Looking around she could see that there were no tracks in the snow. She knew the gates were sealed. As a cold wind blew ice pellets into her face, she realized that she might freeze to death out here. Escaping from Death Eater headquarters only to freeze to death outside the gates of the school.

Struggling to roll over she finally made it to her knees, swaying. A tiny voice asked, what if he isn't in there, but she couldn't afford that possibility and pushed the thought away.

Taylor closed her eyes and looked for what she needed, and then from the horrors that she had faced this past while she saw it. Her brother.

"Expecto Patronum!" a large silvery white doe burst from her wand.

Taylor watched as her Patronus disappeared through the gathering darkness and snow before she fell forwards into the snow too exhausted to care.

Harry was sitting in the common room watching the fire. The wind was rattling the windows as snow swirled past them, but by the fire it was warm and cozy.

"Man, I can't believe I have early patrol tonight with that git Hunter!" Ron growled as he flopped down beside Harry.

Harry just rolled his eyes. In the few days since Hunter had cornered them in the bathroom Ron had taken a great disliking for the Head Boy, probably because he had stupefied the red head. Harry however couldn't really find that much to fault the Hufflepuff for. Hunter had spoken to him when he met him in the halls but that was it.

The common room was only about half full as many students were still at the library, finishing eating in the Great Hall or out at this early hour.

Suddenly a bright white light filled the common room and Harry wheeled around to see what it was. His heart nearly stopped when the large white doe walked towards him lowering its head as a weak, broken voice spoke, "Harry. I'm…at… the gates. Please be here!"

Harry stood rooted to the spot for three whole heartbeats as the Patronus faded away.

"Taylor!" Harry breathed as he turned and bolted for the portrait hole, colliding with someone in his hurry to get out, making both fall in a heap.

"What's the hurry Potter?" Hunter asked as he untangled his legs from the Gryffindor, as Ron leaped over them to avoid falling too.

Harry barely registered the Head Boy before Ron was grabbing him and pulling him to his feet.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?" The Hufflepuff asked jumping to his feet and grabbing Potter's arm. If these two were in this much of a hurry, then something was up.

"It's Taylor!" Harry snarled as he yanked his arm free.

"What?" Greg asked stunned as his heart slammed against his ribs.

"Taylor! She's at the front gates!" Harry yelled as he started to sprint down the hallway after Ron.

Greg's long legs stretched out as he tore after Harry and he made it to the stairs about the same time Harry did. He caught Harry's arm again nearly yanking the Gryffindor off his feet this time. "What are you talking about? How can you be sure?" Greg demanded.

"She sent me her Patronus!" Harry snarled as he tried to yank his arm free again.

"We will need an auror or the Headmistress to get out through the gates!" Greg clipped as he thought about what they would have to do to get to Taylor.

Harry nodded as he started down the stairs. "They still might be in the Great Hall!"

Ron now had a good head start, but Harry and Greg raced down through the castle taking the stairs two and three at a time, nearly running into numerous people in their haste. Ron wiped out on the third floor as a stair way suddenly shifted and moved out of his reach. He was just getting to his feet as Greg and Harry raced by.

The great marble stairs that reached up from the Entrance Hall, echoed loudly as the three seventh years flew down them abreast. They hadn't made it off the last step when a voice called.

"Halt! Just where do you think you three are going in such a hurry?" Professor McGonagall's voice demanded.

Gasping for breath Harry panted. "Taylor, she's at the gates!"

"Taylor? Miss Porter? How do you know?"

Greg beat Harry to it this time. "Her Patronus! She sent her Patronus!"

"Please Professor! We need to get to the gates!" Ron added panting heavily.

Professor McGonagall nodded and she drew her wand out and with a wave she conjured a Patronus of her own, which she sent off before turning and saying. "Let's go."

Harry wished desperately that he could pick the Professor up and carry her to hasten her along, as she ordered them to stay with her as she walked out of the castle and towards the gates.

It was dark now and the snow was driven by the harsh wind, stinging their faces and hands. None had taken the time to go get a cloak or warmer clothing and by the time they were half way across the grounds they were shivering.

"Please Professor, hurry!" Harry muttered as he walked beside the Headmistress, fighting the urge to ignore her command and run ahead. The only thing that stopped him was thinking how hard it would be to wait inside the gates if his sister was laying just outside and he couldn't get to her.

Greg was muttering himself but he was praying that Potter was right and Taylor was just outside.

Ron wanted to ask if Harry thought that Hermione was there too but he was too afraid. Knowing that if his witch wasn't…

"Professor? What's going on?" Called the deep voice of Shacklebolt as he and another ran towards them out of the gloom.

"There is a student reportedly outside the castle gates!" McGonagall called over the wind.

"A student? But how?" Called Shacklebolt as he reached them taking note of Potter, Weasley and Hunter.

"Harry! What's going on?" Lupin demanded. He'd been in Kingsley's office when the urgent Patronus had arrived.

"It's Taylor! She sent me her Patronus!" Harry explained, as the gates loomed ahead of them out of the darkness.

"Headmistress, need I remind you that it will take a few minutes to get the wards back up. If this is a trick…" Kingsley pointed out solemnly.

McGonagall looked at Harry and could see the desperation in his face as they reached the stone boars that stood guard at the castle gates. "On my mark Kingsley. Now!"

There was a strange hiss and the gates swung open. Harry not waiting another second raced through, Ron and Greg right behind him as calls to stop went unheeded.

For a second Harry couldn't see anything and then he could just make out a form lying in the snow. Dropping to his knees beside the body he reached out to brush the snow away as someone ignited their wand. The wind shifted and blew long wild strands of hair about. "Hermione!" Harry breathed as he reached out and Ron who was suddenly beside him helped to turned her over.

"Dear Merlin above!" Ron gasped as he caught sight of her battered, thin face.

Kingsley quickly passed his wand over the witch. "She's alive but just barely. We need to get her to the Hospital Wing now!" Another flick of his wand and a stretcher lifted Hermione up off the ground. "Weasley head back to the castle."

Harry stood up, looking around frantically.

"Over here!" Greg shouted as he too saw a shape in the snow. Using his wand he cleared the snow off the still form and dropped to his knees beside it.

"Please Merlin, please," he whispered as he reached out and turned the body over. By his dim wand light the face that met his eyes was almost unrecognizable. The glasses were cracked so badly that he was amazed that anyone could see out of them. The face was bruised, swollen and bloody. The lips were cracked and dry. He felt someone beside him.

"Oh god Taylor…" Harry breathed as he tried to keep a sob from escaping.

"'Arry…"

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Taylor?"

"'Arry. 'Myonee." The thin whisper of a voice said, almost lost in the wind.

"We found her Taylor, don't worry. We found you." Harry said as he picked up his sister's hand and squeezed it.

"Harry, ask her your code. We need to be sure!" Kingsley ordered.

Harry sent the auror a dirty look but he asked, "Taylor can you remember our code? The one you used at Briggs Cottage!" Harry prayed that maybe Taylor could remember that.

"Green firebolt" The voice was weak straining to say the words

"And Mrs. B said 'Yellow curds'."

Kingsley nodded as he conjured another stretcher for Taylor. "Potter, Hunter take Miss Porter up to the Hospital Wing and wait there for us!"

A/N So there you go... Taylor and Hermione finally escaped from Voldemort. They are not out of the woods yet but at least they made it back to Hogwarts. So what did you think? Beleivable? And what about Snape? I know some of you thought he was bad... ;) A couple of things I want to clear up, one is WHY Harry didn't see Voldemort torturing Hermione and Taylor(even though we didn't 'see' Hermione's torture session with Voldemort) well I fugured that Harry doesn't get visions about EVERYTHING Voldemort does just particularily strong emotions from the evil wizard and I figured that Voldemort torturing two lowly mudbloods wouldn't really elict any really strong emotion... other then his usual demented twisted normal emotions. If that makes sense.

The second thing was Apparating within the Floo Network... I don't ever recall ever seeing that it couldn't be done. Harry learned how to do it from a broomstick in Deathly Hallows. So I took a little writters liscense and made it possible. Hopefully it is belivable. So what do you think? Let me know if anything is confusing or not right and I will either explain why I did it and try to make it less confusing or try to fix it... unlike my rambling A/N :)

Thank you for reading and a HUGE Thank You to Riniko22 and Liza Cobbler who so kindly left me a review! This update is for you! :) Plus for those who Alerted and Favorited... this is for you too! ;) I will update again soon! Speacial thank you to barbc who keeps bataing these chapters very quickly! You are the best! Well until next time, cytpotter.