A disclaimer... if I was really JK Rowling don't you think I would of admitted it by now? So I'm just a poor novice writer having fun with Harry and Co.!

Chapter Fifty

Quidditch and a Warning

True to his word, Harry didn't quit the quidditch team. Instead he threw himself into training the team. They practiced three nights a week and once on the weekend on Saturday morning, unless there was a game in which case practice was on Sunday. The third Saturday in January, during a sleet storm, the Slytherins beat the Ravenclaws. Most that were there to watch said the Slytherin seeker didn't so much as catch the snitch, as run blindly into it. However the end result was the same.

Taylor also kept her word and practically moved into the library, getting up early and going there before classes and staying until it closed at night, missing only the nights she had research sessions with Harry in the Defense classroom. Hermione was almost constantly with her, unless she was on patrol, and the two witches searched the library like none had before. Harry, Ron and Ginny were there as much as possible, as was the Hufflepuff, though he really didn't know what the Gryffindors were searching for.

When the main part of the library had been thoroughly searched, Taylor and Hermione asked the Headmistress for permission to search the restricted section.

The first of February, the five-some plus the Hufflepuff started their search of the restricted section.

Late the second Friday night of February, not long before curfew, Taylor sat at the back table with the four other Gryffindors and the Hufflepuff and she was barricaded behind a mound of books as usual. Also, as was usual, she wasn't paying attention to the hushed talk that was going on between the rest of the table occupants. The book she was reading was very dark, and full of Dark Art magic. It made her skin crawl just to read it. It talked of death and ways of killing…

"Hey Taylor!" Ron said as he reached over and gave her a poke to get her attention, only to find a wand pointing in his face and angry hazel eyes glaring at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, but we've been trying to get your attention."

Taylor looked up over the pile of books to see the others looking at her. "Did you find something?'

"No, we were just talking about the game tomorrow." Harry said as he looked at the bloodshot eyes of his sister before they dropped away and he knew she was going back to reading. "Oi! Porter!" Harry growled as he flicked his wand and a few drops of water flew out to splatter on her head.

"Potter, what do you want?" Taylor growled, not bothering to look up this time as she quickly jotted a bit of information down. Hermione had suggested that they keep track of anything that even hinted toward a Horcrux, so they could go find the reference again and possibly piece together something from the different books.

"We are going to the game tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay." Taylor's eyes flew as she read the passage over and then added some to her parchment.

"We are all going, you too!" Harry said firmly.

"What?" Taylor asked after a few seconds as she ran the information through her head before looking up.

"What did you find? Is it something we can use?" Hermione asked as she took in the distracted look on the other witches face.

Taylor beckoned her friend over and the two witches put their heads together talking fast.

Ron shook his head. "You're fighting a losing battle there mate."

Harry shot his friend a look but he hadn't missed the hurt look that passed over the Hufflepuff's face. While Harry still wasn't sure if the Head Boy was right for his sister he couldn't fault the guy for not trying. The Gryffindors had just told the Hufflepuff that they were looking for some Dark Art stuff that had to do with death, and he had helped to look. When he found anything that he thought might be useful, he always showed it to one of them. Over the past weeks Harry had even grown to grudgingly like the Head Boy and his straightforward manner.

The curfew bell rang and they all got up, hurriedly putting the books back. Taylor and Hermione hadn't stopped talking yet and followed the others out of the library.

When they reached the stairs that the Hufflepuff usually took Taylor looked up and gave the Head Boy an apologetic look as she said a hurried goodbye.

They were almost to their common room when Harry dropped back with the two witches as they continued to rapidly discuss something.

"Okay spill you two. What is going on? Taylor you barely even looked at Hunter before he left."

Taylor glanced up at her brother and smiled tiredly. She'd never admit it to anyone but she was sick of going to the library, but it would soon be over… "Hermione and I just realized something."

Hermione broke in saying. "I didn't think it was possible but it's true. Another day or so and we will have searched the whole library."

Harry stared at the two witches and slowly shook his head. "Really? That's good, but tomorrow we are going to the game."

"But Harry, if we look tomorrow we can finish! We'll know for sure!" Taylor cried excitedly as she crawled through the portal and into the common room behind Ron and Ginny.

"Taylor, don't you remember what tomorrow is?" Harry asked arching his eyebrow.

Taylor stopped and looked at her brother for a long time as she tried to remember anything but the books she'd been searching through… Her face dropped and her mouth fell open, "Oh no… Greg's game. It's tomorrow! I completely forgot!"

Harry shook his head again.

"What do you mean you forgot? We've been talking about it all week!" Ron asked as he sat down by the fire. "If Hufflepuff wins, it will put them in the lead with us."

Taylor looked at him for a long moment. She didn't remember hearing anything like that.

"Porter, you have to get your head out of that library!" Ginny remarked as she walked by.

Taylor sighed. She hated it too but she had promised that she'd search. She sat down on the chair as the others sat on the sofas.

"So I hear that there is going to be a Valentine's party for fifth year and up in the Charms classroom Sunday night. What do you think, should we go?" Ginny asked as she looked at Harry and then Ron and Hermione finally glancing at Taylor.

"Sunday is Valentine's day?" Taylor asked surprised.

"Hermione are you sure those books aren't sucking her brains out?" Ginny asked dryly.

"Oh stow it Ginny," Taylor grumbled as Ron and Harry grinned.

"Well, we ah… won't be going." Harry said as his face turned red. "Unless you really want to." He added as he looked at his girlfriend.

"Oh! Did you have something else planned?" Ginny asked innocently.

Taylor knew she had been out of the loop for a while but she recognized when Ginny was trying to make her brother reveal his plans for their date.

"Well…" Harry was bright red by now and very flustered.

"Of course!" Taylor piped up. She so missed these times when they were just together, not reading, not searching. "I'm sure he has the whole evening planned." An impish grin pulling at her face.

"Taylor!" Harry growled at his sister. She wasn't helping.

"There'll be candles, and music and…"

"…your hexed butt if you don't quit it!" Harry growled more seriously.

The others talked for a while about going to the Valentine's party. Taylor didn't bother to say anything either way. She didn't know if Greg wanted to go or not. He hadn't mentioned Valentine's day at all… well not that she could remember… Taylor sighed again. She'd be so glad to finally be through searching the library.

The darkness had slowly lost its hold on the two witches, and they were once again fine in the dark. One or the other would sometimes have a nightmare, but when they did, they were there for one another. They were just bad dreams after all. Nothing that waking and having a friend to hold you couldn't solve.

Early the next morning Taylor rolled out of her bed dressing silently and quickly. Taking her cloak and mittens, she stole out of the dorm room and down to the empty common room. Some time ago McGonagall had let it slip that Madame Pince liked to be in the library early on Saturday mornings, to work in peace, is what the Headmistress had said. Taylor had taken advantage of that knowledge and was often at the library when the librarian got there at six.

Today was no exception and Taylor immediately headed for her back table and started her search. By nine fifteen Taylor had made her way through a large stack of books from the restricted section, but at nine twenty she put them away and headed for the Great Hall and breakfast. She wasn't going to miss this game, no matter how distracted she had been of late. It would be the first time she would get to see Greg play.

She didn't worry about walking through the castle by herself. She knew how to avoid a Slytherin ambush, and that was by staying in the main halls and using the central stairs. Ten minutes later she walked into the Great Hall to see Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all sitting at the Gryffindor table. She paused though and looked over towards the Hufflepuff table where the quidditch team in their bright yellow quidditch robes was sitting. She spied the tall dark-haired Head Boy right away and headed in that direction.

"Hey!" Taylor said as she stopped behind Greg.

"Oh. Hey! I wasn't sure if you were going to make it."

Taylor didn't miss the bit of hurt that colored his voice and reached his blue eyes for just a moment. "Nope! A wild stack of books couldn't keep me away from this game!" She joked lightly.

"Hey Porter! Now don't be jinxing our beater!" Called a seventh year Hufflepuff.

Taylor laughed, but decided that she should leave so that she wasn't intruding on their game talk. "Well good luck! I'll see you out on the pitch."

The Head Boy caught Taylor's hand as she turned to go, an intensity burning in their blue depths that caused her to suck in her breath and her heart to pound wildly.

"Will you wear my scarf so I can pick you out among all the Gryffindor's?"

Taylor knew it was something that many other girls did if they were supporting their boyfriend from another house. A smile played on her lips. "Of course Hunter, I wouldn't want to get lost in the crowd."

Pulling his scarf out he stood up and put it around her neck. Taylor could feel her face turning red, as the whole hall seemed to watch.

Leaning in close so that he wouldn't be overheard he whispered. "Wait for me on the pitch, after the game."

Taylor smiled up at him. The intensity was back in his eyes. "Of course I will. Good luck. Be careful."

A reckless grin crossed his handsome face. "I have all the luck I need right here." His fingers brushed against her hand slowly. "The rest I'll leave to skill. I'll see you after the game."

Taylor grinned as she turned and walk over to the Gryffindor table to sit down, the long yellow and black scarf trailing nearly to the floor.

It was a cloudy cold winter day, but there wasn't a lot of wind, making it not a bad day for quidditch.

High in the stands Taylor was cheering the Hufflepuffs on in a sea of Gryffindors who were cheering the Ravenclaws on. The Gryffindors all knew that if Ravenclaw won, that their house would still be in the lead for the House Cup. Taylor didn't care, not about who was in the lead or not anyway, as she cheered another goal by one of the Hufflepuff chasers.

Greg, she could see, was a good flyer, and a good beater too. Handling the bat with ease, he repeatedly smashed the bludger at the Ravenclaws.

As the game progressed it was clear that the two teams were quite closely matched as the score inched up, 60 to 70 and then a little later 90 to 80 for Hufflepuff.

Taylor saw the Ravenclaw seeker dive suddenly and watched with fingers crossed that she wouldn't catch the snitch. A bludger cutting just in front caused the seeker to veer and Taylor looked up to see Hunter grinning as he swung his broom around to go after the bludger again.

A little later Taylor felt her heart come up in her throat as she grabbed Hermione's arm tightly. A near collision in mid air caused the two opposing players to swerve abruptly. One hit Greg, almost unseating him. By the time he had righted himself he didn't have time to swing his bat properly and a bludger glanced off his face, splitting his lip and putting a deep cut across his cheek.

Swallowing hard Taylor watched as the Head Boy played on, his bright yellow robes turning red with blood. Once, some time after, when the play was right in front of the Gryffindors, she got a close look at the Head Boy and saw that his one eye was almost swollen shut as blood covered his entire face.

When the Hufflepuff seeker finally caught the snitch, Taylor thought she would cheer herself hoarse. Hufflepuff had won, but only by a hundred and fifty points. They were now tied with the Gryffindors. Taylor didn't care though as she made her way down through the crowd and onto the quidditch pitch. She waved goodbye to her brother and friends when they headed back to the castle for some hot chocolate and a warm fire.

The Head Boy didn't keep her waiting long as he walked towards her, blood still seeping from the gash on his cheek and swollen lips making his grin a little grotesque. It even affected his voice when he spoke, making it sound slurred. "Hey, quite a game?"

Taylor looked at his face and bloody robes and shook her head. "You're a mess Hufflepuff! I think we had better get you up to see Madame Pomfrey!"

"Ahh, if a bloke can't take a little beating a' quidditch, 'den he ain't much of a bloke is 'ee?"

Taylor rolled her eyes, but she took Greg's hand in her mitten covered one and led him up towards the castle. "It was a very good game, by the way! I thought you played very well." A number of Hufflepuffs joined them and they talked about the game all the way up to the school. Some even accompanied them up to the Hospital Wing where Madame Pomfrey healed the cuts and gave Greg a potion to take the swelling down around his eye and his lip.

They were on their way back down towards the Entrance Hall when Greg asked. "So are you going to come to the party? I have heard that Hufflepuffs have great parties!"

Taylor grinned as she looked over at the tall Hufflepuff. His face was almost back to normal, only a wicked red line below his left eye and a thin one up from his lip showed where the bludger had split his face open. The rest of him though was still sweaty and dirty from the game. She wrinkled her nose as she replied. "That may be so, but do they have showers?"

The Hufflepuff laughed as he tried to pull Taylor into a hug, "That depends on if you are coming or not!"

Giggling Taylor avoided him and backed away. "Whoa! You stink Hufflepuff!"

Greg laughed and rolled his eyes. "You've just been spending way too much time with books lately! You forget what a sweating man smells like!"

Eyes dancing, "Huh! I still don't see no sweating man!" Taylor taunted before running down the hall away from the Head Boy.

He caught her easily and backed her against the wall, his arms on either side, caging her in. "So you don't see a man? Do you see a wizard, witch?" His voice had dropped to a low grumble as he stared into her eyes. A couple of passing Hufflepuffs wolf whistled and gave a couple of cat calls but he ignored them, waiting for his answer.

"I see a wizard." Taylor whispered as the blue eyes staring into hers darkened, her heart seemed to answer the intense look and started to race.

"I liked you wearing my scarf today, witch." His deep voice had turned husky.

"So you could see me easily." Taylor's voice was slightly breathy.

"No, so everyone knew you were mine!" The possessiveness in his deep voice caused her stomach to flutter and heat to spread throughout her body.

Taylor suddenly wondered if he was going to kiss her, right there in the middle of the corridor. He hadn't kissed her like he had that night in the broom cupboard since. Just a quick kiss on the forehead before he hurried off was all. True they hadn't had barely a minute alone since then, with their schedules and the constant searching in the library. But now would he kiss her right here, in broad daylight?

With an effort Greg reeled in his desire to kiss his witch. The fact that it was in the middle of one of the corridors and easily seen by someone passing made it a little easier.

That morning, as he sat at the Hufflepuff table, he hadn't been sure if Taylor would come or not. Ever since she had sealed herself in the Gryffindor boy's dorm room with Potter, it was like she was possessed. Every waking moment she was in the library, searching… for exactly what he didn't know. He had seen the strain she was under, the constantly blood shot eyes from reading continually. She had become so absorbed in what she was doing, she often didn't listen to even what her friends were saying. When Potter had said last night that they were all going to the game today, he had felt his heart soar, but then at the blank look on Taylor's face he knew she had forgotten. That morning when the other four Gryffindors had come in without Taylor, he knew she was at the library again. He'd made up his mind that he wasn't going to go look for her, and that she would come, but his heart had been heavy with worry that his witch would get caught up in those books again and forget. When he saw her walking towards him across the Great Hall well… he'd played the hardest game of quidditch he'd ever played! His teammates had even noticed and razzed him about it right afterwards.

"So if I shower, will you come to the party?" He asked stepping away from the redheaded witch.

Inside Taylor was having a major argument with herself. On the one hand she would love to go to the party and be with the Head Boy but on the other was the desire to finish searching the library. Some of her inner debate must have shown on her face.

"You need to go to the library." The voice was flat, but when it continued there was a ray of hope. "Why don't you come for just a little while, then I'll go with you to the library and help you search."

Taylor looked up at the handsome wizard as she chewed on her bottom lip. She knew she could never make him understand why searching the library was so important to her. She was beginning to wonder why herself. When she saw the hope fading from his eyes she reached out and touched his yellow robed arm. "I… I will come for a little while, but then I'll have to go, okay? You don't need to come with me, you should…"

The Head Boy picked her up and spun her around before setting her back on her feet, a big grin on his face. "Come on! You can wait for me in the common room while I shower." Grabbing her hand he led the way down to the Hufflepuff common room, which was packed with people all talking and laughing, as music was already blaring out of a wireless. "You stay here, I'll be back in a few minutes!" Greg called over the noise and pushed his way through the crowd.

Taylor sighed and made her way over to the wall where it was less crowded. She had only been standing there for a minute or so when a seventh year she recognized as Justin Finch-Fletchley joined her.

"Quite a party, right Porter?" He called over the noise.

Taylor just nodded. In all the time she had been dating, if you could call what she and Greg were doing was dating, she hadn't really had a chance to talk with his friends.

Justin watched her for a few moments before leaning down close to her ear so he wouldn't have to yell. "You know Greg really likes you, don't you?"

Startled Taylor looked up at the wizard as she nodded her head.

"He's a good guy, Porter. He defends you something fierce. Some of the guys… well, guys talk and sometimes not very nicely, but he always defends you."

Taylor didn't know just what to say, so she just nodded again.

"I just wanted you to know." Justin's eyes narrowed and turned hard as a muscle twitched along his jaw. "I just hope you aren't using him for something. The guys in his dorm wouldn't take it very nicely if you are. Hufflepuffs are nothing if not loyal friends! Get my drift Porter?"

A little shocked, she watched Justin walk away and stand by a couple of other seventh years, all eyeing her suspiciously.

Taylor knew she could take exception to what the Hufflepuff had just said to her, threatening her really, but she took a deep breath and tried to look at it from their perspective. Since they had started seeing one another, Greg had been in the hospital. After she had come back to school, she had been in the hospital, and he had spent even his nights with her. Then for the last six weeks much of his free time had been spent with her, and she had never hung around any of his friends or even been over to their table at lunch. Finch-Fletchley had reason to suspect her and warn her. Even if she wasn't trying to use the Head Boy, she knew it could look like it. Something she was going to have to change.

Taylor was eyeing the group of seventh years as she thought and didn't notice the Head Boy until he stepped into her line of vision.

"Hey, beautiful would you like a drink?" Greg asked as he grinned down at her.

Taylor glanced up at him as she tried to smile and push her irritation out of the way. Despite her best effort she knew that Finch-Fletchley's words had bothered her.

"Hey what's wrong?" Greg asked as his grin fell and his eyes narrowed.

Fixing a smile on her face she looked up at him. "Nothing, I… just didn't expect you back so soon. You clean up nice for a beater."

Greg's eyes turned calculating as he glanced over his shoulder in the direction she had been looking and then back at his witch. "You are a lousy liar Gryffindor. What happened? Did those blokes over there give you a hard time or something?"

Taylor tried to grin and make it look real. "Those guys? Nah, I can look after myself. They wouldn't even make me break a sweat!" Taylor knew her voice, even in the crowded noisy room didn't quite ring true. Trying harder she pushed on. "I'd love a drink. What do you Hufflepuffs serve your guests anyway?"

Greg wasn't sure what had happened but he had a sneaking suspicion that his fellow dorm mates had done something. He decided he'd find out later as he guided his witch through the crowd to the table with jugs of pumpkin juice on it. Pouring two glasses he passed her one, as a couple of fourth years stopped to talk about the game.

Taylor only half listened to the Head Boy as he joked easily with the two fourth years and she realized that he had an easy way with people. Her eyes traveled over to the group with Finch-Fletchley in it. It bothered her that people might think she was using him. She had been so absorbed in her own problems that she had stopped paying attention to what was going on around her.

Sighing, Taylor could feel her head start to pound. The music, which she normally would have enjoyed, just seemed to make her head pound even more.

It seemed like everyone wanted to talk to the Head Boy about one aspect of the game or another, not unlike the Gryffindors did with their players after a victory. Still though, Taylor felt herself being shunted to the side. Greg was enjoying himself, she could see that, and she was glad that he was. It wasn't long though until she found herself over by the wall again.

For a moment she considered just going and letting the Head Boy enjoy the party but she couldn't do that to him.

"So Porter, what's a little Gryffindor like you doing over here all by yourself?" Asked a seventh year boy that Taylor couldn't remember his name. He was tall though, even taller then Greg or Ron and he seemed to tower over her.

"I didn't know there was a height restriction over here." Taylor made a show of looking all around. "I don't see any signs!" The quiet warning and soft voice of Finch-Fletchley had un-nerved her a little, and probably because she knew it was true to some extent. But this bloke with his tongue in cheek remarks she could handle.

The tall wizard snorted, and Taylor caught the smell of Firewhisky on his breath. "You are a sharp tongued little witch aren't you?"

"You have no idea what you are messing with, so I'd back off if I were you!" Taylor growled as spells already started to form in her mind.

"I'd say I was messing with a nice little piece, if you get my drift. You must give pretty damn good to have three wizards sniffing after you!"

Taylor felt her temper starting to rise. Never before had she ever had remarks like this directed at her. Sure there were the Muggle-born slights but she'd learned to live with them. These just made her mad.

"Hufflepuff, this is your last warning."

"Or what? Are you going to call your boyfriend over here? He already shares you with a couple of Gryffindors I'm sure he won't mind sharing with one of his real mates." The Hufflepuff's Firewhisky-laced breath fanned in her face as he leaned over her almost pinning her against the wall.

"I don't need no wizard to save me, you creep!" Taylor's wand was in her hand as she pointed it in his face, hidden from the room by his bulk. Spells swirled in her mind, ones to bind him, ones to make him bleed, ones to make him scream in pain. Deciding on one that wouldn't get her expelled, she flicked her wrist. The huge Hufflepuff turned stiff as a board and tipped against the wall. Taylor ducked down just a little to get out around him, whispering as she did. "The next time I see you Hufflepuff, you'd better pray that I don't hex you so bad your mother won't recognize you! Sober up you foul mouthed git!"

Fuming, Taylor caught sight of the door, though the group of seventh years with Finch-Fletchley seemed to be guarding it. Stalking over she pushed her way through. A hand grabbed her arm when she was almost out and Finch-Fletchley's face looked down at her.

"Where are you running off to, Porter?" he demanded.

"Tell Hunter I had to go. Then go get your drunk friend over there and sober him up before he gets himself in more trouble!" Taylor snarled as she glared at the Hufflepuff. Then jerking her arm free she stalked out.

Things that Ron had told her about boys assailed her as she stalked up through the castle. She would have loved for some Slytherin to try to start something. She wasn't even thinking of where she was going until she walked in through the door to the library. If she had ever needed the distraction of searching it was now. Heading for the back table she quickly piled the books high and dove in.

A/N Ah Oh... poor Taylor had her first run in with a nasty boy! Well as far as sexual harassment is concerned anyway. Why hadn't she run into it beofre you ask? Well I always figured she kept really close to Harry and Ron so no one in their right mind would start spouting off bad things about Taylor to those two. The rest of the time she would of been with Hermione and Ginny so again not where things would likely be said. Within this story of searching for a way to destroy Voldemort I tried to provide a way for Taylor to experince the normal, if sometimes disturbing, things a normal teenage girl would encounter. As well as Harry too... like the up coming Valentines day... :D

Also I LOVE Quidditch! And even though it hasn't played a big role in this story so far it will come up a few more times! ;) That being said I know I should of said this in the last chapter when Harry was going to quit but I had a brain fart and forgot! Sorry! Plus I find I can be easily distracted by things(another reason why I finished this story BEFORE I started to post it!) so sometimes I am not quite thinking Harry like I should be! However it always bothered me that JK allowed Harry to give up something that he was not only VERY good at but also truely LOVED. Maybe he didn't have to go on to become a professional Quidditch player but after Voldy was distroyed then I think she should of put in that he did continue to play! And maybe that is just my sport heavy background shinning through. Yes as a mother of two with a husband and all the responsibilities that entails I STILL find time to play the sport I LOVE which is hockey! And no before you ask I am NOT any good! LOL! But I play because I LOVE it so I find it hard to imagine that Harry would give it up... There that is my rant about one of my pet peeves in the books.

Plus(yes I know LONG A/N) I also wanted to say that we are pretty much half way through this story! (Hope I didn't just scare anyone away!) And even though I have the ending written I am curious... what do you like to see in an ending? A happy ever after? Where everyone lives? Or a darker sader ending where things don't turn out as rosy and someone dies? Like I said this is just pure curiosity as the ending has been written but I'd like to know what you see as happening at the end... Love to hear what you think!

Thanks for the reviews! I LOVE you guys! Plus the Alerts and Fav's! And just to you for reading! You guys make writting worth while! Thanks to my beta, barbc for all her hard work! Until next time, cytpotter.