Still haven't located all the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion so nope, still not JK Rowling!

Chapter Seventy

Meetings, Words and Pranks

Taylor and the Head Boy spent the rest of the day working on homework in the Hufflepuff study room with Greg's friends. They actually accomplished a lot and by suppertime Taylor and Greg had all of their homework due for the next day finished, as well as a good start on a nasty three foot Transfiguration essay due on Tuesday.

The only interruption to their work that afternoon had come when Binns, the Hufflepuff captain, had come looking for Greg to ask him if he was going to be able to play in the final quidditch match against Gryffindor.

Taylor had looked up from her essay and saw the refusal forming in the Head Boy's eyes and she had interrupted him and asked if she could have a word with the werewolf before he answered. Greg had agreed and the two had gone over to an empty corner in the study room. Taylor knew clearly by the Head Boy's expression when they reached the corner that he was going to refuse to play.

She beat him to it by asking, "Why not?"

"It's too dangerous, what if…"

Taylor could see the fear and uncertainty in his eyes and she put her hand on his arm. She had already put up a silencing charm on the way so they couldn't be overheard. "Greg listen, the full moon is a whole week after the game. You won't be any different then you are right now."

"I'm a werewolf! I can't play quidditch! What if someone found out, what if…"

"Hey! Who is going to object? Your own teammates? It won't affect them any. Harry is the Gryffindor captain and he already knows. If you are worried about it ask him if he minds. I know he won't. I'm not going to let you quit playing just because of your furry little problem!"

"How do you know he won't mind? Besides what do you mean you won't let me quit?"

Taylor shook her head as she sighed, "Did you know Harry wanted to quit too? After I was taken at Christmas, he thought he should give up quidditch so that he could look for a way to destroy the Horcruxes. I made a bargain with him. I'd search the library if he kept playing." The Head Boy's mouth drew into a thin line. He had always wondered what had driven his witch to the library with such determination. "I didn't let Harry quit because of Voldemort and I'm not going to let you either. It's just one more game. You deserve to play in it!"

Though the words were spoken quietly there was a fierce determination shining in his witch's eyes. The Head Boy thought for a few minutes, wrestling with what he thought he should do and what he really wanted to do. Before he reached a decision the witch spoke again.

"In a year's time, or ten, don't you want to know that you had the courage to take the bull by the horns, flip off Voldemort and his cronies, and play in the best game of quidditch Hogwarts is likely to see in another twenty years?"

Greg knew he was wavering, and he could see that his witch knew it as well, as a wicked grin spread across her face.

"What's the matter Hufflepuff? Scared Gryffindor is going to beat you but good?"

The challenge in her voice did it and his answering smirk was cocky, "You, Gryffindor, are going to live to regret talking me into playing!"

Taylor followed the Head Boy back across the room to the curiously waiting group of Hufflepuffs and knew no one heard her softly utter, "that's the idea Hufflepuff," before she vanished the silencing charm.

By the time they headed to the Great Hall for supper, all the Hufflepuffs were talking about the Head Boy being back and that he was going to play in the last game against Gryffindor after all. It wasn't long before that was the main topic of discussion at all the house tables.

Taylor sat quietly beside the Head Boy at the Hufflepuff table, eating and only half listening to all the excited talk about quidditch. She was secretly pleased. With the whole school buzzing about the next match, few even thought about why the Head Boy had been in the Hospital Wing for a week, but that was just the way the majority of the student's minds worked. Quidditch took precedence over everything else.

She could feel the tall wizard beside her slowly relaxing as he adjusted to being back in the crowd. She still held his hand under the table but he was starting to crack jokes and carry on like he used to. She was finished eating when she noticed her brother stand motioning with his head that it was time to go.

"Well that's all the Hufflepuff boasting I can listen to today! I'll see you guys tomorrow, because you know Gryffindor is going to win." Taylor joked. As she got up, several boos and hisses were uttered her way and she laughed before whispering into the Head Boy's ear. "I'll see you after your patrol okay?" She searched his eyes as he agreed and she only saw a hint of worry in his blue eyes. Patting him on the arm she left and followed her brother out into the Entrance Hall.

When the two siblings reached the Defense classroom, Shacklebolt was waiting for them and asked them to have a seat up near his desk where Moody and Lupin were waiting.

"We thought there is some information that you two need to be made aware of," Moody began in his gravely voice.

Taylor and her brother exchanged a quick look before looking back at the ex-auror.

Moody then told them about the plan to use the werewolf, that had attacked the Head Boy, to somehow draw out who could use Dark Magic at the school.

Taylor ran her hand up through her hair and coming to her feet began to pace. She'd had a feeling that there was more to it than simply the Ravenclaw student becoming a werewolf.

"We still are not sure how the Ravenclaw became infected, but from talking to them, we know it was most definitely done as a trap. Whether they were going to try to lure you out of the school somehow or try to set the werewolf loose in the school, we don't know."

Taylor stopped her pacing as fear filled her heart. If the werewolf had been set loose in the school, there was no telling how many students might have been killed or infected. A shiver ran up her spine as she asked.

"Do you know who orchestrated this plan? Obviously Voldemort, but someone inside the school had to have helped smuggle the Ravenclaw in, unless they somehow infected them while they were on school grounds…" Her voice trailed off as the ramifications of just such an action exploded in her mind.

"So Voldemort knows who Taylor is now?" Harry asked worriedly.

"He knows she is the one who can use Dark Magic, yes." Lupin said carefully keeping his voice expressionless so as not to give away his true meaning.

Harry caught Lupin's meaning and asked, "So now what? He knows she can use Dark Magic… is he going to come after her?"

"We don't know for sure. That's the problem. But we suspect that he is going to want to get his hands on Miss Porter once again." Shacklebolt said in a heavy tone, his deep voice reverberating with worry.

Taylor paced once more as she listened. She highly suspected that at least a couple of the Slytherins had something to do with this whole mess but the memory of Snape warning her to be aware of the aurors at the school made her wonder if it had been the one with McGonagall that night when she had brought Greg to the hospital or not. Frustrated with not having any ready answers, she raked her hand up through her hair again.

"The important thing, I believe, is to stay diligent," Moody's gravely voice cautioned, "and not take any unnecessary risks. We believe you are as safe here at the school as you will be anywhere Porter. Barring any unscheduled trips of course."

Taylor shot the old auror a dirty look, "I'm not going to go and cower somewhere just because Voldemort knows I can use Dark Magic!"

"Taylor," Harry stood up in front of his sister and stopped her pacing, "That's not what Moody meant and you know it." His green eyes found hers and he saw the worry lurking there that she was trying so hard to cover up. "No one suggested you hide, but I agree that we are going to have to be more careful now."

"Harry is right. We are going to have our Order members here at the school keeping a closer eye on you from now on and maybe even put a tail on you again, Taylor, like when you didn't have your wand…" Shacklebolt began. Taylor's sarcastic remark cut him off.

'Oh yes because that worked soooo well then!"

"Taylor!" Lupin's and her brother's voices called together in reprimand.

Shacklebolt continued in a stern voice explaining what that would mean, and then cautioning the witch against using the invisibility cloak anymore. After that they started their training and by the time they were finished both sister and brother were sweating.

On the way back to the common room, Taylor put up a silencing charm and her brother glanced at her. He'd been expecting her to want to talk, though the first sentence out of her mouth wasn't what he'd been expecting.

"I'm going to tell Greg everything that Hermione knows. I want him included in our planning. I'm tired of keeping secrets from him."

Harry was silent for a few seconds. "I see. Don't you think he has enough on his plate right now without adding more to it? Becoming a werewolf… that has to be hard to come to grips with."

Taylor stopped walking and turned to look up at her brother. "He is coming to grips with it. It's been really hard on him and I want him to feel like I trust him. I know there are still a couple of things I can't tell him but… please Harry, he's a good guy and he already helped us with the idea about the basilisk tooth."

He stared down at his sister and knew she had a good point. Maybe the Hufflepuff could shed new light on their problems, one with a different perspective. His eyes shifted from his sister's hopeful face to the necklace that hung on the outside of her long sleeved t-shirt. He picked up the intricately carved pendant and inspected it before meeting his sister's eyes again. "Is this what he gave you?" The blush that covered her face was his answer. "It's very nice… okay sis, Hunter can join our merry little band. Just no more talk about honeymoons or such," Harry felt a surge of what he had come to realize as brotherly over protectiveness and he growled, "you are way too young! You aren't even of age yet! Besides I just might have to kill the Hufflepuff if he starts thinking like that about my little sister!"

Taylor ducked her head quickly as her blush came back full force and a giddy smile spread across her face. It was all she could do to keep her voice from cracking as she said, "I know that! It is just a necklace Harry! Jesh! Take a chill pill! Greg and I were just joking around."

Harry stared at his sister for a second before deciding that it was in his best interest to take what his sister had just said at face value. Other wise he'd probably smoke the Hufflepuff the next time he saw the git, which in all probability would be in a few minutes.

When the two siblings returned to their common room they found the Head Boy was in fact waiting for them with the Head Girl, going over a few Head duties that they hadn't done the past week. Ron who happened to have early patrol also was doodling on some parchment and Ginny was reading a magazine. After a quick discussion it was decided that they would have a meeting in the boy's seventh year dorm room, seeing as how it was empty at the moment with Dean and Seamus at the library and Neville doing homework in the common room.

Taylor didn't waste any time telling the Hufflepuff the few more important things that he didn't know already and introducing him to Dumbledore's portrait.

"Hello Mr. Hunter, it is indeed nice to see you here." Dumbledore's voice was slightly amused and there was a distinct twinkle in his painted blue eyes as he peered over his half moon glasses.

"Dumbledore! Bloody Hell!" The Head Boy exclaimed as he looked in surprise from Taylor to the others and back to the painting. "Sorry, Professor, sir. How long…?"

"I'm sure Taylor will tell you all about it later. For now I am interested to find out what happened in your training session with Kingsley."

Taylor and Harry explained all that they had learned in their talk before their training actually began. Taylor was a little surprised to see that this wasn't news to the Head Boy, who simply nodded with a serious expression on his face. Though the others were surprised enough though.

The five Gryffindors, lone Hufflepuff and Dumbledore's painting talked for the next forty minutes about what it could mean and though they didn't come up with any answers, it was decided by the majority of the group that Taylor was going to have to be careful and they would all keep an extra eye on her from now on. Much to the younger witch's displeasure.

When there was a knock on the dormitory door and Neville asked if he could come in, the six students stood from their various positions on beds and the floor and, with a goodbye to the painting, ended their meeting.

"I'll walk you out," Taylor offered to Greg as she headed down from her brother's room after saying hi to Neville on the way past. She followed the Hufflepuff down the stairs and out through the portal before speaking again. "Hey, you've been awfully quiet. Did I make the wrong decision?"

The Hufflepuff smiled down at his witch, as he heard the worry in her voice. "No. Thank you for telling me." He looked at his witch worriedly. He could tell she was fretting about their talk about the werewolf attack. "Taylor I don't blame you, you know. Given the alternative, it really was for the best. We were lucky no one died."

Taylor ran her hand up through her hair, as she looked away from the boy who was now a werewolf because of her. "How come I don't feel all that lucky? Because of me…"

Greg wrapped his arms around his witch and pulled her against him, as he fought a battle of his own. He would spend his first night away from his witch since he'd been bitten. He breathed deeply trying to memorize her smell for the long night ahead. "I don't blame you. I love you. It's not your fault, it's Voldemort's."

"I hate that tosser! Old Voldy is going to pay one day! Mark my words!"

The Hufflepuff couldn't help but smile at the determination in his witch's voice even as the resolution in it filled him with dread.

A few seconds later Taylor pulled back a little so she could see up into the Head Boy's eyes and she searched them for a second before asking in a gentle voice, "Are you… going to be alright tonight?"

The Hufflepuff attempted a smile but it wavered and fell, "Yeah…"

Tenderly she brought his hand up to her face and placed it against her cheek kissing his palm. "Why don't you ask Pomfrey for some dreamless sleep potion? It will help."

The Hufflepuff looked away from her eyes, "Greg, you are not weak for taking it. I wished I could, I…" a shuddering breath escaped her, "You're not weak. Go to Pomfrey, I know she won't mind giving you some for a few nights at least."

The werewolf's eyes reluctantly met his witch's again, "I… she, Pomfrey, she offered me some last night, but… I didn't want to fall asleep and miss you." His voice dropped lower and husky with a hint of pain, "I'm going to miss you tonight, witch."

"I'm going to miss you too!" Taylor whispered before clearing her throat and saying in a firmer voice. "Now go, see Pomfrey, get the potion and go get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a full day! I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall first thing for breakfast okay?"

The Head Boy dropped his head down by his witch's and breathing deeply once again whispered in her ear, "Okay, witch, but you and me are going to find a broom cupboard tomorrow and catch up on some serious snogging."

Taylor felt a delicious shiver travel down her spine at the intensity in his voice, "You can count on it Hufflepuff!"

The following day the Head Boy, now a werewolf even if only a handful of people knew, did find it scary. The night hadn't been as bad as he thought with the help of the dreamless sleep potion, and his witch was waiting for him in the Entrance Hall when he came out of the corridor from his common room. Things got harder from there though. He wasn't sure if the Slytherins knew or were just guessing at it but they always had some snide remark whenever he was near them. Before noon he was immensely glad that his witch wasn't in any of his classes now because it was everything he could do not to hex some of them himself.

Though when he caught sight of her as she entered the Great Hall for lunch with Potter and the others, he knew she was pissed.

"Please someone tell me again why I can't just hex one of their smirks off their faces!" Taylor practically snarled as she slammed her book bag down on the floor beside him.

"Who are you talking about Taylor?" Sally-Anne asked bewildered by the Gryffindor's outburst.

Taylor turned and sent a dirty glare over at the Slytherin table.

"Oh… what did they do now?" Sally-Anne asked.

Taylor glanced up at the Head Boy and could see the unease in his eyes. With an effort she changed the subject. "Did you have Defense yet? What did you think of that new spell?"

The afternoon didn't go much better, except when Taylor entered the Great Hall for supper she had a very satisfied smile on her face and sat down beside the Head Boy and grabbed a roll.

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary, what gives Gryffindor?" Greg asked suddenly wary.

"Oh nothing, just returned what was given." Taylor said vaguely and then she caught Ron's eye and she grinned.

"Taylor?" There was a warning in the Head Boy's voice.

"Don't be so impatient Hufflepuff. Some things you just need to wait for." Taylor said softly with an impish grin.

A few minutes later a group of seventh and sixth year Slytherins walked in through the door. At first glance it wasn't obvious what was off about them but the more one looked it became apparent. Every single one had little brown antenna like protrusions sticking out of their heads about two inches long, at least twenty to thirty per head.

The Head Boy turned to the Gryffindor witch beside him and raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Ask no questions and I shall tell no lies, my dear sir!" Taylor said in her best impersonation of Sir Cadogan, the annoying painting who had guarded the Gryffindor Tower entrance for a while in third year.

The rest of the Great Hall went silent as everyone turned to look at the Slytherins and then amid laughter and pointing the noise level rose once again to normal.

"I have quidditch practice after supper, and Binns is being a prick, so you can't come watch, something about being a Gryffindor spy…" The Head Boy said as he ate glaring off down the table at the quidditch captain, "but after that, what say you and I," he leaned his head right down by her ear and said softly in a seductive tone as his breath tickly her ear, "procure a broom cupboard somewhere?"

Taylor felt warmth spread out through her whole body, and she grinned up at the Head Boy, "Sounds like a great idea to me."

A little while later Taylor watched as the Head Boy and the rest of the Hufflepuff quidditch team filed out of the Great Hall, his dark hair and broad shoulders made him easy to recognize until he was out through the door.

A giggle sounded beside Taylor, "Yeah, I like to watch them walk out too! I should be jealous you know. Greg is the cutest Hufflepuff, and he's Head Boy to boot! But I suppose Connor is cute too. He has a better butt then Greg's I think."

Taylor grinned over at her friend, "Why, Sally-Anne! And here I thought you were such a studious, shy witch!"

Sally-Anne rolled her eyes, "Pleeeaaase! A girl has to look. My momma always said window-shopping was just fine! As long as you look and don't touch!" The two witches laughed and carried on for a little while.

"Oi! Porter!"

Taylor looked up and saw her brother and Ron trying to get her attention.

"I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow."

With one last look at her friend, and a smirk on her face as she met the Slytherins, glares, Taylor headed up to the Gryffindor common room to do homework until the sky turned dark and the Head Boy would be back in from practice.

A/N Well there you are another chapter. Nothing major happening in this chapter I know but hopefully some back story was filled in and your answers as to the Ravenclaw werewolf were answered... well as much as will be for now. I promise that will be explained at a later time! I know pranks were not a big thing at Hogwarts when Harry went there but as I like to think Taylor is more like James Potter that she would at least try a few pranks at some point.(I applogize for the corny antenna but we'll just chock it up to Taylor not having enough time to research a really good prank!) Hope you enjoyed! I will try to post another tomorrow if not then on Monday.

Thank You to all of you who have left a review! Also those who Favorited and Alerted this story! Plus those who have read this far! THANK YOU! Thanks also to my beta barbc who has made this story readable! Well until next time, cytpotter.