If I owned Harry Potter... ahhhh what a nice dream! :D

Chapter Seventy-one

Powerful Magical Creature

Over the next few days things seemed to settle back into a sort of rhythm.

The Head Boy and Taylor had classes, quidditch practice or research session, homework, and patrols but they always found time to sneak in a broom cupboard here or there.

The Slytherins for the most part seemed content to leave off their snide remarks since they still had the odd antenna sticking out of their head.

Hogwarts newest werewolf was settling back into life fairly well. There was the odd thing that made him edgy but for the most part things were good, thanks in no small part due to the underage Gryffindor witch that was with him at every opportunity.

The bell to end the first class on Thursday morning had just rung out across the grounds and the seventh year Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws started to clean up their work stations and pack up their books before heading out of the greenhouse for their next class.

"Neville, what did you think Professor Sprout meant by…"

Taylor caught Ron's eye and saw him pull a face behind Hermione's back as she went on asking Neville about the plant they had just studied. Taylor kept a straight face, but just barely, as her brother joined in obviously trying to make the younger witch crack up.

All together they set out across the lawns. It was a damp day, with clouds hanging low in the sky threatening rain.

"It looks like you guys are going to get wet practicing tonight." Taylor said as Hermione and Neville continued to talk just ahead of her brother, Ron and her.

"I don't think I've dried out yet from the last practice," Ron grumbled quietly.

"Well the way you guys performed during last practice you're lucky we didn't stay all night!" Harry cut back, still upset with his team's poor last practice.

"Well if we didn't get all the rainy practices, maybe we'd practice better!" Ron said testily.

"What if it rains during the game? Are we going to play like crap?" Harry shot back.

Taylor rolled her eyes. The two of them had been having the same argument for the entire week because for the last two Gryffindor practices it had poured. The Hufflepuffs had lucked into drier weather and Ron, as well as a couple of the others on the team, had started complaining.

"Well schedule a practice when the Hufflepuffs want it. Maybe then we'll be dry! Besides Hunter could use some cooling off! He's had an annoyingly smug look on his face all week!" Ron's dig at Taylor didn't go unnoticed.

"You just leave Greg alone Ron or I'll…" what she would have done went unsaid as screams echoed up across the grounds.

The two siblings' eyes met for a split second before they dropped their book bags and raced towards the screams.

Pelting across the grounds towards the Forbidden forest, Taylor yanked her cloak off and then her school robes leaving just her school uniform. She didn't want anything getting in the way and tangling up in her legs. As the screams drew nearer, a low snarling sound could be heard as well as Hagrid's frantic voice.

Taylor's legs weren't as long as her brother's or Ron's and she fell behind a little as she came to a slight rise in the ground and when she topped it her feet almost stumbled as she caught the first sight of the source of the terrified screams.

There, in a slightly cleared section just on the edge of the Forbidden forest, where Hagrid often held his classes, was a Manticore.

Taylor's heart came up into her throat as she saw the beast lunge at Hagrid as the large man tried to grab a fallen third year off the ground, narrowly missing both. She could see other third years now, some racing up across the grounds towards the castle, while others tried to get out of the beast's way and take refuge in the forest.

Her mind flashed back to the day she had gone to Care of Magical Creatures with Greg and they had talked about Manticores, but neither the description nor the picture did the creature justice. Much bigger than a lion, standing over four feet tall. The head, though human, looked wild with sharp pointed teeth and almost cat-like ears that were flattened back now as it snarled again. Its eyes were cat-like too, except instead of yellow or green they were a pale, pale blue that sent a shiver up one's spine. The tail, like that of a scorpion, was over eight feet long and whipped through the air with deadly speed and its sting would cause instant death.

Racing down the slight incline she reached the cleared section as her brother and Ron cast their first spells.

"The tail! Look out for the tail!" Taylor yelled as she cast several stunners in quick succession. The beast turned towards her and she had to jump sideways to avoid its striking tail as she heard her brother and Ron's yells to watch out.

"It's no good!" Hagrid yelled, "Spells ain't no good agains' it!"

Just then Taylor caught sight of a third year Hufflepuff girl trembling beside a tree to her left about thirty feet, as the beast also spotted the girl and started towards her. Yelling Taylor fired anything and everything that came to mind as she raced towards the girl. She could hear Ron coming behind her casting spells and knew her brother was there and firing also. Between the three of them they were able to at least slow the Manticore down as Harry grabbed the girl and hauled her up off the ground.

"Run!" Harry bellowed as the beast suddenly lunged towards the three seventh years and they dove for cover behind a huge fallen log. The tail with its deadly stinger smashed into the log a mere foot from where they were. A low snarl from the beast and suddenly it leapt easily over the log and swung to face them.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled as the three came to their feet and let loose. Taylor knew her spells were getting Darker as she tried to find something to stop this creature.

"Stupefy!"

"Impedimenta!"

"Stupefy!"

Taylor heard the new voices and recognized one above all the others. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the Head Boy and several other Hufflepuffs racing towards them.

"We need to keep it from getting to the school!" Harry yelled.

The Manticore lunged at the three Gryffindors again and they jumped back over the log rolling on the ground, as its large paw swiped where they had just been, tearing out a huge chunk of the wood. Taylor could see as she rolled, that Hagrid was pushing third years towards the school as he carried two limp bodies in his arms.

Coming to her feet she heard her brother yell again, telling them to form a line to try to keep the creature here to give the third years time to escape.

Moving sideways with her brother she was soon between the Manticore and the school once again.

"What works on these things!" Someone yelled.

"Nothing! We just have to keep it busy until help gets here!" The Head Boy said as he dodged a strike from the tail.

"Bloody Hell! We aren't going to be able to hold it much longer! We need help now!" Ron bellowed as the Manticore let loose another snarl and lunged again, narrowly missing Connor who had arrived with Greg and the others.

The creature managed to scatter their line once again and was suddenly between the school and the seventh years.

"Ron! Look!" Hermione screeched as she and several others arrived, as well as Tonks.

Taylor wheeled to see what Hermione was talking about. A silver sword shimmered into existence at the Gryffindor's feet.

Taylor was just about to yell, when the words died in her throat, as a moan reached her ears.

Wheeling she saw Harry sink to his knees, as the Manticore turned towards him.

"Noooooo!" The word ripped from her throat as she raced towards her brother. Her heart was in her throat as she watched her brother fall to the ground holding his head in his hands.

Diving she landed on top of him, her wand out, the ancient words already rolling off her tongue, as the pendant burnt against her neck. Not an attacking spell but a shield, a very powerful shield, exploded out of her wand as the Manticore attacked.

Taylor lay protectively over her brother as the creature's huge paw swiped at her, and was deflected by her shield, like a thin layer of magic in a dome shape that covered her body and her brother's. Incensed by its failure to reach the witch, the creature began to attack the shield mercilessly. Its claws tearing at her shield as its tail repeatedly stabbed at her.

Sweat was pouring off her within seconds. The Manticore was a very powerful magical creature and the effort to keep her shield in place was enormous.

Ron's heart nearly stopped when he heard Taylor scream and saw Harry falling. It was nothing though compared to what happened next, as she jumped on Harry and the Manticore leaped on the two of them. Time seemed to stand still as the whole group froze and watched in horror as the creature attempted to rip the two Gryffindors apart.

It was only a dozen slow heartbeats before everyone sprang into action again. Ron saw Tonks and several Hufflepuffs rush forward, firing spells at the Manticore to try to draw it off the two fallen Gryffindors. The creature didn't seem to notice as it continued to try to claw through Taylor's shield.

Ron was just about to join them when his knee hit something and he looked down to see a sword sticking out of the ground. Without thinking he pulled the sword out of the ground and ran towards the Manticore. With one swing he cut the tail off the irate creature and then was even able to drive the sword into its side once, before it even realized that it was under attack. By then it was too late. Ron pulled the sword out and drove it back in, straight into the Manticore's heart.

With an inhuman shriek the Manticore staggered sideways and toppled over, its tail flopped on the ground twice, as bright orange blood soaked the ground and its pale yellow side where the sword had been.

Breathing hard Taylor looked down at her brother, as she let her shield drop at the same time the creature had. In the back of her mind she knew she wouldn't have lasted much longer under its assault. Even now, her brother had his head held in his hands, his face deathly white as he moaned softly again.

"Taylor, Ron!" Tonks urgent voice said into the stunned silence that followed the collapse of the Manticore. "Get Harry out of here now! Here wrap my cloak around him and go!"

Shaking slightly but understanding, Taylor struggled to get to her feet, as the sound of deeper yells reached the clearing. Help from the castle was coming but also the aurors. A hand caught her by the elbow and pulled her to her feet, as anxious blue eyes met hers.

Ron was already bent over Harry trying to lift him off the ground. Without a word the Head Boy reached down and helped Ron lift Harry up and then slinging the limp Gryffindor's arms over their shoulders, the cloak precariously hanging over his shoulders, the pair started to carry him away across the grounds. Taylor and Hermione right behind the three seventh year wizards.

Ron steered them up through the grounds looking for as much cover as he could find to keep them hidden from sight. They didn't make it all that far before Harry's soft moans turned to agonized groans.

Hermione's fearful eyes met Taylor's and the two witches hurried to get in front of the three wizards. Harry's head hung down, deathly pale as sweat dripped off his face and his eyes were screwed tightly shut, as the other two carried him.

"Ron you're going to need to put him down, we are far enough away now!" Taylor commanded as she summoned their discarded robes and laid them on the ground. She avoided looking at the Hufflepuff for the moment, her full attention on her brother. She knew he was having a vision from Voldemort, and a bad one.

As carefully as possible the two lowered the limp Gryffindor to the ground on top of the robes the witch had put there.

"What can we do?" Hermione asked fearfully as she watched her best friend curl into a ball holding his head and groaning. Knowing even as she spoke that there wasn't anything they could do.

"Nothing… we just have to wait until it's over." Taylor said softly as she dropped to the ground beside her brother. Reaching out a shaking hand she put it on his shoulder, trying to comfort him the only way she knew how.

The Hufflepuff stood watching his witch and the other two Gryffindors in stoic silence. He didn't have a clue what was going on, though he knew the others did. Their faces all showed the identical fearful expression as they stood or knelt near the Gryffindor lying on the ground.

He had been heading to Care of Magical Creatures when he and the other Hufflepuffs had heard the screams and ran to see what was the matter. They had been surprised as they met terrified third years running away from the Forbidden Forest. One had yelled that there was a monster as they went by. Nothing had prepared him though for the sight that met his eyes as they came over the last rise. His witch, Potter and Weasley being attacked by a Manticore…

With a deep breath he looked back down at Potter, just as the Gryffindor moved, rolling over and was sick.

"Harry! Merlin, are you all right? What's happened?" Hermione asked fearfully as she watched her friend finally come back to them.

Harry shook his head, as he felt his stomach revolt once again at what he had just seen and was sick once more.

"You need to tell us!" He heard his sister's firm voice and he groaned squeezing his eyes shut. "Harry… what happened?"

"Oh god Taylor!" Harry muttered as he looked at his sister, shaking so hard his teeth chattered and agony filled him. How could he tell her? "He knows…"

Taylor's eyes went wide in fear, "Voldemort knows…?" She saw him shake his head.

"He knows where you lived… He found out about Mrs. Briggs… Oh god, I'm so sorry!"

Taylor froze as stark fear rose up in her and she shook her head. "No…"

Her brother's voice was agonized when he spoke again, "He went there… himself… Mrs. Briggs, her niece… her family…"

Taylor stared into her brother's eyes and knew from his look that he has just seen it all happen. A lump swelled up in her throat and she threw herself into her brother's arms as a sob welled up and pushed past the lump in her throat.

Hermione's trembling hand was already over her mouth and with a cry she stood and turned into Ron's chest, as his arms came around her.

Ron shook his head sadly as his eyes strayed from where brother and sister knelt awkwardly on the ground holding each other, to the silent Hufflepuff staring at the pair with a carefully controlled expression on his face.

Voices off in the distance could be heard, as a light rain started to fall masking the sound of the two witches crying.

It was a long while before Harry felt strong enough to get up as the tremors slowly faded from his body, as well as the pain in his scar, leaving him feeling weak. The vision had been incredibly intense as well as very disturbing. He could feel his sister's first agonized sobs slowly recede and now she was weeping quietly into his chest. He felt his heart go out to her. She had grown very fond of Mrs. Briggs and he knew she would miss the older woman greatly. The senselessness of it wasn't lost on him. Neither Mrs. Briggs nor her family could tell Voldemort anything about his sister, not beyond the story that Taylor had always lived under.

Harry could hear something and looked up to see Moody and Lupin hurrying towards them.

"Potter, are you alright? Tonks said something happened to you." Moody growled as his magical eye slowly moved over the Chosen One and then took in the witch in his arms, the robes on the ground, as well as the other three standing close by.

Harry swallowed as he met the old auror's eyes. "I'm fine but there has been another attack."

Moody just nodded briskly as he said, "Up with you then boy. We need to get you to the castle."

Harry stood and pulled his sister up, keeping an arm wrapped around her shoulders. He heard Lupin mutter a drying spell and throw a cloak over the two of them as they set off for the castle silently.

Moody led them through the front door and straight up the staircase away from the Great Hall where, from the sounds of the noise, most of the students were gathered. He spoke quietly to an auror and then proceeded to lead them up through the school to the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the Head Mistress' office.

"Quidditch Cup!" Moody barked and led the group onto the revolving stairs.

McGonagall was waiting for them when they entered her office, her face drawn and strained as she looked over the five seventh years noting the various scratches and varying amounts of mud on each one.

"Alastor, what's happened?"

Moody turned to look at Harry and he said, "Potter said he just witnessed another attack."

McGonagall gasped and turned worried eyes on Harry and he nodded.

"I'm afraid so Professor," Harry's voice sounded strange even to him. "It was Mrs. Briggs…"

McGonagall turned to one of the portraits of the past Head Masters, a thin, sharp-faced wizard. "MacNeily would you go to headquarters and inform someone that there has been an attack at Briggs' Cottage?"

"Of course Minerva!" The painting said before he walked out of the portrait.

McGonagall turned back to look at Potter as she said. "You need to tell us what you saw."

Harry nodded slowly and his eyes drifted to his sister still standing with her arm around him for support, and he knew he couldn't tell her here, not like this. His eyes lifted up to the Hufflepuff standing silently on the other side of Ron. "Greg, please take Taylor outside for a few minutes."

Taylor's head lifted away from her brother as she shook her head. "No! I want to know what happened! I have a right to know what happened, Harry!"

Harry looked down at his sister as he draped the heavy cloak over her shoulders and grasped them in his hands, meeting her angry, swollen eyes. His voice was soft but firm. "Taylor I need you to go out with Greg for a few minutes. Please, do this for me." Harry could see her shaking her head again and looked up at the Hufflepuff again a plea in his eyes.

"Come on Taylor," Greg said softly as he stepped forward. He saw the anger in his witch's eyes. Without hesitating he put his arm around her and pulled a move from the witch's book and with a discreet wave of his wand froze her. He was a little surprised when Potter nodded ever so slightly, and he partially carried, and partially levitated his witch out of the Head Mistress' office, Tonks long cloak dragging on the floor covering the fact that her feet weren't moving.

Once outside the door he put up a silencing charm before he released her from his spell, his witches furious glare letting him know she was not pleased.

"What do you think you are doing!" Taylor yelled as soon as she could move again. "I want to know what happened! I need to know what happened!"

The Hufflepuff caught the witch around the middle as she tried to move past him and go back into the office. His voice was gentle but firm as he held her against him, "I don't know exactly what just happened but if Harry says he can't tell McGonagall and the others about it with you in there, then he can't."

He felt her fist strike his chest as she yelled in frustration and then both fists pounded against him as he held her firmly. Held like this she couldn't hurt him. He just hoped as upset as she was, that she didn't think to go for her wand. Her words were mostly incoherent and soon she wore herself out and started to cry once more.

With a heavy heart he held her tight. He knew she had just lost someone, though how Potter knew he wasn't sure. The only thing that mattered right then was that his witch had been fortunate enough to escape the Manticore unharmed, and he could hold her in his arms now and try to comfort her when she needed him.

It was a long time before the door to the office opened and they were admitted back in. The Head Boy noticed, right away, the pale faces on the Gryffindors, the tears on Hermione's face as she stood hugging Potter, who looked very upset also. He kept his arm protectively around Taylor and was secretly relieved when she stayed with him instead of going to Potter.

They weren't in the office for a full minute. Moody had just started to speak, when there was a knock on the door and an auror walked in. He glanced curiously at the seventh years but addressed the Head Mistress. "I'm sorry to say this Head Mistress but I have grave news."

McGonagall nodded sadly but she addressed the seventh years. "You may all return to your common rooms unless you need to see Madame Pomfrey?" The five students shook their heads, "Then the rest of your house will join you shortly and lunch will be served there. Additionally the Head of each house will be by to inform you of all that has happened. Miss Granger and Mr. Hunter, the school is going to look to you as Head Girl and Head Boy for guidance at this difficult time. I know I can count on you for your help." The Head Mistress' gaze softened slightly as she looked at the underage witch with the Head Boy's arm still protectively wrapped around her. "Mr. Hunter if you wish, you may return to Gryffindor Tower as well for this afternoon. I'll let Professor Sprout know where you are."

A/N Questions? Concerns? Comments? Not sure if you know this but a Manticore is a very powerful magical creature and it takes no less then 100 trained wizards to take one down... as written in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them(by JK Rowling) though of course there is nothing written in there about using a magical sword! ;) Hope it was believable. I also took the loose discription of the Manticore from that book as well.

Thank you to those who Reviewed, Alerted, and or Favorited this story! Thank you for just reading this far, Wow 71 chapters! A far cry from the 25 or so I thought this story was going to be when I first started to write it! lol! Thanks as well to my beta, barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.