Still looking for a couple of ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion so nope still not JK Rowling!

Chapter Seventy-three

Broom Cupboards and Dark Accusations

Taylor ran without thinking, her feet carrying her away from the pain. She turned corners and raced up stairs and down empty corridors without one single conscious thought to where she was going, only away. When she finally stumbled to a stop, gasping for air, she wasn't even a hundred percent sure where she was. The long blank hallway she was in didn't readily give any clues. When she caught her breath enough to move, she followed the hallway until she came to a thin, narrow door behind which was a tiny, dark broom cupboard. Stepping inside, she shut the door.

Enclosed in the dark she wept, for the kind witch who had taken her in after she had lost her uncle. For Mrs. Briggs niece, husband and their daughter, who she had met a few times over the summers and who were always kind to her. And she also cried for the stupidity that had made two Slytherins lose their lives.

A half hour later and six floors below, in another wing of the castle, four Gryffindors and a Hufflepuff entered an empty classroom.

Harry took the Marauders Map from Ginny after their initial search didn't turn up his sister. With a deft flick of his wrist his wand slid into his hand and he touched it to the blank piece of parchment. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." At another time the expression on the Head Boy's face would have made him laugh. Now he ignored it as he started to search the map as the lines of the castle spread across it. Dots with names moved here and there, but he couldn't find his sister. Frustrated after only a few minutes, he touched the Map once again with his wand. "Show me Taylor Porter!" Even so it was a few seconds before he saw the red dot that signified his sister.

An errant thought crossed his mind as he saw his sister in a tiny broom cupboard on the sixth floor, something he had never thought of before. The Marauders Map never lied, but on it his sister's name was still Porter not Potter. Dumbledore really had gone to great lengths to protect the identity of his sister.

"Huh, no wonder we didn't find her. She's on the sixth floor." Ron said as he peered over Harry's shoulder at the Map.

Harry only nodded as he spotted two dots moving towards the classroom they were in labeled Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody. Touching his wand to the Map again Harry muttered, "Mischief Managed," and folded the blank piece of parchment up and stuffed it in his pocket as the door to the classroom opened.

"Potter what are you doing in here?" Moody asked in his gravely voice as his magical eye searched the five students.

Harry stood up and met the ex-auror's one normal eye, "We were just talking."

"Where's Porter?"

Harry felt his jaw tighten at the aggressive demand in the ex-auror's voice. He had no intention of telling him where his sister was at the moment. "She went back to the common room. She was a little upset by the picture in the Daily Prophet this morning."

The tension in the room was suddenly palpable as the old auror glared at the five teenagers, especially the Chosen One and he glared right back.

Kingsley's voice was calm as he made to break the tension, "I'm sorry that Miss Porter is upset. That picture had no right being on the front page of a newspaper. However there are some things we need to discuss with Miss Porter. Mr. Potter would you mind getting Miss Porter and meeting in my office in an hours time?"

Harry glanced at his professor and nodded once before he turned back to Moody but the old auror merely grunted and clumped out the door. Shacklebolt spoke to the others before he left also.

After a minute, when it was safe to talk without being overheard, Hermione asked anxiously. "What do you suppose that is all about?"

"I don't know but right now we need to go get Taylor." Harry said in a tight voice and he started for the door as the others followed.

Ten minutes later they reached the far end of the bare hallway on the sixth floor and Harry stopped. He knew his sister because she was a lot like him. She had gone off by herself so that no one could see her cry. It was what he had done. In a way he wished he could just let her be for a little while, and maybe if Moody wasn't pressing him for time that's what he'd have done; just let her grieve in peace. One thing he did know, his sister would not appreciate all of them being there when they opened the broom cupboard door.

"You guys wait here. Maybe I should go alone."

He saw Ron nod in understanding and Hermione hesitated for a second before nodding too. She knew that her friend was more likely to accept Harry's presence when she was extremely upset over anyone else's. Ginny nodded also, the strange relationship that her boyfriend and Taylor had again coming to the forefront.

"I don't think so Potter." The Hufflepuff said in a quiet but steely voice.

Harry turned and looked at the tall Head Boy and saw the challenge in his eyes. With an effort Harry tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, "Taylor is not going to appreciate both of us barging in on her right now." He didn't quite succeed.

"That's why I should go, I'm her boyfriend!"

"And I…'ve known her for a hell of a lot longer!" Harry said just catching himself, his voice dropping low in warning.

"Which counts as what?" Greg could feel anger coursing through him at the way Potter thought everyone should automatically listen to him. The self-righteous arse!

"Look Hunter! I am not your rival here!" Harry practically snarled as it took all his self-control not to plough his fist into the Hufflepuff's face. "But I do know Taylor better! And she will not want you near her right now! Trust me!"

Ron shifted so that if this escalated he would be able to break it up, or more than likely just stun the Hufflepuff. Hermione had been going to step in but Ginny had stopped her and shook her head. The red-haired witch knew this was something the two wizards needed to sort out on their own, though she was more then willing to end it before anyone got hurt, mainly her boyfriend.

Greg fought hard to rein in his temper. He normally wasn't so quick to get angry but Potter just seemed able to bring it out with just a few words. Though some of Potter's words did keep repeating themselves in his head, "I am not your rival here" he was trying too hard to keep a lid on his temper to fully appreciate those words.

Though it felt like backing down, something that Greg did not do easily, he said in a low dangerous tone, "Fine, for Taylor, but someday…"

"Just name the time Hufflepuff!" Harry's voice challenged dangerously, though the Head Boy just turned and walked down the hallway a dozen or so steps, his hands knotted into fists.

It took Harry a few moments to calm down enough to look up at Ron who was watching him closely.

"Alright mate?"

Harry nodded as he turned away from his friend and started towards the broom cupboard where his sister was. As he approached the door, the anger fled, replaced by the concern he had for his sister. When he reached the door he could hear the sound of her crying inside and his heart broke for her. He knew all too well that kind of hurt.

Taking a deep breath he glanced back down the hallway and saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny watching him, as well as the Hufflepuff who was still standing apart from the others. Opening the door he squeezed in. This was a very small broom cupboard, unlikely it was ever used for snogging. He shook the errant thought from his mind and closed the door sliding down the wall beside his sister.

"Jus'… go away, Harry," His sister said in a thick watery voice.

Harry instead put his arm around his sister's shoulders and pulled her against his shoulder. She resisted for a moment but a fresh wave of tears seemed to melt her resistance and she wrapped her arms around him and cried on his shoulder. He just held her for a while until she quieted.

"I'm sorry sis. I'm so sorry." He knew the words did nothing to help the pain. He even remembered hating it when people said them to him, though the words were genuine and spoken from his heart.

"Why? Why Harry? She didn't know anything. She was just a kind old witch."

He knew she didn't expect an answer from him. He remembered how it had always been Taylor who would come and sit quietly with him after Cedric and Sirius died. She seemed to know that just her quiet presence offered a little comfort. She had sometimes sat for hours with him and not said a word, never touching him, just sitting beside him. He had never thanked her and she never, ever brought it up. When Dumbledore had died she had been there also, even though he had Ginny then, his sister had been there to offer her silent comfort, knowing that was the only kind he was able to accept when he hurt like that.

He wished now that he could give his sister that back and he would, he vowed to himself. Just right now they needed to talk before they had to go meet Shacklebolt in his office.

With a heavy sigh he began, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you all that I saw happen yesterday. It was… I just…" he felt his stomach roll unpleasantly and his heart start to pound as the images once again assaulted his mind.

"Harry…" he felt her shift and lift her head up to look at him through the near dark, only the glow under the crack of the door offering any light. "It's okay. I don't need you to tell me. My own experience and imagination have drawn up a vivid enough picture. I just wish you weren't forced to watch it happen. Voldemort is after me. Why can't he just come get me and leave you and others alone."

He heard the misery and pain in her voice and he tightened his arms around her as fear flooded him at the thought of Voldemort getting his hands on his little sister again. He'd always known Voldemort was after him and he had accepted it as the way things were. Now that Voldemort was actively after his sister… He could endure watching nearly anyone else tortured knowing he couldn't do anything to stop it but he knew it'd probably drive him insane to watch it happen to his sister. His voice shook slightly when he spoke.

"He does it because he knows it hurts. He wants to make you hurt, that's why he did it. He wants you to do something stupid. Voldemort can never find out you are my sister…"

"I'm not going to do something stupid. I want to destroy him Harry. I want to make it so he can never hurt anyone ever again!"

Harry tightened his arms around his sister again and held her protectively against his chest. "We will Taylor. Somehow, we will."

They were both silent for a long while taking comfort in each other's presence.

He knew his sister could use more time but he knew without looking that it had already been more then an hour. He felt a little guilty for not telling Ron and the others to just go back to Gryffindor Tower to wait for him, though not so much for the Hufflepuff.

Sighing he said gently, "I'm sorry…we need to go. Shacklebolt and Moody want to see you about something and I'm sure we are late by now." He felt her nod. "Afterwards if you want we can go someplace quiet for a while." He knew she smiled a little even if he couldn't see it.

"Thank you big brother. I'll be alright…"

Harry smiled sadly and kissed the top of her head as he said softly, "In time, you will." He knew from experience that over time the hurt lessened, and the hole in one's heart never really filled, but it did get smaller.

After a few more minutes he stood carefully in the cramped broom cupboard, his body stiff from the awkward position he'd been forced to sit in. "Next time let's find a bigger broom cupboard okay?"

A shadow of her former self showed through as she said half-heartedly. "You tosser, you know what kind of rumors would get started if someone heard you say that?"

A smirk crossed Harry's face as a certain Hufflepuff came to mind. Oh yeah, something would get started but it wouldn't be just a rumor! Forcing his face to reveal nothing he opened the door and the two of them stepped out.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny stood up at the far end of the hallway and started towards them slowly.

The Head Boy pushed away from where he had been leaning against the wall a little further along, but he hesitated, giving his witch the option of coming to him or not.

Hermione pulled her friend into a hug. "Oh Taylor…" she didn't finish not knowing what to say, though Taylor nodded slightly.

Ginny gave Taylor a hug too, and a comforting rub on the back, before Ron pulled the bespectacled witch into a hug too as he said gruffly, "You're not supposed to run from your friends you barmy witch!"

Hermione rolled her eyes but Ginny smacked her brother on the arm, rather hard.

"Thanks Ron. I'll try to remember that." And again a shadow of her normal self showed through.

Stepping back from the red haired wizard, she caught sight of the Head Boy standing alone at the end of the hallway and without thinking she started towards him. His long strides closed the distance between them fast and he crushed her against him in a fierce hug that she gladly returned. They stood like that until someone cleared their throat and reluctantly the Hufflepuff released his witch.

"We need to go meet Professor Shacklebolt," Harry reminded his sister firmly. Though the hug had been chaste enough it had gone on for way too long in his opinion. Of course he didn't like to see his little sister wrapped up in anyone's arms that thought of her in more than a sisterly way.

The Hufflepuff could see the perturbed look on the Gryffindor quidditch captain's face and wouldn't have given a damn about pissing the berk off some more but he didn't want to risk upsetting his witch, so instead of putting his arm around her shoulders like he wanted to do, he opted for just holding her hand.

It was a mostly silent trip to Professor Shacklebolt's office, and once they arrived the Gryffindors said they'd meet in the common room afterwards. The Head Boy simply said he'd be waiting nearby.

Harry knocked and opened the office door when Shacklebolt's deep voice bade him to enter and allowed his sister to go in first before shutting the door behind him.

"Miss Porter, I was beginning to think you weren't coming. Please have a seat." Shacklebolt said in a cordial voice, his eyes glanced at Potter before returning to the underage witch. He could see that her face was pale and that she had been crying recently. He felt bad about what he had to talk to her about knowing it was likely to upset her even more, that was the main reason he hadn't asked Potter to leave. He had noticed through his extensive dealings with the pair this year that Potter often had a calming effect on the witch. As well the witch seldom disobeyed a direct request from the teenage wizard. Something the auror found fascinating. There was a deep bond between the two, as well as complete respect.

Moody stood against the wall watching the two Gryffindors. Kingsley had asked him to let him talk to the witch. Though Moody doubted that would keep the hotheaded underage witch from getting angry, he had agreed.

Clearing his throat and bringing his mind back on topic Shacklebolt said sadly, "Miss Porter, I know that you have recently lost someone and would like to go to pay your respects at the funeral. However it is the directive of the Order that you remain here safely at Hogwarts."

Taylor looked up at her professor as she felt white-hot anger flood her stomach, again going from numbness to furious in a heartbeat. "I can't even go to the funeral?" Her voice was low and dangerous.

"No, I'm sorry. We believe Voldemort is trying to use this as a means to draw you out where he can capture you again." Shacklebolt explained in a calm voice, trying to make the witch see the reason why she wasn't allowed to go.

"So the kind witch whose only wrong was to take in an orphan dies because of me and I can't even go and say goodbye?" Taylor spoke softly but the words seemed to hang in the air ominously.

"No Porter, you can't!" Moody growled.

"Alaster!" Shacklebolt said in a warning tone but the old auror ignored him.

"If you aren't smart enough to see a trap like that then you will not last long once you leave Hogwarts!"

Taylor came to her feet slowly as she glared at the ex-auror. "I know exactly why Voldemort tortured and killed Mrs. B. and her family, Moody! So you can just take your sly digs and suspicions and shove them!"

"Taylor!" Harry warned as he too came to his feet. He could feel the anger radiating off his sister.

"Alastor! That is enough!" Shacklebolt's voice commanded.

"I would have thought one stay with Death Eaters would have shown you a little common sense witch! But you are dangerous! To one and all around you!"

"Go to hell, Moody!" Taylor practically spat as her wrist flicked and her wand slid into her hand.

"You going to try me, girl?" Moody's gravely voice was low and challenging.

Harry caught his sister's wand hand and held it down, as he could see her furious eyes starting to go dark and knew she was about to try using Dark Magic against the auror. He yelled at her to stop.

"What are you going to do? Crucio me again? In the back?"

It happened in a flash. Shacklebolt came out of his chair as Moody's wand flashed into his hand and he fired a spell.

The necklace burnt, as the ancient words poured from her lips, and Moody's spell ricocheted dangerously off the shield Taylor conjured, even with her wand held down by her brother.

Shacklebolt stepped between the old auror and the witch. "Alastor!" His deep voice reverberated in the small office, as he pinned the older wizard with a glare before turning to look at the underage witch, noticing immediately that the Dark Magic shield was still in place as the witch glowered at him.

"Porter, drop your shield." Shacklebolt commanded.

"No!"

Harry watched his sister, even as he glanced over at Shacklebolt and Moody once, his heart was pounding in his chest. If his sister hadn't have cast the shield he would have most likely of been hit with Moody's spell. Even now he could see that she had no intention of dropping her shield.

"Miss Porter. Drop your shield."

"Not until Moody puts away his wand! The barmy bastard nearly hit Harry!" Taylor snapped as anger rippled through her.

"You think that shield will protect you if I wanted to take you down girly!" Moody growled as his magical eye surveyed the shield for signs of weakness.

"Try it!" Taylor challenged.

"Taylor! That's enough! Bloody hell, what are you trying to prove?" Harry asked as he moved slightly so he was directly in front of his sister. He still had a hold of her wand hand but he could almost feel the Dark energy in her. Her eyes were still dark with it.

"Alastor, put away your wand. Now!" Shacklebolt commanded and waited until the old auror complied, grumbling the whole time. "Now Miss Porter. Lower your shield."

Taylor was furious. Moody had cast a spell at her once again with the intent of taking her down. She wasn't sure what the spell had been but from the feel of it as it had impacted her shield she could tell it was powerful. She wasn't sure what he was playing at but…

"Taylor," Harry warned quietly.

With a huff she dropped her shield, but didn't put away her wand as she glared around her brother at the old auror.

Keeping hold of his sister's wand hand, Harry swung so he faced Moody and Shacklebolt, as anger coursed through him also. "Just what the hell was that for Moody?"

"I keep telling you Potter, that there witch is dangerous but you don't seem to listen." Moody said threateningly in his gravely voice.

"Alastor! We have discussed this. Now drop it!" Kingsley ordered as he gave the old auror a significant look.

"What do you mean dangerous? You were the one casting! Taylor simply conjured a shield!" Harry shot back ignoring the professor for the moment.

Moody ignored Kingsley also as he pinned Potter with both eyes. "Don't you find it a little strange that an underage witch can use such advanced Dark Magic so easily?"

"How do you know Taylor's underage?" Harry demanded as worry filled him. Just how much did the old auror know?

"I see it isn't a surprise to you Potter. What else are you keeping from us about that witch?" Moody commanded in his gravely voice.

It was Taylor who snapped, "What the hell are you getting at Moody? You've been having a go at me all year! What the hell is your problem?"

Shacklebolt watched the heated exchange and though the professor in him knew he should stop this right now, the auror in him needed the answers to the questions Alastor was asking. The Order needed the answers.

"You! You are the problem Porter! Why is it that every time something happens you just happen to be there? How is it that you escape from Voldemort with barely a scratch? You alone know how to leave the school grounds, even though they are so heavily warded the Darkest wizard in the last thousand years can not enter! You are out on the grounds the very night a werewolf is set loose on the grounds! And then it is you also who is on the grounds the day a Manticore attacks the school? A highly improbable occurrence! How do you explain that?" Moody demanded his voice hard.

Taylor just stared at the ex-auror as she felt her anger lessen just a little, to make room for the worry that gripped her. Her voice was cold as ice when she answered though. "I am no Dark witch! And I damn well do not work for Voldemort! I will kill that bastard! I'll kill him or I will die trying!" Taylor felt her voice rise as she continued.

"You think I had something to do with Greg getting bitten by that werewolf! You must be joking! I might not have liked Morden or Ward very much, but it wasn't me who was in the forest yesterday, nor have I been lurking there all year! And I sure as hell did not escape Voldemort with only a scratch! You bastard! You didn't have to listen to Hermione's screams as she was being tortured!" Breathing hard Taylor glared at Moody who seemed unfazed by her outburst.

"How did you manage to get into this school as a ten year old?" Moody asked right away in a soft voice.

Taylor had to take a second for the question to sink in through her anger. It kind of threw her for a loop.

"What difference does that make? She didn't use Dark Magic at age ten to get into Hogwarts!" Harry snapped in defense of his sister.

"I haven't the faintest idea Moody! You'll have to ask Dumbledore! I didn't even know I was a witch until a week before I came to London." Taylor's voice crackled with sarcasm.

"How did you know where the Dark Magic books were at Briggs' Cottage?"

Taylor was shocked that Moody had that information and she glanced quickly at her brother, before answering. "Don't have a clue what you are talking about Moody!"

"Do Not Lie To Me Witch!" Moody's voice thundered in the small office, "I found the secret bookcase where Mr. Briggs hid the books after Voldemort destroyed the place! I could see that they had been there, but had been missing for a while. I knew Voldemort didn't have them! But now he knows you do! He would have extracted that information from Bea before he killed her! So do not lie to me!"

Taylor felt the color drain from her face. She had totally forgotten about Mrs. Briggs knowing she took the books. Now if what Moody said was true, Voldemort knew she had them also. A slightly trembling hand reached up to push her glasses into place on her nose.

"Where, are the books!" Moody's voice was low and dangerous.

"Safe. The books are safe." Harry said firmly.

"Potter, if I were you I'd keep my trap shut! You are in way over your head as it is!" Moody growled before addressing the underage witch again. "I will not ask you again witch! Where are the books? And how did you find them?"

An instant before Moody did it she knew what he was going to do. Her necklace burned against her neck as his wand flashed and he tried to use Legilimency on her to read her mind. It didn't work.

Taylor laughed darkly, "You think you can read my mind? When Voldemort tried repeatedly and couldn't?" Her voice turned brittle as she said dangerously, "And don't even try to read Harry's, because I will not allow it!"

Moody watched the witch closely. He had dealt with countless Dark wizards and witches in his time and he had never seen one so ready to defend another. That the witch had threatened him didn't surprise him, but he had no doubt that she would strike at him if he moved towards the Potter boy. She was always ready to defend, something that puzzled him beyond all else. The one thing that kept her from being fully classified as a Dark witch in his mind.

"Then tell me what I need to know!"

Taylor could feel herself bristling at his order, and implied threat against her brother.

Another voice suddenly filled the office, a voice that vibrated with power. "Alastor! That is enough! You will not pursue this line of questioning again with either Miss Porter or Mr. Potter! I thought I had made that clear to you this morning!"

Dumbledore's voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.

Taylor glanced wide-eyed at her brother and saw the same shock on his face.

"Damnit, we need answers Albus!" Moody snapped.

"Then you ask me! Miss Porter, Mr. Potter you are dismissed." The authority that resounded in Dumbledore's voice was unquestionable.

Glancing at her brother again she saw him motion for her to get going. Sending a dirty glare at Moody, Taylor slipped her wand back into its holder and, spinning on her heel, marched out of Shacklebolt's office. Harry right behind her.

A/N Holly cow batman! What do you think Moody is doing? lol! So there you go Moody finally had an all out go at Taylor. They have been snipping at one another all year but now Moody has asked Taylor some very dicy questions! Hopefully you enjoyed!

Thanks to everyone who has read this far! Well until next time, cytpotter.