No I'm not JK Rowling and I own nothing but the plot and any charactors that aren't in the Harry Potter books!

Okay guys. I need your help in another chapter or two there is going to be a more adult scene and I would like to know if you think I should change the rating on this story? I don't want to get in trouble by having it not rated properly but I know some people don't think to look at all the catagories... What do you think? Please I REALLY want to know what you think I should do! If I move the rating up to M will that limit you as my readers? The chapter isn't too graphic... I don't think it is worse then a Harliquine romance but still I don't want to offend anyone. Please I NEED your help!

Now on with the adventure...

Chapter Seventy-four

The Ministry's New Law

The door had just closed behind Potter when Dumbledore's painted self stepped into a painting of an empty moor that hung on the wall behind Kingsley's desk. The painted blue eyes seemed to crackle in anger as they peered over the half moon painted glasses.

"What was the meaning of that line of questioning, Alastor? I thought I explained all that quite adequately this morning already." Dumbledore pinned his old friend with a piercing look.

"You're dead, Albus! And you are meddling in things that are far too important to be left to the ramblings of a dead man!" Moody growled forcefully, his gravely voice made it sound even more menacing.

"You and I both know, Alastor, death is just another beginning. Besides nothing substantial has yet happened that I have not foreseen while I was living. So my advice is still relevant." Dumbledore's voice was completely confident.

"So you are still willing to allow the fate of our world to rest on a boy who just turned of age, and an underage witch who can use Dark Magic way beyond the ability of anyone twice her age?" Moody asked disbelievingly.

"Yes I am. It is our only hope." Dumbledore said simply.

Moody glared at the painting of the old Head Master. He wanted to believe his old friend but the evidence against the witch just kept mounting. He had been shocked when Dan Hunter had told him the witch was still underage. He didn't know why Albus had kept that information from him. All the secrecy and unknowns surrounding the witch only made him distrust her more. His many years as a Dark Wizard catcher told him that nothing good could come from it. Only his great respect and long friendship with the brilliant wizard made him grudgingly trust him once more.

"Alright Albus. I'll respect your wishes for now, but the evidence against Porter is stacking up at an alarming rate. It is only a matter of time before those at the Ministry catch wind of her and then… it will be out of our hands. The evidence against her is more than enough to land her in Azkaban, if not a sentence to lose her soul right then and there."

Kingsley said in a deep somber tone, "I'm afraid that I have to agree with Alastor on that one, Albus. Miss Porter's life may very well be numbered in days, whether the threat is from Voldemort or the Ministry itself."

Taylor marched down the corridor furiously as her brother hurried to catch up. She was so mad she walked right by the Hufflepuff, then she nearly jinxed him when he caught her arm and turned her around.

"Whoa! Easy! It's just me." The Head Boy said quickly, surprised at the angry witch and the wand pointing at him. "What happened?"

"Not here." Harry said in a low voice having caught up with his sister.

Greg looked from one furious Gryffindor to the other and nodded. He didn't need either of them to say anything for him to know something had just happened to piss them both off. Falling in beside his witch he was slightly amused to find that he needed to lengthen his strides just to keep up with her despite his height advantage. At that rate it didn't take long for them to reach Gryffindor Tower. The two Gryffindors didn't say a thing. They merely looked at one another for a moment and with a nod, Potter went in through the portal.

The Hufflepuff watched as his witch paced restlessly outside her common room. He would have liked to ask her what was wrong but he knew that she was still angry and could just as well jinx him as tell him what the matter was. He didn't have long to wait at any rate, as Potter clambered back out through the portal shortly with Weasley, Hermione and Ginny right behind him.

Without a word the five Gryffindors set out through the castle, as Greg again walked beside his witch. When they came to the Room of Requirement, Potter wasted no time opening it and going inside.

The Room had transformed itself into a small cozy room with a fire in the fireplace and two squishy sofas for two, one pink comfy looking chair and a rather uncomfortable looking wooden chair.

The Hufflepuff raised an eyebrow at Potter and he smirked back. His witch merely pulled her wand and with a deft wave vanished the wooden chair before she started to pace restlessly in front of the fireplace, tapping her wand absently in her hand.

"Harry, what's going on? What happened with Shacklebolt?" Hermione asked as she sat down on one of the sofas with Ron. Harry and Ginny took the other and the Hufflepuff sat in the pink chair with a smirk of his own.

Harry told the others what had just happened. The others listened in stunned disbelief. When he was through it was a moment before-

"What the hell is Moody playing at?" Ron asked angrily.

"Oh Taylor, I'm sorry, but I agree with Shacklebolt. It would be too dangerous for you to leave Hogwarts to go to Mrs. Briggs' funeral." Hermione looked sadly at her friend before she continued, "But Moody was interrogating you. What he did was a method used to try to make people talk. This isn't good."

"Oh really? That never occurred to me Hermione!" Taylor snapped.

"I think what is more important is what aren't you being told." Ginny said in a calm voice. "If Professor Shacklebolt allowed Moody to interrogate Taylor to that extent than there has to be more to it. Moody wasn't just fishing blindly for information. He knew about the Dark Magic books and he now knows Taylor is underage. I think he was testing you."

Everyone stared at the witch with the long red hair as she continued. "I think he wanted to see if you were a Dark witch or not. Otherwise why attack? Why try to make you fight? There are other methods of interrogation, and I doubt he'd use quite that method with any other Dark witch who still had her wand."

"I'm not a Dark witch, Ginny!" Taylor yelled, glaring at her friend.

"She didn't say you are," the Hufflepuff said calmly, as he met his witch's angry eyes, "I happen to agree with her reasoning. Moody is fishing, but…" Greg sighed before he continued, "I have a good idea where he found out you are underage. I don't doubt my father probably told him."

Taylor's hands raked up through her hair in frustration as she continued to pace. "Your father? Oh lovely!"

Greg stood up and moved in front of his witch, stopping her edgy pacing as his eyes met hers, "I'm sorry. I should have guessed he might. Dad was worried about the fact that you have secrets and he confronted me about it. I'm sorry."

"Oh so now you tell us! You might have mentioned this sooner!" Ron said as he threw up his arms in exasperation.

"Oh shut up Ronald! If the only thing Moody found out is that I'm underage than I'll consider us lucky!" Taylor yelled, and more than likely would have continued except the Hufflepuff put a quieting hand on her arm, making her snort but not say any more.

After a few minutes Taylor started to pace again and the Head Boy sat back down. He had felt the restless energy in her and gave her some space to work it through. The others continued to talk about what had happened with Moody, as well as everything else that had happened.

Taylor listened but she was thinking, not so much about the confrontation with Moody just now, but about what had happened the day before out on the grounds. Moody had hinted at her having something to do with the werewolf, as well as the Manticore attacks and that bothered her. If the ex-auror thought she was capable of doing those things than others could also. She would bet all the gold in her brother's vault at Gringott's that it had been the Slytherins behind both incidents, but how could she prove it? Suddenly an idea came to her.

"Harry what if the Slytherins are using the secret passage from the castle to the Forbidden forest to cause all this trouble?"

"That passage would be sealed just like all the others. Besides Fred and George said that passage way had collapsed." Hermione was the first to answer.

Taylor ran a hand up through her hair as she paced, "What if they cleared it? And it's possible it wasn't sealed like the others. It doesn't lead off school grounds only into the forest." She paused for a moment before meeting her brother's eyes. "I think we should go and explore that passage and the Forbidden forest as well…" she had to raise her voice as the others started to protest, "to find out just what all the Slytherins have been up too."

"No!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Moody already suspects you of having some involvement with the recent trouble. If you go snooping around there… That's a bad idea!" Hermione admonished crossly.

"What other choice do we have Hermione? The way I see it we need to find out how first the werewolf and then that Manticore were able to get through the school wards. I bet everything I have that the Slytherins are into it up to their sleazy eyeballs!" Taylor argued.

"I agree with Hermione," Greg started.

"Who asked you, you toss pot!" Ron interrupted.

"If Moody suspects you enough to risk interrogating a student, then you need to be careful." Greg finished saying in an even voice.

"Look you tosser, if you're scared…!" Ron began before the Hufflepuff cut him off as he came to his feet and turned towards the redheaded wizard.

"Weasley use your head for more then a feeding hole! If Shacklebolt allowed Moody to question Taylor like that, then they are worried! Your father works for the Ministry! You know what they will do to Taylor if they find out about her Dark Magic! Bloody Hell! I haven't said much up until now, but I am shocked that McGonagall has been able to keep Taylor from the Ministry this long! If Voldemort really wants Taylor all he need do is let it be known to the right people at the Ministry that Taylor can use Dark Magic!" The Hufflepuff glared at Weasley who had risen to his feet.

"So why hasn't he?" Harry demanded as he stood up too.

"My guess is that Voldemort hasn't yet infiltrated the Ministry sufficiently to guarantee that he will get his hands on Taylor before she is taken before the Minister."

"And if that should happen?" Taylor asked, already dreading the answer.

Fear filled the Hufflepuff's eyes as he looked at his witch, but it was Hermione who answered.

"The Ministry just passed a new law last week giving the Minister the power to forgo a full hearing when it is proven that someone is a Dark witch or wizard…"

"What do you mean forgo a full hearing? They get sent straight to Azkaban?" Taylor asked, looking from Greg to Hermione.

Hermione shook her head fearfully.

Greg's voice seemed loud in the silent room, "No… The Minister has a Dementor waiting at the Ministry full time… to perform the Dementor's Kiss…"

Taylor wondered if maybe she had reached her breaking point when instead of gasping in horror a huge bubble of laughter pushed out of her throat and she started to laugh. She laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks. She could see her friends all staring at her mortified as if she had totally lost it and she laughed some more until finally holding her side, she wiped the tears from her face.

"Well bloody sodding hell!" She gasped as another fit of laughter poured out of her. "And here I thought all I had to worry about was old Voldy! Now I have a choice! Tortured to death or lose my soul! And to think I was worried about taking my NEWTS!"

"Taylor!" Harry reprimanded in a testy voice, "That is quite enough! Neither Voldemort nor the Ministry is going to get hold of you. The Order and I'll see to that."

Taylor shook her head at her brother and turned to look at Hermione. "Why didn't you tell me about this new law?"

"I'm sorry, maybe we should have but…" Hermione glanced at the Hufflepuff and then away before she added, "You can't use Dark Magic anymore. It is just too dangerous! If the Ministry should find out…"

All traces of the absurd laughter faded from Taylor and her voice was hard and deadly serious. "If I hadn't have used Dark Magic yesterday Harry would be dead. The same would be the case for Greg the Saturday night of the werewolf attack. Is that the price you are willing to pay just so I don't run the risk of the Ministry or Voldemort finding out? Well I'm sorry but that is just too high of a price for me! I will not stop protecting my friends just because it might be dangerous for me! I told Harry, and I also told the Hufflepuff this, now I'm telling the rest of you. Other than you guys in this room, there's maybe a half dozen people, well less now Mrs. Briggs is dead, that will give a bloody rat's ass if I lose my soul or get captured by Voldemort and killed. However I will not be forced by you, Harry, or you, Greg, or any of the rest of you to go and hide. If something happens to me, so bloody what! Just another Mudblood is dead!"

There was silence for about three seconds before Ginny chastised in a carefully sarcastic voice.

"You're such a bleeding Gryffindor, Taylor! Do you honestly think we don't know you wouldn't do whatever it took to help one of us? Merlin's beard, witch! You don't have to go all martyr-ish on us!"

Taylor met the other redheaded witch's eyes and nodded saying dryly, "Yeah, thanks for that Ginny."

Turning from her friends Taylor began pacing again. She hadn't really meant to blurt all that out, it was just that she just felt so… angry, sad and worried to name just a few.

"Nobody is questioning your reasons for using Dark Magic. Hermione was just pointing out how dangerous it is. Especially now." Harry said gently as he watched his sister worriedly. He could see how tense she was. Her laughter earlier a true indicator at just how stressed she was with everything that had happened recently.

Both hands plowed up through her hair making it stand up at odd angles. In her restless state she didn't know or care.

"I'm not going to stop using Dark Magic! I…"

Harry sighed and caught his sister by the arm and turned her towards him interrupting her. He could see the determination shining in her eyes but also other emotions as well, "I'm not asking you to. Come here you!" he pulled her into a hug, as he finished softly, "The people in this room care very much for you and we don't want anything happening to you. We're all that count."

"You tosser!" Taylor grumbled as she hugged him back. "You're going to start me blubbering again."

Harry just tightened his arms around her and kissed her on the top of the head. His eyes met Ginny's and he was glad there was no resentment or anger in them. The same couldn't be said for the Hufflepuff when his eyes met the blue ones of the taller wizard. With a sigh he stepped back from his sister. He wouldn't mind pissing the Head Boy off some more by making him even more jealous except he knew his sister would need the other wizard, like he needed Ginny. Glancing at his watch he noticed that it was already mid afternoon.

As if the Room of Requirement sensed his idea as it took shape, a low table shimmered into existence directly in front of the sofas, followed shortly by a huge platter of food and a large jug of pumpkin juice.

"Yes, what a great idea! I'm starved!" Ron exclaimed happily, spotting the food and immediately picking up two sandwiches.

The Hufflepuff watched as the Chosen One slowly released his witch. It was the second time that day that the other wizard had held his witch, and the Head Boy couldn't keep the anger from his face, especially when the Gryffindor had the audacity to smirk slightly about it before moving away. With an effort, the Hufflepuff shoved the irritation away and picked up a sandwich to take to his witch, stopping her in her pacing once again by putting his body in her way.

A half hour later the platter, that had refilled itself twice already, shimmered as it disappeared. The five Gryffindors and lone Hufflepuff were all full and sitting on the sofas. The Head Boy had simply transfigured the pink chair into an overly large comfy one before sitting in it with his witch.

They started to discuss the idea of checking out the forest to see if they could find any clue that would link the appearance of the werewolf and Manticore with the Slytherins. It was a short while before there was a noticeably absent voice in the discussion.

Greg looked down at the witch curled up beside him, his arm resting around her relatively small body, to see her eyes closed and her face relaxed. Exhausted she had basically passed out in his arms. Shifting slightly he lifted her into a more comfortable position on his lap, settling her against his chest. He couldn't help but smile when she cuddled against him more thoroughly and sighed in her sleep. Removing her glasses he looked up to see Potter eyeing him. To his surprise the Gryffindor merely raised an eyebrow before looking away.

The Head Boy found he really didn't have a problem planning to go into the Forbidden forest and not telling his witch about it. He knew she would be mad when she found out, but he could deal with her anger as long as she was safe. He was a little surprised though when Potter readily agreed to allow him to come along. Though he supposed the quidditch captain would rather endanger his life than that of either Weasley or Hermione.

In the end they decided that the three wizards would sneak off tomorrow morning to see what they could find in the passageway and in the forest, while the two witches kept the sleeping witch busy, concocting a potion that would help to hide the Dark Magic books to keep them safe. If there was trouble, the wizards would use the mirror to contact the witches.

When the final plans were hashed out, the talk turned again to Moody as well as Dumbledore's voice breaking up the interrogation.

At five thirty they decided it was time to head for supper.

Greg looked down at the sleeping witch still curled up on his lap and wished he didn't need to disturb her. He had to smile though when his gentle prodding only made her shift and burrow her head into his chest more. Sighing he slipped his arms more securely under her and stood up, albeit a little awkwardly, with his witch in his arms.

"You're going to carry her to supper?" Ron asked as he eyed the Hufflepuff skeptically.

"Actually I was thinking if she's this exhausted I'd just carry her up to your common room." Greg said surprised, as well as concerned for the witch who continued to sleep in his arms. Though he no more than finished speaking when the witch started to stir.

"Wha' happened?" a sleepy voice mumbled before, "Greg?"

"Shh, everything is fine, you just fell asleep." He could see confusion in her hazel eyes as they blinked up at him, minus her glasses.

"Oh… so why are you carrying me?"

He felt like saying that he just liked to hold her except he could see the confusion leave her eyes and they darkened in anger as she remembered. Sighing quietly he stooped and set her feet on the floor. Straightening, he passed her glasses to her.

"Come on you two, supper is waiting!" Ron called impatiently from outside the door to the Room of Requirement

Taylor looked out at Ron and saw her brother waiting also with the other two witches. She felt the loss of the Hufflepuff's arms and the warmth of his body, and it wasn't just at skin level, as cold air rushed to cool the comfortable heat that had been generated between their two bodies, causing her to shiver as goose bumps rose all over her. She felt the loss much deeper, the feeling of safety and contentment was gone, making her regret waking up.

Sighing Taylor headed out the door. She didn't need to look to know the Hufflepuff was right behind her, and she felt a ghost of a smile tug at the corner of her lips when he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side as they started down the corridor.

Supper that night was a somber affair as the Great Hall was draped in black and green banners to honor the Slytherins. Talk was muted and the lack of laughter seemed to magnify the unusual quietness.

McGonagall announced that there would be a memorial service for the two Slytherins tomorrow afternoon for the students.

Shacklebolt paused on his way out of the Great Hall to say that their research session was postponed until Monday evening.

Ron muttered Taylor's sentiments, "Bloody berk knows it wouldn't be a good idea to push it tonight anyway!" though Taylor's held a few more expletives and a lot more anger.

A/N Well there is another chapter... Hope you liked it! And I really would love to know your thoughts on the rating of this story! Please let me know your feelings on it! As well as any comments on this chapter! :D

THANK YOU to those who left a review! I LOVED everyone! Thanks for reading! and until next time... cytpotter.