I still do not own Harry Potter, but I guess I can always keep hoping.

Chapter Eighty-three

The Truth

All afternoon Taylor worked scrubbing one of the dungeons with a brush and a bucket of water, as Moody sat watching her. She decided that this was part of her punishment having to put up with the cranky ex-auror. So she was really surprised when at only four thirty there was a knock on the door and Shacklebolt spoke quietly to Moody before leaving.

"Okay Porter. You're done for today. Go get your supper in the Great Hall and then go straight up to Gryffindor Tower and stay there! Or I'll see to it you are in detention for the rest of the year!"

Taylor stood and stretched her back as she nodded, "Yes sir." She was surprised when the old auror only grunted before leaving the room.

She didn't bother wasting any time either and headed straight for the Great Hall. Slipping in, she was surprised to see all four tables were full at this early hour and an angry buzz filled the air as everyone seemed to be talking about something. Spotting Hermione, as well as her brother, Ron and Ginny she decided her need to find out what had happened was greater then her disgruntled feelings for them.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked as she sat down beside Hermione and had the Daily Prophet shoved at her. Glancing down, her heart came into her throat as the headlines jumped off the page at her.

Deadly Werewolf Attacks Kill Two, A Dozen More Bitten.

Underneath the bold headline was another that dropped her heart somewhere near her toes.

Hogwarts Head Boy Leads Attacks On Hogsmeade.

Greg Hunter the current Head Boy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been named as one of the three werewolves who attacked Hogsmeade late last night during the full moon, killing two and seriously maiming another before escaping capture and going back onto school grounds…

Taylor looked up from the article unable to read anymore.

"But it's not true!" she breathed as she looked over at Hermione.

"True or not the Under Secretary came a short while ago to take Greg into custody and take him to the Ministry." Hermione said in a worried voice.

"But it's not true! He never left the Shrieking Shack!" Taylor said as her voice rose.

"Do you really think the Ministry cares? Even if you could somehow prove he's innocent, look around, he won't be able to finish the year. Everyone knows he's a werewolf and they are all scared!" Hermione said miserably.

Taylor felt like she would implode. Closing her eyes she dropped her head down into her hands. This just couldn't be happening. She knew the Head Boy was innocent. Slowly an idea came to her and without thinking it through to the end she acted on it.

Looking up she could see that the teacher table was decidedly empty at this early hour, only one teacher was seated up there, the Ancient Runes professor. Pushing to her feet she ignored the concerned looks on her friends' faces and taking a deep breath she steeled herself for the gamble she was about to play.

"Oi! I want to talk to you!" a few nearby Gryffindors looked up but other than that, no one except her friends.

"Taylor what are you doing?" Hermione whispered looking worried.

"You'll see." Taylor's determination ringing in her voice as she hopped up onto the Gryffindor table and yelled loudly. "Oi! I said I have something to say!" Again some more turned in her direction but far from everyone.

Taylor palmed her wand and made a loud popping noise as she bellowed, "I said, Shut Up!" The Great Hall fell silent as everyone turned to look at her.

"What the hell do you want Porter?" A Slytherin called.

"I said I have something to say!" Turning so that she looked at everyone she called out loud and clear. "The story in the Daily Prophet is false and I can prove it!"

"Which part? The part about Hunter being a werewolf or that he killed two people?" the same Slytherin called out in a derisive voice.

"The part about Greg Hunter hurting anyone last night!" Taylor snapped.

"So he is a werewolf then?"

"Yes he is!" Taylor confirmed. She wasn't going to lie.

A gasp went up around the room especially from the Hufflepuff table.

"I do not deny that fact but the rest is wrong about him!" Taylor called out.

"A werewolf! The whole lot of them should be killed!" the same sixth year Slytherin called in a disgusted voice. A few agreements could be heard around the room.

"And you're a Bloody Git too! But we still put up with you! At least Hunter is only a werewolf once a month! You're a Bloody Git every day!" Taylor called out in a challenge.

"How do you know Hunter wasn't in Hogsmeade last night? What proof do you have?" Ernie asked in his pompous voice.

"I know because I was with him…"

"You're a werewolf too?" a third year squeaked.

"No I'm not a werewolf. I stayed just outside where Madame Pomfrey took Hunter so that he couldn't hurt anyone. I hid there actually to make sure that Hunter didn't somehow escape and hurt anyone."

"And you can prove this? How?" Ernie asked the whole school listening intently.

"By my memories. As I stayed there I kept checking my watch, these memories should be enough to prove to anyone that Hunter was not in Hogsmeade!"

"Memories can be manipulated!" A seventh year Ravenclaw called out.

"Not if the person willingly submits to having their mind read."

"Taylor, are you insane?" Harry hissed.

"Head Mistress! I think you had better come! You need to see this!" Kingsley said as he hurried toward McGonagall, the Under Secretary, the Head Boy, his father and uncle, Moody and another auror as they walked down the Marble Stair case. Shacklebolt led them down a corridor and to the side door that opened into the Great Hall holding a finger up for them to be quiet. He opened the door to the huge silent room as one voice spoke for all to hear.

"Which I am willing to do to clear Greg Hunter of these charges! My only condition is that it be Professor Shacklebolt or Alastor Moody who does it."

"So why are you telling us this? Why not just go and save your boyfriend?" Parkinson sneered from the Slytherin table.

"Because I don't just want to clear him of these false charges! I want him to remain here at Hogwarts as Head Boy like he deserves!" a huge outcry was heard as students shook their heads and started to argue against such an idea.

"QUIET!" and the noise faded.

"Tomorrow letters will pour into Hogwarts from your parents demanding that Hunter be removed from this school even if I do clear him!"

"As it should be! A werewolf is dangerous!"

"I am dangerous!" Taylor yelled, "I know how to fight with my wand, as well I can brew up a potion powerful enough to kill half the students in this room! The same as all you other seventh years can do! We are taught dangerous things! That doesn't mean we should all be kicked out!"

"You! When is a werewolf dangerous?" Taylor asked as she walked a few paces down the Gryffindor table to point at a third year Ravenclaw at the next table.

The third year girl turned bright red but managed to stutter, "Once a month, during the full moon."

"Exactly! Once a month! One night out of thirty! And for that we are going to punish someone? Sounds a bit hypocritical to me, if all of us seventh years can kill someone thirty days out of that month!"

"But werewolves are mindless beasts! They will kill anyone who gets in their way! Two people just last night! And more bitten! That should tell you just how dangerous they are!" A Ravenclaw yelled.

"Yes two people were killed last night as well as some bitten, and I don't doubt that werewolves did it!" a chorus of fearful calls went up. "BUT! They did not act on their own!" Taylor's voice cut across the mutterings and silenced them. "Werewolves are solitary creatures! Two males will kill one another if they happen to meet! Voldemort was behind these attacks! He is using werewolves just like he is using Dementors to strike fear into people!"

"So what now? Are we supposed to stand up to You-Know-Who? You're insane Porter!"

"No, Finch Fletchley I would never ask you to stand up to Voldemort! That would take a set of balls which you sadly lack!"

"What do you want then Porter?" called the Ravenclaw.

"I want us to stand together and demand that Hunter be allowed to finish out his year here, as Head Boy!"

The Great Hall broke into a noisy clamor again.

Taylor fired off the pops again. "There is only one full moon between now and graduation!"

"But he is a werewolf!"

"I didn't see you complaining when he saved the third year Hufflepuffs from a Manticore attack! I didn't see you, Thomas, complaining when he saved your ass from several Slytherins a week ago! Nor did I see you complaining Macmillan, Perks, and Finch-Fletchley when he worked to help you with your homework time and time again! Or any of the rest of you who Greg Hunter, in his duties as Head Boy of this school, helped in just the last month that he has been a werewolf! How many of you did he hurt? Anyone?"

"He threatened me!" Smelter said coming to his feet belligerently.

"Yeah he did! After you assaulted me and sexually harassed me in the corridor!" Taylor spit out glaring at him, as gasps and a few angry replies towards the bullying seventh Hufflepuff. "You are just lucky that I didn't decide to do more than threaten!" A few red sparks shot out of the end of Taylor's wand to give strength to her statement. She ignored her brother and Ron who looked like they were about to jump the table after him.

"Anyone with a valid complaint?" Taylor looked around the Hall slowly. "Then I suggest we put it to a vote!"

"We don't live in a democracy, Porter! We aren't even out of school yet! We have no say!"

"How many of you are of age?" Taylor called and saw hands raise in the air, except from the Slytherin table. "Then we have a say! But I say let's vote as a school! Maybe we can't change anything at the Ministry, but we should be able to change one thing at this school! If we stand together, we can demand that Hunter be allowed to stay! What say you? Are you willing to stand together for a friend? To say that we will not judge someone just because he now has to suffer painfully once a month, through no fault of his own! What say you?"

A chorus of agreement filled the air.

"I say we vote! Everyone! Who votes yes? Who votes to allow Greg Hunter, Head Boy, be allowed to remain at Hogwarts to finish the school year?" Taylor's voice rang clear and strong as bench legs scraped and students stood, the whole Hufflepuff table was the first to stand, except Smelter who hesitated and then stood reluctantly. The Gryffindors were the next to stand, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny the first to their feet and the rest stood also. The Ravenclaw table was a little slower as they seemed to whisper back and forth before they too stood. The Slytherin table was noticeably absent, but even a few of their younger students rose.

A huge cheer went up, as well as some laughter.

The Head Mistress turned to the Under Secretary. "I believe that Hogwarts will retain its Head Boy after all. You will trust Alaster or Kingsley's testament to the truth in Miss Porter's memories to Mr. Hunter's innocence will you not?"

The Under Secretary looked at McGonagall flabbergasted, "You can't be serious? You are going to allow a bunch of children to decide to keep a werewolf here at the school? Even if he is cleared!"

"Unless your eyes have grown weak, the majority was still won by those who are legally of age. That makes the vote binding regardless of how many underage students voted."

The cheers were still echoing in the Great Hall when the Head Mistress turned and ushered their small group back through the door, unseen by those cheering in the Great Hall. "Kingsley, would you please go and get Miss Porter for me and bring her up to my office. We will go up and contact the Minister right now and inform him of this." A smile played at the corners of McGonagall's mouth. It grew a little when she saw the look on the Head Boy's face, as well as those of his father and uncle.

Taylor had just climbed down from the top of the table and was suddenly surrounded by Sally-Anne, Ernie, Justin, Connor as well as her four friends all grinning and talking excitedly at once.

It was a moment before they noticed the noise level in the Great Hall had died down. Even before they turned to see why, a deep voice called out.

"Miss Porter, will you come with me please?"

Taylor turned to see Shacklebolt waiting patiently for her.

"I hope you know what you are doing." her brother hissed in her ear as he looked at her worriedly. The others comments were a little more boisterous.

"Go clear Greg!"

"We'll be waiting!"

It was Connor who started the chant, "Hunter! Hunter! Hunter!"

Grinning, Taylor walked to the professor and past the whole hall ringing with the chant. Once outside the doors the smile fell off her face. She knew the danger that she was going into. She was going to allow someone to read her mind to be able to access things that she didn't want anyone knowing. For some it wouldn't be a big deal, but she had secrets that she couldn't share with anyone. It wasn't just that either, she was going to have to be able to keep from using Dark Magic as her mind was probed. She swallowed nervously. That was going to be the difficult thing as there was likely going to be a Ministry official there watching. She couldn't afford to slip up.

When they reached the stone gargoyle, Shacklebolt gave the password and a few seconds later knocked on the solid oak door. Taylor knew why she was feeling a little déjà vu, she'd just been here less then ten hours ago! After he was bid to enter, Shacklebolt held open the door for her and she walked in ahead of him.

Taylor looked around curiously at the large number of people in the office. The Head Boy was there, as well as his father and uncle. She avoided meeting his eyes, not sure if he was still angry at her or not. Moody was there and two of the aurors she had seen in the school, plus Tonks, as well as two wizards she didn't recognize, though by the way they held themselves they were somebody important. She also saw Percy Weasley with a quill and parchment. McGonagall stood behind her desk.

"Ah Miss Porter. I believe you know why you are here?"

"Yes Professor."

"You have made a very big claim young lady! I hope you can back it up!" One of the important wizards said as he looked down his nose at her.

"Yes sir," Taylor decided that the less she said the better.

"You are this boy's girlfriend are you not?"

"Yes sir. That does not make my memories any less true though, sir."

"Yes well, let's get on with this! I do not appreciate being dragged out of the Ministry!"

"I know Minister, but with the hoopla I thought it was safest for my students that they remain here at the school." McGonagall said with a smile, Taylor noticed that it didn't reach her eyes.

"Yes of course! Now let's get on with this! Cromwell you can…"

"I'm afraid Minister, Miss Porter was very clear that she would only let Alaster Moody or Professor Shacklebolt probe her mind. I think that is a good compromise. You may choose which one though, Minister." McGonagall said it cordially enough but there was an underlying hardness that suggested she meant business.

"Yes, yes! Fine. Moody would you please gather these memories so that we can decide if Hunter is guilty or not." The way he said it made Taylor think he was hoping that she wouldn't be able to prove the Hufflepuff's innocence.

"Very well Minister! Porter, have a seat please." Moody growled in his gravelly voice as he pointed to a chair in the middle of the room.

Taylor nodded as she tried to relax. She needed to do this for Greg. If she couldn't, he might go to Azkaban and if things went horribly wrong and she used Dark Magic she might be taken to see a Dementor. Forcing her legs to move she walked to the chair and sat down.

Moody moved in front of her and stared at her hard with both of his eyes, "Ready Porter?" Taylor closed her eyes for a second and concentrated on the memories from last night, willing herself to let Moody see those memories. Opening her eyes, jaw clenched she nodded.

Moody raised his wand and pointed it at the witch. He knew that this was a gamble, if the witch used Dark Magic here it would sign her death warrant. He looked deep into her eyes as he waved his wand. For a moment he thought it wasn't going to work and then her memories flashed past, her hiding under the cloak, watching as he returned to the school with the nurse and then down into the tunnel, the sound of Hunter transforming and then the witch checking a map and her watch many, many times, as well as the sound of the werewolf above in the Shrieking Shack. He even saw her hide from the nurse and Shacklebolt and then emerge into the bright sun that morning.

Moody was tempted to see what else he could see but then he felt it, a growing sense of Dark, even in her memories. He began to back out. He had what he needed to clear his friend's son. Whatever else the witch was, she had controlled her need to use Dark Magic and allowed him into her mind. As the witch came into focus he could see the strain on her as sweat dripped off her face. Her knuckles were white and he could see the bit of blood where her nails had broken the skin. He stared at her for a moment before nodding ever so slightly.

"Minister I believe that Miss Porter has conclusive evidence that Greg Hunter was in fact in the Shrieking Shack all last night. I will give you the evidence and you can take it back with you if you wish." Moody pointed his wand at his temple and withdrew the memory he had just witnessed from the witch and accepting a vial from Kingsley he put it in and put the stopper on it. He then handed it to the Minister.

As inconspicuously as possible, Taylor wiped the sweat from her face. She could feel her body trembling from the effort to keep the Dark Magic at bay. It was something like trying to keep a shield up past her limit.

"Thank you Moody. I shall view this as soon as I get back to the Ministry. I shall give you my verdict accordingly."

The Minister and the Under Secretary, as well as Percy Weasley and one of the aurors, stepped into the fireplace and vanished in a flash of green fire.

"Thank you Miss Porter, you may return to your common room now," McGonagall said briskly though she hadn't missed the strain on the witch's face.

Taylor was just thankful to be able to get out of there. "Thank you Professor." Standing on shaking legs she didn't dare look up fearing that her legs might give way and she didn't dare show just how much what she had done affected her. Someone might start asking questions. When she was safely out of sight with the door closed, she sagged against the wall. A stray thought that Moody might still be able to see her still couldn't make her summon the energy to push away from the wall, so she leaned heavily against it as the revolving stairs moved her downward and she stumbled out nearly falling beside the stone gargoyle.

A welcome voice called out her name and she looked up to see Harry and the others heading towards her.

"Taylor! What happened?" Harry asked as he caught his sister around the waist to keep her from falling.

"I'm tired," Taylor said.

"Bloody Hell what did they do?" Ron asked.

"Just took a memory. I had to keep from using Dark Magic. It was a little harder than I thought." Taylor explained as her head started to hurt. She was exhausted.

"So how did it go?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Moody said the memory should clear Greg. He gave it to the Minister to take back to look at." Taylor leaned gratefully on her brother and felt him shift his arm around her more so that he could support her better.

"The Minister for Magic was up there?" Ginny cried.

"Yeah, that was why I had to be so careful," she knew her voice sounded tired.

"You take far too many chances, Taylor!" Harry admonished his sister, though there was no real heat in the words.

"Yeah, let's just go to the common room, my bed is calling me."

They were just about to the end of the corridor when…

"Taylor! Hey wait up!"

Taylor could have groaned. Maybe she did as Hermione gave her a funny look. She pushed away from her brother a little as she turned to see the Hufflepuff hurrying towards her with a bit of a limp, his father and uncle with him.

"Hey! I'm glad I caught you. Are you all right?" the Head Boy had seen what it had cost his witch to help him, and from the way she had been leaning on Potter she was still weak from the effort.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need a good night's sleep. Someone howled all last night and I didn't get a minute's rest." Taylor said with a tired smile.

"Yeah, well I'll talk to you about that later. Right now I just wanted to let you know the Minister sent word back. The charges against me have been dropped. As well McGonagall said I can remain here. I have you to thank for all of that. I saw what you did in the Great Hall…" The Hufflepuff's eyes met hers and she could see his thanks in them.

"Yeah, well, someone had to speak up. I was just saving that speech for a rainy day."

"Taylor, I'd also like to thank you. You saved my son from going to Azkaban as well as made sure he could finish his schooling… Those simple words just don't seem enough." Greg's father said with feeling as he looked down at the tired witch. He was unwilling to see more into her exhaustion when she had just given his son so much.

"Thank you as well, Miss Porter. What you did means a lot to our whole family." The Hufflepuff's uncle said with a sincere smile.

"I only told the truth, nothing more. The rest I left up to everyone else."

"Come on son, we need to get going before it gets dark. Thank you again Taylor, even if it was only the truth." Mr. Hunter gently patted the witch on the shoulder nodded to the others and started down the corridor, Greg's uncle with him.

"Thanks Taylor. I'll see you tomorrow alright?" The Head Boy said with a smile knowing he had to go see his father and uncle out.

"Yeah. In between classes and detention." Taylor quirked a half smile.

By the time she made it back to the common room all traces of humor had left her, as a pounding headache made each step painful.

When they climbed into the common room they were bombarded with questions and she let the others do most of the talking. As soon as she could, she whispered to Hermione that she was going to bed and escaped up to the relative quiet of her room. Earlier she had envisioned a nice hot shower, now she barely managed to pull off her clothes and get into her pajamas before crawling into her bed and pulling the hangings shut. Head pounding, she didn't know if she'd be able to get to sleep or not.

Not ten minutes later she fell into a deep exhausted sleep.

A/N Well there is another chapter and I know what many of you are going to say! And that is that this would never happen! The students would NEVER accept Greg knowing he was a werewolf and the fear that comes with that... my arguement... For one how many times have you heard of a group of people being moved to DO something by being motivated by a speach from someone? I know that there likely is a word to discribe it but I can't think of it right now. Plus everything that Taylor said was true... in Hogwarts they learn to do dangerous things... I mean in sixth year they learned to brew a potion so strong that it was called Living Death! So I am sure seventh years learn even more dangerous potions and spells! So would it be such a stretch that she could convince the students to vote for Greg? Hopefully not anyway! :)

So Tayor acted once again without fully thinking through the ramifications of her actions... I doubt she will ever learn to curb her impulsive acts! LOL!

Thank you for those who left a review! A Alert or Favorited! As well just for reading! Thank you to my wonderful beta barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.