Nope I still don't own Harry!

Okay all I can say about this chapter is that my muse said that this is what Taylor would do and she wouldn't let me change it. All I can ask is that you bear with me and I think that the crazyness of this chapter will be explained soon.

Let the craziness begin...

Chapter Ninety-two

When the Heart Betrays the Mind

Taylor watched the exchange from over by the doors. Moody was talking about their next research session but she wasn't really listening. Hadn't been the whole time, as she watched covertly what was happening between the Head Boy and his father and uncle. She knew it had become somewhat heated at times as well, she could tell by the firm set of the Hufflepuff's jaw that he'd not backed down from something his father had said. She watched as they shook hands and knew that the Head Boy's father and uncle would be leaving. Making a decision she interrupted Moody.

"I need to talk to Greg's father and uncle for a minute… alone."

"What makes you think they want to talk to you?" was Moody's gravelly inquiry.

Taylor could see the two wizards eyeing her as they walked towards her, "Oh I have no doubt that they do."

"Taylor, what are you going to do?" Harry asked as he stepped in front of his sister meeting her eye. That determined glint was in them again.

"Don't worry Potter. You know me. I never do anything rash or foolish." Taylor said softly before she side stepped her brother and met the two wizards as they reached the door.

Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to come out of her office and head for the Hufflepuff laying in the bed, putting the screen back up as she went, saying that people tended to rest better when they didn't have to worry about being gawked at.

Taylor grinned and could have kissed the nurse right then. The smile fell from her face when she locked eyes with the Head Boy's father. "Mr. Hunter I'd like a word with you if you would." Her voice was low and she glanced at the Hufflepuff's uncle to show that she included him too.

"That would be fine."

Taylor glanced at Moody, "How about over there? In that empty classroom?" She knew the ex-auror took his orders form McGonagall seriously, but he could see her from here, so technically he wasn't disobeying his orders.

Moody merely grunted as he nodded.

Harry watched his sister as she led the two wizards into the classroom he had used once to tell Ron and Ginny about Taylor's nightmare. He wondered what his sister had planned, or more likely what was going to spew from her mouth when her temper flared. He knew though that nothing he could say would change her mind.

A grim smile pulled at her lips as she heard one of the wizards close the door and put up a silencing charm. Turning she met their silent appraisal of her.

Deciding not to mince words, "You have a problem with me and my ability to use Dark Magic."

"I do Miss Porter. Especially where my son seems determined to take you as his wife." Greg's father said in a severe tone.

Taylor sighed, wondering why the Hufflepuff would have to bring that to the forefront once more. She had no doubt that she'd agree when he asked her, she just didn't know if they'd ever get to that point in time. "Look Mr. Hunter, if it will make you feel any better, the chances that we will ever get to that point are slim."

The statement made the wizard pause for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the war is drawing closer. All hell is going to break loose soon and the likelihood that I reach the end alive is… well I wouldn't bet the few knuts I have to my name on it! I'll do every thing in my power to keep Greg away, though I can't promise you anything." Taylor said it in a matter-of-fact sounding voice.

"It sounds like you are planning on dying! And taking my son with you!" The words were clipped and cold.

Taylor laughed, but it held no humor. "Mr. Hunter, Voldemort is actively looking for me, as well as Harry. In a few short weeks we will be leaving the protection of this school for good. Harry is the Chosen One. You do the math."

"You knew this back at Christmas yet you still allowed Greg to fall for you? You allowed him to get near you!" The ice-cold tone of Greg's uncle accused.

"I didn't allow anything! I tried to dissuade him. Maybe I didn't try hard enough… I even told him about my Dark Magic. He just didn't listen. My heart didn't listen to my head either. I didn't mean for this to happen. Things were far less complicated before I fell in love and my heart dared to start to hope for something that isn't likely to ever be. I'm sorry." It was like the fight went out of her, admitting to Greg's father and uncle what she had known for some time. That she had failed the Head Boy. She had given in and allowed her heart to rule over her head and in doing so she was going to cause him, as well as his family, pain. Something she had never intended to allow to happen.

The hole in her heart, that her parents, aunt and uncle and Mrs. Briggs had torn when she lost them, expanded painfully as she thought about what she would do to Greg, and in turn his family. Silently she cursed her heart for betraying her and letting the Hufflepuff fall in love with her.

Turning away she bowed her head as she fought the pain that her next words were going to cause her. "You're right Mr. and Mr. Hunter. Against my better judgment, I allowed the Hufflepuff to get close to me. For that I am truly sorry. I will do all within my power to right that wrong." Turning she met each of their eyes before she walked to the door and left.

Harry really wasn't sure what he was expecting when his sister came out of that room but it sure wasn't the dead look in her eyes or the closed look on her face. Unable to tear his eyes away from her, he didn't notice the two wizards who came to the door and stared after her in shock. Without a word she walked past him and instead of going over to the bed beside the Hufflepuff she headed to the opposite side of the room and sat down.

Taylor felt hollow as she grappled with the decision she had just made. She knew she would suffer, but hopefully in the end it would make it easier for the Head Boy and that was all that counted. That and helping her brother destroy Voldemort.

She barely noticed when her brother sat down beside her, caught up in her own inner turmoil as she was. She was thankful for one thing, that the Hufflepuff would have fallen asleep by now as exhausted as he was. Sometime later Moody came to tell her that the Head Mistress needed her and that Shacklebolt would take her there. Woodenly she stood and walked out of the Hospital Wing knowing she would not return today.

Time was a strange thing. When she had been with the Hufflepuff it had passed with barely a thought, now it staggered along like a drunk weaving slow and then fast but always in a sort of stupor.

Her brother and friends had pestered, pried and pulled to try to get her to tell them what had happened but she had refused to say anything, or even mention the Head Boy in any way.

She had gone to the Hospital Wing early Tuesday morning and told him that she'd realized she wasn't in love with him and that it was time to end the game. The Hufflepuff had sat in stunned disbelief as he watched his witch turn and walk out of the door. When he had gotten out of the Hospital later that day, he had tried to go talk to the Gryffindor witch but she had avoided him for nearly two days. Finally when he did corner her, she simply repeated what she had said to him in the Hospital Wing.

Gossip in the school flew like wild fire. The sensation that the Head Boy had broken up with Porter, on top of what had happened out on the school grounds during the full moon, filled every hallway and common room, as well as the tables during meals.

Taylor ignored all but her close friends and even them if they even hinted at talking about the Head Boy. Her only saving grace was that with NEWTs fast approaching they didn't pester her like they would have otherwise.

The Head Boy, after a heated argument that nearly came to blows with Potter and Weasley, was now trying to come to grips with the fact that his witch was no longer his and trying desperately to lose himself in studying for his upcoming exams.

The second week in June brought with it the start of their NEWT exams. They started with Charms on Monday followed each day by Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, History of Magic and Hermione had Arithmacy after that. That weekend they spent studying for their remaining exams.

Tuesday afternoon Taylor was finishing her last exam, Herbology which was written in the Great Hall but the practical was out in the greenhouses. The stooped old witch that was testing her had just finished asking her the last question on the exam and she headed out of the greenhouse finally finished. Only a couple of seventh years remained to be tested and she walk past them as they tried to cram a little last minute studying in.

Finally free, she had no wish to head back to the school where she might run into her friends, or worse, the two or three dozen witches who had decided they would hound her for information, or even worse than that, the possibility of running into the Hufflepuff.

So with that thought in mind, she walked down across the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest. The thought that she might stop in and see Hagrid floating through her mind until she remembered that the Head Boy took Care of Magical Creatures and that exam was scheduled for that afternoon as well, or the practical part of it was anyway. Turning again she headed for the lake and followed it around until she was out of sight of the castle and most of the grounds. Finding a spot partially hidden behind a tree she sat down.

Thoughts plagued her, as she stared out at the ripples on the lake made by the slight breeze that helped to cool one from the warmth of the afternoon sun. Taking her robe off and pushing her sleeves up, she wasn't too hot sitting in the shade of the tree. Now that exams were over it was time to get to work on planning their fight against Voldemort. She knew that they had been extremely lucky that Voldemort hadn't done anything to force their hand yet. That luck wasn't likely to hold much longer.

A vague thought that had been plaguing her for days again returned as she thought about where they should make their stand against Voldemort. It was as elusive as always and the sun dipped low beyond the castle in the distance and still she was no closer to figuring it out. Twilight fell before she even thought about returning to the castle. Supper would long be over so she'd have to sneak to the kitchens for something to eat, or maybe she'd just skip supper all together. The kitchens were dangerously close to the Hufflepuff's common room.

She was about to get up when a twig snapping to her left made her come to her feet wand in hand. Carefully she looked all around and couldn't see anything in the deep shadows under the trees between her and the castle in the unseen distance. Picking up her robe she put it back on and moving silently she slipped into the deeper woods and away from the lake. She hadn't gone that far when she saw a bright white glow moving towards her. Stopping in the cover of the forest she waited until the glowing doe stopped in front of her.

"I need to see you tonight. Follow the path that leads to the right of the secret passage. A horn awaits you." The oily voice spoke quietly and then faded, as did the Patronus.

Taylor stood undecided for a few seconds before she headed into the forest towards the secret passage and the path that led away from it. She wondered how Snape had known she would be alone near the woods tonight, though she reasoned it wouldn't take a whole lot to figure that out if he had any inside information at all. She highly suspected he did.

She hadn't gone all that far when she heard something behind her and she turned watching her back trail carefully. Stepping silently she moved into the deeper shadows of a nearby tree and waited. It wasn't more then a minute when an indistinct form moved stealthily towards her through the forest. She waited until it had drawn abreast of her before she disarmed who ever it was.

"Bloody hell Porter! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Taylor felt a huge acidic ball form in her stomach as she recognized the voice. Coldly she asked, "What do you think you are doing following me, Hunter?"

"A better question would be, where do you think you are going?" the voice all but snarled back.

"None of your damn business!" was her snappy reply.

"I'm still Head Boy of this school and I'm making it my business! Ten points from Gryffindor for being in the Forbidden Forest! I'll make it fifty if you don't tell me what the hell you are doing!" the Hufflepuff ground out.

"You can go to hell! Now either you shut your mouth and turn around and head back to the school, and feel free to alert as many aurors as you wish! Or I stun you and leave you here for the night! Take your pick!"

Even in the near dark she could see the scowl on the Head Boy's face.

"You're going to meet that Death Eater again. I suppose that shouldn't surprise me." The words were so filled with spite that it made Taylor flinch.

"That is none of your business!" Taylor spit back.

"As Head Boy of this school it sure as hell is, witch!" the last word sounded more like a foul curse. Suddenly he leaped at her and caught her off guard, his shoulder rammed into the pit of her stomach and drove all the air out of her before the ground met her back and she had no air left to make a sound. She felt his hand closing over her wand hand and knew he meant to physically yank the wand out of her hand. Swinging her left hand she made contact with some part of him that was hard, as she kicked viciously. He had nearly pried her wand from her hand when, with a hard jerk, she was able to move her wrist and sent him sailing off her.

Gasping for air she climbed to her feet as the Hufflepuff cursed and stood also.

"You had better make it a good hex, because there is no way I am letting you go meet that Death Eater!"

Taylor shook her head, "You barmy sodding git!" was all she got out before he charged at her again. This time she had more warning, only because he had been farther away to begin with. Her first spell missed him and her second caught him just before he collided with her again and they both went crashing to the ground.

"A jelly-legs jinx? Really Porter I'm rather disappointed!" The Head Boy snapped as he fought his jerking legs as he attempted to pin the witch beneath him so he could grab her wand.

Taylor struggled hard and was nearly free when stars exploded as something solid smashed into her nose with a sickening crunch. It was a gut reaction to send the Head Boy flying away from her once again. Coughing as blood poured from her nose she slowly stood once more, and her glasses fell to the ground broken.

"Taylor?" the voice called from the dark, worriedly, "Are you all right?"

Taylor spit, trying to get rid of the blood in her mouth and ended up leaning over so it could run onto the ground. She needed to find her glasses so she lit the tip of her wand and ignored the Hufflepuff and his exclamation as she looked for her broken glasses and repaired them. Gingerly she put them back on before looking over where the Head Boy was trying to make his way towards her despite his jerking legs.

Spitting out another mouth full of blood she said thickly, "Damn you Hufflepuff. What da' hell got into you? I'm going! I'll leave your wand here and you can head on back to da' castle!" She set his wand down on a stump so he wouldn't be defenseless and turned to go.

"Why? Can't you at least tell me why?" the pain in his voice tore at her heart, ripping it wide open.

She didn't turn around and she was glad that her voice sounded strange, as suddenly it was thick with emotion. She answered him and knew it wasn't the answer he was looking for. "Cause it's what I have to do. Bye Hufflepuff." Moving off quickly she used her lit wand for a ways before she put it out and continued on in the dark. A few minutes later she heard a noise and spinning around, wand raised, she could see a strange looking shape walking towards her. Lighting the tip of her wand again she recognized the Thestral making its way carefully towards her, attracted no doubt by the smell of her blood.

"Hey, do you know where the tunnel from the school comes out into the forest?" It was a long shot but it would save her time. To her surprise the skeletal looking horse looked at her and nodded. "Would you take me there? You can have my sweater if you do, it's full of blood." The strange looking horse nodded again and Taylor wasted no time climbing up onto it. The large wings on either side unfolded and the Thestral took off. It wasn't a very long flight, not like the one to London in her fifth year. At least this time she could see the Thestral. When it landed she took off her sweater and wiping as much blood off as she could, she gave it to the skeletal horse. Her nose had slowed up and had nearly stopped bleeding now. She gave him a pat and then hurried along the path, her wand lit and it was another fifteen minutes before she reached the end. Looking around she could see a horn. A horn that looked like it was from a muggle child's bike.

She paused for only a moment before she picked it up, trusting her instincts that told her that she could trust Snape. The moment her hand touched the horn she felt a jerk right behind her belly button and the portkey spun her away.

A moment later she landed rather hard and fell to her knees. Her wand was out and she looked around carefully. She was in a cemetery. She could see grave stones in the darkness.

"Well you came alone this time, Porter. A rather noble feat I suppose." The oily voice said snarkily from behind her.

Taylor stood and turned to look at her old professor. "Let's just cut the chit chat. What do you want?"

"Have some trouble did we? Is there trouble in paradise?" The oily voice asked smoothly as Snape stepped towards her.

"You wanted to see me?" Taylor snapped, she didn't plan on telling him anything.

"Yes I did. I have these for you to view. They should answer any lingering questions you might have. You might wish to view them with Potter." Snape floated a small vial towards her and she caught it. She knew it was full of memories.

"What are these?"

"Clues for the last Horcruxes. That is what you have been searching for, isn't it?" again the voice was snarky.

Taylor nodded. The thought that had been eluding her for a long time suddenly became crystal clear. "What do you know about the Department of Mysteries?"

The question threw Snape for a moment, so out of the blue like it was. "Not all that much. Why?"

The idea solidified in her mind and it was like figuring out that one plus one equaled two. It was a cold hard fact. She knew what else she needed to ask. "Will this portkey take me back to the Forbidden Forest from anywhere or just here?"

"Porter what ever you are thinking I'd suggest you stow it away. The Dark Lord is probably already aware that you have left Hogwarts. You need to go straight back!"

"Just answer my question!"

"Yes it will take you back from anywhere." Came the clipped reply.

"Good. I need to meet with you again in two or three days."

"That will not be possible!" Came a hissed reply this time.

"Well it has to be. I have an idea but I need to check it out first and then talk it over with Harry. If it is what I think it is… well we just might have a chance." Taylor looked at the wizard in Death Eater's clothing. She knew he had risked his life to see her tonight. Was she asking too much to ask him to come again?

Several tense moments went by as Snape glared at the underage witch.

"Be alone in the forest in three days time! To active the portkey simply touch it with your wand and say, 'Envenerate'." With that Snape spun on the spot and apparated away with a pop.

Taylor stood there for a minute steeling herself for what she was about to do. Tucking the portkey into her robe, wand in hand, she thought of where she wanted to go and spun.

Her lessons with Shacklebolt and Moody resounded in her ears and she used the dis-illusionment charm and apparated to three different remote locations before she fixed the place she really wanted to go firmly in her mind.

When the tight bands of apparation released she was standing on a deserted country road staring at a neat little two-story stone house surrounded by a carefully tended garden of shrubs, trees and flowerbeds. The difference now from when she had been here before was that even in the dark she could see the trees all had their leaves and flowers were growing in the flowerbeds that bordered the brick walkway. She noted that the lights were on in the house as she stepped through the wards surrounding Hunter's Place.

She went quickly to the door and conjuring her Patronus sent it into the house with a request to speak with Mr. Hunter. She only had to wait for a few minutes before she heard a deep hard voice.

"Code word?"

Taylor thought of the one she had used before and said, "Fuzzy Pears. Plus I told you just over two weeks ago that I would right the wrongs I allowed with your son."

The door opened and Mr. Hunter stood there staring at her.

She knew what she had to do. She pushed her feelings away with a brutality that felt like slamming an iron door, the reverberations traveled through her and a coldness invaded her chest where her aching heart had been. "I need to speak to you for a moment."

"Is Greg all right? Has something happened?" Mr. Hunter demanded.

"Your son is safe at Hogwarts."

She could see him sigh in relief, "Well you had better come in then. We can talk in my study."

Silently she followed him into the house. Holding onto that coldness, she passed through the house as pleasant memories tried to break through the ice.

"Why Taylor! What happened to you? Are you all right?" Mrs. Hunter exclaimed as her eyes widened at the sight of the witch.

"I am fine Mrs. Hunter. I just had a run in with an errant knee on the way here." Taylor explained as she remembered her broken nose and the blood that still covered her. In the lights of the house she could see that the blood had soaked through her sweater and her school blouse was stained with it.

The Hufflepuff's mother stared at her stunned for a moment before she asked, "Dan do you need your healers bag? I can fetch it for you before I get us some tea and biscuits."

"Thank you but that won't be necessary Mrs. Hunter. This is not a social call and I won't be staying long." Taylor kept her voice polite and courteous, even if it sounded rather hollow to her. She didn't want to offend the woman who had been so kind to her on her previous visits.

"That's all right dear, like Miss Porter said she won't be staying long." Mr. Hunter's voice was hard and clipped and the Hufflepuff's mother turned worried eyes on her husband asking him silently what was going on. His voice softened a little, "I'd like some tea afterwards," before he led Taylor into his study and shut the door.

Like the last time she spoke to him she didn't bother wasting any time. As soon as she put up a silencing charm she asked, "I came to ask you about the Department of Mysteries."

His lips thinned and his eyes narrowed as he regarded the underage witch in his study cautiously. "You should already know I can not tell you anything about that. I might not be an Unmentionable but I have been sworn to secrecy."

Taylor had been worried she might run into something like this so she tried to rephrase her question. "I'm not interested in what goes on there. I only wanted to know what is behind the locked door in the circular revolving room."

"How do you know about that?" Mr. Hunter demanded.

"Because I've been there, in my fifth year, with Harry. If this wasn't very important I wouldn't be here." Taylor answered as she worked to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"Why should I risk telling you anything? When you have done nothing but hurt my son?" his voice was hard and clipped.

"I'm doing what I promised you I would! Righting the wrong!" Taylor shot back.

"By breaking up with him? After he killed a man to save you? He's a werewolf because of you!"

The accusation sliced through the ice around her heart and hit its mark. Swallowing the pain she snarled, "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I would have gladly been the one bitten instead of him? If I could I'd do anything to make it so he didn't have to suffer like that! But I can't! Nothing I ever do will ever make that up to him or to you and your family! The only thing I can do is make sure the bastard that did that to him, and is hurting so many more, is stopped!" Breathing hard Taylor glared at the Head Boy's father. She knew now that coming here was a mistake.

"I'm sorry I came. And I'm sorry for what I did to your family. I'll let myself out!" Striding past the wizard she had reached the door behind him before his voice stopped her.

"Behind the locked door is a powerful force of magic that very little is known about. Some call it Positive energy others Pure Love. It is similar to the magic contained in a Patronus. It can't be destroyed by even the foulest of creatures. It is uncontrollable and the wards containing it are ancient."

Taylor nodded, "Thank you." She said quietly before she opened the door and walked out of the house. Once outside the wards, she spun, barely fixing a place in her mind first. When the bands released her she spun again, and again. When she couldn't think any more she withdrew the portkey from her robe and pointing her wand at it felt the jerk behind her belly button.

A/N ... well there you have it. I know likely many of you are going to think that Taylor has finally lost her marbles but this was how I seen her reacting. I fretted over this chapter after I wrote it for a long time and even tried to write something different but this was the only way Taylor would let me do it. What can I say her voice is rather loud and persistent in my brain when she wants to be! The only thing I can say is... when has Taylor ever done anything the conventional way? And she is a teenager with powerful emotions... Hopefully it is in the relm of believable.

Thank you for reading! Thank you to those of you have left a review! I LOVE you all! And THANK YOU to barbc... who has made this saga readable! Until next time, cytpotter.