Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers

Chapter 41

Ky's POV

"You need to make a decision Ky!" I scribbled on the Parch out of habit, knowing it was in vain as Nessie informed me that Linus' copy was actually lying at the bottom of Brockdale River, but the little piece of parchment had always symbolized the link I shared with my brothers, and it hurt, admittedly more than it was logical, that they couldn't write back to me on its twin. "I hate to put you in this position! But it's a choice EVERYONE in our lives HAS to make. I can't be associated with him, through ANY channels! He doesn't deserve it! SO choose!"

I wonder why the Parch didn't go main stream. I haven't seen anyone else use it, Nonno said he had actually bewitched the paper itself, I'm sure the charms could be replicated. It would be quite cumbersome though... Sirius' mirror...well Harry's mirror... now that seemed like fun. Visual and written responses... it did make sense to expunge time on that endeavour rather than the Parch.

"KY!"

Her brown eyes glared at me as her curly, dirty blonde mane swayed across her back as she snatched the Parch out of my hand. I sighed, giving the drama queen my full attention... I have got to stop hanging out in the Dorm. Or start gate crashing Mi and Teddy's secret rendezvous.

"Yes your highness?" She flared her nostrils at me as Parvarti rolled her eyes at her best friend's antics. Bobby reprised her seat on Mi's bed which lay opposite my own.

"I said Ron or me! Make a choice. I know it's not that hard-"

"Ron." I grabbed the essay that sat on my bedside and summoned my Standard Book of Spells from the book shelf, I might as well finish the damned thing.

"WHAT!" I closed my eyes as my bed dipped from the attack of the tall blonde, "WHAT! How!"

"How?" I looked up at her round face which was at a distance that used to be much too close for my comfort, but discomfort was a common and hence well adjusted feeling when rooming with Bobby for the past three years. "Well he happens to be one of my best friends."

"Who you've barely spent any time with in the past few months, where as you and I have shared a room- nay not just a room- a HOME!"

"Not out of choice." I muttered and the blonde gasped.

Parvarti giggled, letting her copy of Witch Weekly fall to the floor, much more entertained by the act in front of her.

"You know..." Bobby clutched her chest dramatically, "After EVERYTHING we have been through, after the ups and the many downs... I would think that YOU would have a LITTLE, just a SMIDGE-"

"Will you stop screaming out random words... it's really disconcerting."

Bobby narrowed her eyes, contemplating attacking me but before she activated a muscle the bed dipped again as the orange fur pounced onto the scarlet mattress, dropping a white sheet on Bobby's green skirted lap and hopping onto my denim clad one with a superior look. I rolled my eyes and scratched his ear, "Now you're just showing off."

The conniving little beast had been rubbing it in my face that even though I successfully taught him how to deliver letters, he refused to bring any to me. The bed jostled as Bobby jumped to her feet.

"OH! OH! It's from Won Won! He wants to meet me on the Fourth floor in ten minutes! OH, he says his sorry." She cooed.

"Sorry for what?" I bit my lip but the words had unfortunately left my mouth already. Godric, I was a sadist to fuck myself over by asking the damned question.

"Were you not paying attention! Juliette that red breasted bitch dumped Terry and had her slaggy paws all OVER my Won Won." Red breasted what?

"Well honestly Lav, you were the one that told Pads that Terry sent Hermione those flowers in November, what did you expect to happen?"

Bobby halted her lip gloss application to glower at her best friend, "Only because the skank would NOT stop talking about what a perfect couple she and Terry made when Ron and I are hands down the CUTEST couple in school!"

"Hey!" Parvarti rose to her feet, "What about me and Alex!"

Bobby shrugged as she smoothed out her white jacket, "What about you and Alex?"

Parvarti opened her mouth but then let it close with a defeated look as her best friend made her way out of the dorm, "She's become a real bitch since she started dating Ron."

"Oh Parvarti, she's always been a bitch. It's what we love about her, remember?"

Parvarti smiled at my comment, walking back towards her bed. I stared at her long shiny black hair as it jostled as she walked and I sighed, placing my quill back in its pot. Parvarti, being alike her best friend in many ways, was starkly different in others. For one thing, she never abused other people by torturing them into listening to every one of her slightest qualms. In contrast, she almost always kept her feelings to herself.

"Grab your jacket. Come on."

I jumped off my bed and Crookshanks meowed at me in irritation as I walked to the door, Parvarti close on my heels.

"And then I wanted to go to Beaxbatons because let's face it, how would you feel at being CONSTANTLY compared to someone. I mean, I love Pads, don't get me wrong. But she's always been so painstakingly perfect, with her perfect grades and her perfect choice in boyfriend and perfect...everything." She smirked as she sipped her coffee, "I was kind of happy when Hermione topped our year, I mean... you should have seen Pads! And my mother! Oh my goodness, she was like, furious! AND Hermione was a Gryffindor no less, I mean the Patels have been Claws since... Rowena herself walked these halls. Thank you Kinky."

I took a gulp of hot chocolate and took the muffin from the tray Kinky had left with us, smiling at the blue eyed house elf in gratitude.

Parvarti finally took a breath of air, having spoken nonstop for the last twenty minutes as we sat amongst the elves in the Kitchen. She dusted off imaginary lint from her red sweater and she bit the side of her lip, "Thank you."

I placed my empty mug down and sighed, "You put up with Bobby on a twenty four seven basis, if anyone needs a handful of muffins, it's you."

She smiled, biting into the cappuccino treat, "No, I mean for bringing me down here and letting me vent. I know you don't exactly like Girl Talk, it's decent of you to sacrifice your preferences for my betterment."

I nodded, "You're right. I am pretty awesome."

She laughed, the effervescent sound catching the eye of many surrounding elves who smiled up at us with varying degrees of adoration. Her hazel eyes glinted and she placed her cup down, "You know what Ky. You really are. It may seem like certain individuals have momentarily become unaware of said awesomeness, but... who cares!" Her smile widened and I couldn't help my lips quirking up slightly at her kind words. "You've never struck me as the type of girl who needed a boy. Actually..." She looked down at the table, drawing within herself slightly, "I might have to take a few pointers from you soon."

And here we go, The real issue. I placed the chocolate muffin down, "You're dumping Alex?"

She continued staring at the table in contemplation, and I could see why Parvarti and Bobby were alike in another aspect. They were both the type of girls who would stick it out in a relationship, just to save face. Bobby, even if Ron and she fought more than is regarded functional and there was more problems than solutions in their relationship, she would rather be one half of the cutest couple of Hogwarts than single any day. Parvarti's need to maintain a successful relationship however must come from her need to define her success, especially to her family, and failure at said relationship was a great deterrent of that.

Then again, was it truly a horrible characteristic to have... maybe if I had it... I wouldn't be single. Maybe I would have forgiven Harry before he went out with Ginny. Maybe I was the type of girl who didn't need a boy... the bitter, single, pathetic kind.

At that thought I shadowed Parvarti, jumping to my feet as well as she laughed hollowly, "Let's not add a detention to all these calories we've consumed as well, we're way past curfew."

I followed her out the door, making a concerted effort to smile. Pathetic people did not smile. Pathetic people just wallowed in their pity... I was not pathetic. Fuck... did I not use this t-shirt yesterday?

"Do you think I should?"

Pathetic people should really pay attention to their surroundings, and the people that occupied them. Parvarti's thoughtful expression wavered slightly at the smile on my face, "Do I think you should what?"

"Dump him?"

"Well why?" I shrugged.

"He's cheating on me... well I think he is..."

"Alex!" The disbelief dripped in my voice as we walked through a passage that cut us right to the fourth. Was there no such thing as faithful man? "What makes you think that!"

Parvarti, fully comprehending my disbelief, jumped into an explanation on our way up the staircase, "Well... today is the Finals and he hasn't invited me! He has obviously gone because he isn't here and I waited for him to invite me to it for WEEKS but he didn't!"

"The Finals?" Wasn't it still March?

We skipped the trick step, "It's this party the Seventh years throw, it's a big deal. It's like their last major one of their Hogwarts career and only the seventh years and their partners are invited. Lavender says that it's a test of your relationship, some people go stag EVEN whilst in a relationship because it's also become this like party where you take the person who you seriously intend on pursuing even when this seven floored wonderland is just the landscape of your memories. When you enter the big bad real world... the last time we can just be seventeen. Be kids."

That did sound like a big deal... but why March though? I didn't think Parvarti would be impressed if I voiced my confusion in regards to the date and thought of words to comfort her with, "Well, that still doesn't mean that Alex is cheating on you. It could just mean that he went to this party alone."

She stopped as we entered the fourth, "And therefore does not see me in his future!"

"Parvarti I seriously doubt that one little-"

"SHHHH!" Her eyes squinted in the dark, just before the Dancing Wolf Puppies' portrait that would take us up to the sixth. "Oh Godric!"

Her back was to me in a moment as she ran across the hall, what! Making that much noise is most definitely not how you sneak out past curfew! WHAT! Lighting your wand! Great Godric, this mad woman was going to get us caught! It's been months since I even got a detention...oh fuck, why did I sound proud?

"Parvarti!" I hissed but it was too late, I cringed as she screamed... yes she was screaming... for fuck sakes.

"HOW DARE YOU!"

The unused classroom door was thrown open to reveal a gapping Alex along with... Anna Smith... the blonde bitch who bullied Angelique. She glared at me and I returned it with a potency that made her take a step back and bump into a desk.

"Parvarti! What are you-"

"-GO AROUND AND... AND...AND-"

"Parvarti-"

"SLUTS! LITTLE-"

"PARVARTI!"

"Alex?" I turned to the strawberry blonde at the door, I recognised her as one of the girls on the Ravenclaw quidditch team, a thought backed up by her athletic built as she looked confused to the three occupants of the room. "What's going on?"

"AND HER!" Parvarti's brown eyes widened as if her every nightmare had come true.

"PARVARTI!" Alex snapped at her before Parvarti could get another word through, he turned to the girl at the door, his pale face slightly red, "Liana, did you get the boy?"

"No he ran off before I could, is everything alright?"

Alex didn't answer, his blue eyes wide with fear as he glanced at his fuming girlfriend.

"You know what, maybe I should take Smith down to the Hufflepuff dorms. Her boyfriend has obviously run for it. I'll be fine, er... come on." She gestured at the blonde to follow and she did, and the vibes that filled the room from the angry couple made me want to follow her as well.

"I CA-"

"Parvarti!" Alex snapped... wow... I don't think I have even heard the boy raise his voice before. "What is the matter with you?"

"Me? I'm not the one cheating!"

"Cheating!" Alex took a step back affronted, "What in Merlins saggy scrotum will give you that idea."

OK... they just said scrotum, I should go.

"I thought you went to the Finals without me... I thought..." I waited as I heard the sniffling, oh no... tears.

"Oh silly goose." Seriously, Alex? Goose? "Didn't I tell you I was covering for prefect duty tonight. I told you weeks ago, some seventh year had to stay behind, lest all the teachers get suspicious at our complete absent. Darling, I would never-"

"OH!" Parvarti gave a watery laugh, "You did." She giggled. OK, I'm going now. "I just freaked out because you didn't invite me... because well..."

"Parvarti, I would have invited you in a heartbeat love. I KNOW I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you, I surely don't need a party to prove that. Plus, you're too important to me to take that kind of risk. Precautions may have been taken to leave school tonight, but never enough for me to-"

I didn't let the brunette finish his statement, "Wait? What?"

He glanced at me for the first time, as if just realising I was there as Parvarti leaned into him with a dreamy smile. "Oh. Hello Ky."

"Yeah Hi. Did you say leave school?"

"Yes, I did."

"So... you're telling me... that the whole of seventh year, save one Gryffindor prefect... snuck out of school?"

He shrugged, "And some of their partners. But yes, that's right." His eyes drew together at the look on my face, "It really isn't that big of a deal. I mean, it's only the Honeydukes cellars and it's only for three hours and the planning committee made sure-"

"Planning committee? A bunch of seventeen year olds whose job entails getting their hands on booze and good music, has the ability to protect fifty or so students from Voldemort?"

They flinched in unison at the name, Parvarti, slightly affronted at my accusatory tone recovered first, "He did say they took precautions Ky."

"Yes. We even changed the date so that nobody on the outside would know, it usually happens in June. And they have a strict three butterbeer, three hours policy instated. And Honeydukes is pretty safe and we only learn the secret passage way to get there on the day of the party... it's kind of a ritual. The Finals is an age old tradition." He sighed, sad at the fact that he had missed such an important milestone in his scholastic career.

I however had already had my back to the couple, Nonno wasn't in. Neither was Sev. Minnie. I'd go to Minnie. What the fuck were these idiots even thinking! Honestly, we're in the midst of a fucking war and they think it's alright to sneak out just for a party. I reached the first floor corridor, ignoring Alex's constant nattering.

"Woah, watch it."

A masculine hand steadied me a good few feet from Minnie's office and I looked up at the familiar face of Roger Davies. He let go after he steadied me, his brown eyes curious when they fell upon me. "Everything OK?"

"Yes." Alex stepped forward, "Yeah, it's fin-"

"The seventh years are currently in Honeydukes cellar for the Finals." I cut across Alex who sighed in frustration. The redhead from the other night, the one that liked George, stepped forward.

"That happens in June though."

"They moved it up, as a precaution. One of the very many precautions they took-"

"If there are so many precautions Silver why didn't you take Parvarti." I snapped. I turned to the redhead, I assumed they just handed in their daily patrol reports to Minnie. "Is Professor McGonagall in her office?"

"Ky, seriously? You're going to tell McGonagall!" Parvarti gasped as Alex turned to Roger, who already had turned to walk to the deputy headmistress' office.

"Roger. Come on mate, it's already been two and a half hours and the party is only meant to be three hours. Just thirty minutes left. It's the Finals! McGonagall will have our heads and if THEY find out it was ME that got us found out." He sighed in defeat and Davies stopped. He glanced at the redhead and she sighed.

"This is way out of line though. If something happens to these kids and we do nothing-"

"Nothing would happen! I'm sure! Just don't tell McGonagall." Alex pleaded and the AIT's turned to look at us.

"We won't tell McGonagall, but we can't permit this party to continue. You lot make your way to the dorms. Sarah, get Hawke and Mira for back up, they're probably going to be loads of uncoordinated, intoxicated students, the more hands the faster this lot will be back in the safety of the castle."

"I'm coming with you." I followed Davies as Sarah headed in the opposite direction.

"Thornton, this really isn't-"

"Look, you're going to need hands to clear that party out, force if necessary." Drunk people were know to be stubborn. "I can be force."

He sighed, running a hand through his brown locks as he glanced at Alex and Parvarti who also was following us, Parvarti shrugged.

"I guess this will count as attending the Finals together." She looked dreamily up at her boyfriend, seriously? What the fuck.

I slithered through the One Eyed Witch passage after Davies. Walking most of the way in silence. The vestiges of sound could be heard when it seemed the tunnel would never end and Davies pushed the door open easily, whoever placed the silencing charm on the party did a poor job, or they didn't care to reinforce it when it weakened.

I blinked a few times, the cellar was doused in darkness but the music that filled the room and the feeling of many moving bodies reinforced that it was a party, the flashing lights aiding the effort. Suddenly the room was bright and silent and there was a cacophony of swears and groans.

"The Fuck?" The familiar voice of Demeter Robins snapped, his hand around a seventh year Slytherin girl I didn't know by name.

"Right. Everybody out. Back to your dorms."

"Roger!" Cho giggled drunkenly as the lights and music restarted, "It's you!"

Roger ignored his ex and lit the room again; I helped him with the music, easily casting the counter curse to the sonorous charm on the gramophone.

Another round of drunk groans.

"Look. You lot need to-"

"Fuck off Davies. And take the ice bitch with you." That was Duncan Igleby. Someone was a bad drunk. He glared at me with angry brown eyes. He definitely didn't like being turned down or bossed about.

"Roger." The soft face of the Head Girl, Diana Riss, cut across her male counterpart, her long blonde tresses slightly damp from the sweat, her face shiny, "It's good to see you. I apologise that's in these circumstances, we've been really careful though. It's just, the student body-"

"OI! ARE WE GOING TO PARTY OR WHAT!" Shouted a tall Hufflepuff boy and his peers jeered, cutting off the Head Girl's explanation. They doused the room again and I practically burned a fire when I relit the room.

"REALLY! Are you fucking serious!" I snapped, "You lot are supposed to be bloody adults! There's a fucking war going on! And you leave the safety of the school-"

"OH SHUT UP THORNTON!" A girl I didn't know snapped and Aren Carrow smiled next to her, "Fuck the war!" She chanted and everybody boomed a cheers. Really! Really!

"Look, Thornton, I understand how this looks but this is really not that big of a deal. Do you honestly think You-Know- Who cares about a few teenagers having a spot of fun in their last chance to enjoy what little of the youth they have left." The head girl looked like she was trying to convince herself more than me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think that. How fucking stupid of me, of course Voldemort uses that kind of logic, why wouldn't he, the sane individual that he is!"

"Oh come now beautiful." I didn't recognise the blonde guy who stepped forward, but he didn't look like a seventh year, "Relax. Give the pretty lady something to drink, join in the festivities."

"Duke, I'm giving you five minutes to get these minors out of your cellar."

"Roger." The blonde gasped, "Auror training has really ruined you mate. Take a load of. If I remember correctly you were an Ogden's man."

"I'm serious Harrington. Your family may have allowed this annual bash previously, but times have changed, I don't think your father would be too impressed to find just what you got up to tonight."

"Oh shut up Roger." Cho snapped, obviously unimpressed that her ex was not the least bit affected by her presence, "You should be the last one talking about disappointed fathers."

Davies narrowed his eyes at the Asian beauty, "I see you're here alone."

She scoffed, as the lights went out again and the music restarted even louder than before, they were definitely not closing up shop anytime soon. I batted away someone's hand from my arse and pushed another person off me. Just as I was about to light the room again, I caught familiar brown eyes which disappeared with a snap.

I pushed my way through, and pushed the door that just closed shut after the answer to Davies earlier question. Chang wasn't here alone and I shouted after the boy, lighting my wand. I shivered, not even having a jacket to protect me from the wind... were we outside?

"Thornton?" Michael Corner's face paled at my presence, "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." I glanced to his left, at the brick wall and the huge dumpster that probably belonged to Honeydukes. Alley?

"Go back to the party." His voice was slightly edgy and they flickered past me, I glanced backwards but all I could see was empty alleyway.

"You should come back too, the aurors would be here soon and you best just-"

I whipped around, tossing the stunner when I heard the click but the figure dodged the red light easily. I raised a shield charm at the blue spell but Michael quickly had me cease my attack when he ran in the middle.

"STOP!"

"What is the meaning of this Michael. I told you to come alone!"

"I did, she followed me! Jack, don't go!" The boy shouted in desperation and my wand light fell on the familiar brunette. His face was bare, lacking his usual death eater garb, seems like he was not here on business. His brown eyes glinted at me as his wand was poised to strike.

"Ky." He greeted, unsmiling. "We've got to stop meeting like this."

My eyes narrowed at the reminder that he attacked me in the alleyway during Summer vacation, Harry had almost beaten him when Alya pitched up. My hand twitched but I didn't fire the spell...

"Why are you doing this Jack? Do you think Cedric-"

"Don't." He snapped and Michael's eyes flickered between the two of us, nervous. "Don't you dare say his name."

"Can't bear to hear it being said aloud? Guilt eating up at you?"

"KY!" Michael snapped, but his brother's sniggers echoed off the narrow alley.

"Guilty? Me? Far from it."

I stared into his deep brown eyes, searching for any sign that he was under her control, not even Alya could hide the effects of the Imperius curse. Or could she? He sniggered again.

"I'm not under the curse you silly girl. Alya doesn't have to force me to help her."

"You mean serve her." I bit out. His black eyes flickered to the door I exited and then at his brother.

"Michael, come-"

I turned to the boy, what? He was joining them? What?

"Mich-"

"I'm not coming with you Jack." He gulped, his deep voice cracking slightly at vocally denying his brother, "I answered your letter to tell you in person. I didn't want to believe-" He glanced at me, "I didn't want to believe... Jack... how can you-"

"Michael, you don't understand. Just let me explain-"

I sent a stunner at Corner but he dodged it, glaring at me, Michael looked lost as to what to do.

"Explain what?" He gasped out, pleading with me with his eyes to not fight, to let his brother answer what he could whilst he had the chance. "Why you've become a death eater! Why you joined the side that killed Ced!"

"Look Mikie it's not like that!" He snapped.

"I knew it!" Michael gasped, "They're forcing you!"

"Nobody is forcing me!" Jack spat, "I chose this side!"

"The evil side!" Michael looked two seconds from crying as his brother admitted to the truth he had spent months denying.

"Not evil Mikie. There is no good and evil. I chose the side that would keep me alive. Keep you alive. Keep Allison alive. Keep mum and dad alive. Dumbledore isn't going around offing death eater's families Mikie. It's the Dark Lord who does it. Do you want that to happen to our family? This is the smart choice. This is the right choice."

I opened my mouth but Michael beat me to it, taking a step back and practically walking into me, "No." He shook his head, "No..."

"Michael. Michael listen to me. Dumbledore doesn't care if you live or die-"

"That's rubbish!" I snapped, Nonno was doing this for all of them! For every single one of them! How dare he!

His attention snapped back to me, "You're just as much the naive little girl as you were last year! If anything Cedric's death should have taught you is that your grandfather cares for nobody but Harry Potter. At the start of term, during the Brockdale Bridge incident, you had four aurors in your arsenal. Do you know how much Potter had, twelve. If he values the life of his own granddaughter three times less than his precious Chosen one, how much do you think he values your life Michael. Just come with me, the Dark Lord will keep you safe!"

"No!" Michael snapped, backing away, "I won't join the side of Mandy's killers. Of Ced's killers!"

"Michael!" Jack whipped his wand before Michael turned around and bound the boy in ropes, and suddenly a cold feeling flowed down me back as both our eyes flickered to the door he had glanced at one too many times now...

He asked Jack to meet him here...

That means he knew that this party was going on...

That means that Alya...

I raised my wand and cast the spell, flying into the boys mind with ease due to his distraction with restraining his brother...

The long fingers ran over the purple powder,

"We've coated the room. Lined it up just as you asked."

He rose to his feet, the familiar cellar coming into view. He nodded, "And the ignition charm." Corner's voice was clinical, sharp, unnerving in its lack of emotions.

"Set for midnight. Just like the boss wanted. You want us to wait?"

"No go ahead, I have business to take care of."

I ignored the burn of the spell that cut my shoulder as I pulled out of the memory and I flung the door open, pelting into the now bright room, I could barely register Roger screaming red faced at Robins, drunk giggles tittered across the room.

"EVERYBODY GET OUT!" I screeched and Roger's blue eyes found mine instantly, "OUT NOW!"

He turned away from the drunk as his fellow aurors had been making their way with their own drunken seventh years, up the stairs to the shop. "Ky-"

"GET OUT NOW!" The remainder seventh years that were lagging behind jumped at my voice and then scampered up the stairs at the look on my face. "OUT OF THE SHOP!"

I screamed, ushering everyone out with desperation, what was the time? How far away were we from midnight?

"Bombarda maxima!" I widened the entrance to the shop with the spell, the last thing we need is anybody getting trampled in the mob of now frightened students, the spell hastened their exit and even got the drunk Robins to make his way up the stairs with little prodding from Davies.

I ran up into the main shop and all I could see was shadows as they made their way out the door, someone bumped into me, and I grabbed them as they were running in the opposite direction.

"Alex!"

His pale face was chalk white, "I can't find Parvarti! PARVARTI!"

"ALEX!" My ears snapped around at the scream from downstairs, what! The boy sprinted towards the voice and I turned just as the floor shook but I didn't fall as large hands wrapped around my stomach.

"ALEX!" I shouted! "NO!" I was flung out of the shop just as the floor caved in and a hard body fell over me, I made to get up again, "PARVARTI!"

The body pinned me to the ground as I wrestled him as the dark night filled with deafening bangs as the sky shone red with flames... the roof of Honeydukes falling down as the walls caved in... the last vestiges of innocence stolen...

"PARVARTI!"

Feedback as always will be appreciated

Kalina