Author’s Notes: Alrighty, folks. Prepare yourselves. This is the chapter that started this whole shebang. The first true image I had of the story began here. The rest was developed over weeks of thought and planning and pure evilness (and some-parts fluffiness). I hope you enjoy, cringe, cry, laugh, shout, threaten your poor phone/computer for delivering these words to you, and all around love what you read here. Any questions? You know where the review button is! Or the PM button…message…thingy… er…yeah… Enjoy!

p.s. Some of the original plot lines remain. Slughorn is potion’s teacher, Severus is Defense, and Dumbledore introduces Harry to Horcruxes, which is then revealed to Ron, Hermione, and Draco. Harry’s obsession with Draco stems from an…entirely different reason this time. If you catch my drift. *nudge, nudge*

There is Always a Choice

Chapter VII: A little bit of a bad [girl] Part 4

The tapping was an ever present tune to this scene.

Tap…tap…tap…tap

It echoes travel across the stone floor, meeting with the stone walls of the empty classroom, ricocheting back towards the two occupied— rather dusty – school chairs. This caused the tapping – Tap…tap…tap…tap – to sound twice as loud to one already infuriated dark-haired wizard with too round glasses and a hero complex.

Tap…tap…tap…tap

“Draco!”

“Gah!” The startled blonde clutches at his chest, his ears ringing as his heartbeat slows back down. “What?”

“Stop it!” A dark blonde brow lifts in confusion. Harry gestures in annoyance to the still tapping appendage. “Stop that infuriating tapping before I remove your foot.” Draco huffs in irritation.

“I need that foot, thank you very much.”

“For what? Strutting like an over-imposing rooster?”

“I need it to put it in your mouth when you begin talking like that!” Draco snaps back, wounded by the scathing reply his boyfriend had just delivered. Harry sucks in a breath and hangs his head, letting his unruly locks fall to hide his eyes.

“You’re right, I’m being an ass. Draco, I’m so sorry.” He peeks through his lashes, widening his eyes to bring more power behind his puppy-eyes. Draco gapes slightly before groaning and nodding.

“Fine, you’re forgiven. But I want compensation later tonight.” Harry perks up and winks lasciviously with full intentions of keeping that promise.

“Please, boys, lets save the sex talk until after the ladies are gone, shall we?” A teasing voice, with the barest hint of strain, startles them. Tallie stood in the doorway, her silvery-blonde hair spilling about her shoulders as she tilts her head questioningly at the two. The back-from-break feast had ended an hour ago, when she had received their note to meet them here for something important.

The two wizards jump to their feet, pretty blushes splashing across their cheeks as they walk over to greet their best friend.

“We missed you this Christmas.” Harry whispers after kissing her cheek. He spots Draco’s face as it tightens slightly out of the corner of his eye. Tallie frowns and ruffles their hair affectionately.

“It was stupid of me to not come with you both. I wanted to see if it helped any, changing my routine.” She replies. Draco sighs and wraps an arm around her shoulders as he guides her to a desk while Harry closes the door. He then joins them up on the desk, their toes brushing the floor slightly as they swing them back and forth.

“Did it help?” Draco eventually breaks the amiable silence, in which the three pack members were reveling in the warmth of each other.

“It did. Most of the nightmares have faded away and I can…well I can sort of work on my dueling now and then. Blaise was a big help there.” Her cheeks redden a bit, something that did not go unnoticed by her pack mates. Harry clears his throat, running his hand through his hair.

“I wish you would have let us help with that. You were such a great help with the D.A. last year and your ideas this year have really brought us far.” Tallie shakes her head, shivering slightly.

“No, no it would have been detrimental to my recovery if I used the two of you to get past this fear of magical battle. It’s hard enough just hearing of the duels you get into in training and during those blitzes by the death eaters.” Her voice shook slightly and the boys each wrapped an arm about her shoulder and waist. Tallie sighs and surrenders to their comfort, letting her head rest heavily upon Draco’s shoulder. Harry rolls his eyes as the blonde’s slightly smug expression.

“You’re right. We’re just…” Harry swallows his pride painfully. “We’re terrified of you defenseless in that way. We know you learned a little physical defense during the summer, and I know Blaise has been giving you lessons in the…” He pauses, confused.

“Martial Arts, Harry.” Draco supplies primly. Harry grins lopsidedly and continues.

“In the martial arts –which I still can’t believe he’s had training in, quite frankly, but I digress— it’s just unnerving that a duel may incapacitate you.” Tallie lifts up to press a quick kiss to his nose, smiling teasingly at his squawk of protest.

“I also have my wolf form, dearie. My bite is worse than my bark.” She flashes her white teeth at him before giggling. Draco stifles a chortle while Harry has the grace to look abashed.

“Fine, fine you can kick ass.” He pouts, sticking out his bottom lip for effect. Both blondes stare at him before guffawing. Harry follows them quickly.

A few minutes later, in which a small tickle match had broken out and won by a now-gloating grey-eyed Slytherin, the three had settled themselves into the dusty seats, rosy cheeked and eyes full of laughter and love.

“So, why did two dashing, handsome, young lovers such as yourselves call me to this grand place?” Tallie speaks up, still a bit breathless. The atmosphere around them drips with out-of-nowhere tension as the two boys sit up straight, grim expressions crossing their faces. Tallie’s eyes widen and she copies their positions. “What’s happened? Has someone been hurt? Taken? Killed?” The last was a whisper.

“No, none of that. Everyone is in good health, Tallie.” Draco murmurs soothingly while Harry stares at the wall for a few seconds. Tallie stares exasperatingly between the two before making a small noise of annoyance in the back of her throat.

“What is it then?”

“What happened over break, Tallie?” Harry asks quickly, the words almost jumbling together in his haste.

“Er…Christmas? You feeling okay, Harry?” Harry shakes his head, his cheeks flushing wildly.

“Yes, Christmas. Christmas Day, actually. Did anything exciting happen that day?” Harry questions, forcing himself to meet her eyes, which widen in surprise.

“How the hell do you two know?” She whispers, her cheeks paling from their previous blush. Draco grips the arms of the chairs with a sudden onslaught of anger.

“How could we not? How could we not feel every second of your virginity being taken by the filthy traitor?!” Draco yells, startling both Harry and Tallie badly. The witch’s blush returns in full-force as the blunt words echo around the room, her eyes flashing with fire as she takes in her standing housemate.

“‘Traitor’? ‘Filthy’? What the hell is your problem with Blaise?” She retorts, her fists clenching into her robes.

“He’s supposed to be our friend and he does this! He’s filthy because he will never be good enough for you.” Harry snaps, his own anger rushing forth and bringing him to his feet. Tallie barks out a laugh, remarkably like her father.

“Your friend? When was the last time you three sat down and talked? Hung out?” She retorts.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there’s a little thing called War going on right now. We don’t have time to keep up with all of our social obligations, Tallie.” Draco says with disgust.

“Right, war. How could I forget? I know Blaise hasn’t, every time he looks at his hand he remembers full-well what is going on.” Draco has the grace to duck his head but Harry picks up the thread instead.

“Back to our point, Tallie what were you thinking? Now is not the time to be letting go. You could end up pregnant!”

“Do you think I am so stupid? We took every precaution, magical at least. And who are you two that you think you can restrict my love life?” Tallie growls, finally standing up instead of letting herself be towered over.

“We’re afraid of you doing something stupid!”

“Stupid? STUPID? You are accusing me of doing something stupid, Mr. Hero-Complex of this entire generation!?”

“That is not relevant to this conversation!”

“Like hell it is! How dare you rebuke me for having sex when you both have had multiple partners, including yourselves!” Both boys gape at her.

“How did you—?”

“It’s not one-sided, you know!” She growls. Draco recovers his speech first.

“You’re a girl, it’s different. You have a chance of dire repercussions from this. Harry and I do not. You can’t just…just act willy-nilly about this!”

“That is the most narrow-minded thing I have ever heard come out of your mouth Draco Malfoy. I would say you both are not my fathers, but merlin are you both acting like it.” Tallie snarls, nearly spitting.

“Is that why you’re acting like a b*tch?” Draco sneers. Tallie’s mouth presses into a thin line as Harry nods in affirmative.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She demands heatedly.

“Maybe if you let your fathers act like fathers are supposed to, you wouldn’t be turning into such a slag.” His tone was cold and full of confidence in the insult he had just spoken. So cold that Tallie finds herself taking a step back, her jaw going slack before snapping back up. Without another word, she walks out the open doorway, her head lifted proudly. Both boys watch her go, holding their breaths.

When her footsteps fade away to unbearable silence, Harry lets out the air he was withholding. He opens his mouth to speak, but slowly closes it again when he sees the look on his lover’s face. It was set in stone, the grey-blue eyes nothing but steel as they glare with frigid intensity out the door. He lowers himself back to his chair, knowing that it would be awhile until Draco was calm enough to speak.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 “You will attack in fifteen minutes, do you understand? I don’t care if we’re not prepared. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the bloody night. You and your bunch of pathetic cowards will appear in the positions we spoke of in our last communication. Or the Dark Lord shall hear of this, Callette.” The figure in the fire bows his head, face white with fear.

“Yes, of course Mistress Black. Right away.” His head begins to retreat.

“Stop. I only want semi-deep wounds. If there is a single death, I shall dole out your punishment myself. Maybe my dear Aunt will obligingly assist me. Understood?” Another curt nod and mumble as the man began to shake slightly. The silver-haired witch, clothed only in a black death eater robe, sneers in disdain at the pitiful death eater before closing off the fire. She stands up and works out the kinks in her knees and back before turning to face her mentor.

“Warn the headmaster within two minutes of the attack. Diagon Alley will need assistance in the aftermath.” The Potions Master regards his pupil with long-developed skill. He reaches out with an ingredient-stained hand and placed it as tenderly as he was capable of on the top of her head.

“What has occurred, Tallie?” She says nothing, forcing her shoulders to relax with a deep breath.

“Severus, I need a way out of the castle undetected for a meeting with a contact. It will be occurring the same time as the attack. Can I depend on you?” Recognizing the question for what it was – a plea for time before revealing all – Severus steps back with an inaudible sigh and gestures to the floo powder bowl sitting atop his mantel.

“Where will you be?”

“Somewhere safe. I will return in an hour. You have ten minutes, Professor.” A sad smile is given before the girl disappears into the flames. With a whirl, Severus stalks out of his rooms to the headmaster’s office. It would take six minutes to get there if he walked as quickly as he could. It was late, perhaps midnight, and no students would be about to see his hassled state.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The destruction was immediate. The repertoire of the band of fifty death eaters ranged from blasting curses to earth-shaking spells. They split into three groups of fifteen and took off down the respective streets of Knockturn Alley, Diagon Alley, and the backstreets. The remaining group of five slipped through the shadows ahead of the groups, setting obnoxious noise-charms. The entire alley and neighborhood were filled with, aside from the sounds of fighting and explosions, police sirens, banshee screams, the most frightening animal calls, and occasional firework noises.

Store fronts, random brick walls, pavements, and lamp posts were hit with spells previously listed, the unlucky bystanders wounded and left behind to bleed out onto the filthy ground as the inhabitants of the alley rush to the scene, some engaging with the enemy while others called for back-up and medical help.

An orange light was growing brighter from every block of the alley, the fire crackling hungrily and the smoke billowing a thick black into the frosty January night. Screams of every variety were swallowed by the blaze and the only constant were the figures clothed in black as they marched towards the end of each venue of attack. It was only when the red robes of the Aurors and the school uniforms of the D.A. apparated and/or portkeyed into the ravaged alley that the death eaters own portkeys were activated, taking them to safety.

The aurors immediately spring to action, wading through the crowd of panicked wizards and witches and various sentient magical creatures to dispel the panic and fear. The D.A., spurred by two vengeful lovers, spread out along the alleyway and the two other corresponding streets and begins to work on the small fires that had broken out from the ruckus.

“What the hell was this?” Draco shouts over to Harry as they blast the biggest blaze, the very flammable Apothecary, with their most powerful water charm. The hissing and spitting drowns out the dark-haired wizard’s response and Draco waits patiently for ten minutes until the fire is nothing but a sputtering flicker to walk over to him as they move onto the next one.

“I’m not sure right now. We haven’t gotten a full report, but I am certain that this is their worst attack yet. I can practically taste the blood in the air.” Harry spits onto the street to express his response.

“You and me both, mate. We’ve got the fires covered in the backstreets and the other half of the alley. I sent half of our people from that section to work on the still lit parts of the alley, and the other half to help with the medical response. It’s gathered at the mouth of the alley.” Ernie Macmillan reports as he walks past, cradling a small kneazle kitten in his arms. Luna, walking with him, holds up her own adorable new pet.

“We also sent a team of ten first and second years to gather up the scattered pets from the flats and stores and such. Before the Nifling-Dodgers can grab them. We’ve got them linked together, so they can’t separate either.” Draco nods in approval and grabs Harry’s hand as they hurry towards the still blazing parts. They’re fire—er…waterpower was needed.

It wasn’t for another five hours that the alley was completely put out, cleared of dangerous debris and rubble, and all the wounded had been found and relocated to St. Mungo’s. Harry had sent his lieutenants, as they liked to call themselves, to gather the rest of the D.A. in front of the Quality Quidditch Supplies to take a head count. None of the coins had gone off, so no one was hurt or captured.

Nearly the entire school was gathered in front of the weary Gryffindor. The only ones not participating in the club were those students already working for Voldemort, too queasy to handle battle training or determined to stay neutral, and those with a knack for healing (who were snapped up by Madame Pomfrey and a few volunteer healers from St. Mungo’s to be taught after classes) were otherwise occupied.

“You all did well. Though we were not prepared to directly fight this battle, we were able to stop it from being catastrophic. You all followed your orders, made quick and good decisions, and used your knowledge to the best effect. I’ve spoken with Dumbledore and he’s said that there will be no classes today. However, a meeting with the whole school will be taking place in the Great Hall at three. Be there or I’ll send Pansy after you.” Many of those gathered shudder with fear. That was one witch you did not mess with. Ever.

“Your coins are your portkey home. Get out of my sight, you ruffians.” He manages a weak smile as everyone groans in relief and vanishes with a rush of wind. Only six others are left before him. All of them are smoke-stained, reeking of sweat and blood, and sagging with exhaustion.

“Where are the aurors and professors?” Hermione asks as she loops her arm with Ron’s and settle onto the curb. The others sit as well, sighs of relief at the rest almost comical. Draco foregoes holding Harry’s hand in favor of gripping him about the waist, pressing very chapped lips to his cheek for a second to bring a feeling of closeness to them.

“Releasing a statement to the press and radio to calm the general population while requesting for help in rebuilding the alley and relief funds for those forced out into the cold and injured. There’s already the fund set up by the affluent families and I believe the French and American ministries have already responded to our plea.” Neville mumbles as Luna forces his head to rest on her arm. On her other side, Greg is scrubbing at his face with his shirt, attempting to get rid of the soot.

“Finally, they’re taking this seriously. Though, I’m not sure what will happen to them if they get involved.” Pansy muses while flicking her wand at everyone’s faces to remove the grim one layer at a time.

“Not our problem right now.” Harry grunts as his eyelids flicker; the need for sleep sitting heavily upon them. His head is wavering up and down, resting slightly against Draco’s own slumped one.

“Hey…is that Blaise?” Greg speaks up suddenly after a few seconds of precious silence. The others lift out of the various stupors to watch as the soot-riddled teen makes his way down the street, flicking his wand at missed pieces of rubble, banishing them to the pile that had been gathered in a marked area. It would be used to regenerate the alley as best as it could later.

The Italian’s black hair was ragged about his face, the olive-skin darkened from the smoke exposure. His robes were torn here and there, but his eyes were like the ocean with the sun shining upon it. In his other arm, several kittens, both kneazle and regular, were settled. A few adults were leashed and trotting at his feet. On each shoulder perched a barn owl and an eagle owl, both noticeably ruffled.

“I did not know you were here, Blaise.” Pansy fusses as she stands up with Luna and Neville to relieve him of his burdens. He sucks in a big breath and shrugs slightly.

“Tallie made me come. I’m still neutral.” He admits. A low growl is heard and everyone looks at Draco in surprise. He was glaring at his friend with no little hatred. The group was even more stunned when Blaise returns the glare, unimpressed when Harry joins in.

“What is going on?” Hermione demands, pulling her wand out in case she needed to stop a fight.

“Later, Hermione.” Harry snaps. She scowls but drops the matter as Pansy asks where Tallie is.

“She was right behind me a few minutes ago.” Blaise seems unconcerned, which helped to tick off the two lovers glowering at him even further.

“We’re in the remains of a battle zone and you can’t be arsed to worry over where your lover is?” Draco snarls. Ignoring the gasps from the not-in-the-know friends, Blaise steps forward, readjusting a particularly clinging common kitten in the crook of his arm.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Draco. You have no business—” He pauses and looks over his shoulder as a black wolf trots into view. A basket saddle hung across her middle, filled with more kittens and puppies (both of crup and normal varieties), and a half-dozen full-grown parents padding behind her. Luna glides forward, smiling beatifically as she removes the basket and sets it on the sidewalk.

With a shiver, a dirtied Tallie stood in the wolf’s place, brushing at her school robes and slipping her wand back into its thigh holster. “Well, that was a long walk. Not being able to apparate in the alley right now is a bit of a bother.” She sighs before tying her hair back into a messy ponytail and smiling softly at Blaise. “I set the rest of the birds free. There are a few dozen magical rat populations that won’t be getting started in the next few weeks.” Blaise holds out a hand to her, meeting her high-five halfway.

“Wicked” He chirps. A throat clearing has the two looking at their assembled friends. Tallie does not acknowledge her other pack mates, skipping over them with her eyes.

“Why are you here?” Ron asks, his head cocked adorably in confusion. Hermione withholds a giggle, just barely.

“I wanted to help with the rescue. We came about…what two…three hours ago?” Blaise nods in affirmative. “What does it matter?” Ron shakes his head, shrugging.

“Curiosity?” He says weakly. She levels a steady look at him before replying.

“I have a fear of magical confrontation, Ron. Fire does not scare me.” She says softly. Blaise wraps an arm about her shoulders but does not pull her close. Ron and Neville, standing on either side of Harry and Draco, feel the two stiffen up and shake with suppressed anger.

“Children, it is time for you to return to the school.” Professor Flitwick totters into view, with Professors Sinistra and Sprout behind him.

“Any updates?” Professor Sprout nods sadly before reporting the deaths of Florean Fortescue and the owner of the Magical Menagerie, a Madame Gloria Jacklings. Everyone but Blaise misses the expression of pure fury crossing Tallie’s face, caught up in their own grief.

“Tallie, mother is summoning me.” Blaise says loudly, catching the attention of the others as soon as Tallie regains her composure. Indeed, a bluish light is emitting from a bracelet about his wrist, wrought with the Zabini crest.

“I’ll go with you. I have news to impart.” Tallie says stiffly, grabbing onto his arm with a shaking hand.

“Tallie, wait, can we talk?” Harry asks quickly. He promptly flinches away as her eyes burn into his own, the brown now more dangerous than even Draco’s steel-coloured ones.

“There is nothing more to say between us. You’ve both made your positions very clear. Blaise?” Her tone is a 360 degree turnabout at the end. With a whirl of wind, the portkey bracelet is activated. Hermione and Pansy whirl towards the two rejected boys with furious expressions.

“What did you two do?” They screech as one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Permute genu et venter musculi!” Choked gasps are heard, as the throat has already been torn beyond repair from earlier screams, and a broken body writhes upon the ground. “I told you not to leave any fatalities, Callette! Now my plan is thrown off track. You worthless waste of magic.” The young general spits on the body before her, her eyes raking the shaken lines of the group standing before her. The forty-nine remaining of the troop were getting a very visual lesson.

Her brown eyes took in the finishing wiggle of his skin as his stomach muscles were successfully switched with those of his knees. More screams were attempted, but failed. The weak man squirms like a worm out of dirt upon the stone floor instead. They were gathered in one of the safe houses on the outskirts of London, one of thirteen.

“I do not take disobedience, filth. You have ruined the next two planned attacks. Crabbe, Kilfer, chain him to the wall.” The two men quickly carry out their orders, securing the weeping man in a spread eagled position flat against the stone wall. “Your death shall be slow and a lesson to others, though I doubt they will need it. No one is as dimwitted as you to ignore my orders. Parva foveas.”  A few gasps escape the crowd but are mercifully ignored. The man on the wall begins to sob between his weeping as small holes drill their way into existence over every part of his body. He would be left here, until the bugs and bacteria had infested his body and he finally died.

“If one of you takes pity upon him and ends him, do not let me find out.” A few of the smarter ones look up in surprise at the mercy that had just been given to the prisoner by the cold-hearted general. “I will send word when the new plans are complete.” She was gone in a snap of black robes. The others file out of the building, leaving behind the sniveling creature as they head to their homes to recover.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Albus, you must tell the boy about this. He will not take it well when you abruptly die.” Severus snarls as he gently sets down the blackened hand of the headmaster. Albus smiles serenely, his eyes twinkling at full power.

“It is for the best that my impending departure not be made known, Severus.”

“But, why?” The Potions Master’s frustration at his lack of understanding was amusing to Albus, who was used to seeing the man full of confidence in such things.

“All in good time, Severus. Besides, if young Harry should discover this, he would be distracted from his studies and the lessons that I have been teaching him. You, of all people, should know why.”

“His irritating hero-complex, I know Albus. That does not change the fact that you have told no one but me. Why? Do you not understand how difficult it is to keep this information from the Dark Lord?”

“I am most aware, Severus. I also know how hard it is hiding this from Talianna.” Severus’ black eyes flicker in the late evening firelight.

“What exactly do you mean by that, Albus?”

“Severus, I may be old but I am not a fool. Many people have noticed your closeness with the young Lupin.”

“I—it is not— Albus are you insinuating what I think you’re insinuating?” Severus hisses, his eyes narrowed with anger. Albus inclines his head.

“I am, though I hope I am mistaken. Such a relationship with a student weighs heavily upon my mind, Severus.” Severus slams his hands upon the desk as he stands up, shaking with indignation.

“I would never touch Tallie in such a way Albus! She is like a daughter to me; she has only me to protect her from Bellatri—” He cuts off with a slight choking sound, his eyes widening before closing in defeat. His body slumps back into the chair and he rests his face in the palm of his hand. “How very clever of you, Albus, how very clever of you indeed.” The twinkling had gone down rapidly in the blue eyes of the headmaster, and he steepled his fingers in front of his mouth as his mind began to race.

“I do apologize for tricking you, Severus. I had to know who the spy was. I knew there were two, and that one was Mr. Nott, but the other was a tie between Miss Bulstrode and Miss Lup— or is it Black now?” Severus nods wearily and Albus continues with a heavy heart. “So it is Miss Black who has been orchestrating the attacks that have been so close to Hogwarts?” Another nod. “And the one on Diagon Alley a month ago?” Yet another nod. “And the one that burned down half of Montrose last week?”

“Dammit Albus, yes! All the death eater attacks have been ordered by her! All of them!” Severus snaps, sitting up ramrod straight to glare with no little anger at the headmaster. Albus bows his white head in acquiescence.

“Then it will be Miss Black who has been tasked to get the death eaters into Hogwarts.” It was not a question and Severus had no choice but to agree. “That changes a few things. You may as well settle back into your seat, Severus, we have much to discuss.” The Potions Master sat back into the armchair with a heavy-hearted sigh and waits attentively for the old wizard to begin.