My eyes opened and I stared up at the ceiling of my bedroom. For a few moments, I was confused and lost. I took slow breaths as I regained my composure and realized I was in my own bed, staring at my own ceiling in the morning light. I pushed the sheets off my body and stood up instantly, then stretched for a moment before making my way across the cold wood floor in my bare feet. I weaved between stacked cardboard boxes that contained my personal belongings. I paused for a moment to look at my reflection in the mirror that hung on the back of the bedroom door.

I looked tanned and well toned. It had been two months since I had been taken captive by my Father and nearly starved to death. In the beginning of June I looked like an anorexic supermodel, now in early July, I was back to my toned, curvy figure like before. I pushed my brown curly hair over my shoulder and the gleaming silver wedding band on my right hand caught my attention. I smiled slightly at it and then turned away from the mirror to open the bedroom door.

In the kitchen, I found Gabriel Quintin sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea and reading The Daily Prophet. I walked up behind him and kissed the back of his neck gently. He had completely shaved his head again, in preparation for the summer heat he said, but he kept the full beard on his handsome face. He turned his head to me, allowing me to kiss his lips from over his shoulder. His hand reached up and touched my hair gently, brushing through it.

"Good morning," he whispered as I pulled away from him and headed for the teapot on the stove. Again, I had to move around cardboard boxes.

"Good morning," I returned. I opened the cabinet over the stove in search of a glass mug, but found it empty. I had forgotten that we had packed up the kitchen the night before. I turned and opened the closest box to me, there were plates and bowls in it. The next box was full of silverware. And the next box was filled with cooking utensils.

"Where are the cups and mugs?"

"That box that is opened on the counter next to the stove," Gabriel said matter-of-factly from his chair. I gave him a dirty look as I turned to the box and pulled a mug out of it.

"Thanks," I muttered sarcastically as I poured my tea.

Gabriel watched me as I walked back to the table to sit next to him with my cup of tea in hand. His eyes were brilliant sea blue that morning, making me smile with pleasure. I loved looking into his eyes because they were always different. They allowed me to see a different Gabriel every time they changed. He was wearing a grey suit, with dark blue tie and white button up shirt. He looked stunningly handsome, as usual, despite his forty-four years.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

I didn't answer right away which caused him to lean forward and study my expression more carefully.

"Another nightmare?"

I nodded. "Of Voldemort torturing me to death."

Gabriel reached out and stroked my cheek with his thumb. "It's just stress. It means nothing."

"It means I'm afraid my Father is going to kill me."

"That is nothing to be afraid of. He's been trying to kill you since you were fifteen."

I rolled my eyes because he had a point.

"Where is Carrigan?" I asked changing the subject.

"Outside," Gabriel motioned to the open back door. "Training, with Benjamin."

He said the boy's name with such distain that it caused me to frown. I looked out the door to see Benjamin standing in a fighting position, facing Carrigan, who was moving around him, her fist up in front of her, ready to strike. They were circling each other. Every time Carrigan made a pass at Benjamin, he blocked her and shoved her back. I could tell by Carrigan's posture and lack of technique that she was growing more frustrated. I looked at Gabriel.

"Don't be jealous that she doesn't train with you anymore," I said with an all-knowing smile.

"I am not jealous," Gabriel said quickly, even though I could see the truth in his eyes. "I just don't trust him."

"Carrigan trusts him."

"She doesn't know better."

"Did I know better when I trusted you and no one else did?"

"Dumbledore trusted me," Gabriel insisted. "Dumbledore doesn't even know who this kid is. Where the hell did this kid learn his magic!"

"Carrigan says he's self taught."

"That's bullshit," Gabriel said standing up from the table and throwing his paper down. I frowned at his obvious anger. "I don't even think he's a Guardian."

The thought had crossed my mind as well. Gabriel and I were so keen on Carrigan's Guardian arriving soon that we had forgotten to be skeptical of Benjamin. Now, a month since he arrived in our lives, we were starting to question his abilities as a Guardian. He and Carrigan had started training in mid-June, but Carrigan had yet to achieve any sort of improvement with her physical and telekinetic powers.

"If you don't trust him you shouldn't have told him he can stay here."

"What are we supposed to do, Cadence?" he questioned. "He saved Carrigan's life a month ago."

"I know," I whispered sadly, as I looked back out at the yard. Carrigan's fully-grown griffin, Hector, had joined the fight, thinking that Benjamin was hurting Carrigan. I smirked slightly as Carrigan pushed (barely really) Hector back away from Benjamin. Hector seemed to calm down as she patted the side of his neck and nuzzled her head against his ruffled feathers. Benjamin looked incredibly bothered. He came marching back across the yard heading for the house.

"I'm going to the Ministry," Gabriel said behind me. I turned in my chair and nodded as he moved to me. He bent down and kissed my lips gently. I took his right hand in mine and intertwined my fingers with his. I felt the cold silver of his wedding band press against my fingers, which caused me to smile against his lips. "I love you," he whispered.

"Good," I said pulling away. "Tell Scrimgeour I'll be in next week?"

"Alright," he nodded. "I'll see you for dinner."

"Be safe," I advised as he pulled away. He bowed his head to me and made his way out of the kitchen. As I turned back around in my chair, Benjamin entered the back door.

"Your daughter is intolerable," he said ruthlessly as he crossed the kitchen in three long strides. He reached into the cardboard box where the mugs were and pulled out a mug, then poured himself some tea.

"You have no idea," I said softly as I studied him. He and Carrigan must have been training for a long time because he was covered in sweat.

Benjamin Snow was an attractive young man. I wondered if being attractive was just part of being a Guardian. Was it their curse? They were handsome, charming and understanding individuals who were a collection of admirable characteristics that made them the perfect romantic partner, but they weren't allowed to fall in love with their chargers. Benjamin was muscular, from head to toe, with wide shoulders and a square jaw. He had recently shaved the sides of his head, and trimmed his hair so he had a neat short Mohawk. His crystal blue eyes were piercing like icicles, but not cold looking at all. Rather, his eyes were warm and welcoming. He had the ancient alchemy symbol for Saturn tattooed on his left forearm, and a long thin scar down the upper half of his right arm. I had never asked where the scar had come from, though I doubted he would tell me if I did.

"She has no sense of discipline," he said as he shook his head.

I smirked and sighed.

"I've tried to raise her right, Benjamin," I said. "What more do you want from me?"

"Nothing," he replied. "That is why I am here."

I nodded again as I looked out at Carrigan who was sitting on the ground with Hector now. I heard Benjamin move past me and head down the hall to the front of the house. Within a few moments, I heard his feet traveling upstairs, which caused me to frown slightly. He wasn't a very talkative character.

I stood up from my chair and exited the house. The early morning sun beamed down on me as I walked across the lawn in my white tank top and long black pajama pants. Carrigan looked up at me as I approach, but she looked away, frowning.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said as I sat down next to her and Hector in the grass. Hector's large golden eyes stared at me carefully, as if waiting to determine if I was a person who could be trusted.

"What do you think I want to talk about?" I asked my thirteen year old daughter.

"Training."

"Actually, I want to talk about Benjamin."

Carrigan sighed and rolled her eyes. "That's splitting hairs, Mom."

She pushed her long curly brown hair over her shoulder and leaned back against Hector's stomach. She closed her eyes, telling me that she really didn't want to talk to me. I didn't care though. I was going to talk to her about her Guardian because we had yet to talk about him in depth. We had yet to truly question him because I was trying to trust Carrigan, but I felt I couldn't do that anymore. I had to trust my own gut—and it was telling me to figure Benjamin Snow out.

"Why didn't he go to Hogwarts?"

Carrigan opened her eyelids and looked at me sharply with dark midnight blue eyes that matched her father's.

"He grew up in an orphanage," she whispered. "Ran away when he was thirteen to find out who his parents were."

"Doesn't answer the question," I said as I stroked Hector's feathers. "He would have received a letter when he was eleven whether he was in an orphanage or not."

"He did get a letter," Carrigan said admitted. "He just never went. He didn't know how to explain it to the women running the orphanage—he had no way of going there on his own and no one ever came for him."

"What?" I said puzzled. "Surely Dumbledore would have—"

"—Mom, it doesn't matter," Carrigan said interrupting me. "The point is he is still a very gifted wizard. I was surprised by how much magic he knew and I didn't believe his story at first. I was very skeptical—I thought perhaps Voldemort had sent him to trick me."

"What changed your mind?" I asked cautiously. I knew that this was a sensitive subject for Carrigan because she didn't like me questioning her ability to trust people.

"I read his mind," she whispered sadly. I could see that she was ashamed of what she had done, but she no doubt felt it was necessary. "And he has powers like us. I remember you saying that Guardians have the same powers as their students for a reason…I just knew that he wasn't a Death Eater. I know he's my Guardian."

"Just because you read his mind and he has powers like us doesn't mean you can trust him Carrigan."

"You sound like Gabriel."

"No," I said raising my hand to stop her from speaking. "Gabriel is worried Benjamin is going to steal your innocence—I'm worried that Benjamin is a Death Eater."

"He's seventeen! You know I'm not interested in being involved with anyone, let alone a seventeen year old! And don't you think I would know if he were a Death Eater or not!" Carrigan stammered sounding offended.

"Things aren't so black and white, Carrigan! I didn't know Penelope was a Death Eater—"

"That's you, Mom. You made that mistake—"

"Carrigan," Benjamin appeared behind me. I sat up straight and turned to see him as Carrigan stood up from the grass. He looked mildly apologetic about interrupting our conversation. His blue eyes looked between me and Carrigan with concern.

"Benjamin," I said quickly before another word could be said.

"Mom!" Carrigan hissed in warning.

"Forgive me," I said ignoring my daughter. "I need you to give me a reason to trust you."

Carrigan sighed loudly and slapped her hand to her forehead as she walked away from me, kicking up grass as she went. I didn't look at her, I was keeping my eyes on Benjamin to see his reaction, his moves, and maybe even his thoughts. He looked away form Carrigan for a moment and looked me straight in the eye.

"I understand, I wouldn't expect you to trust me considering your parentage," he whispered. "She has told you why she trusts me?"

I nodded and waited for him to continue.

"I don't know how I can prove my loyalties to you, Cadence," Benjamin said breathlessly. "But I can assure you if I am loyal to anyone it is to Carrigan."

Those words sounded so familiar—it had been what Gabriel had said to my Father when I was sixteen. He wasn't loyal to anyone but me.

"Who is your mother?"

"I don't know," he said easily.

"And you don't know who your Father is?"

"No," Benjamin shook his head sadly. "I have been looking for clues to who he is for the last two years, but I have not been able to find any. I know my surname is Snow, and a decade ago, a family with that same surname lived in the Muggle village down the road. I moved to it in hopes of finding out about my family, that's how I met Carrigan. I saw her and I knew that she was powerful, uncontrolled and about to burst. I thought I could help…"

He was looking at Carrigan now. I followed his blue eyed stared and looked at my daughter.

"How could you help?"

"I can teach her how to control her powers," he shrugged. "Through meditation, channeling and focus. I don't know who was working with her before but they're methods aren't helping."

"Don't let Gabriel hear you say that," I said.

"He's the one who was training me," Carrigan said

I rubbed my forehead with stress.

"You're only seventeen?" I asked turning to face Benjamin.

"Yes," he nodded once.

"When did you come into your active powers?"

"When I was nine."

"Who taught you how to master them?"

"No one," Benjamin shook his head. "It has always been natural. I quickly realized that my powers were tied to my emotions and mental stability. Only when I was calm, clear headed and focused could I completely control my energy. I didn't have anything distracting me from mastering them either. Carrigan's education and personal affairs are holding her back."

Carrigan shook her head as she turned on ugly glare on Benjamin. "Just because you are a loner doesn't mean I am—I love my friends and school is important to me."

"I'm sure you do and that it is, but your friends are not like you, Carrigan. And your education could be achieved easily from private studying. You pick up the thoughts of those close to you all the time for a reason. If it weren't for your emotional attachment to them you would only channel them when you desired. When you needed to."

"I will learn to control it better—and I will never need to channel my friends. I trust them."

"You haven't been able to gain control of your telekinesis for months, what makes you think you're going to start now? The only thing you haven't tried is letting your friends go—"

"Stop it, Benjamin," Carrigan said ruthlessly. The shed, only a few hundred feet away, where Hector stayed at night, started to shake violently behind us in the distance. I sighed as I bit my lip. "I'm going for my run. You can come too but only if you keep your mouth shut."

Benjamin rolled his eyes and stepped to the side. He bowed and motioned for Carrigan to pass him towards the house. She did so, and marched with tense purpose all the way to the house. I gave Benjamin a weak smile as he looked at me.

"I don't know why I am drawn to her," he whispered. "I could just feel that she needed to learn control. She needs me as much as I need her."

"Why do you need her?" I asked as I stood up with lowered eyebrows.

"She's my only friend," he whispered sadly. "She's all I have."

I nodded my head very slowly as he made his way for the house. I stood still and watched as he approached Carrigan who was standing at the back door of the house waiting for him. They paused to stare at each other in the beautiful morning summer sun. Benjamin spoke first, I could only see his lips moving; it looked like he was apologizing. Carrigan nodded her head, appearing to accept the apology, and then turned on her heel and entered the house. Benjamin tilted his head back and looked up at the clear blue sky. He rolled his shoulders back before following after Carrigan.

After a few moments of standing in the yard by myself, I made my way back into the house. It was silent inside, which did not surprise me. Carrigan and Benjamin had no doubt gone out the front door as soon as they got inside. I moved straight through the kitchen and down the hall to the staircase upstairs. When I reached the second floor I disappeared into my office, which had not been packed into boxes yet.

I climbed up the ladder leaning against the bookshelf that made up the wall of my study and reached the top shelves looking for a book that I hardly ever pulled out. It seemed I had been using this book a great deal more in the recent years—ever since I had been pregnant a year ago. It was an old ragged book with a thick hard cover and yellowing aged pages. I wasn't sure how old it was, or even who had written it. Dumbledore had given it to me when I was pregnant with Carrigan before I left England to run from the prosecution of the Potters' murder. It was a book concerning the topic of Guardians.

Gabriel and I had met as a twist of fate. He had kidnapped me when I was fifteen under orders from my Father to train me to become a Death Eater. Once I was trained, after five months of being held captive in his home, he let me escape—forcing me to stab him in the stomach to make it look like I had fought my way free. I didn't realize it then, but Gabriel's feelings for me then may not have been love as we both thought they were. Perhaps Gabriel's feelings for me those first five months of our relationship were similar to the feelings Benjamin had for Carrigan. I had never heard of another Guardian and their charge—I was not sure if Carrigan would have one at all, let alone if it would be Gabriel or another person. But the way Benjamin spoke about Carrigan—he was only loyal to her and she was all he had—sounded just like Gabriel. It had mythical Guardianship written all over it.