As the dust began to settle around the destroyed pub, people began to emerge from the debris with confusion and terror written across their faces. Once they managed to get to their feet the patrons desperately raced for the door trying to escape the aftermath that would ensue once the Ministry arrived. I tumbled forward, dropping to one knee next to Mitchell and felt for a pulse. There was none. I leaned over him and listened for his breath while placing my hand on his chest. Still nothing. I sat back with a frustrated sigh before standing up and stepping over his body.

My side ached in agonized pain as I stood up. I looked down at the would on my side. Something sharp, a piece of wood or even free flying metal, had sliced open my side. My blouse was cut open and blood was sweeping down my side. The wound was not deep; it was only bad enough to be an annoyance as I moved through the war-zone that was once the Leaky Caldron.

People were scurrying past me like rats fleeing a fire. Other bodies lie unmoved, clearly dead from the destruction. My mind raced as I tried to reach the back of the pub, towards the entrance to Diagon Alley. My Father had not made one public display of his existence, it didn't seem very feasible that he would start to do so now. He was using the Ministry's ignorance to his advantage. But who else would have caused such an explosion? Was Mitchell the target of an assassin? And if he was, why the hell did someone want to kill him? What was he tangled up in?

I kicked boxes of chips and peanuts out of the way as I made my way down a half collapsed corridor to the exit of the pub. There was a crowd of people forming outside in Diagon Alley staring in wonder and confusion at the blown out wall of the Leaky Caldron. I frowned because I could see them. When I managed to stumble out onto the cobblestone street, I looked around frantically for Gabriel, but he was no where to be found.

"Gabriel!" I shouted as I kicked back a door that used to serve as the exit of the Leaky Caldron. "Gabriel!"

Nothing. No response. I knew it didn't mean much to be screaming his name. There was complete chaos surrounding me. People on the street talking and screaming at the sight, the Ministry staff appearing for cleaning up, people lying injured or running off to avoid questions.

"Cadence!" someone's voice was calling me, but I could barely hear. My mind was completely focused on trying to find Gabriel. But I had no idea where he had gone when following the man in black with the scar. I turned to the voice that was screaming my name, in hopes that it was Gabriel. He would be just as worried about me as I was be about him.

It wasn't Gabriel calling me. It was Alastor Moody. He was stalking towards me with a severe limp as his magical blue eye zipped around in its socket, taking in the war-time appearance of the destroy pub and street.

"Mad-Eye!" I said in surprise. What was he doing here?

"Came with the Ministry," Moody said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me down off a pile of rubble that I had been searching under. He pulled me close to his gnarled face to whisper in my ear. "Dumbledore said you and Gabriel were here for Order business—what the hell happened?"

"I was talking with Scott," I replied instantly while trying to fight off the hysteria that was about to set in because I could not find Gabriel. "Gabriel and I saw him meet up with a suspicious looking man. Gabriel went after the man and I went to Scott. Just as Scott was telling me to stay out of it because I couldn't help him the place blew up!"

"Where is Scott?"

"Dead."

"And Gabriel?"

"I don't know," I hissed pulling out of Moody's grasp. His knurled fingers released me with a tight pinch. "I have to find him—Persephone's prophecy hasn't come true yet—but he can't be dead!"

I wouldn't believe it. I wouldn't let myself even think that Gabriel was dead until I found him that way.

"Cadence," Moody caught my arm again, gripping me tight to get my attention. I looked at him with scornful eyes because he was hindering my search for Gabriel. "Concentrate."

Both of his eyes, beady black and large laser blue, stared directly at me as if he were trying to penetrate my mind with Legilimency. I had never known Moody to be capable of Legilimency. He had cruder ways of finding someone's secrets.

The single word was all he needed to say to remind me of what I was capable of. Searching the rubble for Gabriel was pointless and inefficient. I could find him with my mind.

I turned away from Moody, letting my arm slip from his grip, and closed my eyes tightly to concentrate despite the masses of people surrounding me. It was harder then I had anticipated. I couldn't remember the last time I had to channel Gabriel or use my powers. I clenched my jaw and tried to breath. I had to focus.

His heart was pounding. I could hear the rhythm of his heart in my ears as if it were my own. He was close, but fading. I wasn't sure if he was unconscious or if we was dying. I bit my bottom lip with fear. I took a slow breath as I called to Gabriel with my mind. I whispered his name, gently and calmly.

Gabriel, answer me.

I was pleading for him to hear me; praying that I would be able to find him. He made no reply with Legilimency but I could still feel his presence. He was close. I just had to find him.

I opened my eyes and stepped forward through the rubble from the explosion. Gabriel's heartbeat was still ringing in my ears, but it was soft as if it were fading. I kicked a door that had been blown off it's hinges out of my way as I stumbled. I closed my eyes to hear his heartbeat more closely. I wiped my eyes as tears leaked down my cheeks. Fear was taking over my entire body.

This was not how it was supposed to end. Gabriel was not supposed to die in an explosion—he was meant for a greater death. And I had done what Persephone told me. I had become more independent. I had become my own master so that I was not as dependent on Gabriel. I recalled Persephone's prophecy as if I had only heard it yesterday, not over seven months ago. Gabriel was to die before the summer was over if I could not become more independent of him. If he died, I would be forced to protect a powerful child on my own.

I stopped dead as my foot crunched on the remains of a broken barstool. My eyes popped open with realization and my skin crawled with discomfort. I thought I was going to be sick.

I could be pregnant now. We had forgotten to use a condom not even a week ago. Everything from Persephone's prophecy was coming true.

I shuttered as something caught my eyes. Legs, wearing black pants, were sticking out from under a flipping over table. I rushed forward, almost tripping on debris in front of me, and tried to lift the table with my hands, but it was too heavy. I stepped back and swung my arm wildly away from my body. The table launched across the wreckage, breaking as it collapsed a few hundred feet away near some Ministry workers who let out cries of surprise.

"Gabriel!"

I cried out as I fell to my knees next to his handsome, but disheveled, body. He wasn't moving, but his eyes opened slightly when I called his name. I grabbed his hand as relief washed over my body, then leaned forward and kissed his lips passionately. He kissed me in return, but still did not move his body. I pulled away and held his face as the tears of happiness continued to leak down my face.

"We're going to get you out of here," I stammered.

Gabriel didn't say anything. There was blood stains leaking from his ears down to his collarbone. His clothing were ripped and dirty, covered in black dust. I sank back as my hands touched his bloody stomach. He groaned in agony as I touched the sensitive skin. His torso looked as if his flesh had been melted off. The only thing protecting his muscles from dirt and debris was his blood stained shirt.

I turned away, looking over my shoulder.

"Moody!" I screamed.

Mad-Eye came trotting over the pile of debris I had disappeared behind. He was leaning on his walking stick and walked with stiffness. He was getting to be too old to be in the field.

I turned back to Gabriel. He was staring up at me with dark blue eyes, a different shade then earlier that day. I smiled at his eyes, despite the fear that was rising again in my body because he was badly injured.

"Bloody hell," Moody said when he reached us and looked over Gabriel, who still hadn't said anything. "Better get him to St. Mungo's."

Moody pointed his wand at a stray shoe that was near us, muttering a spell I could barely hear because I was so focused on Gabriel in front of me. His eyes hadn't left mine.

I'm fine, he said into my head with Legilimency. I smiled to hear his voice, even if it was in my head.

"You're not fine, otherwise you'd be talking out loud."

He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but he coughed instead. His mouth and throat were dry from lying in the rubble of the explosion.

"What happened?" I asked.

Gabriel's eyes moved around, trying to take in the surrounding destruction. They came back to me, but before he could tell me what happened with Legilimency, Moody motioned for me to take the shoe.

"It's a portkey. It will take you to St. Mungo's. Someone will be along from the Ministry to report what we've found here."

"And the Order?" I whispered over my shoulder.

"I'm sure Dumbledore is already on his way to St. Mungo's."

"Thank you," I said. I looked at Gabriel and squeezed his hand. He squeezed it in return and bowed his head slowly, to show that he was ready. He closed his eyes and I closed mine as I grabbed hold of the dusty shoe.

The violent pull on my body always caught me by surprise. I bit my bottom lip as the portkey sent us bending through space until we hit solid ground in the St. Mungo's waiting room. Gabriel cried out in pain as we hit the floor harshly. Someone raced forward, in a white blur, to my side as I sat up and tried to regain my composure from the physically altering journey.

"What happened?" asked a female healer with long straight brown hair and amber eyes. I frowned for a moment, feeling as if I was going to vomit.

"An explosion," I muttered before covering my mouth. I turned away from Gabriel and the healer and vomited on the tile floor behind us. The two people sitting in chairs nearest to me both make disgusted noises, as if they had never seen vomit before. I choked and coughed once it was over before whipping my mouth on the back of my hand and looking back at Gabriel. His hand was still in mind, clutching to me tightly. His eyes had opened and he was looking at me with sympathy.

The healer was calling other people over to help her get Gabriel onto a gurney. I could barely hear the noise and commotion around us. The only thing that mattered was Gabriel, as I leaned forward and looked into his eyes.

You're not going to kiss me now that you've thrown up, are you?

I laughed lightly as I sat back, beaming at him. He was smiling at me with his gleaming blue eyes.

"Ma'am, if you could please let go of him, we need to get him into the emergency room," said the female healer who had reached us first. I released Gabriel's hand with hesitation as someone helped me up. Once Gabriel was on the gurney, I stepped forward and took his hand again.

He opened his mouth to speak, but coughed heavily. I touched his cheek.

"Don't speak," I whispered. "Save your energy."

"I love you," he choked the words in my ear. His voice was so dry I could barely hear him, but I knew what he had said. I smiled and kissed his neck. When he said those words, they meant so much more then just words. They defined our entire existence. Gabriel was my soul mate and for him to love me, the same way that I loved him, meant more to me then anything else.

"I love you too," I whispered before I had to release his hand because the healers were pulling him away on the gurney. I felt as though I was in shock as I stood staring at the swinging doors that they had disappeared behind. The doors swung back and forth as I stood stock still staring at them. My black clothing was soaked in Gabriel's blood, and some of my own.

I delicately touched my side with discomfort because my wound was still bleeding. I had forgotten about it once I started searching for Gabriel. Now that I had him, and he was safe, all of the pain that was scattered across my body began to return. The adrenaline had stopped pumping; I was no longer numb to my injuries. Suddenly, everything hurt—every joint, every limb. I felt as though a pile of bricks had been dropped on me. Without warning, I become very dizzy. Despite standing still, I started to fall. The world was twisting around me as my vision blurred. I felt the harsh solid ground as I hit it, then everything seemed to fade…my vision…the voices yelling for help…