I was bundled in my leather coat and scarf as I stood on Platform 9 and ¾. I was waiting, like many other parents, for the Hogwarts Express to arrive with Carrigan, Benjamin and Carrigan's friend who would be staying with us over the holiday. Harry and the Weasley's had been sent to Number Twelve just under a week ago, before the Christmas holiday had started, because of Arthur's incident at the Ministry.

While guarding the entrance into the Department of Mysteries, Arthur had been attacked by a giant snake—not that we could say anything to the Ministry, but Dumbledore and I had a good idea that the attack was made by Voldemort's giant python. The Ministry was deeply puzzled by the entire incident; they were starting to question Arthur about his whereabouts and work. Gabriel was afraid that the Ministry may start to catch on that the Order of the Phoenix had reformed.

When the steam engine pulled up to the platform, I was thankful to see Carrigan get off of the train almost instantly. I desperately wanted to get out of the cold.

I waved my gloved hand in the air to catch her eye. I was surprised when a boy got off the train behind Carrigan, then Hermione Granger and lastly Benjamin. I bit my bottom lip as the four teenagers collected their bags and headed towards me. I was not expecting Carrigan to bring a friend who was a boy home. I clenched my gloved hands tightly in my pockets as they approached…Gabriel wasn't going to be very thrilled…

"Mom!" Carrigan called excitedly when she got within earshot. I opened my arms and welcomed her into them when she reached me. I held her tightly while kissing her forehead.

"Aw, I missed you!" I said in her ear. "Hi, Benjamin," I added looking over Carrigan at him.

"Nice to see you, Cadence."

Carrigan pulled out of the embrace and beamed up at me. "I missed you too."

I smiled as my eyes fell on Hermione Granger, who's cheeks were already bright pink from the chilly air.

"Hermione, how are you holding up?"

"Fine," she exhaled with a cold shiver. "Just worried about Mr. Weasley. Have you seen my parents?"

"I have not," I replied. "And Arthur is doing fine. I'm sure you'll all be able to go visit him in no time."

Hermione nodded her thanks, then bid us all good-bye. She had to find her parents quickly so she could talk to them about not going on their holiday ski trip. She wanted to spend the holiday with her friends and the Weasley's.

Once Hermione had made her way, I looked back down at Carrigan, who was still wrapped in my arms. She smiled at me and stepped back to look at the boy standing behind her. He was an attractive young man, with dark hair and eyes. He was taller then me, and from what I could tell, looked to be sixteen or seventeen. He looked vaguely familiar, but I could not place his face. I glanced between him and Carrigan with curious eyes.

"This is Henry," Carrigan said quickly realizing that I was staring at the boy. "My friend who you said could stay with us."

"Nice to meet you Henry," I said extending my hand. He took it and shook it firmly.

"You as well," he said politely. "Thank you for opening your home to me during this time of year."

"Of course," I smiled. "Carrigan explained that your father passed away recently."

"He was murdered," Henry corrected.

"Murdered?"

"By Death Eaters," Henry nodded. He glanced around the crowded platform with anxious eyes as if someone might condemn him for making such an accusation. I, however, believed his words. Obviously, he believed that Voldemort had returned.

"What's your last name?" I questioned carefully. I did not want to offend the boy, but my stomach was jerking with a feeling that I may know who the boy's father was.

"Thrett," he replied. "My name is Henry Thrett."

I frowned slightly as I nodded my head. "I knew your father," I said softly. "I am truly sorry for you lost. He was an asset to our cause."

"Thank you," Henry said dryly.

"Shall we get out of the cold?" Benjamin suggested softly as he peered over his shoulder.

"Yes, let's," I agreed. Carrigan and Henry took the lead, heading for the barrier between platforms nine and ten. I studied Benjamin, who was still taking in his surroundings. "Everything alright?"

"Fine," he nodded. "Just trying to be careful. We're not at Hogwarts anymore."

I nodded and squeezed his elbow. "That's why I like, Benjamin. Come on, let's get to the house."

He picked up his bag and followed me towards the barrier.

Carrigan and I walked into the house with Benjamin and Henry trailing behind us. Henry had Carrigan's bags in hand, which made me smile slightly. Carrigan insisted that there was nothing going on between them, nothing more then friends, but I had to assume something was going on because she had invited him to stay with us over Christmas. I tried not to make it obvious or uncomfortable though. I didn't want to push Carrigan over the edge, especially since these days she was such a touchy bitchy teenage girl. And I wasn't sure how Benjamin felt about Carrigan's new friend. I didn't want to put him in an awkward place.

Carrigan held the door for the boys and closed it behind them. She looked around the foyer of our new home with surprised eyes as she removed her scarf and unbuttoned her coat.

"Mom, this place is beautiful," she said with a smile. I nodded.

"Gabriel picked it out," I replied. "Who would have thought he had such good taste."

"Here," Carrigan said motioning to the stairs as Henry almost put down the bags. "I'll help you get it up stairs."

Benjamin was already up the stairs, leaving Carrigan and Henry in the foyer with me. I followed him with my eyes as he disappeared. He had been on edge since I met them at the station. There was no doubt in my mind that he was not happy with Henry coming home with us.

"The guest room is ready for him. Second door on the right. Benjamin is in the first on the right, you're the only door on the left," I said with a smile as I turned back to Carrigan and pulled my gloves off. Carrigan nodded and mounted the stairs, leading Henry up to the second floor.

I heard a rustling in the kitchen and knew it was Gabriel coming to greet us. I smiled at him when he appeared walking down the hall from the kitchen. My breath caught in my lungs and he smirked, knowing full well what he had just done to me. His dark eyes were beaming as he reached me. His hand touched my neck softly and he leaned down kissing me.

"Safe trip?" he whispered. I nodded and bit my bottom lip as I leaned back from him slightly. His other arm had wrapped around my waist and was holding me against him so there was no escape.

"Carrigan brought a boy home," I whispered as he nuzzled his nose against mine and stole a kiss from me. He stepped back with sharp eyes and looked up the staircase.

"Really?" he questioned.

"He's sixteen," I continued in my whisper. This made Gabriel's eyes flash even more, then he looked back at me, still glaring.

"She's thirteen—"

I put my hand to his lips. "They're not dating," I said. "Carrigan insist they're just friends."

"Then why'd she bring him home for Christmas?"

"Because he doesn't have any family," I shrugged stepping away and removing my cloak. I looked at Gabriel with very serious eyes, and he was glaring up the stairs as if trying to see if Henry was making moves on Carrigan in the bedroom. "I told you to warn you."

"Why?" he said looking at me with raised eyebrows. I laughed and shook my head as I threw my cloak on the coat rack.

"You know very well why," I smiled. "Don't do anything rash, Gabriel."

"Rash?" he repeated scandalized. "Cadence, your daughter is upstairs with a sixteen year old boy in her bedroom—"

"No she's not," Carrigan yelled down from the top of the stairs. I smirked slightly and put my hands on my hips as Gabriel frowned and rubbed his face, sighing lightly. "Gabe!" Her voice said his name with happiness, despite her smart-ass crack at the top of the stairs. She had missed Gabriel, I knew she had.

Gabriel turned to the stairs and smiled with pleasure as Carrigan stood there. She jumped off the last step and into his arms. He spun her around as she clung to him, and then placed her on the ground on her feet. He stroked her hair behind her ear and looked at her very seriously.

"Carri," he said softly, still smiling, but having a stern look in his eyes. Carrigan sighed slightly before he could continue.

"Just stop right now," she said raising her hand. "He's not my boyfriend." She quivered slightly and rolled her eyes.

"He's a sixteen year old boy," said Gabriel standing up straight. "I was one—"

"Yes, yes, I know," Carrigan interrupted. "You were one once. Just because you'd play a girl doesn't mean Henry would. It's not like he's your son or something."

Gabriel rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'd rather he was, because no son of mine would be putting the moves on you—"

"Thanks," Carrigan said bitterly.

Before another word could be said someone could be heard coming down the stairs. Henry's entrance stopped the conversation between Gabriel and Carrigan from carrying on. He smiled politely with his chocolate brown eyes and entered the foyer.

"Hello," he said with his hands in his pockets. "You must be Gabriel, it's a pleasure. Carri speaks very highly of you."

"Well I am her Godfather," Gabriel said with a forced smile as he extended his hand to Henry. The teenager took it and shook it firmly surprising Gabriel. "Now her Father, well that is a man you'd want to watch out for."

"Gabriel," I said hitting his shoulder with a laugh as I walked by heading for the kitchen. "Come on, Gabriel had some tea on the stove."

"I did," Gabriel nodded as he followed me.

"I would like to meet Sirius Black," Henry said with a nod.

I glanced at Carrigan as we entered the kitchen. She gave me a guilty look. Obviously, she had informed Henry that she believed Sirius to be innocent. I wondered how much information she had told him.

"We are going to see Sirius over the holiday," I said as I collected the tea mugs from the cabinet over the stove. I refrained from saying that we would be staying at Number Twelve for part of the holiday. We didn't know how much we could trust Henry just yet. I looked at Gabriel and nodded to the tea pot. He sighed and came to me, picking up the tea pot and following me to the table with it. I set down the mugs so Gabriel could pour the tea.

"I don't think you meeting my Father is a good idea."

"I agree with Carrigan," Gabriel said softly as we all sat down. "Considering where Sirius is staying."

"Are you suggesting you don't trust Henry?" questioned Carrigan sounding offended.

"I will never trust any man dating you," Gabriel responded.

"Good thing we're not dating," Carrigan retorted.

"Gabriel was simply suggesting that we can't trust anyone in regards to where your Father is staying," I interjected quickly before Gabriel could snap back at Carrigan. "It's nothing personal, Henry."

"I didn't think it was," Henry smiled. "I understand your caution, and I appreciate your doubt. It means you care about Carrigan a great deal."

This caught Gabriel's attention. He immediately looked away from Carrigan and to Henry. "What are your intentions?"

"Gabriel!" Carrigan clapped her head with her hand in embarrassment.

"Carrigan and I are very good friends," Henry responded with a smile. "She and I have a great deal in common—one of them being that one of our parents were not present as we grew up."

"Why aren't you staying with your family?" Gabriel asked with a slow nod.

"My Mother died when I was young," Henry replied in a low whisper. "And I just recently lost my Father, Henry Thrett."

Gabriel frowned slightly. "I am very sorry for you loss," he said easily.

"I think that's enough conversation," Carrigan said standing up. "Come on, Henry, let's get you settled."

Henry smiled at her and nodded as he stood up. He pushed his chair in and followed Carrigan out of the kitchen while thanking us for the tea. I crossed my arms over my chest as I leaned back in my chair, giving Gabriel a dark glare. He looked at me with distress and when he saw my glare he rolled his eyes.

"What?" he questioned.

"You're not part of the inquisition, you know." I said easily.

"Well one of us should be—I don't like it."

"It's a good thing that while your opinion matters, I have the final say in my house and with my daughter."

"Our house," he corrected. "You mean to tell me you're perfectly okay with that boy sleeping in the same bedroom as Carrigan?" questioned Gabriel with heated eyes.

"I'm sure he can stay in the study—or the guest room," I said with sarcasm. "That is why we have it after all."

"You're Mother obviously had no restrictions on you," Gabriel said rolling his eyes.

"Someone killed her when I was fifteen," I snipped kicking his seat before I stood up. "She didn't have time to put any restrictions on me. Besides—I'd blame my openness and leniency with Carrigan on my daddy-issues. Perhaps if I had a Father like you I wouldn't be so liberal about Carrigan's relationships."

I made to walk by Gabriel but he grabbed the belt loops of my pants and pulled me against his chair. "If you had a Father like me we would have never ended up together."

His hands were running up and down my body—up my thighs, across my back and torso. He leaned his head forward and kissed my stomach before pushing my shirt up with his fingertips. He kissed my stomach gently, with slow tender lips. I felt his tongue on my flesh and sighed as he grazed against the skin just above the waist band of my pants. I ran my hands on his shaved head then tilted his head up. I bent down and kissed him deeply.

"How can you blame me for being okay with Carrigan having a boy in her room when we were involved when I was fifteen?"

"We weren't involved," Gabriel whispered in my ear as he kissed my neck. His hands were still on my legs; his touch sending jolts of heat and desire through my entire body. "You were just a tease."

"It's sad you fell in love with a tease," I said standing up straight. Gabriel didn't let me get away though. He held me tightly and stood up to press his body against mine. I smiled up at him as I placed my hands on his shoulders. He was staring down at me with smiling purple eyes which made my head spin and my heart skip a beat.

"It is a shame," he agreed. He leaned down and kissed me deeply.

"You'd better get to work," I whispered.

Gabriel stood up straight with raised eyebrows and nodded his head slowly once he realized I was talking about going to work for the Order. He was on watch that night to make up for Arthur's shift.

"Yep," Gabriel agreed. "Need to do some stuff at the office before the real work begins."

I smirked and stole a kiss from him. As I pulled out of his arms and cleared the table of the used dishes I caught Gabriel's eyes looking up at the kitchen ceiling as if he could see through it and was spying on Carrigan.

"Would you please relax?" I snipped as I walked by him with my arms full of dishes.

"I don't trust him—he's a sixteen year old boy! I know what's on his mind."

"Would a sixteen year old boy really be thinking stuff like that about a thirteen year old girl?" I asked with a shiver. "Isn't that kind of gross?"

"Carrigan doesn't look like she's thirteen," Gabriel responded. "Nor does she act like it—and that's the difference. Age doesn't matter, perception does. And I'm sure that any sixteen year old boy perceives Carrigan as fifteen or sixteen. I don't like it…don't trust it…" Gabriel said the last part while shaking his head.

"If you don't trust him, trust Carrigan."

"He could manipulate or persuade her into saying yes to anything," Gabriel retorted defensively.

"When have you ever known Carrigan to give into anyone and do something she didn't want to do? Look how long it took you to persuade me…"

"That's different," he shook his head.

"Not really," I said. "I was fifteen when you came onto me and you were twenty five."

"You wanted me to."

"Maybe Carrigan wants Henry too," I said looking up at Gabriel with a cross expression. Gabriel's face fell and he slapped his forehead.

"Why would you say something like that?"

"Will you please relax and let it be?" I begged taking his hands off his head and holding them tightly in mine.

"Alright," he sighed.

"Really?"

"As best as I can," he admitted. I smiled and stood on my toes to kiss him.

"Thank you."

He nodded and kissed me again before pulling away. "I'll be home in the morning."

"How early?"

"Five probably."

"Oh, that's late," I sighed. I grabbed his collar before he could get away. "Be safe."

"My dear Cadence, I think this is the most affection you've ever given to me."

"I'm afraid you're going to die. Will you please be safe?"

"Of course," he beamed pinching my cheek. He disappeared out of the kitchen before another word could be said. A small hole formed in my heart simply because he didn't say he loved me. It wasn't that I had doubt; I was actually quite confident that Gabriel loved me. His feelings for me were the only constant thing in my life since I was fifteen—perhaps with the exception of the danger I was in because of my Father—if I couldn't trust anything else I could trust that Gabriel loved me and my Father was out to kill me. I was just afraid that if something happened to Gabriel tonight while he guarded the entrance to the Department of Mysteries that this moment in the kitchen might be the last time I see him. This might be the last time I have the chance to say anything to him.

I frowned deeply and moved quickly through the kitchen to the front hall. Gabriel was standing there pulling on his cloak. He looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Cadence?"

I stepped close to him and touched his shoulders before standing on my toes and kissing him straight on the mouth. He kissed me in return but pulled away slowly looking at me with concern.

"What's the matter?"

"I love you," I replied.

He smiled slightly. "That's what's bothering you?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"Well I'm sorry you're so troubled," he joked stroking my cheek. "But I love you too."

I beamed and released him. "You're allowed to leave now," I said. Gabriel laughed whole heartedly before opening the front door.

"I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright," I said leaning against the door. I held the knob in my hand and watched as he walked out of the house heading down the porch steps and the front gate.

"Mom?" Carrigan's voice called. I turned and saw her standing at the bottom of the stairs with her hand on the banister. I closed the door before turning to look at her.

"Yes?" I said crossing my arms. I smiled at her as I took in her appearance. She was wearing yoga pants, a pullover and sneakers. Her hair was pulled back with a thick headband that covered her ears. "Going running?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Benjamin is coming with me. We'll be back in time for dinner. Henry laid down in the guest room to take a nap."

"Are you going to tell me what's going on with Henry?" I asked carefully.

Carrigan bit her lip and rolled her eyes. "Mom," she sighed.

"I just want to know what he's all about—where did he come from? How'd you meet?"

Carrigan stepped down onto the landing next to me with curious studying eyes. "Are you asking or is Gabriel?"

"I am," I said frankly. Carrigan frowned deeply as she crossed her arms over her chest. She knew she couldn't keep much from me simply because I was her Mother—eventually she would tell me, I was just really hoping she would spill now because I was asking. I wasn't in the mood for any surprises.

"He's in Ravenclaw," she replied with a sore tone. "We met on the Quidditch field while I was watching the team practice with Ginny and Hermione. Henry is on the Ravenclaw team, he was coming out to see if the field was available. We started talking…."

"His father was a member of the Order," I whispered softly and I tapped my fingers against my lips with deep thought. It seemed like a coincidence that Henry Thrett's son should become close friends with Carrigan and then come to stay in my home shortly after his father had died. But I didn't believe in coincidences.

"So, we can trust Henry then."

"Just because someone's parent was for our cause doesn't mean they are," I advised as I thought of Bartemius Crouch and his son Barty Crouch Jr. "Besides, he's underage."

Benjamin appeared in his running clothes behind Carrigan who still stood on the stairs. "Ready?" he questioned with a smile. He looked happier then I had seen him all afternoon. It was obvious to me that he did not like Henry being around Carrigan at all, but I wasn't sure if it was because he didn't trust Henry or he was jealous of him.

Carrigan gave Benjamin an awkward look as she peered up at him. He clapped his hands together and raised his eyebrows at her. "What?"

"You're intolerable," she said slickly. She stepped forward to the door and pulled it open before bidding me good bye. Benjamin frowned as he walked by me, giving me a shrug. I caught his elbow before he walked out.

"Avoid side streets," I whispered. "Stay on the main roads and don't be gone longer then a half hour. Do you have your wand?"

"And a knife," he replied with a reassuring nod. His crystal blue eyes looked seriously at me with stern reassurance that all would be fine.

"Thank you."

He bowed his head and stepped down the steps to Carrigan who was waiting for him on the walkway in front of the brownstone. She gave Benjamin a curious look before he patted her shoulder and they took off down the sidewalk away from the house.

I stepped back in the house and closed the door tightly. Once the cold air was shut out of the house, I turned to look up the staircase, wondering if Henry Thrett was lying dying or not. I bit my bottom lip with apprehension. It all seemed too perfect; him being here now after his father's death. Finding someone to be close to Carrigan was a perfect strategy for my father. I pivoted and made my way into the kitchen to look for the basket of scrap paper that Gabriel kept by the back door. When I found it, I scribbled a note on it and turned to make my way upstairs into the study where Gabriel's owl was sitting on her perch.

"Take it to Gabriel," I whispered once the note was attached to her leg. I opened the window and let her sail out of it. With a quick snap, I closed the window, then leaned against the sill deep in thought. Perhaps the fact that he was sixteen and Carrigan brought him home was not reason to mistrust Henry Thrett. Perhaps, there was a much scarier reason not to trust him.