Chapter 3: Discussions with the Guard

He walked into his old room where he found Gabrielle sitting at the desk, several different weapons laying around him. Gabrille turned around and held up a shotgun, pointing it directly at Harry.

There was a tense moment, both eyes baring into each other, a feeling of emense hatred flowed through Harry's veins. "So he's nothing more then a traitor, I wonder why Dumbledore didn't realize this." Suddenly, Gabrielle laid the shotgun down. That's when Harry decided to say something, "What the fuck was that about?"

"I didn't know who it was," he said turning back to the desk, "always be prepared. Not only the Boy Scout motto, ya know."

"Boy Scouts?" Harry asked confused.

"OH yeah, that's right, English." he said shortly.

Harry shook it off, "What are you doing up here?" He walked over to the desk and looked at what was laid on his desk. Harry's jaw dropped when he saw several different weapons, from shotguns and ammunition, to daggers and a long broad sword.

"As you can now see, I'm cleaning and sharpening my weapons. Unlike most of the magical world, I still rely on weaponry in battle." Gabrielle started while sharpening one of his daggers, "I only use magic for shielding myself. I enjoy the concept of muggle fighting, almost seems more sportsmanlike to duke it out, but that's what I get for being raised by a muggle mother and a father who's obsessed with muggle weaponry."

"I'm not sure how sportsmanlike a doublebarrel sawed-off shotgun would be." Harry said while picking it up.

"Know what that is do you? I only use it when someone surprises me and is far away." Gabrielle said while holding up one of his daggers close to his face, "These right here are my babies. I always have one up my sleeve." and with a quick flick of his wrist a dagger flew out of his sleeve at Harry, but Gabrielle caught it and held it up to the light. He cracked a smile, the first time he had all day.

Harry just stared at him, "You're a nutter." After these words escaped his lips, Harry instantly regretted it, he did appreciate what his guards were going to do for him. "Listen, I'm so.."

"No, it's ok. You're right, I'm a bit cracked, but as my ma always told me, it's the spice of life." Gabrielle retorted with a grin and went back to his sharpening after sliding his dagger back down his sleeve.

"Well I came up to invite you downstairs. Ya know if you're hungry or anything." Harry said as he was making his way to the door.

Gabrielle stood up, "Ya know I'm a bit hungry. I think I'll join you guys, but first Harry I got you something." Gabrielle handed Harry a small package. Harry opened it and found at first the hilt of Sirius's old knife, but it couldn't be because the blade melted off of it, and there was a blade on this one. "I know what you're thinking, I was able to reforge a blade for the hilt, still unlocks any door but has a few more tricks, I'll show you later." Gabrielle patted Harry on the shouldar and walked out the door and down the stairs. For the second time that evening, Harry stood in a room quite confused.

Harry came back downstairs, and as his foot hit the last step he heard someone yell out, "Where the hell were you?" Harry looked up and saw Ron, "It's time to open your presents Harry."

Harry looked at Ron and smiled, "Alright, sounds good." They walked into the drawing room and everyone cheered.

Harry was sitting in his room, everybody left except for those who stayed at headquarters, which was now Harry's home. Harry was sitting on his bed while Tim paced in front of him, Monique and Annabella were sitting in the two wing chairs that was next to a table near his desk, and Gabrielle sat on the desk sharpening his dagger still ("These things can never be too sharp" he told Harry earlier.). Tim looked Harry in the eyes, "You're gonna have to take your security very seriously, Harry. There's going to be no dodging us, and trust me, we'll know where you are at all times and we'll know exactly what you're doing."

Harry stood up and met Tim's eyes, "Well, Tim, I CAN take care of myself, and I have been for the past several years. I still don't understand why I'm getting all this extra protection when no one else in the school is."

"This protection isn't just for you Harry, we know Ron and Hermoine are your best friends, this is for them as well." Annabella put in.

"Ok then, only three people in the entire school has extra protection..." Harry started.

"The Order will be there, Harry, not just us." Monique chimed in.

"If it comes down to it, yes the Order is there to protect the school, it isn't just you Harry. Everyone has extra protection this year, it's just we know what Voldemort wants, and what he wants is you dead." Tim stressed.

"Well that hasn't been blantently obvious over the past 17 years." Harry said sarcastically. The only one that laughed at that was Gabrielle. He looked up from sharpening his dagger.

"What?" he said when everyone turned to look at him, "it was funny."

Tim turned back to Harry, ignoring Gabrielle, "Harry, just don't try and dodge us is all I'm asking. We're here to help. You're going to have to trust us."

"Ok but if I'm going to trust you guys, I think there's some things we need to get out in the air." Harry said. Everyone nodded, "How did you guys pull this duty?"

"We all have our stories." Tim said.

"Well, lets hear 'em."

"I suppose I'll start," Tim replied, "My parents and I were visiting England. I just graduated from The Salem Academy, which is a magical school in America, and it was my graduation present because I always wanted to visit Diagon Alley, see the sites ya know." Tim started, "When we got to Diagon Alley there was an attack, Death Eaters just started destroying shops, killing people left and right......they got my parents."

"You're talking about the attack right after the Department of Mysteries break-in." Harry said.

"Yeah, it was at that point when I started to fight back. Someone shot the killing curse at me when I was knocked over. Someone pushed me out of the way, it was Dumbledore." Tim said the name like it was something sacred, like it was holy, "After the battle, Dumbledore took me to Hogwarts, told me what he was planning on doing with the school when the time came for extra protection. I started studying the grounds, the different routes in and out of the school, and a couple weeks ago, he asked me to be apart of your guard, Harry. I accepted immediately, I knew it's something I had to do not only for myself, but for my parents." Tim looked close to tears at this point but stopped and regained his composure. "Regardless, that's why I'm here Harry. I jumped at the chance to protect the innocent."

Harry looked at Tim in a new light, it seemed that Tim and Harry had to share the same burden, the burden of leadership. Anna started speaking, "First off Harry don't me Anna, don't call me Bella, don't call me Annabella. Call me Belle, I like that more." she smiled softly. "Anyways, I'm from North Carolina in the United States, but I went to Beauxbatons Academy in France, my parents wanted me to go there, they're both French, they met there, and when they moved to the states they knew if they had a child they'd do anything to have their child go there, so there I went. This past school year I accelerated in Defense Against the Dark Arts, I was the top of my class, and also, like you Harry, had an adventurous streak, though I never had the adventures that you have." she said that with a bit of a laugh, "Anyways, Madame Maxime told me of the plans that Dumbledore was formulating, she asked me to be apart of your guard Harry. I heard about some of your antics at school, from my cousin..."

"Who's your cousin??" Harry asked quickly.

"OH, umm Fleaur, do you know her?" she asked.

"Yeah, we competed in the Triwizard Tournament together." Harry recalled.

"Yup, I wasn't there to watch though, I wasn't able to go. Anyways, I signed up for this because it seemed like I could finally go on an adventure with the legendary Harry Potter. Knowing of the things you've done at Hogwarts, Harry, there's no doubt that you are gonna be a legend at that school."

"Not too sure about that one." Harry responded.

"OH, Christ, Harry." he heard a voice from the door, "You know for a fact that you're already a legend there, just like us." Harry looked over at the door and saw the twins looking in on the scene.

"No doubt Harry," Fred said, "maybe one day you'll be as big as us or the marauders." They both laughed and disapperated.

"And people say I'm cracked." Gabrielle laughed.

Harry laughed with him. When the laughter subsided, he asked, "So why are you here Gabrielle?"

"Simple enough question to answer; I was hired." he said.

"Hired?"

"Ok maybe not as simple as I thought. The first thing you gotta know about me Harry is that I never went to school, I never had full training. I was taught shields and some spells, but this is while I was chasing down dark creatures with my father. Two years ago he was killed by Death Eaters, and my tutliage with him stopped. Since I've been acting as a Dark Wizard catcher." Gabrielle started.

"So, you're an Auror?" Harry asked.

"No, I'm far from it." he said, "As I said before Harry, I've had no formal training. Basicly I was a mercenary. I would be hired by families of victims of Death Eaters, they'd give me a name, and I'd hunt them down. Some families wanted them alive and brought to them, some wanted them killed, others wanted them brought to the Aurors, there weren't many of those though. I learned how to think like a Death Eater, that's how I was able to hunt them down and chase them. That's why I was hired to spy on Slytherin, I'm only 17 so I can still basicly hide out in a school and look the part of an every day teenager at school.....well as every day as learning magic can be." Gabrielle laughed again.

"Well Monique, you're the only one left, what's your story morning glory?" Harry said with a smile.

Monique looked at him, "I wanted to fight for what my uncle believed in." She stood up and walked out to the door, "I think I'm gonna head to bed, goodnight all." She walked out of the room and towards the stairs. Belle got up and walked after her.

"Yeah I think I'll do the same and I'm getting pretty tired." she yawned, "Goodnight everyone." Gabrielle followed suit but just waved as he walked out the door. It was just Tim and Harry in the room now.

"We're not here just to protect you Harry. It's a general concensous with all of us that we want to be your friend as well." Tim started, "but if it comes down to being your friend or being your bodyguard, we'll protect you no matter what you say. Goodnight." Tim walked out the door.

It was obvious to Harry the roles that these four will play in the near future. Tim was obviously the leader, Gabrielle was here for kicks, Belle wanted an adventure, but Monique was here to fight for someone she didn't know, who now she couldn't even get the chance to know. Harry layed down in his bed and took off his glasses and cleared his mind, like he had done every night for the past year. He fell into a dreamless sleep.

Authors notes: none at the moment......