Harry might have been anxious to find out what was going on and give a hand, but Jack O'Neill was a lot older than he was and far more experienced in treachery, and he ran after the boy. He was bigger and faster – even with his bad knees – and he caught up quickly. And promptly tackled Harry, taking him to the ground in a smooth motion that was designed to stop him, but not hurt him. Harry grunted with surprise, and rolled over, his wand automatically coming up in a defensive gesture, and Jack just s quickly snatched it out of his hand.

"Jack!" The boy's green eyes flashed angrily; O'Neill was the last one Harry would have expected to turn on him. "What are you doing? Let me up! I-"

"Use your head, Harry," Jack snapped, easily holding the boy down, even with the wand in his hand. "You just told me that you ran into one ambush trying to save Sirius. What the hell do you think you're doing running into what could be another?"

Another flash of lights in the sky – this time much closer.

"You don't know that."

"And neither do you," Jack said. "But you're not bothering to find out, are you?"

"It's-"

"How many of the bad guys know where you live?"

That made Harry hesitate. As far as he knew, all of them did.

"Nothing can happen to me here… Professor Dumbledore said there were protections on my Aunt's house."

Dobby came running up just then, his finger pointed at Jack, who was obviously hurting Harry.

"You are not to hurt Harry Potter," Dobby said, angrily. He made a motion with his hand, and Jack suddenly found himself flying off Harry, tumbling a good twenty feet and crashing into a tree trunk with a solid thud.

"Dobby, no!"

Harry scrambled to his feet, running over to where Jack was, even as another spark of lights went off. Even closer than the last.

"Jack?"

O'Neill was just stunned, and a little battered. He was already picking himself up when Harry and Dobby reached him, and he was still holding Harry's wand. But now he was furious.

"You're not at your Aunt's house, any more, are you Harry?"

The boy looked around, and realized that he really wasn't all that sure how far the protections went. After all, the dementors had been able to come after him in the neighborhood, hadn't they?

"I-"

"Get your ass back in the house. Now. I'll go see what's going on."

"But you're not a wizard, Jack," Harry protested. "You-"

"Go! I mean it." Still furious, Jack threw Harry's wand at him. "And if you ever point that thing at me again, I'll break it into so many pieces you won't be able to make toothpicks out of it."

"I'm sor-"

Jack wasn't even listening. Fully expecting to be obeyed, he had already turned and headed for the lights, moving far more silently through the trees and houses that Harry would have thought possible.

Crushed, Harry did as he was told. Jack was right; he had no idea who was there, and yes, it might have been a trap. And he would have fallen for it. Again. But Jack wasn't a wizard. Harry was right about that, and he needed some help. And if it couldn't be him, then it would be at least someone with power enough to maybe be able to help.

"Dobby! Go help Jack. Make sure he's okay. Please?"

The house elf nodded, although he didn't look like he wanted to help the guy that had just yelled at Harry. He turned and ran off, following the same direction that Jack had gone, moving almost as silently.

OOOOOOOOOOO

There was a small park only a few blocks east of where he'd left Harry, and this park was where the lights seemed to be originating. Jack was still more or less certain that it was fireworks – despite what he'd said to Harry. (Mainly because he still wasn't all that certain about the whole wizard thing). But he was moving cautiously, because while he wasn't certain it really was a trap, he was well aware now that evil wizards did exist, and that they were more than capable of going after a young boy.

Look at how young Harry had been when he'd lost his folks, after all.

"Jack O'Neill."

A voice from somewhere near his waist and a little behind him made him about jump out of his skin and Jack had to actually bite back a startled yell. He realized it was the elf, and scowled.

"What are you doing? Trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Harry Potter sent me to help you."

"Did he go back to the house?"

"Yes."

Good. Jack started to tell the elf to go back, too, but decided that anything that could toss him around like a rag doll might be someone he could use if something actually did happen, and instead he nodded.

"Fine. You can help. But keep quiet."

"Yes."

"And don't sneak up on me again."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and looked around the tree he'd been standing beside. The park appeared to be deserted, but the lights were definitely coming from this area. At least they were in the sky above the park. He scowled, looking up at the lights. Now that he was closer, they didn't look like fireworks. They just looked like fairly bright flashes of lights. Sparklers, maybe? Although he didn't know any way to make lights just blink like that. Which meant they might very well be magic, huh?

He looked down at the elf, who was watching the lights, too.

"Stay here. I'm going to have a look around."

If there were some kids lighting fireworks, then the last thing Jack wanted was for them to see the house elf. He didn't want to have to explain what it was. Mainly because he wasn't all that certain what it was.

He moved slightly to the left, looking all around him and trying to see through the small areas of playground equipment to the other side of the park. When that didn't work very well (most of the structures were made of solid wood) he had to move a little more out into the open. Wishing that he'd been kidnapped with a weapon in his hand, Jack reached down and picked up a fair sized rock. Just in case. Then he headed for the jungle gym.

"Jack O'Neill."

He whirled, hearing a woman's voice – one he didn't recognize – and one that was filled with contempt.

OOOOOOOOOO

"What do you think is taking Jack so long?" Daniel asked, frowning. He, Sam and Sirius had already ordered – telling the waitress that Jack would order when he got back from making his phone call – but that had been at least ten minutes. And it had been at least twenty since Jack had left the table in the first place. It was unheard of for Jack to be on the phone that long.

"I'm not sure," Sam said, frowning as well and looking at her watch. It definitely wasn't like Jack to be gone so long to make a call.

"Maybe he stopped at the bathroom?" Sirius suggested.

"For twenty minutes?" Daniel asked, skeptically.

Sirius shrugged; he didn't know anything about O'Neill's bathroom habits – and didn't want to.

"It was just a thought. Want me to go look for him?"

"No," Daniel said, even as Sam started to say the same thing. They weren't going to let the wizard out of their sight. They were supposed to be watching him, after all, right? "I'll go."

"I can," Sam said.

Daniel smiled as he got up.

"You'll look a little out of place checking the men's room, Sam."

Sirius and Sam watched as Daniel left the main room, and then the wizard turned to Sam.

"So…"

She turned to look at him.

"Hmm?"

"Are you seeing anyone?"