Previously: Harry smiled and walked away down the hallway with Shade, Hedwig flying over the castle into the night.

Draconic

"talking"

'thinking'

Flashback

The next few weeks were filled with detentions for Harry, who was looking even worse than he had when he was sick. Julian had also not been feeling well and the first day back, a few of his feathers had fallen out but he didn't notice. Potions were all that filled Alice's time due to the Weasley pranks that were floating around, Madam Pomphrey had asked both her and Severus to brew a few cauldrons worth of potions. Shade had days filled in the library with Victoria to find more about a way to help Harry, Fred, and George legally play Quidditch without going against one of the rules Professor Umbridge had made.

Shade sighed as he leaned back in his chair, a book on his face and his legs up on the desk in front of him, "Damn that Professor is good, there aren't any loopholes."

Victoria chuckled tiredly as she leaned heavily against another desk in the library, a large book sitting in front of her, "If it was easy, she wouldn't be the Undersecretary to the Minister."

Shade also chuckled, "Remember when she saw us with our wings the first time? I thought she was going to turn into a radish with how purple her face got."

Victoria outright laughed as she remembered that time a week or so ago, they had been walking calmly into lunch when they saw a few students hanging upside down all around the Great Hall.

"What the hell happened?!" Victoria asked in shock as the rest of the Guardians walked inside with her.

"Looks like a prank gone right," Shade replied with a soft laugh which was cut off with a cuff to the back of her head, "Ouch!"

Victoria sighed with a shake of her head as Alice snickered and Julian sighed with a wince. They all looked up at the headmaster to see if they should help the students down before moving when they got a nod. There were four students hanging from the ceiling, one in each corner. They pulled out there wings and untied the students before gently putting them down, turning in shock as Professor Umbridge gasped loudly from the large Great Hall doors.

Shade was the first one to crack when they all saw her, it had started with a snort from him. Then, Alice burst out laughing and fell over onto the Slytherin table bench. After that, Victoria and Julian had lost it along with the rest of the students that happened to be there at lunch that day.

Professor Umbridge was standing in the door way with papers scattered around her from when she dropped them. Her pink robes her slightly ruffled and her face was a bright purple in anger and shock.

"What in the world ARE you?!" She shouted as she stepped back, accidentally tripping on the papers around her.

Victoria approached the fallen woman and helped her pick up her papers, "We are Guardians, creatures who banded together to help the future of the Wizarding World. In other words, we help out and tutor kids."

While Victoria was talking, Professor Umbridge was getting paler until she frantically gathered her papers together and ran from the Hall, a scream in her throat which sounded like a gargling frog.

Victoria and Shade were laughing so hard at the memory that they weren't making any noise at all when Harry, Hermione and Ron found them.

"Umm... Hello," Harry said while waving a hand in front of Shade's face.

Shade tried to stop laughing but he couldn't get even get a word out before bursting out laughing once more.

"I-It's ok, w-what would y-you like Harry?" Victoria asked out between giggles.

"Well, we're having a meeting at the Hog's Head today of all students that-" Hermione said but was cut off as Harry slapped his hand over her mouth.

"Shhh, not here. Will you gather the Guardians and come with us?" Harry asked softly to both Victoria and Shade.

Victoria smacked Shade over the head as he was still laughing before nodding to Harry, "Yes, let me just get this kid to stop laughing and we'll get both Alice and Julian to meet you there."

Shade winced as Victoria smacked him before yelping as she dragged him to find the other Guardians.

Victoria, Alice, Julian, and Shade were standing with the students that had showed up. Apparently, Harry was going to teach some students actual defense instead of theory. After much deliberating, Harry finally agreed to teach them Defense Against the Dark Arts but defense only, no harmful spell work.

Shade grinned as he approached the young teacher, "Hey, good job!"

"Thanks, do you think I'll be a good teacher?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"I believe so, but I have a question to ask you," he gently pulled Harry to the side as people walked up to sign the contract up on the front.

Harry walked with Shade to a corner of the room, "Sure, what is it?"

"Do you think Julian looks a little pale? I don't think he's been feeling very well lately and I believe that I've been picking up feathers from his wings all around the castle," Shade replied worriedly, gesturing to the man in the corner of the room with his sisters.

"I don't know, I mean, he does look really pale lately but I thought it was because of the cold season," Harry said as he also looked at the pale blond man who was starting to waver as he stood.

Shade sighed worriedly as he looked at his brother, "Ok, can you just please keep an eye out for him? I'm really worried and I hope that he gets better soon but I think I know why he's sick."

"Oh? Why?" Harry asked curiously as Hermione took the contract off of the table and folded it up.

"I do not believe that Viktor is his mate. If he was, my brother wouldn't be showing signs of sickness for such a long period of time. Since he is losing feathers, it isn't a good sign... He's dying and I can't help him!" Shade cried out with tears in his eyes, brushing them off of his face furiously as the rest of the Guardians slowly left them to themselves.

Harry gently pat him on the back with a sad smile, "We can only do what we can until they either find what they need, or someone else heals them."

Shade sniffed and looked at Harry before giggling softly, "When did you become so philosophical?"

"It's a gift," Harry replied before they both burst out laughing but the thought of Julian and his mysterious mate weighed heavily on both of their minds.

Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry about the really late update! I am now using my mother's computer under the pretense of writing a couple of papers but I don't think I can fool her for long! AHHHH! I really need a new computer. Anyway, hope ya liked the chapter! Sorry about Julian's thing, I just didn't think that him and Viktor really worked but I do believe that you guys will like who I paired him with this time! See ya'll in the next chapter, peace!