The next morning I entered the kitchen to find Gabriel cooking breakfast with Carrigan. He was showing her how to flip pancakes in the pan. I stood in the door frame of the kitchen, watching them with a small smile on my lips. Gabriel loved Carrigan as if she was his own daughter, and I was quiet sure that Carrigan thought of him as her Father. When she was four she had asked if Gabriel was her Father and why he didn't live with us in America. From that moment on I knew that their relationship was going to be a complex one, but I had to be honest with her. I told her that Gabriel was not her Father, but a very dear friend of mine who helped me take care of her. He was her Godfather and was someone she could trust no matter what. She seemed to accept this at that age and she didn't ask about her Father until she was seven or eight. Then, I told her that he was a bad man who had betrayed me and was locked up in Azkaban in England. She understood this very well it appeared and never asked of him again. I had a feeling though, that this was the morning that she would ask more about him—and if she didn't I probably should tell her, especially if I was going to send her away to Hogwarts this year.
"Hi Mom!" Carrigan said cheerfully as she jumped while trying to flip a pancake in the pan. The pancake flew out of the pan and hit the ceiling, sticking to it for a moment, and then flew down slapping the kitchen floor. Carrigan frowned deeply and looked at Gabriel, who was smiling lightly. "What'd I do wrong?" she questioned.
"I imagine it's because you jumped," Gabriel said as he waved his wand and cleaned up the mess on the floor. Carrigan nodded and immediately turned to the stove to pour more batter into the frying pan. She was determined to try again. "Here, let me," Gabriel said while she waited impatiently for the pancake to cook so she could flip it.
"But Gabriel—"
"Go eat with your Mother," he said. Carrigan stuck her tongue out at him and picked up a full plate with a huge stack of pancakes on it. Gabriel stuck his tongue out back at her and laughed as she glared and walked away with the breakfast food. She set the plate down on the already set kitchen table as I retrieved some juice and syrup.
"When are you heading into work?" Gabriel asked once he joined us at the table. I frowned slightly and glanced at the clock hanging on the kitchen wall.
"Soon I suppose," I responded. "I have a mountain of paper work to do."
"Me too," Gabriel said. "We can head in together."
"How can I go to work if you're not here to watch Carrigan?" I asked sipping my juice. Gabriel smiled at me.
"Guess she'll just have to come with us," he said looking at her. I punched his shoulder as Carrigan got excited.
"Really?" she exclaimed. "Oh Mom, please can I go? I want to see where you work and train to kill people—"
I looked at my daughter sharply, with a dark glare of disapproval that only a mother can give their child. Carrigan bit her lip, regretting what she said immediately.
"We don't kill people," I said crossly. I turned and gave Gabriel a very nasty look because he was the one who no doubt put that silly idea in her head.
"No," he said slowly. "We are trained to protect ourselves. We don't kill people unless it's in self defense."
"Right," Carrigan said. "It's not your decision to make who lives or who dies. If you killed people you'd be no better then Voldemort and his Death Eaters."
I nodded my head once frankly. "Yes, that's correct."
"Okay," she said. "But can I still go? I haven't gotten to go to work with you since we've moved here. And honestly Mom, this house is kind of a drag, especially when you send Professor Dumbledore to watch me—"
"I thought you liked Professor Dumbledore," I said surprised.
"Of course I do," Carrigan said. "But it can be boring sometimes because he has lots of work to do and really I don't get to do anything exciting. He won't teach me Legilimency because he thinks I'm too young, even though Gabriel has already started teaching me."
"Carri!" Gabriel said and put his head in his hands.
Carrigan frowned and sighed. "Sorry."
"How long have you been teaching her?" I asked as I looked at Gabriel with raised eyebrows.
"Two months," he said. "She's actually very good."
"Yea, see Mom," Carrigan said. I smiled at her.
"There was no doubt in my mind about you being good at it, Carrigan," I said.
"Better then you," Gabriel added as I stood up and began to clear the table. I gave him a nasty glare and he smiled at me with teasing charm. I rolled my eyes and started to wash the breakfast dishes.
"So, do I get to go?" Carrigan asked.
"Yes, I suppose you have to," I said as I smiled at her and then Gabriel. His eyes were still purple, which made my heart skip a beat especially as he looked at me with that loving-all-knowing stare. He had changed his clothes at some point between last night and now; and he looked stunning in his black dress pants, matching waist coat and grey button up shirt. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing a sleeve tattoo on his left arm. He had gotten the tattoo to cover up his old faded Dark Mark. After my Father was destroyed the mark had faded, but could still be seen. Gabriel was not one to wear long sleeves all the time, like me, so he covered his mark with art work.
"Great," she said excited. She looked between me and Gabriel for a few moments before speaking again. "Why haven't you two dated?"
I blinked and looked at Carrigan with shocked eyes as my cheeks flushed pink. Why would she ask such a thing?
"Carrigan," I stammered.
"It's complicated," Gabriel said.
"But you think the other is hot," she said. "How's that complicated?"
"What?" I questioned confused.
"Well I just used Legilimency on you, Mom," Carrigan said turning around in her chair. "And you think Gabriel is hot…especially with the way his shirt is rolled up right now revealing his sleeve tattoo."
I could only stare at my daughter with shocked eyes.
"I told you she was good," Gabriel said standing up and picking up the last of the dishes. He messed with Carrigan's hair as he passed her and she smacked his hand away, glaring, and then fixed her hair.
"Carrigan," I said with embarrassment. "Gabriel and I…" I looked at him as he set the dishes down next to me, smiling at me.
"We tried," Gabriel said keeping his eyes on me. "Your Mother is too much of a pain in the ass for me to date."
"And Gabriel is too much of a bastard for me," I said smiling at him.
Carrigan looked at us confused, but nodded her head slowly.
"Okay," she said slowly. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter. I think of Gabriel as my Father anyways."
Gabriel and I both looked at her with concern. Carrigan had turned around in her chair and was facing the table. She picked up the newspaper that sat on the table and opened it, looking down at it for a few moments. I went to her and sat down, as Gabriel came around to join us.
"Carrigan," I said slowly. "Is that what this is about? Your Father?"
She looked at me with dark midnight blue eyes that matched Sirius Black's and I frowned slightly. Yes, this was about her Father.
"This is him?" she asked pointing the newspaper. Sirius' mug shot was spread all over the front page of the paper, with the headline: Most Notorious Mass Murderer Escaped From Azkaban.
"Yes," I whispered slowly. Carrigan heaved and sigh and frowned as she looked back at the picture of her Father.
"He has my eyes," she whispered. "Rather, I have his. You didn't tell me he was a mass murderer."
"I wasn't sure how much I should tell you," I said taking her hand. "But we can talk about it now, whatever you want to know…"
"They don't know how he escaped?" she asked touching the picture of her Father's face slowly. Her fingers hovered on his eyes for a few moments as if she was trying to feel some type of connection to him.
"No," Gabriel said.
"Well maybe the Auror who caught him should get back out there," she said breathlessly.
"That would be me," said Gabriel. Carrigan turned and looked at them with surprise.
"You caught him?" she whispered. Gabriel nodded his head slowly. "Then you replaced him…" Her voice trailed off and I frowned.
"Carrigan," I said. "It's not like that—"
Carrigan looked at me with sad eyes and cut me off. "I'm pretty sure I can get all the information I need from the paper." She stood up and her hand slipped out of mine. She went to the back door of the house and disappeared into the yard. I stood up and made to go after her, but Gabriel caught my arm. I looked up at him with distress.
"Let her be for a few moments," he whispered.
"But, Gabriel," I sighed as I looked away from him and at the back window. I could see Carrigan walking across the grass towards a large oak tree far back in the yard. When she reached it she began to climb the tree, disappearing into the dense leave covered branches.
"She's strong, like you," he said turning my chin to him. "I'll go out and speak to her in a moment."
"Did I do her wrong?" I asked looking at his purple eyes. "Have a failed her?"
"Hardly," he said wisely. "You've done a damn good job of taking care of her. She just wishes she had a stable Father, not a Death Eater who betrayed you and her, and not me. She's probably madder at me then you right now."
"How can you make this about you?" I questioned annoyed.
"Because in her mind I'm only here when I want to be," he said. "I'm half a father…I'm only here for the good parts of the job."
"But you're not," I said. Gabriel placed his fingers against my lips and I looked up at him a sadness that spread deep from within my heart. I wished he was her father so many times while I was pregnant. I had wished I left Sirius long before he left me, that way I could have been with Gabriel who loved me more then any man loves any woman; and he would be the Father of my child…
"I'll go speak to her," he said kissing my forehead. I sighed and touched his chest.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. Gabriel looked at me confused. "It's my fault that we never dated or were together…and you deserved so much—"
"Stop it," he said quickly stroking my cheek. "You know very well that we both made choices regarding our relationship. They're in the past and I understand why we're not together. You also know that despite not being together as a couple we will always be in each other's lives. Don't apologize."
I smiled slightly at him and nodded my head. Gabriel held me against him and I sighed against his chest as he kissed my head. I couldn't put into words how much I loved him and he knew that. He also knew that even if I could describe how much I loved him I wouldn't. I was too proud.
"Get ready for work," Gabriel said. "You can't go to the Ministry in your sweat pants and tank top."
I smiled at him and nodded. "Thank you."
"I'm just doing my Godfatherly duties," he said stepping past me to the door. I smiled at him as he walked out of the house into the backyard. I remained in the kitchen, watching out the window as he walked out of the oak tree. When he reached it, he stood there for a few minutes, looking up into the branches. I imagined he was talking to Carrigan, asking if he was allowed to join her in the tree. After a few moments he climbed up into the tree, disappearing from sight.
I took my time changing and getting ready for work, figuring that Gabriel would be spending awhile with Carrigan in the tree. I took a very quick shower, washing all of the dirty and loving thoughts I had of Gabriel from my mind. I dried my hair with a snap of my fingers and brushed it through. My chestnut brown waves framed my face well in a sexy mess. I dressed in skin tight black slacks, a long sleeve purple peasant top, a long sleeveless black cloak and black heeled lace up boots that went to the middle of my shin.
I always wore long sleeves because I hated the scar that was on my arm from my Father. When I was sixteen he performed a blood bond ceremony on me, slicing my arm open vertically and then left me to bleed out. I had to cauterize my own wound with a fire poker before I escaped. The scar was hideous and long from my wrist up to the inside of my elbow. When I was younger I had started wearing long sleeves because while the wound healed it had a horrible black stain to it, and looked like I had tried to remove a dark mark on my own. For the last couple of years, Gabriel had argued that I shouldn't be ashamed of the mark, especially now that it was a long white scar. It didn't matter what he said, I was still embarrassed by it. I didn't want to take any chances that someone would accuse me of being a Death Eater again. The trial when I was seventeen was hard enough; and the last month at the Ministry was difficult because I was interviewed and assessed for my loyalties the moment I returned…but being proven innocent didn't mean very much, even today. People still doubted you.
I collected my bag for work and went back downstairs, pleased to see that Gabriel and Carrigan were making their way back into the house. I stepped outside onto the back porch and smiled at the pair of them. Gabriel had his arm wrapped around Carrigan's shoulder and she was hugging his center as they walked through the long grass of the yard. I put my hands on my hips and waited for them to reach me.
"Everything okay now?" I asked stroking Carrigan's cheek. She hugged me and smiled up at me with the darkest mysterious stare she could give me. I had fallen in love with that stare when her Father had looked at me with it. It tore my heart to think of Sirius Black and what he would say if he knew he had a beautiful eleven year old daughter. I brushed Carrigan's dark hair behind her ear as she began to speak.
"Yes," she said beaming. "Gabriel is very motivating."
"Funny," I said looking at Gabriel as he stood down on the grass in front of us. "He was never very motivating to me."
"I recall a few moments in our past where I was rather motivating," he responded.
I rolled my eyes and ignored him. "You guys ready to go to the Ministry?"
"Yes!" Carrigan said excitedly. "Can I just go grab my pull over?"
"Yes, of course," I said. Carrigan bounded into the house as I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled at Gabriel. "Thank you."
"Of course, love," he said pinching my upper arm affectionately. "You do know that it is seventy degrees right now, right?"
I smiled at him. "I'm fully aware."
He stepped up onto the porch and stood incredibly close to me. Why did he feel it was necessary to invade my personal space today?
"Because you like it," he whispered to me as he leaned down and kissed my lips. I pulled away from him and gave him a dark glare. He laughed at my reaction and shook his head. "That's what I get for hoping that you'll actually want me someday."
I hit his shoulder and he caught my hand, kissing it tenderly.
"Gabriel," I sighed.
"Alright," he said releasing my hand. "I know when I've pushed you too far."
I thanked him as he walked by me, to go back into the house. I sighed and fanned my face, annoyed that he turned me on so easily. Gabriel was a festering mess of teasing sexual emotions. He drove me absolutely crazy and tempted me to give into him everyday. I was obviously very strong for never giving in the way I desired to so much…but I think that's what made our relationship so much fun. He never gave up on me and I never gave in. We were a constant challenge to the other.
"Mom?" Carrigan asked poking her head out of the backdoor.
I turned to my daughter and smiled at her.
"Ready?"
"Yes, let's go."
When I entered the house Gabriel had his black jacket on his arm. "How are we traveling?"
"Let's Apparate," I said. Gabriel nodded and motioned for Carrigan and I to come towards him. Carrigan wrapped her arms around Gabriel's center, and I held onto his shoulders, then he Apparated us out of the house with a loud crack.
We appeared in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. The place hadn't changed since I left England twelve years ago. The atrium was an open space going up many floors with beautiful glass window walls so that each floor could look down into the atrium. There was giant golden fountain in the middle of the atrium that displayed a wizard standing tall with a witch, centaur and house elf at his feet. The statue had always bothered me because of the misogynistic inequality it displayed.
As we walked through the atrium, heading for the lifts that went to various floors, Carrigan's eyes were full of wonder. She was looking around the room frantically as if trying to absorb all of the various details it displayed. She walked in front of me, with Gabriel, holding his hand. A part of my heart broke, she really did think of his as her Father.
Gabriel pushed the button of the lift and we waited patiently for it.
"What kind of work do you guys do?" Carrigan asked. "Surely you don't always do paper work."
"Nope," Gabriel said ushering her onto the lift. "We go out and catch bad guys all the time."
I gave him a sharp look and shook my head. "Gabriel is being facetious," I said to Carrigan. "We very rarely go out in the field currently."
"But we used to," Gabriel said with a smile of longing. I could see it in his eyes that he was remembering the glory days of our partnership where each night we'd go out and capture Death Eaters while feverously fighting them.
"Why don't you anymore?" Carrigan asked.
"No need to," I said. "Now that Voldemort is dead, Death Eaters don't usually go out wrecking havoc in his name."
Carrigan nodded her head slowly and looked at me with curious eyes. "What was Grandfather like?"
I bit my bottom lip and thought carefully about how to answer the question.
"It's hard to say, Carrigan," I said. "He was an evil man, who desired nothing but power and fear from everyone in the country. That is why we speak his name. We do not want to give him the pleasure of us fearing his name."
"What is there to fear about name?" Carrigan shrugged.
"You're a smart girl," Gabriel said as the lift chimed to inform us that we had reached our floor. Carrigan beamed at him and waited for one of us to step off the lift.
"Stay close, please," I said as we made our way down the hall towards the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Gabriel pushed up the large oak doors that lead to the department and allowed me and Carrigan to enter first. She looked around wildly, observing everything she could as we worked our way through the jungle of cubicles towards ours in the back corner of the floor.
Gabriel stopped for a moment at a cubicle and greeted another Auror.
"Mom," Carrigan called after me. I stopped and turned to see that she was with Gabriel. I came back to her and pinched her arm.
"So much for staying close," I said. She smiled at me.
"Hello Cadence," said the Auror who was in his cubicle chair. "How are you this morning?"
"I'm fine, thank you Davidson," I said with a forced smile. "This is my daughter Carrigan."
"Yes," said Davidson with a smile. "Gabriel introduced us. Pleasant girl."
"Thank you," I said beaming. "She's pleasant now so everyone thinks she's an angel."
"Mom," Carrigan sighed with embarrassment. I smiled at her.
"You want to be an Auror like your Mom?" Davidson asked Carrigan.
"I think so," she said with a broad smile.
"Well I'm sure you'll be an amazing Auror," he smiled.
"Thanks," Carrigan said politely.
"It was good to see you Davidson," said Gabriel. "Good luck with that case."
"Thanks Gabriel, I'll send it your way if I need help," Davidson said. Gabriel nodded and said that'd be fine. I hooked Carrigan's arm and we began to walk away as Gabriel finished up his discussion with Davidson. I leaned down to Carrigan and whispered in her ear.
"If you embarrass me, I'll embarrass you."
She smiled up at me and shook her head. "Two can play that game."
I laughed and patted her shoulder, knowing very well that she was just like me. I bit my bottom lip as I wondered how much of her Father she had in her. Sometimes, she remained me of him, but only sometimes. Perhaps growing up with me as her Mother and Gabriel as her Godfather had forced all of the Black out of her. She was adventurous and curious like Sirius; definitely had his eyes, and sometimes I swore that she spoke just like him. Gabriel had told me once that she'd break hearts just like Sirius had—before Sirius and I were together he was with a different girl every other week. I was the first girl he committed himself to…but that all turned out to be a lie. I thought now that he had just dated me because of who I was…my Father's daughter.
There were a lot of things about Sirius' betrayal that didn't make sense to me. We were so in love at one point, especially when he first started dating; and Sirius didn't know that I was related to Voldemort until we had been dating for a few months. I believe that he had loved me—at one point, but I didn't understand when he switched sides. When did he become a follower of my Father? I had never bothered to ask. The last time I had seen him was a few weeks before he gave up James and Lily to Voldemort. I had turned down his marriage proposal, and he left me. Perhaps I had driven him to my Father. I had forced him to lose faith in me and all that was good.
"Cadence?" Gabriel called my name which pulled me back to reality. I looked at him with raised eyebrows as he sat down in his chair in our cubicle.
"Yes?" I asked.
"You okay?" he asked as Carrigan took a seat in my chair and rolled it in front of the board of wanted Death Eaters that we were hunting for.
"Yea," I nodded.
"Coleman," a voice called. I turned and leaned out of the cubicle to see a skinny man with dark brown hair and glasses coming down the aisle towards me.
"Hello Manning," I said. "What can I do for you?"
"Scrimgeour would like to see you in his office," he said. "Hey Quintin, how are you?"
"Good," said Gabriel with a nod in greeting. Cameron Manning leaned against our cubicle wall and his eyes fell on Carrigan.
"It's against the rules to bring your children to work," he said. I frowned and gave him a nasty look as Carrigan turned around to look at the man.
"Leave her be, Manning," said Gabriel defensively.
"Why aren't you supposed to bring kids to work?" Carrigan asked.
"Because this isn't an appropriate place for them," Manning replied.
"My Mom does work at home all the time," Carrigan said challenging Manning. "Why would here be any different?"
I smiled slightly. "That is enough Carrigan," I said giving her a serious look. She frowned and turned back to the cork board, picking through the pictures.
"I see where she gets her cheek," Manning replied.
Gabriel stood up and I frowned deeply, putting my head in my hands. Cameron Manning was an idiot to begin with, but challenging Gabriel about my parenting skills was a dangerous game.
"Come on Carrigan," I said. "I want you to meet my boss."
Carrigan stood up and took my extended hand. We walked through the aisle of cubicles and made our way to the opposite side of the floor, where Rufus Scrimgeour's office was. He was the head of the department; a relatively calm but stern man. I liked him more then Bartemius Crouch, the former head of the department. He now held a different position in the Ministry, but I didn't know what position…nor did I really care.
I knocked on the office door and Scrimgeour's rough voice bid me enter.
"Hello Mr. Scrimgeour," I said entering. I let Carrigan enter the office and then closed the door tightly behind us. "How are you this morning?"
"I've been better, Miss Coleman," he said as his dark eyes fell on Carrigan. Rufus Scrimgeour was a tall man who looked a great deal like a lion with long bushy hair, and a rigid posture. He always struck me as a calm but serious man who looked like a lion ready to pounce on its prey at the opportune moment.
"Sir, I wanted to introduce my daughter to you," I said presenting Carrigan. "This is Carrigan."
"Hello Carrigan," said Scrimgeour standing up from behind his desk and extending his hand. Carrigan took it and shook it as she bowed her head.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir," she said with a frank smile. Scrimgeour nodded his head.
"The pleasure is mine," he said. He looked at me with raised eyebrows.
"Carrigan is just visiting for a short time," I said easily. "Gabriel is going to take her home in about an hour. She was curious about my work and what we do here."
Scrimgeour nodded his head and forced a smile. "If you're anything like your Mother, which I'm sure you are, then we'd be happy to have you with us in the future," he smiled.
"Are you recruiting this young?" Carrigan asked hopeful.
"I'm afraid not," Scrimgeour said. "Although, you Mother was sixteen when she started here—turned seventeen a month into her partnership with Gabriel."
"Maybe I can beat that," Carrigan beamed looking up at me. I smiled and squeezed her shoulders.
"Maybe," I said. "You remember your way back to the cubicle?"
"Yea," she nodded.
"Don't bug Gabriel while he's doing paper work," I said. "There is a puzzle book in my desk, if you get bored."
"Alright," she nodded. "It was nice to meet you Mr. Scrimgeour."
"You also, Carrigan," he said.
Carrigan waved and made her way out of the office. Scrimgeour took his seat behind the desk and motioned for me to also sit down. I knew what this conversation was going to be about; obviously Scrimgeour was concerned about Sirius' break out.
"She's charming," he said easily.
"Thank you sir," I replied. "She'll be starting at Hogwarts in September."
"Ah, first year," he said with a smile. "I remember when I sent my boy off. It was one of my proudest moments."
"Dumbledore thinks that Carrigan is advanced enough to study as a second year," I said proudly. "Despite being eleven."
"She no doubt has your powerful skills and strong mentality," Scrimgeour nodded. "The Ministry would be lucky to have her one day."
I nodded. "Did you want to speak to me about Sirius Black?"
"Yes," he said with a soft sigh. "I did. I'm assuming Gabriel caught you up to speed."
"Yes, he woke me very early this morning to inform me."
"The Minister, Dumbledore and I thought it necessary."
"What are your concerns, Sir?" I asked softly.
"My concern is that the notorious mass murderer in all of England's history is loose on the streets and no one seems to know where he's going," he said frankly. "Gabriel may have caught him twelve years ago, but you and I know that was very much luck. You knew him best Miss Coleman, and I would very much appreciate it if you could find him."
"Sir, I don't know if I'm the best person for that job," I said honestly. "I don't know him best. He betrayed me when he betrayed my best friends to Voldemort. Everything I had known about him was a lie. I would rather you did not assign his case to me."
Scrimgeour nodded. "Those are valid reasons, but half the department is going to be on his case. I'm putting Kingsley Shaklebolt as the head on the case, but I will be assigning you and Gabriel to the case. You're two of my best Aurors. I need you on this case."
I frowned deeply and rubbed my face with a sigh. I did not want to be on Sirius' case. As much as I wanted to catch him and kick his ass, I wanted to avoid him as much as possible also. I was not looking forward to the conversation I would have with him about Carrigan. I did not want to dig up old dirt…It just wasn't worth it to me. I had lived the last twelve years without answers concerning his betrayal; I would be perfectly fine living the rest of my life without them. I didn't know if Carrigan would be alright however.
"Alright," I whispered. "Should I report to Shaklebolt for my assignment then?"
"No," Scrimgeour shook his head as he placed a file folder on the far side of the desk for me. I stood up and picked up the folder, opening it to see what I was supposed to be doing to assist the Ministry in the hunt for Sirius Black. I nodded my head slowly.
"You want me to take Gabriel with me?" I asked looking up at Scrimgeour.
"No, he has his own assignment. I think you'll be fine on your own."
"Alright, thank you Sir," I said bowing my head and stepping away from the desk to leave.
"Wait one moment Miss Coleman," Scrimgeour said. I looked at him with raised eyebrows and waited for him to speak. He crossed his hands in his desk and looked to the ceiling as if counting to ten. To my surprise there was a knock on the door, announcing that someone else had arrived to speak to Scrimgeour.
"Enter," Scrimgeour called.
I was surprised to see Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry enter the office. I smiled at him and immediately greeted him with a hug. The old man had saved my life in some ways, and had been a constant guardian to me, like a wise old grandfather. Today, Dumbledore was wearing burgundy robes with silver swirls detailed into the cloak. His long white beard and hair made me think of the Muggle renditions of Merlin—who really looked nothing like Dumbledore.
"Miss Coleman," Dumbledore said in greeting. "It is a pleasure to see you, as always."
"Hello Professor," I beamed. "What brings you here?"
"Rufus and I wished to discuss something with you," he said moving past me to greet Scrimgeour who had stood up from his desk chair. The two older men shook hands in greeting, and then Dumbledore took a seat in one of the arm chairs across from the desk. I followed his lead and took my seat again.
"What did you want to talk about?" I asked with hesitation.
"Your daughter, Carrigan," said Scrimgeour with a sad frown.
I looked at the two men with surprise and confusion.
"How much danger do you think she is in because of Sirius' escape?" asked Dumbledore softly as he put his fingertips together in front of his face. I frowned slightly and thought about his question.
"I don't think she's in too much danger," I shrugged. "I didn't know I was pregnant with her until after Sirius had been caught. He doesn't know she exists. She might be in danger if he ever finds out."
"What are the chances of that?" Dumbledore asked looking at Scrimgeour, who shook his head, letting his lion's main of hair swish around him.
"It's difficult to say," he answered. "I think we should focus on preventing him from find out at all."
"And how do you propose we do that?" I asked with nervousness. I was not expecting this type of conversation to happen. "Honestly, I think she's in more danger because she's Voldemort's grandchild. Trust me Scrimgeour, just because my Father was destroyed twelve years ago doesn't mean he's gone. I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow managed to hold onto his last breath and is still alive, scrounging off of animals and weak people. Harry Potter destroying my Father as a child was too easy—the reality is that he will probably come back, he was just weakened my Potter."
"You're worried that Carrigan will face harassment like you did if Voldemort does return?" Dumbledore asked me.
"Yes," I whispered. "But there is no way of telling if that will happen."
"Miss Coleman, while I think you're fear of your Father returning is just that—a fear," Scrimgeour said. "I do not blame you for being proactive. I was very surprised to find that you returned to his country with the same name you left with. Perhaps the answer to both of our concerns is as simple as that, changing Carrigan's last name."
I pondered the idea for a few moments. Part of me hated the idea because it meant rejecting her past, changing who she was and making it harder to link her to me as her Mother. But wasn't that the point? Would changing Carrigan's last name make it more difficult to know who her Father and Grandfather were?
"Let me think about it," I whispered. "I want to speak to her about it."
"What light could an eleven year old shed on this?" Scrimgeour asked with raised eyebrows.
"Considering it is her name that we would be changing I find that her opinion is very important. If that is all, I need to get to work," I said the last sentence as I held up the file folder Scrimgeour had given me.
"If we are going to change Carrigan's last name we would have to do so in the next few weeks," Dumbledore said. "Before she starts at Hogwarts."
I nodded in understanding. "We will know by the end of the week."
"Thank you Coleman," said Scrimgeour.
"Good day to you both," I said, then I turned and left the office.
I walked back to my cubicle with an unsteady feeling in my stomach. I was really torn about changing Carrigan's name. I wasn't sure if it would really keep her that much safer—and honestly facing harassment at school was part of being a teenager. I knew that Carrigan could handle her peers mocking her, but did I want her to go through what I did?
"Everything okay?" Gabriel asked when I arrived in the cubicle. He could tell by the look in my eyes that something was bothering me.
"Yea," I nodded. I dropped my case file on my desk and leaned against the cubicle wall. Carrigan was sitting in my desk chair still studying the most-wanted pictures on the cork board. She was writing in a notebook that Gabriel must have given her. I was curious to know what she was doing; no doubt writing down the descriptions of the witches and wizards pinned on our wall hoping that she might see them on the street and have the opportunity to catch them.
Gabriel stood up and took my elbow, guiding me out of the cubicle and down the aisle out of Carrigan's earshot. He looked at me with calm purple eyes, knowing very well that something was bothering.
"Will you tell me now?" he asked.
"Scrimgeour and Dumbledore want me to change Carrigan's last name," I whispered. "They think it will protect her from Sirius and the potential harassment she faces for being my daughter."
"You mean Voldemort's granddaughter," Gabriel said with a nod of his head.
"Yes," I said as we both peered back at the cubicle where Carrigan had stood up and was speaking to a tall dark skinned man. I recognized him as Kingsley Shaklebolt. I left Gabriel's side and headed back to the cubicle.
"Kingsley," I said in greeting offering my hand to him. He shook it and smiled at me with a large white grin. "How are you?"
"Doing alright. Hello Gabriel," he said as Gabriel came up behind me. "This is your daughter?"
"Yes," I said. "Carrigan, we just moved back to England. She wanted to see the Ministry."
"And what do you think of it?" Kingsley asked Carrigan.
"I think it's incredible!" she replied. "I think I'd like to work here someday."
"How about you focus on getting started with school first," I said with a smile.
Carrigan rolled her eyes and sat back down in my desk chair. "What can I do for you, Kingsley?"
"Scrimgeour said he gave you an assignment," he said glancing at Carrigan. I nodded my head.
"Yes, I have some paper work to do then I'm heading to Little Whinging," I said holding up the file folder that Scrimgeour had given me.
"Alright," Kingsley said. "Good luck then."
"Thank you," I said as he walked away.
"What's in Little Whinging?" Gabriel asked. I handed him the folder and he opened it. He nodded his head as he read through the paper quickly. "I'm surprised they haven't sent somebody already."
"Low priority," I shrugged. "Where are they sending you?"
Gabriel glanced at Carrigan who was lost in her own little world, writing frantically in her notebook. He reached onto his desk and pulled a red file folder out of a stack of colored folders. He handed it to me and I frowned deeply when I read what was inside.
"I suppose somebody has to," I whispered as I looked up at Gabriel. "I don't think Remus had anything to do with it."
"I would agree," Gabriel said with a nod of his head. "But we have to cover our basis."
"When are you going?"
"Tonight," he said. I frowned and bit my lip, looking at Carrigan.
"Do you have to go tonight?" I asked looking up at Gabriel. He looked at me and frowned slightly.
"I suppose I can go now," he said softly as he studied me.
I smiled. "Can we come with you?"
"Do you think that wise?" Gabriel asked glancing at Carrigan.
"I haven't seen Remus in twelve years," I said. "And I would like him to meet Carrigan. He would have been her Godfather if you weren't around."
Gabriel laughed and shook his head.
"Alright," he said. "But we best keep it to ourselves. I don't think Kingsley or Scrimgeour would be happy to know that we're taking an eleven year old with us into the field."
"Oh please," I sighed. "Carrigan."
She looked up at me with questioning eyes.
"Come on," I said as Gabriel picked up his jacket. "We're heading out."
"I don't want to go yet, Mom," Carrigan shook her head.
"Trust me," I said with a smile. "You want to go. Come on, Gabriel is buying us lunch."
Gabriel gave me a nasty glare and I smiled at him.
"Then you're Mother is going to get me fired," Gabriel said pinching my arm.
He wrapped his arm around Carrigan's shoulders and guided her out of the cubicle. I placed my assignment folder in a drawer in my desk and then turned to follow them to the lifts. I was excited to be getting out of the office—I hated sitting in the cubicle all day; like Gabriel, I desired the adventure of the glory days—the danger, fights and triumphs of fighting Dark Magic. But in this day in age I would settle for getting out of the office to go visit an old friend—Remus Lupin, who may be involved with Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban.