The next morning when I arrived at my cubicle at the Ministry I found Carmen Legacy sitting in my desk. I frowned when I saw him and stopped dead in the entrance of the cubicle, glaring at him bitterly. Legacy smiled at me with a charming grin, which only made me glare harsher. I wished that he would light fire right there in my desk chair. At least then, he wouldn't bother me anymore. I had to stop myself from thinking those thoughts, because if I wasn't careful they would happen.
"Good morning," he said cheerfully. "I brought you tea."
He lifted a paper cup of steaming tea of the desk and offered it to me. I didn't take it, only continued to glare at him. He frowned and put the tea back on the desk. "Perhaps for later, then."
"No," I said grabbing his collar and throwing him out of my cubicle. He caught his balance as he stumbled into the wall across from me. "How the bloody hell did you even get in here?"
"I have Ministry clearance," Legacy shrugged easily.
"What do you want?" I hissed sitting down. I picked up the cup of tea he had left on my desk and dropped it into the trash bin that was next to my desk. He frowned at me as he straightened his cloak and tie.
"Still looking for you to tell me your story," he said. "And I'm not planning on leaving you alone until I get it."
"I told you already, Legacy, there isn't a story."
"I told you already, Coleman, I know there is. Are you ready to tell me what happened in Little Whinging?"
"Nope," I said opening a file folder that had been on the top of a pile on the right of my desk. I signed the papers in the folder, and then closed it. I placed it on the left of my desk and picked up another file from the right. Once I had read through it and signed the required paper work, I placed this folder on the left of the desk, creating a new pile. "Does Gabriel know you're here yet?"
"I have not seen your partner," Legacy said leaning against the cubicle wall but staying on the outside of it. I glanced at him, waiting for him to add something to his statement. It only took a few moments of silence before he spoke again. "Or is he more then your partner? Are you in love with two men, Cadence?"
"No," I said looking up at him. "I loved Sirius Black before he betrayed me. I have never loved Gabriel. The only person who has earned my love is my daughter. There, Legacy, print that."
His sandy blonde hair swished in front of his eyes as he shook his head and laughed at me. "No one really cares if you only love your daughter Cadence. You're supposed to love her. It'd be a good story if you loved both men—Sirius Black, your ex, possible Father of your child, and Gabriel Quintin, life long dark magic fighting partner, who also could be the Father of your child. He acts like it anyways, but I doubt he is—"
I stood up from my chair. "The last time you mentioned my daughter, Legacy I threw you into a wall. Gabriel isn't here to stop me from doing worse this time."
Legacy's handsome eyes flashed at me, as if daring me to challenge him or hurt him. I frowned and turned away.
"You brought her up," Legacy whispered leaning over the cubicle wall.
"Legacy, if you don't remove yourself from this building I will have you removed," I said sternly. He stood up straight and tapped the thin silver name tag off his shirt.
"I can be here," he said.
"Not if you're harassing an Auror so she can't perform at her job," I snapped as the walls of the cubicle began to shake. I grabbed the edge of my desk and closed my eyes tight, focusing all of my energy on breathing. I didn't want to hurt Legacy, he would no doubt seek revenge on me in the form of a scandalous article if I did that.
"Is something wrong, Cadence?" he asked in a husky whisper, leaning into the cubicle.
"Yes," I retorted. "You're threatening me. Not many people threaten me so badly that I start to lose control…but so help me Legacy if you do not leave me be I will hurt you."
"I love how you threaten people," he said smirking as he stood up straight and came into the cubicle. He shivered slightly and continued to smile, mocking me. "It's like you think you're actually scary or something."
I jumped up; moving faster then he expected and grabbed his collar. I kicked his legs out from under him and shoved him to the floor viciously, slamming him to the ground making him groan. I crouched down next to him, still holding his collar, while glaring at him so fiercely that he might have light fire.
"This isn't a game Legacy," I said. "Leave the Ministry right now and don't come back to bug me ever again or I will hurt you."
"If you hurt me, Cadence, you'll probably get fired," Legacy said.
I bit my bottom lip and shook my head smirking. "I'm not stupid enough to hurt you here, Carmen. I'll follow you home, catch you on the dark street late at night after you've left work. But I don't think I'll get fired…Scrimgeour and Fudge will think I'm doing the wizarding world a favor."
For a moment fear flashed in Legacy's eyes which brought me pleasure. He reminded me of the bullies I faced at Hogwarts once it had been revealed that I was Voldemort's daughter. I had once lit a ring of fire in the Entrance Hall at Hogwarts around three boys who had shoved me down the Grand Staircase. Needless to say, they never bugged me again.
"It kind of turns me on when you talk like that," he whispered. Shivers shot through my body, making me cringe. I had the strong feeling that Legacy was a very dark and twisted person. My instincts said he was once a Death Eater because he enjoyed trying to control the situation too much. He was turning the situation around on me so he could remain in control by telling me he liked the way I threatened him. I stood up and walked away from him. If he wasn't going to leave the Ministry, I would. I didn't need to put up with this crap.
As I marched towards the lift, Legacy yelled after me. "I'll just wait here then!" I looked over my shoulder to see him going back into my cubicle. At that point, I didn't care. I kept walking and pushed the button for the lift violently, and then began to pace in front of it. I felt like I had to keep moving otherwise I might punch a hole in the wall. When the lift doors opened I was only half surprised to see Gabriel standing in it. He always had perfect timing. He could immediately tell that I was agitated because I looked like I was going to jump out of my skin. He looked me over as I glared at him—as usual he looked charming and sexy. Gabriel could show up to work in a clown suit and still look sexy. That day he was wearing dark blue jeans, brown shoes, a white button up shirt, and a brown waist coat. He had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, revealing the very sexy sleeve tattoo on his arm; in one hand he held a cup of coffee, in the other his work bag that had files and orders in it. I bit my bottom lip, trying not to smile. Just seeing him made me feel a little better.
"Good morning," he said taking a sip of the cup of coffee he had in his hand. I frowned slightly. What was with the portable beverages this morning? "What has you in a mood this morning?"
"I'm going home," I said getting in the lift. Gabriel didn't step out; he just looked at me with raised eyebrows. The lift doors closed and it began to descend to the atrium.
"Dare I ask why?"
"Because that monster Legacy is in the cubicle in my desk chair and won't leave," I snapped unreasonably. "If he's not going to leave I am. I don't have time for his games."
"Alright," Gabriel said very calmly. "Let's go speak to Scrimgeour. That seems like a more reasonable idea then you leaving in a temper—"
"I think this is pretty damn reasonable consider I want to pop his head off with my hands!" I shouted. The entire lift shook and Gabriel gave me a quick look. I sighed and put my head in my hands. "You know it takes a lot to get under my skin like that now-a-days."
Gabriel frowned and nodded his head. "Yea, I know. Come on, let's go see Scrimgeour." He pushed the department floor button as I crossed my arms over my chest, sighing loudly.
"If I go back up there I'm going to beat him up."
"Well I would not advise beating up your boss," Gabriel said referring to Scrimgeour. I gave him the nastiest look I could to show my annoyance with his smart-ass comment. "Alright," he said with a sigh and looking away. "I can see that I really shouldn't push you."
"No, push," I said uncrossing my arms shaking my hands a bit as if I were preparing for a fight. "I can beat you up and not get in trouble."
"If you start a fight with me it will end with me on top of you…pinning you to the ground. And we both know how badly you don't want that to happen," Gabriel said smirking. I continued to glare at him, now he was just being obnoxious and sarcastic, trying to get under my skin in a teasing way. Well it wasn't working. It was just annoying me more. Maybe he thought I would just throw a punch and start a fight to let my aggression out.
"Do you think I'd lose my job if I beat Legacy up?"
"No," Gabriel said once he sipped his coffee. "You're too valuable an asset."
I smiled and nodded. "Good." The lift doors opened and I stepped out of the elevator, making a bee-line for my cubicle. I was going to kick the pants clean off of Legacy. Gabriel raced up behind me and grabbed my arm, however. He pulled me in the opposite direction, altering my path so we were heading for Scrimgeour's office.
"That doesn't mean you should beat him up," Gabriel scorned.
"He deserves it!" I snapped and sighed with annoyance. "I just want him to leave me alone."
Gabriel laughed. "Let's handle this like adults you very childish women."
I rolled my eyes. Gabriel always made me out to be a child, rash and irresponsible.
"I'd rather just take care of it myself," I whispered. "And I did act like an adult when I walked away—how childish is it that he's sitting in my chair waiting for me to come back?"
"He's just sitting at your desk?" Gabriel asked with a tone of concern.
"Yea, probably going through my files—" I stopped dead and pulled out of Gabriel's arms, running back to the cubicle. All of those folders had been sitting on my desk, and one of them was a follow up report of the night I went to get Harry in Little Whinging. It dawned on me in that moment that maybe Legacy wasn't interested in me at all really; he was interested in Harry Potter. That's why he kept asking me about Little Whinging.
I turned the corner and raced down the aisle to my cubicle, Gabriel calling my name as he ran behind me. I skidded to a stop and looked in my cubicle—it was empty. The files on my desk looked untouched. I pealed through them quickly, and found the blue report folder for Little Whinging. I opened it, throwing loose leaves of paper around. The red folder containing my orders for the assignment was missing; more importantly Harry's private information—the location of his Aunt's home—and my security code were in that red folder.
"Son of a bitch!" I yelled slamming my hand against the cubicle wall. "That bastard."
I stepped to leave the cubicle as Gabriel reached it, we ran into each other and I cursed again.
"I have to tell Scrimgeour," I said. Gabriel nodded and stepped aside to let me pass. "Check your desk," I added as I left the cubicle. "That bastard could have gone after anything."
I ran down to Scrimgeour's office and opened the door without knocking.
"Miss Coleman!" he exclaimed looking up from his desk where he was carefully writing a letter.
"I'm sorry Sir, we have a security breach," I said easily. "That reporter, Carmen Legacy, he stole the assignment folder to pick up Harry from my desk. That file had Harry's personal information and my security code."
Scrimgeour stood up from his desk and flicked his wand over his head. An alarmingly red bird appeared and sailed out of the room at top speed, racing for the door as it opened its mouth and a horrible high pitched caw rang in the air. I covered my ears as it passed over my head and then stood up straight once the alarm bird had left the room. Scrimgeour came around his desk and stood straight, putting his wand to his throat.
"Attention all Ministry employees," his voice echoed through the room and the entire building. "This is Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We have had a breach on our floor. Reporter Carmen Legacy just stole classified documents; he may still be in the building. We are now under lock down. No one leaves the building until Legacy is found or it is cleared that he is no longer in the building."
He pulled his want away from his throat and approached me.
"Let's hope we've caught him here," he said motioning for me to follow him out of the office. Gabriel met us as we made our way to the lift. He still looked relatively calm, considering the events that were taking place.
"Nothing was missing from my desk," he said when he joined us in the lift. I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed deeply.
"I shouldn't have left him alone," I said. "He was there to look for the file from the start…everything else was just a cover in case you or I did come to the cubicle."
"How did he even get in here?" Gabriel asked. "No one thought to ask why he was sitting in our cubicle to begin with?"
"He has Ministry clearance as a member of the press," shrugged Scrimgeour. "And everyone probably thought the same thing you did, Coleman, that he was waiting to talk to you; not that he was pealing through your desk looking for a story on Harry Potter."
"Obviously we need tighter security," I said. "If it's that easy for Legacy to get in and get classified information, think of how easy it will be for Black to get in here if he wanted to."
"What if Legacy is working with Black?" Gabriel suggested. "That's why he needed the file, it has Harry's location in it."
"He already knew where Harry was," I said shaking my head. "He was there the night I went to get Harry. He probably knew of Little Whinging because of James and Lily. He is Harry's Godfather after all, he would know where Lily's next of kin was if Harry were to be sent there for any reason."
Gabriel and Scrimgeour were frowning, both looking worried. Scrimgeour also looked angry. I could see the fire burning in his eyes—he wanted to know how this could have happened on his floor; in the Auror department of all places.
"I'm sorry, Sir," I said. "This is my fault."
"There are many people at fault, Coleman," he said wisely. "No point in taking all the blame for yourself."
I frowned at his back handed remark. He was going to hold me responsible for this because I was stupid enough to leave a reporter alone at my desk while my case files were out. Plus, I was careless enough to leave the case files out in the open to begin with. I had never been so careless in my life. I frowned deeply and put my head in my hands. I was becoming comfortable with my surroundings. I wasn't thinking on my feet or paranoid anymore—which was bad. When I looked up at Gabriel I could see a small flash of disappointment in his eyes, which frustrated me.
Mom!
I threw my arm out against the wall of the lift as Carrigan's voice exploded in to my head. The unexpected invasion of her mind inside of mine was unexpected and overwhelming.
Mom!
She was screaming with Legilimency. Something was very wrong. I looked up at Gabriel and moved to the lift buttons, pushing the atrium button violently. The elevator wouldn't move faster, no matter how many times I hit the button, but I continued to push it. Carrigan was in trouble.
"Miss Coleman?" Scrimgeour said my name as he gave me a curious look with his dark eyes.
"Cadence?" Gabriel questioned. "What's the matter?"
MOM!
I grabbed my head as Carrigan's screams echoed in my mind. I groaned and fell to the ground on my knees as tears welled up in my eyes. I didn't understand what was happening—I had shared psychic connections with my Father before because of a blood bond he had performed on me when I was sixteen. (It was the cause of the ugly scar on my arm). How could I be having such a strong connection to Carrigan? Were we psychically connected because we shared blood, or was she much stronger at Legilimency then I ever realized?
"Cadence!" Gabriel yelled as I put my hands to the floor, balancing my body as I caught my breath. "What is it?"
"Carrigan," I sighed as Gabriel took my hand and helped me up. "She's calling for me. Something is wrong—"
"Legilimency brought you to your knees like that?" Scrimgeour asked with raised eyebrows.
"I don't know why," I murmured. I was holding onto Gabriel's waistcoat, as if holding onto him would somehow make me more stable. Fear was pumping through my body—I had never heard Carrigan so afraid in my life. Her voice echoed in my ears as I stared at the ground. Gabriel lifted my cheek and gave me a reassuring stare.
The moment the lift doors opened we both stepped out.
"We're on lockdown!" Scrimgeour said.
"My daughter is in trouble!" I yelled viciously at my boss. Gabriel grabbed onto me and Apparated on the spot, before another word could be said.
We appeared in my front yard. I moved forward and Gabriel grabbed my arm, pulling me back quickly. I looked at him with a ruthless glare.
"What—"
"Do you have your wits about you?" he asked.
"Of course I do!"
There was the sound of crashing glass from in the house. Gabriel and I turned to see a chair had been thrown out of the second floor window. The chair rolled down the roof and fell onto the front lawn, shattering into pieces.
"That's my desk chair," I said moving the house.
I ran into the house, throwing the front door open and dashing up the stairs. Gabriel was on my heels, following me quickly with his wand drawn. I pulled my wand as we reached the top of the stairs and waved it over my head violently, throwing open the study door with a bright blue explosion. I heard Carrigan scream—which made my blood curdle with fear.
"Give it back!" her young voice screamed.
When I reached the entrance of the room, Carrigan was on a man's back, holding him like she had held Gabriel while we were wrestling. He was struggling to get her off of him, and pulling at her small arms because she was choking him. As Gabriel and I entered the man grabbed Carrigan's shoulders and bent over, flipping her over his back and harshly onto the hardwood floor. She groaned in pain. I flicked my wand at the bastard who had been fighting with my daughter. The spell hit his shoulder and sent him flying across the room, straight into the wall. I jumped over the spilled boxes of office supplies and my personal books, and stalked towards the intruder. I grabbed him by the collar before he could get up and make a run for the window. I slammed him against the wall, dropping my wand and punched him clean across the face.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now!" I yelled.
The man looked scared. His dark brown eyes were watery; he had long brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail at the base of his neck, facial stubble, and a thin but muscular build. I frowned suddenly—he couldn't have been more then eighteen or nineteen; he was just a kid.
"Please," he begged. "Don't kill me—I was just—I was—"
"You were what?" I slammed him into the wall again. "If you hurt my daughter I will kill you myself—"
"Mom!" Carrigan said. "I'm fine."
"She's fine, Cadence," said Gabriel coming forward. He touched my arms, forcing me to relax. He looked at the kid who had broken into the house with very serious eyes.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Calvin Roman," he said instantly. "I was just doing what my boss told me. I'm sorry. He said he needed something here—"
"Who's your boss?" I asked harshly.
Calvin looked at me with very nervous eyes, then looked back at Gabriel who was giving him a stern look.
"Carmen Legacy," he sighed. "He said if I got a folder for him he'd put a good word in for me with the editor. I've worked for the Daily Prophet for a year and a half now and I haven't been published yet—Legacy said he could get me published, I just needed to do something for him. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I swear….your daughter attacked me!"
"You were breaking into our house!" Carrigan snapped. "What'd you expect me to do?"
"I didn't know you were home," Calvin said quickly. "I don't even know who you are—"
"You know who I am, right, Calvin?" I questioned seriously.
"Yes," he said instantly with scared dark eyes. "I do. I'm sorry. He didn't say it was your house I would be breaking into. He just gave me the address."
"What were you looking for?"
"A red folder," Calvin said to me. "He didn't tell me what was in it. He just sent me to look for it."
I let go of Calvin and turned away, looking at Carrigan who was in her pajama shorts and a tank top still. I frowned slightly and went to her, lifting her chin to look in her dark blue eyes and make sure she was fine.
"Get out of here Calvin," said Gabriel. "Legacy already has what he was looking for."
"What?" Calvin questioned with a sigh. He cursed loudly. "He's never going to publish me!"
"Get out of my house," I snapped glaring at him. I didn't care about his petty deal with Legacy. I wanted him out of my house before I broke one of his bones…and I was really in the mood to break something. Calvin didn't need telling twice, he left immediately.
"You're sure you're okay?" I asked Carrigan.
"Yes," she said with a nod and a weak smile. I patted her cheek and embraced her. "Mom!"
"I didn't realize how strong you were at Legilimency," I said.
"You brought your Mom to her knees," Gabriel said smiling as he put his hands in his pockets. "We haven't even discussed how to communicate with Legilimency."
"I just thought of Mom," Carrigan said smiling up at me.
"I think you're going to be fine at school," I said hugging her again and kissing her head. She hugged me in return and sighed against my chest, feeling relief that the fight was over.
"Which one of you threw the chair out the window?" Gabriel asked waving his wand to fix the room.
"I did," Carrigan said. "I heard something up here, so I came up thinking Hector had gotten into something but I found Calvin instead. He was rummaging through your desk and the boxes. When I got here, he pointed his wand at me, but I used Legilimency on him, distracting him and tackled him…we fought. He had me pinned for a minutes, that's when I called for you—and then I managed to break free. He came at me, I threw the chair at him."
"Alright," I said nodding my head and sighing. I ran my hands through my hair and turned away from Carrigan, trying very hard to calm down.
"Good job, Carri," said Gabriel patting her shoulder.
"Thanks, Gabe," she said smiling.
"I'm going to kill Legacy," I snapped as everything in the room began to shake. Gabriel gave me a stern look.
"I just fixed this room, Cadence, don't go breaking stuff again," he warned.
A vase on the shelf shattered as I glared at him with annoyance. This was my house, my belongings. I'd break whatever the hell I wanted to. Gabriel shook his head at me, frowning.
"You stay here," I said pointing to Gabriel. I headed for the door of the study, and frowned…it was completely blown off its hinges. I looked at Gabriel. "Uh, do you think you could fix this?"
"Yea," Gabriel said nodding his head. "I'm used to cleaning up after your messes."
"Ha ha, very funny," I said. "I'm going to the Daily Prophet."
"Don't kill Legacy," Gabriel said.
"Of course not," I smiled. "I'm just going to get my folder back, swipe his memory, and maybe make him a paraplegic."
Gabriel laughed and shook his head as he approached me. I stepped away from him, giving him a very stern look. If he touched me, I might have to hurt him. He rolled his eyes at me and leaned in, I stepped back again. He picked up the door that I had been standing next to and I sighed as he gave me a know-it-all look.
"Go," he said. He leaned the door against the wall and pulled out his wand. "I've got this."
"Thanks," I muttered then walked out of the room.
When I arrived at the Daily Prophet headquarters in London, there were Aurors there looking for Legacy. They hadn't found him in the Ministry, and now were searching his house and work place for him. This only frustrated me more.
"I'll wait for him," I said to the Auror in charge at the Daily Prophet.
The Auror, who I had met once, looked at me with skeptical eyes. I crossed my arms over my chest as we stood outside of Legacy's private office on the tenth floor of the Daily Prophet's building.
"I don't know if that's a good idea," the Auror said looking me over. His blue eyes lingered on my breast for a few moments, which made my blood boil. I gave him the nastiest look I could muster.
"Keep your eyes on my face," I said pointing to my face. "Not my tits. I out rank you, so when I say I'll wait for Legacy that should be good enough for you. Get out of here. If he sees all of us standing around his office we'll spook him."
The Auror rolled his eyes as I continued to give him a nasty look. He turned and cocked his head to his fellow Aurors, motioning for them to leave. I glared as I watched them head back to the elevators and leave. The people on the floor were all standing around, looking at me with curious eyes. I opened the door to Legacy's office and stepped inside. If he was going to snoop around my desk, I was going to snoop around his.