The next few weeks at work were awkward for Gabriel and I. Mostly because neither of us would talk to the other. If I came into the cubicle he'd get up and leave, if I asked him a question he'd ignore me. It was a bittersweet situation. He wasn't treating me like a child or overprotecting me, but at the same time he wasn't talking to me at all. But maybe that's how it worked with Gabriel, you either were someone he protected or someone he hated; there was no in between.

At first it didn't bother me. I thought he was fair to ignore me and be mad, but after awhile his juvenile behavior of ignoring me got old. And I was the one who was childish in the relationship! Obviously, acting like a child was a characteristic we both had. I was angry that he would use it against me when he was just as guilty of it. Talk about being childish.

I very quickly got sick of Gabriel's behavior. I had given space to begin with just because I thought I had been out of line. But I suppose I was growing annoyed wit him. He wasn't giving me a chance to apologize, which wasn't fair.

When I arrived at work one morning in late November I saw Gabriel get onto the lifts as I was at the opposite end of the atrium. I didn't see anyone else getting on the elevator, so I hurried up and caught the elevator just as the doors were beginning to close. I looked up at Gabriel, who was standing alone in the elevator and he rolled his eyes as I flipped the switch so the elevator stopped moving. He was stuck with me.

"You can't avoid me forever," I said crossly at his ugly look.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"You don't have to talk," I responded. "I'll talk. You just need to listen."

"I don't want to listen to you either," he said scornfully.

I sighed and put my hands on my hips as I gave him a very nasty glare. "You're the one who is being childish now."

"You were a bitch—"

"I know," I snapped. "That's why I've been trying to talk to you for the last week. I wanted to say I'm sorry. What I said was inappropriate. But I still had a point."

Gabriel nodded. "Alright."

I flipped the switch on the elevator and cursed loudly. "You are such a bastard."

The elevator doors opened when we reached our floor and before I could turn to leave, Gabriel hit the switch to stop the doors from opening. There was a chime as the elevator doors locked and stopped moving.

"Cadence, an apology doesn't make it better," he said. "I love you. I love you with all that I am and you take me for granted. You always have. I've accepted that you don't want to be in a relationship. I get it. You're scared and you don't want to give Sirius the pleasure of being right despite the twelve years that he hasn't been in your life, and that he's a mass murderer. I love you so much that I'm willing to just be with you like this, like we are—a relationship, if you call it that, with out a title. But Cadence you can't treat me like you did that day. You can't hold things against me like that."

"You can't treat me like a child," I said sharply.

Gabriel frowned. "You're right," he confessed with a nod of his head. "You're right and I'm sorry. I just want you to be safe."

"I'm sorry too," I whispered with a nod. "You're right, I am scared and I don't want to give Sirius the joy of being right. I'm too proud."

"Don't you think you could give up some of that pride?" he whispered leaning forward and stroking my cheek. "Think of the pride we could have in each other."

I smiled and looked up at Gabriel with sad eyes. "I love you, but I can't Gabriel. I can't give up my pride and you can't ask me to change like that."

Gabriel nodded. "I probably wouldn't love you if you weren't this stubborn," he whispered and leaned his head down stealing a soft kiss from my lips. "You shouldn't let what Sirius thinks govern what you do now."

I frowned as his lips pressed against mine again. I knew he was right, which is why I kissed him in return as I wrapped my arms around him. He held me tight against him and pulled his head away, looking down and smiling at me with dark blue eyes.

"Can we fight more often?" he asked.

"No," I said shortly.

"I like kissing you though," he responded then bent his head down and kissed me again. "The more we fight the more we make up."

"Yes," I said smiling. "I wouldn't want to give you that pleasure."

Gabriel laughed. "Fair enough," he said as he leaned forward against me and flipped the switch to make the elevator move again. I stood on my toes and kissed him deeply one last time before the lift doors opened. I stepped back and fixed my cloak as he stood up straight and ran his hand through his hair. I was thankful that was over, thankful we had made up and could get back to our jobs. It was very difficult to work as an Auror when your partner refused to talk to you. Communication was kind of necessary.

We made our way out of the lift and towards our cubicle. Just as we arrived at our desk and sat down, Kingsley Shaklebolt entered the cubicle wearing a grim expression on his usually happy face.

"Hey Kingsley," I said with half a smile. When I saw his expression I frowned, however. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he said softly. "I have to send you both on assignment."

"Where to?" Gabriel asked cautiously.

"Hogsmeade," Kingsley responded.

"Why?" I asked standing up from my desk chair. Hogsmeade was the village outside of Hogwarts. If Kingsley was sending us there it meant that Sirius had been spotted there.

"Since the break-in at Hogwarts," he said. "The Minister has decided to place Aurors in Hogsmeade. You are to secure the village and surrounding areas, and if Dumbledore feels that it is necessary, you will be security at Hogwarts."

"Really?" Gabriel said surprised. "They're that concerned with the safety of Hogwarts?"

"Black broke in on Halloween," Kingsley shrugged. "He either had help on the inside or the school isn't as secure as we thought to begin with. He got by the Dementors when he escaped Azkaban, he still knows how to get by them now."

"How long will we be in Hogsmeade?" I asked.

"Until Black is caught," Kingsley responded. He extended a crystal blue folder towards me. "Your orders. We're thinking that Black is probably hiding somewhere in or near Hogsmeade. He appears to be targeting Harry or your daughter, like we were afraid he would."

"But the guards at Azkaban said he muttered 'he's at Hogwarts'," said Gabriel taking the folder from me and looking through it. "Not, 'she's at Hogwarts'. Besides, she accused me of being Carrigan's father."

"Doesn't mean he wouldn't go after her," I said leaning against the cubicle wall. "If Carrigan is your daughter that means I cheated on Sirius with you—"

"If you cheated on me with another man I'd kill you not the kid born out of your betrayal," Gabriel shrugged turning back to his desk.

"Dumbledore expects to see you at Hogwarts tonight," Kingsley said. "You're expected to report in twice a week with me. Be safe you two."

"Thanks Kingsley," I said as he walked away. I looked at Gabriel and he gave me a bright smile as he held up the file folder of our orders. "Should we stay in one room or separate?"

I snatched the folder from him and gave him a nasty look. "I'm going to go home and pack some things. Meet me at my house when you're ready to head to Hogwarts?"

Gabriel nodded. "I have some paperwork to finish up here, then I'll be along."

"Alright," I said, then left the cubicle taking the blue file folder with me.

I returned to the house somewhat worried about what I had just been assigned to do. I didn't understand why it had taken so long to assign Aurors to Hogsmeade or Hogwarts. But the Minister trusted the Dementors to do their job—find Black and stop him from hurting people. I did not trust the Dementors. They were followers of my Father, and they would kiss me just as fast as they would Black.

I packed a trunk's worth of clothing because I wasn't sure how long Gabriel and I would be staying in Hogsmeade. I could always come home if I needed, but I'd rather not have to worry about coming home to get more clothes if we're there for the rest of the school year. I packed everything neatly and tightly. I didn't like to go anywhere unprepared and I loved my clothing. I never traveled lightly. Along with the clothes and shoes I had also packed a number of knives. The top of the trunk was lined to hold seven different knives, and a holster. Gabriel would be proud when he saw the small weaponry I had packed—or disappointed because his would no doubt be bigger.

By the time Gabriel had arrived I had packed a small over the shoulder backpack with a few books, quills and paper. I had also changed into traveling clothes, consisting of tight black pants, black leather pirate boots that went to my knees, a black peasant blouse, and a black corset vest. Gabriel took one look at me and smiled with charm.

"You look like you're going out," he said beaming as he came into the house. I punched his shoulder as he laughed. He motioned to the holster I was wearing on my thigh where a brilliant silver curved ten inch knife gleamed. "I meant to hunt."

"Uh huh," I said turning and going up the stairs to the bedroom as he placed a small bag next to the door. "I'm sure that's what you meant."

Gabriel closed the door tightly behind him and followed me upstairs. When he entered the bedroom I pulled my cloak on and walked out of the bedroom closet. As I approached the bedside table, he asked me where my travel bag was. I leaned over the table and blew out of the candle sitting on it. I picked up the bag off the bed and kicked my trunk.

"It's right there," I said.

Gabriel frowned as I went around the room turning off the oil lamps and blowing out candles. "You don't understand the concept of traveling light, do you?"

"No," I smiled. "Can you get my trunk?"

Gabriel frowned and moved forward, grabbing the trunk by its handles and carrying it out of the room.

"Why would you possibly need a trunks worth of clothes?"

"I don't want to have to come home to get anything," I shrugged as we descended the stairs. "And we don't know how long we're going to be in Hogsmeade."

"All you have to do is Apparate home," Gabriel said crossly as he put down my trunk in the foyer of the house. "Or, you could just conjure clothing."

I gave him a nasty look as I put my hands on my hips. "Or I could just pack the clothes I already have and take them with me." I grabbed his bag from next to the door and stood up straight, then opened the front door. I waited for Gabriel to pick up my trunk and go outside before following him out onto the porch. I locked the door tightly behind me and looked up at the house as I descended the steps to the front walk.

"It will be fine Cadence," Gabriel said.

"Oh, I'm sure it will," I nodded. "I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks?"

"Yep," Gabriel nodded. He Apparated before I could say another word, making me frown slightly. At least he had taken my trunk. I closed my eyes and Apparated, allowing the squished agonizing feeling to take over my body. I hated Apparation. It felt like you were being squeezed into a tiny tube, as you were spinning wildly through space. The act often made me want to vomit and I very rarely landed pleasantly.

There was a quiet feel to the village square when I appeared in Hogsmeade outside the Three Broomsticks. The cobblestone streets were deserted, and when I turned to see Gabriel standing outside the inn I saw why. He was looking at a wanted poster of Sirius Black, who was laughing like a mad-man in his mug-shot. Next to the wanted poster was a flyer detailing the precautions people should take in the village; one of them was a seven pm curfew.

"Do you think they're enforcing that curfew?" I asked looking around.

Gabriel shrugged. "I think we would have heard about it if they were. Come on, let's get a room and go speak with Dumbledore."

"Rooms, we need separate rooms," I said following Gabriel into the inn. Gabriel rolled his eyes and made his way across the pub to the counter. He smiled at the pretty woman with bouncing blonde curls, who looked very happy to see him.

"Gabriel!" Madame Rosmerta called as she waved to him. "Gabriel Quintin, I haven't seen you in ages." She stood up on a stool and leaned over the counter kissing Gabriel's cheek when he reached the counter. Some of the patrons looked at Gabriel with curious eyes. He had marched straight up to the counter in his long leather traveling cloak, with his knife holster plainly showing. He kissed Rosmerta's cheek in return and leaned against the counter.

"Hey Rosmerta," he said smiling. "I'm sorry it's been so long."

"Oh no you're not, Gabriel," Rosmerta laughed. "I know you better then that."

"Oh yea?" I said with raised eyebrows. "How well do you know, Gabriel?"

"Fairly well," Rosmerta said looking up at Gabriel with a glazed over gleam in her eyes. I sighed and rolled my eyes, slightly annoyed that it was so obvious that Rosmerta was one of Gabriel's previous conquests. Perhaps that is why I had never given into Gabriel, I didn't want to be another notch in his bedpost; and even knowing him for eighteen years could comfort that worry.

"Listen Rosmerta," Gabriel said. "Do you have my favorite room available? My partner and I need to stay here for a bit. We're the Ministry patrol while Black is on the loose."

"I can't believe you haven't caught him yet," Rosmerta said shaking her head as she moved to the end of the counter and opened a thick leather bond book. "Your room is available, Gabriel."

She reached under the counter and retrieved the key to the room. She came back towards us, swinging her hips as she walked, and handed Gabriel the key.

"I'm happy you're the Aurors the Minister sent down here," Rosmerta smiled.

I coughed to gain Rosmerta's attention because she was staring dreamy eyed at Gabriel again. "I'd like a separate room, please."

"I'm sorry," she said looking at me quickly. "There aren't any other rooms available. I only have six to begin with."

I frowned deeply. "Well isn't that just spectacular."

"I'll sleep on the floor Cadence, no worries," Gabriel said turning and picking up my trunk. "Thanks Rosmerta, you can bill the room to the Ministry. We're not sure how long we'll be here."

Rosmerta nodded her head. "Alright," she beamed.

I sighed and followed Gabriel back across the pub as he made his way for the staircase in the far corner of the building. We walked up the narrow stairwell slowly, Gabriel occasionally hitting the corners of my trunk against the dark wood walls. When we reached the second floor of the building Gabriel led the way to the end of the hall. He put down my trunk and opened the door with the key Rosmerta had given him. He bowed and motioned for me to enter the room.

"Welcome to our humble home," he said.

"Shut up," I said marching past him into the decently sized room. I was surprised to see how big it was considering the rather small size of the entire inn. There was a king size bed in one corner of the room, a fireplace across from it, a desk and chair in the opposite corner and then two doors in the forth corner. I threw the two bags I had carried onto the bed and went to the doors, opening one to find that it was a large closet and the other to a small bathroom with a toilet, sink and standing shower.

"This is your favorite room?" I questioned going to the window that was next to the bed and looking out at the Forbidden Forest and rolling hills behind the inn. Hogwarts castle stood tall in the moon lit distance.

"I like the view," Gabriel said putting my trunk in the closet. "Are you going to unpack or live out of your trunk?"

"Live out of my trunk," I whispered picking up my backpack and moving it to the desk. Gabriel picked up his bag and returned to the closet.

"My stuff is in the dresser," he said coming back to the bed. He sat down and looked around the bedroom.

"I hope we're not here too long," I said quietly as I looked back out the window.

"We've lived together many times before," Gabriel said with a shrug.

"It's not that," I looked at him over my shoulder. "I just want this all to be over."

Gabriel nodded as he looked at me. He stood up and came to me, rubbing my shoulders. "It will be."

"Sooner rather then later I hope," I said. I sighed and shrugged Gabriel's hands off my shoulders. Turning to him, I crossed my arms over my chest. "Shall we go see Dumbledore?"

"Yea," he nodded and moved away. I ran my fingers through my hair and took a deep breathe. For this to work, sharing a room with Gabriel, I was going to have to breathe. I had to control my emotions and not melt every time he looked at me with those dark lusting eyes.

"So, you and Rosmerta?" I questioned as I followed him out into the hall. Gabriel smiled and closed the door behind me; he locked it and shook his head.

"I wondered how long you were going to wait before asking."

"Well, can you blame me? Obviously you two had something."

"We had something a few nights," he shrugged as we walked down the hall. "That's all."

"Ah," I said nodding. "I guess that doesn't surprise me."

"Yea," Gabriel smiled looking down at me. "She showed me why that's her favorite room." He pointed back towards our room and I grimaced. That was not something I needed to know. I slapped Gabriel's shoulder showing my annoyance with his dirty comment. Gabriel laughed and descended the stairs onto the pub floor.

We didn't talk about anything as we made our way out of the pub, across the village square and down the hill towards Hogwarts. As we entered the gates, Dementors loomed over us. Gabriel quickly lifted his wand and sent his patronus, a dove, racing through the air keeping the Dementors away from us. I watched as silvery-white smoke like dove sailed through the air. She sailed over our heads the entire walk up the gravel path to the castle. When we reached the well light entrance hall she disintegrated into vapor.

"A dove?" I whispered.

"Yes," Gabriel said with a shrug. "Always has been."

I nodded slowly as Gabriel tucked his wand into his cloak pocket. As we walked into the entrance hall a group of students was leaving the Great Hall. I noticed Carrigan among them immediately and couldn't help but smile. Her dark blue eyes met mine almost instantly and for a moment I saw her frown. I watched carefully as she broke from the group of peers, and her hand slipped out of a young man's hand. My stomach did a summer salt as my mind processed the small act of intimacy I had just seen. My daughter had been holding the hand of a boy!

"Mom!" Carrigan shouted sounding surprised. When she broke free from the group she let out a yell of happiness, and then shouted. "GABRIEL!"

Carrigan dashed across the entrance hall and straight into Gabriel's arms. He was ready for her; he caught her and spun her eleven year old body around easily, embracing her tightly. I stood back and smiled, as my stomach still tightened.

"Carri!" Gabriel said excitedly. He stopped spinning around and set her on the ground. He leaned down and kissed her forehead as he embraced her again, holding her tight to him like she were his own. My heart broke at the display of affection, but at the same time it brought a smile to my face.

"I've missed you so much!" I heard Carrigan murmur into Gabriel's chest as she clung to him.

"I know. I've missed you too," Gabriel said as he stepped back. He lifted her chin and looked into her blue eyes. "I hear you've been causing trouble."

"No too much," she insisted. I approached Gabriel and Carrigan slowly, not wanting to crowd their reunion. "Hi Mom," Carrigan said breaking free of Gabriel's arms and coming to me. She embraced me tightly as her friends approached us with curious eyes. They caught Carrigan's eye because she stepped back, beaming at them. "Hey guys, this is my Mom and my godfather, Gabriel."

"Hello," Gabriel said with a nod of his head.

"Hi," I said looking through the group of young people. My eyes fell on the tall dark haired boy who had been holding Carrigan's hand.

"That's Neal, Jordan, Jessica, Katy and Mona," Carrigan said. "They're second years. Mona is a Gryffindor, but the rest of them are Ravenclaws."

"I can see that," I said slowly. My eyes had fallen on Neal. The boy looked very nervous as he looked Gabriel and I over. He was intimidated by both of us—no doubt the holsters carrying knives was a little terrifying. I sighed as I looked at the boy; my heart sinking a little deeper into my body. I had thought I had two or so more years before I had to worry about Carrigan dating. Now I had to worry about a whole slew of things—dating, sex, self-respect, emotions—I just wasn't sure if I could handle that, never mind Carrigan being eleven and not able to handle it. For the few moments we stood in the entrance hall exchanging casual words with Carrigan's friends, the only thing I could think about was what I was going to do about Carrigan dating. What was I going to say to her and how could I say it in a way that didn't make it negative? My parenting skills seemed to be escaping me—I had never thought I'd be in this situation and now that I was…well my world was spinning.