The atrium of the Ministry was bustling with people, as it always was. I don't think I had ever seen the atrium empty. People were always coming and going at the Ministry. I tore through the crowd heading for the lifts, which were just as crowded. I throttled my body into one, causing the other witches and wizards in it to look at me like I was crazy. The door closed just as I managed to get in the lift and a chime echoed announcing the lift moving to the floors below.

Most of the people cleared out of the lift before we were the Department of Magical Law Enforcement floor. The ride to the floor where my office was felt like it took forever. I tapped my foot impatiently as I waited for people to move on and off at other floors. My mind was racing—where the hell had Carrigan run off to? What was she thinking?

I got off the lift leaving two other people, who were both looking at me with curious eyes, in it. I swiftly moved through the halls towards the large oak doors that lead into the Auror department. When I pushed through them, I found the Auror department quiet, but busy. Paper airplanes were flying all over the place, there were people milling about the cubicles with stakes of paperwork in their arms, and people talking feverishly with each other about work related topics.

"Athena," I said surprised when I arrived in Gabriel's cubicle. He was no where to be found.

"Hello," the stunning red-head said as she looked up at me.

"Where is Gabriel?" I questioned as I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder.

"Scrimgeour asked to see him," Athena replied. She looked me over for a few moments while she smirked. "He speaks very highly of you."

"I'm his wife," I replied because her comment was unimportant to me at the moment. "If he spoke ill of me I'd hope he'd divorce me."

I peered out across the department, standing on my toes to see over the other cubicles, trying to see Scrimgeour's office door. I didn't see Gabriel anywhere near the office.

"What did Scrimgeour want?"

"Don't know," Athena's tone was sharp. She was clearly annoyed with me.

"Thanks," I responded with my own aggravation. I pivoted on my heel and marched away from the cubicle, heading for Scrimgeour's office. As I approached the beautifully crafted oak doors of his office, his secretary, Milly, stood up to stop me.

"Scrimgeour isn't in now," she said quickly.

"What? Athena said he was in with Gabriel."

"Oh no, they went up to the Minister's office with Albus Dumbledore a few moments ago."

I frowned as my stomach flipped. What the hell was Albus Dumbledore doing at the Ministry of Magic?

"Thanks," I turned away quickly and jogged through the aisles of cubicles. As I moved my bag beat up against my butt reminding me of the heavy paperwork that I was supposed to be doing. The lift was empty when I arrived in it. I slammed my finger into the button to take me back upstairs to the top floor of the Ministry where the Minister's office was.

The elevator seemed to be moving slower then before. I hit the buttons vicious as I let out a frustrated scream.

"Come on!"

The elevator chimed as if my violence actually caused it to reach the floor faster. I threw my curls out of my face as the doors opened. I stepped forward to get off the lift before they opened completely, but my rushing didn't do any good, I collided straight into the hard chest of someone's body. I fell back from the collision, but their arms caught my unbalanced fall.

"Cadence," Gabriel said surprised.

I looked up in shock while readjusting the bag on my shoulder. I pushed my hair out of my face again and took in a long breath.

"Gabriel, I've been looking for you."

"I was just about to come see you—"

"Carrigan is gone," I said without waiting for him to finish.

"What?" he questioned in disbelief. "What do you mean she's gone?"

"She's run off," I said with some bite. "Benjamin is trying to find her, but I need you to come with me—"

"Ms. Coleman," said a deep but gentle voice approaching us. "I'm happy we found you so quickly."

"Albus," I said with mild surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The Headmaster of Hogwarts was standing next to us in fine sapphire blue robes decorated with silver stars and moons. His half-moon spectacles rested on the bridge of his crooked, but charming, nose, while his gleaming crystal blue eyes shined at me with mild pleasure. Despite the happiness in his eyes I could see worry, perhaps even fear. It was obvious that Dumbledore had been under a great deal of stress in the last couple of months since my Father's return.

"Dementors attacked Harry and his cousin in Little Whinging," Gabriel said, explaining why Dumbledore was present. "He's been expelled for performing underage magic in front of a Muggle."

My stomach plummeted. I bit my bottom lip and shook my head in disbelief. How could everything like this be happening at once? One freaking disaster after another was not what I needed right now. I needed to find my daughter and make it clear that running away was not an appropriate stress-management strategy. I needed Harry to be okay. Not only was it concerning that he was attacked by Dementors in a Muggle neighborhood, but he could not be expelled for defending himself. I knew that Dumbledore would do his best to see that didn't happen, but if Harry was expelled for illegally using magic I was sure that it would destroy him. Hogwarts, magic, everything about being a wizard was his life, to have that taken from him because he rightfully defended himself against dark magic would destroy all faith he had in our world; and the wizarding world needed Harry Potter to have faith that there was good in this world.

"This is bloody ridiculous," I retorted as I paced away and rubbed my forehead.

"I sense there is something else wrong?" Dumbledore asked as he looked at Gabriel.

"Carrigan has run away," my voice was so low when I said the words it sounded like a stranger had said them. I still could not believe it, even though I was the one who said it.

Dumbledore frowned deeply.

"Cadence, I'll go after Carrigan," Gabriel said. "We think you should go see Harry to calm him down."

"Calm him down?" I repeated as I looked at the two men with confusion and anger. How could they ask me to go calm down Harry when Carrigan had run off? "What the hell for?"

"If I know the boy at all, he's probably reeling with rage," said Dumbledore. "He's been with his Aunt and Uncle for too long and is angry that we have told him to not to leave the house. I think you should go see him."

"He won't listen to me," I retorted. "And he sure as hell won't be happy when I leave him with his Aunt and Uncle, since you're not ready for him to be moved to—" I stopped myself from saying Headquarters, Number Twelve, or Grimmauld Place. I couldn't afford to reveal the location of the Order of the Phoenix. It didn't matter that we were standing outside the lift alone. You never knew who was listening, or just around the corner, at the Ministry.

"He will listen to you," Dumbledore said. "I'm afraid I cannot see him right now. Obviously, Sirius can't go—"

"—he's too drunk to be of any use to anyone, right now," I retorted harshly.

Dumbledore and Gabriel both looked at me with raised eyebrows, bewilderment covering their faces. I sighed and turned away from them, placing my hands on my hips, as I paced back and forth down the corridor.

"I have sent Arthur back to inform everyone at the house what has happened," Dumbledore said. "I will stay here. I still need to follow up with the Minister and Head of Underage Wizardry."

"They won't expel him, right?" I questioned with uncertainty.

"If they do it will be a play of politics," Dumbledore responded. "Which we can't allow to happen."

I nodded in understanding while biting my lip.

"Why were there Dementors in Little Whinging?"

"I don't know," Dumbledore responded sadly. "And that is a terrifying fact."

"Alright, I'll go to Harry, but it may cause more problems then you think," I said.

"I'll go after Carrigan," Gabriel said.

I nodded as my teeth sunk deeper into my lip with nerves. "Alright, I'll go see Harry, but I don't know if it will be any good."

"Thank you, Cadence," Dumbledore said before bowing his head and turning away. I assumed he was heading back to the Minister's office to make sure that Harry wasn't expelled.

Gabriel looked at me with a sad frown, before I could move away he grabbed me and kissed me slowly. His tongue gently played with mine while his arms engulfed me. His hands rubbed my neck and cheek; held my chin while he shared his love with me. Softly, he pulled away and planted soft kisses on my lips. His rough fingers traced my jaw line slowly, barely touching my flesh. I moaned on his lips while kissing him back in return; my arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders as I stood on my toes.

"Go," he whispered. "I'll bring her back."

"I know you will," I replied with a nod of my head. "Be careful." I squeezed his hands tightly as I studied him. The next few words that came out of my mouth were softer then a whisper. "Remember, Persephone's prophecy."

Gabriel cupped my chin. "Don't worry about the prophecy."

I stepped back from Gabriel with a weak smile. Despite his words, he could tell that I was still worried. There was nothing he could do that would stop me from worrying about his death that was foreseen to occur before September. His dark eyes eased my trembling heart, but barely. I clenched my fist before Disapparating in front of him. His handsome chocolate brown eyes were the last thing I saw as I disappeared from the corridor in front of the lift at the Ministry.

Little Whinging appeared peaceful when my feet touched the cement sidewalk that lined the neighborhood. I had appeared in an alley between two tall brick walls between the blocks of houses. It was dusk. The sun was barely setting on the horizon. The orange-yellow glow of the rays reminded me of merry-gold flowers blossoming in the summer heat. The brilliant sunset blinded me, making me thankful for my aviator sunglasses resting on the bridge of my nose. Children could be heard laughing and playing throughout the streets and playgrounds. It was only a matter of minutes before their mothers would call them in for the evening.

I sighed and fixed my white button up blouse before marching forward into the neighborhood. I tucked my wand into my boot, next to a dagger, to hide it from obvious view. I knew I stood out enough as it was, in my tight grey pants, black combat boots (with a dagger tucked into each), and hip holster with a knife hanging on my left side. My white blouse was unbuttoned to reveal my cleavage and my sleeves were rolled up to my elbows revealing the tattoos I had on my wrist and arms. I really didn't need any Muggles noticing me carrying a wand to top off my appearance.

I stuck out like a sore thumb in the neighborhood. I looked like a woman that could not be trusted, was deviant and dangerous. As I walked down the sidewalk, heading towards Number Four Private Drive, adults stood on the porches of their adorable suburban homes and called their children to them. Every person, adult and child alike, watched me pass with curious and frightened eyes. Mothers held their youngsters against their bodies as if they were afraid I would lunge out and snag the children before running off.

I was relieved when I arrived on Private Drive that no one appeared to be outside. Everyone was hidden in their cool houses, trying to stay out of the July heat. It was at least eighty degrees despite it being dusk. The door to Number Four was tightly closed, but the windows on the front of the house were open, welcoming a cool summer breeze that would not come. I noticed that the flowerbed directly under the window was trampled, as if someone had been sitting or lying below the window, crushing the life from the flowers. I turned away from the flowerbed as I stood on the porch, and carefully knocked on the front door. The last time I had seen the Dursley's was two years ago, when Harry had run away after blowing up his Uncle's sister.

The door opened abruptly and the large frame of Vernon Dursley filled the doorframe. His round purple face glared down at me with fear and annoyance, as if I was interrupting his perfect evening by knocking on the door.

"What the bloody hell do you want!" he practically yelled. Despite the high tone of his voice, I could see fear in his beady eyes as he looked me over. It wasn't even the wand that terrified him the most, it was the weapons and my over all appearance. I represented everything that threatened his perfect normal life.

"You remember me, Mr. Vernon?" I asked with a forced smile.

"You're one of them," he nodded still glaring with beady eyes. I rolled my eyes at his rude comment, but nodded in agreement.

"Yes," I forced. "I'm Cadence Coleman. We met two years ago—"

"What do you want?"

"I want to see my godson," I said forcefully as I crossed my arms over my chest. "I've been sent to speak to him about the trouble he's gotten into."

"Of course he's gotten into trouble," Vernon snorted. "He nearly killed my son—"

"Vernon, who is it?" said a shaking female voice. "Right now isn't the best time to be having guests—"

Petunia Dursley appeared next to the wide frame of her husband. She was a thin, frail looking woman with a long face and curly brown hair. She looked nothing like Lily Evans Potter, and it was hard for me to believe that they were sisters. Petunia's dark eyes fell on the knife hanging off my hip, the tattoos on my arms, and then finally the wand and daggers in my boots. She let out a small cry.

"Don't keep her standing on the porch!" Her voice was high pitched and shrilled as she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the foyer of the house. "The neighbors could be watching!"

"And now they just saw you pull this woman into the house!" Vernon was close to yelling again. "What will they think now?"

"What do you want?" Petunia asked looking me sharply in the eye while ignoring her husband. "Did you come for the boy? I was told to keep him here."

"Harry," I nodded. "He has a name."

Petunia rolled his eyes. "How do I know you won't harm us?"

"If I was going to kill you, I would have already," I said as I peered up the stairs. "Is he upstairs?"

"Last door on the right," Petunia nodded. Her eyes were still looking at me like I was disgusting bug that needed to be squished quickly. I was contaminating her perfect, normal home with my tattoos and dangerous weapons.

I turned on my heel without another word and marched straight up the stairs. Vernon's voice yelled after me to stop, but I ignored him. As I disappeared to the second floor landing, I heard him say something harsh to Petunia who replied, "He has to stay," she said. "That's the end of it, Vernon."

I made my way down the narrow, floral wallpapered, hallway to the last door. I frowned deeply as my eyes fell on the numerous locks that were next to the door handle. I did not like that Harry was living in a place where his family neglected, disliked and locked him in his room. I knocked gently on the door, but there was no answer. I could hear muffled voices on the other side of the door. I knocked again, harsher this time, then heard shuffling around before someone came to the door, yanking it open.

"Cadence!" Harry Potter said in great surprise as he stared up at me with gleaming emerald green eyes. I sighed with some relief as I stepped forward and hugged him tightly around the shoulders. Harry hesitated before he returned my embrace. "Have you come to take me to your home?" he questioned instantly.

I pulled away with a frown and shook my head. I closed the bedroom door behind me as I stepped into the room. When I turned back to face Harry, he had pulled his wand out and was pointing it straight at my chest. I smirked slightly and bowed my head.

"Ask me a question that only I would know the answer to."

"How did we get to the Leaky Caldron the first night we met?"

"The Knight Bus," I replied. Harry nodded and dropped his wand hand to his side. He turned and threw his wand on the bed before looking at me again. "I'm proud that you thought to check who I was."

"What are you doing here?"

"I was asked to come make sure you were okay," I said folding my arms over my chest.

"Well I'm not," he retorted shortly as he sat on the edge of the bed. He glared at me while crossing his arms over his chest and kicking at the pile of books that sat on the floor next to the bed. "I need to get out of here—I don't know anything of what's been going on—is Voldemort active? What's he doing? What are we doing to stop him? What's the Ministry doing? Why am I being kept in the dark about these things? How much longer do I have to stay here, stuck in the Muggle world, with no contact from any of you in the real world?"

"Harry, we have all been given specific instructions not to discuss sensitive information with you," I said sadly. "You will know everything there is to know when we move you to head quarters."

"Head quarters?"

"Of the Order of the Phoenix," I replied remaining by the door. "We are working to fight my Father, but our progress has been slow because Voldemort hasn't been publicly active. It is still not common belief that he has returned. We're fighting two battles right now—against my Father and against the Ministry which is in complete denial about the situation."

My response did not look to relieve Harry at all.

"I don't understand why I have been kept here—"

"This is the safest place for you right now," I said quickly. "I know you don't like it here. I don't blame you, and if I could have it my way I would have never let you come back here, but Dumbledore thinks—"

"Who cares what he thinks," Harry raged jumping off the bed. "You're my godmother, my legal guardian! I should be with you."

"I'm afraid I can't take very good care of you, Harry," I frowned. "Our house was destroyed because Death Eaters are coming after Carrigan and I."

"She told me," Harry nodded in frustration.

I looked at him very carefully, studying his eyes as he frowned and looked at the wardrobe that I was standing next to. His stare quickly returned to me, pulling away from the wardrobe, but he looked guilty.

"You said no one has been in contact with you," I whispered, still studying him, waiting for his reaction. He frowned deeply and sighed with uneasiness. "Is Carrigan here?"

Harry didn't answer right away, but his eyes looked at the wardrobe again. I turned on my heel and yanked the wardrobe door open. Carrigan let out a yelp of surprise as I reached in and grabbed her small arm, dragging her forward out of the wardrobe. She was dressed in yoga pants and a long sleeve tee shirt. While I pulled her forward her back pack came toppling out of the wardrobe onto the floor.

"Mom!" she hissed like a snake being snatched from it's cool dark shadowy home.

"Carrigan!" I yelled her name with such anger the furniture in the room began to shake. Carrigan looked up at me with fearful midnight blue eyes. She had never looked afraid in my presences before, but she had also never run away before. "What did you think you were doing!"

"I just needed to get out," she said quickly as she threw her long brown locks out of her face. "I needed to get away from you, Dad and Benjamin—I just needed to get out."

I released her arm as I stood up straight, glaring at her with burning green eyes. My skin felt like it was on fire. I could not describe the anger that pumped through my system as I stared at my thirteen year old daughter. I was relieved that she was safe, but furious that she had done something so stupid.

"You should have asked to come see Harry."

"I didn't plan on coming to see Harry," Carrigan retorted with bite as she glared at me in return. "When I left I realized how stupid it was. But, I couldn't go back. I came here when I had no where else to go."

"How did you get here?" I asked sternly.

Carrigan didn't look me in the eye.

"Carrigan?"

She sighed before looking straight up at me. "I hitched a ride from a kid on a motorbike."

"Excuse me?"

"He was at a coffee shop in London, just up the street from Dad's place. I asked him if he could give me a ride."

My heart stopped beating for a few moments and sunk down into my stomach as I stared at my daughter in disbelief. I couldn't believe the amount of stupid things she had done in the last couple of hours.

"Why'd you hide in the wardrobe?"

"If my Aunt and Uncle found out I had a girl in my room," Harry whispered with a shake of his head. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I was trying to get her to write you."

"Thanks, Harry," Carrigan hissed with disapproval.

"Well, there's no point trying to lie to her," he said instantly. "She'd know if we were lying, Carri!"

"You didn't have to turn me over," Carrigan yelled harshly at her friend. She sighed with aggravation and turned away while shaking her head. She ran her hands through her messy brown hair then turned back to me. "You and Dad have to stop fighting. You both are being so ridiculous."

"I can't help that your Father is irrational," I said crossly. "And running away would not make us like each other, Carrigan. Running way does not solve any problems, you know that."

"I didn't run away to solve problems," she said marching towards me. "I ran away so I could think clearly for a few hours. I can't think in that house Mom! Between Benjamin prying into my mind every second and you and Dad fighting every hour, I can't think clearly. I had to get away so I could hear my own thoughts for once instead of everyone else's. Everyone would be safer if I wasn't around anyways since all those Death Eaters keep coming after me!"

"Carrigan," I sighed in pain. I pulled her into my arms as she looked up at me with angry, terrified midnight blue eyes. I cupped her cheek and stroked her hair behind her ear as I kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arms around me, clinging to me as quiet tears ran down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just—I know it was stupid. I shouldn't have gone…"

"It's alright," I replied stepping back and lifting her chin. "We all make mistakes, Carrigan. I completely understand wanting to run away."

"We both do," Harry said softly. Carrigan pulled out of my arms and looked at him with a weak smile. She quickly rubbed the tears from her pale cheeks before releasing a long sigh that broke my heart. She was still unhappy. She was still broken. Everything that had her so worried was still on her mind—her powers, the nightmares of me dying, Sirius and I fighting—I wished that I could take it all away. And I wished that running away really solved our problems, even my own.

"We should get back before Gabriel burns down all of London looking for you."

Carrigan laughed lightly and shook her head.

"You really should go," Harry nodded. "I'm pretty sure Gabriel is the type of guy to burn down a city looking for you."

"I'm sorry we can't take you with us," Carrigan said throwing her arms around Harry's shoulders. He looked at me with wide bewildered eyes. I shrugged with awkwardness, not sure what he should do. He carefully hugged her with some hesitation. "We'll come back soon, though. I know the Order will come to get you soon."

"They will," I said with a reassuring nod. Harry pulled out of Carrigan's arm as he nodded his head. He did not look happy though. I could see the frustration and rage gleaming in his eyes as he looked at me over his glasses. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose and nodded his head again, even though no one said anything. I didn't blame him for being mad. I would be mad too if I was trapped in a horrible house with no way of staying connected to the real world. I knew the frustration he felt. I had been kidnapped, held captive, and even kept on bed rest numerous times. I hate that. I knew that Harry hated it too and that is why he wanted to run away. We all just want to run away sometimes.