Going to the brownstone that evening didn't provide me with any leads. There were no clues hiding in the ashes of my once beautiful home, only debris of a life that Gabriel and I barely got to live. I was going to have to continue my search else where. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure where or what else to look for. How could I find the Death Eater who attacked me if he left nothing behind from the fight? It was impossible to say if anything was missing from the house because he had burnt it down. For all I knew there were all sorts of personal belongings missing, but I would never be able to tell because the remains of my house were in ashes.

The frustration I felt when I left the brownstone that night flourished for weeks. There were no leads anywhere I looked. As a result, I looked more closely at the two Death Eaters Gabriel and I killed—the ones who had news clippings of me and Carrigan in their desk drawers—to see if perhaps they were connected to the Death Eater that had attacked me. I ran-sacked their flat again looking for clues. I investigated their lives with files that Gabriel was able to provide from the Ministry.

Every clue, theory and idea I could think of, I followed up on. I was leaving no stone unturned because Albus Dumbledore had sent me on a mission to find the bastard that burnt down my house. I was starting to think he must be dead. Surely, my father killed him for not killing me as he was instructed. If my father found out that the Death Eater ran from the fight instead of dying trying to kill me, I'm sure my father would have slaughtered him.

As April turned into May, I began to think that there was no hope. I was never going to figure out who attacked me…perhaps I should just give up and let it all lay to rest. The Death Eater hadn't come back to finish the job; and there hadn't been any other attacks on me or Gabriel since January. Five months without a death threat was pretty good for my track recorded. When I told Dumbledore that I planned to stop looking for the Death Eater, he advised me to continue. I felt I had no choice. He wasn't allowing me to aid the Order in any other capacity. This was the only thing he wanted me to do. I started to wonder if he was intentionally keeping me out of the loop, like he had during the first war…

With frustration boiling through me one evening in late May, I marched into the bedroom I was staying in at Number Twelve loudly, not expecting to find Gabriel lying on the bed, half naked with his handsome muscular torso exposed. His hands were behind his head, causing the muscles in his arms to be exposed and flexed. I had just been out for the evening, wandering the dark streets of London hoping to catch a Death Eater red-handed. The only thing left for me to do was hope that I either caught the Death Eater who attacked me by chance on the street, or I found a Death Eater who was willing to talk (perhaps with persuasion) and tell me what they knew about my father's orders for someone to kill me and my daughter.

I stopped dead in the door and stared at him for a moment. The sight of him caused me to catch my breath. He stared back at me with velvety forest green eyes that had an all-knowing sparkle to them. Suddenly, I forgot that I was frustrated over the Death Eater I was hunting. When I looked at Gabriel, everything melted away because it didn't seem to matter. The only thing that mattered was him.

"Hello," he said slowly.

"Hi," I whispered. I turned and closed the bedroom door behind me. When I turned back towards the bed, Gabriel was still lying in it, watching me. His eyes were taking in every inch of my appearance and despite being fully clothed, he made me feel naked.

"Where have you been?"

His voice was smooth, slow and deep. He didn't sound worried or inquisitive, he was simply wondering what I had been up to.

"I went to the brownstone," I replied as I snapped out of the trance he had put me in. I began to unbutton my cloak as I moved to the wardrobe.

"For what? Didn't you go a few weeks ago?"

I shrugged. "Yea, I just needed to look around again. I'm at a loss with this Death Eater thing. I was hoping maybe there was something there that could help."

Gabriel sat up on his elbows to look at me more seriously. I bit my bottom lip as I looked at him. A strong heavy desire was rising up inside of me, starting from my center, and spreading all through my body. Gabriel had the uncanny ability to turn me on just with a glance of his eyes, when he was lying half naked with his muscular body and tattooed arms exposed, I was defenseless. And he seemed to know it. He was smiling at me with charm as I unbuttoned my shirt.

"I owe you an apology," I said as I turned away and threw my shirt in the wardrobe. I took off my bra as I faced away from him and continued to speak as I undid my pants. "I've been a bit of a jerk the last couple of days—"

"Try months," Gabriel sighed. I frowned deeply and glared into the wardrobe. I supposed I deserved that, but really, did he have to be such a bastard? I crossed my arms over my chest and turned to face him with an ugly glare.

"I'm trying to apologize here! I already feel like an ass, you don't need to make me feel worse!" I snapped with aggravation. He knew how hard it was for me to admit I was wrong, why did he have to verbally poke at me while I did it?

He laughed lightly at my frustration and half-nakedness. "I'm sorry, please continue."

I huffed a breath and pivoted to face the wardrobe again.

"I've been so obsessed with figuring everything out on that damned chalkboard, I haven't been a very good wife…"

"I didn't marry you with the expectation you'd be the traditional good-wife," Gabriel replied. I pulled on one of his tee shirts from the wardrobe and turned to him quickly, throwing my mass of brown curls out of my face.

"Are you saying I'm not a good wife?"

Gabriel smiled as he laid back in the bed to allow me to crawl over him to get to the side that I liked to sleep on, against the wall. As I straddled his body, he caught my arms, holding me in place on him. My hips pressed down onto his causing the sexual tension that we had been building to hit it's high point.

"I didn't say anything to suggest that," Gabriel said softly as he pulled on the collar of the tee shirt I was wearing.

He pulled me down to him, so my body was pressed against his and kissed me slowly with tenderness. His arms wrapped around me and his hands ran up and down my back, pushing the tee shirt up and exposing my skin to the cool air of the bedroom. I pulled my lips away from his for a moment, just long enough to sit up straight on him and peel off the tee shirt that I had just put on. Gabriel smiled at me, touched my sides and wrapped his arms around me again as I lowered my body to his, pressing my naked torso and breast against his hard six-pack and chest. He brushed my hair out of my face before kissing me deeply again.

Without warning, he bucked his hips and held me tightly, flipping us over on the bed so that I was underneath his rock hard body. I bit my bottom lip as I smiled up at him with wanting, desire filled eyes. He smiled back at me; a true loving smile that broke my heart. I ran my hands over his head as he closed his eyes, taking in my touch and cherishing it. He leaned forward and kissed me roughly on the mouth, with fire and lustful desire. His hands groped at my body, found my panties and began to drag them off down my legs. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and moaned into his mouth, desperately wanting him—

There was a sharp knock on the bedroom door that broke the mood of desire that had filled the room. Gabriel let out a long, annoyed sigh, and buried his head in the pillow next to my face. I laughed softly at his reaction, and hit his body gently.

"Let me up, I'll get it," I said.

He rolled off of my body, against the wall next to the bed, and stared blankly up at the ceiling. I stood up from the bed and grabbed the tee shirt that he had uselessly thrown off to the side. It was long enough to cover my body. As I moved to the door, there was another sharp knock.

"I know you two aren't sleeping!" Sirius' voice rang through the door.

I turned the knob and snatched the door open sharply, surprising him as he stood before the frame.

"No," I said very slowly as I pushed my hair out of my face. "We were definitely not sleeping."

Sirius frowned deeply as I gave him a very sarcastic smile.

"What's the matter?" I asked because he didn't say anything.

"This just arrived," he extended a letter to me. "I don't know how Carrigan got it past Umbridge's inspection, but you should read it. And Dumbledore is here…perhaps you two should get dressed. Something has happened," He added the last statement with some bite. I gave him a dirty look and turned on my heel, closing the door in his face.

"Dumbledore is here," I said softly to Gabriel. "Sirius made it sound urgent."

He sat up on the bed and sighed. "I heard," he said with a nod. He rubbed his head and the back of his neck. "We need to get our own place again."

"Absolutely," I smiled at him.

"Who is the letter from?"

"Carrigan," I said as I opened the envelop to read the letter. It had already been opened, by Sirius no doubt, as Carrigan had addressed the letter 'To my parents.' I read it over quickly. It was rather brief in it's description.

"The Weasley twins have been expelled," I whispered with a shrug because we already knew that. I was surprised that Carrigan's letter seemed to be very out of date. "Why is her letter so late?"

"Umbridge's inspection slowed it down, no doubt," Gabriel said.

"Carrigan is wondering if one of us can come to Hogwarts."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows and took the letter as I extended it to him.

"What do you think is the matter?"

"Obviously, something she can't put in writing," I frowned deeply. I hadn't told Gabriel about what Firenz had said to me when I went to Hogwarts last. "Do you think we should go right away?"

"What will you say is the reason for your visit?" Gabriel asked. "Umbridge is tightening her grip. I don't know how easy it is going to be to get to Hogwarts now. She will be expecting you because of Carrigan's lack of secrecy. She'll question you and Carrigan…"

I bowed my head in acceptance. "Let's see what Sirius and Dumbledore think."

Gabriel stood up from the bed and made his way to the wardrobe. He threw me a pair of pants, which I graciously pulled on, then together we made our way downstairs.

"What is the matter?" I asked when we entered the kitchen. Gabriel followed behind me, remaining silent as we took seats at the table. Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Moody and Dumbledore were gathered around it. I frowned deeply at seeing so many people. That could only mean one thing: someone had died.

"It's nothing that severe," Dumbledore said calmly. I frowned while brushing my hair over my shoulder with mild embarrassment. He had no doubt read my mind, which prompted his calm comment.

"It's pretty serious, Albus," Moody retorted as his brilliant blue eye blazed around it's socket, taking in every nook and cranny of the room.

"Tell us," Gabriel said.

"Hagrid and McGonagall have been removed form Hogwarts," Dumbledore said with a sad sigh. "The Ministry arrived to arrest Hagrid, but he escaped into the forest. He was able to contact me, but did not say where he is going."

"And McGonagall?" I questioned. "What happened to her?"

"Stunned at once by four different wands," Tonks replied. "She's at St. Mungo's. They're sure she'll be fine, but she's going to need some serious time to recover."

I frowned deeply. "Umbridge is in complete control of Hogwarts then."

"She was when she assumed the position of Headmistress," Dumbledore said. "But that does not mean she is in control. I am told that the students are putting up quite a coup." There was a proud smile on his face as he spoke.

"If we are not in control of Hogwarts, should we be worried that Voldemort will try to take it?" Gabriel asked.

"What could he do with it?" Dumbledore shrugged. "I don't think that is his plan yet. He is still rebuilding his army. He needs strength and power behind him, then he will take the Ministry. Hogwarts will be last."

"What do you propose we do, Albus?" Moody asked.

"What do you plan to do about Carrigan?" Sirius asked me quietly so not to disrupt the conversation that was going on between the others. I looked at him as he sat next to me with raised eyebrows. "The letter she sent…"

"Oh," I shook my head. "Sorry. I'll go see her."

"What will you use as an excuse?"

"Family emergency," I said slowly. Sirius rolled his eyes. "Well, do you have a better idea?"

My question caused him to frown. "No, I suppose not," he finally admitted.

"I'll go see her tomorrow."

Sirius nodded. "What do you think could be wrong?"

"I don't know," I said with a worried tone. Sirius reached over and took my hand in his, squeezing it tightly. I looked to him with surprise. He gave me a reassuring smile that eased my worries, but only for a moment. His smile was not as powerful as it used to be despite the loving intentions in his eyes. My stomach lurched with worry again as his eyes faded. He realized that his touch did not provide comfort as it once had. He released my hand with a soft sigh and turned to face Dumbledore, who was speaking again. I held my breath as I looked at Gabriel sitting next to me. He didn't seem to notice what had just happened between Sirius and I. Or if he did notice, he didn't show it.

I blinked, and suddenly everyone was moving in the kitchen. Tonks, Mad-Eye and Remus were standing up from their chairs. The scrapping noise of the chair legs against the wood floor made me look up to the commotion.

"See you, Cadence," said Remus kissing my cheek. I hadn't moved from my chair. He leaned over on my side to bid his good bye. Sirius got up when Remus kissed me. I watched as he moved away from the table, looking aggravated. Remus seemed to notice his attitude as well. He stood up straight and watched as Sirius marched off to the pantry.

"What's the matter with him?"

"He's upset that I'm married to someone else," I said bitterly.

It was an unfair statement, which I regretted the moment it left my lips, but there was no way of taking it back. I bit my bottom lip and looked away from Remus who was looking at me with high eyebrows over his deep brown eyes. I cringed and looked up at him with apologetic eyes.

"He tried to comfort me by squeezing my hand," I shrugged sadly. "It just didn't work…"

Remus nodded his head slowly. "Well, I've never known what to say to try and help you two fix your relationship."

"I don't need to fix our relationship," I said quickly. "No one does. There is no relationship. We're just friends now…who have a kid together."

"It's complicated, but it is some sort of relationship," Remus smiled with understanding. "That doesn't mean you can't be there for each other. Or that you shouldn't let him be there for you. He can only give so much, Cadence, let him give it."

"For someone who never knows what to say, you just said something that is helping me fix my relationship with Sirius," I said with a small smile. Remus nodded and pinched my cheek.

"I'll see you later," he said. I said a final good bye before he moved away.

Before I knew it, Gabriel, Dumbledore, Sirius and I were the only ones left in the kitchen. I looked around at the three men to take in their expressions. Sirius was obviously put-off, while Dumbledore and Gabriel both seemed calm.

"We received a letter from Carrigan, asking one of us to come see her," I said to Dumbledore before another word was said.

"It must be important," Dumbledore said very slowly. "But why would she send a letter when she can communicate with you telepathically?"

I frowned. I had not thought of that. If Carrigan was truly in desperate need to talk to me or Gabriel she could call for us mentally to get our attention. Before I responded to Dumbledore, I cursed myself silently for not thinking of trying to reach her with Legilimency. I closed my eyes tightly at the table and concentrated all of my energy on Carrigan. My hands gripped the sides of the table, turning my knuckles white with apprehension.

There was no response, though.

I opened my eyes wide and looked at Dumbledore.

"Is there any reason she wouldn't be able to hear me calling her?"

Dumbledore shrugged innocently. "Not that I can think of, but your powers are a bit of a mystery."

I frowned and looked to Gabriel. Perhaps these powers were a mystery to Dumbledore, but they weren't to Gabriel. He looked at me with sad eyes and frowned.

"I don't know, Cadence," he whispered. "How you and Carrigan connect is more then simple mental ability. Where we—" he motioned between the three of us, Dumbledore, Gabriel and myself, "—can communicate mentally through Legilimency with each other, Carrigan also has a telepathic ability that is undocumented. Her powers come from inside of her, not just what she learns from us or school. You are connected to her through blood…and blood makes things unpredictable."

I heaved a sigh and nodded my head in understanding.

"I'll go see her tomorrow, first thing in the morning," I said softly. I looked up at Sirius who looked angry as he leaned against the pantry entrance and stared out at us. He hadn't said a word since he had left the table. He was angry because he felt helpless and useless. Here we all were, talking about his daughter, and he couldn't do anything to help her. He couldn't even go see her.

"I'm going with you," Sirius insisted as he stepped forward, while uncrossing his arms from over his chest.

"What?" I said in disbelief.

"Sirius, I have to protest," Dumbledore said quickly. "Umbridge is closing in tightly on Hogwarts. She suspects Carrigan and Harry are in contact with you already and Malfoy has no doubt informed her, as well as Voldemort, of your Animagus form. It is not wise to go to Hogwarts."

"I have to see her," Sirius said sternly. "She is my daughter and I will not just abandon her when she is asking for help."

"How do you know she sent the letter?" Gabriel questioned with a sharp tongue. "For all you know, Umbridge wrote the letter in an attempt to draw you out—it was delayed, requested help when Carrigan knows how to contact us by other means—"

"It's from her, Gabriel," I said very quietly as I opened the letter. "She signed it 'we're strong girls.' She only says that to me."

"It doesn't matter," Sirius sounded like he wanted to yell. He looked it too. He was red in the face with rage. "Carrigan is my daughter. It's my life to risk anyways—"

"You don't get it!" Gabriel yelled. "It's not just your life, Sirius! If you're caught, the Order could be destroyed! It's all of our lives—Carrigan and Harry could go to Azkaban for being in contact with you, Cadence and I could go for harboring a fugitive!"

"Stop trying to prevent me from seeing the ones I love!" Sirius yelled. Gabriel had hit a nerve in Sirius, making him feel inadequate and closed off. "I've had enough of you, Gabriel!"

"Sirius, the people you love, I love as well," Gabriel said harshly, but more quietly. "And perhaps you should start acting like you love them, instead of acting selfishly."

Gabriel got up and left the room without another word. I raised my eyebrows high and exhaled slowly as the tension in the kitchen settled. Gabriel never walked away from a fight; I could only imagine that he left the kitchen in an attempt to avoid getting into a fistfight with Sirius.

"Sirius, I have to strongly advise you against this," Dumbledore said. "You are right, it is your life and your daughter, but Gabriel is also right. There are other people you are responsible too. Their lives will be directly affected by your decisions as well. Good evening to both of you."

Sirius didn't say anything to Dumbledore as he exited.

"What would you do?" Sirius asked me.

"I would wait to see if she is any real danger," I whispered. "We don't know what this means…they're both right. As are you," I added quickly with a sharp look at him. "But you do have to be careful, Sirius. We all do. I will go tomorrow morning, first thing. If it's serious, I will send for you or come get you myself."

Sirius didn't say anything. He turned away from me and left the kitchen. I sighed loudly before laying my head on the table. Gabriel was wrong when he said blood makes things unpredictable. People make things unpredictable.

My life would be so much easier if people didn't ruin it, I thought desperately.