I am so. Freaking. Sorry that it took so long to post this.

Currently, I have not a lot of homework, so I'm going to write as much as I can and hopefully get this up before the end of the week. If not, sorry...again.

NOTE: THIS STORY WILL NOT BE ABANDONED! I have too many good ideas to abandon it now and I really think it would be unfair to everyone after 42 chapters and so much still unresolved. Plus, the blatant foreshadowing in the last chapter. That would be just cruel. Trust me, if I were going to abandon this story, I would have let you know by now. Just expect brief and frequent hiatuses while I get back into the habit of school and doing homework.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or Harry Potter

It was nearing the end of October before Gabriel managed to fix a specific time for the first meeting of their little defense club - or, rather, by the time Hermione and Michael finally agreed on a date and discreetly spread the news around.

Telling people that they were supposed to head to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to get to the Chamber probably caused a lot of double-takes and doubtful looks. Whether they believed it or not, though, all twenty-six people showed up that Wednesday and were summarily either shown to or shoved into the pipe which led to the chamber, Gabriel waiting by the sinks to close it behind them.

Waiting to close it, and also for member number twenty-seven.

"Why am I here again?" Draco eyed the pipe warily. It was like he didn't even trust Gabriel.

"I told you, our little student vigilante group." Gabriel waved him forward. "Come on, I promise it doesn't lead to a secret murder dungeon."

"That's not at all reassuring." Draco peered over the edge.

"I'm going to push you in if you don't get on with it."

"Alright!" Squeezing his eyes shut, Draco stepped over the edge and fell, landing on his stomach and sliding down headfirst with a yell.

"I could have told him that was a bad idea," muttered Gabriel, stepping onto the short ledge he'd created right in front of the entrance. "§Close.§"

The sink ground back into place as Gabriel slid down next to a disoriented Draco, easily standing and glancing around at everyone already down there.

"What the hell is he doing here?" asked Ron in outrage, pointing a finger at Draco as he got back to his feet.

"Oh, great, you."

"Shh." Gabriel put a finger to Draco's lips. "No fighting or you'll both leave."

"But-" Ron began.

"Shh." Ron shut up as Gabriel strode forwards so that he was standing in front of the crowd. "Okay, judging by the fact that you're all here, I'll assume you're all okay with having class down here."

"This is crazy," somebody muttered. "How did you even find this place?"

"A lot of luck," Gabriel answered, spinning around to face them, "And coincidentally, Moaning Myrtle - who you may know as the ghost who occasionally floods the bathroom above us - was all too willing to volunteer the location."

"How did she know?" asked a confused-looking Ravenclaw.

"Well I didn't ask, go find her yourself." Gabriel came to a halt from his meandering path in front of the group of students. "So. We all know why we're here. Why not get started?"

"Shouldn't we elect a leader first?" Hermione said, coming up next to Gabriel.

"Harry's leader," said a Ravenclaw girl who Gabriel faintly knew as being in his year. She was staring at Hermione like Hermione had just announced a desire to marry Ms. Norris.

"Well, yes," Hermione cleared her throat. "But I thought we should take a vote on it, to make it more official."

"More official?" Gabriel raised his eyebrows. "Hermione, we're meeting in a secret dungeon, basically, running an illegal club and learning things the government doesn't want us to know. I think official is the last thing we're going for, here."

Michael snorted and then immediately tried to pretend it wasn't nir as Hermione shot nir a fierce glare.

"I think we should have a name, at least." Ginny spoke up, and Gabriel doubted anyone else could see the current of nervousness running through her - there was a reason they hadn't gone on to the main chamber.

"How about, 'The Ministry of Magic are Morons group?" Suggested a Gryffindor, the boy next to him rolling his eyes.

"Nah," scoffed someone else. "How about the Anti-Ackerly League?"

"That's stupid."

"What about Dumbledore's Army?"

Most people quieted down at that suggestion. Gabriel inwardly wrinkled his nose. Naming it after the headmaster? Really?

"I like it."

"Yeah, why not?"

Really?

"Alright, then, Army it is." Gabriel clapped his hands together. "Anyway, we might as well start off since curfew's at nine and there's plenty to do. We'll start off with Expelliarmus-"

Zacharias snorted. "Disarming? Really?"

"Expelliarmus!" Zacharias's wand was in Gabriel's hand in the blink of an eye, leaving the Hufflepuff staring at his empty hand.

"Alright, then," said Gabriel, a wand in each hand. "Attack me."

"What?"

"Go on. Attack me."

"You've got my wand," Zacharias protested.

Gabriel pointed the unfamiliar wand at him. "Exactly." Several people laughed as they realized how Gabriel had tricked him, and Zacharias steamed, nearly dropping his wand as Gabriel tossed it back. "Going off of that," Gabriel said loudly, the stone room naturally enhancing his voice and echoing it slightly, "Disarming is fairly important. Why? Because no wizard gives a shit about learning how to defend themselves using nonmagical methods. Take their wands away, they'll be sitting ducks." He gestured at the silent group of students. "So will you, but we'll be covering more than just spells."

There were several groans. Gabriel scowled at them.

"Did no one see what just happened?" He asked loudly. "I Disarmed Zacharias and he was completely useless. What happens if a group of Death Eaters manages to get your wand? Or breaks it?"

Several people winced at the idea of breaking their wand. Still, they remained silent.

"I can guarantee," Gabriel said, "That whatever spells you learn here, the Death Eaters will know too. They all went to Hogwarts. And I know some of you are only here because you want to pass exams or whatever, but there's a war coming."

They were all listening to him with rapt attention, and none of them looked at all skeptical. "The people you'll be fighting aren't going to hesitate to murder, or dismember, or do anything that might cause you pain or harm. Most of them are vicious. Some of them are quite probably insane. And all of them are older and better trained than you." Gabriel allowed himself a broad grin. "I say we man up and give them a nasty surprise, what about you?"

Gabriel honestly wondered if he really wanted to devote this much time to being a teacher.

He was a messenger. He was the Messenger. He just passed on information, and it wasn't his job to make sure people understood it. So occasionally Gabriel wondered why he was still leading Dumbledore's Army when half of the students struggled with spells below their year.

Of course, him easily being frustrated was why he had Hermione and Michael to help.

Neither of them seemed bothered by the fact that half the time Gabriel left them to figure things out - they seemed to realized that he wasn't that good at teaching and left him to walk around and observe. Some of the members occasionally looked like they were about to ask questions, or wonder aloud why Gabriel didn't do more, but they were always conveniently distracted right before they could.

Shortly after the second meeting - they decided the date of the next one at the end of each meeting, keeping it random and scattered as well as allowing time for other clubs and preoccupations - Hermione came up with a way to communicate any last-minute changes in the date, in the form of fake Galleons.

"See, normally the numbers on the side are just the serial numbers," she explained as Gabriel examined one, "But on these they reflect the date and time of the meeting. Here, this one is yours, and if you change it all the other ones will vibrate and change as well, I've put a Protean charm on them-"

"A what?" One of the Ravenclaws was staring at Hermione in shock as the coins were distributed among the members [even Draco, who people seemed to be slightly warming up to.

"A Protean charm," Hermione repeated.

"You can do a Protean charm?" Michael's eyebrows were somewhere in the vicinity of nir hairline.

"Well- yes."

"But -" The first Ravenclaw looked a bit lost. "That's NEWT level."

Hermione looked embarrassed. "Er - I suppose it is."

"Pretty interesting spell," Gabrile put in, tucking his into his pocket. "Convenient, anyway. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Still blushing slightly, Hermione continued handing them out. "I suppose the only danger is that people will accidentally spend them-"

"I doubt it," Ron said, slightly mournfully. "I haven't got any real Galleons to confuse it with."

The week leading up to the first Quidditch match dawned as the first one in a year, due to the Tournament being cancelled last year.

It also dawned on the highest-running tensions since...well, since the Trickster had worked his magic. Housr rivalry was at its strongest, and several players ended up in the hospital wings due to 'stray' hexes or all-out fights springing up in the corridor. Absolutely nothing was off-limits.

It was fabulous.

Gabriel might not have been in Gryffindor or Slytherin, but he was still at Hogwarts and maybe a little bit of the Trickster was still there because it was amazing to see how just nudging one person in the right direction could lead to a corridor full of toads and two seventh-years being dragged off to the hospital wing, a teacher angrily assigning detentions.

Maybe Michael had gotten a little suspicious, but in any case Gabriel broke off the mild chaos before the game started - at least, any of it he was responsible for. It wasn't his fault the entire school was Quidditch-crazed.

Luna showed up at the Ravenclaw table the morning of the match in a lion's hat which roared rather realistically and copied her expression. It also gave the impression that it was eating her head, but Gabriel only raised his eyebrows in a silent question as she sat down across from him.

"Well, Ravenclaw's not playing, so I thought it would be a good idea to show support for Gryffindor," Luna said serenely. "I was going to have it chewing up a snake as well, to represent Slytherin, but I ran out of time."

It was rather impressive, considering that it was a magical hat made by a fifteen-year-old girl, but Gabriel was interrupted before he could say so as Michael say down next to him, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Michael, you're going to wear a hole in the bench if you keep doing that."

"Come on, tell me you're not a little bit excited!"

"I'm not a little bit excited," Gabriel replied, completely deadpan. Luna giggled, and Michael glanced over at her, doing a double take at the hat.

"Where'd you get that?"

"I made it," Luna answered happily. "It turned out rather well, don't you think?"

"Yeah," said Michael after a moment. "You made that yourself? Cool."

Luna beamed at him.

Gabriel had to threaten Michael with mild dismemberment [not that he would have carried through with it] before Michael stopped trying to drag him down to the pitch. Of course, not trying to physically move Gabriel and accepting that he didn't want to go were two different things.

Ne didn't stop trying to persuade Gabriel until they all had to leave for the game and Gabriel was left in a practically deserted castle.

Gabriel simply rolled his eyes at the stupidity of some of their entertainment and went off to find something interesting to do.

Interesting, however, seemed to temporarily be in short supply, and when Michael came back with the rest of the Ravenclaws Gabriel was sprawled out on one of the sofas in the common room.

"Gryffindor won!" Ne said moodily.

"Congratulations," Gabriel replied dryly. "I don't care."

Michael seemed unbothered by Gabriel's attitude as ne sat down in a nearby chair. "We haven't had a Quidditch game in ages." Ne complained, and seemed about to go on before Gabriel spoke up.

"I know. That was the best part of last year - well, second to not having to take exams."

Michael frowned. "You're such a killjoy."

"I try."

"You know what happened?" Michael leaned forward as if imparting a great piece of wisdom. "You know Ron - well, apparently, he made Gryffindor keeper - that's like the goalie-"

"I know. Continue."

"Well, anyway, the Slytherins started singing this really rude song - they kept going for the entire game, actually, to try and unbalance Ron - it was all about him. And his family in general." Michael shook nir head. "Just mean, really, and they confronted a bunch of the Weasleys after the game and provoked them into a fight - Ackerly was all over that, of course, I don't know what she's going to do to them - of course she favors the Slytherins. Almost makes me wish the Trickster hadn't left."

Gabriel briefly contemplated granting Michael's wish, then decided against it. That would just lead to a load of unnecessary trouble.

"Hey!" Michael had leaned over Gabriel. "Stop drifting off, would you?"

"I might not if you didn't tell such boring stories."

"Hey!"

The weeks leading up to Christmas break were just a countdown for Gabriel, who had gotten used to spending every day at home over the summer and was eager to be getting back to his sons. Hagrid had shown up again the day after the Quidditch game, and the looks traded across the hall with Hermione told Gabriel that neither her nor Michael would be willing to accept an easy answer as to why he'd shown up two months late for school.

Gabriel, however, didn't take Hagrid's class and really had no reason to be concerned with the man, except for the fact that he kept showing up with fresh bruises and cuts which were not nearly as discreet as he seemed to think they were.

The school year proceeded without any further incident, however, until a few days before Christmas break.

Gabriel sat up in bed from where he was feigning sleep and playing mind games when someone knocked on the door. It swung open to reveal a bewildered-looking Prefect.

"I don't know why, Harry," he said to Gabriel, "But there's a painting outside demanding that you come up to Dumbledore's office."

Several of his dormmates, who had also been woken up, glanced at Gabriel through sleep-muddled eyes in obvious confusion. Frowning thoughtfully, Gabriel pulled on a dressing gown. "In one of the paintings outside, you mean?"

"Yes - I'd hurry if I were you. It seems rather urgent."

Gabriel nodded curtly as he ducked past the Prefect, skipping the stairs entirely as soon as he was out of sight and appearing outside the blue door into the common room. A lone painting hung on the wall, and its usual occupant had been crowded to the side by witch with grey ringlets.

"Oh good," she said. "You'd better hurry. Someone might be dying."

Well.

This was a twist.

"Dumbledore's office, right?" Gabriel tied the sash on his dressing gown.

"Yes - quickly, follow me-"

"No need."

Gabriel vanished in a flutter of wings and took about three seconds to locate Dumbledore, noting that all of the Weasleys still at Hogwarts [as well as McGonagall] were in the office as well before landing in a flutter of wings and making them all jump.

"That painting's rather excitable," he said by way of greeting. "Who's dying?"

Ron flinched, and the twins looked rather green. Dumbledore just looked solemn. "Arthur Weasley has been attacked," he said. "I thought I might ask for your help."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. "Well, I'm going to need a few more details than that."

"Dilys alerted me that something had attacked him while on guard duty," Dumbledore said, gesturing to a currently empty portrait. "I sent her to fetch you, as well as a few others to alert anyone they could find - I implore you, if you can get there first, take him to St Mungo's - it will avoid a lot of awkward questions."

"Okay, how about details like 'where is he' and 'where's St Mungo's'?" Gabriel suggested dryly.

"Is now really the best time to be making jokes-" Dumbledore put up a hand to stall McGonagall's concerns.

"St Mungo's is in London, several streets south from the Leaky Cauldron and on Charing Cross Road," he said calmly. "As for where he is-" Dumbledore sounded almost reluctant.

"Let me guess," Gabriel said. "It's a secret and you don't want them-" He gestured to the Weasleys, "-To know because it will ruin your delicate little plans to keep them safe."

Dumbledore looked severely down at him. He probably thought he looked intimidating. Well, to anyone else, he probably did.

"Look," Gabriel huffed after a moment. "You can either tell me or not. I could just go in and get it if you think about it-"

McGonagall put her hand to her mouth and looked about as scandalized as a person could get. Ron looked torn between horror and worry - his brothers and Ginny were in a similar state.

"Legilimens?" Dumbledore asked in surprise.

"I have no idea what you just said but I'm going to guess it's related to mind-reading," Gabriel said, rolling his eyes. "Your decision, Dumbledore." Gabriel waved a finger back and forth. "Tick, tock. How long has Mr Weasley been there, exactly?"

Fred made and aborted movement, as though he were about to rush at Gabriel. Dumbledore started at Gabriel as though he were attempting to x ray him with only his eyes. Gabriel was going to inquire as to the point of the little staring contest when a location nudged at his mind.

"Got it," he said, snapping. "Back in a moment." And he vanished again, taking off and landing in London seconds later, underground and deep in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic.

So this was the Department of Mysteries.

Which meant that the man dripping blood all over the floor had to be Mr. Weasley - and even if Gabriel had come there by accident, he would have known right away by the shock of ginger hair.

There was something else on the floor.

Gabriel trapped the snake under one foot as it was about to strike one more time, the huge python hissing and writhing as it tried to escape from under Gabriel's foot. Gabriel absentmindedly crushed it farther as he leaned forward to examine Mr. Weasley, and his senses let him whirl around and catch the scrap of grey before it escaped completely.

On the floor, the snake slumped, completely still. Gabriel ignored it, staring at the grey thing caged by his fingers.

"Well, well." he said amiably. "Voldemort. We meet again. Honestly, you're even more pathetic than the last time."

The scrap pulsed with something akin to anger and it struggled to escape, hissing and compressing back when white flashed and sparked as it brushed against Gabriel's fingers.

It died pathetically easily, dissipating in a slightly brighter flash. Gabriel dusted his hands off and leaned over Mr. Weasley again.

"Nasty wound," he muttered to no one in particular. He brought one hand up and let it hover over Mr. Weasley's torso before jerking it back sharply.

Mr. Weasley jerked as well, still unconscious but limbs jerking as Gabriel drew out the slightly greenish poison, which hung suspended in the air before Gabriel vanished it in a snap.

The redheaded man slumped against the wall again and Gabriel almost tried to pick him up before straightening.

"Right," he reminded himself. "Might start the blood flow again." Gabriel shook his head, glancing down at Mr. Weasley and putting his hands on his hips. "Humans are so damn fragile. It's a wonder they survived this long."

Letting out a breath, Gabriel brushed two fingers over Mr. Weasley's forehead. The wound didn't heal completely, but it did stop bleeding and shrink slightly.

Dumbledore had said he'd already alerted other people, and it would be suspicious if they arrived to find Mr. Weasley completely fine.

Even so, Gabriel didn't restrain himself that much. Mr. Weasley wasn't a bad person, after all, and Trickster though he may be that didn't mean he was incapable of being nice.

Something moved in the hallway behind him and Gabriel's head snapped around to listen. Faint voices were coming closer, panicked-sounding and making no effort to be quiet.

That was his cue to go.

Gabriel reappeared in an office that was now empty save for Dumbledore, who whirled around at the noise. "Is he alright?" Dumbledore asked anxiously.

"He'll be fine," said Gabriel, waving a hand dismissively. "I'll assume you've sent the Weasleys off to bed?"

"No," Dumbledore replied. "Back to Grimmauld place, actually, to wait for news."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Well then. If they get to leave early, I suppose it doesn't matter if I head home myself."

"You plan to leave for Christmas break?" Dumbledore asked in poorly disguised interest.

"I'm an angel. That doesn't mean no social life." Gabriel plucked a piece of paper out of midair. "Here. Forwarding address, in case something else gets mucked up." Gabriel grinned, handed over the paper, and flew off again.

First stop, St Mungoes. Time to finish what he's started with Umbridge.

I tried to give you guys an extra long one to make up for how long this took to post - again, sorry! Hope you enjoy!

Read and review, please!