Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 6

"Cookies? Eggnog? Anyone?" North offered and Aster shook his head.

"This better be good, North," he warned, working on an egg.

"Sandy! Thank you for coming."

Sandy also wanted to know why they had been summoned with the emergency signal.

"I know, I know, but I obviously wouldn't have called you all here unless it was serious! The Boogeyman was here! At the Pole!"

"Huh! Pitch? Pitch Black? Here?" Tooth stared with wide eyes and Aster didn't blame her. It had been centuries since he had dared to show his face.

"Yes... There was black sand covering the globe," North explained, and Aster scowled, black sand?

"What, whadda' ya' mean black sand?" he demanded. If he'd dragged them all to the Pole for no reason…

"And then - a shadow!" North continued without answering and Aster paused in his painting.

"Hold on, hold on- I thought you said you saw Pitch!"

"Well, uh, not exactly..."

"Not exactly?! Can you believe this guy?" He snapped at the others and Sandy sent up a question mark. "Yeah, you said it Sandy." He forced himself to start painting again, using it as a way to keep his temper.

"Look, he's up to something very bad. I feel it... in my belly!" North explained, patting said belly.

"Hang on, hang on- Y-you mean to say, you summoned me here 3 days before Easter, because of your belly?! Mate, if I did this to you 3 days before Christmas-"

"Please, Bunny, Easter is not Christmas!" North cut him off merrily and he glared.

"Here we go... North, I- I don't have time for this! I still have 2 billion eggs to finish up!"

"No matter how much you paint, is still egg." He grabbed the egg Aster had been decorating to look at and then absently tossed it back, making him lunge to catch it.

"Look mate! I'm dealing with perishables! Right, you've got all year to prepare!"

"Ontario, Sector 9, 5 canines, 2 molars, and 14 incisors-" Tooth was ignoring them to instruct her fairies.

"Why are rabbits always so nervous?"

"Is that all in one house?"

"And why are you always such a blowhard?" he growled, pushing into North's space.

"Tooth! Can't you see we're trying to argue?" North demanded and she turned to face them, not looking at all apologetic.

"Sorry! Not all of us get to work one night a year, am I right Sandy?" she asked but then immediately turned away. "Huh! San Diego, sector 2-"

"Come on, mate, Pitch went out with the Dark Ages, huh? We made sure of it," Aster assured him, they'd made sure he would never come back.

"I know it was him. We have serious situation."

"Hey, hey, I hate to interrupt-" They ignored her.

"Well I have a serious situation with some eggs!" he snapped! North had the Yeti's to help him make gifts, Aster had to do everything himself. He had to plant every googie plant every year, care for them, and then decorate them. Yes he had the colour river and paint plants but those only made very basic googies, he had to give a much more personal touch to the majority of them.

"Concentrate on the matter—"

The ringing of a bell made them stop and look to see an angry Sandy holding a rather dizzy looking elf. Once sure he had their attention he gestured to the Man in the Moon.

"Ah! Man in Moon! Sandy, why didn't you say something?"

Sandy glared and Aster felt bad for getting so caught up in his argument with North that he hadn't noticed the other trying to get their attention.

"It's been a long time, old friend! What is big news?" North called to the moon as it shown through the open window above.

A light shone down on their Guardian emblem, with the shadow moving until it became Pitch.

"It is Pitch..." okay, so he'd been wrong. After everything they'd gone through last time, the thought of him being back…there were less of them now, but Pitch was surely weaker.

North nodded and patted his belly. "Manny, what must we do?"

The Guardian plate opened up to reveal a crystal embedded in rock which rose from the floor.

"Uh guys, you know what this means?" Tooth stared with wide eyes.

"He's choosing a new Guardian..." North murmured and something in his tone had Aster glancing at him, almost as if…he'd expected it? Knew who was going to be Chosen?

"What?! Why?" he demanded, they'd been enough to deal with any problems for centuries, they didn't need someone new.

"Must be big deal. Manny thinks we need help."

"Since when do we need help?"

"I wonder who it's gonna be? Maybe the Leprechaun?"

Sandy seemed to agree, a 4-leaf clover forming over his head.

"Please not the Groundhog, please not the groundhog..." Anyone but him.

The light spilled up from the crystal, forming a humanoid shape and Aster was relieved, it wasn't the Groundhog! The figure was barely visible, wearing a hooded cloak, but they held a Shepherds Crook in one hand. How were they meant to know who that was?

"Jack Frost," North stated, and they all looked at him.

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North watched the Crystal rise, heard the others wondering, but he knew. It explained so much. The idea of Jack facing Pitch was not one he liked, then again, what could even the Nightmare King do against Death's Reaper? He knew that Jack could be harmed, the boy had convalesced in his infirmary that once after all, but die? He did not know the specifics of how Jack had been brought back, but Jack had already died once and strictly speaking was not alive, or at least not fully.

"North?" Tooth asked in confusion.

"Who's Jack Frost?" Aster demanded; arms crossed.

"A friend. Have known him…" he stroked his beard as he considered dates. "Over a century now, he is a good boy. Powerful and not like others of his kind."

"What kind of Spirit is he?" Aster pushed and North sighed, knowing he would not like the answer.

"He is either a Seasonal or Elemental, or perhaps even both, he does not know, and I cannot work it out."

Aster snorted and shook his head. "Just say it North, he's a Winter Spirit, isn't he?"

North nodded. "He is not like the others."

"Is he the one who has been getting the others under control?" Tooth asked, studying the image. "I think…the cloak matches. He saved one of my fairies from some kind of creature."

"Yes, Jack mentioned that, he was concerned she had made it back alright."

"So how do we find him? It's not winter," Tooth worried, understandably. Many seasonals went dormant when their season was done and at the moment it was spring in the north and fall in the south.

"Have way to contact him," North assured them. Would Harry come as well? Surely against Death, even Pitch would back down. But…though they never spoke of it he had come to understand that even Harry was bound by certain rules. He may not be able to help them because of that, or because he was busy with the troubles they had spoken of over the last years.

North nodded to the others and left the main room, going to his most private study where he kept the two tokens he had been given; one for Jack and one for Harry himself. How many could say they had a way to contact Death? And it was something he would never speak of or abuse. A tiny bit of magic into the blue and white one would let Jack know he needed to see him as soon as possible, that it was important, but also that he wasn't alone.

He then went back out to the others to find them waiting.

"Well?" Aster demanded.

"Have sent word, he will come as soon as he can."

"As soon! He needs to come now!"

North levelled Bunny with a glare that had green eyes widening. "Jack has many very important duties, unless you wish a blizzard on Easter? He will come as soon as he can."

"Can you tell us more about him North? How did you meet?"

"Ran him over with Sleigh," North answered, and they all stared at him. "Did not mean to! Did not see him until we collided in the air. He apologised and asked if there was any damage, as if a tiny slip of a thing like him could damage my Sleigh or the Reindeer. Was more worried he was hurt. Was very shy but coaxed him to ride on the side of the Sleigh. Physically, he is seventeen, but as a Spirit he is a bit over three hundred."

"No way, we would have heard of a Spirit that's been around that long mate," Aster shook his head.

North sighed at his stubbornness. "Jack has reason to remain hidden," he admitted. "Has been attacked before, if I had not given him a token to call me…" North shook his head sadly.

Tooth gasped. "They nearly killed him?"

North nodded. "Never found out who did it, but I know they were dealt with by another. I know you do not like his type of Spirit, but you will be kind," he stared Aster down and he shrugged.

The wind suddenly picked up and North grinned, looking around. "Come Jack, it is alright, you can show yourself. They are Guardians," he called out, ignoring the confused looks from the others.

They started when a hooded form appeared and then pale a white hand moved to the hood, pushing it back to reveal a white face and hair, blue eyes eyeing them warily. His other hand was wrapped around the staff shown in the crystal image.

North simply walked up and wrapped his arms around the teen, hugging him and pale arms wrapped around him in return.

"What's happened North?" Jack asked in concern.

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Jack lay in Harry's arms, breathing slowing, Harry gently running warm fingers up and down his spine. Everything had been getting so crazy the last years that they barely got any time to just be together. The breaches were getting worse, the Statute barely intact despite their work and the work of governments worldwide. And every year there were more of those strange black sand horses. "Love you," he murmured, feeling sleepy.

He felt warm lips press to his head. "Love you too," Harry whispered, and Jack let himself drift, feeling warm and safe.

He was jerked out of sleep sometime later, pulling free to sit up, confused as to what had woken him?

"Jack?" Harry sat up as well, concerned.

"I don't…oh…it's North. He needs to see me quick but…he's not alone?" jack sat with his head tipped to one side, listening. "think maybe he found something about the horses or breaches?"

"Maybe, want me to…great," Harry sighed as he sensed something, and Jack shook his head.

"Well at least we had a few hours," he grinned and kissed Harry before leaping out of bed to get dressed. Knowing he may be seen by others, he made so to dress nicely in a pair of form fitting black pants, a white colonial style shirt like he had died in and then a blue vest with snowflakes embroidered in silver. He quickly added his cloak and did it up, he trusted North, but he didn't know who else was there. He glanced over at Harry to see him in black jeans, green long sleeved shirt, black boots and then his black cloak.

"Be careful," Harry warned, kissing him and Jack smiled.

"You too," and with that he vanished.

He reappeared just outside the Workshop, the wind laughing as she caught him, carrying him closer and he landed on the normal balcony. He slipped inside, invisible, and made his way to where the Globe was kept, if North wasn't there he could search from that room easily enough. He crouched on a banister, taking in North's companions, recognising them immediately though he had never met them.

"Never found out who did it, but I know they were dealt with by another. I know you do not like his type of Spirit, but you will be kind," North stared the Easter Bunny down who shrugged. Jack grimaced but it was common knowledge at the Pole what had happened.

Jack hesitated but then called to the wind which suddenly picked up, to let North know he was there.

North grinned, looking around. "Come Jack, it is alright, you can show yourself. They are Guardians," he called out, his companions looked confused by his words.

Jack hesitated but then became visible, pushing his hood back with his free hand, eyeing them warily. What could have caused the Guardians to call on him?

North walked up and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him, and Jack returned the hug. North's hug always felt so large and warm, very different to Harry, even before they were together.

"What's happened North?" Jack asked in concern, he knew North would not have called unless it was important.

North wrapped an arm around his shoulders and guided him closer to the others and the Globe. "Pitch Black was here," he began, and Jack tensed, pulling free to look him over before scanning the room.

"Are you okay? Was anyone hurt?"

"We are fine my friend," North quickly assured him. "He was simply playing games, covered the globe with black sand."

"Sand…like the horses we've been seeing?" Jack asked, those were Pitch's? That could not be good.

"So it seems. I summoned the Guardians and then Manny contacted us, he chose a new Guardian Jack!"

Jack groaned; he had the sinking feeling he knew who. "Me?" he asked and North nodded, grinning at him. Like he wasn't already busy enough? "Wonderful," he deadpanned.

"Oi!" the Easter Bunny snapped at him.

"Nothing personal," Jack shrugged. "Look, I'll help with Pitch but I'm not promising anything more. Besides, don't you guys rely on Believers to pretty much exist?" he asked.

"Of course," the Tooth fairy was rather focused on his mouth.

"Well since no one believes in me, what exactly would becoming one of you do to me?" He asked and she blanched at that, North swearing. "Yeah, figured." He doubted it would have too much of an effect on him considering his other titles but better safe than sorry. He shot a glare at the moon. "Three hundred years of silence and now this? Thanks a lot, really." No, he was Harry's and he'd always be Harry's, even if technically he was Winter too. Not like Mother Nature had approached him about that or anything. He hadn't started out that way, but he'd felt the shift in power a few years ago and Harry had definitely noticed it, though he seemed to think it wasn't fully settled yet, that Jack still had some 'growing' to do. "Okay, so what now?"

Of course that was when Tooth shot off in a panic because apparently something was wrong at her place.

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Harry sat down with a sigh, he was Death, he wasn't meant to feel exhausted! He'd saved London, which was good, but he hadn't been able to save everyone. The last Nundu in the city was dead, all three of them too mad to let live even somewhere else. He felt a tug and swallowed, following it to a familiar street, pausing to look up at 12 Grimmauld Place. The place had been fixed up since he'd last seen it…and had been along the Nundus path. He walked up the stairs and through the door, entering the kitchen where he found them. Everyone on the street was dead, killed by the toxic breath of the magical cats without ever seeing their killers. He moved to the table and gently began gathering their souls; Andromeda first and then little Teddy. He had never wanted to have to collect his own Godson, the kid was only thirteen, a third year at Hogwarts...if only he hadn't returned to London for the Easter break.

"Who are you?" Andromeda asked, Teddy at her side, and he hesitated but then lowered his hood, smiling gently. She gasped even as Harry knelt before the young teenager, only four years younger than he had been when he died.

"Hello Teddy," he whispered. "You were just a tiny baby the last time I saw you."

Teddy stared at him and then his eyes widened. "Uncle Harry?"

Harry nodded and then he was being hugged, hugging the boy back, knowing Teddy was only so calm because of the way the dead were drawn to him. "I'm so sorry Teddy," he murmured as he hugged the boy, glancing up at Andromeda to see the growing understanding.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Nundu, it's dead now," he answered, standing with Teddy in his arms as if he weighed nothing, the boy going limp. He saw her alarm and shook his head. "He's asleep, it's easier this way."

"Harry…"

"It's time to go Andy," he held out his other hand and she reached out to take it.

They vanished just before Ron entered in full Auror uniform, sagging in grief at the sight of their bodies. He had hoped the wards on the home would protect them, but it hadn't been enough. Maybe if it had only been one, the wards would have kept the toxin out long enough for them to receive warning and escape, but that hadn't been the case. A wave of his wand settled a sheet over each body, hiding the gruesome sight, Nundu toxin was not a peaceful or painless way to die.

Harry smiled as Teddy played with Fluffy, Andromeda sitting with him. They would not linger long, he knew it, but it was still nice to have them there for a time. He'd never really had the chance to get to know her or Ted when alive. One meeting when he'd met Teddy as a baby had been it, then it had been off to Hogwarts and the battle. "Was he happy?" he asked softly.

"The Weasley brood were always good to him, even if he was older than most of them. Bill and Fleur's daughter had a crush on him," she smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry Andy, if I could undo this…"

"But you can't, and it isn't your fault, you didn't set those beast loose in London. Now, no more talk of that, who does that other gardening set belong to?" she asked, and he blushed slightly. If things has been different, she might have raised him, he could have had Tonks for an older sister.

"His name is Jack and he's currently helping a friend with something or you could meet him."

"Is he…"

"Dead? Half and half through no fault of his own. The idiot who did it messed up though, his soul is bound to his body which means this is as far as he can go. I found him and brought him here to teach him, he's Winter Spirit. That was over three hundred year ago. He's my Reaper and now he's also Winter so we're both very busy, especially the last few years."

"As long as he makes you happy, that's what matters," she smiled sadly, and Harry nodded.

"I wish I could promise you'll see them again, but once you pass on from here it's out of my hands."

"I believe I will and that is enough," she told him, reaching out to gently stroke wild black hair.

Teddy ran up to them, grinning, throwing himself at his Godfather who laughed and mock-wrestled with him for a bit, the two laughing while she watched. Eventually Teddy dozed off, exhausted, and Harry held him for a while.

"Goodbye little wolf," he whispered, kissing his forehead. He looked at Andromeda who smiled and then they were gone, and he was alone.

Harry reached for Jack, feeling his frustration and then Jack reached back, and Harry grimaced. A Guardian? Seriously? What was that idiot Man thinking? He honestly didn't know how taking the Oath would affect Jack and while he was sure it wouldn't kill him, the last thing they needed at the moment was a weakened Jack Frost.

TBC…