The first person I wanted to see upon my return to the "real" world was Sirius, but to my disappointment that wasn't going to happen. Once Gabriel and I left Anita's he wanted to head straight for the Ministry of Magic. Gabriel wanted to see the Minister and address my safety; the issue was Gabriel was a wanted man by the Ministry now, despite his loyalties with the Minister and we couldn't just walk into the Ministry. I was also wanted because I was the Dark Lord's daughter, and by parentage it was immediately assumed I was also a Death Eater.

I had begun to realize that the lines between good and bad were often very tangled. Gabriel was the perfect example: he was an ex-Death Eater, turned Auror, who was being accused of being a Death Eater, who was still in good ties with the Minister. It was enough to give me a head ache. At least my position in the magical world was simple, I was Voldemort's daughter: it was simple to assume I was a Death Eater, even if I wasn't. I felt inside of me that some how we had even out our reputations and make them good; otherwise we'd never be able to set foot in any public place in the magical world. Perhaps that was okay for Gabriel, but not for me.

"Going to the Ministry isn't a good idea Gabriel," I said sharply as he paced before me in the hotel room we had stayed in the last two nights. "We could get caught so easily. Let's go back to Hogwarts; the Minister can come see me there."

"We don't want to draw too much attention to the Minister coming to Hogwarts," Gabriel said without stopping his pacing.

"Gabriel," I sighed. "I want to go home."

Gabriel looked at me, suddenly stopping and frowned. He rubbed his hand through his hair and nodded. "Alright," he whispered. "We'll go home. But Cadence, it's a great risk for the Minister to come there and see you. People will start to suspect—"

"Gabriel, we need to figure out a way for the rest of the world to realize I'm good. I can't keep hiding from the world like you've been. What am I going to do when I'm done with school? Be a hermit—no thank you. I'm going to be an Auror, but I'm not going to be able to do that with my reputation. I need to let the world know that I'm not bad."

Gabriel grunted. "Good luck with that."

I tapped my fingers against my lips and laid back in the bed. Gabriel sat down next to me.

"Cadence, I don't think there is a way to make them see that you are good," he whispered sadly. "They just don't want to believe it."

"I'll make them believe it," I said sitting up suddenly. "Come on, I want to go to Hogwarts."

"Let's wait until it gets dark," he whispered. "I don't want to travel out in the day time."

"There are tons of people out."

"I'm not taking any chances with you," he said grabbing my hand and pulling me close to him. "We need to be careful."

I slipped my hand out of his and walked away. "Okay. Let's be careful."

I went into the bathroom to change my clothes, closing the door tightly that way Gabriel couldn't spy on me. I put on a pair of black pants and a red v-neck long sleeve shirt that Gabriel had provided for me. He knew my taste in clothes so well it was almost frightening. On top of the long sleeve shirt I wrapped a corset around my torso. The corset lifted my breast and the v-neck shirt revealed just enough of my cleavage to tease eyes that stared at me.

"Gabriel?" I asked coming out of the bathroom. He looked me over a few seconds and I saw lust light in his eyes. I smiled slightly. "Why do you buy clothes for me?"

"You need them," he said simply turning away and packing his few things into a bag. He was wearing jeans, a white button up shirt and a blue vest. He looked so handsome, causing a heat to rise in my center. As I watched him move around the room I wondered why he didn't fight for me more—because he loved me, or because he only wanted one thing from me and that wasn't worth fighting for.

"Do you want to have kids someday?" I asked coming into the room. Gabriel stopped what he was doing and looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"God help the man who ever has kids with you," he said softly.

"I didn't mean with me," I said sharply. "I just meant in general."

"Why?" he asked studying me.

"I was just wondering."

"No," he said. "I don't want to have kids."

"Why?"

"They're too much trouble," he whispered. "It's hard enough to take care of myself and you, how could I possibly take care of an infant?"

"Well I imagine your wife would help you," I whispered closer to him. He looked pained about the topic, but I wanted to know. I still wondered if he had a child, and why he wasn't involved in her life if he did.

"Who says you have to be married to have kids?" he asked.

"You're right," I nodded. "You don't have to be…"

"I don't even want to have kids with you," he whispered close to my ear. His fingers were on my hips, holding me close, and making me weak. "They'd be ten times the trouble as you. God help the poor bastard who has daughters with you, ever boy in town would be chasing your girls."

I laughed lightly and put my hands on his chest. "God help the boys who chase after your daughters."

Gabriel smiled. "I'm not having kids."

I pulled out of his arms and looked out the window. "Look, its dark." I sat down on the bed and pulled my boots on over my tight pants. "We can go now."

Gabriel smiled and shook his head. He grabbed his bag as I picked up my belongings and shoved them into my own bag.

"Shall we?" he asked opening the door and motioning for me to lead the way.

I smiled and walked through the door thanking him.

Outside, in the darkness of the summer evening the streets were empty. I looked up and down the cobblestone with surprise. People had packed up their carts and shops, putting their merchandise away and shutting up business for the night. Not even the ice cream parlor or tea shops were open.

"There's a curfew now," Gabriel whispered to me as we walked up the street.

"So why did you want to travel at night then?" I questioned.

"It's harder to see us in the dark."

"You're wearing a white shirt!"

Gabriel grabbed my arm and turned down an alley suddenly. He pinned me against the wall and leaned his head down low to me, pressing his lips against my neck. My body grew tense as his lips danced up my flesh to my ear, where he tickled lightly.

"Relax," he whispered. "Two Aurors are coming down the street. Just relax."

Relaxing my body against Gabriel's wasn't difficult because deep down in me I wanted this. I wanted him pressing me against the wall, kissing me with passion and depth, and holding me like I was the only one that mattered. I felt guilty as I let him kiss me, but I tried to heal the guilt with the circumstances behind the behavior. I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes, allowing him to kiss me. He turned my chin and kissed my lips deeply. As he did so I could hear the footsteps of two people shuffling by us on the cobblestone. They could see either of our faces because we were buried in the others, and hiding in the shadows of the alley.

I was afraid they might see us and stop, to tell us it was pass curfew and we needed to head inside. If they got one look at us it could cause trouble because no doubt they knew our faces, and that we were wanted.

"Excuse me," said a voice. My stomach plummeted, this was going to be very bad. Gabriel pulled away from me slowly and looked at the man approaching us. His partner was waiting in the light on the cobblestone street. "Good evening, Sir."

"Hello, Sir," said Gabriel moving forward and hiding me from view. I didn't move to be seen, only leaned over slightly to pull my wand from my boot. I clenched it in my hand and prayed that I wouldn't have to use it.

"You are aware that it is passed curfew?" the Auror asked with his wand in his hand by his hip. Gabriel rubbed his hand through his hair and looked at his watch. He must have been standing in the darkness still, because the Auror didn't seem to recognize him. It was that or the Auror was an idiot. Gabriel's picture had been plastered all over the papers in an attempt to stop pictures of me being printed. Everyone in the Wizarding world knew who Gabriel Quintin was.

"No, no we didn't," Gabriel laughed looking at his watch. "We just got back from a night out—heading to our hotel."

Gabriel pointed up the street to the hotel that we just left.

"Well, see that you get there soon, Sir," said the Auror. "Have a good evening."

The Auror turned and began to walk away slowly. I came forward and touched Gabriel's lower back. The Auror stopped next to his partner and they appeared to be talking. Gabriel took my hand.

"Let's go," he said. He led me forward, keeping me behind him slightly so the Aurors wouldn't see my face. As we approached the cobblestone street, and turned to head back towards the hotel the Auror who had been waiting in the light while his partner spoke to us called out.

"That's Kieran!"

"Hey! Stop!" called the other Auror, who must have felt like an idiot.

Gabriel gripped my hand tighter and we broke out in a run. The Aurors were still yelling behind us and red jets of Stunning spells flew over our shoulders. Gabriel pulled me down another alley and we ran into a few trashcans against the wall.

"Come on," Gabriel said pulling me close against him. I knew he was going to Apparate so I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the unsettling feeling that Apparation brought upon the body.

"Oh, no you don't!"

I turned my head to the voice as a body tackled Gabriel and me to the ground. The Auror was lying on top of me, squishing me against Gabriel's body. He gave me a sharp look and I tucked my head down into his chest as he punched the Auror on top of me. The Auror fell back and I jumped off of Gabriel, turning and kicking the Auror's wand out of his hand. His partner turned the corner to the alley and I lifted my wand disarming him with a silent spell. The Auror was caught off guard and froze on sight because he was wandless. I realized then that Aurors should be trained as I had been—like Death Eaters were—for hand to hand combat; because by the look in the Auror's eye before me he thought he was going to die.

"Don't move," I said sharply, holding my wand out with an intense stare. "I don't want to hurt you."

Gabriel was getting to his feet beside me. He picked up the Aurors' wands and cracked them in two. He wrapped his arm around me to Apparate, but before he could the Auror on the ground before us threw a small silver bottle at us. It hit the ground at our feet and shattered releasing a cloud of silver smoke. The smoke swirled and reached our noses, entering our bodies.

"Gabriel," I sighed as my body took to the potion faster then his. It was some kind of sleeping potion. I fell forward and Gabriel caught me as silver clouds danced before my eyes and blocked my vision. It was only a matter of seconds before I fell into a deep sleep, and all was black.

When I woke up, to my horror, I was in a cold dank brick cell. There was water dripping somewhere in the distances, and straw on the floor in the corners of the room. There was a horrible stench of feces, urine, and mold. I put my hand to my mouth and stood up in the cell. There was a door on the opposite side of the room, with a barred window on it. I went to it and looked out with great shock at the hall outside my cell. It was just as dark as my cell, and it appeared to be lined with other doors just like mine. I moved away from the door and looked around the cell.

"Gabriel?" I asked. I wasn't sure if I was alone or not. I moved around the cell to find out if there was anyone else in it with me and nearly tripped over someone's body. I caught myself on the wall and followed it down to the floor, where I touched a man's stomach. "Gabriel?"

I shook him and sighed with frustration. I looked to the far corner of the room and lit a fire on the straw on the floor. The fire glowed brightly in the room and sent light around it, casting my shadow on Gabriel who I was leaning over. I knelt down next to him and lifted his chin. He was still out cold.

"Wake up," I hissed shaking him again. He didn't move. I sighed and sat back on the floor as a chill came over my body. I stood up and went back to the door. The bars on the window were being glazed over with frost. I took a step back in shock as I watched the bricks of the room also crystallize with ice. A rush of cold air covered my body. I felt like icy nails were being pressed into me at every point on my body. I wrapped my arms around me and leaned against the door looking out at the hall.

Darkness seemed to cloud my mind, I could remember all the fear and lonesome I felt my whole life. A hole was in my heart as guilt filled me from any attraction I had to Gabriel and how badly I had hurt Sirius—and he didn't even know. The sadness of my Mother's death, and then the betrayal of her loyalties crept into my emotions and I had no idea where it was coming from.

The fire in the corner of the cell went out as a shadow appeared before my door. I took a few steps back, and the door opened. A hooded ghost like creature hovered in the threshold, looking at me with no face. It floated back and the Minister of Magic entered my cell. She looked grimmer then usual, but her beauty still remained. I imagined the grim appearance was because of this place we were both in.

"Minister!" I said with surprise.

"Cadence," she whispered. "I'm so sorry this is where we meet again."

"Where are we?"

"Azkaban prison," the Minister said looking at me like I was stupid. "Is Gabriel awake yet?"

"No," I shook my head. "What is going on?"

"You were arrested," she whispered. She went to the door. "Thank you, that is all." She was speaking to the ghost like creature. I realized that it must be a Dementor, because I was in Azkaban. I shuttered as the thing drifted away and warmth seemed to fill my body again.

"What is going on?" I asked.

"Like I said, Cadence," she said coming farther into the cell. "You and Gabriel were arrested in the alley in London. Unfortunately even your loyalties with me cannot save you from the justice system."

"What do you mean?"

"You face trial," she whispered softly.

I looked at her dark eyes and sighed. "What am I on trail for?"

"Being a Death Eater."

"Well that's ridiculous," I whispered. "I haven't done anything to harm anyone—and they have no evidence."

The Minister nodded. "Dumbledore and I aren't worried about you. Rather, we think that the trail may help your reputation. When you are proven innocent you'll be able to come and work for me at the Ministry like I want you to."

I was shocked by what she said. It was only a few hours ago I was speaking to Gabriel about trying to fix my reputation with the magical world, and this seemed to be the best way—it had landed in my lap.

"Why do you look so worried then?" I asked. "If you think a trial will go well for me?"

"I don't think Gabriel's trial will go as well," the Minister said stepping towards Gabriel. I relit my fire in the corner and let the flame's light decorate him. The Minister looked at Gabriel's sleeping body with sadness in her eyes. "After all, he was a Death Eater."

"But he isn't one anymore," I said quickly coming forward.

"I know that," the Minister said looking at me. "But unfortunately Gabriel was involved with many dark things, and there are witness who have already been collected to testify against him."

"What?" I said in shock. "No, no…I'll testify for him."

"I'm afraid your word won't be very good at this time," she whispered. "I have asked the Council of Wizards to put you on trial first though and they have agreed. Once you have been cleared of charges then hopefully you will be able to testify for Gabriel's defense. But I'm afraid the situation is very grim looking, Cadence."

"What will happen if he is charged?"

"He'll stay here for life," the Minister whispered.

I frowned and moved to Gabriel who was lying on his side on the floor. I knelt next to him and stroked his hair out of his face.

"When do we go on trial?" I whispered after a few moments silence. I wiped the tears from my face as I realized that I could lose Gabriel forever because he was protecting me. If he had stayed in hiding none of this would have happened.

"Yours is set for next week," the Minister said. "Dumbledore will be your defense."

"When do I get to see him?" I asked not looking at her.

"He'll come by before your trail."

"And Gabriel's trial?"

"Not until next month, or even July," whispered Millicent in a hushed tone. "The Council doesn't mind keeping him here to wait his sentence."

I nodded my head slowly and looked at Gabriel as he slept.

"We'll do our best, Cadence," she told me.

I looked over my shoulder.

"I appreciate that," I said. "But that doesn't save Gabriel. And he's in trouble because of me."

"No," Millicent shook her head. "You must not blame his fate on yourself. After all, he was a Death Eater, he made those choices."

I sighed but didn't say anything else to her. She seemed to except my silence as the end of our conversation and turned, heading back for the door.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Cadence," she said. "Keep you spirits up."

I didn't say anything to her as she left, I didn't know what to say. I wasn't afraid of going on trail before the Council of Wizards because I was innocent. I had never done anything to relate me to the actions of Death Eaters—if anything it was when I was kidnapped, but the papers had twisted that so it looked like I was willingly staying with the Death Eaters. I was more then afraid for Gabriel though.

As I stroked his hair out of his face, I couldn't help but be afraid. Gabriel had done terrible things I'm sure, and I had forgiven him for them with out really thinking about it because he saved my life—and I saved his. Despite loving Sirius, I had also fallen in love with Gabriel for saving me and teaching me everything there was to know about surviving. Gabriel wanted me to survive and was going to do anything in his power to make sure I did—how could I not love him for that? He made me feel so many things, it was impossible to describe any of them. In one word I could say that it was amazing, and I often wanted to feel that way all the time. But along with that amazing feeling was the feeling of guilt for hurting Sirius.

I leaned forward and kissed Gabriel's forehead gently, then moved, to sit against the wall and put his head on my lap. I leaned my head back and thought of my friends who I missed so much—and Sirius. Tears came to my eyes when I thought of Sirius because I missed him more then anything else in the world. I wanted him in my arms so bad, and could never describe the emotions that rushed through me when I realized I wasn't going to see him for some time. I sighed and wiped my cheeks.

This was not the way I planned on spending the end of my seventh year in school—I was supposed to be taking exams now, not lying on the ground of dirty cell in Azkaban prison facing trail of being a Death Eater. I sighed, life never worked out the way we thought it did, and every day my life seemed to prove that.

I wasn't sure where I went from here, and as I held Gabriel's head in my lap I couldn't help but think that I was going to have to take some serious action to help save Gabriel from being condemned a Death Eater by the Council of Wizards. This war against my Father was tearing my life apart around me from emotion, mental and personal aspects. Sirius and my friends were slipping away because despite caring about me they didn't truly understand what I was going through (and I didn't realize it or admit it but I was partially to blame for that); I was being torn in two emotionally over Sirius and Gabriel who I wouldn't have met if it wasn't for my Father, and I was constantly fighting to stay alive. I didn't like the fighting, but I'd rather die fighting then give up and live for my Father. This was just another battle in the on going war. I vowed as I held Gabriel's head, stroking his hair that this was not the end of my fight—I was going to save him from Azkaban and his haunting past because I needed him to help me fight against my Father. M Father had won this battle—but that didn't mean he'd won the war. And I was going to give him a hell of time the next time around.

Fin.