Hidden Friends

A/N: Ok, when i had first posted this i had no beta. As i am now editing some of my earlier chapters, they're are just re-done by myself. i happily got a beta for my later chapters as you will see or have seen, so this is the original chapter edited, so forgive any errors or general mistakes, and i apologise profusely for them, for i have on and off days just like everyone else. :)

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Gabriel was dreaming. The familiar nightmare that haunted her for years since she was eleven, the same year she had started Hogwarts. It started as usual in her and her younger sisters' room in the middle of the night, everyone sleeping, the house quiet.

At some point Gabriel had started awake, thinking she had heard something stirring downstairs. Heart fluttering, adrenaline rushing through her veins, she turned and sought out her sister, Jessica. She was safe and sound, asleep sprawled on her bed, one of her stuffed teddy's on the floor. 'Probably kicking in her sleep again,' Gabriel had thought. She snuggled further in down under her covers, and tried to drift off.

There it was again. A small bang and splutter of curses.

Silently, she slipped from her bed, shivering at the sudden shift of cold air. Not bothering with a dressing gown or slippers, she padded barefoot to the door, peeking through the small gap. Something was telling her to be careful, a feeling in her body, warning her that not everything was as it seems.

Another sound, different than the one that woke her, turned her attention to her parents bedroom. Her father, apparently had heard something to, as he had his wand in his hand, dressed only in his boxer shorts, her mother staying close behind him, doing the same.

As her parents passed the door, her father took a quick look in her direction. He crept closer, her mother keeping watch over the landing, her wand held in defence.

He opened the door further, and placed his hands on Gabriel's shoulders, gripping them tightly, his eyes quickly flicking over his other daughter still sound asleep in her bed. When he looked back at Gabriel, she could suddenly sense a shift in the man that she didn't understand.

"Protect her. Always protect her. Do you understand?" He sounded fierce, the words gritted out as he tried to stifle his panic. Gabriel nodded mutely, understanding, but confused as to the change in him. "No matter what happens, we love you both, and I'm sorry that we will not be able to tell you what you need to know for the future. We've kept things from you, and I am sorry. You'll be safe for now, at that school, but always be careful and protect her no matter what! That's what you're here for," he finished lowly.

He drew her forward into a crushing hug, and she could hear her mother's stifled sobs. He took in a breath and moved to wake Jessica, telling her to be careful, and to listen to her sister. That they would always love them. Gabriel felt panic overcome her. What was going on? Why was he saying these things? What was wrong? She felt like screaming; ‘Tell me! Please tell me what's wrong!’

But she was silent. She wouldn't scream, she wouldn't complain. She would listen to her father. She would make him proud of her and protect her sister. She would be brave and not cry.

Her mother was suddenly there, mumbling something incoherent as she clung to her eldest daughter, crushing her like her father did. She stayed silent, only hugging her back, somehow knowing this might be the last time she could do it. Her father now kept watch, while her mother went to Jessica.

Soon they told them to stay were they were, no matter what they heard, as they carefully ventured down the stairs. Gabriel quickly and quietly shut the door, and pulled her, now fully awake sister, to her bed, and they curled up with the covers over their heads.

All too soon the sounds magnified. Frantic screams, shouts and curses, echoed through the once quiet house. Gabriel felt Jessica shake uncontrollably, her sobs muffled as she buried her face to Gabriel’s chest, clinging on to her for dear life. She was only eight. An eight year old should not have to hear this, not witness it, not even think about something like this. Gabriel hugged her tighter, feeling the telltale wetness of her own tears streaming down her face, but she would not fall, she would not break down and cry, she would protect and watch over her sister until it was over.

What felt like an eternity later, the house suddenly went quiet. Gabriel strained to listen, wondering if everything would be okay, that her parents were fine and they would be coming up to say it was alright to come out now, that they were safe. A blood curdling scream, immediately recognisable as her mother's, tore through the house and shook Gabriel to her core. She quickly covered Jessica's ears and held her tighter, shaking herself at the horrible sound, knowing she would never hear anything like it again, and never forget it until the day she died. As quickly as it started there was a sudden silence.

'Get out!' she thought. 'We have to get out of the house. Now.'

"Jessica. We have to go," she whispered. Her sister was still crying, her fingers tightening, if possible, more on Gabriel's pyjama shirt.

"No, mom, dad. Where are they?" she wailed.

"Shh," Gabriel said frantically, trying to calm her. "They'll hear you. We have to get out or -"

It was too late. A sudden thumping sound warned them of someone rushing up the stairs, and Gabriel's instincts kicked in as she threw back the covers, and leapt off the bed, pulling her protesting sister to the window. The door crashed open, revealing a man in a dark cloak, his hand clutching a wand pointed at the two children. His hood was up, darkness shrouding his face as he watched the two.

"Stop! Stop and come here and you won't be harmed," he rasped. Gabriel's gut tightened, and she stood in front of her sister, staring at the man with a blank expression.

"Liar," she spat. "You've already killed. You will kill us as well."

"No," he growled. "I said we will not harm you. You have my word. "

'Don't trust him,' she thought. 'Protect her.' Her fathers voice echoed in her head. Before she could think further, the man stepped forward and raised his wand, shouting out a spell. Blinding pain shot through her body and she collapsed to the floor in agony. She did the only thing she could do; she screamed.

A sudden noise quickly disrupted the mans concentration. Jessica had thrown something at him. He rounded on her and, without thinking, Gabriel's hands shot up to protect herself and her sister behind her. She felt a sudden powerful surge and felt it emerge from the pit of her stomach, up and out through her hands, surrounding them in magic. The spell rebounded and struck the man sending him flying back into the wall.

Taking the opportunity she grabbed hold of her sisters hand and sprinted out the door and down the stairs. She stopped, as if running into a brick wall, when she faced the living room.

Her parents.

Dead.

Sprawled on the floor, their eyes open, and covered in their own blood, with four men surrounding them and turning as one to the doorway when they heard her. They quickly pulled their wands and aimed. It seemed like time slowed as Gabriel felt an overwhelming feeling flood her; anger. Pure anger, and hate filled fury, and it fuelled an uncontrollable urge to let go of something. So she did. She gripped her sisters hand and let loose a torrent building anger and magic.

The last thing she remembered was a bright light and the sounds of screams.

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Gabriel started awake covered in sweat, breathing harshly as if she had been running for miles, the last sounds of scream wrenched from her throat. She sat up panting, trying to catch her breath, ignoring the after-affects of tears burning her eyes. She felt sick, her stomach churning and she flung back the covers.

She stood quickly, and shakily made her way out to the third floor bathroom of Grimmauld Place, the wooden floor cold on her bare feet. Turning on the taps and splashing cool water on her face and neck, she closed her eyes, forcing any residual images of her nightmare to the back of her mind, trying to calm her stomach before she heaved its contents.

She started as someone knocked on the door.

"Gabriel, are you alright?" Molly Weasley asked, hand ready on the door handle in case she was needed.

Gabriel took a breath before replying, "Yes, Molly. I'm alright. Just a nightmare, that's all." 'Just like every other night,' she thought.

Molly was a bit reluctant to leave Gabriel like this, but knew by experience that she never wished to talk about it. Sighing, and hesitating once more, she turned and went downstairs to start breakfast, her slippered feet shuffling on the wooden floor.

Gabriel heard her retreat downstairs, knowing the matriarch was always willing to help, but Gabriel never shared much with anyone. She was known among the Order, the school, and even in the Ministry, but no-one really knew her. She was a private person, always was. She glanced up at her reflection, seeing the familiar jagged scar running over her right eye, starting from just above her right eyebrow, past the cerulean blue of her eye, and stopping halfway down her cheek. Her short, sleep mussed, dark hair, blended well with her lightly tanned skin, and she absentmindedly ran her fingers through it, before letting her hand drop to the scar, rubbing it and letting her arm fall to her side.

The memory of how she got the scar briefly flitted across her mind, but she let it pass without dwelling on it. She had enough old memories to force back today, she would not add another. Sighing, and eyeing the shower, she went back to her room to retrieve her clothing for the day, a t-shirt and pair of faded jeans, with her favourite pair of worn boots and disappeared into the bathroom again to clean up. Afterwards she ventured downstairs, inhaling the wonderful smell of sausages, bacon and eggs, and crossed into the kitchen with a smile on her face.

Everyone was up and busy chattering away, eating breakfast happily. The Weasely's, the Golden Trio, Albus, Minerva, Remus, Tonks, Moody, Kingsley, Sirius, her sister, and even Severus Snape.

As soon as she entered, Jessica spotted her and sent an accusing glare her way.

Gabriel sighed as she sat down, allowing a motherly Molly to pile her plate with pancakes, sausages and a helping of bacon. She reached across for some toast, and being wary of how her sister could be, and how much of a morning person Gabriel was herself in the morning (she wasn't), she prepared for what was to come, which, was decidedly not what she expected at all.

"I heard you," Jessie said, making no show of being discreet and quiet. A hush had suddenly fallen over the table and Gabriel closed her eyes, wishing for some patience, at least until she had fully accepted that it was indeed morning, and that she hadn't had breakfast yet.

"Oh?" she asked innocently, carefully not looking up at anyone and reaching for some toast to add to her plate.

"Everyone did. You screamed at the top of your lungs, Gabriel," Jessica growled. "No one had a clue who it was, thinking we were under attack or something!"

"I must've forgotten to cast a silencing charm then," she replied nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders, once more attempting to eat her sausages in peace. Inside she was apprehensive, and feeling on edge. She felt as if she was at a breaking point, having had that nightmare come up more frequently. She had never told Jessica the details, only telling them it was the night their parents died and that was it. After that night, Jessica never really remembered the details, having gotten caught up in a haze of crying, shock and fear, mind-numbingly following her older sister around. All she really remembered was the bright light and some screams, but Gabriel never told her that she had been the cause of it.

"Must have forgotten -" Jess stopped, her anger and disbelief not letting her bring out the words. "Tell me what it was about. I have never heard you scream like that, and I assume that’s only because you had always cast a silencing charm. I suspected you had nightmares, but I couldn't believe that frightening scream was from you. It sounded like you were terrified, or in pain." The last part was said so quietly that everyone had to strain to listen, but they caught the words and watched as Gabriel stilled, seeming frozen.

Finally she spoke, and it was with a low tone, a warning. "I don't want to talk about it."

No one mistook her tone, and went back to chatting, knowing if pushed it could get worse. Jessica left it at that, but continued to glance worriedly at her sister. She was looking increasingly more haggard and she didn't know what to do.

A few seats down and across from Gabriel, Severus Snape continued to eat his breakfast, listening quietly, though outwardly he looked as if he wasn't interested in anyone at all, let alone Gabriel. He had heard her scream, and he had jolted awake, a rush of adrenaline flushing his body as he grabbed his wand and prepared to fight. He had fled out the door, but halted when the scream suddenly stopped. But he had heard enough to see it was from Gabriel's room.

'What the hell could have cause that?' he thought. When the sound of movement came, he backed in towards the wall, into the shadows, watching as she emerged from her room to go to the bathroom.

He had been shocked for two reasons. One; she was dressed in a tank top and boxer shorts, showing off a very lithe figure with breasts that would fit perfectly in his palm, a trim waist and firm bum, and curvaceous hips that were attached to beautiful long, toned and lightly tanned legs. Two; she looked distressed, her eyes sporting dark circles, her posture one of utter exhaustion and weariness, and sweat clung to her body...although, that just further emphasised the first reason once more, showing said tank top was a little transparent. He felt himself harden at the sudden sight of her, slightly obscured, dark nipples, hard and peaked from the rush of cold air on her sweat-soaked skin. He bit back a groan. Merlin, if anyone were to come out and see him like this they would probably run for cover. All he wore were his black boxers, now very noticeably tented, and he was in a dark corner, looking as if he was spying like a letch on Gabriel.

He quickly collected himself and headed back to his room, hearing the telltale sign of a worried Molly at the bathroom door. He rolled his eyes. He had been the attention of the mother Weasley on numerous occasions, but he reluctantly admitted she did have a good heart and had the best of intentions.

Heading to get his clothes himself before heading down for breakfast, and ignoring his lower problem, his thoughts wandered to Gabriel. What had she been dreaming to make her scream like that? He stopped his thoughts before they got to far ahead. What did he care about some chits nightmare? He never liked her anyway, even in school when she had tried to befriend him.

As he made his way down to breakfast, hearing the shower and audible sigh from within the bathroom as he passed, a voice in the back of his mind was nagging at something that he had missed about this woman. What it was exactly, he wasn't quite sure, so he pushed it aside, plastering a scowl on his face as he entered the kitchen and sat down, merely grunting in reply to the Headmasters greeting.

Now he sat at the table after hearing the short conversation and he wondered again what it was he had missed about her that his mind was telling him was so important. His eyes briefly flicked over her scar, before focusing his attention back to his food, once more ignoring the chatter around him.

Across the table, Gabriel had the strangest feeling that something was going to happen soon. She sighed. It was going to be a long day.