Hidden Friends

Only slight changes, just in case you noticed any. Didn't like how Jessie sounded, so its Jess. Simple enough.

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"So, what are you going to do today?" Jess asked from across the table.



"None of your business," came the short reply. Jess sighed, already frustrated. She nearly always had to drag the answers out of Gabriel nowadays.



"I was only asking out of curiosity," she said, as non-chalantly as possible, sipping her tea.



"You want to know if you can come," she said matter-of-factly. She looked up and peered over The Daily Prophet to find her sister looking at her expectanty, hopefully. "No."



She huffed out a breath, her cup dropped harshly to the table. "Why not? Tell me where you're going. If it's dangerous then I'll understand, but if it's mundane then I'm going."



Gabriel snorted, placing the paper down and folding it carefully. "If anything, I expected you to want to come on the dangerous missions. You still want to come with me even if its boring?" At her sisters eager nod,

she smirked. "What if I wanted to pick up flowers in that knew shop Neville owns?"



Jess hesitated, knowing plants bored her and her sister would spend ages looking for the right ones. Her brow furrrowed while she thought, thinking maybe she could sneak into the dress shop down the way if her

sister was occupied picking out -



"We won't have time for any other shopping," came the deadpan tone. Jess started out of her thoughts and glanced at Gabriel seeing her raised eyebrow.



"How do you do that?" She asked, a bit put out that she was either so obvious, or that her sister could read minds without the use of Leglimency. Gabriel just smirked and folded her arms, waiting. Jess suddenly got and expression as if a lightbulb went on over her head. She narrowed her gaze to Gabriel. "Who are the flowers for?" she asked suspiciously.



Gabriel's expression didn't change. She looked bored, but after a beat and Jess' continuous stare, she sighed. "Gamma."



The smile that brightened Jess' face would have blinded if Gabriel hadn't turned her head away grumpily. "We're visiting Gamma!?"



"Yes," Gabriel huffed. "Now go get ready before I leave without you. You have two minutes. Go."



As soon as Jess excitedly ran out of the room, nearly tripping over her chair on the way out, Gabriel's face softened to an affectionate smile. Her sister loved their grandmother. They had been calling her Gamma since they were little, having been unable to pronounce 'grandma' properly, but in the years of their parents death she seemed to change and become ill. She was now in St Mungo's, in the mental ward. Gabriel worried about her, visiting her often, but on most occasions she would not recognise her or Jessica, merely rambling on about things she sees, or thinks about. Half of it makes no sense, but in the years Gabriel has realised that they are starting to piece together to form something understandable. Even though it made little sense to Gabriel herself.



The thumping of someone rushing down the stairs brought her out of her thoughts, seeing her sister rush into the room, just putting her bag of money away before she stopped and looked at Gabriel expectantly. She rose and absently scratched her scar as she looked over at Dumbledore.



"I'll return soon. You wanted me to help with some knew Order members, yes?"



He finished the bite of food, swallowing before smiling kindly, his eyes twinkling. "Yes, my dear, if it's not too much trouble?" At the shake of her head, he nodded and added, "Good, good. I'm sure between you and Severus you can sort them out for training perhaps."



She looked at him blankly for a minute, looking for all the world as if she had never heard him, let alone understand the words he had just uttered. The silence in the room could be cut with a blunt knife it was so thick. She took a breath and flicked her eyes to glance at a shocked Severus, who's expression quickly changed to a black look as he scowled at Dumbledore, who seemed, as usual, oblivious.



"Albus," he growled. "Surely you must be joking. There is no way I'm working with -" He seemed about to say something else, something Gabriel suspected sounded like 'that', but he swiftly changed tactics. "I cannot work with her. She's impossible!"



Gabriel seethed, her eyes flashing and she had the strong urge to growl at the insufferable man, but Albus got there before her. "Now, now Severus," he chastised. "That's not a very nice thing to say to Ms. Crenning. She is just as skilled as you, in fact I'm sure you match equally in many things, including dueling. You will work well together, if you only put aside any bickering or unnecessary fighting. You will work together, that is the end of it," he finished firmly, as he saw Severus was about to protest.



"Fine," Snape snapped, rising quickly, and roughly pushing in his chair, the only outward sign of his anger. "Be here at four when they arrive." With that order, for there was no other word for it, he strode past her, his robes billowing behind him and left.



Gabriel blew out a frustrated breath and turned on her heal, following his path out to the door, growling at Jessica to get moving. She swiflty followed, knowing not to say anything yet. Soon they were at the bottom of the path and Gabriel took hold of her and apparated, feeling the uncomfortable confined feeling like a rubber tube, before appearing near the entrance outside St Mungos. Before she knew it, Gabriel found herself outside Gamma's room, without really remembering how she got there. I must have been fairly angry, she thought mildly, feeling the familiar emotions fade away, leaving her blank. That had been happening more recently, and thinking about it, she realised she would prefere the emotions to this emptyness. It was beginning to frighten her.



"Come on, I'm sure she's waiting," Jess said, gently brushing by Gabriel to get into the room. Gabriel automatically followed, wondering if today would be a good day for Gamma. Taking in the room, she noticed the familiar beds of the other patients, having seen them more frequently than the rest of the hospital. Sever beds lined the walls, most of them occupied, though, unlike her sister, Gabriel had never bothered to interact with the others. She stuck with ehr grandmother and no other. Often it was too much for Jess on Gamma's bad days, and she vetured off to walk around, meeting the other people who had very little or no visitors, greeting them as if they were family. Approaching the bed, she smiled softly at the flowers and cards from the hospital staff and other visitors. Anyone who had met Gamma liked her, no matter what. She was that type of person, and all Gabriel had left of her family, aside from her sister.



The old woman on the bed didn't look the best, but faired well considering she was in St. Mungo's for the rest of her life. She was looking out a nearby window at the sky, the sun streaming in to warm her weathered face. She was comfortable on the bed in her deep blue robe, her favourite. Upon hearing the sound of their footsteps, she glanced in their direction. A bright smile lit her face and she sat up eagerly. Without realising, Gabriel had let out a sigh of relief, knowing and thanking whatever god chose to listen for letting Gamma have a good day.



"Oh, my dears! I'm so glad to see you! Come here and give your Gamma a hug." Jess was the first to pounce, hugging her grandmother as if her life depended on it, a smile so big on her face, Gabriel thought it would split it in half. Before Jess was done, Gamma glanced briefly at Gabriel. She looked unbeliveably haggard and old, worn out from all that burdons her shoulders. Her eybrows drew together in worry and sympathy, understanding that many relied on Gabriel for perhaps too much. She was Jess' only close family left that was in the house at the time of the incident. They had other relatives, uncles, cousins, aunts, but none had taken to Gabriel, only Jess, leaving her older sister alone, separted from the only family she had ever known. Then of course there was the Order, constantly asking for her help on dangerous missions, seeing many horrific things, and training young men and woman to become like her, to see what she sees, to do what she does. She had no one to turn to, to take comfort in, to have someone to hold her when she felt most vunerable and alone. Sure, she could talk to Albus, or even Minerva, but Gamma knew that Gabriel would not turn to another for comfort. It made her feel weak, as if she couldn't do it herself, it made her feel as if she had to be strong for everyone else, the mountain that wouldnt move under a storm, simply bear the weight of it while sheltering others from its wrath.



Sighing and releasing her hold on her youngest grandaughter, she looked to Gabriel once more. With a kind smile and welcoming arms she tried to encourage her. But Gabriel, smiled sadly and shook her head slightly, glancing at Jess descreetly. Gamma returned the sad smile, nodding her head in understanding. With the greetings out of the way, they began chatting about many things that occupied their time for a couple of hours. Visiting hours where soon to be over, and Gabriel needed to talk with Gamma about something. Jess too her usual oppurtunity to go about greeting the other patients she usually visits before the hours were up. Bidding fairwell to Gamma, she set off, knowing to meet Gabriel near the entrance when she was finished.



Gabriel settled herself in a nearby chair next to the window out of habit and nesscessity, used to keeping an eye out and to watch her back. She seemed lost in thought. When Gamma looked to her again after saying goodbye to Jessica, she felt a pang in her heart at how lost Gabriel looked. How much she had changed.



"Is something troubling you, Gabriel?" Gamma asked gently. The young woman started slightly, forgetting where she was for a moment. She gave a wane smile, unsure where to start.



"The dreams are more frequent Gamma," she said quietly. "It's like they are burned into my soul, and i cannot escape it."



"Which dreams do you speak of? I remember you telling me about a few before. Is it...from the incident?"



"That and more," came the toneless reply, yet Gabriel's features looked pained, as if she were controlling whatever emotions were burning to get out. "They are becoming strange, and I thought to document them in a diary maybe, but the more i think about it, the less i want to. I'm remembering things that feel so familiar, yet...I'm not sure i experienced them, for they are foreign, as if they belong to someone else, but I know...I just know they are mine. It confuses me," she finished, her expression claerly showing what she was feeling as she shook her head.



"Can you tell me about one of them?" At this Gabriel's head cmae up and she regarded her grandmother carefully, hearing the hesitant tone and seeing the worried look. She knows something, her instinct was telling her.



"Arlight," she said slowly. "One of them started with me in a dark chamber, chained to the floor. Surrounding me were men in dark cloaks, there faces obscured by hoods as they chanted something. I was injured, barely conscious, yet the low chanting pounded in my head, keeping me awake. They were getting louder, and closer. I felt as if i were suffocating, panicking as their hands reached out and grabbed me, hlding me still while one stepped forward with a blade. Someone grabbed one of my arms, pulling back the sleeve of my robe, revealing a strange tattoo on my left wrist that I'd never seen before. In quick succession, he dragged me forward, pulled my arm up and slashed dwnwards with the blade, slicing my skin where the mark resided. I felt a sudden fear and overwhelming pain course through my body...the last thing i knew before I woke up was a bright light..."



Gabriel had moved to sit forwards, her fingers fisted in her dark hair, the palms of her hands covering her eyes as she rememebred the nightmare. She had woken screaming and covered in sweat, the chill air sending shivers down her spine. The nightmare had frightened her, as it naturally would have, but what scared her was that it felt familiar, like a memory, not a dream.



"Gabriel." Gamma's soft voice had broken her out of her thoughts, and she lifted her head wearily to her. Gamma took a deep breath, and seemed to be collecting herself. "It was not a dream..."



Before the words could fully penatrate Gabriels' mind, alarms started sounding in the hospital. With a quick look at Gamma, who ushered her urgently out to go and help, she rushed out of the room and into the halls, breaking into a sprint as soon as she heard the word that there was something going on at the main entrance. A sudden panic filled her, driving her forwards at an exhusting pace, yet she kept running. Within minutes she had arrived and the sight brought a terrifying wail ripping through her throat.



Jess was lying motionless on the once pristine floor, now tainted with her blood.



It felt like her heart had been ripped out, and she stumbled to her knees a good few feet away from the body, her hands landing in the pool of dark red liquid. Horrified, she choked back another scream and pushed herself up, staggering and looking up. There stood three men in dark cloaks, aiming their wands at the other innocent people caught up in the carnage. Bodies littered the floor, most clearly dead, others crying out in pain at their broken bodies, but alive. As she gazed in shock at the intruders, so familiar it was like reliving a dream, something snapped in Gabriel.



A rage swelled up inside her, and she gritted her teeth at the sudden, and unexpected release of magic into the air. The bright light blinded her momentarily, and it felt like she had lost control as she lashed out at the dark men, sending them flying into various walls and desks. One flew into the fountain, and the resounding crack would have made her wince in sympathy if she was fully aware of what she was doing. The red hot anger burned in her and she walked forward to one of the men, using the magic to easily lift him to hover in front of her. With her arm and hand extended she released a torrent of power rushing into his body, feeling the satisfaction of his insides boiling as she snarled at him in a strange tongue. He screamed in agony, convulsing in mid air. The feeling coursing through his body was unimaginable, and he could easily say the Crutacious Curse paled in comparison. That had been his last thought, as his body shook once more before going limp.



Gabriel sqiftly moved to the next one, who scrambled up and tried to make it to the door. Without knowing how she got there before him, he was suddenly faced with an unbelievably pissed off woman. Pissed off, doesn't even describe adequetly the hate, pure fury he saw in this womans eyes. He couldn't move, finding himself frozen to the spot as she appraoched him like a preditor.



"Death Eater!" she whispered maliciously.



"Oh my god!" he cried, tears now freely flowing down his cheeks. "Please! I beg you! Don't hurt me! They told us to do it!!"



She didn't care. Reaching out quicker than his eye could follow, her hand enclosed around his throat and she brought her face close to his. Here, at this distance, he could make out her pale, nearly glowing eyes of silver as they pierced through his soul. "Murderer," she growled, tightening her hold. He choked and grabbed at her fingers, trying to pry them loose, but he knew he was weakening quickly, his power deserting him as if drained, his breath coming in gasps until he finally went still. The sound of a thumo was all that could be heard in the now quiet entrance hall. She turned to look for the third man, and spotted him in the hands of the Aurors that had just arrived, among them, the 'Golden Trio', Minerva, Albus, Moody and Snape.



Seeing them seemed to confuse her, as if she hadn't expected them at all. It had just been her and the dark men. She immediatly felt drained and collapsed to her knees, panting.



"Gabriel?" Albus intoned quietly. She nodded slowly, her eyes closing as she regained her composer. Her whole body shook, and the touch of a gentle hand made her jerk away and look up sharply, suddenly seeing the gentle face of Minerva McGonagall.



"Are you...alright my dear?" She knew it was a pointless question. No, she was not alright, she was very far from alright. She had just seen her motionless sister, and snapped, killing two people in her rage.



She inhaled sharply. Her sister!



"She's alive," came the baritone voice of Severus Snape. He seemed to have known what she was thinking. She turned her head towards him, wondering absently, if at all possible, when he was going to berate her for being late for the meeting with the new recriuts for the Order. It was after all, after a quick glance at the clock to confirm it, three minutes after four. Such a thought to occur, her mind mused, as she let out a small cry of releif, the only one she would, before collecting herself and pushing herslef up to her feet, wobbling unsteadily. She looked at him once more. A raised eyebrow, and a blank look joined his statement of where she had been taken to be treated, and he watched her walk away and in the direction of her injured sister, wondering what had happened to her to make her this way. His face never betrayed his thoughts, but he was beginning to worrry for her. With that he turned abruptly and followed quitely behind, leaving a dumfounded group behind, and a knowing Albus Dumbledore.