Fic: Damned Demented Demons 22/32 (SPN/HP)
Title: Damned Demented Demons 22/32
Author: ME!
Fandoms: Supernatural/Harry Potter
Rating: PG-13 (for swearing)
Warnings: Spoilers for all Harry Potter books, Spoilers up to 4x17 for Supernatural (but takes place around 4x11).
Disclaimer: Sam and Dean belong to Kripke, Harry Potter belongs to Rowling.
A/N: I thought that the Battle of Hogwarts took place in Spring 1997...so that's what I based my timeline on. Since then I've seen that most sources have it in 1998. Ah well. In this story it's 1997. The events of the story take place sometime in early 2009.
A/N to chapter 22: I am so tired, I am about to pass out. Only have four more days to finish writing this story, if I don't want updates to go on hiatus for the month of August.
Summary: In which there is an unexpected visitor!
Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21
"What?!" Harry asked, just as Dean said, "You have got to be kidding me."
Sam didn't bother answering either one of them, he simply continued to stare up at the ceiling.
"Why is it always me?" Harry muttered to no one in particular. Sam started laughing, and could hear Dean's soft chuckle from the bed beside him. He picked up his head and glanced over Dean at Harry, only to find him smiling softly. "You guys could be a little more sympathetic, you know..."
"We really can't," Dean said with a shrug, pulling himself up to sit against the headboard.
"Fair enough," Harry replied returning the shrug and sitting up as well. "So, I'm a seal now? What does that mean? I can't ever die? Because, you know, I once killed a fellow who was trying for immortality, I'd hate to be a hypocrite."
"Ruby didn't know much, but she knew that we had pissed off the demons by protecting you...or, you protecting us," Sam explained, moving to sit at the edge of the bed. "And that the demons need you for something by the end of this week, that after that it'll be too late and they won't be able to try again for another 100 years or something. So yeah, she figured Harry fit the bill for one of the seals."
"Right," Harry said, "and do you mind telling me exactly how I 'fit the bill'?"
"Um," Sam started eloquently, "they need to sacrifice a saviour."
"Oh good God," Harry erupted. "The demons too?! How many times do I have to tell people I'm not Jesus! I'm just a really unlucky guy."
Sam was surprised by how angry Harry was. Harry was standing now, fists clenched. His hair was either a comical mess of bedhead, or maybe it was the starting to do that thing it did when it blew off his forehead and...yeah, yeah, that's what it was doing alright.
"Harry, man, calm down," Dean said softly. Sam actually kind of wanted to see how far it would go some time, but maybe it wasn't the best experiment to run in a cramped motel room. "We know you aren't a saviour, but you're probably the closest thing they have."
The air stilled around Harry once again, and he seemed to slouch in on himself.
"I'm going to have a shower," Harry said, and stocked off to the bathroom.
"Uh, ok," Dean said, then yelled, "leave some hot water for the rest of us!"
Harry's response was to poke his head back out of the bathroom with his shirt already in his hands and make a gesture towards Dean that Sam assumed must be rude in Britain, before he disappeared behind the door again.
"Yeah, definitely not your standard saviour behaviour," Dean said, then returned his focus to Sam. "So, do you know when and where they need him?"
"No," Sam said. "I don't, but I figured we could do some research. It must come up somewhere. Maybe we could call Bobby, or you could ask Castiel."
Sam could see the sun coming up now through the curtains, and realized that they probably weren't going to be getting any more sleep tonight. He regretted staying out so late the night before, but it had taken a while to get what he needed out of Ruby. He started sorting through his duffle, picking out the clothes he would wear once he had his turn in the shower.
"I just don't get it," Dean spoke up from his bed after a long silence, "You'd think Cas would have given us a heads-up about Harry being a seal."
"What?" said Sam, "Like he gave us a warning about the Witnesses, or Samhain? The only reason he was there for Samhain was because him and Uriel wanted to waste the town."
"Yeah, I guess..." Dean said. "Do you think he might not know?"
"Aren't angels supposed to know everything?" Sam asked, "I mean...at least when it comes to something this important."
"I don't know," Dean said shaking his head and looking at the crack of sunlight pouring in through the curtains. "You'd think if Harry was a seal, Cas would stop by and tell us to protect him or he'd throw me back in Hell."
Sam bit his lip, the familiar anger at Castiel's old threat to Dean surging through him. Not for the first time, he wondered if it was possible to kill an angel.
"What if he already knew I was with you, though?" Harry's voice suddenly said from behind Sam. He hadn't even realized that the shower had turned off. Oddly though, Harry was completely dry, but Sam had heard the shower at one point.
"Didn't you shower?" Sam asked.
Harry smiled at Sam. "I did. Do you want to check behind my ears or something?"
Dean laughed, and Sam threw a glare at Harry. Harry and Dean had way more in common than just the eyes, apparently.
"You're completely dry!" Sam said defensively. Harry reached into the pocket of his pajama pants and pulled out his wand.
"Magic, remember?" Harry said with a smirk.
"So, you think the angels know that you're with us?" Sam asked, hoping to divert attention away from himself.
"Yeah, I do," Harry said, smile fading a little while he walked to his cot and started rummaging through his bottomless bag.
"What makes you so sure?" Dean asked.
Harry gave a non-commital shrug, still pulling books and clothes out of his bag and didn't turn around as he spoke.
"Well, he pulled you out of Hell, right?" Harry said. "I figure he has an invested interest in knowing what you are up to at any given time."
Sam glanced at Dean, who didn't seem to pleased with what Harry was implying. Given their last run in with angels, Sam wasn't surprised.
*
When Sam was taking his turn in the shower, Harry started taking an inventory of his books. He was going to need more. He'd have to send Phil on some more library runs, but that would inevitably cause questions. He had been vague with his team so far. Most of them accepted the story of the Winchesters as enlightened Muggle friends, in need of a little extra protection. No one had seemed to doubt Harry's story, even know Harry knew how full of holes it was. As for Harry's increased absence from working with the team - well, they attributed that to his tendency to work alone anyway.
He glanced over at Dean, wondering if he should have said that he saw Castiel himself. But that would also lead to more questions - like why Castiel had appeared to him in the first place. 'Well, you see, there's this horrible prophecy, but you and Sam are the only ones that can listen to it.' Harry imagined himself saying, 'so we don't know how horrible it is really, but seeing as how the Seer went and offed himself quite dramatically...well, it's probably not a prophecy about a picnic in a park'
And what did it mean anyway...The End. Maybe being the alpha and omega of the End meant that Sam and Dean would succeed in stopping the apocalypse...nevermind the ominious warning of them being torn apart by heaven and hell...nevermind that Sam was involved somehow with a demon already and Dean had the handprint of an angel burned into the skin on his shoulder.
After Sam came back out of the shower, Dean headed in. Already cursing them out for taking up all the hot water, before he even turned on the taps to check. Sam shook his wet hair like a dog in response.
Harry picked up his wand and waved it vaguely in Sam's direction. The look on Sam's face as his hair suddenly dried was priceless. Especially since apparently Sam's hair was a lot fluffier if you dried it instantly instead of letting it dry on it's own.
"Dude!" Sam said, "there's a reason I don't use hairdryers!"
Harry had just laughed, and so did Dean when he came out of the bathroom. Sam quickly darted back in to wet down his hair again.
"He's a little vain, isn't he?" Harry said. Dean laughed again, but it was more at Sam's shout of 'oh fuck you!' then at Harry's remark.
By the time they were all set and ready to go find a diner for breakfast, Harry was actually feeling pretty good, considering there were demons trying to kidnap him so that he could help bring about the apocalypse. Maybe they really could figure this thing out. Maybe he could be home by the end of the week like Ginny hoped he would be...like he had tried to convince her last night he would.
Harry swung the motel door open, knowing that all he had to do was live through this week, then he could go home as if nothing had happened. As if there wasn't a looming apocalypse...he could go home and enjoy the time he had with his family - however long that happened to be. No one at home would have to know, he could keep it quiet and let them live worry free.
The smile on Harry's face fell and was replaced with utter disbelief as soon as he stepped out the door.
There, leaning against the hood of the Impala with a slightly stormy expression on his face, was Ron Weasley.
"So it's true then," the Ron said, focusing in on Harry.
"Uh, Hi?" Harry said, "Ron, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Funny story that..." Ron replied, still giving Harry a slightly angry look. "I was at the shop yesterday, and you'll never guess who just walked through the door like he had every right in the world to be there..."
Harry could tell that Dean and Sam were both confused and on edge, and he didn't really like the 'on edge' part. Ron didn't know that they were Hunters...unless, well Ginny may have told him. He needed to figure out why Ron was angry with him, what that has to do with the shop, and how to make sure Ron knew who Dean and Sam were without causing a scene like Draco did.
"Malfoy," Ron answered without prompting. Harry's swirling thoughts come to abrupt halt.
"He didn't." Harry said in disbelief.
"Yeah, well, that was my general reaction as well," Ron answered. "I just stared at him. Well, him and this huge bruise he had on his face."
Harry could see Dean grimace in guilt out of the corner of his eye. Malfoy could have easily healed that bruise, why had he just left it there?
"So, he comes up to the counter...He's practically the only one in the store. George was in the back," Ron continued. "And so, I remember what you told me - don't deliberately antagonize him. Try to be polite...so I said, 'Malfoy' all very polite...and then I pointed to his face and asked him if people were still giving him a rough time about that whole Death Eater thing."
"Ron..." Harry said exasperated, "That's not polite."
"What do you mean?" Ron said with a smirk, "I could have said 'Get out of my store you git, I hope they hit you harder next time!'"
Harry could feel Dean shift beside him. It wasn't a good shift. Ron seemed to catch it, and his smirk faltered into momentary confusion, before he cleared his throat and continued.
"Anyway," Ron said. "This is where it gets interesting. Malfoy says, 'Actually Weasley, I got this lovely souvenir from a trip to America that I took the other night'"
Ron did his best impersonation of Malfoy, drawl and all. Given the numerous years that Ron had to practice the impersonation, it was actually spot on.
"So," Ron continued, "I figure he's connected with the Dementors somehow, because that's all the press out of America is talking about, and why else would he be in the shop bragging to me about it. So, I ask him what the bloody hell he was doing in America and that I hope you gave him the bruise, because he's a git."
"No, it was me," Dean suddenly spoke up from beside Harry, "so I'd best watch yourself."
Harry could see Ron's eyes linger on Dean a moment, then dart towards Sam. He visibly swallowed, and Harry had to admit, he was quite impressed at how well Ron was doing at not crumbling in front of the wall of intimidation that the Winchesters seemed to exude.
"Yeah, well, that's what he said," Ron replied. "He said that he had been 'asked by a mutual friend to lend a hand with a little hunting problem' - his words exactly. Now, I sure as hell do not have any mutual friend with Malfoy, Harry. So, yeah, I could put together what he was saying just fine."
"I told him not to tell anyone," Harry found himself saying, the familiar feeling of being furious at Malfoy rising up within him. "What the hell was he doing telling you that!?
"Well, that's what I asked him," Ron said, "or rather George did, because by then he had come up from the back of the shop, and you know how he is with former Death Eaters."
Harry sucked in a breath, and found himself dreading the next part of the story.
"Malfoy apologized - apologized - to George for coming into the shop," Ron said, as though that was the most scandalous part of the story, but Harry recognized the fact that it was just something that had surprised him. Ron then stared meaningfully at Harry and continued, "Then Malfoy says that sometimes people just get in over their heads. Then he lays this necklace on the counter and tells me that if I ever find myself in America, I might like to wear it."
At this, Ron reached underneath the collar of his shirt and pulled out the familiar amulet - the one they had forgotten to get back from Malfoy before he left.
"I took it home to Hermione, after I made sure it wasn't cursed," Ron said. "She looked it up. Turns out it wards off demonic possession."
"Yeah," Harry said, and reached under his own shirt, freeing the similar amulet that he still wore around his neck. "I have one too."
Ron was still glaring at Harry in anger and Harry was still furious and baffled at Malfoy's behaviour, but Dean and Sam seemed to relax a little when they saw the amulet around Ron's neck.
"Ron-" Harry said, still wanting to know why Ron was here, but Ron just cut him off.
"So," Ron continued, "I'm thinking. Ok, Harry's run into some problem with demons. Fine. Whatever. He can handle himself. Except what confuses me is the fact that when you do put in a call for help, you apparently choose to call Malfoy, instead of your best mate!"
"Wait..." Harry said slowly, suddenly realizing why Ron was so angry. "You're jealous because I called Malfoy instead of you?"
"I'm not jealous!" Ron declared angrily, "I'm angry because whatever you're involved with is obviously more than you are letting on, and for some reason Malfoy knows all about it while your family is completely in the dark! Since when do you confide in Malfoy, Harry?! What the hell are you up to? Why didn't you ask me and Hermione to help?"
"Ron, it's nothing," Harry tried placatingly, "Malfoy's making a big deal about nothing. I just asked him because I needed the help of an Unspeakable. The moment I need the help of an Auror-slash-jokeshop-assistant, or a lawyer, I'll call you and Hermione."
By the way Ron's face was slowly turning red, Harry was beginning to think that last comment hadn't gone over as well as he had hoped.
"It's not nothing Harry!" Ron said harshly. "I talked to Ginny. She said you called at some ungodly hour just to ask how everyone was doing."
Harry inwardly cursed himself, but tried not to show anything on his face.
"I was um...homesick," Harry tried. Ron just continued to glare at him. "I missed you?"
Ron rolled his eyes.
"Well now we know why you 'must not tell lies'," Dean said from beside him, "apparently you suck at them."
"Dean, you aren't helping," Harry sighed.
"And that's another thing," Ron said voice rising. "After I mentioned what Malfoy said to Ginny, she says that you told her days ago that you were with two Hunters. Did you not think that maybe that was something you should have included in your report home! I swear to God, Harry, after what Malfoy said I thought you were being Hunted."
"Well, Malfoy wasn't supposed to say anything and Ginny-" Harry started to yell back.
"HEY!" Sam bellowed and Harry and Ron both fell silent immediately. "Maybe we could move this conversation inside and use our quiet voices. You're going to attract attention."
"Oh, right..." Harry said, then ran a hand through his hair, "um, listen Ron, join us for breakfast. I'll explain everything."
"Fine, but only if there's sausages," Ron answered angrily.
*
Sam sat across from Ron at the edge of the bench in the diner, with Dean and Harry taking the window seats. It was the only way neither wizards or Hunters would feel boxed in.
Sam wasn't quite sure what to make of Harry's friend. He had recognized him from the memories he had seen, and he knew his name from the books he had read. He knew Ron Weasley had spent the war fighting alongside Harry and their other friend Hermione, whom he had subsequently married. Ron was taller than Harry - well, in fairness, everyone seemed to be taller than Harry - but Ron was nearly as tall as Dean. That red hair was something else too. Sam figured it must be a wizard thing, because he had never seen hair quite as red as Ron's.
He didn't know anything about Ron's personality though. In truth, right now he was kind of reminding Sam of Dean - all righteous anger at Harry for not telling him that Harry might be in danger. He was also reminding Sam of Dean because he was drooling over the menu as though he hadn't eaten in three days.
"Alright, then," Harry said, once they had placed their order. He took out his wand and cast the muffling spell that prickled the hair on the back of Sam's neck.
"Ron," Harry said, "I'd like you to meet Sam and Dean Winchester. Dean, Sam, this is Ron Weasley - my best mate and brother-in-law."
"Nice to meet you," Sam said.
"Are you a...do you do what Harry does?" Dean asked, then added, "Catch bad wizards?"
"Yeah," Harry answered on Ron's behalf, "he's actually my second in command back home."
"I thought you said you worked in a shop," Sam interjected, a little confused. Ron smiled brightly.
"I do," Ron said enthusiastically. "I co-own a joke shop with my brother, George. I only work there a day or two a week though." Ron then slung his arm over Harry's shoulder, "It helps that my boss is a co-owner of the joke-shop as well. Oh, and my best mate, of course."
"Get off!" Harry said shrugging Ron's arm off his shoulders, but it was said with a smile. Ron removed his arm obediently and laughed, then seemed to catch himself and looked sternly at Harry again.
"Speaking of best-mates, do you mind telling me what the hell is going on over here?" Ron asked. "Your reports have been so boring, I've been wondering why you don't just come home. Then I find out that you're hanging around with Hunters! You didn't think that maybe that would have been important to mention in your report. You know what the protocol on Hunters is. You report them and then you stay the hell away from them!...er, no offence, guys."
Sam and Dean both shrugged.
"Philsbeenwritingmyreports," Harry muttered quickly.
Before Sam could ask Harry to repeat himself, Ron spoke up.
"Please do not tell me..." Ron said exasperated.
"I've been busy," Harry defended himself.
"Busy with Malfoy?" Ron asked, "Because that's what I want to hear about...nevermind the Hunters, why the hell did you need an Unspeakable, and, for Merlin's sake, why choose Malfoy?"
"I needed to break into the American Department of Mysteries," Harry said, "and Malfoy owed me one."
"Malfoy owes the world one for being born in the first place!" Ron added dismissively.
"Watch it..." Dean said lowly, but Sam wasn't sure Ron heard him over Harry's enthusiastic reply,
"Exactly! So I knew I could count on him to keep his mouth shut about it!"
Ron scrubbed a hand through his hair, as the waitress came with a large tray balancing all their meals. They all waited until she was gone before speaking.
"Ok, so far, you are secretly working with Hunters, breaking into secret Government departments, consorting with former Death-Eaters, and worrying your family..." Ron stated, "I think you should start at the beginning, or I'm seriously going to have to start believing those rumours that you're barking mad."
At that, Ron shoved an entire breakfast sausage in his mouth and chewed enthusiastically while making the 'come on, talk' hand gesture in Harry's direction.
Harry took a deep breath, and indeed, started at the beginning. It was the abridged version, of course. Meeting the Winchesters when the Dementors attacked them - Ron gave Sam and Dean a sympathetic grimace at that fact. Harry finding out they were Hunters, but not wanting to leave them unprotected...so he researched and developed the permanent Patronus charm, then had to break into the Department of Mysteries in order to perform the spell - at that point Sam and Dean had to show Ron the silvery-blue animals on their ring and bracelet.
"Oh 'Mione's going to want to see your notes on that!" Ron said around a mouthful of french fries. Ron ate like...well, Dean. It was slightly disgusting.
Sam found himself looking between Ron and Dean and contemplating the way they both seemed to devour their food as if they hadn't eaten in days. He looked over at Harry to find Harry smiling at him as if he knew exactly what Sam was thinking.
"So," Ron said once he had swallowed, "you gave the Winchesters their protection. Why not report their location like you were supposed to and leave?"
"Well," Harry said, pushing the eggs around on his plate a little, "they're kind of helping me out now, because...well, it turns out the Dementors are probably here because of demons, and who better to help with demons than Hunters!"
Sam watched as Ron's fair skin paled further.
"So there really are demons involved?" Ron said with a slight squeak.
"Yeah," Harry said, "turns out, umm...well, it turns out that there's...well, there's a possibility..."
Harry was floundering, and Sam wasn't sure how to rescue him. Did they want to have another 'Sorry to tell you this, but it might be the Apocalypse' conversation? How the hell were they supposed to avoid it?
"The demons are after Harry," Dean cut in abruptly. "Sam and I are protecting him."
Ron turned his wide-eyes towards Dean, while Harry winced.
"Thanks Dean," Harry said sarcastically.
"You're a terrible liar, Harry," Dean responded. "I figured the truth would save us all a lot of trouble."
"What?" Ron said, "How? Why? Demons?!"
"It's alright," Sam tried to placate Ron. "We've got it covered. It'll all be over by the end of the week."
"But why are there demons after Harry?" Ron asked insistantly.
Dean sighed, and looked at Sam imploringly.
"Uh, right," Sam sighed, "Harry's sort of...well, he's a seal"
Ron looked at Harry in confusion.
"Looks like a human to me," he said slowly. Dean huffed a laugh.
"Seals are like locks on a door," Sam launched into the familiar speech, "If the demons break enough of them, then ...well, then it's the apocalypse."
"Merlin!" Ron said.
"Uh, ok," Sam said, not really understanding what King Arthur's legend had to do with anything. "In anycase, Harry's a seal, so we have to prevent them from ...well, breaking him."
"And then the apocalypse won't happen?" Ron said.
"Uh, well, yeah, sure..." Sam said, because hell, what did it matter what Ron believed. He caught Harry frowning at him, and he could feel Dean deliberately pretending as if he hadn't just heard that part of the conversation, but Sam really didn't care. They would prevent the apocalypse. They had to.
"What did you tell them back home?" Harry asked suddenly, perhaps purposefully changing the subject, "I mean, they must know you're here? You didn't tell them about anything Malfoy said did you?"
"I just rearranged my off-days," Ron answered. "I said it was dull without you around, and that I'd pop over to America to say hello and then maybe take in some sights."
"Ok," Harry said, "whatever you do, do not tell anyone, not even members of my team here, that Sam and Dean are Hunters. Actually, don't even tell them their names! Call them Sal and Dirk Windermere, and tell them that they are Muggles we met during the war."
"You really are a terrible liar," Ron said with a laugh, "It's a good thing you're well-respected."
"Thanks," Harry deadpanned, then grinned mischeivously, "well, since you're here now. You can help us with research!"
Ron groaned. "No thanks, I'll leave that to Hermione."
Sam looked up in concern as Harry stilled and turned a wide-eyed stare at Ron.
"She isn't..." Harry said. Ron beamed at him.
"She'll be here in a couple of hours."
Chapter 23
Masterpost
Author: ME!
Fandoms: Supernatural/Harry Potter
Rating: PG-13 (for swearing)
Warnings: Spoilers for all Harry Potter books, Spoilers up to 4x17 for Supernatural (but takes place around 4x11).
Disclaimer: Sam and Dean belong to Kripke, Harry Potter belongs to Rowling.
A/N: I thought that the Battle of Hogwarts took place in Spring 1997...so that's what I based my timeline on. Since then I've seen that most sources have it in 1998. Ah well. In this story it's 1997. The events of the story take place sometime in early 2009.
A/N to chapter 22: I am so tired, I am about to pass out. Only have four more days to finish writing this story, if I don't want updates to go on hiatus for the month of August.
Summary: In which there is an unexpected visitor!
Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21
"What?!" Harry asked, just as Dean said, "You have got to be kidding me."
Sam didn't bother answering either one of them, he simply continued to stare up at the ceiling.
"Why is it always me?" Harry muttered to no one in particular. Sam started laughing, and could hear Dean's soft chuckle from the bed beside him. He picked up his head and glanced over Dean at Harry, only to find him smiling softly. "You guys could be a little more sympathetic, you know..."
"We really can't," Dean said with a shrug, pulling himself up to sit against the headboard.
"Fair enough," Harry replied returning the shrug and sitting up as well. "So, I'm a seal now? What does that mean? I can't ever die? Because, you know, I once killed a fellow who was trying for immortality, I'd hate to be a hypocrite."
"Ruby didn't know much, but she knew that we had pissed off the demons by protecting you...or, you protecting us," Sam explained, moving to sit at the edge of the bed. "And that the demons need you for something by the end of this week, that after that it'll be too late and they won't be able to try again for another 100 years or something. So yeah, she figured Harry fit the bill for one of the seals."
"Right," Harry said, "and do you mind telling me exactly how I 'fit the bill'?"
"Um," Sam started eloquently, "they need to sacrifice a saviour."
"Oh good God," Harry erupted. "The demons too?! How many times do I have to tell people I'm not Jesus! I'm just a really unlucky guy."
Sam was surprised by how angry Harry was. Harry was standing now, fists clenched. His hair was either a comical mess of bedhead, or maybe it was the starting to do that thing it did when it blew off his forehead and...yeah, yeah, that's what it was doing alright.
"Harry, man, calm down," Dean said softly. Sam actually kind of wanted to see how far it would go some time, but maybe it wasn't the best experiment to run in a cramped motel room. "We know you aren't a saviour, but you're probably the closest thing they have."
The air stilled around Harry once again, and he seemed to slouch in on himself.
"I'm going to have a shower," Harry said, and stocked off to the bathroom.
"Uh, ok," Dean said, then yelled, "leave some hot water for the rest of us!"
Harry's response was to poke his head back out of the bathroom with his shirt already in his hands and make a gesture towards Dean that Sam assumed must be rude in Britain, before he disappeared behind the door again.
"Yeah, definitely not your standard saviour behaviour," Dean said, then returned his focus to Sam. "So, do you know when and where they need him?"
"No," Sam said. "I don't, but I figured we could do some research. It must come up somewhere. Maybe we could call Bobby, or you could ask Castiel."
Sam could see the sun coming up now through the curtains, and realized that they probably weren't going to be getting any more sleep tonight. He regretted staying out so late the night before, but it had taken a while to get what he needed out of Ruby. He started sorting through his duffle, picking out the clothes he would wear once he had his turn in the shower.
"I just don't get it," Dean spoke up from his bed after a long silence, "You'd think Cas would have given us a heads-up about Harry being a seal."
"What?" said Sam, "Like he gave us a warning about the Witnesses, or Samhain? The only reason he was there for Samhain was because him and Uriel wanted to waste the town."
"Yeah, I guess..." Dean said. "Do you think he might not know?"
"Aren't angels supposed to know everything?" Sam asked, "I mean...at least when it comes to something this important."
"I don't know," Dean said shaking his head and looking at the crack of sunlight pouring in through the curtains. "You'd think if Harry was a seal, Cas would stop by and tell us to protect him or he'd throw me back in Hell."
Sam bit his lip, the familiar anger at Castiel's old threat to Dean surging through him. Not for the first time, he wondered if it was possible to kill an angel.
"What if he already knew I was with you, though?" Harry's voice suddenly said from behind Sam. He hadn't even realized that the shower had turned off. Oddly though, Harry was completely dry, but Sam had heard the shower at one point.
"Didn't you shower?" Sam asked.
Harry smiled at Sam. "I did. Do you want to check behind my ears or something?"
Dean laughed, and Sam threw a glare at Harry. Harry and Dean had way more in common than just the eyes, apparently.
"You're completely dry!" Sam said defensively. Harry reached into the pocket of his pajama pants and pulled out his wand.
"Magic, remember?" Harry said with a smirk.
"So, you think the angels know that you're with us?" Sam asked, hoping to divert attention away from himself.
"Yeah, I do," Harry said, smile fading a little while he walked to his cot and started rummaging through his bottomless bag.
"What makes you so sure?" Dean asked.
Harry gave a non-commital shrug, still pulling books and clothes out of his bag and didn't turn around as he spoke.
"Well, he pulled you out of Hell, right?" Harry said. "I figure he has an invested interest in knowing what you are up to at any given time."
Sam glanced at Dean, who didn't seem to pleased with what Harry was implying. Given their last run in with angels, Sam wasn't surprised.
*
When Sam was taking his turn in the shower, Harry started taking an inventory of his books. He was going to need more. He'd have to send Phil on some more library runs, but that would inevitably cause questions. He had been vague with his team so far. Most of them accepted the story of the Winchesters as enlightened Muggle friends, in need of a little extra protection. No one had seemed to doubt Harry's story, even know Harry knew how full of holes it was. As for Harry's increased absence from working with the team - well, they attributed that to his tendency to work alone anyway.
He glanced over at Dean, wondering if he should have said that he saw Castiel himself. But that would also lead to more questions - like why Castiel had appeared to him in the first place. 'Well, you see, there's this horrible prophecy, but you and Sam are the only ones that can listen to it.' Harry imagined himself saying, 'so we don't know how horrible it is really, but seeing as how the Seer went and offed himself quite dramatically...well, it's probably not a prophecy about a picnic in a park'
And what did it mean anyway...The End. Maybe being the alpha and omega of the End meant that Sam and Dean would succeed in stopping the apocalypse...nevermind the ominious warning of them being torn apart by heaven and hell...nevermind that Sam was involved somehow with a demon already and Dean had the handprint of an angel burned into the skin on his shoulder.
After Sam came back out of the shower, Dean headed in. Already cursing them out for taking up all the hot water, before he even turned on the taps to check. Sam shook his wet hair like a dog in response.
Harry picked up his wand and waved it vaguely in Sam's direction. The look on Sam's face as his hair suddenly dried was priceless. Especially since apparently Sam's hair was a lot fluffier if you dried it instantly instead of letting it dry on it's own.
"Dude!" Sam said, "there's a reason I don't use hairdryers!"
Harry had just laughed, and so did Dean when he came out of the bathroom. Sam quickly darted back in to wet down his hair again.
"He's a little vain, isn't he?" Harry said. Dean laughed again, but it was more at Sam's shout of 'oh fuck you!' then at Harry's remark.
By the time they were all set and ready to go find a diner for breakfast, Harry was actually feeling pretty good, considering there were demons trying to kidnap him so that he could help bring about the apocalypse. Maybe they really could figure this thing out. Maybe he could be home by the end of the week like Ginny hoped he would be...like he had tried to convince her last night he would.
Harry swung the motel door open, knowing that all he had to do was live through this week, then he could go home as if nothing had happened. As if there wasn't a looming apocalypse...he could go home and enjoy the time he had with his family - however long that happened to be. No one at home would have to know, he could keep it quiet and let them live worry free.
The smile on Harry's face fell and was replaced with utter disbelief as soon as he stepped out the door.
There, leaning against the hood of the Impala with a slightly stormy expression on his face, was Ron Weasley.
"So it's true then," the Ron said, focusing in on Harry.
"Uh, Hi?" Harry said, "Ron, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Funny story that..." Ron replied, still giving Harry a slightly angry look. "I was at the shop yesterday, and you'll never guess who just walked through the door like he had every right in the world to be there..."
Harry could tell that Dean and Sam were both confused and on edge, and he didn't really like the 'on edge' part. Ron didn't know that they were Hunters...unless, well Ginny may have told him. He needed to figure out why Ron was angry with him, what that has to do with the shop, and how to make sure Ron knew who Dean and Sam were without causing a scene like Draco did.
"Malfoy," Ron answered without prompting. Harry's swirling thoughts come to abrupt halt.
"He didn't." Harry said in disbelief.
"Yeah, well, that was my general reaction as well," Ron answered. "I just stared at him. Well, him and this huge bruise he had on his face."
Harry could see Dean grimace in guilt out of the corner of his eye. Malfoy could have easily healed that bruise, why had he just left it there?
"So, he comes up to the counter...He's practically the only one in the store. George was in the back," Ron continued. "And so, I remember what you told me - don't deliberately antagonize him. Try to be polite...so I said, 'Malfoy' all very polite...and then I pointed to his face and asked him if people were still giving him a rough time about that whole Death Eater thing."
"Ron..." Harry said exasperated, "That's not polite."
"What do you mean?" Ron said with a smirk, "I could have said 'Get out of my store you git, I hope they hit you harder next time!'"
Harry could feel Dean shift beside him. It wasn't a good shift. Ron seemed to catch it, and his smirk faltered into momentary confusion, before he cleared his throat and continued.
"Anyway," Ron said. "This is where it gets interesting. Malfoy says, 'Actually Weasley, I got this lovely souvenir from a trip to America that I took the other night'"
Ron did his best impersonation of Malfoy, drawl and all. Given the numerous years that Ron had to practice the impersonation, it was actually spot on.
"So," Ron continued, "I figure he's connected with the Dementors somehow, because that's all the press out of America is talking about, and why else would he be in the shop bragging to me about it. So, I ask him what the bloody hell he was doing in America and that I hope you gave him the bruise, because he's a git."
"No, it was me," Dean suddenly spoke up from beside Harry, "so I'd best watch yourself."
Harry could see Ron's eyes linger on Dean a moment, then dart towards Sam. He visibly swallowed, and Harry had to admit, he was quite impressed at how well Ron was doing at not crumbling in front of the wall of intimidation that the Winchesters seemed to exude.
"Yeah, well, that's what he said," Ron replied. "He said that he had been 'asked by a mutual friend to lend a hand with a little hunting problem' - his words exactly. Now, I sure as hell do not have any mutual friend with Malfoy, Harry. So, yeah, I could put together what he was saying just fine."
"I told him not to tell anyone," Harry found himself saying, the familiar feeling of being furious at Malfoy rising up within him. "What the hell was he doing telling you that!?
"Well, that's what I asked him," Ron said, "or rather George did, because by then he had come up from the back of the shop, and you know how he is with former Death Eaters."
Harry sucked in a breath, and found himself dreading the next part of the story.
"Malfoy apologized - apologized - to George for coming into the shop," Ron said, as though that was the most scandalous part of the story, but Harry recognized the fact that it was just something that had surprised him. Ron then stared meaningfully at Harry and continued, "Then Malfoy says that sometimes people just get in over their heads. Then he lays this necklace on the counter and tells me that if I ever find myself in America, I might like to wear it."
At this, Ron reached underneath the collar of his shirt and pulled out the familiar amulet - the one they had forgotten to get back from Malfoy before he left.
"I took it home to Hermione, after I made sure it wasn't cursed," Ron said. "She looked it up. Turns out it wards off demonic possession."
"Yeah," Harry said, and reached under his own shirt, freeing the similar amulet that he still wore around his neck. "I have one too."
Ron was still glaring at Harry in anger and Harry was still furious and baffled at Malfoy's behaviour, but Dean and Sam seemed to relax a little when they saw the amulet around Ron's neck.
"Ron-" Harry said, still wanting to know why Ron was here, but Ron just cut him off.
"So," Ron continued, "I'm thinking. Ok, Harry's run into some problem with demons. Fine. Whatever. He can handle himself. Except what confuses me is the fact that when you do put in a call for help, you apparently choose to call Malfoy, instead of your best mate!"
"Wait..." Harry said slowly, suddenly realizing why Ron was so angry. "You're jealous because I called Malfoy instead of you?"
"I'm not jealous!" Ron declared angrily, "I'm angry because whatever you're involved with is obviously more than you are letting on, and for some reason Malfoy knows all about it while your family is completely in the dark! Since when do you confide in Malfoy, Harry?! What the hell are you up to? Why didn't you ask me and Hermione to help?"
"Ron, it's nothing," Harry tried placatingly, "Malfoy's making a big deal about nothing. I just asked him because I needed the help of an Unspeakable. The moment I need the help of an Auror-slash-jokeshop-assistant, or a lawyer, I'll call you and Hermione."
By the way Ron's face was slowly turning red, Harry was beginning to think that last comment hadn't gone over as well as he had hoped.
"It's not nothing Harry!" Ron said harshly. "I talked to Ginny. She said you called at some ungodly hour just to ask how everyone was doing."
Harry inwardly cursed himself, but tried not to show anything on his face.
"I was um...homesick," Harry tried. Ron just continued to glare at him. "I missed you?"
Ron rolled his eyes.
"Well now we know why you 'must not tell lies'," Dean said from beside him, "apparently you suck at them."
"Dean, you aren't helping," Harry sighed.
"And that's another thing," Ron said voice rising. "After I mentioned what Malfoy said to Ginny, she says that you told her days ago that you were with two Hunters. Did you not think that maybe that was something you should have included in your report home! I swear to God, Harry, after what Malfoy said I thought you were being Hunted."
"Well, Malfoy wasn't supposed to say anything and Ginny-" Harry started to yell back.
"HEY!" Sam bellowed and Harry and Ron both fell silent immediately. "Maybe we could move this conversation inside and use our quiet voices. You're going to attract attention."
"Oh, right..." Harry said, then ran a hand through his hair, "um, listen Ron, join us for breakfast. I'll explain everything."
"Fine, but only if there's sausages," Ron answered angrily.
*
Sam sat across from Ron at the edge of the bench in the diner, with Dean and Harry taking the window seats. It was the only way neither wizards or Hunters would feel boxed in.
Sam wasn't quite sure what to make of Harry's friend. He had recognized him from the memories he had seen, and he knew his name from the books he had read. He knew Ron Weasley had spent the war fighting alongside Harry and their other friend Hermione, whom he had subsequently married. Ron was taller than Harry - well, in fairness, everyone seemed to be taller than Harry - but Ron was nearly as tall as Dean. That red hair was something else too. Sam figured it must be a wizard thing, because he had never seen hair quite as red as Ron's.
He didn't know anything about Ron's personality though. In truth, right now he was kind of reminding Sam of Dean - all righteous anger at Harry for not telling him that Harry might be in danger. He was also reminding Sam of Dean because he was drooling over the menu as though he hadn't eaten in three days.
"Alright, then," Harry said, once they had placed their order. He took out his wand and cast the muffling spell that prickled the hair on the back of Sam's neck.
"Ron," Harry said, "I'd like you to meet Sam and Dean Winchester. Dean, Sam, this is Ron Weasley - my best mate and brother-in-law."
"Nice to meet you," Sam said.
"Are you a...do you do what Harry does?" Dean asked, then added, "Catch bad wizards?"
"Yeah," Harry answered on Ron's behalf, "he's actually my second in command back home."
"I thought you said you worked in a shop," Sam interjected, a little confused. Ron smiled brightly.
"I do," Ron said enthusiastically. "I co-own a joke shop with my brother, George. I only work there a day or two a week though." Ron then slung his arm over Harry's shoulder, "It helps that my boss is a co-owner of the joke-shop as well. Oh, and my best mate, of course."
"Get off!" Harry said shrugging Ron's arm off his shoulders, but it was said with a smile. Ron removed his arm obediently and laughed, then seemed to catch himself and looked sternly at Harry again.
"Speaking of best-mates, do you mind telling me what the hell is going on over here?" Ron asked. "Your reports have been so boring, I've been wondering why you don't just come home. Then I find out that you're hanging around with Hunters! You didn't think that maybe that would have been important to mention in your report. You know what the protocol on Hunters is. You report them and then you stay the hell away from them!...er, no offence, guys."
Sam and Dean both shrugged.
"Philsbeenwritingmyreports," Harry muttered quickly.
Before Sam could ask Harry to repeat himself, Ron spoke up.
"Please do not tell me..." Ron said exasperated.
"I've been busy," Harry defended himself.
"Busy with Malfoy?" Ron asked, "Because that's what I want to hear about...nevermind the Hunters, why the hell did you need an Unspeakable, and, for Merlin's sake, why choose Malfoy?"
"I needed to break into the American Department of Mysteries," Harry said, "and Malfoy owed me one."
"Malfoy owes the world one for being born in the first place!" Ron added dismissively.
"Watch it..." Dean said lowly, but Sam wasn't sure Ron heard him over Harry's enthusiastic reply,
"Exactly! So I knew I could count on him to keep his mouth shut about it!"
Ron scrubbed a hand through his hair, as the waitress came with a large tray balancing all their meals. They all waited until she was gone before speaking.
"Ok, so far, you are secretly working with Hunters, breaking into secret Government departments, consorting with former Death-Eaters, and worrying your family..." Ron stated, "I think you should start at the beginning, or I'm seriously going to have to start believing those rumours that you're barking mad."
At that, Ron shoved an entire breakfast sausage in his mouth and chewed enthusiastically while making the 'come on, talk' hand gesture in Harry's direction.
Harry took a deep breath, and indeed, started at the beginning. It was the abridged version, of course. Meeting the Winchesters when the Dementors attacked them - Ron gave Sam and Dean a sympathetic grimace at that fact. Harry finding out they were Hunters, but not wanting to leave them unprotected...so he researched and developed the permanent Patronus charm, then had to break into the Department of Mysteries in order to perform the spell - at that point Sam and Dean had to show Ron the silvery-blue animals on their ring and bracelet.
"Oh 'Mione's going to want to see your notes on that!" Ron said around a mouthful of french fries. Ron ate like...well, Dean. It was slightly disgusting.
Sam found himself looking between Ron and Dean and contemplating the way they both seemed to devour their food as if they hadn't eaten in days. He looked over at Harry to find Harry smiling at him as if he knew exactly what Sam was thinking.
"So," Ron said once he had swallowed, "you gave the Winchesters their protection. Why not report their location like you were supposed to and leave?"
"Well," Harry said, pushing the eggs around on his plate a little, "they're kind of helping me out now, because...well, it turns out the Dementors are probably here because of demons, and who better to help with demons than Hunters!"
Sam watched as Ron's fair skin paled further.
"So there really are demons involved?" Ron said with a slight squeak.
"Yeah," Harry said, "turns out, umm...well, it turns out that there's...well, there's a possibility..."
Harry was floundering, and Sam wasn't sure how to rescue him. Did they want to have another 'Sorry to tell you this, but it might be the Apocalypse' conversation? How the hell were they supposed to avoid it?
"The demons are after Harry," Dean cut in abruptly. "Sam and I are protecting him."
Ron turned his wide-eyes towards Dean, while Harry winced.
"Thanks Dean," Harry said sarcastically.
"You're a terrible liar, Harry," Dean responded. "I figured the truth would save us all a lot of trouble."
"What?" Ron said, "How? Why? Demons?!"
"It's alright," Sam tried to placate Ron. "We've got it covered. It'll all be over by the end of the week."
"But why are there demons after Harry?" Ron asked insistantly.
Dean sighed, and looked at Sam imploringly.
"Uh, right," Sam sighed, "Harry's sort of...well, he's a seal"
Ron looked at Harry in confusion.
"Looks like a human to me," he said slowly. Dean huffed a laugh.
"Seals are like locks on a door," Sam launched into the familiar speech, "If the demons break enough of them, then ...well, then it's the apocalypse."
"Merlin!" Ron said.
"Uh, ok," Sam said, not really understanding what King Arthur's legend had to do with anything. "In anycase, Harry's a seal, so we have to prevent them from ...well, breaking him."
"And then the apocalypse won't happen?" Ron said.
"Uh, well, yeah, sure..." Sam said, because hell, what did it matter what Ron believed. He caught Harry frowning at him, and he could feel Dean deliberately pretending as if he hadn't just heard that part of the conversation, but Sam really didn't care. They would prevent the apocalypse. They had to.
"What did you tell them back home?" Harry asked suddenly, perhaps purposefully changing the subject, "I mean, they must know you're here? You didn't tell them about anything Malfoy said did you?"
"I just rearranged my off-days," Ron answered. "I said it was dull without you around, and that I'd pop over to America to say hello and then maybe take in some sights."
"Ok," Harry said, "whatever you do, do not tell anyone, not even members of my team here, that Sam and Dean are Hunters. Actually, don't even tell them their names! Call them Sal and Dirk Windermere, and tell them that they are Muggles we met during the war."
"You really are a terrible liar," Ron said with a laugh, "It's a good thing you're well-respected."
"Thanks," Harry deadpanned, then grinned mischeivously, "well, since you're here now. You can help us with research!"
Ron groaned. "No thanks, I'll leave that to Hermione."
Sam looked up in concern as Harry stilled and turned a wide-eyed stare at Ron.
"She isn't..." Harry said. Ron beamed at him.
"She'll be here in a couple of hours."
Chapter 23
Masterpost