Fic: Damned Demented Demons 25/32 (SPN/HP)
Title: Damned Demented Demons 25/32
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 chap 25: My travels are over for the next little bit! Sadly, my job here allows me less time during the day to write crazy SPN/HP fic, so updates might be a little slower than before, but I'll still aim for once a week.
Summary: In which Harry manages to piss off a Winchester.
Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | Interlude | 24 |
Twenty minutes later, Ron returned with a whole pie. Harry watched with an amused expression as Dean and Ron both made moaning noises and went on about the various wonders of good pie, while Sam and Hermione rolled their eyes. Harry was sure Ron would thank him later for discovering a way for Dean to like him without having to be punched in the face. He wasn't quite sure how Sam felt about Ron, but in general Sam seemed to be much more trusting of people than Dean was.
"What's the plan, Harry?" Hermione asked quietly from beside him on the bed, where she sat surrounded by various open books and pieces of parchment.
"Stay here, let the Winchesters keep me safe, hope that the Dementors return to Europe on their own - it's either that or I'll just report to the Ministry that the demons are controlling them and let the Department of Mysteries take over the job," Harry answered.
"You really think it's wise to let them defend a motel room?" Hermione asked. "You could move to a safe-house. Then we'd have access to the Floo Network."
Harry stared at Hermione dumbfounded. "You think we could?" he asked, "I mean...do you think we could get an official safe-house without the Ministry finding out who I'm traveling with and what the stakes are?"
"Harry..." Hermione started, and Harry already knew he wasn't going to like what she had to say, "...maybe the Ministry should know what the stakes are..."
"No," Sam suddenly said, "Dean and I will take care of it."
"We have enough people to look after as it is," Dean added sternly.
"Look af-" Ron started to ask indignantly, and Harry could see Hermione opening her mouth to protest as well, so he interrupted quickly before someone said the wrong thing to the two Hunters.
"I agree with Sam and Dean," Harry said, "and that's the final word. No arguing."
"But Harry..." Hermione started.
"You can argue all you want with me at home," Harry cut in, "but this is my assignment as an Auror. You two aren't here in any official capacity, and shouldn't have even been informed on how to find me."
"Malfoy..." Ron started.
"Malfoy met up with us after we apparated to Boston," Harry said. "Yet Ron seemed to know that I was traveling in an old black car. He showed up to find me in a completely different part of the country than I had been in when I saw Malfoy. The only reason I'm not yelling at Phil right now is because I know how intimidating you two can get when you think I'm in danger, and I've also been giving him a rough enough time as it is."
"Har-" Hermione said.
"My point is..." Harry continued regardless, "since you insist on helping, you could at least do as I say. Otherwise, you can go home, and tell my wife that Dean is even better looking in person!"
"Alright!" Hermione said, "I'm sorry, I brought it up."
Harry could see the slow smile on Dean's face, and he heard Sam say "Don't..." under his breath, just before Ron spoke up.
"We won't tell people," Ron said, "but can we at least see if we can secure a safe-house. It'd be a better defense than this motel."
"And it'd have a Floo network," Hermione said, "which would mean easier access to the libraries."
"What's a Floo network?" Dean asked.
"Another form of Wizard-transportation," Harry answered, while he considered. "I doubt you'd like it very much either."
"What kind of defenses would this house have?" Dean followed up with.
"The standard wards," Hermione answered, "and you two could add whatever you think necessary when we arrive."
Dean shrugged and looked at Sam, who frowned slightly and then also shrugged.
"Yeah, I s'pose that'd be ok," Dean answered.
"As long as no one knows we're involved," Sam added.
"I'll talk to Phil about it," Harry said, "I have to to check in with the team anyway."
Harry stood to go use the bathroom in order to keep his conversation with Phil private. He realized as he got to the door that he'd be leaving Ron and Hermione alone with Sam and Dean.
"Ron, Hermione?" Harry said, and they both looked over towards him. "Don't forget that I put Sam and Dean in charge. Really, if you want to do something, you should be taking it up with them, not me."
Harry smiled at the slightly stunned expressions on everybody's faces, and slipped into the bathroom. One way to get Hermione and Ron not to argue with him, was to take away his own authority. They were equals and family, which always made it harder for them not to argue every step of the way. Harry knew that there was no way they would argue so ferociously against the Winchesters.
* *
"When was the last time he put someone other than himself in charge?" Dean asked, looking at Hermione and Ron who were still staring at the closed bathroom door.
"Um," Ron said, looking at Hermione in desperation.
"Well..." Hermione began, "he always listened to Professor Dumbledore."
"And when he joined the Aurors, he wasn't senior ranked for the first few years," Ron added. "So, he had to answer to people then, but, um...it was mostly just for show..."
"Harry's never responded well to authority figures," Hermione sighed, "I think it's because of his childhood-"
"That's what I figured," Dean interrupted, "Any idea why we're so special?"
"Dean, we are the authority here," Sam responded, "Harry's just recognized it."
Dean raised an eyebrow at Sam.
"Listen to you..." he started to say.
"Well, that may be true," Hermione said politely, "I think it's also a convenient way for him to keep us from arguing."
Dean huffed a laugh at Sam's small frown, and Ron's annoyed expression.
"Smart guy," Dean said. Hermione smiled at him.
"If Harry can secure a safe-house, I'm planning to travel to the libraries from there," Hermione suddenly informed them.
"Uh, ok..." Dean said.
"What libraries?" Sam asked.
"I've compiled a list of books about demons and the apocalypse that I think may be useful," Hermione answered. "The Wizarding library in New Orleans has an extensive section on demonology, and the Central American Wizarding Confederacy has quite the fascination with the apocalypse, so they'll most likely have an extensive collection on the matter."
Sam gave Dean a look that clearly stated, 'I want to go too'. Dean shook his head.
"Were you going to go by...umm...Flew?" Sam asked, looking significantly at Dean.
"If we can get a safe-house, then yes." Hermione responded.
"Sam..." Dean said in warning.
"We can ask Harry..." Sam said lowly to him.
"Sam, they're Wizard libraries." Dean said, "They'll be crawling with Wizards, probably smart ones. I don't care how you plan to get there, you are not going, not when we don't even know exactly how many wizards are looking for us and what they plan to do with us once they find us."
"Hermione has to go alone and under the invisibility cloak, in any case," Ron said, with a smile. "We're actually quite famous, you see. So, it'll be news and speculation if she's seen in American libraries researching the apocalypse."
Dean looked at Hermione to see her giving Sam and sympathetic look.
"Ron's right," Hermione sighed, "Sorry Sam."
"Oh," Sam said, and turned back to his book. Dean could tell that Sam had been thinking it was just a matter of convincing Dean to let him go, and was slightly annoyed that all the arguments he had no doubt been building up in his head were useless.
"Plus," Ron said, "the last thing I need is more gossip columns about my wife running off with some good-looking bloke."
"Oh honestly, Ron," Hermione said, "there hasn't been one of those since the children were born."
Dean smiled at the concentration Sam was suddenly giving his book. He knew without seeing them that the tips of Sam's ears were turning red.
Ron and Hermione continued their discussion on the relative attention span of the Wizard gossip rags, until Harry came back out of the bathroom.
"We've got a safe-house," he announced. "Phil agreed that he owed me one after utterly caving to the Weasley-wrath this morning."
Dean watched as Hermione gave them all a self-satisfied smile.
"When can we move to it?" Hermione asked.
"Tomorrow morning," Harry answered. Phil's going to set it up for us tonight, and work out a way to get Sam and Dean there.
"We're driving there," Dean stated, daring Harry to suggest anything else. There was no way in hell he was leaving his baby in another motel parking lot, while wizards tried not to leave Sam's body parts in separate states.
"Also, you should ride with us," Sam added from where he sat reading.
"But-" Harry started to say.
"Didn't you just say that Sam and I were in charge?" Dean questioned with a smirk. Harry's mouth snapped shut as his eyes widened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the twin smiles on Hermione and Ron's faces. "Didn't really think that one through, did ya?"
Dean knew full well that Harry could revoke their authority at any given moment. He also knew that Harry and his friends could disappear on the spot and leave them without a word - and the fact that they hadn't, well, that told him that they were serious about all this - about letting him and Sam protect Harry. It was an admission that the wizards were in over their heads - their history of fighting BaldMoron (or whatever that evil dude's name was) aside.
"I did, and taking the car is a good idea," Harry replied seriously, looking at Dean intently, "I'm sure you and Sam, will be much more comfortable using non-magical transport."
Dean felt the knot form in his stomach immediately. He suddenly understood what Ron had meant when he said that Harry had only ever deferred authority for show. So, obviously, Dean and Sam were in charge only as long as they gave orders that Harry agreed with.
"Damn straight," Dean responded with forced levity. He glanced at Harry's friends and could tell that they hadn't picked up on what that conversation had really been about. He was thankful for that. He then shot a look to Sam to see him with his jaw clenched and a slightly betrayed look on his face, while he stared blankly at the book in front of him. Shit.
Something must have made it to Dean's expression, because Harry threw an immediate glance towards Sam as well, and then he had least had the decency to look regretful.
"Do you guys have a room for the night?" Dean asked Hermione and Ron.
"Yes, it's just a couple of doors down. Number seven," Hermione answered.
"Good, I think it's about time to turn in for the night," Dean stated. "Take whatever books you like, if you want to keep reading."
Hermione scrambled to stack as many books as she could, passing a pile to Ron as well. Dean took the opportunity to catch Sam's eye.
"Give Harry the salt," Dean said softly to Sam, then gave him a wink and held up a thumb and two fingers. At first, Sam's brow furrowed in confusion, and then Dean watched as his upper lip twitched in a restrained smile.
Sam grabbed the bags of salt and stood to his full height, looming over Harry as he handed them over.
"Your friends will go first." Sam commanded, and Dean was filled with nostalgia. "You'll follow 30 seconds after. You will go directly there and back again by the quickest method possible. Salt all windows and doors completely. Not a single gap, ya hear?"
"Yes, sir," Harry said, eyes wide. Dean bit his lip in order to keep the stern expression on his face. Sam had started numbering and imitating their father's speeches when he was a teenager. At the time, it had both annoyed Dean, because Sam always did it when he was complaining, and amused him, because Sam's cracking teenage voice trying to imitate John Winchester had been hilarious no matter how pissed off Dean was at Sam's back-talk. Now, though, with Sam's height, build, and voice, Dean knew that if he closed his eyes he could easily pretend it was his father speaking.
Sam turned to Hermione and Ron and fixed them with a heavy stare that Dean knew well - on a different face.
"Look after Harry," Sam stated, and Dean shook his head at the re-write.
"Right," Ron stated seriously. Hermione nodded vigorously, and stuttered out a half-confused, "of course."
"Go!" Sam said, with a wave of his hand that clearly dismissed Ron and Hermione. They disappeared immediately. Dean could practically see Harry counting to 30 in his head, and was just about to laugh when Sam suddenly broke away from the script. Sam leaned down, holding Harry still with his right hand on Harry's left shoulder. Dean watched fascinating as Sam whispered something softly in Harry's ear. It was said far too quietly for Dean to hear what it was, all he could do was watch as the colour drained from Harry's face. Dean's smiled fell into confusion, but just as he was about to demand an explanation, Sam straightened and clapped Harry lightly on the shoulder.
"You might want to put a devil's trap over the door of their room too," Sam said, "just to be safe. Ok?"
"Understood," Harry said softly.
"Go on then," Sam said with the same dismissive hand gesture and stern voice as his early speech had been in. Harry turned and disappeared.
"What the hell did you say to him?" Dean asked immediately.
Sam shrugged.
"Seriously, Sam" Dean tried again, "I don't remember that part of the speech."
"Well," Sam said, "you had usually always been dismissed by that part of the speech. You know...to go clear the path of monsters, so that by the time I got there all I had to do was follow the blood-trail and hope none of it belonged to you."
"Sam..." Dean warned, because yes - this is exactly what he remembered from when Sam used to imitate Dad's speeches. Then he remembered the look on Harry's face, and his curiosity spiked. "What did...what kind of stuff did Dad used to say to you when I left?"
"Mostly just to stop giving him that look," Sam said with a fond smile, "and to do what you tell me."
"So, what did you say to Harry?" Dean asked again.
"Just something along the same lines," Sam said, then started throwing the books that had gathered on his bed onto the floor, his back to Dean. Dean sighed. He'd have to get the truth out of Harry later, if they ever found themselves alone again.
* *
Harry arrived in Ron and Hermione's room to see them both staring at each other a little shell shocked. Harry figured that if he stopped to think about anything, he would probably look much the same. Instead, he marched over to the door with the bag of salt and began carefully pouring a thick white line across the threshold.
"What just happened?" Ron asked.
"Harry?" Hermione added, and Harry couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Hermione's question felt more difficult to answer.
"I said the wrong thing," Harry answered.
"What?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged as he moved from the door to the window, pouring salt along the sill.
"Are they mad at you?" Hermione asked softly.
"Sam is," Harry admitted, "a little. I deserve it."
"You weren't even talking to Sam," Ron said slowly. "He was reading."
"Harry?" Hermione said softly, "what aren't you telling us?"
"Nothing, Hermione," Harry sighed, giving Hermione a purposeful look as he made his way passed them to the bathroom. "I've told you everything."
"Harry..." Hermione started, following Harry to stand in the narrow doorway of the bathroom, while he salted the high window. "I'm not deaf or blind, there's something more going on here. You and the Winchesters are apparently having coded conversations, in which you can manage to anger each other without Ron and I even knowing when or how. Not to mention the fact that I know Dean wouldn't let you show me the complete file..."
"Hermione," Harry said, "would you want a stranger reading every last detail about everything you've done in the past 3 years? Including visits to ex-lovers, your father's final words, and descriptions of your little brother's recurring nightmares?"
Harry watched as Hermione paled.
"The file is that detailed?" Hermione asked, in disbelief.
"Yes," Harry replied.
"Sam's anything but little," Ron said from behind Hermione, "how old is he anyway?"
"Uh, he'll be 26 in the spring, I think." Harry answered, used, by now, to Ron's frequent non-sequiturs.
Harry nearly walked right into his friends, as they both seemed to freeze where they stood.
"What?" Harry asked.
"He's nearly four years younger than us?!" Ron said increduously. "He just ordered me around like he was my mother!"
Harry had to laugh at the mental image that sentence inspired - Sam in the Weasley's kitchen, with Molly's apron on, brandishing a spoon like a wand and yelling at Ron about talking with his mouth full.
"I thought they were so much older than that..." Hermione said, and the laugh died in Harry's throat.
"They are," Harry answered, gently nudging Hermione until she moved out of the doorway so that he could exit the bathroom. "And I've got to get back to them before they come here and yell at me again."
Harry waved his wand at the ceiling over the door and watched as a devil's trap slowly formed over the faded water-damage stains. This really was a crappy motel. Harry was looking forward to the safe-house. He turned back to Ron and Hermione to find them both still staring at him as though he was withholding information from them. He figured maybe it was because he was, but there wasn't much he could do about it.
"Goodnight then," he said instead.
"Goodnight, Harry," Ron replied, while Hermione just sighed. Harry turned and apparated back to the Winchesters room, where he found a giant canary and Sam laughing so hard he was crying. Harry immediately took back what he had said to Hermione - the Winchesters really weren't that old after all.
Chapter 26
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 chap 25: My travels are over for the next little bit! Sadly, my job here allows me less time during the day to write crazy SPN/HP fic, so updates might be a little slower than before, but I'll still aim for once a week.
Summary: In which Harry manages to piss off a Winchester.
Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | Interlude | 24 |
Twenty minutes later, Ron returned with a whole pie. Harry watched with an amused expression as Dean and Ron both made moaning noises and went on about the various wonders of good pie, while Sam and Hermione rolled their eyes. Harry was sure Ron would thank him later for discovering a way for Dean to like him without having to be punched in the face. He wasn't quite sure how Sam felt about Ron, but in general Sam seemed to be much more trusting of people than Dean was.
"What's the plan, Harry?" Hermione asked quietly from beside him on the bed, where she sat surrounded by various open books and pieces of parchment.
"Stay here, let the Winchesters keep me safe, hope that the Dementors return to Europe on their own - it's either that or I'll just report to the Ministry that the demons are controlling them and let the Department of Mysteries take over the job," Harry answered.
"You really think it's wise to let them defend a motel room?" Hermione asked. "You could move to a safe-house. Then we'd have access to the Floo Network."
Harry stared at Hermione dumbfounded. "You think we could?" he asked, "I mean...do you think we could get an official safe-house without the Ministry finding out who I'm traveling with and what the stakes are?"
"Harry..." Hermione started, and Harry already knew he wasn't going to like what she had to say, "...maybe the Ministry should know what the stakes are..."
"No," Sam suddenly said, "Dean and I will take care of it."
"We have enough people to look after as it is," Dean added sternly.
"Look af-" Ron started to ask indignantly, and Harry could see Hermione opening her mouth to protest as well, so he interrupted quickly before someone said the wrong thing to the two Hunters.
"I agree with Sam and Dean," Harry said, "and that's the final word. No arguing."
"But Harry..." Hermione started.
"You can argue all you want with me at home," Harry cut in, "but this is my assignment as an Auror. You two aren't here in any official capacity, and shouldn't have even been informed on how to find me."
"Malfoy..." Ron started.
"Malfoy met up with us after we apparated to Boston," Harry said. "Yet Ron seemed to know that I was traveling in an old black car. He showed up to find me in a completely different part of the country than I had been in when I saw Malfoy. The only reason I'm not yelling at Phil right now is because I know how intimidating you two can get when you think I'm in danger, and I've also been giving him a rough enough time as it is."
"Har-" Hermione said.
"My point is..." Harry continued regardless, "since you insist on helping, you could at least do as I say. Otherwise, you can go home, and tell my wife that Dean is even better looking in person!"
"Alright!" Hermione said, "I'm sorry, I brought it up."
Harry could see the slow smile on Dean's face, and he heard Sam say "Don't..." under his breath, just before Ron spoke up.
"We won't tell people," Ron said, "but can we at least see if we can secure a safe-house. It'd be a better defense than this motel."
"And it'd have a Floo network," Hermione said, "which would mean easier access to the libraries."
"What's a Floo network?" Dean asked.
"Another form of Wizard-transportation," Harry answered, while he considered. "I doubt you'd like it very much either."
"What kind of defenses would this house have?" Dean followed up with.
"The standard wards," Hermione answered, "and you two could add whatever you think necessary when we arrive."
Dean shrugged and looked at Sam, who frowned slightly and then also shrugged.
"Yeah, I s'pose that'd be ok," Dean answered.
"As long as no one knows we're involved," Sam added.
"I'll talk to Phil about it," Harry said, "I have to to check in with the team anyway."
Harry stood to go use the bathroom in order to keep his conversation with Phil private. He realized as he got to the door that he'd be leaving Ron and Hermione alone with Sam and Dean.
"Ron, Hermione?" Harry said, and they both looked over towards him. "Don't forget that I put Sam and Dean in charge. Really, if you want to do something, you should be taking it up with them, not me."
Harry smiled at the slightly stunned expressions on everybody's faces, and slipped into the bathroom. One way to get Hermione and Ron not to argue with him, was to take away his own authority. They were equals and family, which always made it harder for them not to argue every step of the way. Harry knew that there was no way they would argue so ferociously against the Winchesters.
* *
"When was the last time he put someone other than himself in charge?" Dean asked, looking at Hermione and Ron who were still staring at the closed bathroom door.
"Um," Ron said, looking at Hermione in desperation.
"Well..." Hermione began, "he always listened to Professor Dumbledore."
"And when he joined the Aurors, he wasn't senior ranked for the first few years," Ron added. "So, he had to answer to people then, but, um...it was mostly just for show..."
"Harry's never responded well to authority figures," Hermione sighed, "I think it's because of his childhood-"
"That's what I figured," Dean interrupted, "Any idea why we're so special?"
"Dean, we are the authority here," Sam responded, "Harry's just recognized it."
Dean raised an eyebrow at Sam.
"Listen to you..." he started to say.
"Well, that may be true," Hermione said politely, "I think it's also a convenient way for him to keep us from arguing."
Dean huffed a laugh at Sam's small frown, and Ron's annoyed expression.
"Smart guy," Dean said. Hermione smiled at him.
"If Harry can secure a safe-house, I'm planning to travel to the libraries from there," Hermione suddenly informed them.
"Uh, ok..." Dean said.
"What libraries?" Sam asked.
"I've compiled a list of books about demons and the apocalypse that I think may be useful," Hermione answered. "The Wizarding library in New Orleans has an extensive section on demonology, and the Central American Wizarding Confederacy has quite the fascination with the apocalypse, so they'll most likely have an extensive collection on the matter."
Sam gave Dean a look that clearly stated, 'I want to go too'. Dean shook his head.
"Were you going to go by...umm...Flew?" Sam asked, looking significantly at Dean.
"If we can get a safe-house, then yes." Hermione responded.
"Sam..." Dean said in warning.
"We can ask Harry..." Sam said lowly to him.
"Sam, they're Wizard libraries." Dean said, "They'll be crawling with Wizards, probably smart ones. I don't care how you plan to get there, you are not going, not when we don't even know exactly how many wizards are looking for us and what they plan to do with us once they find us."
"Hermione has to go alone and under the invisibility cloak, in any case," Ron said, with a smile. "We're actually quite famous, you see. So, it'll be news and speculation if she's seen in American libraries researching the apocalypse."
Dean looked at Hermione to see her giving Sam and sympathetic look.
"Ron's right," Hermione sighed, "Sorry Sam."
"Oh," Sam said, and turned back to his book. Dean could tell that Sam had been thinking it was just a matter of convincing Dean to let him go, and was slightly annoyed that all the arguments he had no doubt been building up in his head were useless.
"Plus," Ron said, "the last thing I need is more gossip columns about my wife running off with some good-looking bloke."
"Oh honestly, Ron," Hermione said, "there hasn't been one of those since the children were born."
Dean smiled at the concentration Sam was suddenly giving his book. He knew without seeing them that the tips of Sam's ears were turning red.
Ron and Hermione continued their discussion on the relative attention span of the Wizard gossip rags, until Harry came back out of the bathroom.
"We've got a safe-house," he announced. "Phil agreed that he owed me one after utterly caving to the Weasley-wrath this morning."
Dean watched as Hermione gave them all a self-satisfied smile.
"When can we move to it?" Hermione asked.
"Tomorrow morning," Harry answered. Phil's going to set it up for us tonight, and work out a way to get Sam and Dean there.
"We're driving there," Dean stated, daring Harry to suggest anything else. There was no way in hell he was leaving his baby in another motel parking lot, while wizards tried not to leave Sam's body parts in separate states.
"Also, you should ride with us," Sam added from where he sat reading.
"But-" Harry started to say.
"Didn't you just say that Sam and I were in charge?" Dean questioned with a smirk. Harry's mouth snapped shut as his eyes widened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the twin smiles on Hermione and Ron's faces. "Didn't really think that one through, did ya?"
Dean knew full well that Harry could revoke their authority at any given moment. He also knew that Harry and his friends could disappear on the spot and leave them without a word - and the fact that they hadn't, well, that told him that they were serious about all this - about letting him and Sam protect Harry. It was an admission that the wizards were in over their heads - their history of fighting BaldMoron (or whatever that evil dude's name was) aside.
"I did, and taking the car is a good idea," Harry replied seriously, looking at Dean intently, "I'm sure you and Sam, will be much more comfortable using non-magical transport."
Dean felt the knot form in his stomach immediately. He suddenly understood what Ron had meant when he said that Harry had only ever deferred authority for show. So, obviously, Dean and Sam were in charge only as long as they gave orders that Harry agreed with.
"Damn straight," Dean responded with forced levity. He glanced at Harry's friends and could tell that they hadn't picked up on what that conversation had really been about. He was thankful for that. He then shot a look to Sam to see him with his jaw clenched and a slightly betrayed look on his face, while he stared blankly at the book in front of him. Shit.
Something must have made it to Dean's expression, because Harry threw an immediate glance towards Sam as well, and then he had least had the decency to look regretful.
"Do you guys have a room for the night?" Dean asked Hermione and Ron.
"Yes, it's just a couple of doors down. Number seven," Hermione answered.
"Good, I think it's about time to turn in for the night," Dean stated. "Take whatever books you like, if you want to keep reading."
Hermione scrambled to stack as many books as she could, passing a pile to Ron as well. Dean took the opportunity to catch Sam's eye.
"Give Harry the salt," Dean said softly to Sam, then gave him a wink and held up a thumb and two fingers. At first, Sam's brow furrowed in confusion, and then Dean watched as his upper lip twitched in a restrained smile.
Sam grabbed the bags of salt and stood to his full height, looming over Harry as he handed them over.
"Your friends will go first." Sam commanded, and Dean was filled with nostalgia. "You'll follow 30 seconds after. You will go directly there and back again by the quickest method possible. Salt all windows and doors completely. Not a single gap, ya hear?"
"Yes, sir," Harry said, eyes wide. Dean bit his lip in order to keep the stern expression on his face. Sam had started numbering and imitating their father's speeches when he was a teenager. At the time, it had both annoyed Dean, because Sam always did it when he was complaining, and amused him, because Sam's cracking teenage voice trying to imitate John Winchester had been hilarious no matter how pissed off Dean was at Sam's back-talk. Now, though, with Sam's height, build, and voice, Dean knew that if he closed his eyes he could easily pretend it was his father speaking.
Sam turned to Hermione and Ron and fixed them with a heavy stare that Dean knew well - on a different face.
"Look after Harry," Sam stated, and Dean shook his head at the re-write.
"Right," Ron stated seriously. Hermione nodded vigorously, and stuttered out a half-confused, "of course."
"Go!" Sam said, with a wave of his hand that clearly dismissed Ron and Hermione. They disappeared immediately. Dean could practically see Harry counting to 30 in his head, and was just about to laugh when Sam suddenly broke away from the script. Sam leaned down, holding Harry still with his right hand on Harry's left shoulder. Dean watched fascinating as Sam whispered something softly in Harry's ear. It was said far too quietly for Dean to hear what it was, all he could do was watch as the colour drained from Harry's face. Dean's smiled fell into confusion, but just as he was about to demand an explanation, Sam straightened and clapped Harry lightly on the shoulder.
"You might want to put a devil's trap over the door of their room too," Sam said, "just to be safe. Ok?"
"Understood," Harry said softly.
"Go on then," Sam said with the same dismissive hand gesture and stern voice as his early speech had been in. Harry turned and disappeared.
"What the hell did you say to him?" Dean asked immediately.
Sam shrugged.
"Seriously, Sam" Dean tried again, "I don't remember that part of the speech."
"Well," Sam said, "you had usually always been dismissed by that part of the speech. You know...to go clear the path of monsters, so that by the time I got there all I had to do was follow the blood-trail and hope none of it belonged to you."
"Sam..." Dean warned, because yes - this is exactly what he remembered from when Sam used to imitate Dad's speeches. Then he remembered the look on Harry's face, and his curiosity spiked. "What did...what kind of stuff did Dad used to say to you when I left?"
"Mostly just to stop giving him that look," Sam said with a fond smile, "and to do what you tell me."
"So, what did you say to Harry?" Dean asked again.
"Just something along the same lines," Sam said, then started throwing the books that had gathered on his bed onto the floor, his back to Dean. Dean sighed. He'd have to get the truth out of Harry later, if they ever found themselves alone again.
* *
Harry arrived in Ron and Hermione's room to see them both staring at each other a little shell shocked. Harry figured that if he stopped to think about anything, he would probably look much the same. Instead, he marched over to the door with the bag of salt and began carefully pouring a thick white line across the threshold.
"What just happened?" Ron asked.
"Harry?" Hermione added, and Harry couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Hermione's question felt more difficult to answer.
"I said the wrong thing," Harry answered.
"What?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged as he moved from the door to the window, pouring salt along the sill.
"Are they mad at you?" Hermione asked softly.
"Sam is," Harry admitted, "a little. I deserve it."
"You weren't even talking to Sam," Ron said slowly. "He was reading."
"Harry?" Hermione said softly, "what aren't you telling us?"
"Nothing, Hermione," Harry sighed, giving Hermione a purposeful look as he made his way passed them to the bathroom. "I've told you everything."
"Harry..." Hermione started, following Harry to stand in the narrow doorway of the bathroom, while he salted the high window. "I'm not deaf or blind, there's something more going on here. You and the Winchesters are apparently having coded conversations, in which you can manage to anger each other without Ron and I even knowing when or how. Not to mention the fact that I know Dean wouldn't let you show me the complete file..."
"Hermione," Harry said, "would you want a stranger reading every last detail about everything you've done in the past 3 years? Including visits to ex-lovers, your father's final words, and descriptions of your little brother's recurring nightmares?"
Harry watched as Hermione paled.
"The file is that detailed?" Hermione asked, in disbelief.
"Yes," Harry replied.
"Sam's anything but little," Ron said from behind Hermione, "how old is he anyway?"
"Uh, he'll be 26 in the spring, I think." Harry answered, used, by now, to Ron's frequent non-sequiturs.
Harry nearly walked right into his friends, as they both seemed to freeze where they stood.
"What?" Harry asked.
"He's nearly four years younger than us?!" Ron said increduously. "He just ordered me around like he was my mother!"
Harry had to laugh at the mental image that sentence inspired - Sam in the Weasley's kitchen, with Molly's apron on, brandishing a spoon like a wand and yelling at Ron about talking with his mouth full.
"I thought they were so much older than that..." Hermione said, and the laugh died in Harry's throat.
"They are," Harry answered, gently nudging Hermione until she moved out of the doorway so that he could exit the bathroom. "And I've got to get back to them before they come here and yell at me again."
Harry waved his wand at the ceiling over the door and watched as a devil's trap slowly formed over the faded water-damage stains. This really was a crappy motel. Harry was looking forward to the safe-house. He turned back to Ron and Hermione to find them both still staring at him as though he was withholding information from them. He figured maybe it was because he was, but there wasn't much he could do about it.
"Goodnight then," he said instead.
"Goodnight, Harry," Ron replied, while Hermione just sighed. Harry turned and apparated back to the Winchesters room, where he found a giant canary and Sam laughing so hard he was crying. Harry immediately took back what he had said to Hermione - the Winchesters really weren't that old after all.
Chapter 26
Masterpost