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For Dean and Sam Winchester, life has been going crazy lately. The apocalypse fiasco was finally over, and they could return to their usual "normal" days, or as normal as their hunter life could be.
"So... what do we have this time, Sammy?" asked Dean as he leaned on his car seat, glancing at his brother, who was staring intensely at his computer.
" This time our case is in England , Surrey "
Dean whistled as he kept tapping his baby's steering wheel. "That's quite far, isn't it? "
"Yeah, but it's been going on for almost 2 years, and I thought that changing scenes would be a relief for us. after... you know ".
Dean sighed as he looked away towards the window. " So? what are we dealing with?"
"From what I observed, it seems to be a ghost."
" Oh ?"
"Some people disappear for about a day or two, then when they wake up, they all find themselves in front of the same house, not recalling anything about their disappearance."
" I would've thought they would have been found dead if it was a ghost "
"Well, I thought a ghost made sense since it's a certain house they found themselves in front of and the house was apparently deserted by a previous family called Dursley.It consists of the parents, Petunia and Vernon Dursley, and their son, Duddley Dursley," Sam explained as he laid out their pictures for his brother to see.
They were both silent for a moment before snorting and then dissolving into laughter.
"What kind of family is this? A horse, a walrus, and a piglet," said Dean, heaving between laughter.
"Stop it, Dean, it's serious," reprimanded the younger, who was also struggling to stop laughing.
" Pff...hahaha . fine But seriously, what kind of name is Duddley "
"Sounds like a name for a pet. Piggy. Pfft."
And back to laughing again.
"Okay, okay, we should stop. So we got a ghost in our hands ? one that lives in those Dursleys' home "
"Well, it doesn't look too harmful. Hopefully it will be easy, and we will get some time to enjoy it there." They both smiled at the thought; they really needed a break.
"Well then, off we go. What street or neighborhood was the house in again?"
" hum ? some place called Little Whinging
The rest of the ride to the airport was spent laughing as well .
One should never laugh so much in one go . You never know what would happen to turn it all upside down.
Two men in suits walked around the neighborhood of Little Whinging; one of them was gloomy and kept glaring at the taller of the two.
" Dean, would you please stop pouting? We couldn't bring the impala with us, it would've taken too long to plan on a way to get it here."
" What's a vacation without my baby? It was entirely your fault, bitch.
"Jerk"
" Tch! Anyway, was it number four?We should probably talk to the neighbors, huh? To get more info and all that "
"Yeah, let's start that way."
The two made their way to the house with the number 5 on it. That was the only difference between all the houses here—the "too normal" vibe of this whole neighborhood was a bit too creepy to be honest. They knocked on the door and waited for the owner to open. What greeted them was an elderly lady who looked at them curiously.
"How can I help you, gentlemen?"
"Excuse me, I'm agent Jones." Dean stated as he displayed his badge."This is my partner, Agent Kirkland, and we would like to ask you some questions if you don't mind, ma'am "
The lady widened her eyes, then smiled as she opened the door wider and let them in .
"Call me Margaret. "Please come in; I was boiling the kettle for some tea anyway."
"Ah, ma'am, I mean Margaret, thank you."
"I'll be with you in a moment, dears. Sit down and be comfortable." They both nodded as they sat down.
Sometime later, with the three occupants sipping their tea comfortably, they finally started the discussion.
"So what can I help you with, dears ?"
Kirkland (aka Sam) cleared his throat and began explaining. "We heard that there were some strange disappearances and some minor memory loss in this neighborhood; do you know anything about it, Mrs. Margaret?"
"Oh dear, do you mean those poor people that find themselves in front of the Dursley house? I'm afraid i don't know much about it, honey.
" Then, what can you tell us about the Dursley family?" Added Jones.
" Ah , that i can do . Let's see... Petunia, The Wife, was a long-necked woman who took advantage of it by constantly spying on her neighbors.
The three of them chuckled at this.
" She was always talking about her husband and her son; ' Vernon won this as a reward for his work' , 'Vernon got promoted to this' , 'My Duddikins did this today' , My Duddikins is like this ' Vernon this... Duddley that... Honestly, it was so annoying. The husband, Vernon, worked for a drilling company, Grunnings, if I'm not mistaken, and I didn't see much of him, but I know he turns all shades of red and blue when he's angry. That man is a clown. And Duddley, the son, is a spoiled brat that looks too much like a ball and continues to bully and bother the children around him. to be expected after being raised with that type of parenting.
Both men silently agreed. Well, that's that then , they got some information about the family, but they need to know more, so they need to get going and ask the other neighbors.
"Then there is little Harry."
The two men glanced at her in surprise.
" Harry ? "
"Yes, Harry, their nephew that lived with them. "
" We weren't informed there was another person in the family," said Sam as he looked at his brother.
"I'm not really surprised; Little Harry wasn't that well known, the poor boy was only seen outside when he had to buy things for them or tend to the garden."
Dean really had a bad feeling about this. This doesn't sound good.
" What was Harry like? "
" He was about the same age as his cousin, with black raven hair, beautiful green eyes, and a unique lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Apparently his parents died in a car accident when he was about 15 months old, and he was found on the Dursleys' doorstep." Margaret sighed in sympathy. "He was such a nice boy, the times he was let out, he kept helping me with my bags or crossing the street. But Petunia kept saying that he was such a troublesome child and that he kept breaking things all the time. Poor boy looked like a twig, as if that small thing could even hurt a fly."
The two brothers shared a troubled look, that definitely doesn't sound good at all.
" Did you see Harry leave with them?" Sam asked, hopeful.
She shook her head.
"They left suddenly in the night; we couldn't see any of them."
Dean nodded as he thanked her for the information she gave them before leaving the house with his taller companion. They asked the other neighbors about the Dursleys and pretty much got the same thing.
Dean sighed as he sat down in the coffee shop with Sam.
"Dean"
"hm?"
" Could it be ? ... "
" To be honest, Sammy, I wish it wasn't true, but the clues aren't helping.Harry, a sweet boy who wore rags all the time, was too skinny and stayed in the house most of the time. But, according to his aunt, he is also known as a troublesome, needy, and ungrateful boy... sounds like it to me.
" So Harry is this ghost? "
" Most likely "
"If this was truly 2 years ago, then he would've been 7 at the time "
"Life isn't fair, Sammy; he was unfortunate to live with people worse than the monsters we hunt." All we can do is help his soul and let him finally have the peace he deserves.
Sam nodded, with a sad smile on his face.
The Winchesters had grim expressions on their faces as they stood in front of 4 Privet Drive.
"Got everything?"
" Yeah "
" Then off we go."
As they entered the house, they expected a deserted house full of dirt and spider webs. After all, that's how most haunted houses were.
But what surprised them was the fact that the house seemed sparkly clean , empty , but so clean that you could see your reflection on the floor. Sam exchanged a puzzled look with his older brother before moving forward quietly while holding his gun, ready and vigilant for whatever might happen.
It was all silent, and they were starting to doubt that they had the wrong house. Until they were assaulted by the sound of pitiful small sobs.The hunters were startled as they began circling, looking for the source.
" Sammy "Dean whispered to his much taller brother as the latter looked at him questionably.
" The cupboard under the stairs . It's coming from there. "
Sam nodded as he made his way towards it, raising his hand to open the lock.
" Ready? " he got a nod in response.
When they opened the cupboard, neither of them knew what to expect.But they definitely didn't expect the horrible smell and aura that just erupted from it . Both of them had to move a bit away while controlling their urges to throw up.
it just smelled of rottenrottenblooddeath
and according to the intensity, this has been for a long time.
" Son of a bitch ..."
"Dean"
" What the fuck happened here?" , What the fuck is this? "
" What the hell ?"
"That's my room."
The men startled, jumping at the voice of a third party they definitely didn't have earlier.
There , behind them , was a small, definitely dead, boy who looked to be 4 or 5 years old.
He was wearing rags, bloodied ones at that, and was staring at them with a piercing, dark emerald stare. black raven hair? check. Emerlad beautiful eyes? check. A small body and a lightning bolt scar che-fucking-eck .
" Son of a bitch ..." Dean muttered as he felt his eyes widen and his heart beat even faster, and he knew that his brother felt the same .
" What were you doing in my room ? it's dirty; , i couldn't clean it. I tried to, but it doesn't seem to, it goes back like that every time. "
(somewhere , in an unknown place , a figure known as Lady Magic smiled sadly )
" Ah ...sorry bud ... we were just looking around," Sam he kept his hand in his gun. The kid doesn't seem hostile, but he can't let down his guard.
"Are you here to help me? "
They both shared a look before nodding. After all, they were here to set his soul free.
"Sure, champ , I'm Dean, , this giant here is my little brother Sam. "What can we help you with? " Dean asked Harry as he knelt to his height.
" I want ...jis...jus...just-...just ace ? "
Dean couldn't help but smile sadly as the little boy stumbled on the word .
" You mean Justice buddy ?"
"Yes, that "
Oh, knew some big words huh? Must've been a smart boy as well.
" And who do you want it from , Harry ? "
The boy looked down sadly and the brothers could swear he looked to be about to cry again .
"My uncle and aunt... maybe Duddley too , but he wasn't really at fault, I guess; he just grew up into it."
And wasn't that so sweet, forgiving someone because that's what they were raised to.
" What did your aunt and uncle do to you Harry?" Asked Sam. They both knew it was hard for the little boy, but it was necessary to hear it from him.
Harry bit his lip as he stared into the giant's eyes.
" They... didn't give me food most of the time , because i sometimes burned dinner.My uncle hit me too, and... Duddley would always beat me up with his friends, then complain about me to Aunt 'tunia and i wouldn't get food for another couple of days"
As he told his story, Harry's head was still down and the poor boy's beautiful eyes kept looking at the floor .
"And ...and ... my uncle killed me "
Dean and Sam winced at that, it was one thing to conclude the truth yourself, and another thing to hear it from the victim himself, who was just a small innocent boy.
Dean opened his hands as he looked at the tiny scared boy who looked at him confused . He then decided that they were really going to help him anyway, so he approached the older man slowly, only to be crushed to a toned chest as his head landed perfectly on his shoulders. Sam smiled at the scene, knowing well that his brother's " Big brother instinct " was working . He always knew that Dean had a major soft spot for kids.
"Is this...what a hug feels like ? "
Dean chuckled sadly, but answered none the less.
" Yes Harry, this is a hug, do you like it? " He received a nod in response.
"It's nice and warm."
" We will give you as many hugs as you want, champ "
"Alright, buddy, we still have to ask you something, okay? "
"Okay"
Sam interjected, " Do you ... know where your body is? "
Harry shook his head. " I think they threw it from the bridge. I don't know which one.
" Son of a bitch "
"Dean, watch your language, he is still a kid. "
"Oh lay off bitch"
"Jerk"
They both smiled as they heard the melodic happy giggles of their small companion. But in all seriousness, they need to figure something out.
" Say Dean, do you think Cas can help? "
" Hum? "
"He could, like, find the Dursleys and scare them into confessing or something, because we can't just tell the police without any proof and we're still on their radar. "
" Huh , you're right , you keep talking to Harry, I'll call Cas. "
Sam nodded as he sat down next to the still standing boy.
" So , Harry , what are your favorite things to do? "
"I'm thinking... magic?"
Sam raised an eyebrow.
" I always did some strange things, my uncle and aunt didn't like it . They called me a freak "
" Oh you're not a freak, Harry, your relatives are monsters; ,they're wrong and bad, don't believe them, okay? " He ruffled Harry's spiky raven hair.
" You're a cute kid, so sweet and nice too, don't mind them. I can't help but be curious, what are those strange things that you did? "
" One time aunt ’tunia tried to cut my hair, but the next day it grew back !"
"Oh really? that's nice isn't? "
"Yeah, that's why i like my magic, even if uncle kept telling me that it doesn't exist. It does, though! it saved me from Duddley and his friends the other time. I ran away from them but there were too many , then i found myself on the school roof! "
" That must've been an adventure, huh? "
" Yeah, even if aunt and uncle punished me for it that time , it was worth it. "
Harry smiled brightly at him, as if he hadn't told his story of abuse; Sam felt like crying. But then his brother came back into the house and let Cas in, saving him from that.From what he could see from the doorway, it was starting to get brighter outside, they came here at 3 am, and the time sure went by fast.
Sam stood up and greeted Castiel, waving and smiling awkwardly. The latter, in return, nodded seriously and then turned his gaze to the other occupant of the room, his nose twitching slightly at the smell coming out of the cupboard.
"Hello there , I'm Castiel , an angel of the Lord."
Harry looked nervous but looked at the brothers for reassurance, and when he received encouraging smiles , he looked at the man who called himself an angel and bowed .
"I'm Harry , Harry Potter , it's nice to meet you Sir ."
Castiel, who had previously looked calm and collected , lost his control as his eyes widened and he raised his hand toward the boy.
Harry, having bad experiences with touches directed at him in general, flinched but didn't move away. After all, if what he said was true, this man was supposed to be an angel.But if Dean and Sam believe in him then he should too, they can't be lying to him, right? .
The brothers looked to be nervous, they trusted Cas ,of course they did, but he was acting a bit strangely. The three clueless occupants watched as the angel brushed Harry's hair away to get a clear look of his forehead. He , then , shook his head and looked at Harry sadly. They were taken aback when he stood up and approached the brothers.
"At 8 a.m., two hours from now, ..the Dursleys will confess to their crimes and the scene will be investigated," he said, then nodded at them and disappeared with the sound of fluttering wings.
" you heard that, Harry?""
" You'll get your justice now."
Harry was still doubtful, though, He tried for 2 years to get someone to help him , but they were all scared and refused to do so , so he had to let them go and erase their memories . But , now, he thinks it might be the end. He might finally get the peace he deserves.
Sam and Dean talked to Harry for the next two hours, learning bits and pieces about how he was.
( After learning about his "magic" they thought that he could be one of Azazel's psych children , like Sammy [Call me Sam] , but the poor boy didn't need anymore confusion as he was dead already so they left it. )
Cas then returns, telling them that the police should be there in 30 minutes and that they should probably say good-bye to the child because the angel was going to take him to heaven." Harry is a special case " he said .
What the brothers can never forget are those tearful but happy eyes that just screamed gratitude, relief, and happiness.
And those thankful words.
"Thank you for the warm hugs, the company, and... thank you for caring " is what he said before he disappeared along with Castiel to a better place.
None of the Winchester brothers said anything if one of them cried after that. Or was it only one?
"Ah, how cruel humans can be, and they call us monsters. "
Said a man in a dark suit, staring at the house in front of him, where police officers swarmed it, all solemn.
"Oh well," he said, "it won't be long before the other side figures it out; let's see what they plan to do now that their so-called savior is gone."And the man disappeared in a black smoke cloud , a cruel smirk on his face.
Two years later, a family of redheads traversed the magical wall , without meeting anyone else.
.-
On the train that day, a redhead boy yelled at a bushy-haired girl, calling her "annoying" and "crazy," effectively ending any chance of them becoming friends.
.-
No one mentions that year, when the teachers all looked sad and gloomy .
Even a dark haired man who was rumored to be a devil didn't focus on the students anymore and looked to be numb .
Oh well, less points taken, the students thought.
.-
If Dumbledore was acting strangely, as if he was looking for something in the library, as if the entire world depended on it, no one mentioned it.
(No one knew how right they were.)
No one mentioned the man hanging around the school wearing muggle clothes that the muggleborns identified as a "suit."
"Oh hello darling, I see you finally called me, what can I do for you?"