Hermione's Hounds:

1. Hermione's Hounds
2. Master of Death
3. Soul Marked
4. Abandon All Hope
5. The Devil You Know
6. My Heart Will Go On
7. Ursula
8. Drinking at Bobby's
9. Survival of the Fittest
10. Mistress of Death
11. Queen of Hell
12. Casifer


She watched the telly with fascinated horror coursing through her veins. Hermione had absolutely no doubt in her mind at who all the witnesses were describing, and Crowley had been ignoring all of her attempts at communication. Now she knew why, coward.

Hermione sighed as she ran a hand through her curls. Summoning her beaded bag, the witch disapperated on the spot. She'd long learned that when dealing with the Winchesters it was best not to wait. She appeared in Singer's Salvage Yard, catching the end of Bobby and Dean's conversation.

"If Sam said he's good, then he's good," Dean said as he sighed heavily. She didn't even need to know the details to realize Dean was lying through his teeth. .

"What's wrong with Sam?" Hermione asked interrupting them. Bobby and Dean looked at her slightly surprised to see her. Dean promptly muttered about handy magic tricks.

"I take it you saw the news," Bobby asked, which she answered with a nod. "Cas tore through Sam's mind. He destroyed the wall Death had erected to keep him from remembering the cage."

"I may be able to help you with that," Hermione answered with a slight frown. "The mind arts can be useful."

"Hey," Sam said walking in, "Hermione?"

"Sam," she greeted.

"What's the word?" Dean asked him.

"A publishing house literally exploded about an hour ago," Sam said. "The guy has a body count that's really getting up there. We've got to do something."

"What we've got to do is hunt the son of a bitch," Bobby interrupted. "Unfortunately, I lost my God guns."

"Well, I mean is there some kind of heavenly weapon? Maybe something out of that angel arsenal that Balthazar stole?" Sam asked. "There's got to be something that can hurt him."

"You're really willing to kill Castiel?" Hermione asked skeptically as they all looked at her uncomfortably. "Have you already forgotten that he's your friend?"

"He's not Castiel, anymore," Dean said dismissively. "He's God, now. There's nothing that's going to hurt him, but there might be someone. Glinda, you got the ingredients to summon your boyfriend?"

Hermione smiled at him, "Funny you should ask, I've been meaning to have a domestic with him."

They headed down to Bobby's basement to prepare for the ritual, which by now was all second hat to each of them. Seconds after Bobby lighted the ritual ingredients, the basement was filled with Crowley's repeated snarls of the word no.

"Don't act so surprised," Bobby said as Crowley continued to howl, despite the glass of Craig in the demon's hand.

"My new boss is going to kill me for even talking to you lads," Crowley said taking a drink to calm his nerves.

"Well you're lucky we're not stabbing you in your scuzzy face, you little piece…"

"Whoa wait," Sam interrupted his brother. "What new boss?"

"Castiel, you Giraffe. He's everybody's boss. What do you think he's going to do when he finds out we've been conspiring?" Crowley paused from sneering to look at the three of them. "You do want to conspire, don't you?"

"No," Bobby retorted sarcastically. "We just want you to stand there and look pretty."

"Listening," Crowley said.

"We need a spell to bind Death," Dean explained already frustrated by Crowley's antics.

"Bind? Enslave Death?" Crowley asked horrified. "You having a laugh?"

"Lucifer did it," Dean answered as Crowley scoffed.

"That's Lucifer," Crowley said. "You really believe you can handle that kind of horsepower? You're delusional!"

"Hello Darling," Hermione said removing her Disillusionment Charm. "We both know that I have the necessary power in spades."

"No," Crowley said staring at the petite brunette with terrified eyes. "I bloody well forbid you from participating! You will not be a part of any plot involving Death."

"Now who's delusional?" Hermione muttered. "You know that I can successfully cast a spell of that magnitude, and we're out of options."

"Death is the only player on the board left that has the kind of juice to take on Cas," Dean interrupted. "You helped make this mess, which means you're going to help us clean it up."

"They'll both mash all of us like peas," Crowley answered. "I suppose your going to force my participation Mimi?"

"I'm not going to leave Cas to destroy our world," she answered. "You know how I feel about any attempt at world destruction."

"I have never regretted anything more than introducing you to these sheep," Crowley muttered.

"Okay," Dean muttered as Sam, Hermione, and Bobby joined him. "Good. Hey guys, uh so this is Dr. and Mrs. Weiss."

"Hi Sorry," Sam said looking pathetic as he looked at the tied up couple. Hermione groaned at the Winchester's ridiculousness, and promptly stunned the two homeowners.

"I found the God thingy," Dean said awkwardly after Hermione finished casting. "So let's light this candle."

"Te nunc invoco, mortem. Te in mea potestate defixi. Nunc et in aeternum!"

"Um...Hello? Death?" Dean called out uncertainly. When no one immediately responded, Dean began looking at Hermione and Bobby for help.

"You're joking," Death said stepping forwards from the shadows. He was a tall, lean man wearing a large black coat.

"I'm sorry, Death," Dean apologized awkwardly. "Um...it's not what it looks like."

"It seems you attempted to bind me," Death said watching Dean flounder. "Unfortunately for you, my own folly resulted in a binding that cannot be thwarted. So I'll be on my way."

"Wait!" Hermione called out desperately, shocked when Death actually froze where he stood. . "Please, just hear us out."

"Fried pickle chip?" Dean offered, causing Hermione to stare at him. "They're the best in the state."

"That easy to soothe me you think?" Death asked as he settled into a chair. He stared down Hermione while asking, "I assume this is about Sam's hallucinations. Quite honestly, I'm impressed that you managed to find

, but sorry Sam. One wall per customer. "

"Hermione?" Sam asked confused as Bobby and Dean turned to look at her. She shrugged just as lost as the rest of them.

"We're friends?" She offered to Death who watched her with obvious amusement.

"So I am to believe it purely coincidence that the bane of my existence discovered Mistress Mine?" Death asked skeptically as the group looked at him confused.

"Mistress?" All four of them exclaimed, albeit Hermione shrieking.

"Mr. Potter didn't tell you?" Death asked bemused while Hermione shook her head. "Acquiring my Hallows, all of them, and using them to save others at the expense of your own life, creates an unforeseen result, mastering death. In my youth, I was a arrogant and rather than allow a small grievance go, I sought retribution. Now I've reaped the rewards."

"I never possessed all three," Hermione protested. "Only Harry did."

"Yet you possess the title," Death answered with a grim smile. "Your little trio shared all of Mr. Potter's burdens beginning when you were children, creating familial bonds. However, it was during your year on the run, where your bond with Mr. Potter branched away from Mr. Weasley's bond with Mr. Potter. Through sharing your wand, your familial bond became resolute. Bleeding on the floor of that ballroom in protection of him ensured his success, and cemented your candidacy for Master of Death. Now, you are correct in believing that was the primary to acquire the mastery, which he did. However, Mr. Potter abdicated the position, which then fell to you."

"I don't want to be anyone's Master," Hermione said overwhelmed. "I'll abdicate."

"Sweet of you," Death answered with a genuine smile, "Unfortunate that you cannot. Now why am I here, Mistress?"

"We need you to kill God," Dean blurted out after Hermione proved incapable of giving Death an answer.

"Pardon?"

"Kill God. You heard right. Your...Honor," Bobby said uncomfortably addressing Death, who looked appeased at the title.

"What makes you think I can do that?" Death asked Dean, allowing Hermione to process everything she heard.

"Because you told Dean," Hermione said trying to avoid looking at Dean who was nodding at her. Looking as though she swallowed something foul, "As your...Mistress...I require you to smite God."

"Amazing," Castiel said causing the four humans to turn in horror. "I didn't want to kill you, but now…You've erased any nostalgia I had for you, Dean."

"You can't kill us," Dean said glaring at Castiel.

"Annoying little protozoa, aren't they? God? You look awfully like a mutated angel to me. Your vessel's melting. You're going to explode," Death said turning towards Castiel.

"When I finish my work, I'll repair myself," Castiel said dismissively.

"You think you can because you think you're simply under the weight of all those souls, yes? But that's not the worst problem. There are things much older than souls in Purgatory, and you've gulped them down too."

"What older things?" Dean asked.

"Long before God created Angel and man, he made the first beasts, Leviathans. Personally I found them entertaining, but he was concerned they'd chomp the entire petri dish, so he locked them away. Why do you think he created Purgatory? Now, Castiel has swallowed them, and is the one thin membrane between the old ones and your home."

"Enough," Castiel ordered as Death scoffed.

"Stupid little soldier you are. Please Cas, I know God, and you, sir are no God." Castiel promptly vanished before anyone could move.

"Um…" Dean began.

"Shut up Dean. I'm not here to tie your shoes every time you trip. How long ago did I warn you about those souls? Long enough to stop that fool, and yet here we again with your planet on the edge of immolation."

"I'm sorry, allright? Can you give us anything?" Dean asked. "You have to care about us….just a little bit."

"You know, I really don't. I do, however, find that little angel arrogant. You also have the added benefit of my Mistress on your side," Death said reluctantly. "Your only hope is to have him return it all to Purgatory. Quickly."

"We need a door," Sam said.

"You have everything you need at that lab. Get him to return there, and compel him. I'll organize another eclipse. 3:59 am on Sunday morning. Be punctual. Delightful to meet you Mistress Granger."

He was gone before any of them could question him. Hermione didn't know how Harry transferred the role of Master of Death to her, or why he would sentence her to such a fate. Bobby practically had to guide her out of the mansion due to the spinning questions in her mind.