Title: Breaking

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Supernatural are not mine.

Timeline: Post-DH of Harry Potter, Season 2 of Supernatural

Summary: Supernatural xover! It's not the war that breaks him. It's the nothing that comes after.


Lights flashed in the sky; wizards tossing fireworks or just throwing random spells into the air. With each flash, there was a resounding cheer.

'Ding, dong, the wizard's dead,' thought Harry. He let out a slightly hysterical chuckle that was lost in another cheer.

People were crying, whether out of grief or happiness, Harry wasn't quite sure. Why did people cry out of happiness? He didn't get it. Hermione and Mrs. Weasley did it, though, so maybe it was a normal thing. He didn't really get normal so that could explain why he didn't – didn't get it.

Another cheer.

The Weasley family was crying. Hermione was curled up in Ron's arms and tears were dripping onto the top of her head. They were on Harry's left.

Hagrid was crying. They were big, choking sobs and his shoulders shook. He was on Harry's right.

Another cheer.

'Ding, dong, the wizard's dead…the wizard's dead…dead…dead…dead…'

Another cheer.

Harry clenched his jaw, trying hard not to throw up.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I understand," said Harry.

It was all he seemed to say these days. I understand. I get it. I really do.

"I'm not coming back next year," said Hermione. "I mean – I'm going to get my parents and we're going to…take some time – for a while."

He nodded. Yes, Hermione, I understand. You're never coming back but you don't want to tell us. Or, maybe, you really think you'll come back but I know better. You're going away and you're never coming back. I understand.

"We just all need to take some time and fix things," said Ginny, voice determined, tough. "We're all going home. Just us. To work it out."

He nodded. Yes, I understand what you mean, Ginny. It's just all of you. It's just family and I'm not family; just that weirdo kid that stood as close as he could to feel some of that warmth. But it's just all of you now. Just the Weasleys and you don't have the heat to spare. I understand.

"It'll be good to be home, you know?" said Ron.

Just to be agreeable, Harry nodded. No, Ron, I don't know. I don't have a home but you don't want to hear that right now. You want to feel warm again. You want hope. I understand.

That, I understand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The baby was cute. Tonks' and Remus' baby and he should be able to remember his name but he can't right now because they're baby's hair is flashing purple and he's not really thinking of the cute baby.

Do you think purple makes me look peaky?

Harry stared at the cute baby and Tonks looked back at him.

Andromeda was quiet when Harry handed Tonks' and Remus' baby back to her, placing him firmly in her hands, turning around, and walking out.

No goodbyes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'I think I should go away,' Harry thought.

"I think you should leave," Slughorn said and Harry chuckled at the echo.

"Leave your office?" Harry asked, innocently. No, I don't comprehend, sir. I don't understand what you want.

It felt good thinking that. I don't understand. I. Don't. Understand.

Too bad he couldn't say it.

"I think you should leave the country," said Slughorn.

Harry chuckled again. Well, bloody hell, he was only thinking about leaving the castle. That just goes to show; he needs to start thinking big. Don't just leave the office. Leave the castle. Don't just leave the castle. Leave the country. Leave the continent. Leave the planet. Huh. Leave the planet. Shoot into space. See, he was thinking big now.

Slughorn slid a brown box over the desk toward him and it was…

Identification cards; identification cards and they weren't the best present in the world but Harry liked them. Most said he was eighteen. One said he was twenty-one. On one, his name was Alfred. On another, it was Jacob.

"Go pack," said Slughorn. It wasn't a question. Good old Sluggy wasn't playing around.

Harry tilted his head. Sluggy looked more…sluggy if you turned your head. "I don't want anything," he said, detached. Of course, if you squinted, he didn't look sluggy, he just looked slug.

Slughorn sighed. He looked tired. Did anyone sleep in the castle? "There's money beneath the bottom panel. Tap it with your wand." He looked hard at Harry. "You can go now."

Now sounded good.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Bobby dumped some macaroni's in a bowl and the boy ate mechanically. He stopped after three bites and looked at the dog that had started this. Old Maybelle had followed him as he passed Bobby's junkyard. She followed him until he realized she wasn't going to stop and it was only polite to walk a dog home.

"Nice dog," the boy said. It was the fifth time in a half an hour. Same sentence. Same look. Same tone.

'Nice dog' again and again and the boy still hadn't told him his name. Didn't even seem to notice he was repeating himself as if he were broken record.

"What's your name?" said Bobby, softly, like he was talking to one of those strays he picks up. Bobby was always good with the strays.

The boy looked at him; finally directly at him. "Harry." He paused. Something seemed to occur to him. "Just Harry."

He chuckled.

Bobby cringed at the sound. No amusement.

Broken.

'Just Harry' looked at Old Maybelle. "Nice dog."


What do you think?