Stuck on the Details
- - Steamcraft
+ + Supernatural
~Notes: Based on the Supernatural/Harry Potter pictures by LaLa Lettie, or {lettiebobettie . tumblr . com}. My intake of her pictures is that Sam and Dean look to be in the same year, but I'm going to have them with their normal age difference. What I'm also going to alter is the fact that this is going to be eventual Dean/Castiel, because I am one of those weird girls that like Dean thinking he's straight until he can't understand why he's popping boners for cute, innocent-seeming boys. And what better way to mess things up than to have Lisa in here, too?
Also, it seems like Karen is absent, with all those pictures of just Bobby and Castiel, so... without further adieu, I introduce to you Karen's entrance and exit all in the same chapter. Ahem.
Staffordshire, June 25, 2006
"C'mon, angel. Time for bed," Karen said as she bent over to pick up her son, dozing over his sketch pad and crayons. His arms circled around her neck and Castiel was sleeping long before he was in his room. His mother set him carefully on the bed and pulled the comforter around his shoulders. Karen pulled out her wand from its holster, flicking it in a familiar pattern that left orbs of dim, warm light circling the room lazily. With a smile, she quietly left Castiel to sleep and wandered back down the stairs to pick up his mess.
Bobby was already there, flipping through the papers with amusement. "The things in his head..." he said, and showed Karen the picture of the three of them in stick-form, surrounded by lots of winged creatures. The characters looked like they were dancing in the firelight.
Karen grinned and took it from his hands. "Isn't that us already? Though, obviously without the dragon and...that's a phoenix, right?"
"And the sphinx."
"Oh, that's a sphinx? I thought it was a second Hippogriff for a moment; I did wonder what happened to its beak." Passing it back, her husband laughed, folded the pad closed and set it on the mantle. Her eyes trailed from it to the clock, which was nearing nine, and sighed. "I have to go now." She stepped closer to Bobby and wrapped her arms slowly around his shoulders. He was warm, and the fire was warm, and her insides were warm. "I love you, Bobby."
He returned the embrace, hands rubbing firm circles at her hips and smaller back, and smiled. "I love you. I love you and Castiel both."
She slouched against him with a content sound. "I want to stay here tonight, basking in the love of your wonderful hands..." Bobby chuckled, stilled his hands at her hips, and kissed her forehead. Karen looked up at him and saw his eyes glowing with appreciation and love and trust. Pushing his head forward gently, she kissed him. After a long moment, they leaned back. She sighed again. "I really got to go now."
"You'll be home before you know it," he grinned. "I'll see you when you get here, Karen."
Stealing one last kiss, Karen stepped away towards the fireplace, reached into a leather pouch hanging from the mantle and tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fire, emerald flames eating the orange. She crouched underneath the mantle to stand in it and stated clearly: "Leaky Cauldron!" And she was gone.
Leaky Cauldron, June 25, 2006
Karen stepped out of the stone fireplace with only a bit of soot on her pant hems. She didn't bother dusting them off, and returned the waves of her fellow barmaid and regular customers. Maybell, a friend since Hogwarts, came close to whisper in her ear as Karen was tying the half-apron around her hips.
"'Fella at nine is really grabby," she warned. "And fella at two is really moody. Take your pick."
"I can handle moody better than you," Karen said without hesitation and picked up a dishrag to start wiping down the food station. It was too late at night to serve food.
From beside her Maybell winked and twirled a loose strand of ginger hair that fell from its braid. "I was hoping you'd say that."
"You knew I was going to say that," she laughed. She looked around the bar. It was inactive. Four at the tables and five at the bar itself, but they were customers. "Is Luquas tending to the rooms?" Luquas was the third employee that worked night shift, and usually stayed long after Karen leaves for the night. The rental rooms of the Leaky Cauldron were under going remodeling, hence the slow night.
Maybell gave a glance to someone behind her before she tugged on Karen's arm and pulled her into the backroom. Karen's eyebrows lifted in surprise as her friend also closed the door behind them. "He left as soon as he got here."
"What? Is it because-"
"No, he's feeling fine, he always feels alright during the Full," she said, unconcerned. "The man asleep at the bar has been here all night, causing no ruckus, but Luquas took one look at him and told me to kick him out."
"Wait, what?"
"Yup, Luquas said he was a werewolf-"
"And? Luquas is-"
"-and he smelled of blood."
Karen clapped her jaws together, chewing on her tongue. "Well, so?" she said at last. "We have all sorts coming in with their food still dripping. Can Luquas smell what kind of blood it was? Can he distinguish between animal blood and human blood? The man came in for a drink, that's all. Probably a single malt whiskey to drown out the headache, right?"
"That's what I said! And when I refused, he upped and left. But..." A memory flickered in Maybell's eyes, her speech trailing into an uncompleted thought until Karen shook her shoulder. "But on the way out, they both looked at each other. It was kind of scary..." Karen knitted her eyebrows.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I thought for a second they were going to leap at each other's throats, but Luquas told me 'goodbye' and left." Maybell finished, looking lost. "I feel really bad though," she said. "I've never outright defied him, and disobedience like that could get me fired, right?"
Karen laughed lightly. "No, May. This isn't the olden days; a little argument between co-workers isn't going to get you fired. Look, Luquas is always sensitive around this time, we know this. He got a little upset that there was another 'wolf in his territory that he couldn't man-over."
"O-okay..." she said a little uncertainly. Karen smiled soothingly.
"Look, just go wait on Mister Nine, okay? I'll serve Two and Bar-Wolf, so you can tell Luquas you had nothing more to do with him."
"I can do that, no problem!"
"Thought so," she grinned, and both ladies exited the backroom. Karen looked for a sleeping man at the bar, and found him at the bend, closest to the door.
The first thing Karen noticed was the twitching and scratching of fingernails, long, pointed, and yellowed. She followed his arms to his face that was pinched with pain. The man's eye sockets were sunken and his hair and short beard stringy from lack of washing. His cloak, torn and filthy with stains, carried a foul odor. Karen couldn't keep her eyes off him, feeling her defenses rising unconsciously. But this wasn't the only suspicious werewolf to come in the pub, she reasoned with herself when she did notice it, and looked away. Her hand dropped from her wand holster and picked up a notepad instead and left the bar area for Mister Two.
Karen smiled as she came to his table. "Want a refill of that?"
The wizard had his head bowed, empty cup held in both hands. He slowly shook his head.
She tilted her head, putting the notepad and pin in her apron. "Want to talk about it?"
"Stop with this Dr. Phil crap." The man lifted his head to glare at her. He had a close shaven beard and hard eyes.
Karen sat down across with him, not bothered. "It's not everyday I hear a Muggle reference, nor an American accent. Where're you from?"
He stared at her like he was either wishing for her to disappear, or couldn't believe she was forcing him into conversation. Finally, he cleared his throat and said gruffly, "Kansas. Been there?"
She smiled. "On one occasion. What brings you to the London area?"
"Queen and country, I suppose." Karen stared at him, now, one eyebrow raised to show that she wasn't amused, but the smile that still lingered said otherwise. He sighed. "I, uh, have sons. America's wizarding school isn't too great, and there were better job positions out here, so..." Karen nodded in understanding.
"I have a son, as well. How old are your boys? Mine's turning six in August."
"My oldest, he's... he's six. And his brother just turned two in May."
She smiled widely. "Wow, you and your wife must have a handful." When he didn't say anything to that, Karen continued, "I'm Karen Singer, by the way."
He shook her offered hand. "John Winchester." She stood from her seat and grabbed his glass from his hands. He made a sound of protest, but she went behind the bar. Sniffing the glass, she refilled it with Blishen's Firewhiskey and heard John come up to the bar. He took a seat next to the sleeping werewolf and set down fifteen Knuts. Karen set his drink down and pushed his money back.
"Don't worry about it, it's on the house." There was a squeal from a table, and Karen looked up to see Maybell on the grabby man's leg, enjoying herself. She shook her head and started wiping down the food station again. "How long have you been in England?"
"Almost two years. Why were you in Kansas?"
"Passing through, seeing family. I'm Muggle-born; my parents didn't have the means to come out here to visit." she said. A loud yawn made Karen look up again, this time at the werewolf who was stretching in his seat. Then his arms folded on the bar, fingers hitched up so he could tap his nails along the wood. His sunken blue eyes trained on her with a particular amusement.
His lips formed an odd smile, and when he spoke his voice had a bored drawl. "Pardon my rudeness, but do go on."
Karen's fingers brushed against her wand as she reached for his shot glass. "Want another?" she asked, trying to loosen her shoulders.
"Don't mind if I do."
"Feeling okay?"
"Just the familiar headache," he shrugged easily with a growing smirk. "I've given worse so it doesn't bother me." Karen's hand slipped on the tab. Did she hear him correctly, or did her paranoia skip over the unheard 'been' in that statement? Her hands shook as she made the refill of malt whiskey and set it in front of him. His hand reached out for it immediately and his fingernails scraped along her skin. "I reckon this is on the house, as well, yes?" he asked with a sip. He didn't look away from her, and the witch swallowed.
John shifted in his seat to stare down the werewolf. "Who do you think you are, threatening people in front of an Auror?"
The haunted blue eyes moved to man beside him without moving his head, and a wide toothy grin split his cracked lips. "Alistair." And he slowly stood from his stool, bones creaking. "And it's not polite to demand a name without giving one in return."
"John Winchester," he replied, also standing, and Karen saw his hand reaching for his wand. The other occupants began to quiet down, noticing there was some obvious tension in the room. Maybell had pulled herself away from her company to come behind the bar. Three people Disapparated out, the remaining four interested in a drunken duel.
Alistair chuckled, seeming very pleased. "John Winchester. You wouldn't be the very same Auror hunting the Dark Master Azazel now, the one who killed your pretty wife after he escaped Azkaban?" Karen didn't even seen John raise his wand, but in an instant it was in his hand, shooting a dark red stream at the werewolf who easily dodged it. Maybell jumped in surprise. It bounced on the wall behind him, leaving an angry scorch mark. "All of us know," Alistair continued with that pointy smile, tilting his head back to look at John down his nose. "Us, of course... meaning his followers."
Two more from the crowed Disapparated, while the two left stood to stand against the werewolf. Karen took a second to look at Maybell, holding tight to her arm and knees shaking. She touched her shoulder and leaned to whisper in her ear. "Use the Floo, May, I'll cover you." Maybell never passed her Apparition Test.
"Karen, come with me!" her friend pleaded. "This is all my fault. He wouldn't have been so strong with the sun out... I could have prevented this hours ago, I'm so sorry, just come with me!"
"I can't," she said, and drew her own wand, moving to stand closer to the bar, but Maybell yanked on her arm.
"You can," she stressed urgently, voice cracking. "What about Bobby, an-and Castiel? Karen, we've got to go!" Karen started, body filling with ice. Images of their faces filled her mind, and she knew what she had to do.
"You're right," she sighed. She slipped her wand back in its holster. "Hold on tight," she said and Disapparated to the front of Maybell's house. From previous experiences, Karen knew Maybell didn't have a Floo. She didn't even have a fireplace. It was safe here.
Maybell was dry heaving, and fell on her knees. Karen followed her down, rubbing her back soothingly. "You'll need to drink a lot of water when you get back up, understand?" The ginger woman's head swung up and their eyes met. Karen smiled sadly. "You take care of yourself, you hear me? And don't even think of sending Bobby an owl; it probably won't reach him 'til it's over." Maybell was sobbing, tears and snot running freely.
"Karen- Karen, please! Why won't you stay?" she wailed, hands flexing on her friend's knee. A feeble attempt to keep her there. "Bobby- Castiel- th-they- they would want you to stay, too! Wh-why are you l-leaving them, please stay, Karen, I love you, don't go-ooooo," she cried nonstop, now. No more room for words, only noises of pure anguish.
Karen leaned over her, petting her hair. "I love you, so much, Maybell. But that man, his name's John Winchester and he has sons, and I-I have a son," her voice shook, but she was determined. "I am protecting m-my son, and his sons, and everyone else's child if we can put a stop to Alistair now. H-he's by himself, and his kids are Castiel's age and younger... I can't imagine Castiel, tr-trying to find where his father went, not un-understanding why he's not coming home after I... after I go m-missing, too. Please, please understand this Maybell." Karen kissed the crown of her head and leaned away.
Maybell stayed where she was, clutching her sides as she screamed into the earth. Karen blinked away her tears and stood and Apparated back to the Leaky Cauldron.
One of the men that stayed was lying on the stairs that led to the upstairs rooms.
"Well, well, well..." Alistair's lisp drawled. "Look at who has returned. Pleased to see you again, Mudblood, I thought you were gone for good?"
Karen swallowed. "Not before I see you dead," the witch uttered, trying to feel braver than what she was. Wand in hand, she joined John and the last man against Alistair.
"You shouldn't have come back," John whispered to her. She gave a tight-lipped smile, but didn't say anything. Her eyes stayed on the enemy.
Their ally attacked first, shouting, "Confringo!" Alistair rose his wand to deflect it, but the moment the flames were released, Karen and John casted spells at the same time.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Expluso!"
Karen's disarming spell was deflected while Alistair had to dodge John's attack last second, diving behind the bar as the explosion met with tables. In his dodge, Alistair flung his own wand. Purple flames erupted, and she made slashing movements in the air: "Protego Horribilis!" she countered, trying not to be distracted by the falling, wooden debris. Alistair was out of sight, making Karen's skin crawl with anticipation. Where will he pop up? When? The last of the broken pieces of table fell, and all went quiet. Then there was a sickening crack. Followed by another. And another, with long groans of pain, shredding of clothes, and finally a mix of sadistic laughter and a blood-curling howl, and suddenly their last ally Disapparated on them as they realised what was beginning to stand above the bar: a fully transformed werewolf.
It was over before Karen knew it.
The werewolf moved so fast. He didn't have reason to use his wand, relying confidently on his brute strength. All of John's spells missed Alistair, except the Confundo spell, which happened at point-blank during his charge. Alistair stumbled backwards, disoriented, and John bound him. But Alistair didn't like that, for what should have been an unbreakable bind was like cotton rope to the werewolf. He broke free and swiped a long hairy arm at him, tossing him aside with little effort. John hit the wall, picture frames falling, and was further ignored. The dark wizard swayed and was having difficulty focusing on Karen.
The woman was frozen to the spot, until John shouted at her, "Move!" The ice broke, and she lifted her wand on instinct. The spell she threw at the werewolf flung him back, but Alistair landed on his feet, shaking his head to clear it. It seemed to work a little, and he dashed around the Leaky Cauldron, jumping on the bar and running up the stairs to the rental rooms. Karen started after him-
"Don't!" John grunted, still struggling to get up. He threw a broken chair to the side and turned over on his knees to stand.
"He'll escape," she said. "The windows, he can go into Diagon Alley or London, he'll attack citizens!" John straightened with a pained groan.
"...alright, come on, but when I say run, you do it. Got it?" he commanded and led the way upstairs slowly, stepping over the man's body. All the doors on the second level were open, each of them dark. "Lumos," John whispered and Karen did the same. They walked carefully to avoid creaking the floorboards, peering in each room, but as the got towards the end of the hall, Karen noticed the window pushed wide open, the evening breeze rustling the curtains. A cold weight fell in her stomach.
"Oh no," she said, and ran into the room. She had to see if there was damage in the London streets already. They needed to back-up from the Ministry, and they would take care of the matter from there, but Karen was filled with dread. All those people... At the window, she peered down (three stories on the London side, two on Diagon Alley's), and couldn't understand at first the laughter and normal nightlife of the Muggles.
"Karen? Karen, don't-"
The door slammed shut behind her, and Karen realised belatedly it was a trap. The witch pulled the window closed as she whipped around fast, charmed the door permanently locked, then raised her arms up to protect her head as the werewolf pounced.
~End Notes: I'm, uh, looking for a beta, if anyone wants to sign up.