Chapter 1: Family

Sam woke up to screech at his window, he looked over to see an owl of all things, but it had an envelope in its beak. Sam got out of bed careful to not disturb Jess and went to open the window. The owl hopped on the ledge and dropped the envelope into his hand. Sam looked at it and was shocked to see his name on it. He went over and sat on the bed and opened it. He was shocked when a picture fell out of his parents, a young Dean and another couple, apparently on their wedding day. The red haired woman kind of looked like dad, enough for them to be related but that was it. Sam read the letter from his cousin, he was shocked that his dad never said anything about having sisters, but he believed her, he knew that she wasn't lying. Jess stirred into waking up and went over to their desk to hug him from behind.

"What are you doing Sam?" she asked.

"I got a letter from a cousin overseas, Dad never told Dean and I that he had any sisters. He has two." Sam said.

"I'm sure there was a reason, maybe they had a falling out." Jess said.

"Maybe, I'm writing back, I'm going to invite her over for the 4th is that okay?" Sam asked.

"The fourth is in 6 days, are you sure she'll get it in time?" she asked.

"I hope so." Sam said.

Dear Cris,

I was shocked to get your letter, I'm glad you got in contact with me. Dad never told us he had sisters, I hope there is a reason for it. I've talked it over with Jessica, my girlfriend, and we want you and your family over for the fourth of July. I hope this gets to you well before then so you and can get here on time. If it doesn't then you can come when you can and we can celebrate it belatedly. We don't have a lot of space but there is a hotel nearby as well as a park. I'm sure that way your kids won't get too bored. By the way, this way of sending letters is weird, but since you sent it this way I'll send one back. I've sent you a picture of me and my girlfriend, I hope to see you soon. Maybe I can get a hold of Dad and Dean, and we can all spend the holiday together. Though perhaps you should send me an email. SWinchester83 .

Your cousin,

Sam.

Sam reread and nodded and gave it to Athena. It was definitely an interesting name for an owl. He watched the owl fly off into the distance as Jess went into the shower. Sam whipped out his phone to call his dad and Dean. Dean answered when Dad didn't.

"Sammy? Are you hurt?" Dean asked automatically.

"No Dean, is dad with you?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, why?" he asked. Sam took a breath and explained the situation. Dean then relayed the information to their dad who took the phone from Dean.

"Sammy, this is Lily's daughter who wrote you?" John asked.

"Yes, I was shocked to get a letter from her." Sam said.

"What's her name?" he asked.

"Cristal Potter, though her last name is hyphenated with her married name." Sam said.

"Alright, you invited her and her family to your place for the Fourth?" John asked.

"Yes, sir." Sam said. John sighed, he'll have to explain about his sisters to his sons.

"Dean, we're going to Palo Alto, we're in between jobs at the moment so we'll be good. There are things I need to tell you two." John said. Sam chuckled when he heard his brother's response.

"I'll say, we have family, after it being just us, we have other family." Dean grumbled.

"Sammy, is your place big enough?" John asked. Sam looked around and sighed, it was just a tiny apartment he shared with his girlfriend.

"Not really." Sam said.

"Alright, we'll stay in a hotel, did Cris give you a number to call?" he asked.

"No, but I did give her my email address, do you know what's with the owl, she sent me a letter by owl." Sam asked. John sighed again.

"That's what I need to tell you two about. We're in Oregon at the moment, so we'll be there in a few hours." John said.

"Alright dad, I'll talk to you later." Sam said.

"Bye Sammy, take care." John said.

"Buy pie!" Dean shouted before John hung up. Sam chuckled and hung up the phone. Jess came out of the bathroom with wet hair before she hugged him from behind.

"So everyone's coming here?" Jess asked.

"Looks like, we'll have to make this place child proof, Cris didn't tell me how old her kids are." Sam said.

"Well considering she's only a year younger than Dean they can't be that old, right?" Jess asked.

"You never know." Sam said. Jess paused and nodded, teen pregnancies were on the high.

That day they worked on making the apartment childproof, since they weren't sure how old the kids were. Sam had kept his email up just in case Cris sent the email that day which he doubted but it surprised him when later that day his email pinged with a new email. This could be Cris sense the email address was bolt_of_lightning99 .

Hey Sam,

I talked it over with Fred, my husband, he has no idea what is so important about the Fourth of July so I explained it to him, he's smart, but sometimes he's dense, but I love him anyway. We'll love to come, the kids would love it. The twins are a handful just to warn you, they're three and my youngest just turned one. It'll be good for us, I've never left England on a vacation before, I have for my job but that's a job can't really count that. Fred is nervous about meeting you, but what husband isn't nervous about meeting their in-laws. I know the Fourth is a few days away so we should be there by the day after tomorrow. Are we going to be staying with you, uh, I guess I should ask where you live as well, hehe, forgot about that. Will you be meeting us at the airport as well? If we can't stay with you it's fine, we'll stay in a hotel. We'll stay in contact by email, my phone can do that, I don't want to confuse you by the our phone numbers. Do we need to bring anything to your house food wise? I'm sending a picture of us you should send a picture of you guys. Left to right, kids first, James is on my right knee, Remus is on my left and Lily is in her daddy's lap. James and Lily are my twins.

Thanks,

Cris

"Her kids are young, it's a good thing we cleaned up and child proofed the place." Jess said. Sam was looking the picture memorizing his cousin's face. She was beautiful her hair a messy black that reached her shoulders and her eyes bright green he's never seen before except on her mother. He took the picture she sent before and laughed. She looked like her dad except with her mom's eyes. Fred was a pretty good looking guy too, with bright red hair he shared with his daughter a blue eyes that both his sons have and freckles, all the kids did.

"They are so adorable." Jess said gushing at the little kids. Sam looked at the kids again and he agreed, James looked remarkably like Cris' dad and Lily looked like Cris' mom. Sam started to type the message back.

Cris,

I take it Fred isn't much into history, not many people are. Your kids are adorable. My girlfriend will definitely be gushing over them. As for where I live, we live in Palo Alto, California in an apartment on campus so we can't really accommodate you here, there is a hotel nearby for you guys though, my dad and brother will be staying at one as well. We can meet you at the airport, we'll have to take a couple of different cars and get some car seats for the kids. As for bringing something you don't have to only if you want to. I'm sending a picture of us, the first is of me, dad and Dean and the other is of me and my girlfriend.

Sam

"She named her daughter after her mom." Sam said. Jess smiled at the two pictures and went to the kitchen to order a few pizzas. Since they were expecting company soon Sam decided to make a shopping trip to pick up a few things. By the time he got back his dad and brother were knocking on the door.

"Hey guys, you made good time." Sam said hugging his brother one armed as his arms were full with groceries. Jess just opened the door as he greeted his dad.

"We weren't far from the border, dealing with a ghost problem." John said.

"Dad, Dean, this is my girlfriend Jess, Jess, my dad and my brother Dean." Sam said.

"It's nice to meet you, Sam, Cris sent you another email." Jess said. She took the bag from me as I went to my computer with dad and Dean right behind me.

Sam,

I'm sure Jess will be all over them. Their aunts and uncles can't get enough, though they are big trouble makers, I guess that's what I get for marrying a prankster, but then again, my dad was a prankster too. I have to say, you take after your dad, Dean, I would think takes a bit after your mum, and sorry if it upsets him though, I know how guys can be. We're packing now, and we'll be there soon, I'd appreciate the car seats, but you don't have to, only if you want to. James and Lily are excited, I've told them about you, hope you don't mind being called Uncle Sam , Remus well he's still an infant, still learning to talk so I'm sure he'll enjoy it. Hope to see you guys soon.

Your cousin,

Cris

"She named them after her parents and one of her dad's friends." John said.

"They are cute kids." Dean said.

"So what did you need to tell us dad?" Sam asked. John sighed and sat down next to his son.

"You know there are witches who sell their souls to demons but what you don't know is the natural born witches and wizards, real magic, wands, cauldrons, potions, brooms the whole nine yards." John said. Dean stared at his dad wide eyed and Sam was curious.

"How do you know?" Sam asked.

"My sister Lily was one, we have different fathers, I think it was from his side of the family. Petunia didn't get it, she was jealous, I thought it was cool. She went to a school called Hogwarts in Scotland somewhere. That's where she met James, her husband and his friends; they called themselves the Marauders, pranksters in their years at school." John said.

"They were born with their magic?" Dean asked. John nodded a yes.

"It's pretty cool actually, they have laws that say you can't use magic in front of non-magic people unless they are family, so if you ask I'm sure Cris and her husband will entertain you." John said.

"What about Jess what do we tell her?" Sam asked.

"Since you know, I have a secret, I was going to tell you soon just to tell you." A voice said behind them. They turned around to see a sheepish looking Jess standing in the door.

"You're a witch too?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I was going to tell you tomorrow, but your dad was talking about your magical family." Jess said.

"Why didn't you tell him before?" Dean asked.

"Dean, their laws prevent them from telling unless they know the person they are telling are trustworthy. She must trust you a lot son." John said. Jess looked at the picture of Cris and her family again and blanched as she recognized Cris.

"John, when did you lose contact with your sisters?" Jess asked.

"Right after Lily's wedding why?" John asked. Jess sighed and looked sadly at him. "Why, what do you know?"

"John I'm so sorry, Cris never knew her parents." Jess said. John went wide eyed and couldn't speak.

"How old was she?" Dean asked thickly.

"She was born July 31st 1980, her parents died October 31st 1981. She survived with nothing but a scar. Lily and James were killed by Voldemort. You do know who he is right?" Jess asked. John nodded but Sam and Dean shook their heads no.

"He was an evil wizard, had a thing for purifying the wizarding world. Getting rid of the Muggleborns like Lily. Muggle is what they call non-magic people, Muggleborn is a person born of non-magic parents. There are Purebloods, those who was born to a pure magic blood line, James and his friend Sirius were purebloods. And there Half-bloods, those of either mixed, pureblood and Muggle, pureblood and Muggleborn or pureblood and Half-blood." John said.

"So what are you?" Dean asked Jess.

"I'm Half-blood." Jess said. "Anyway, Voldemort tried to kill Cris that night, he failed. Cris finally killed him May 2, 1998."

"My birthday," Sam said. There was a knock on the door, the pizza had arrived so Sam decided to send another email back to Cris.

Cris,

Dad explained magic to us, and my girlfriend confessed she's a witch as well. Go figure, huh? Anyway, Jess told us what happened, dad is in shock, he never knew your parents died. Him and your mum always got along well, and by the way the day you defeated the bastard who took your parents is my birthday, so thanks, I think, he probably would have come over here if he thought about it. Let us know when you're about to take off, and when you're about to land. Planes have internet excess so you should be able too.

See you soon,

Sam.

Before Sam could hit send Dean pushed him out of his seat so Dean could send his own message to their cousin.

Cris,

This is Dean, you're awesome big cousin. I was pretty unsure about the magic at first, I have had pretty bad experience with some of the bad witches. After finding out you only killed the bastard who took your parents kind of gives me hope of getting the bastard who took our mom. Don't tell anyone I said this but your kids are cute, I can't wait to meet them. Your husband sounds like a good guy, I can't wait to meet him. Be careful on the flight, I hate flying on those things but please be careful. See you soon.

Your cooler cousin,

Dean

Dean pressed send and sent a grin towards his brother who scowled but handed him a beer.