in between
The first time Dean gets called a Mudblood, he is eleven years and standing in the line at Gringotts.
Gringotts is one of the first real magical places he sees, because yeah, Diagon Alley is filled with magic and magical people (most of them are downright weird too, but he's too polite to say it), but Gringotts has goblins. They're small and vicious looking and for the first time, it really hits him that he's no longer ordinary. He can't go back to his past life anymore, no matter how hard he can try.
"Do you need me to hold your books, honey?" His mom asks and Dean nods, readjusting his arm position to be able to pass them to her. They're heavy and he's not particularly looking forward to reading them, but it's better than being at his old school, where all they learned was sciences and maths. At Hogwarts at least, he'll be able to learn real magic.
"Sign here," The goblin commands, shoving a piece of parchment towards them, and Dean nods as he and his mother both sign. His mother smiles at him, visibly excited, and Dean nods back, feeling more relaxed and at home than before. He's got a bank account in a goblin bank!
"I have a question, actually," Dean's mother says, and Dean tunes her out in favour of people watching in the bank.
There are a bunch of confused kids with their parents (Dean realizes a second later that he falls into that category), a few Goblin guards and tellers, and quite a few people making their way both in and out of the bank.
Dean tunes in again as they finish the conversation, his mother looking far calmer. "Thank you," she says, smiling profusely, and that's when Dean hears the word, dripping with acid and hatred.
"Mudblood."
It's directed at him, Dean realizes. The speaker is an older, smug-looking man who looks down on them as if they are dirt when they make eye contact. Dean doesn't quite know what the word means, but it's not the first time Dean's had a slur directed at him and it's far from the last. He's a black boy who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.
Taking a deep breath, Dean approaches the man. Then, clutching up his fist, he swings.
The man goes down like a broken pinata, choking on his own breath.
"Oh Jesus," Dean hears his mom say behind him. The man stands up, but Dean doesn't give him a chance, choosing to grab his mom's hand and walk out of the bank. The goblins watch them go (Dean gets the feeling they don't care much for wizard affairs) but don't stop them.
When they spill into the street, Dean dares to look up at his mother. She looks out of place surrounded by wizards, with her bright yellow Muggle sundress and sunglasses, but she doesn't look the least bit worried about it. He gets that from her, he thinks, the ability to stay calm when the world hates you.
"What does Mudblood even really mean?" She asks. It's more than a word — Dean can hear it still ringing in his head and seeping into his new world. It should make him scared.
Dean shrugs. "Guess I'll find out."
His mom pats his shoulder, but she doesn't seem that concerned. They've been here before and come out stronger. The world may be hateful, but they're the ones making a mistake and underestimating him.
"Yes," his mother repeats, her mind seemingly a million miles away. "I guess you will."
...
Written for:
Character Appreciation 3. [Item] Book
Disney Challenge: Baloo: /alt/ Write about someone who always seems relaxed, no matter the situation.
Dark Lady's Diabolic Lair: 4. Parchment
Lyric Alley: 14. I do not deserve
Ami's Audio Admiration: The Boiler Room — Alt. Write about something seemingly normal being terrifying.
Emy's Emporium: Gringott: (setting) Gringotts
Angel's Arcade: Miles "Tails" Prower: (color) bright yellow, (plot point) being bullied, (trait) shy
Lo's Lowdown: Toph — Alt. write about someone who is underestimated
Bex's Basement: George's Marvellous Medicine - Write about an adult bullying a child.
Back To School: (word) Question
Feline Fair: Ragdoll: Write about a polite person
Women's History: Task Eight: Write about someone being the first to do something. (Can be a major accomplishment or something minor like someone being the first in the family to attend Hogwarts)