"Looney Lupin and Spooky Mulder"
The days were getting colder and the nights longer. Dean recovered quickly from his near death experience with the help of bragging and half the Honeyduke's shop. Castiel was embarrassed to find that he was the talk of the school. People he didn't even know visited him in the hospital wing as the skin around his newly erupted wings healed. Castiel had to tuck his wings behind his back as first years attempted to 'pet' him. It was all quite unsettling.
"Hey Cassiopeia! Got your homework, ready to start groveling?" Mulder grinned at Castiel as he and Don lugged in all of Castiel's make up work and textbooks. "You missed it, in potions today Snape farted next to a cauldron and I swear it turned green and blew up. No lies, ask Don." Don nodded at Castiel smugly as Mulder stole a chocolate frog and sat on the bed.
"How are you feeling?" Don pulled up a chair ready to drill Castiel with questions as Dean snored on the bed next to him. He had booted out a girl that had come in with the after math of a bat-bogey hex and was now pleasantly cuddled in her bed.
"Much better Don, thanks."
"I like your wings, they make me think of Icarus. Just don't fly too high or your wings will melt off."
"…thanks Mulder." Castiel eyed the 'Do the Flobberworm' t-shirt he was currently sporting.
"You were awesome on the field Cas! Not only can you fly a broom, but you can actually fly! How cool is that?" Castiel smiled at Don weakly. He really did not want to think about how he was going to survive going to school with wings on his back. Mulder and Don left later after they had depleted most of Castiel's chocolate frogs.
Castiel opened the folder and smiled. Scully had organized him a chart breaking up his homework into neat little study sessions and highlighted copies of her notes. He frowned when he saw one of Dean's 'Busty Asian Beauties' magazines tucked into a book. This was probably why Dean was struggling to pass History of Magic. Castiel found a small envelope tucked in his notes for Defense Against the Dark Arts. He pulled the letter out. It was written in the tidy looping writing of Professor Lupin.
'Hello Castiel,
I know that we have not talked much outside of class, but you truly are a brilliant student. Bobby told me that you and Dean talked to him. When you are feeling well enough, please drop by my classroom. I have a few…off the record things to tell you.
Cheers and wishes for a speedy recovery,
Professor Lupin
Castiel glanced curiously down at the letter and tucked it among the other papers as Dean talked about burgers loudly in his sleep.
Castiel slowly made his way towards Lupin's office with Dean at his side. He had insisted on coming, not caring if he was Bobby's friend. Who knew if he was a creep or not? They stepped into a very cozy looking office with book shelves lining the walls and a desk made of polished dark wood. Lupin was sitting at his desk. Lupin was a very handsome man, but looked too tired and stressed for his age. Grey flecked his hair but his eyes were as intelligent as ever.
"Hell boys. Pull up a chair." Lupin smiled warmly at them and relit the fire in the smoking fireplace. Lupin passed them each a butterbeer, much to Dean's delight. He no longer suspected Lupin of being a crook. Lupin took a sip. "Bobby talked to me about both of you. It seems you are in a bit of danger, so I am here to help. First off, how are you feeling Castiel?"
"Much better professor." Castiel gave him a small smile. It was wonderful to not have his wings trying to rip out of his body at every second. Sure the stitches itched like crazy, but compared to days before, he felt amazing.
"Good. Now, do you remember how to hide them?"
"How to w-what?" Castiel titled his head to the side.
"Hide your wings. They are nothing to be afraid of, just dangerous. Have you no memories of being an angel?" Dean gave him a worried look.
"No. Are you being serious? Am I really an angel, I'm not sure I even believe they exist." Castiel eyed him curiously with his head tilted in a confused manner.
Lupin smiled at him. "Yes Castiel. You are an angel. You have been sent to earth for some purpose, and I believe that it must have something to with the return of Lucifer. He was sealed away in his box years ago, but his followers have broken all 66 seals. He has returned and is not likely to make the same mistakes. I do not know exactly how you fit in the picture, but I am here to help you." Lupin didn't see Dean checking out the lunar chart that mapped the progression of the moon's path and the highlighted full moons. Dean was now looking uncomfortable and spying suspiciously into his butter beer bottle.
"When you talked about hiding my wings, what did you mean exactly? Like tucking them away?"
"No. Rendering them invisible to unwanted eyes." Lupin leaned in closer. "I have heard that the enemy is searching for you Castiel, not specifically but for you, but an angel born and raised as a human. My good friend Sirius is currently tailing Azazel with your father Dean. We still know so little and it is very dangerous to track the devil's right hand demon. Oh and about those wings. Try to make them disappear."
"How?"
Lupin sat there thoughtfully. "Just close your eyes and imagine them gone. You have powers you don't even know about, how else would your wings come springing out when you needed them? I believe that you must have kept something like a muscle memory of things you once did as an angel." He chuckled. "There is not much lore on angels. Much of it was destroyed when Lucifer fell. He ordered its destruction as he walked the earth with terror in every footstep and not much was even known about angels or heaven in the first place. Close your eyes and try to remember."
Castiel felt rather ridiculous but closed his eyes. He didn't notice Dean's eyes tracing over his features from his dark eyelashes to his soft, full mouth. He did something he didn't often do: let his normally loud mind quiet down to a dull buzz…until there was no sound, not thought, or even existence. A pale light emitted from Castiel's wings as he sat in the chair.
Dean gasped. "Cas, your wings…they're gone! Just vanished like nobody's business." Castiel looked confused at Dean. He almost sounded disappointed that they were no longer out in the open.
"Are they really?" Castiel tried to glance behind him making Dean and Lupin laugh. He was just too darn cute sometimes. "Strange. I can still feel them." His face broke into a smile and he hugged Lupin, something he normally wouldn't do. Castiel wasn't the most loving person in the physical sense, but he felt the emotion strongly within his reserved person. "Thank you. Hopefully the rest of the school will forget about them too."
Lupin smiled. "It's getting late, you two should probably head back to your dorms before Umbridge sees you. Be wary of her. She knows what happened at the quidditch match and will be keeping an eye on you. Not everyone in the Ministry of Magic is to be trusted. They are often quite misinformed and are not kind to those who step out of social norms. I will keep you posted as soon as I learn anything, please try to be as discrete as possible. If you need to talk to me please do, stop by my office. Owls have been intercepted. Good night boys, I will see you in class tomorrow."
Castiel said good night while Dean gave Lupin a silent nod. He was quiet as he and Castiel left the classroom. Castiel kept glancing at him curiously. "Dean?"
"Yeah Cas?"
"What's wrong? You seem troubled."
"Well I am Huggy Bear. I don't know why Bobby trusts this guy!"
Castiel looked confused. "But he's helping us Dean. He even helped me disguise my wings. I feel that we should trust him."
"Well I don't Cas," Dean sounded gruff and unmoved. "Did you notice the chart on his wall?"
"The one on kelpies or the lunar chart?"
"Second guess is the ticket. Cas, the dude's a werewolf."
Castiel eyed him quietly. "He is very nice though, I wouldn't have expected that. I'm sure he can't help being a werewolf."
"Cas don't you get it? Werewolves are evil. They kill people you dumb son of a bitch!" Castiel looked hurt at him. "My dad has hunted werewolves. I don't get how he can be fraternizing with the enemy!"
Castiel's eyes glinted in anger and he pushed Dean against the way. "Dean, people may think you are stupid, but I know that you are not. If your dad and Bobby trust him, why can't you?"
"He doesn't even count as a person, he's not human Cas!" Dean shouted in Castiel's face.
"Well neither am I." Castiel looked at him with his blue eyes cold. "Going to kill me too now? Is that part of your hunter code? Humans are evil Dean! I've seen what they do to each other and the taint of hate on many of their hearts. The man I thought was my father hurt me and my brother with no explanation and he can live? I do not comprehend your definition of justice." Castiel turned and left Dean in the hallway so he couldn't see the tears beginning to sting in his eyes. Of all people he had figured Dean truly accepted him. What if Castiel continued down this transforming path and began to lose his humanity? Castiel did not want to lose Dean, he didn't know if he could without tearing himself apart. Castiel ran into the dormitory and bumped into Mulder.
"Hey Cas buddy-what's wrong?" He eyes searched Castiel's face in concern.
Castiel couldn't help it and let the tears come. The wall was coming down now that Castiel could see that he had things to lose on the other side. "It's Dean…" He gulped back tears. "We…we had a fight."
Mulder hugged him and made him sit down on the edge of the bed. He sat next to him while the worst of the tear storm passed. "Want to talk about it?"
Castiel bit his lip and finally nodded. "I'm scared Mulder. I thought I was just this regular kid from a screwed up family." Mulder smiled, the definition defiantly fit both of them. "It sounds crazy, but friends of Dean's dad who are hunters believe that I am an…angel." He looked at his shoes in shame waiting to be ridiculed. He forgot that he was dealing with Fox Mulder.
"Huh. Wasn't sure if those were real until not, but it I believe it."
Castiel looked surprised at Mulder who nodded at him to continue. "I am truly afraid for the first time. I am used to being alone, and it used to not bother me but now I am learning that I am not the person I used to be…I'm possibly not even human."
"There's another issue here. I sort of think I'm getting to know you better, and I know you wouldn't simply fear for yourself. What is really eating at you Castiel?"
Castiel swallowed nervously. "Dean. I think I'm losing him. All his talk about killing monsters has me worried. What if he doesn't like me anymore now that he knows I'm not human?"
"I wouldn't say that. Dean and I have been friends for years, he just likes to say stupid things. Sometimes his brain and mouth don't properly pass on the same message." He looked at Castiel with a smug smile. "He loves you Castiel." Castiel looked startled. "He really does Cas. I've never seen him like this. He rarely full on dates somebody but he has never seemed so…connected to anyone. I think he is just too scared to say anything so you may have to be the one to give Mr. Smooth Talker the push instead."
"Really?"
"Really, really. Trust me, he wants you baaaaaad."
Castiel laughed and threw a pillow at Mulder. "So what about you?"
"Hmmmm?"
"You seemed to understand having a dysfunctional story."
Mulder nodded. "Things were great for my family when I was a kid. Then everything got screwed to hell. I was supposed to be watching my little sister when my parents went out to town." Shame began to ring through his normally relaxed baritone. "My sister was abducted, and I swear its aliens! No one believes me though so I have to keep searching for her. I lost my own sister…after that the family fell apart and my parents divorced. Once I get out of here I will find Samantha. I will do anything to find her." Castiel hugged him.
"You will Mulder. I'm almost scared for the aliens." Mulder grinned at him and Castiel smiled back. "So. What is going on between you and Don? I think I sense some secret feelings?"
"No way in hell!' Mulder's ears went a bit pink. "Forgot my book downstairs, glad we had this talk." Mulder shot off downstairs leaving behind Castiel who simply shook his head. Now he wondered how he was going to tell Dean that he…loved him? It was scary to even say it aloud to himself. Castiel hoped that Dean would even talk to him after their argument. He chewed his fingernails as he waited for Dean to come upstairs.
"Cas? Are you asleep?"
Castiel sat up. "No Dean, I am very much awake. And you?"
"Obviously awake Cas." For being so smart he sure could be a dummy."Hey, I wanted to apologize for earlier. You are right about everything and I fully support the idea of Looney Lupin howling at the moon and you flashing those beautiful wings of yours."
Castiel peeked at Dean hopefully. "Do you really find them beautiful?"
Dean gulped and turned red. 'Uhh..yeah."
Castiel smiled and close his eyes as his wings fluttered into view. Dean looked at him in amazement. He was one gorgeous dude with his large blue eyes and dark tousled hair against light, porcelain skin. Dean crawled on Castiel's bed and took both sides of his face in his hands. He traced a thumb over the soft skin of his cheek and trailed it over Castiel's soft bottom lip. He leaned in and kissed Castiel with all the tenderness in the world. His hands made their way over to Castiel's wings and he gently let his hands run over the soft feathers. "So beautiful Cas," Dean whispered and kissed him again. The kiss deepened and Castiel felt warmth seeping through his body as Dean explored his mouth with his tongue. Castiel's eyes widened as Dean slipped one hand down his torso and found the growing bulge in his pants. He whimpered softly as Dean slid his fingers around him and kissed his neck. Dean's hand was about to travel into Castiel's pants when the angel's sensitive ears picked up on feet padding up the stairs. He kissed Dean sweetly on the mouth. "Good night Dean." It took all of Dean's will power to leave his bed as he told him 'good night' in that sexy voice of his. Dean stole a quick kiss and climbed into bed as the rest of the boys came in yawning. Castiel felt like kicking himself for not telling Dean about his feelings, but he figured he still had what-tomorrow? The rest of the year? Castiel fell asleep feeling more content than he had in a long time but still slightly unsatisfied. Damn that hot Dean Winchester!
