09

"Are you gonna shoot lil' ol' me?" Harry asked with a small grin.

…

"No one's gonna be shooting anyone." Dean growled beside Harry, manipulating him until he was fully shielded behind Dean's body. "Bobby, put the gun down."

"Are you out of your mind?" The other man asked incredulously, but nevertheless the sound of the safety being clicked back into place filled the air and the weapon was lowered after he saw how serious the Winchester was.

"He's on our side." Harry heard Dean explain as he leaned tiredly against Dean's back, fighting the spasms that were now pronouncedly running through his frame. Dean went on speaking but Harry, for the life of him, couldn't focus nor did he really try to. He trusted Dean to keep him from being shot by overeager hunters.

Maybe he should've let the healer check him. He thought faintly in bemusement before mentally slapping himself to rid him of the thought. Given the chance, the old vulture would've swooped down and strap him down onto a medical bed to lecture him on his 'impulsive behavior' until it drove him insane. Just thinking about it sent shivers running through his frame; there was no way that he was going to fall into her clutches if he could help it.

Clenching his teeth in pain at the rather sudden spasm that ripped through him, he slowly lowered himself down to the ground and opened his backpack with achingly slowness. His backpack was taken from him then and he looked up to see Dean's concerned eyes peering down at him, taking in all the cuts that adorned his body.

"Let me help."

Harry took in a small breath of air and nodded his head in acquiesced.

"Get my potion kit in my bag, would you?" He asked, closing his eyes in exhaustion. Hearing the familiar sound of the vials clinking together, he nodded his thanks to Dean and retrieved the necessary potions that he needed.

He felt the Dean's gentle hands carefully checking on his wounds and barely winced when the cool liquid of antiseptic was applied upon them. Tilting back the muscle relaxant potion, he swallowed it; immediately relaxing in the older man's grip when the potion did its job. A pain reliever potion went down next and he replaced the empty vials back into its case, storing it back into his bag. He didn't want to take any more potions in fear that he would succumb to sleep.

He leaned back against the Impala to allow Dean to bandage his wounds, the potions doing their job to keep the pain tolerable. He could feel the other man's stare at him with suspicion and distrust and he nearly groaned at the impending future of dealing with another paranoid hunter. He understood it but it didn't mean he had to like it.

"Where's Sam?" Harry finally asked the question that had been bothering him since he had appeared. The taller Winchester was no where to be found and he could feel the beginning of worry starting to bubble in the pit of his stomach when Dean tensed from beside him.

Unbiddenly, Mulciber's words drifted through his mind and he struggled to sit up in alarm.

"Where's Sam?" He asked again, gripping one of Dean's hands in dread.

"The demon's got him." Was the expected answer but he still wished that he had been wrong.

"We have to find him." He said, brushing Dean's hands away when the man tried to continue to bandage him up. He attempted to stand up but found that his legs could no longer support his weight. He nearly growled in frustration at his body's lack of obedience.

"We gotta get you taken care of first." The older Winchester said, pushing Harry back down to finish dressing his wounds.

"How long ago was it?" Harry asked quietly.

"Twenty-six hours and we still don't know where he could be." Dean answered, the anger from powerlessness could be heard clearly in his voice.

"We'll find him." Harry assured the man and was slowly helped up. "I'm not resting." He argued when he saw the man open his mouth, his eyes reflecting his resolution. He had just promised himself that he wouldn't let any more of his precious people die and Sam had definitely become one of them.

Dean's phone rang then and setting Harry on the hood of the Impala, he answered it a little ways off; leaving Harry and the man with the shotgun semi-alone since they could still hear what he was saying. Harry resisted the urge to sigh, he could feel the confrontation coming already.

"I don't know what you did, demon, but I want you to unleash the spell you got over the boy." The man, Bobby, demanded, gripping his shotgun in a way that signified that he wouldn't mind unloading a few rounds into him if Harry showed any indication of harming any of them.

"I'm not a demon." Harry corrected, eyeing the man's stance. "And I didn't cast a spell on him." Not any time today anyway, he thought.

"You appear out of no where and the kid's okay with it? I don't believe it."

"Well, believe it." Harry said, not really wanting to get into this conversation at the moment. Maybe when he wasn't so exhausted and Sam was back amongst them, safe from demon clutches was he willing to. Maybe. "Now's not the time to be questioning me on what I am. All you need to know right now is that I'm on your side and we have to find Sam!"

The safety of the shotgun was clicked off and Harry was prepared to defend himself; narrowing his green eyes at the man before him.

"That's not good enough. We ain't going anywhere until you tell me what you are." Harry could practically see the protectiveness the man held for the Winchester brothers radiating from his form and that was what prompted him to answer.

"Wizard." He answered calmly even when the other man's trigger finger twitched slightly at the admission. "Natural born. No deals, no soul selling. You'd really think they'd tolerate me around if I did?"

By the other man's expression, it was clear that the man didn't think so.

"Look, if you don't trust me, that's fine but right now we have to focus on finding Sam."

"There're still some answers I want."

"And you'll get them afterwards." Harry promised solemnly before giving the man a small tired smile. "I'm Harry Potter, by the way."

"Bobby Singer." The man grumbled out, far from giving his trust to Harry. "I find out that you're in leagues with the demons or out to hurt these boys and I'll make sure you regret it."

"I'm sure you will." He said in an amicable manner. After all, he understood where the man was coming from.

"We gotta get to the Roadhouse." Dean cut in at that very moment, his voice gruff and angry. "Ash has something for us."

Ash. Harry had heard mentionings of the man but had never got the opportunity to meet him. All he knew was that he was aiding the Winchesters in searching for the demon that they were specifically after.

Hopping off the hood, he was steadied by Dean and led to the backseat of the Impala while Bobby took the front seat. Dean's hands lingered in concern over his body and he sent him a small reassuring smile.

"Get some sleep." The older Winchester said softly, brushing Harry's wayward hair out of his eyes.

"I'll try." He responded back just as softly. Closing his eyes, he could hear the two hunters in the front mumbling back and forth about Sam and about Harry himself.

Bobby expressing concerns about his trustworthiness and questioning Dean for all the information that he had on Harry and Dean reassuring the man and answering all that he could. Harry didn't mind too much. With Dean answering most of the man's questions, he was hoping that maybe he wouldn't have to answer as much but he knew that it was just wishful thinking.

Gathering the last of his magic, saving a small portion so his magic core could replenish without too much strain, he sent it out of his body and into the air in chance that it would be able to locate a general location of where Sam was. His dwindling magic was met with much resistance and due to fatigue on his part, it lost the battle against the wild magic and drew back into Harry's core all the while hissing in fury.

Losing against the inevitability, he ended up falling asleep; AC/DC lulling him to sleep with the two hunters' voices far in the background.

…

Harry woke up with a start when he felt the car pull to a stop and slowly sat up from his position to peer around at his surroundings. It was with shock and horror when his eyes landed on the burned down establishment that now laid there in ruins and fumbled with his door to get out along with Dean and Bobby.

"Harry, stay in the car. You need your rest." Dean advised Harry but he ignored it in favor of coming closer to inspect the building. Once he was close enough, he could partially see crushed and burnt bodies strewn under the rubble and before he lost balance, he was tugged back against Dean's chest. "You never listen, do you?" The older man muttered, keeping his arm around Harry's waist to support him.

He was still a little weak even after the small nap and so in resignation, he had to use Dean as a crutch if he didn't want to fall head first into the pile of rubble. He could feel the tension and the raw emotions of rage dwelling within the Winchester and knew it stemmed from him unable to get to his brother. Anger was a better emotion to feed off of instead of the worry. Worry would show Dean's vulnerability and the man felt that he couldn't afford it.

Big brothers had to have the strength to protect their younger siblings.

"Any sign of Ellen or Ash?" He asked Bobby only for the answer to come back as a negative. Somberness filled the air and Harry couldn't help shivering from the silence.

From one tragic scene to another, he thought.

Feeling Dean let go of his waist, he watched as the older man bend down to touch a golden watch from a limp arm before pulling away with a small hiss.

"Dammit, Ash."

The one person that held some vital information to their cause was dead and the small hope that he could've helped them find Sam's location was disintegrated. With numb fingers, he reached out and grasped one of Dean's arms and pulled him away from the wreckage until they were seated upon the Impala where Bobby soon came over to stand by them.

They were at a lost.

Harry was mulling over Mulciber's words in his mind but didn't think it was prudent to reveal the information at the moment. They all had a lot on their mind at the moment and to voice another concern when they had yet resolved their primary priority was not a good idea.

He rubbed a hand over his scar and contemplated on what to do next. Mulciber had not only succeeded on separating him from the Winchesters at the most critical moment but he had managed to ensure that Harry's magic would be at an all time low to be of any use at this time and hour. He clenched his hands into tight fists; he hated the man and was only too glad that he was no longer there to cause any more damage in the world.

He was brought away from his thoughts when Dean grunted in pain and witnessed the man grab his head.

"Dean!" He cried out along with Bobby and reached out his arms to prevent the man from falling off of the Impala. Bobby was on the other side of Dean and sharing a look, they came to a small truce for the moment.

It was clear that they both cared deeply for the Winchester brothers.

Dean cried out again and they lowered him to the ground, worried.

"You with us?" Bobby asked, frowning in concern when it seemed that it was over.

"I-I saw something."

"Like a vision? Like what Sam gets?"

"No, nothing like that." Dean denied but his expression soon changed from agony to urgency after another vision attacked his mind. Harry was reminded of the times his scar would cause him agony when he received images from Voldemort. "Sam. I saw Sam."

"So it was a vision?"

"Yeah, but I don't know how." Dean said gruffly, breathing hard. "But yeah."

"What else did you see?"

Hope began to rekindle within them when Bobby showed some recognition of the place that Dean had seen in his vision and they immediately headed out. They didn't voice it but all three occupants in the car were hoping that it wasn't going to be too late when they got there.

Harry alone hoped that he'd regain some strength and his magic by the time they get there. He had a very strong feeling that they were going to need it.

One hour before they could reach the abandoned ghost town, the Impala crashed into an invisible barrier and they were all thrown forward from the impact. Cursing, Dean threw open his car door and seconds later were joined by Bobby and Harry.

Harry placed a hand tentatively on the barrier and resisted a flinch when he felt the power behind it lick at his hand. He pulled his hand away and took a step back, wary of the wall.

"What the hell?" Bobby asked as he too lifted a hand to touch the barrier. "A barrier?"

Dean growled and without any hint of what he was going to do, he threw his fist at the invisible wall only to bite back a cry of surprise and pain when it lashed out at him with crackling energy. Harry immediately pulled Dean away and took a look at the man's hand.

His hand was cracked and blistered from the barrier's defense and he nodded in thanks when Bobby gave him the first aid kit. Despite the older Winchester trying to shake him off, he glared at the man until he remained still and let him bandage his hand.

"How are we going to get in?" Dean asked in aggravation, restraining himself from ramming himself against the barrier. He paced in front of it like a caged animal, growling in anger for not being able to get to where he wanted to be.

Beyond the barrier lay Cold Oak where Sam was currently being held and desperation was clawing at them as each second passed by with them not being able to get any closer. There was only one thing left to do.

"Get back." Harry instructed them, tapping into his magic core when they obeyed his order. Praying that he had regained a sufficient amount to pull off what he planned to do, he began gathering his magic and channeling it into his wand.

"Harry," he heard Dean call his name but he ignored it and concentrated on lifting up his wand towards the barrier.

"Diffindo."

The jet of compact magic flew from his wand and it hit the barrier straight on, creating a clash of powers upon impact. Harry gritted his teeth from effort and pushed, feeling his magic draining from his very being but refusing to give up.

Minutes passed and he could feel the barrier beginning to slowly crack despite its resistance. Feeling encouraged, he placed the last of his strength into breaking the barricade and cried out in triumph when it finally shattered. Crackling magic filled the area and the three men found themselves flying backwards from the force it emitted before the pieces vanished completely.

Immediately the tainted magic that was trapped within rushed out and it washed over Harry's form, suffocating him. His nearly depleted magic pulsed within him in a sign of disgust but it was too weak to fend it off. It felt revolting and he would cringe if he had the energy to but at the moment, he couldn't move even if his life depended on it.

"What did you do?" Bobby asked in amazement, raising at hand to touch the air where the barrier was only minutes before.

Dean went over to Harry's side and picked him up when he realized that Harry didn't have the strength to move. He knew that he should feel mortified at how easily the man had lifted him, cradling him in his arms but all he could feel was relief as he tried to burrow into the man, focusing on the man's presence instead of the taint that surrounded him.

"I broke the barrier." He answered in puffs of breath, his wand hanging limply from his hand. "We need to hurry. Sam."

With the mention of the Winchester in trouble, they quickly jumped into action; running back towards the car. Harry was set carefully in the backseat and quickly they were off, racing towards the town. He could feel the curious gazes that Bobby was giving Dean and himself but paid it no mind.

His concerns laid solely on Sam's wellbeing and hoped that they'd arrive on time. His gut was clenching in a way that told him that something terrible was going to happen soon and he could only wish that his instincts were wrong.

Dean pulled to a stop and opening the door, he turned his attention to Harry.

"Stay here." He instructed and Harry narrowed his eyes at the man. There was no way in hell that he was going to lay around while he waited for them to find Sam.

"No, I'm not." He responded, struggling to get up and pull at the car handle. He cursed the weakness running through his body and forced his limbs to follow his instructions. "Go on ahead, Dean. Sam could be in trouble."

And Sam was, he could feel it in his weary bones. Dean hesitated for only a brief moment before taking off, Bobby quickly following after.

He struggled to breathe with the tainted air all around him and he stumbled his way after them. An hour of rest did his body no good and he could feel his legs threatening to collapse beneath him.

Only for a few more minutes, Harry thought. Just until I know that Sam is safe.

With that as his motivation, he trekked on and came to a stop when he was a few feet away from Bobby and Dean.

"Sam!" Dean cried out when they caught sight of the younger Winchester walking towards them and Harry could see a small relieved smile appear on Sam's face.

"Dean!" He called back and Harry watched in horror when a man in army slacks came up from behind him holding what appeared to be a very deadly looking knife.

"Sam, watch out!" Dean yelled as Harry raised his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" He cried out but only a small spark emitted from his wand at his attempt, his magic was far too depleted for him to use.

Shock replaced their horror when Tribbles launched itself from wherever it was hiding on Sam's body towards the army man's face, startling the man enough for him to jerk backwards away from the youngest hunter. Twisting around, Sam knocked the knife out of the man's hand and punched the man but it seemed to have no effect.

Dean was already running towards them along with Bobby while Harry was forced to watch helplessly from afar. He knew he could provide no help with the condition he was in. He couldn't even walk properly.

It all happened as if time had slowed. Grabbing Tribbles, the army man threw it towards Dean and before they knew what happened, he had grabbed Sam's head and with a sickening crack, he had snapped his neck.

"Sammy!" Dean cried out in pure anguish and dropped to his knees to catch Sam before the young hunter could fall onto the harsh floor. The army man had taken off running but no one paid him any mind at the moment, caught up in the fact that Sam Winchester was dead.

Harry was stunned from where he was standing, disbelief coloring his features.

Sam's dead. The mantra was playing over and over in his mind while Dean was clutching onto his brother, muttering that Sam was going to be okay even though they all knew that he wouldn't be.

Sam's dead.

With a scream of pure agony, Harry fell down onto his knees while he clutched his head with his hands. Grief surged within him and clawed at his mind. He could feel the locked door he had created a couple of years ago beginning to crack under the onslaught of his anguish and he could only tighten his grip on his head.

Sam's dead.

He had promised himself that no more of his precious people would die and he had failed. Flashes from the past of his loved ones dead and cold upon the dirty ground after the final battle filled his mind and he clenched his eyes shut.

He was sure that Dean was crying and he could feel moisture welling up in his eyes as well.

Another scream erupted from his throat and he curled in on himself.

Sam was dead.

And he couldn't do a damn thing to have stopped it.

…

A/N: Um… so another cliffhanger. Sorry. But I kept my word and posted an update in three days. Success?

I really wanted to have Tribbles save the day but that would've completely thrown everything that I planned after this out of whack so sadly… Sam was destined to die.

The middle of the chapter was a bit difficult to write, with them searching for Sam and Part 1 of the confrontation of Harry and Bobby. Not too sure how this chapter turned out so if you have the time, tell me what you think and…

Thank you for the reviews and hoped you enjoy the chapter. ^-^

'Til next time.