Unfound

Chapter One

Pre-Series and Season 11 Episode 22: We Happy Few

Past (1980)

Mary waved goodbye to John, after giving him a peck on the cheek and handing him a sack lunch, before carefully closing the door. Dean was being watched by a babysitter this morning. John and Mary did not have a lot of spare money – but, once a week, they hired someone to watch him. Mary had told John that this was so that she could have a moment to herself. To breathe, to sleep in, to relax. But, of course, that was not what she was doing.

She quickly looked out the window by the front door to make sure that John was well and truly gone, and not doubling back after forgetting something. Once she confirmed the rumble of the Impala fading into the distance, she made sure to turn the lock and close the curtains.

She headed upstairs to their closet. There was a false wall in the back, where she kept her hunting gear. Most of it had been collecting dust – the guns, the knives, a healthy store of holy water, had all been dormant. But the dust had been unsettled now. She hadn't had to use any of the weapons yet, but she had started making notes.

A timeline, in fact, of odd things that had happened. Things she hadn't really thought about at the time. The young British man who had spent the day with John at the shop while his motorcycle had been fixed, later came over to their house for dinner. There had been something about him – something that set her alarms off. So, she invited him to dinner. It was an old instinct, a pretext of sorts.

He had been kind. Funny, even. She even thought that he might be a good friend for John. John didn't have many friends – it was part of what made their relationship so intense. Mary had cut off all of the ties from her former life, leaving her with no one but her husband. John only hung around his ex-marine buddies, and they only blew through town every couple of months. Their double lack of social lives meant that they spent all their time together. Too much time together, sometimes.

By the end of the evening, she had concluded that the British man was normal. He had asked some odd questions, and seemed very interested in Dean, in particular. She just assumed he liked babies.

Mary had sent John to walk the man out while she cleaned up. The sound of the water from the dishes had drowned out their voices. For a second, she thought she had heard shouting between the two men, but when she turned the water off to listen, it was quiet. A couple of minutes later, John came back in. He seemed dazed. Mary thought maybe he had just had too much to drink.

It wasn't until the next morning that she realized that she couldn't remember the man's name. She could barely picture his face. She remembered that his hair was dark and that he was British, but that was about it. After a life of noticing and remembering the smallest details, this had unsettled her. But she had foolishly set it aside.

That is where she was starting today. She grabbed the journal with her memories, and after doing a quick read-through, took it and carefully closed the false backing on the closet. Step one – find out the name of the British man. He had come into the garage. Mary smiled to herself for a moment. It had been a while since she had visited John at work.

Present

Chuck and Lucifer re-entered the map room. Lucifer was grinning – which, normally neither Winchester would consider a good thing, but in this particular case, there was something a little more…genuine about his expression.

"Hey," Sam greeted.

"So…are we good?" Dean asked carefully, not wanting to hold out too much hope.

Lucifer and Chuck looked at each other and nodded. Dean let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

"Ok!" He said. "Great."

"So, what now?" Sam asked.

"We trap Amara," Chuck responded. "Put her back in the box."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah. Well, you were right. She needs to be destroyed. But I won't kill her."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"Amara's been caged for billions of years, but y'know, she was always there. She had to be there. Y'know, yin and yang. Dark and light."

"English, Chuck," Dean said, exasperated.

Dean and Sam had been at the top of the stairs, where Chuck had banished them earlier, but at Dean's question, he huffed and waved his hand, bringing the brothers back into the map room.

"There's a harmony, a balance, in the universe," Chuck explained. "Light needs dark. Dark needs light. If you blow one of them up, then, I mean – "

"It would not be a good thing," Lucifer finished for his father.

"It'd be really not a good thing. Like 'end of reality' not good."

"Ok, so we gift-wrap Amara. I mean, we got the team back together so – " Sam started.

Chuck interrupted him. "Not quite. We're still a few members short of the original line-up."

"Yeah, first time it took the combined strength of me and my brothers to weaken Amara before Daddy-O finished her off," Lucifer supplied.

"Even then it was close," Chuck warned. "Now with just the two of us, we'll lose."

"Ok, so what? We need more, uh, group therapy between you and the archangels if we wanna have a shot?"

"Well, it's outside my power to bring Michael and Raphael back," Chuck said.

"What about Gabriel?" Sam asked. Dean shot him a look. "What?"

Chuck sucked in a breath. "Gabriel's not my biggest fan."

"Are you kidding me? You cast Lucifer into hell for eons and you're worried about Gabriel?" Dean asked, despite the desperate look he had sent to Sam.

"I'm not worried," Chuck snapped, although that certainly did not appear to be the case.

"Then bring him in," Lucifer challenged. He was enjoying watching his father squirm.

Chuck sighed. "Fine." He snapped his fingers.

Gabriel appeared. He was dressed in only boxers - boxers covered in…

"Are those golden snitches?" Sam asked, recognizing the wizarding object.

"Winchesters," Gabriel glared. "How did you…"

Chuck cleared his throat. Gabriel turned around.

The look on his face would be funny if they weren't in a fight for the world. Again. Dean couldn't help but have deja vu - Gabriel refusing to help them when there was a looming apocalypse.

"Heya, Gabe," Lucifer said.

Gabriel did another doubletake.

"What the…"

"Son, we need your help," Chuck said seriously.

Past (1981)

It had taken Mary years, but she had finally had a breakthrough. Even she couldn't quite trace the process that it had taken for her to get here, but she was certain she was in the right place. Standing in front of a psychic's, Missouri Moseley, door. The most incredible part was that she had traveled all over the country - even to Canada to try and find her baby. And all of that led her to a woman in her hometown.

She didn't have the chance to knock before the door opened. The woman behind the door looked her up and down.

"I've been expecting you, Mary. Please come in."

Mary didn't need to be told twice. She entered the house. It was cozy. Sitting at a coffee table on the floor, there was a little boy, coloring. He was adorable and Mary smiled at him. He gave her a shy grin in return.

"James, sweetie, why don't you go on upstairs to finish that."

The little boy looked up and nodded, quickly gathering his things and heading up the stairs.

Mary sat down on the couch.

"Oh, honey, you've had a tough road, haven't you?" Missouri said to her. Her voice was warm – a slow, Southern drawl that dripped like honey.

Mary nodded sadly. She had met a few psychics over the years, and she had a pretty good understanding of who was real and who was fake. This one, although she seemed a little different from others, sent up all the right signals and had come highly recommended.

"Well, why don't I get you some tea and we'll just have a chat about it. Peppermint?"

Peppermint was Mary's favorite.

"I know, of course," Missouri said as she busied herself with the tea kettle. After a couple of moments, the tea was ready and she pushed it over in Mary's direction.

"You lost a little boy?"

"I did. But I - I don't think he's dead. The doctor said that it was SIDS, but, I just...my heart knows otherwise. Is that crazy?"

"No, you're not crazy. A Hunter I see, and a damn fine one. But your husband doesn't know?"

"No. I - I never told him. He wouldn't understand, and I want out of that life. I want something different for my children."

Missouri knew that Mary's children were not going to escape that life, but she wasn't going to tell the woman in front of her that.

Missouri was not just a natural Legilimens. She also had the Sight. Which was rare in full-blooded witches such as herself. But she had inherited it from a no-maj great-grandmother. It had made her a little bit of an outcast at school. She could do magic, just fine, but she wasn't interested if she couldn't use it to help people. And the laws regarding a witch helping no-majes were strict. So, she had snapped her wand and signed the paperwork to become a non-practitioner. She didn't regret it in the least.

"Of course, I understand that."

There was a brief silence. "So, can you...can you See him?"

Missouri could. Maybe not as clearly as she may have been able to if Mary had ever gotten to truly know her son or if the baby was in front of her now. But there was enough information out there about Harry Potter that she had some additional insight. She knew she had to choose her words carefully. There were laws, after all. And she had her own family to think about. James' father had passed not long ago and she couldn't leave him all alone in the world.

"Yes. I can See him. He is...well protected."

"He's alive?"

"You already knew that, honey."

Mary slumped back on the couch, crying tears of relief. "I thought I knew. I – where is he? Can I go get him? Who took him? Why?"

"I can't tell you where he is, I'm afraid," Missouri said gently. "But you should know that he has a destiny of his own, and…"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY DESTINY!" Mary shouted. "I just want my little boy," she added quietly.

"I know, honey, I know," the psychic could see this woman's heart breaking. And her thoughts traveled to her own son and how she would feel if he was missing.

Missouri was conflicted.

Everyone in the wizarding world, including non-practis lie herself, knew the story of The Boy Who Lived. But, of course, Missouri could See more. Harry's life was a sad one. He lived with relatives that did not care for him or his magic. She didn't know where, exactly, he was so well-warded that even a psychic like her couldn't find him. That little boy deserved a family that loved him. His family. But to intervene – that could change everything.

She mentally shook herself. Helping people is why she had given up her community and lived among the no-maj. This would be a big one. A world-changing one. But to one little boy, it could mean the difference between happiness and a life of pain and hardship.

She made up her mind. She'd help. Maybe things could change. She could feel the shift in her head.

"Mary, there is something you need to know about your little boy."

Present

After the explanation, Gabriel had sat down hard in a chair at the map table.

"Well? What do you say?" Chuck asked.

"No," Gabriel said plainly and simply.

The look on this father's face made it entirely worth it.

"Gabriel, son…"

Gabriel gathered his courage. He hadn't seen or spoken to his father in years, of course. Centuries. Millennia. He loved his father. It was a little unsettling that after this long, after all the anger and heartbreak. He supposed all sons loved their fathers on some level.

His father had never truly returned that love. Gabriel understood that now. Michael had been his father's loyal soldier. Lucifer His confidante. Raphael His administrator. Gabriel had meant to be His voice on Earth.

The Angel of Revelation.

It was a special job and Gabriel had felt important. Of his brothers, only two of them were selected to walk amongst His new creation.

But coming to Earth - being around humans had changed Gabriel. Unlike Lucifer, he had taken joy in their father's creation. As a rule, angels were not funny. Sure, humor existed, but taking things too lightly was seen as an affront to God - especially in the lower orders. It was the irreverence of humans that Lucifer had hated and Gabriel had found delightful.

After Lucifer fell, Gabriel's importance rose. He was commanded to train a battalion of angels to watch over the humans and protect them from the corrupting influence of his brother's demons. Gabriel had been a fierce commander. Demanding. Exacting. But also caring. He encouraged those that he led to try and see the good in humans. To spend time with them (secretly, of course), hoping that they would see them as he did. It worked too well.

Gabriel wanted his father to be pleased. To see that Gabriel was emulating him - he created! Which was why it had been a lance in a gut - both literally and figuratively when his father hadn't even bothered to speak with him in person about his concerns about wizards. He had sent Michael, instead, to give him the news. Like he was some sort of common angel, not a treasured son.

For years he had internalized that hurt. Turned it to rage. Rage against his brothers. Rage against regular humans. Rage against himself. He had been ashamed. Before, he may not have been the favorite, but his ranking amongst angels was clear. He had been a Prince of Heaven and then he was a cosmic joke. An archangel that had been seduced by his father's lowliest creatures.

So, he hid. He took another face and another name. He never stayed anywhere long and he punished humans. Only those who deserved it, of course, because, unlike his father, he judged fairly.

And now. His father had come back. For the humans that Gabriel hated the most. Sam and Dean Winchester. And he had the gall to ask him, the tossed aside son, for help. Not asked, of course, his father didn't do that. Commanded. Seemed to even have Lucy in the fold.

Fool me once… Gabriel thought in his head as he looked his father in the eye and said, again, with confidence, "No. They created this mess. They can clean it up." He tried to fly away from the Bunker that he had been snapped into. Of course, he couldn't.

"Gabriel," Chuck said with a warning in his tone. "I know you're angry. But be reasonable, son."

"Did this bullshit work on you?" Gabriel asked, turning to his brother wearing Castiel. There wasn't a day when Gabriel didn't think about creative ways to give Castiel his Just Desserts. He had never thought of forcing him to be a vessel for Lucifer in those fantasies, but, honestly, it was better than anything he would have thought of as punishment. And his imagination had almost no limits.

Lucifer pursed his lips and glared but didn't respond.

"Lucifer has fallen in line, Gabriel," Chuck said sternly.

"Lucifer always liked you a lot better than I did," Gabriel shot back. At a stern look, Gabriel sighed. "I'll consider it. But I want to talk to you two, first. Dumb and Dumber can get lost."

"We don't have time…" Sam started.

Chuck held his hand up. "We don't have a lot of time, but we can spare a few minutes for this. Sam, Dean…" he waved his hand and the two humans found themselves in the kitchen.

"There. They are gone. Say what you need to say."

Now that it was time to speak Gabriel was at a complete loss. He had had so many conversations with his father in his head. Lengthy ones. He had imagined what the responses would be, but somehow, this was different. Difficult.

"Should we try 'I' statements again?" Lucifer suggested, looking a little too innocent.

"You know what, Lucy can go too," Gabriel ground out.

"Fine," Chuck said, and Lucifer also disappeared with a snap. "Time is ticking, Gabriel."

"There is so much that I wanted - no, that I needed to say. But none of that matters. I will help, but you have to promise me something first."

Chuck's looks could actually kill, but he seemed to be just shy of that. "A deal?" He laughed without humor. "You always were the boldest of the archangels. What is it that you want, Gabriel? I assume something to do with those...wizards of yours. I have to say that they have been far more entertaining than I thought they'd be. A little too powerful for most narratives, if we want to involve humans, but who doesn't love a little magic?"

Gabriel didn't like how flippantly he was talking about his people. "Not all of them. Just one."

Understanding dawned on Chuck's face. "Ah. Harry Potter then. Honestly, son, he's been dead for long enough now, that I thought you would have moved on. His brothers didn't even care enough to keep trying to get him back."

Gabriel ground his teeth. "If we based what we cared about by the Winchester's attention spans, there would be nothing left in this world."

"I just thought that you had given up getting attached to those wizards," Chuck said, disappointment rolling off him in waves. "You saw what happened the last time you got overly involved."

Gabriel flinched. He remembered. Fire, destruction, and the end of a civilization that he had nurtured into existence. "This isn't the same," he protested.

"Isn't it?"

"No. Harry didn't - he didn't deserve to die. He had a destiny."

"He did have a destiny," Chuck agreed readily and with indifference. "To kill the evil wizard that killed his parents. Everything after that was just...bonus."

"Don't say that," Gabriel snapped. "He was so much more than that."

"Eh," Chuck said. "Compared to his brothers? He was boring. The most interesting thing about him was how he died."

"Fine. If that's how you feel, I'll see you later, Pops. Or not. Good luck with Aunt Amara. You know - I always kind of liked her." Gabriel couldn't fly away, but he could attempt a good storm out.

"Fleeing again, Gabriel?" Chuck said evenly, but Gabriel could hear the underlying condescension and disappointment. "That's what we've all come to expect from you."

That pushed Gabriel over the edge. He turned towards his father – his face contorted with rage. "I left because you forced me out!"

"Now, son – "

"Dad, just ask him what he wants, and let's get on with it!" Lucifer had come back into the room. Because, of course, he had. Chuck wondered what he had done in life to deserve to only have his most disobedient sons left.

He sighed. "Alright. What do you want in regards to Harry Potter?"

"I want him back."

Chuck's face scrunched up. "Oh, no can do. Well, I could, but it would be the total destruction of wizardkind, which I am pretty sure was not what you or he wanted."

"You can bring him back without that!"

"I can't."

Both Lucifer and Gabriel stared at him.

"What? I know that I'm God, but the deal I made with Death was ironclad. That dude is creepy."

"Death is dead."

"Oh, I know. Doesn't mean that I can just negate our deal. Not without great consequences that no one would like."

"Then I'm out. Maybe Aunt Amara will be interested in my help. Bet she has the power to get him out," Gabriel said, this time reaching the staircase. He was about halfway up when Chuck called out to him.

"Wait."

He turned around, surprised. Lucifer looked surprised too.

"I can't negate the deal. But I could...tweak it. Change the terms a little." All of this was said very reluctantly. Gabriel knew he had his father just where he wanted him.

"I'm all ears."

Past (1982)

"Yes?" Mary answered the phone in her kitchen. It had been a beautiful day and she had just returned from the park with Dean. John was home now and playing with him before bedtime in the living room. Mary smiled watching the two of them.

She knew the voice on the other end, of course. She quickly ducked out of the doorway and into the kitchen. "Really?" More talking. "Yes, of course, I'll be right there."

Mary was shaking. She couldn't believe it. Missouri had something. She grabbed her purse.

"Where are you going?" John asked, surprised to see his wife leaving at this time of night.

"Oh, that was Mary-Anne on the phone. She just broke up with Lance."

"Again?"

"Yes. And she just needs some moral support. You can handle bedtime, right?"

"Of course, honey," he got up off the floor and walked over to her. "Call if you're going to be out later than ten?"

"I will," she promised.

"Thank you," he kissed her on her temple. He turned back to their son, who was watching them with wide eyes from the floor. "Uh oh," he said. "I think that there is about to be a dinosaur attack…"

Mary left to the sounds of roaring and toddler giggles. Soon, she hoped, she would bring their second son home, and their family would be complete. She had been secretly buying things for him. Little things, of course. A t-shirt that said, "World's Best Little Brother." A replica of Dean's favorite fire truck toy. Baby blankets, ready to be monogrammed with his initials. She squirreled it all away in her hidden corner of the closet. She couldn't wait.

As always, Missouri had the door open to welcome her as soon as she came up the drive. The peppermint tea was already poured.

"Who is this person you'd like me to meet?" She asked eagerly.

"Diedre, sweetie, come on in."

A young woman entered the room. She was dressed strangely - she wore a set of navy-blue robes over an old-fashioned dress. She looked nervous.

"Have a seat. Mary, this is Diedre Collins. Diedre, this is Mary," Missouri introduced.

Mary held out her hand. The woman reluctantly took it. She took a seat on the armchair opposite the couch, where Mary was sitting. She looked at Missouri with a question in her eyes.

"Now, Mary, this isn't gonna be easy. But hear us out. Try not to jump to conclusions."

"Ok," she was nervous.

"Mary, Diedre was the Auror assigned to you."

"Assigned to me?"

"Yes. All hunters - or ex-hunters, in your case, are assigned a junior Auror to watch them. They do rounds twice a year. To assess risks."

Mary felt numb. Was Missouri saying, "This the woman who stole my child?"

"It wasn't a single witch that took your baby, Mary Winchester," Missouri said severely. "Diedre did her job."

Mary was on her in a second. "How dare you? That was my baby! What gave you the right? You tell me where he is. You tell me now." She pulled her arm back to punch the witch, but Missouri caught it from behind. It wasn't until the woman pulled her into a hug that she realized she was crying.

Diedre, for her part, looked contrite. That didn't help.

"Mrs. Winchester," she started once Missouri had gotten Mary back on the couch. "I know that this will mean very little, but I am sorry that your son was taken from you. You have to understand that your family was specifically involved in the death of a young witch. It made it so that we...so that I had no choice. After speaking with Ms. Moseley, I believe that we were in the wrong."

"Damn right you were in the wrong! John and I would never hurt one of our children. It doesn't matter that he's magical. We'll love him all the same. Give him back."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Mrs. Winchester," she said quietly. "But I can assure you that I personally screened the family that adopted him and they were a lovely couple. They loved him very much."

Mary's blood ran cold. "Loved?

Diedre looked desperately at Missouri. She had to be very careful about what she said, her job could be on the line if she said the wrong thing. It was bad enough that she was having actual contact with Mary Winchester in the first place.

Missouri, of course, understood what the problem was. "The couple that adopted your son – they passed." She had been hoping not to share that information with Mary.

"Then give him back to me!" Mary demanded, her heart aching for her son that had now lost two sets of parents. And he was so young. Only a little over two years old.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Mary," Missouri repeated gently. "I told you that he is very well protected. That is true. So true that even if we tried to get to him, we could not. He is…hidden from the wizarding world."

"Just tell me everything you know. I'll find him," Mary said with certainty. Hunting was in her blood. Even though she had given it up, she knew she had the skillset to find her son. Magical world or not.

Diedre shook her head. She knew there was no way that a no-maj could make her way past Dumbledore's protections. The rumor was that he had taken control of the warding around The Boy Who Lived. She could hardly tell this woman that though.

"He's unreachable. However, I'm sure, when he comes of age that…"

"When he comes of age? You want me to wait another sixteen years to see my son? We've already had to live two years without him. We've missed so much."

"Mary, honey, please. We have more important matters to attend to."

"More important than my son that was stolen?"

"I'm afraid so. Diedre?"

The witch looked nervous. "Ms. Moseley was able to find me because - well, I've been promoted, but I'm still the Auror assigned to you and your family because you've been identified as a risk for having more magical children."

"At risk for...what?"

"Mary," Missouri said gently. "Did you know that you're pregnant?"

Present

Gabriel was able to catch Lucifer before the great battle. The one that he was pretty sure was going to get them all killed.

"Yeah?" His brother asked. "You've already gotten what you wanted from dad. What are you gonna demand something from me too?"

"Don't be petty, Lucy."

"Don't be petty, Lucy," Lucifer mocked back at him. "Go suck a wizard dick, Gabe."

"You know, I have, and if you'd like some tips, there's this thing that you can do with your…"

"Oh, stop it," Lucifer said with disgust. "Grow up. What do you want Gabriel?"

"That vessel you're in? Castiel."

"Yeah, what about him? He's on board if that's what you're worried about. I already assured the precious Winchesters that I wouldn't hurt a hair on his perfectly tousled head." The Devil felt like had been making far too many compromises as of late.

"What if you did?"

"Did what?"

"You're not slow, Lucy. I mean, what if you hurt him?"

Lucifer gave him an appraising look. "Wow Gabe, that's dark. I know this one isn't your favorite, but…"

"I hate him, Lucifer. He ruined everything. And what does he get for it? Oh, brought back from Purgatory to spend time with his little pets. Not only did he murder one of the greatest men to ever live, but he also didn't lose anything by doing it. There was no justice. Sam and Dean forgave him, of course, and he just gets to walk around interacting with the world after."

"You want justice, brother? Or revenge?"

"A little of both wouldn't hurt."

"Why should I?"

"Oh, please, it's not like you like the guy any better than I do. Without him, the Winchesters are weak. It's a win-win scenario here."

"And what about Father?"

"What about him?"

"You think that he'd be alright with me hurting his favorite little angel? He has brought him back several times. Even though he did almost the same thing I did. Where is his cage?"

"Exactly. Dad didn't punish him, so we could. Or you could. Kill him, for all I care," Gabriel said as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"You know I could...wait a minute," Lucifer looked at Gabriel with suspicion. "That doesn't work on me, Gabriel."

"What?" The archangel asked innocently.

"You know what. Look, it's time to go. You go rally your wizards, I'll rally the rats in hell. It'll be a party."

Gabriel knew that it was a lost cause. "Fine. But, could you at least - I don't know, torture him a little in his head for me?"

Lucifer smiled unpleasantly. "I'll see what I can do."

Past (1982)

"So, now, you see, why we had to talk to you."

Mary was shell-shocked. She had gone from finding out that the person who had kidnapped her child was right there in front of her to discovering that not only was she pregnant, but with another magical child. She wanted to throw up. She was going to throw up. She ran to the bathroom and vomited the entire contents of her stomach.

No. Not again. She felt it - she knew they were telling the truth. She debated trying to climb out of the window. If she was fast enough, maybe she could get back to John and Dean and they could leave. Go into deep hiding. Some of her father's contacts had to be active. They could help them, hide them.

"Mary, I'm not gonna let them take another child from you," Missouri said through the door. Mary froze. She had stupidly forgotten that she was dealing with a psychic. "I can also see your thoughts," the woman added.

Mary got up slowly and opened the door.

"Deep breaths, Mary. Diedre wants to help. I wouldn't have allowed her in here if she didn't."

The two of them went back into the living room, where the witch was waiting for them. Mary glared.

"Our laws are strict," she started to explain. "But there are ways around them. It is considered cruel to take a child from their parents after their third birthday."

Mary snorted. "Oh, only then?"

"Research shows that children start developing memories when they are about two and a half. We can't do memory charms on children that small. Or rather, we don't. Legally, unless one of the parents has been convicted of murdering a magical child, they cannot be taken away past age three."

"So, what do we do?" Mary asked, feeling more afraid than she ever remembered feeling in her life.

"There is a potion you can take. Ms. Moseley can make it for you - it is legal, but I cannot be the one to supply it to you, but it will suppress your child's magical core. You will just have to take it every six months while you are pregnant. And, then, you'll have to make sure that he takes it at the same interval until he is three. Maybe even four, just to be safely outside the limit. Many children don't develop their magical abilities until about that time, so everyone will just assume that your child isn't strong, magically speaking. It won't hurt the child in any case. Sometimes, witches take this potion if their child shows signs of being overwhelmingly powerful. But you have to start this potion within the week. That's how long I can hold off my report."

"A week?" Mary said, weakly.

"Yes. I'm sorry to rush you like this Mary, but if you want to keep that child. And keep him safe."

"Him?"

"Oh darn. I'm sorry. Yes - him. You're having another little boy."

Mary could almost feel him - which was crazy, she couldn't be that far along. An overwhelming surge of protectiveness came over her. "I'll take it," she said.

"You don't have to decide…"

"I'll take it," she said again, with more determination. She would do anything to protect this child. She wouldn't live through losing another one.

"Very good, sweetie," Missouri approved.

"There is one more thing, Mrs. Winchester," Diedre said, sounding hesitant.

"What's that?"

"It would be safest if we, at least temporarily, removed your memories of this conversation. Then, no one can break into your mind and see what we've done."

"But what about your minds?"

"We'll take action to protect them," Diedre assured her. "And just until he turns three. After that, we will return the memories to you...and…"

"And what?"

"I – I have some connections in the wizarding world that may be able to help," Diedre had several British cousins, one of whom was currently starting his Auror training. It was a long shot, but she was willing to give it a try.

Mary's eyes filled with tears again. God, she couldn't remember the last time she had cried this much in a single day. "Please! Please, if I could just hold him…"

"We'll work on it," Missouri assured her. Because she knew that Diedre would. Even though it would be for naught. "Now, let's go over our plans one more time. You can still back out if you want."

Mary smiled, feeling hope, true hope, for the first time in years. "Yes. Let's talk."

Present

Ted stepped off the plane at JFK, feeling slightly nauseated on top of his exhaustion. At the time he had made the decision, he had thought that it would be an adventure to take an airplane to the United States. His Nan had thought that he was insane to not just take an international portkey like any self-respecting wizard. The novelty of the whole experience had worn off quickly. It wasn't an adventure – it was a slog filled with too many people, stuffy air, and babies that seemed to have the superhuman ability to cry for six hours straight. It had also given him an uncomfortable amount of time alone with his thoughts.

So much time that when he was asked the casual question at customs of what his business was the United States and how long he'd be there that he almost gave up his secret mission right then and there because he had thought of nothing else (other than if he could secretly hit that baby with a silencing charm without anyone noticing) the entire flight.

Thankfully, his brain came online quickly enough that he didn't just spit out, "I'm here to hunt and kill the angel that murdered my godfather."

For years, they had only given Ted the basics of what had happened to Harry. He knew that his godfather had died in a battle. He even knew that a contributing factor to his death had been a sacrifice to save the wizarding world. Even school children knew that Harry Potter had died ridding the world of dementors.

However, shortly after coming of age on his 17th birthday, his Aunt Ginny had sat him down with his Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione and they told him the whole truth. Or, at least as much of the truth as they knew.

Castiel – the Angel of Thursday had specifically picked a monster that was not only Harry's greatest weakness but had been trying to kill his godfather for ages. His aunts and uncle disagreed about why the angel had targeted Harry. Aunt Ginny thought it was because he was jealous of his relationship with Sam and Dean. Aunt Hermione had thought that it was because the power he held was a threat to the angel. And Uncle Ron believed that Castiel just hated all wizards and that his plot to kill Harry would also end in the destruction of all wizard-kind.

Ted didn't care which of the reasons it was. The fact of the matter was that Castiel had taken his godfather from him. His only family, aside from his Gran. To make things worse, no one had tried to avenge Harry's death. Sam and Dean – men that he regarded as uncles, whose loyalty to each other was legendary, hadn't bothered to try and take down the monster that had killed Harry.

That hurt most of all.

Being an orphan, Ted was keenly aware of his place in the world. He was a burden placed on those who were kind enough to look after him. No matter how much his Nan loved him, he hadn't missed the pain in her eyes whenever she thought of his mother or grandfather. He was a burden on her, on everyone who had been kind enough to look after him.

Especially Harry.

Harry had only been seventeen when he was born. Ted was already a year older than that and couldn't imagine being put in charge of the upbringing of a baby. Trips like the one he was taking now – an adventure across the United States hadn't been possible for Harry. It wasn't just the war that had taken his godfather's youth, it was also the burden of having to raise the child of a man that he had felt beholden to.

But, looking back now, Ted could see how carefully Harry had tried to not make him feel like a burden. While he hadn't called the man, "Dad," out of respect for his actual father, that is what Harry had been to him. And, by extension, that had made Sam and Dean his uncles. And only his uncles. He didn't have to share them with a gaggle of cousins that were cousins in name only.

Ted had thought they were a family. A real family. But it seemed that Sam and Dean didn't care for Harry in the same way that he had cared for them. They hadn't even bothered to kill the thing that had killed him. Hadn't brought him back. Ted had hardly spoken to either of them after Sam left Hogwarts. It was as if he didn't exist to them anymore.

Well, Ted wasn't going to let Harry down that way.

He had done a lot of research in his last year at Hogwarts. Including his field trip to Kendricks. There, he had found the diaries of a woman named Lily Sunder that he had done a clandestine replication charm on, that had given him some leads on how one might track an angel. Nothing on killing one, but from what he could tell she was a muggle, and he was sure that he could find a spell to do the trick.

There was only one person that he had shared any of this with. And Ted felt so much physical relief when he spotted his best friend that he had almost collapsed to the ground.

Ben was standing just outside of security, holding a giant sign.

"BEN AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE!" It read in large, crooked letters.

Ted grinned.

"Ben!" He called out to his friend when he spotted him. Ben's face brightened and Teddy nearly tackled Ben with a great big hug.

Even though the two of them saw each other often, it had been months since their last reunion. Teddy had just graduated from Hogwarts and was planning on taking a gap year touring the United States with his best friend.

Ben, even though he was a year younger, had worked his tail off to graduate a year early so that they would be off at the same time.

"I've missed you!" Ted proclaimed after they had detangled from each other.

"Me too," Ben replied. "It's so boring around here without you. Tommy and Mom are so freaking nauseating. And they ask so many questions! Did you know that Tommy wanted to make me sit down with his family's career coach – yeah, they have an actual career coach, to talk about my 'future.'"

"And what did you conclude?" Ted asked as they began to walk towards the exit.

"I concluded that I'm nearly 18 and I don't need a freaking career coach. Especially one that only wanted to talk about the opportunities for a squib the wizarding world."

"That sounds right."

"Oh, also, bad news, Mémé has insisted that we have dinner with her people tonight," Ben said. "But, I swear, that's the only 'family' thing I'm letting them rope us into."

"I thought you hated that old bat."

"Oh, I do. She's the worst. But she's taken an interest in me. Which, I'm sure, is only because of my connection to you. She's pleased as punch that our friendship creates a connection between her family and the Blacks." Ben knew it wasn't the Blacks that Mémé was interested in, but he didn't want to casually bring up Ted's other connections.

Ted rolled his eyes. "I'm not a Black. I'm a Lupin."

"Well, I know that. But mom says that it keeps her off Tommy' case, so it's the least we could do to play nice for one night. And I suppose she has a point."

The two of them hailed a cab to take them into the city. They were both determined to do things as non-magically as possible. For Ben, it wasn't that exciting, but for Ted, it was.

"You know, I've never been to the Penthouse," Ben said after the two of them finished catching each other up.

"Me neither," Ted said. "And it shouldn't have gone to me, but Sam and…well, his brothers didn't want it. Percy didn't want to get rid of it, so he said it's being held in trust, but we could use it for the couple of nights that we're here."

Dean was still a sensitive topic for Ben. He got along fine with Tommy, Lisa's husband, but their relationship was so different than the one he had had with Dean. Ted knew that his best friend still missed his surrogate father, even though it had been over five years since he had last seen or talked to the man.

Ted also knew that Dean was a large part of the reason Ben had agreed to go on this hunting trip with him. Ben had told Ted that Dean left because he didn't want Ben to become a hunter like him. Ben had interpreted that to mean that Dean thought that he couldn't handle being a hunter. He was determined to prove him wrong.

Ben and Ted only talked to each other about their real thoughts and feelings about their surrogate fathers. The two of them had had many, deep, intense conversations about Dean and Harry. Because they each knew the other's innermost feelings, they were both sure to never bring them up in light conversation.

The muggle taxi driver dropped them off at the park across the street from the wizarding apartment building. Being the stepson of a wizard wasn't what allowed Ben to go into wizarding spaces. Especially in the current political climate. However, years before, Harry had claimed Ben as a nephew, which meant that he was legally classified as a squib even though the wizard had faked their familial relationship.

They were enchanted by the building and the apartment, of course. But, more importantly, they had a trip to plan.

"So, mom wants us to start in Connecticut," Ben said, sounding slightly annoyed. That was where Lisa and her husband were currently living. "But I thought, from there, we could start with a drive up and down the East Coast. I still have the list of diners that…that he loves the most, so I thought we would start there."

"Yes! And we're going to be taking that car that Tommy got you for your sixteenth birthday, right?"

Ben nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, it's waiting for us up at the house. I thought we'd take the train to Connecticut for this first part, but after that, it's just you, me, and my 1977 Pontiac Firebird." The shine in his eyes was very reminiscent of Dean when he talked about Baby.

"Is it road safe now?" Ted teased.

"Oh yeah. Took me almost six months and a lot of hours in the shop, but I got her all fixed up. She's not an Impala, but I can't wait for you to see her."

"It's a shame that they refused to get you one."

Ben scoffed. "I know. They said that the Winchesters are too well known with the wrong crowd for me to drive the same car."

"That's right," came a voice from the door. Both boys jumped.

"Tommy!" Ben cried out. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," he responded. "Your mother wasn't crazy about the idea of letting two teenagers wander around New York City by themselves."

"We're both of age in the wizarding world." Ben whined.

"Yes, I know. But would you have preferred that she came up here instead?"

Ben huffed. "No," he admitted.

"That's what I thought, sport. Teddy, it's great to see you."

"It's Ted," he muttered. Then he smiled and gave the man a hug when he held his arms open. Tommy had grown on Ted. He had been a good step-dad to Ben, even if the two of them didn't always get along.

"Ted, of course. Our most recent Hogwarts graduate! That's a big accomplishment, young man. Have you heard back from your NEWT results yet?"

"Yes, he has," Ben said. "Three O's, Four E's, and just one A," he bragged for his friend.

"Nicely done. Out of curiosity, what was the A in?"

"Arithmancy," Ted sighed. "Maths are just not my strong suit. But it's alright, I don't need higher than that for the Auror academy."

"Oh? Is that your plan?"

"I think so. I haven't quite made my mind up yet. My mum was an Auror and…and Harry, of course."

"Both damn fine ones, if what I hear is to be believed," Tommy said. "Speaking of Aurors, I am also here to remind you of the rules."

Ben and Ted groaned together.

"Yes, yes, I know."

"Aunt Hermione already grilled them into me! And that was after Nan gave me her sternest lecture."

Tommy chuckled. "I will say that having the British Minister of Magic give you a talking to does sound intimidating. But Hermione doesn't understand the climate here in the States in the same way as I do."

"You mean with the Supernatural creatures?" Ted asked, suddenly far more enthusiastic about this topic.

"Yes. America seems to be some sort of target for creatures. Now, the angel issue has largely resolved itself, and that rarely involved any wizarding population and the violence was mostly angel-on-angel, but that doesn't mean there aren't other dangers out there."

"We know," Ben and Ted said at the same time. When they did, they turned to each other and grinned.

"Yes, better than most, that's true," Tommy said. "But it's not just the creatures themselves that you have to worry about. If either of you gets caught hunting, but you, in particular, Ted, you will be in deep trouble. The kind of trouble that being the nephew of the British Minister of Magic may not get you out of."

"I bet being Harry Potter's godson would count for something, though," Ted said cheekily.

"Ted…"

"I know, I know. No hunting."

Ben astutely avoided his step-father's gaze, as well as Ted's. Because, of course, if the two of them were planning on doing exactly that. Ted was out for revenge and Ben was going to prove himself to Dean while making sure that his best friend remained safe. He had even recently outfitted the Firebird with hunting equipment for the trip. They figured that they were going to have to take a couple of easier cases to get in with the hunter community before they could get on to the main event. But they weren't going to tell any of the adults that.

"Yes. And remember, American wizards, are more conservative than British ones. And our laws on magic near no-majes stricter. So, no magic outside of designated wizard spaces, unless it's self-defense. And that, Edward Lupin, includes changing your appearance in a public place."

Ted blushed a little. "I know, I know." He had gotten several lectures about that particular part of his magic. Especially in the US, where someone might mistake him as a shifter. Thankfully, he had very good control of his abilities and had largely settled on a single appearance for the last couple of years.

"And Ben, don't forget to carry your identification. Ted could get in big trouble if he is caught doing magic near you and you don't have your ID."

"Of course, I always have it with me, Tommy." Ben did his best not to get too annoyed with his step-father, who truly did not understand how the ID for squibs and blood relatives of witches and wizards worked. There was special magic placed on their driver's licenses that could be used in the case that a wizard was being accused of doing magic illegally. It wasn't the only form of ID they could use, but was the easiest, as the majority of no-majes already had driver's licenses that they carried with them at all times. Having never driven a car himself, Tommy did not understand that it was extremely unlikely that Ben would ever be without his.

"Good." Tommy looked at them sternly one last time before letting the expression slip off his face. "I'm glad that part is over with. Now, I believe the day is young and you two have a city to see."

Both looked at him, surprised.

"You're not coming with us?" Ben asked, trying to keep the hope out of his voice.

"Nope. But don't tell your mother."

"Oh, I won't, I promise!" Ben said emphatically.

"I will, however, see you tonight for dinner. Figured you'd like someone to run interference with Mémé, because, Merlin knows, that woman could eat you alive."

Both boys looked very relieved.

"Now, get. Have fun."

They didn't need to be told twice before they were both dashing towards the door.

"Oh, wait, Ben?"

Ben turned around. "Yeah?"

"I slipped a little extra in your wallet. Don't spend it all in one place."

Ben grinned. "I won't! Thank you, Tommy."

"Of course. Have fun, boys."

AN – Welcome back friends! I've missed y'all. I hope you enjoyed this first (real) chapter of this fic. I've been busy pre-writing as much as possible. My plan has always been to either post after I have the first ten chapters written or the first weekend of February, whichever came first, and, to my happiness, it was the chapters completed. Right now, I plan on Friday evenings to be my posting time (EST).

Who remembered that I briefly mentioned that Missouri was a witch in Part 2? Lol, maybe no one, but that's how long I've been wanting to work her into this story.

Y'all have no idea how hard it has been for me to not start posting earlier. I've had this first chapter edited and ready to go for weeks. Pure torture.

A special thanks to my Discord friends who help me through some tough scenes and indulge me in many conversations about canon and lore to make sure that everything stays as true to both worlds as possible.

Please let me know what you think!