The Portkey

John slept fitfully and woke the next morning to find Sherlock holding his hand in his sleep. He gently pulled it away and gazed at Sherlock's sleeping face. It was more peaceful than he ever looked during the day.

Just then, Mrs Weasley quietly opened the door. 'Oh, you're already awake,' she whispered, then moved over to wake up Harry and Ron.

John shook Sherlock's shoulder and his eyes fluttered open.

'It's time to wake up,' John said softly.

Sherlock sat up and stretched, taking in John's pale and drawn face. 'There will be time for a nap hen we arrive, I think,' he said.

The four of them got dressed in silence, then headed down to the kitchen, meeting Sam, Dean and Castiel on the way down.

Mrs Weasley was stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove, while Mr Weasley sat at the table, checking a sheaf of large parchment tickets. He looked up as the boys entered, and spread his arms so they could see his clothes more clearly. He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing jumper and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt. 'What d'you think?' he asked anxiously. 'We're supposed to go incognito - do I look like a Muggle?'

'That is actually very good,' said Dean, adjusting the collar on his own jacket.

'Where's Bill, Charlie and Percy?' said George as he entered the kitchen.

'Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?' said Mrs Weasley, heaving the large pot over to the table and lading porridge into bowls. 'So they can have a bit of a lie-in.'

'So they're still in bed?' Fred said grumpily, pulling his bowl of porridge towards him. 'Why can't we Apparate too?'

'Because you're not of age and you haven't had your test,' Mrs Weasley snapped. 'And where have those girls got to?' She bustled out of the room and up they heard her climbing the stairs.

'I do not like Apparating,' said Dean, sitting down with his porridge. 'I went side-along with my dad once and it sucked.'

John nodded in agreement. His one time with Mycroft had not been a pleasant experience.

'You have to pass a test to Apparate?' Harry asked.

'Oh yes,' said Mr Weasley. 'The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple the other day for Apparating without a license. It's not easy, Appirition, and when it's not done properly it can lead to nasty complications. This couple I'm talking about went and splinched themselves.'

Everyone around the table except John and Harry winced.

'Er – splinched?' said Harry.

'They left half of themselves behind,' said Mr Weasley. 'So, of course, they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair bit of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they left behind…'

'Were they okay?' Harry asked, startled.

'Oh yes, but they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Appirition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms – slower, but safer.'

'But Bill, Charlie and Percy can all do it?'

'Gabriel can too,' said Cas. 'He passed his test a few weeks ago.'

'Good for him,' said Dean.

'I almost forgot to tell you all, Gabriel has been made Head Boy.

'Excellent!' Fred and George exclaimed.

'That's awesome,' Dean grinned.

'Percy only just passed his test. Must've taken it at the same time as Gabriel,' said George. 'He's been Apparating downstairs every morning since, just to prove he can.'

There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking drowsy.

'Why do we have to be up so early?' said Ginny, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table.

'We've got a bit of a walk,' said Mr Weasley.

'Walk?' said Harry. 'What, are we walking to the World Cup?'

'No, no, that's miles away,' said Mr Weasley, smiling. 'We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult for large numbers of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times, but on s huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup-'

'George!' Mrs Weasley said sharply, and they all jumped.

'What?' said George in an innocent tone that deceived nobody.

'What is that in your pocket?'

'Nothing!'

'Don't you lie to me!' Mrs Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, 'Accio!'

Several small, brightly coloured objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs Weasley's outstretched hand.

'We told you to destroy them!' Mrs Weasley said furiously, holding up what were unmistakeably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. 'We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!'

John glanced over at Castiel, who was staring at his tightly clenched fists on the table. John nudged Sherlock.

'What?' Sherlock said.

John nodded at Castiel.

'Oh.' Sherlock sat down beside Cas. 'Cas, you have to breathe,' he murmured.

Cas took one short, sharp breath.

Sherlock looked up at Mrs Weasley shouting at the twins. 'Do you need to go outside?' he asked Cas.

Cas's eyes flicked up to the door and back, and he nodded.

'Okay let's go.'

Sherlock and John guided him outside. He took some deep shuddering breaths, leaning up against the house. 'Thank you,' he said breathlessly.

'I should have thought,' Sherlock said apologetically. 'Mrs Weasley can be a little much, I should have warned you.'

Castiel dismissed this with a wave of his hand, then the door opened again and Dean came out.

'Hey, what's going on?' he asked. 'Panic attack?'

Cas nodded, making an effort to steady his breathing.

'Because of Mrs Weasley?'

Cas nodded again, doubling over and leaning on his knees.

'Right, right, you don't like yelling.'

It took a few more minutes for Cas to feel slightly better, but they had no more time to wait once everyone else started leaving the house.

'Let's go,' said Mr Weasley, handing them their backpacks.

It was chilly and the moon was still out as they set off. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon showed that daybreak was growing closer.

'Where are we going?' John asked.

'There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, and the nearest one to us is up the top of Stoatshead Hill, so that's where we're headed.' Mr Weasley pointed ahead of them, where a large black mass rose from the ground.

Sam was the first to crest the hill, and he looked back at Dean gleefully. 'Who's the bet now, huh, Dean?' he gloated.

'That doesn't count,' Dean puffed, also arriving on level ground. 'You know I hate being up early, and besides, I'm carrying more weight. I got the tent'

Sam stuck his tongue out and the rest of the group arrived, panting and clutching stitches.

'Whew,' panted Mr Weasley. 'Well, we've made good time – we've got ten minutes… Now we just need the Portkey,' he said, squinting at the ground. 'It won't be big, come on…'

They spread out to search, but had only been at it for a few minutes when a shout shattered the stillness in the air.

'Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it!'

Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.

'Amos!' said Mr Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man, followed by the rest of them. Mr Weasley shook hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a mouldy, old boot in his other hand.

'This is Amos Diggory, everyone,' said Mr Weasley. 'Works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?'

Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy in his seventh year. He was captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team.

'Hi,' said Cedric, looking around at them all.

Dean said 'Hi' back with everyone else, but he was looking at the ground, scuffing his toes, all of his usual bravado suddenly gone

'Long walk, Arthur?' Mr Diggory asked.

'Not too bad,' said Mr Weasley. 'We live just in the village there. You?'

'Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he passes his Appirition test. Still, not complaining. Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sack full of Galleons – and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy…' Mr Diggory peered around at them all good-naturedly. 'All these yours, Arthur?'

'Oh, no, only the redheads,' said Mr Weasley, pointing out his children. 'The rest are friends of Ron's. Let's see, this is Hermione, and that's Harry-'

'Merlin's beard,' said Mr Diggory, his eyes widening. 'Harry? Harry Potter?'

'Er, yeah,' said Harry.

'Ced's talked about you, of course,' said Mr Diggory. 'Told us all about playing against you last year. I said to him, I said – Ced, that'll be something to tell the grandkids, that will, you beat Harry Potter!'

Fred and George scowled at him. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed. 'Harry fell off his broom, Dad,' he muttered. 'It was an accident.'

'Yes, but you didn't fall of, did you?' said Mr Diggory amiably, slapping Cedric on the back. 'Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman… but the best man won, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to work out which one's the better flier!'

'Must be nearly time!' Mr Weasley said hurriedly, catching sight of the twins' expressions. 'Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?'

'No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets,' said Mr Diggory. 'What about the Holmeses?'

'Sherlock and his friend John are here,' said Mr Weasley, pointing at them.

'Ah, excellent. And the Winchesters?'

'That's us,' said Dean, indicating himself, Sam and Cas.

'There aren't any more of us in the area, are there?' said Mr Diggory.

'Not that I know of,' said Mr Weasley. 'Yes, it's a minute off, we'd better get ready. You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do.'

With great difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, they crowded around the old boot in the semi-darkness, waiting…

'Three…' muttered Mr Weasley, looking at his watch, 'two… one…'

It happened immediately. Their feet left the ground and they sped forwards through howling wind and swirling colour, their fingers stuck to the boot as though it was pulling them magnetically forwards, and then-

Their feet slammed into the ground and most of them fell over. Only Mr Weasley, Mr Diggory, Cedric and Dean retained their balance. The Portkey hit the ground with a heavy thud.

'Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill,' said a voice.

Welcome back guys! Thanks to RHatch89, DaughterofMagic3, TimedragonD and Morgause Pendragon for the lovely reviews. I'm quite far ahead in writing it, but man is this book long. I've only just got to Hogwarts, there's certainly a lot to cover. Enjoy the chapter and I'll see you all next time!