Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or Harry Potter

Castiel was standing outside Dean's room. He had been trying to force himself to enter for twelve minutes now. Should he knock? Should he just walk in? What should he do? He raised his hand, about to knock for the umpteenth time. He forced himself to press his knuckled against the wood. There was a loud knock. No. He should go back to his room. He should leave now. He didn't want this anymore. But then the door opened and there was Dean's grinning face and all Castiel's thoughts melted away. "Hey Cas. C'mon in." Dean said grabbing Castiel's hand and dragging him into the room before shutting the door after them.

"Hello Dean." Castiel said awkwardly. He was looking around, studying everything. It was basically empty. There were weapons hung up on the walls and Castiel wondered if they were Dean's or if they came with the room. Like irremovable decor, or perhaps, removable decor. The only personal item Castiel saw in plain view were two pictures. One of a man and a woman grinning into the camera and looking at each other happily. Castiel figured they must be Dean's parents. The other was Dean and Sam smiling next to each other when Sam was sorted into Ravenclaw. Sam was much smaller then.

"Now sleep." Dean ordered pointing at the bed. It was smallish but looked terribly comfortable. Castiel looked at Dean pleadingly but the hard look on his face said it wasn't a question. Castiel finally noticed what Dean was wearing. A towel around his waist, dripping wet, bare chest. Just out of the shower. Castiel felt his world melt as he etched the image into his memory. "Get. In. Bed." Dean ordered pointing at the bed before he went back to his personal bathroom.

"I..." Castiel focused on the words he was trying to use. Words. Focus. Dean was no longer in the room. He needed words. "Forgot my pajamas." He finally managed.

"Borrow a pair of mine. Middle right drawer." Dean said from the other room. Castiel went over and found a pair of dark blue pants. He supposed he would be fine without a shirt. He looked out the small window next to the bed. The moonlight was filtering in gently.

"They look good on you." Dean said walking back into the room. Castiel turned to him and he saw Dean's breathe catch. What was it? Castiel looked down at himself, what could it be? He was pale and scrawny and saw nothing odd about his bare torso. Dean, now in grey pants, walked over and gently pushed Castiel so that his back was against the wall. It was cold and Castiel really didn't like the cold but Dean's hand was pinning him firmly against the wall, resting warmly on his stomach. "Scars." He said as he ran a gentle finger across one of the faint pink lines marring his pale flesh. Castiel shivered. If that was what Dean was upset about then it wasn't something he could help. He ran his finger lightly across one. "What happened here?" He asked looking up into Castiel's face.

"Zachariah learned a new spell and wanted to practice." He murmured. Dean traced another one.

"And this?" He whispered.

"Raphael was punishing me for being bad." Castiel said.

"What about this one?" Dean asked tracing another.

"Uriel had a temper tantrum because I was getting better grades." Castiel said shivering again. Dean pointed at another. "Uriel and Raphael levitated me into a tree." He said. "And then threw rocks at me until I fell out." Dean sighed and Castiel could tell he was agitated. He hoped he hadn't done anything to upset him.

"Are any of them from...you know. Magical creatures?" Dean asked. Castiel shook his head.

"No. They seem to like me better than most humans. I don't know why but they just trust and respect me. I know what to do with them, how to treat them. Humans are immensely more complicated though." Castiel said. He really had to know if he'd upset Dean because he looked very ticked off now. "I'm sorry. Did I do something to upset you?" Castiel asked. Dean looked angry then protective then just resigned.

"No. I'm not mad Cas. Well I am mad but not at you." Dean said stepping back from Castiel finally. He turned his back so that he was facing away.

"Then why are you mad?" Castiel pressed stepping closer but paused, unsure.

"I'm mad that some ass hole douche bags did this to you." Dean said rounding on Castiel. He stepped back so that he was once again pressed against the cool wall. "I'm mad that someone hurt you Cas. No. I'm pissed. I don't understand how someone COULD hurt you. That'd be like...like kicking a friggin puppy." Dean snapped. He put his head down against Castiel's shoulder and laced his arms gently around his waist. He was clinging to Castiel, pinning him so be couldn't move. Castiel gently put a hand on the back of Dean's head and one on his back.

"Shhh." He whispered. "It's okay. Really. It's fine." He murmured, running his hand soothingly across Dean's back. Suddenly Dean pulled back, glaring at Castiel. Shit. He'd upset Dean again. It must have been something he said. Was it something he did? There was a long silence where Dean just glared at him and Castiel didn't know what to do.

"When did Gabe leave?" Dean asked at last breaking the silence.

"My first year of Hogwarts." Castiel said.

"Eleven." Dean muttered. "So you've been taking care of yourself since you were eleven?" Dean snapped at him. Was that bad?

"It was no big deal. I liked the chores." Castiel offered. It was a lie but he hoped Dean was soothed by it. This simply seemed to make him angrier though.

"These...monsters." He muttered turning back around so he wasn't facing Castiel anymore. "What chores?" Dean snarled.

"Oh nothing major I just had to clean the house and make the food. And if we ran out of something I would run to the store. And when Uriel had trouble with his homework I would do it for him." Castiel said. It was really nothing major. He conveniently left out the fact that Uriel had trouble with his homework every night and when anything around the house was not "up to standard" he would be punished.

"When did you have time to be a kid?" Dean asked turning around with such pained sorrow in his eyes it broke Castile's heart.

"When I finished my chores I would go outside and play in the trees." Castiel said brightening the topic. "I am particularly good at climbing trees." He said proudly. He, once again omitted that whenever he climbed trees Raphael and Zachariah would punish him for being bad. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"How often did you do whateverhisface's homework?" Dean asked looking up at Castiel.

"Every night." Castiel said sheepishly. "Uriel had other things to do." Castiel said, trying to calm Dean's temper.

"Other things like clean the house and make food for their family?" Dean snapped. Castiel looked frightened so Dean turned around once more. "And let me guess." Dean snarled. "You climbing trees was punished." He said referencing back to one of the scars on Castiel's torso.

"I was being bad." Castiel murmured. Dean rounded on Castiel again, the most rage Castiel had ever seen one person possess.

"Cas, listen to me." Dean said gently. His face softened but it was still contorted in rage. "I'm not mad at you." He managed to snarl out between his clenched teeth. "I'm so fucking pissed. Your brothers had no right. No right!" He snapped. He moved to the other side of the room, shaking with anger. "Gabriel abandoned you. Raph-whatever and Zachariah, the big brothers, they're supposed to protect you. Take care of you. Not fucking torture and traumatize you. They're shit Cas." Dean said turning to look at his scared little boyfriend. "They're not what big brothers are supposed to be like. Uriel was a shit too and none of them deserve your love. You're so fucking perfect and they fucking hurt you. You deserve better. It just makes me so...MAD." He snapped as he smashed his fist into the wall. Castiel flinched and Dean was suddenly pissed at himself. He was scaring Cas, the only one who mattered. He walked back over to his shaking boyfriend, putting his arms around him and pulling him close. "You don't ever have to be scared again. Not of the monsters, not of being alone, not of anything Cas. Cause I'm here okay?" He asked, tilting Castiel's chin up with his thumb. "I'm here and I'm never going to leave and I'm never going to let anyone hurt you ever again." He said. "I can't say the same for your shit family though." Dean said with a chuckle.

"Promise?" Castiel murmured. "You'll protect me?" He asked. Dean nodded resolutely.

"Promise. Seal it with a kiss." Dean said kissing Castiel tenderly. "Now get to bed." He said releasing Castiel and smiling as he instantly fell into the bed and was asleep. Dean pulled the covers over him and was about to join him under them when Sam burst in.

"Ahhh." He mumbled as he went to shut the door. "Warn me next time. Like a sign on the door or something. Something that says I'm having a gay moment." Sam said through the door.

"Well maybe if you knocked." Dean snapped back as he opened the door. Sam stepped in looking curiously at the sleeping man.

"Really Dean?" He asked flicking a thumb at Cas's sleeping form and glaring at Dean. "He helped me and you repay him by hooking up?" Sam asked. "That's pretty shitty man."

"Um... One, who are you to talk about gay moments Mr. always pms-ing. Two, it's not shit move. I like him." Dean said. "Oh yeah and three, be fucking quiet. He's sleeping." Dean said looking tenderly at his sleeping boyfriend huddled under the covers.

"Whatever man. I just wanted to tell you I got a clue for my next challenge." Sam said.

"Um...can't we talk about that in the morning?" Dean snapped.

"No because I'm freaking out!" Sam said.

"Shhh!" Dean snapped at him, looking worriedly over at Castiel. "What's the problem?" Dean asked turning back to Sam.

"It's a riddle. And we're shit at riddles." Sam said shaking a piece of parchment clutched in his fist.

"Just read it." Dean sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What letter comes next in the following sequence? DRMFSLT." Sam said.

"What the fuck?" Dean asked.

"I know right?" Sam retorted.

"What does that even mean?" Dean snapped, rubbing the back of his neck roughly.

"It doesn't mean anything." Sam retorted.

"D." Said a voice. They both rounded on Castiel who was sitting up slowly. He stretched and pushed the covers away as he stood. "The answer is D."

"How did you even..." Dean trailed off.

"D for d-o. It can be misconstrued easily for d-o-e." He continued.

"Like a deer?" Sam asked.

"Yes." Castiel responded with a big yawn. "Muggles have a myth in which, one catches a stag to be granted wishes. It's entirely untrue. One must catch a doe for a wish. You will mostly likely be instructed to catch a doe for it will have your next clue." Castiel said as he rubbed his sleep deprived eyes.

"Did we wake you?" Dean asked as he walked over to Castiel and slipped an arm around his waist.

"Oh...ah sorry. And thanks." Sam said as he rushed from the room.

"Sam can be a bit loud." Dean said grinning sheepishly.

"Just come to bed." Castiel mumbled as he practically dragged Dean into the bed. He curled up with Dean and was soon once more sleeping. Dean smiled down at Castiel who was nestled into his shoulder. He had his arm around the raven haired man and his hand came to rest gently on his hip. His other hand was laced into Castiel's resting on his chest as it rose and fell gently.

"Gnight babe." Dean muttered as he kissed Castiel's soft hair before drifting off.