Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or Harry Potter
The last competition. Everyone was on edge. Castiel felt like his hands was being broken. Gabriel on his right and Dean on his left. He didn't understand the need for hand crushing. He had complete faith in Sam and his likelihood of surviving was high. He had spoken with Sam before the competition per Sam's request. It was a private conversation with no fans or Dean. Just Sam and Castiel. Alone. In a room. Together. "He'll be fine." Dean said for the fifteenth time. Castiel was growing tired of counting so he managed to get his hand free of Dean's. Dean looked hurt, as if Castiel had hit him, something he would never do. He put his arm around Dean's shoulders and let the shivering man huddle closer.
"You're cold." Castiel murmured as he pulled his blanket so that it covered Dean more than himself. Dean was, after all, more important. The competitors had been gone at least three hours now. Castiel looked up at the moon, like a grin. It looked ominous, like it may open up at eat them whole. The stars twinkled merrily, oblivious to the threatening moon. After a long time there was a scream. Sam had returned, carrying the other two competitors' limp bodies. He fell to the ground, dropping them. Dean was on his feet, shooting towards his brother before Castiel even blinked, not that he was going to. Castiel didn't like blinking, it made you miss things. Blink and wars have ravished half the country, men killing men. He was rushing after Dean, dragging Gabriel along without worry. Gabriel was still latched at the hand after all, so he was carried off with the rush of black haired blue eyed professor. Dean was easily first to reach Sam but just as his hand latched onto Sam's the two were dragged back into the shrubbery filled maze. There were more screams, as Castiel hit the wall of plant-life face first. He snarled, nothing was going to keep him away from Dean. He ripped his hand away from Gabriel and snapped out his wand. Dispelling the quickly reforming foliage, he fell to the ground when he finally made it through the wall. He ran as fast as he could, not knowing where his feet were taking him, just following their lead. "Dean!" He screeched.
"Cas!" He heard Dean's voice.
"Dean!" Castiel screamed running in the direction of Dean's call, through walls of shrubbery carelessly. His robes were in tatters, he felt blood trickling across his face where he'd been whipped by branches.
"Cas!" Dean's voice called again. Close. Castiel was close Dean wasn't moving. Probably staying with Sam.
"Dean!" Castiel huffed as he burst through the last wall of shrubbery separating him from Dean.
"Cas. There's something in here." Dean said looking around wide eyed.
"I know." Castiel replied scanning their surroundings. In the short glimpse he'd gotten of the other champions he could tell. It was no animal he'd acquired though. It was something else. "I don't know what it is. I didn't get a good look at the other champions." Castiel said shoving Dean roughly away from Sam's body.
"What are you doing?" Dean snapped at him. Castiel frowned. When humans are frightened they get angry. Angry human means violent human.
"Keep an eye out." Castiel said as he began inspecting Sam's slowly warming body. Fever. Sweating. He found them. Puncture wounds. On his leg and arm. Snake bites. Big snake bites. Carrying the other two champions to safety must have caused him excruciating pain. Castiel put his lips to the bites, still hot. That meant the poison hadn't gotten too far. He sucked and felt searing heat fill his mouth. He kept sucking until he tasted blood, no more poison. He spit it out on the grass and watched the small puff of smoke rise before the singed grass began cooling. He did the same with the other wound before Dean even saw what he was doing. Castiel didn't, after all, want to make his boyfriend jealous.
"What exactly am I keeping my eyes out for?" Dean asked as he scanned the shadowy expanse of shrubbery.
"Ashwinder." Castiel responded.
"Which is...?" Dean snapped back.
"A snake. It's made of fire and its pale grey. It has glowing eyes. It must have been magically enhanced because, although these are clearly Ashwinder bites, they also have poison in them. Ashwinders don't have poison. And these are too big to be Ashwinder but that's the only thing that makes sense. And they only live about an hour so they may be dead." Castiel said standing and scanning the surroundings. It was getting dark, all the better to spot a snake made of fire. Unless...