Disclaimer:Harry Potter and all recognizable items from it belong to J.K. Rowling & Warner Brothers. Supernatural and all recognizable items from the show belong to Eric Kripke and Warner Brothers. Anything else that you don't recognize and is original material is all mine. I can only wish I was as creative as to think of these brilliant additions to pop culture first.

Genre: Action/Romance/Drama/Suspense

Rating: MA (for a reason)

Warning: Will contain major SLASH themes. Canon-Compliant up until Book 6 of Harry Potter, and changes Supernatural to include Harry and that J.K. Rowling never published the Harry Potter series LOL. All lyrics at the beginning of chapters, as well as story titles, belong to their respective authors.

Summary: The war against Voldemort ends and Harry is victorious, but at what cost? Harry passes through the veil after Sirius ends up in a world without any Wizarding society. Harry starts his new life and attends university with Sam Winchester. Harry becomes an intricate part of the lives of the Winchester brothers before his secret is revealed.

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews! As promised, the chapter is up a little early. This chapter is dedicated to all those who helped us break the 200 review point! I decided to post this on Thanksgiving Day for a couple reasons but basically because everyone needs a small escape from reality (and their families) today. I hope you take this as an opportunity to do just that :) Check out the Author's Note at the bottom for TONS more information.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

You Leave the World Behind

Moriarty's Minion

Chapter 6:
"Dial M for Missing"

"There is no hiding place,
nowhere to go, nowhere is safe.
There is no hiding place.
There is nowhere safe,
to disappear without a trace.
There is no hiding place."

- Foreigner, No Hiding Place

PREVIOUSLY…

"What the hell are you doing here, Dean?" Sam asked impatiently.

"Looking for a beer?" Dean quipped.

Harry took one from the fridge and tossed it to Dean. Dean took the beer and nodded towards him in thanks, but didn't inquire after his name.

"I'm Harry, by the way," Harry said grumpily, not liking that Dean was so pointedly ignoring him.

"Where?" Dean joked. Harry glowered at him.

"Dean, it's late and I'm tired." Sam said angrily. "Just tell me what you want."

Dean gave Sam a frustrated look, before pointedly looking at Jess and Harry.

"Dad's on a hunting trip, Sam," he explained, slowly, "and he hasn't been home in a few days."

Harry and Jess watched from the kitchen as Sam and Dean spoke outside.

"I wish I could read lips," Jess joked. She handed Harry a cup of coffee, which he accepted gratefully.

"Looks like we won't have to wait much longer," Harry said, nodding towards the Winchester brothers. Jess watched with interest as the pair reentered the house.

"Jess," Sam greeted warmly, "could I talk to you for a minute?"

Jess sent a questioning look at Harry, who nodded at her reassuringly, before following Sam into the living room. This left Dean and Harry alone in the kitchen.

"So…" Harry started, trying to break the awkward tension.

"Yeah," Dean said gruffly, shaking out his coat.

"How have you been?" Harry asked.

"From five minutes ago?" Dean asked, confused.

Suddenly the awkward tension Harry had felt dissolved, and he was left with that anger at Dean again. He picked up a wet sponge and chucked it Dean's head.

Dean plucked the sponge out of the air.

"Did you just throw a sponge at me?" Dean asked incredulously.

They stared at each other for a minute before bursting out laughing. Harry didn't realize how much he'd missed seeing Dean's genuine smile. It was so much wider than his fake ones, and his laugh was always so deep.

"You are such a dick," Harry said lightly.

"Says the guy who threw a wet sponge at me."

"Says the guy who pretended not to know me."

Dean had the sense to look slightly abashed.

"So what's up with your Dad?" Harry continued, pressing his luck on getting answers out of Dean.

"Just out hunting," Dean said, tossing the sponge back to Harry. "Probably got turned around. I just need some help tracking him down is all."

"So Sam is going with you," Harry said in what could have been a question, but both of them knew it wasn't.

"As long as the ball and chain lets him out."

"Jess is very sweet," Harry corrected Dean.

"Sure."

Sam and Jess reentered the kitchen. Harry looked Jess over and noticed that she was gripping Sam's hand tightly.

Guess he decided to go, Harry concluded.

Dean apparently came to the same conclusion.

"Great," Dean smirked, taking out his car keys and brushing past the group, "let's hit the road already."

"I guess I'll go get packed," Sam said to Harry and Jess.

"I'll come help," Jess offered, following him out of the room.

Instead of following his housemates upstairs, Harry tracked Dean out to the Impala.

"Hey, Dean," Harry said, catching his attention.

"What's up, Harry?"

Harry stalked up to Dean and put himself in the older man's personal space. For a moment Dean panicked as he thought that Harry was going to try to kiss him outside of the house.

"Harry, we're in the open here…" Dean warned.

"Shut up," Harry said, pushing Dean against the Impala and holding him there with his hands. "I know we have history, and you know how much you mean to me…"

Dean looked like he was about to say something in response, so Harry cut in front of him, "…BUT, if you get Sam hurt in any way, that includes emotional hurt, I'll hurt you back."

Dean smirked, "Oh, really?"

"I didn't have a problem getting the drop on you earlier," Harry said pointedly.

"That's because you jumped me," Dean corrected. "In a fair fight, I'd win."

Harry leaned so close to him that Dean could feel the younger man's breath intermingling with his own.

"Since when do I play fair, Dean?"

Harry wordlessly cast the tracking charm that Albus had taught him during the war.

The spell traveled through his palm and fingertips, which is why he had them grip Dean's shoulders so tightly. The spell showed itself in purple light, so by keeping his hand flat against Dean, it made sure that no light escaped and alerted Dean. All he would feel is a slight increase in heat, which, presumably, he'd attribute to something else entirely.

Dean watched Harry walk back into the house, suddenly reminded of how much Big Dean had missed Harry's swagger.

THE NEXT NIGHT…

Jericho, California

Dean peered over the edge of the bridge into the black river below.

The brothers had tracked their father to Jericho, California. That was the last case Dean remembered their father looking into. If they were going to hunt their father, they needed to find what the man was hunting. Even if it meant solving a rash of missing persons involving lone men disappearing in middle-of-nowhere California.

"So this is where Constance took her swan dive," Dean joked.

"Not funny, Dean," Sam replied grumpily. "The woman drowned her kids and then jumped from a bridge."

"Not my fault she turned into an angry spirit then is it?" Dean countered.

"I already told you, Dean," Sam ground out through gritted teeth. "Dad's notes said she was a Lady in White."

"Big difference."

"Yes, actually, there is."

"Whatever," Dean muttered. "Jerk."

"Bitch." Sam looked around the bridge. "So we're here, now what do we do?"

"Relax, Sammy," Dean instructed, "it'll come back to you. You just need time to get back into hunting mode."

"No need to go into hunting mode, Dean. I'm only here until Monday."

"Monday. Right. The interview."

"Yes, Dean, for my interview."

Dean turned away from Sam so that he couldn't see the disgust on his face. Hadn't Sam learned by now? Hunters were hunters, there was no going back. There was no new life, no fresh starts, and no happily ever after. Jessica wouldn't make Sam happy because he'd always have to hide a part of himself. Just like Harry could never know or understand about Dean's real job.

It was just better to get real and move on.

"You're really serious about this, aren't you, Sammy?" Dean asked, his frustration boiling over. If Sam hadn't figured out the truth about his life then it was up to his big brother to set him straight. "You think you're going to become some lawyer? Marry your girl and set off into the sunset?"

"Maybe. Why not, Dean?"

"Does Jessica know the truth about you?" Dean questioned. "I mean, does she know about the things you've done? Who you really are?"

"No, and she's never going to know."

Dean smirked. "Well that's really healthy. You can pretend all you want, little brother, but sooner or later you're going to have to realize who and what you really are."

"Thanks for the advice, Dr. Phil," Sam replied sarcastically. "What gives you the right to be relationship expert for hunters all of a sudden? Last I checked you didn't stay with the same girl long enough to remember her name, let alone consider telling her who you are."

"So what?"

"So don't give advice on relationships until you've been in one, Dean."

"You haven't been on the road with me in years, Sammy," Dean replied without thinking. "What makes you think I haven't found someone?" Dean closed his mouth as soon as he was done talking. His mouth had jumped ahead of his brain; he wasn't ever going to tell Sam about Harry.

Sam studied his brother carefully. "You're right, Dean. I was out of line to suggest that you couldn't have met someone worth while. I'm sorry."

Dean shrugged. "Whatever, let's just skip the chick-flick moment, okay?"

They let the silence settle between them as they let their tempers cool.

"Dean…"

"Enough, Sam. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Dean!"

"What?" Dean snapped.

Sam pointed over his shoulder. Dean turned and felt a sudden chill in his chest as he spotted the ghostly figure of a woman standing on the railing of the bridge. Before either of them could make a move, the woman let herself fall from the bridge and down into the darkness below.

"Well, that was… anticlimactic," Dean commented.

"Seriously."

The engine of Dean's car suddenly turned on, quickly followed by the headlights.

"Damn it, I knew I spoke too soon."

"Dean, who is driving your car?"

Dean's hand gripped the keys in his pockets and the chill in his stomach intensified. He held out the keys to Sam as if to demonstrate exactly what was controlling the beautiful Impala.

The car sprang into motion, each headlight trained dangerously on one of the brothers as if to highlight the Impala's deadly trajectory. Dean and Sam turned and began to run for the edge of the bridge. Dean heard the squealing of tires approaching rapidly and knew that they couldn't outrun his baby. Lord knows Dean had run down enough creatures with the machine to know how much damage the car could do to its victim.

Dean tapped Sam quickly on the shoulder and headed for the side of the bridge instead. Hoping that Sam had followed his lead, Dean jumped for the edge. Dean felt the air pulse around his body before hitting the water in the world's most painful belly flop.

Dean waited for gravity to stop dragging him deeper into the river. As soon as he felt he was back in control of his momentum, he began to swim vigorously for the surface. He broke through the water's surface and swallowed as much air as he could fill his lungs with.

"Dean!" He heard Sam yell frantically from somewhere above him. "Dean!"

How the hell did he manage to stay on the bridge?

"What!?!" Dean yelled as his weak body climbed the muddy bank of the river. He'd never understand why any woman would pay so much money for a mud facial. The one he was getting was worth money to avoid, not receive.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm super!" Dean laughed hoarsely. "Like a day at the spa."

That Constance chick is so dead.

From the shadows of the tree line surrounding the river Meg observed the Winchester brothers. If this was what her father was up against than Azazel should be less worried.

She clicked open her cell phone and dialed her brother's number.

"It's me," Meg said lowly into the receiver.

"And?" her brother asked, the voice of the body he was currently residing in had a deep timber.

"Father's plan worked," Meg reported, pushing a stray strand of brown hair out of her eyesight. She really needed to dye it blond and give it a cut. "I followed the brothers to John Winchester but he'd already taken off."

"Did they find the colt?"

"No," Meg responded. "However, big Winchester did leave his journal behind. Father's bait must have been very appetizing to cause him to take off so suddenly."

"Good."

"What should I do about the brothers?" Meg asked, already loosening the hunting knife from her ankle holster. "Or rather, Dean, since father will get upset if I kill little Sammy."

"Just keep on them. Do whatever you need to do to slow them down," he ordered. "See if they lead you directly to the gun. If they do, kill John and Dean and get the colt. Not in that order, of course."

Meg's face twitched in anger and impatience. "I thought we were supposed to be separating Sam from all of his little friends?"

"We are."

"Than why can't I see what Dean Winchesters' insides look like in the moonlight?" Meg asked. "If their anything like the outsides, they sure will be pretty."

She heard her brother exhale in exasperation. "Because father says it's not yet time for that."

"What about the nice fiancée and his foreign roommate?"

"My dear sister," her brother mocked, "you are a bloodthirsty little thing, aren't you?"

"Fuck you."

"Dean's decision to pull his brother away from Stanford has given us an unforeseen opportunity to accelerate things."

"What opportunity?"

"With little Sammy gone from Stanford, there's no risk of contact between father and his half-breed runt."

"So?"

"So," her brother explained impatiently, "father's going to take care of things while Sammy's away."

"Does he need any help?" she asked, looking for any opportunity to get some action.

"He's father," her brother explained simply. "He doesn't need help."

Meg heard the connection die. She looked back at the bridge just in time to see the Impala's taillights disappear into the woods beyond.

So her job was to slow them down? Fine, she could do that.

I wonder if the locals have figured out that the brothers aren't marshals yet? Maybe someone should give them an anonymous tip? After all, I'm just doing her civic duty.

Meg grinned into the darkness and headed for the nearest payphone.

Stanford University, California

Jess hung up her cell phone and chucked the phone onto the chair beside the bed.

"Did you get a hold of Sam yet?" Harry asked as he stepped into Sam and Jess's bedroom. He handed her one of the two cups of hot chocolate he'd brought with him. He drank from the other one.

"Thanks, Harry," Jess said, taking the warm cup. "I got the voicemail again. I asked him to call me back. Not that he has the other times I've left a message."

"He'll call," Harry assured her.

Jess smiled at him. Harry had always been a good friend for Sam and Jess. They filled various roles for each other. When one was angry with another in their group, it ensured that there was always a third person there to set them straight. Harry was like a younger brother to Sam and solved his need for male amiability.

"I'm worried, Harry," Jess confided, "but I don't know why."

"Yes, you do."

Jess looked Harry in the eye. Of course, Harry would know what she was feeling since he was going through the same thing. Sam was always so secretive about his family, never willing to share with them. Not that Harry was anymore forthcoming but at least he spoke about the abuse he'd endured with his Aunt and Uncle after his parents died. Once, Jess had managed to get Sam to tell her he had a brother. Other than that…

"What if what he's always kept from us gets him hurt?" Jess asked worriedly.

"The big family secret," Harry agreed. "Think he was abused?"

"I'd think he would have told us when you did," Jess suggested.

"True," Harry acknowledged. "But there's something different about the Winchester Family, Jess. Something they keep buried no matter what."

Jess picked up the phone and dialed Sam again.

Interview Room, Jericho Police Department

As Dean tapped the table in front of him, he wondered if Sam had gotten out of the motel in time. The local PD had shown up at the motel so suddenly that he'd only barely had enough time to call and warn him. As it was they'd managed to nab Dean right away.

He supposed that if the cops had caught Sam, they would have hauled him into the same room as Dean. Jericho, California wasn't a large town and most likely wouldn't be able to afford several interrogation rooms in their police station. Plus their cops sucked.

Speaking of which…

Dean smiled at the officer sitting across the table from him.

The officer grunted at him in response. "Don't know what you're grinning at boy. You and your partners are the prime suspects in at least a dozen missing persons cases."

"Innocent until proven guilty and all that right?"

"There ain't nothing innocent about this hoo-doo shit," the officer commented, tossing John's journal across the table. The journal, which housed all of Dean's father's notes and experiences with the supernatural, fell open to a page on demonic worship.

"I have no idea what that is."

"We'll see."

Dean was saved from replying by another officer rushing in.

"We've got a 911 report of weapons fire at Whitehall Road!"

The officer that was interrogating Dean turned back to him. "You got to go to the bathroom?"

Dean looked at him in confusion. "No."

"Good." The officer cuffed his right hand to the chair and then left with his buddy.

Dean eyed the paperclip in his father's journal. He checked the doorway to make sure no one was watch him before snatching the paperclip. A minute later and he was free and already stealthily moving towards the side exit of the building.

He gently tucked John's journal into his inner coat pocket.

Stupid cops.

Stanford University, California

"Why don't you take a warm bath?" Harry suggested, tired of watching Jess fidget. "That always helps you relax, right?"

Harry and Jess had just finished a marathon of 3rd Rock From the Sun episodes, which had always cheered Jess up in the past. However, this had not been one of those times.

"Yeah, sure."

"His interview is tomorrow, Jess," Harry added, trying to comfort her. "He wouldn't miss that."

"I also thought he'd call me 48 hours and 8 messages ago, Harry," Jess said sadly, climbing the stairs.

As soon as Harry heard the plumbing groan he began to pack up the mess they'd made. He stacked the glasses and empty bottles into the popcorn bowls and carried them into the kitchen.

Harry scratched the back of his neck and dropped the dishes into the sink. Harry hadn't had that feeling of an itch on the back of his neck since the war. Albus had told him it was his magic trying to warn him about some threat. Like the proximity alert spell he'd used to catch Dean a few days ago, but on an instinctual level. Harry ignored the itch.

There was no threat here though… right?

The lights in the house went out. The residence was plunged into darkness. Outside the kitchen window, the wind had picked up. The branches of the dead tree outside scratched wickedly against the windows. The ceiling fan in the kitchen began to spin… while the power was still out.

Upstairs, Jess screamed.

Harry felt his magic come alive. He didn't even bother running for the stairs. Instead, he found himself instinctually apparating through the ceiling and landing in the bedroom. He froze for a moment as he registered what he saw.

Ever since arriving in this new world Harry had sought out the magical world to no avail. It had always been his theory that Sirius had chosen a world without anything magical. Clearly Harry had been wrong, or else what he had become a witness to had no explanation.

Jess was pinned against the far wall, literally levitating upwards towards the ceiling. A man in a long black coat was watching, no, controlling her movement. The intruder turned towards him and Harry was staring into eyes more yellow than Madam Hooch's. The eyes dilated and suddenly Harry found himself thrown up against one of the bedroom walls.

Harry's mind unfroze when Jess screamed again, obviously panicked and in pain. Harry sent a burst of pure magical force at the intruder. Caught off guard, the intruder was thrown through the open window and onto the back yard below. Jess and Harry collapsed onto the bedroom floor.

"Jess?" Harry asked, crawling across the bedroom to his friend.

"What was that thing?"

"I don't know, but we're getting out of here."

Harry grabbed Jess and helped her to her feet. They ran for the bedroom door but it slammed shut in front of them. Harry felt the tickle at the back of his neck and pulled Jess to the floor with him. A moment later and the dresser that had been flying towards them would have crushed them against the door.

The intruder reappeared in front of the window.

"No one is going anywhere," the intruder said, yellow eyes glowing.

"What is it with evil freaks and glowing eyeballs?" Harry asked from the floor, already scrambled into position in front of Jess.

"What are you, boy?" the intruder asked.

"Funny," Harry replied. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"I can smell the humanity on you," the intruder said. "How can you do what you do?"

"I'm a wizard."

The intruder's face scrunched up in confusion. "What demon do you worship that would give you gifts to challenge me?"

"I don't worship anybody, freak," Harry replied.

"Pity," the intruder chirped, "they might have convinced me to spare your life… and your talents."

"We'll see who needs to be spared."

Harry didn't waste any more time with pleasantries. He used banishing charms to send pieces of the broken dresser at the intruder. None of the newly made stakes came close to reaching the intruder; instead they all zoomed harmlessly past him and out the window into the darkness beyond.

The yellow-eyed man cast a stream of burning hot flames at Harry's face. Harry didn't even blink as he turned the fire into steam and then harmless mist.

"Impressive," the intruder complimented, sounding genuine to Harry's ears.

Wave after wave of stunning spells erupted from Harry's palms. The first two angry red lights struck the intruder but did not stun him, instead merely knocking him to his knees. Harry kept up the bombardment until the man figured out how to stop the onslaught. As soon as the first stunner passed by harmlessly, Harry grabbed Jess and apparated.

Harry looked around in shock.

"How did we just do that?" Jess asked. "What the hell is going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Harry said. He'd intended to apparate to the Grand Canyon, not the front yard. "He's keeping me from apparating too far… somehow."

"Is that what you call it?" the intruder asked, appearing from behind him.

"Leave us be," Harry demanded.

"I'm afraid that's not an option anymore," the intruder replied calmly. "I can't afford the two of you meddling with my plans."

"Kind of leaves us at an impasse, doesn't it?"

The intruder cocked his head to the side, as if in thought. "There is one escape I can think of for you. Kill the girl and swear your soul to my service."

"I've had better offers from crazier fucks than you," Harry replied, trying to ignore the panicked moans coming from Jess. "He didn't have your nice eye coloring though."

"As you wish."

Harry recalled the hatred he felt for Voldemort the moment before he'd struck him down, and shouted "Avada Kedavra!"

The green light traveled towards the other man. The intruder's yellow eyes widened in realization of what the spell soaring towards him would result in. The intruder disappeared in the blink of an eye, and the killing curse destroyed the massive tree in the backyard.

Harry grabbed Jess's arm again and attempted to apparate a second time. He groaned in frustration as they ended up outside the bedroom in the main upstairs hallway. Jess was torn from his grasp by some invisible force and she slid across the floor and into the bedroom. The door opened as she crossed the threshold and then closed behind her.

Harry sent a smashing spell at the door but it only fractured. He strengthened the spell as he tried a second time. Jess screamed from inside the room. His third attempt broke the wood completely.

The intruder looked back at him and smiled, the first time he'd done so in the length of their fight. Frankly, it scared Harry to hell in a way that not even Voldemort had accomplished. The intruder moved his fingers in a wave and then Harry was flying backwards.

Harry smashed through the window and fell to the ground below. Chunks of glass embedded within him, bones breaking at the conclusion of the fall, and his back snapping in a horrible crunch.

In the distance, beyond his own pain, he heard Jess scream Sam's name and someone's deeply satisfied laugh.

Centennial Road, Jericho, California

Sam pushed the gas pedal harder as he heard his cell phone ring.

"About time," Sam said in greeting.

"Laugh it up, Sammy," Dean returned over the poor connection. "Don't you know it's a crime to make false reports to the police?"

"Only if you get caught. Which I don't."

"Yeah, yeah. Where are you now?"

"Centennial Road."

"Great, come pick me up. I'm about two miles down the road from the police station."

"Figured," Sam said. "I'm on my way."

"Better be."

"Listen, I spoke with Constance's husband while you were… preoccupied."

"Yeah, and?"

"And he was definitely unfaithful. He got really confrontational when I suggested an affair on his part."

"Gee, Sammy, think that might have had something to do with his attitude problem?"

"I thought he was going to slug me for a minute there."

Dean gripped the phone at the thought of someone hurting his brother. "Did he?"

"No, I apologized and then high-tailed it out of there. Been waiting for you to bust out ever since."

"So we're definitely dealing with a Lady in White?" Dean clarified, changing topics. "Unfaithful men everywhere watch out, right?"

Sam laughed before he saw something in the middle of the road. He dropped the phone onto the floor and smashed the break with his right foot. The car swerved and the tires squealed against the road's pavement. The Impala passed through the figure and came to a sudden halt.

Sam looked around to see what he'd hit. He heard the sound of Dean's panicked voice calling his name from the floor. As he bent down to grab the phone, his eyes caught the rearview mirror and the woman that appeared in the back seat.

"Take me home?" she asked.

"Constance."

"Take me home."

"No."

"Take me home!" This time it was not a question, it was a command.

"Sam!" Dean's voice burst from the floor and echoed through the car.

"No."

The car doors locked, the gas pedal came to life and the Impala began to rush down the main road. The phone on the floor went dead due to the sudden burst of electro magnetic interference.

Within minutes the car was parked outside of the home that used to belong to Constance and her children… all of whom were now deceased.

Sam eyed the apparition in the backseat. "You don't have to do this."

"I can't go home," Constance repeated sorrowfully. "I can never go home."

Her image flickered several times before disappearing and then reappearing in the passenger's seat. Sam tried to escape the door again, but the locks were still in place. He couldn't go anywhere.

"Hold me," she begged seductively, "I'm so cold."

Constance's image seemed to harden and become more flesh like. She straddled Sam, and he felt invisible hands force his seat back. Her powerful thighs held his legs down. Sam grunted as she ground her groin into his.

"You can't hurt me," he said desperately, "I'm not unfaithful!"

"You will be."

Sam felt her lips smash against his own. Her tongue tried to burrow its way through his lips and massage his own. He gasped as their groins met again, and suddenly she had access to all of him. Sam reached for the car keys, but found her body holding him down.

She reared off of him and jabbed her fingertips into his flesh. Sam pulled his windbreaker apart and witnessed in horror how she penetrated his chest.

"You can't kill me! I won't be unfaithful!"

Shots rang out and the window next to them smashed.

Constance turned to look Dean in the eye. "No," she agreed with Sam. "You won't be… but he will."

Her image flickered out of existence as the next barrage of bullets flew at her head. Sam made sure to stay down.

"Sam?" Dean asked, his head entering the space that used to be occupied by a window.

"I'm okay," Sam wheezed. "Just my chest."

Dean felt like a puppet on strings as his entire body was spun away from the window, into the air, and onto the hood of the car.

"Dean!" Sam shouted as he saw his brother land hard on the hood of the Impala. Constance reappeared on top of Dean, solidifying much as she had when seducing Dean.

"Won't you keep me warm?" she purred into Dean's ear.

"You can't hurt me either, sweetheart," Dean explained to her slyly. "Seeing as I haven't got anyone to be faithful to and all that."

Constance smiled at him. "That's where you're wrong. You've already promised your heart to someone, even if you won't admit it to yourself."

Dean's cocky grin vanished, an image of Harry appearing unwanted in his mind.

Constance's smile grew wider and raised her arm, ready to slash his body to ribbons. Dean watched the image flicker to show the bony tips of her fingers to be jagged and razor sharp.

"Shit."

Dean watched as the claw-like hands raced towards him, but then realized that Constance had stopped. Dean felt the Impala's engine sputter into life again.

"Dean, JUMP!" Sam cried, before flooring the gas.

Not needing to be told twice, Dean flipped over the edge of the car and rolled along the ground. By the time he stopped somersaulting over his own ass, the Impala had smashed through the wall of Constance's old home. There was a flash of blue light, screaming, and then silence.

"Sammy," he breathed in panic, before adding for the benefit of the Impala, "and my poor baby."

Sam stumbled out of the wreckage of the house and grinned proudly at his brother. Dean tried not to grimace at the gash on his brothers head that was bleeding down his face.

"What was that?" Dean demanded, already checking for dents in the car.

"She kept saying that she'd never get to go home, Dean."

"So?"

"So I figured it's because she was scared to."

"Cause this is where she offed the kids?" Dean asked, starting to catch on.

Sammy nodded. "Smart, right?"

Dean smirked before smacking his brother on the wound, causing him to laugh in pain, "Come on Brainiac and help me get my baby out of this hell-hole. Then we'll celebrate."

"No," Sam corrected. "Then I go home."

Sam sighed as the Impala passed the Welcome to Stanford sign. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dean's hands tighten ever so slightly on the steering wheel.

Sam picked up the box of cassette tapes; looking for somewhere to begin the awkward conversation he'd been trying to have with his brother for the last hundred miles or so.

"Dude," Sam stated, trying to keep the start of the conversation light, "you seriously need some new music."

"What's wrong with what you're holding?" Dean demanded.

"Well, for one thing, these are cassette tapes, and two, they're all Black Sabbath, Motor Head, Metallica… it's like shifting through the greatest hits of mullet rock."

Dean snatched the Metallica cassette back from Sam, and pocketed it. It had been a present from Harry during their road trip two years back. Plus, it was a greatest hits tape so it was doubly awesome… not that Sam knew that.

"Well, house rules, Sammy," Dean replied. "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole."

Sam smiled. "Listen, Dean…"

"Uh-oh, it may have been awhile but that's definitely your Oprah-voice, Sammy." Dean informed him. "You know I don't watch her show for a reason."

"I just wanted to say that I heard what Constance said to you, Dean."

"She didn't say anything, Sam."

Sam sighed. "It's okay, Dean. I get it now. Why you were upset with what I said at the bridge and all about relationships. You met someone… I'm happy that you're happy. Proud of you, actually."

Dean remained quiet.

"It's just… you did what I couldn't figure out how to do."

Dean looked at Sam inquiringly.

Sam continued, "You found a way to not let hunting get in the way of you finding someone, of living a real life… of being happy."

Dean was quiet for a moment before turning to look at Sam. He eyed his brother for a moment, took a breath as if gearing up to say something… and then turned the volume on the song up.

The car filled with the noise of Back in Black by AC/DC.

"Sorry," Dean said loudly over the music, in mock-apology, "I can't hear you, the music's too loud."

Three songs later and the brothers pulled up to the modest colonial that Sam, Jess and Harry had called home for the last two years.

Sam grabbed his bag from the backseat and knelt outside the window.

"Will you call me if you find him?" Sam asked.

Dean nodded. "You could always come with."

"Tomorrow, I have the-"

"-interview," Dean cut in. "Yeah, I remember."

"Listen, Dean, I know I was kind of an ass before, but if you ever wanted to stop by and visit… or call or something, I'd like that."

"We'll see," Dean said vaguely. "After I find Dad."

"Later, Dean."

"Goodbye, Sammy."

Sam turned and went inside the house, leaving Dean parked on the street outside the house. He'd give his big brother as much time as he needed to leave.

Sam unlocked the front and stepped inside. He was tempted to call out for Jess, but remembered that it was late and Harry was probably already asleep.

He set his bag down by the door and walked slowly up the staircase, completely unprepared for what awaited him.

Outside the house, Dean waited a few moments as he silently waged a mental war with himself. For the last four years he'd wanted Sam to make some move for amends, to reconnect with him, to show that he'd given as much of a damn about Dean as Dean had about him. Finally he was getting what he wanted from Sam and Dean had to be a jerk… again.

"Fuck," he muttered, climbing out of the car. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."

Dean was halfway to the front door when a flash of light caught his eye. He stopped and looked at the small fence that protected the private backyard from unwanted visitors. In a sliver between the wood, he saw something glowing or reflecting off of something.

He took a cautious glance at the front door before withdrawing his weapon and walking towards the disturbance.

As soon as Harry saw that Dean was moving towards his location, he cut off the meager lumos charm that he had cast. He immediately moved his hand back to his stomach and began mentally re-casting the healing spells that had been keeping him alive all night.

It had taken him several hours and he'd only just managed to heal the damage done to his spine in the fall. It took all of his concentration and remaining energy levels to keep himself alive. As it was, there was still a bleeding whole in his stomach where the window glass had carved him like a turkey on Thanksgiving.

As soon as he realized that the fall had paralyzed him, he'd given up all hope of saving Jessica. She was most likely already dead and butchered by that thing. It was all Harry's fault.

If only he could heal himself faster he could have gotten back into the fight. He might have been able to save his friend. Sam would never forgive him.

When he'd seen Dean's Impala pull up he'd tried to call out to Sam, but his voice was too raw and he needed all of his energy for healing. He'd been too late to signal Sam with the light charm, but Dean had seen it.

Thank God for Dean Winchester, Harry thought as Dean's head appeared over the top of the fence.

Harry saw the look that swept over Dean's face and realized how awful he must really look. Dean scrambled over the top of the fence.

"Harry?"

Harry tried to smile in response, but gasped at the pain instead. Harry breathed rapid, short breaths.

"Jess," Harry managed to squeak out, his eyes pleading for Dean to understand. "Sam."

Dean's eyes widened in alarm as he realized that whatever had done this to Harry was in the house… the house that his brother had just walked into completely unaware.

"Go," Harry mouthed, some blood dribbling out of the corner of his mouth.

Dean needed no further prodding and was leaping over the fence in no time. He used his shoulder to break open the door, and raced into the house. He climbed the stairs in record time and sped towards the sound of Sam screaming Jessica's name.

Dean arrived just in time to see Sam staring up at Jessica, who was pinned to the ceiling and bleeding. As soon as Jessica exploded in flames, Dean dragged an unwilling Sam from the room and down the stairs. Sam struggled so much that they both almost died from falling down the stairs.

Dean dragged Sam to the car and shoved him inside.

"Stay here and call the paramedics," Dean ordered. "I'm getting Harry."

Dean almost wished he'd kept the second part to himself. Sam's look of grief turned an even darker shade of loss as he realized the fate that his best friend must have encountered.

"Harry!" Sam thundered, already struggling to get out of the car.

Dean was already over the fence and too late to stop Sam from following him.

Harry's eyes lit up when he saw Sam come over the fencing.

"Jess?" Harry asked, looking between the two brothers. Sam's eyes brimmed with tears and Dean shook his head solemnly. Harry felt tears spring to his own eyes as well. Dean watched the two roommates share a look of mutual grief. "Sorry."

"You're going to be okay, though," Sam said, unsure of whether it was to comfort himself of his friend. "I can't lose you both, not today."

"Just hang in there, Harry," Dean added. His whole body ached to touch Harry's, to comfort him. Dean didn't dare with Sam right there. It was one of the reasons he'd tried to leave Sam in the car.

In the distance, the sound of fire trucks and ambulances erupted.

"Everything's going to be okay."

Smoke filled the night sky above their heads.

TWO DAYS LATER…

Intensive Care Ward, Stanford Hospital & Clinic

Harry's eyes opened as he felt someone take his hand.

Dean's smiling face looked down at him. Harry smiled back tiredly.

"I'm alive, then?" he asked hoarsely.

"Oh, yeah," Dean answered, smiling widely. "You just had to go and ruin all their 'odds of survival' talk, didn't you?"

"They tell you my chances were that good, eh?"

Dean's smile dimmed as he remembered the first night at the hospital and the surgeons telling the brothers that their friend wouldn't survive the night. Harry not only managed to hang on, but also recovered exponentially faster than they had believed.

First stupid cops, Dean thought wryly, then stupid doctors. What's next?

"Just don't move too much," Dean warned. "There was some major bruising to your spine, and they don't want to risk paralysis.

"Look at you saying big doctor words. Sounds just like Sam," Harry joked. "Where is Sam?"

"He wanted to be here," Dean explained in apology, "but he had to tell Jessica's family what happened."

"What did happen, Dean?" Harry asked, pushing his grief down. "What was that thing?"

Dean felt his blood run cold. "Did you see it, Harry?"

Harry nodded. "I tried to stop it. I tried to… fight it. I don't think it was human, Dean."

Dean's hand tightened on Harry's. "I need you to listen me and believe me, Harry. Can you do that?"

Harry nodded slightly, trying not to move anything below his neck.

Dean leaned in closer and put his mouth to Harry's ear.

"Do you believe in demons?"

Author's Notes: It was never a doubt in my mind that Jess would meet her end in this story. I am sad to see her go. I hope people didn't mind the brief guest appearance of Meg and her various nefarious family members. This being Thanksgiving, I'm sure most of you can relate :)

I know there were many questions about whether or not Harry will join the boys on the road. I've seen a lot of stories where that turns into a re-telling of the supernatural episodes but with Harry just adding in quips and hooking up with one of the brothers. I'd like to… do something else. I know this chapter recounted a bit of the pilot, but the scenes included were changed to include important information for later chapters. For example, Sam overhearing that Dean's heart already belonged to someone.

Plus, lines like "shotgun shuts his cakehole" are just standard in the supernatural universe.

It's important to remember that Harry has always thought that nothing (for lack of a better term) "supernatural" was going on in this new world. Now that he knows differently, there's a whole new avenue of ways to track Sirius down. Most importantly, he needs to understand the rules of this non-Muggle element because, if the Yellow-Eyed Demon is anything to go by, not everything supernatural is nice and cuddly.

As to the 'serious Sirius speculation', I applaud the many valiant guesses. I was pretty vague in my hint so don't feel too bad if you turn out to be incorrect. If I gave it away now, no one would react later on.

You guys are the reason why I'd rather write this story than my term paper so… Don't Forget To REVIEW!!!