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 and 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.

WARNINGS: Major Character Death & Nasty Trick Endings

Author's Note: So this is it. The first in this series of stories has come to its conclusion. I hope you've all enjoyed reading it as much as I have had writing it. This is the furthest I've come in writing a story and I hope you'll join me on the next journey in the sequel: When the Lightening Strikes.

Please be sure to read THE WHOLE CHAPTER and not just stop reading at a part that may upset you… I promise, you'll want to read the surprise ending… it's, well, a surprise :)

More information on the sequel can be found in the Author's Notes at the end of the chapter.

You Leave the World Behind

Moriarty's Minion

Epilogue

"Now I'm standing on a mountain; looking into the sky.
I see the clouds come rolling in; water fills my eyes.
I don't know what's in the future; no one can say.
Don't wanna think about the past; I've got to live for today.
'Cause I've seen the lightning now.
I need to find my own way; while I've still got time.
And I'm ready for the rain to fall."

- Foreigner, Ready for the Rain

THEN…

"My point is rather simple. I need John Winchester dead, but I need that Colt even more," Azazel explained. "You're going to get me both, Harry."

"I'm not helping you," Harry declared, straightening slightly.

"Oh, I think you will," Azazel countered, his smirk blossoming impossibly wide on Missouri's face. "Even if not just to kill the man who killed your godfather than to save the life of the one you love."

Blood drizzled from Dean's mouth. His eyes remained unfocused. His breathing became shallow… too shallow. Harry could tell that consciousness was fleeing Dean's mind.

"He's not dead," Azazel whispered into Harry's ear. "There's still time to save him."

"How?" Harry asked, hatred dripping like venom off of his words.

"Convince Winchester to bargain with me," Azazel instructed. "His life and the Colt for Dean's continued life."

"Azazel," Harry called out to him. "I want something from you, too."

"Oh?" Azazel asked, amused. "And here I thought Dean's life was enough."

"It is, but I want something to sweeten the deal as it were," Harry replied. "When it comes to it, I want to be the one to kill John Winchester."

Azazel's grin was brighter than the moonlight. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I made a promise to an Angel to not kill John Winchester, though," Harry explained quickly. "I'm assuming you have a way of getting things done without them knowing?"

"Of course," Azazel replied. "I'll take care of it."

Harry turned back to Dean, trying to heal the wound with his magic. Azazel had known how depleted Harry's magic would be after crashing the junkyard. There was no way he'd be able to save Dean on his own. They needed help.

"Oh, and Harry," said Azazel, turning back to face the wizard. "I'd hurry. Dean doesn't have much time left. I'd say… twenty-four hours."

NOW…

The wand continued to spin on the table next to Dean's hospital bed.

Harry had been casting and re-casting the Point Me spell for hours, each time searching for Sirius Black. Missouri's comments to him about John not telling the truth kept ringing in his ears. If Sirius wasn't dead than why did the wand spin? Why not point him at Sirius' body? Why just spin?

It was like the answer was a picture developing in Harry's mind; it was just still too out of focus.

"You okay, Harry?"

Harry gripped the wand and spun towards the door. Sam, who had just entered carrying two cups of coffee, raised them in a submissive gesture. Harry sighed and lowered his wand.

"Sorry," Harry apologized grumpily. "Ever since Azazel got the drop on me, I've been kind of jumpy."

"And protective," Sam added, setting one of the coffee cups on the table Harry's wand had been occupying. Harry took a sip and nodded in appreciation. "You realize you haven't left Dean's side in hours. It's almost eight in the morning."

After Harry had brought Dean's body back to Bobby's the world had turned into a blur of action and mounting tension. The house had gone into an uproar at the sight of Harry literally floating Dean's unconscious form through the smashed kitchen door. Missouri didn't help matters by being slightly foggy from the memory spell Harry had been forced to cast on her.

Though the new memories he'd created for her had helped him in the long run. Missouri now remembered most of the truth. She vividly recalled Azazel using her body to attack Harry and Dean. She remembered Harry refusing to side with Azazel and the offer Azazel made in exchange for Dean's returned health. Everything after that Harry had stripped from her.

It wouldn't do for her to warn John that Harry was going to be his executioner. As long as his magically manufactured memories (say that three times fast) continued to convince her they were true memories than his secret was kept safe.

"That's it!" Harry cried out, his eyes opening wide.

Sam was so startled that he ended up spilling his coffee. "What are you talking about?"

"What time is your Dad coming in?" Harry asked, ignoring Sam's question in his excitement.

"Not until six," Sam asked. "Why?"

Harry shook his head. "No reason. Can you keep Dean company for a bit?"

"Of course," Sam nodded. "Harry tell me what's going! Did you… did you think of a way to help Dean?"

Harry froze for a moment. He'd forgotten that Missouri and he had been extra careful not to mention the deal in front of Sam or Bobby. They had pulled John aside later that night at the hospital to fill him in. Sam couldn't accept sacrifice, especially not on this scale.

Harry nodded and tried to smile convincingly. "Trust me, Sam. I'll do whatever it takes to get Dean back to us. Whatever it takes."

Harry arrived back in Dean's room just as the clock turned to six o'clock in the evening. John and Dean were each seated in a chair with Dean's bed between them. Sam was holding one of Dean's hands.

"Where have you been?" John growled, seeing Harry first as his chair faced the hospital room door.

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Harry held up a non-descript brown paper bag and looked at John pointedly. "Besides, I had supplies to get."

"Supplies?" Sam asked, looking between his best friend and his father suspiciously. "For what?"

"Witch-boy, here," John said, jerking an angry thumb in Harry's general direction, "is going to try some magical mumbo jumbo on Dean. I'm going to supervise so he doesn't turn your brother into a zombie or something."

"Like you know so much about magic?" Harry shot back. "You can't even get me gender right. I'm a Wiz-ard."

"Whatever."

Sam rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Whatever you're going to do, do it quick."

"Did something happen?" Harry asked, his anger evaporating into concern. He looked Dean over for signs of trauma.

"The doctors asked us about organ donation," John explained, his eyes and tone hollow.

"Fucking vultures," Harry cursed angrily. For once, John seemed to agree with Harry.

"They were just doing their jobs," Sam muttered. "Please do something."

Harry nodded and turned to John. "We should get going."

John stood and patted Sam briefly on the shoulder. "Keep him safe for me, Sammy."

Sam's suspicious look returned. "You're not going to do anything stupid… right, Dad?"

"Of course not," John lied easily. "I just want someone here with Dean. Someone I can trust to not mess anything up. You and your brother always take care of each other better than I ever could."

"If you're not doing anything stupid, than why does this feel like goodbye?" Sam asked, swallowing thickly.

"Don't get emotional, Sammy," John rebuked him gently. "I've got magic on my side, remember? Your friend won't let anything happen to me… hopefully."

Sam turned his puppy dog eyes on Harry, the same ones that had attracted Harry to Sam in the first place. The ones that showed the inner child within still hoping that all stories ended with the words 'happily ever after'.

"You won't let anything happen to my Dad right, Harry?" Sam asked.

Harry felt his heart shattering as he smiled back at Sam. "Of course not, Sammy."

Ten minutes later, John and Harry had reached the boiler room in the basement of the hospital. John started scouting out places to draw his symbols needed for summoning a demon as powerful as Azazel. Unbeknownst to John, Harry was using his own magic to inscribe his own runes around the small boiler room.

They each set to work; John drawing his art and Harry lighting candles and centering them around the room. It was almost an hour later before John even acknowledged Harry's presence.

"You're a gifted liar," John said as he painted the final pentagram on a far wall.

Harry shrugged. "I just wish I didn't have to lie to him."

John sighed. "I never thought I would have something in common with a witch –"

"– Wizard!" Harry corrected.

"– but at least someone else knows what it's like to lie to my boys for their own good," John continued, ignoring Harry's interruption. "I just want to know something…"

"What?" Harry asked, melting the bottom of a wax candle so that it stuck to one of the metal plumbing tubes.

"I was just wondering how stupid you thought I was?" John asked, his tone cold. Harry straightened up slowly as he heard a gun cocking behind him.

"I guess a little less than what I last thought," Harry replied honestly, turning to face John. Sure enough John was aiming the Colt right at Harry's head. One shot and they'd be wiping off chunks of Harry's brain from the wall. He didn't envy anyone that job.

But Harry was floored when John un-cocked the gun and set it on the stool between them. Harry's eyes rose in a silent question.

"I know I'm not going to be leaving here alive, Harry," John answered the unspoken question. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… just be honest with me."

Harry nodded. "I guess I can do that."

"You make any other deals with Azazel?" John asked.

Harry shook his head. "Azazel only needs two things from us; your life and that gun. I only need one thing in return… Dean."

John nodded. "I can live with that. Er, I guess, technically, I won't though."

Harry cracked a hesitant smile at John's dark humor.

"Do you really care about my boys or is that just part of your cover?"

"I'm not working with Azazel… John," Harry sighed. "I love your sons. Sam was the first person who was nice to me at Stanford. I didn't know anyone and he just… he made me feel welcome, appreciated. Like less of a freak."

John smiled. "That's my boy. Sammy always did know how to make friends. I guess that's why it was so hard on him to move around all the time."

"He loves you," Harry said, not sure why he was trying to reassure the man he was about to kill. "So does Dean."

"Dean doesn't forgive easily," John warned him. "You break him and he'll never give you a second chance."

"I know," Harry replied softly. "I love him. I love Dean… more than anything. And, as long as he wants me, I'll be there for him."

"That's what I'm afraid of," John muttered darkly.

Harry smiled at him. He was about to respond when…

"How sweet," said a new voice from the shadows. "Such a touching family moment."

John grabbed the Colt from the stool and pointed it into the dark. Harry conjured a fireball in each hand, already taking aim. A figure emerged from the dark in all black, his reflective yellow eyes giving away his identity.

"I see you found a new body," Harry spat.

Azazel twirled as if showing off a new set of clothes. "Fits nicely, don't you think?"

"Let's just get this over with," John said angrily.

"First things first, John," Azazel replied, tutting softly. "The formalities must be observed. I assume Harry told you the full deal?"

John nodded. "The Colt for Dean's life."

Azazel's eyebrow arched. "And?"

"And my life as a sweetener," John answered calmly. Azazel glanced briefly at Harry but otherwise gave no indication he was going to tell John about Harry's demand. Harry only hoped that the demon had remembered to shield them from prying angel eyes.

"Don't worry, Harry," Azazel said, as if reading Harry's fear right out of his thoughts. "We're all alone down here."

John chanced an anxious glimpse of Harry.

"The Colt, if you don't mind?" Azazel asked, holding out his hand.

John hesitated before taking a deep breath and placing the gun in John's hand. Harry watched as John seemed to almost deflate as the weapon was tucked into Azazel's jacket pocket.

"Now restore Dean to full health," Harry demanded, breaking into the trade agreements.

Azazel glared at him. "I believe I have one more demand to go."

"You got half now," Harry argued. "You'll get John once we know Dean's back to normal."

Azazel nodded once. "Fine, it'd done."

John held up a finger, not his middle one, to ask for a moment of silence. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Sam. Harry could hear John ask a few questions and then Sam's excited replies. Harry closed his eyes, basking in the relief of having Dean back to normal.

Harry slipped his hand into his coat.

"He's asking for us," John said hanging up the phone. "For you."

Harry nodded. "I'll give him your best."

John turned back to the demon. "So… you finally have me on a silver platter, Azazel. What are you going to do to me?"

Azazel grinned maliciously. "Who says it's me who's going to do anything to you?"

John frowned in confusion before he realized what Azazel was implying. He spun to face Harry… but it was already too late. Harry had used a silencing spell on his shoes to give him the benefit of stealth.

The knife buried itself up to the hilt into John's stomach. John Winchester's blood began to leak onto Harry's hand, staining his skin and his clothes. The hunter's eyes were wide with betrayal and a surprising amount of pain.

"For Sirius," Harry said before he twisted the knife.

John fell onto the floor, his blood pooling beneath him.

Azazel and Harry both stayed stock still, staring at the dead man lying between then. Then Azazel began a slow clap in honor of Harry's work. Harry glared at the demon.

"You got your show," Harry shouted. "Now get the fuck out."

Azazel bowed slightly in Harry's direction before disappearing into the darkness.

Harry waited until he was sure Azazel was gone before gripping the handle of the knife tightly.

"Hang on, John," Harry whispered into his ear. "Portus."

For the second time in one day, Harry found himself standing vigil at the bedside of a man at death's door. Luckily for John Winchester, Harry didn't give up on people. John groaned and his eyes opened slowly.

"Mary?" he croaked.

Harry leaned closer to the hunter and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Sorry, John, it's just us Wizards here."

John's brow creased in confused. "Am I dead?"

Harry shook his head. "No, John, you're still alive."

"But… you stabbed me," John argued weakly. The memories came back to him in fragmented pieces. "I died."

"It was an unfortunate risk," Harry conceded. "I was confident I could bring you back before your soul entered Hell… or Heaven."

John started to cough as he tried to laugh. "Yeah, I think we both know that would be a stretch."

Harry smirked. "I see dying has improved your comedy skills."

"Why did you save me?" John asked, his eyes finally focusing on Harry's emerald green ones. "I thought you wanted me dead."

"I did," Harry said. "But that's before I knew the truth."

"The truth?" John asked.

"That you didn't kill my godfather," Harry explained. "That Sirius Black is still alive."

"What?" John asked, confused and slightly angry. "I killed him. I put a bullet in-between his eyes."

"Did you?" Harry replied calmly. "See, I don't think so. I think Sirius, himself, put those memories there."

"Why would he do that?" John demanded. "What good would that do him?"

"You'd have to know Sirius like I do, to truly understand that," Harry explained. "See, in my world, Sirius was really important to my parents. When they went into hiding, they asked him to be their secret keeper."

"Secret Keeper?" John asked, confused. "What the hell is that?"

"It's part of a spell that makes someone impossible to find, even if they're standing right next to you," Harry continued. "But it only works by keeping the knowledge of their hiding place trapped within one person: their secret keeper."

"And Sirius was your parents' secret keeper?"

Harry shook his head. "No, he was worried that he'd be forced to give up the information. So they asked a different friend of theirs to have that honor… It didn't turn out so well."

"They gave them up?" John guessed.

Harry nodded. "And my parents died because of it. So you see why Sirius would never trust such a spell to keep him safe?"

John shook his head. "I don't get it. What does this have to do with me?"

Harry stood up and started to pace as he talked. "I kept wondering why my Point Me spell wouldn't work. See, my wand couldn't find Sirius. If he were dead, it should have just pointed me to his body. Even if he was in China it would have chosen a direction."

"But if he were under this charm," John said. "He, what, wouldn't be able to be found?"

"Exactly!" Harry crowed in triumph. "But that means he has a secret keeper."

"Who?" John asked.

Harry leaned down close to John's face. "You, you moron."

"What? You're crazy," John accused. "I would know if I was some Secret Keeper or what not!"

Harry shook his head. "Not if Sirius erased your memories and replaced them with fake ones of you killing him. It's the only explanation. Don't you see? It's the only way he could guarantee his Secret Keeper wouldn't betray him! What better Secret Keeper than one who didn't even know they were keeping the secret!"

John went quiet for a minute. "You said it only worked because the secret was kept by one person."

Harry nodded.

"So it wouldn't work if I didn't know I was keeping it, right?"

Harry smiled and nodded. "Unless the memory isn't completely gone. Sirius was as sly as they come. He would have left just enough buried somewhere in your head so that the spell would keep working."

"Fuck!" John shouted, suddenly sitting up very quickly, gasping in the pain that resulted from the rushed movement. "If I'm not dead than Azazel will know I'm not in Hell. He'll take back the deal and Dean will die!"

Harry merely smirked at him. "You think I'd risk Dean that way?"

John studied the younger man's face before shaking his head. "No. Which means you thought of a solution… one I'm probably not going to like."

"I took a cue from Sirius," Harry hinted, waiting for John to realize what he was saying.

John's eyes widened. "You didn't! Tell me you didn't!"

"Sorry," Harry shrugged, clearly not apologetic in the slightest. "But I'm your Secret Keeper. You're welcome."

"It won't work," John argued. "Azazel will figure it out."

Harry shook his head. "He'll never find you on Earth or in Hell. No matter what spell he tries or demons he asks for help. You're dead as far as Heaven, Earth and Hell are concerned."

John covered his face in his hands. "You should have just killed me! Why would you go through all of this trouble?"

"Because John," Harry explained in his most serious tone, leaning forward. "Buried in that stubborn head of yours, in some long forgotten memory, is my godfather's location. And we're not going to leave here until we've uncovered it. No matter how long it takes."

John scowled at him.

Harry smiled and took something out of the brown paper bag John had seen him bring to Dean's hospital room earlier that night. Harry held it out and put on his most innocent expression.

"Pudding?"

~ Fin ~

Author's Note: That's a wrap, folks!!!

Remember this is just the first story in a series. The sequel, When the Lightning Strikes, will begin posting this summer. I know that seems like an awfully long time away, but it's really just around the corner. Between now and then I might be posting a few one-shots of Harry and Dean's road trip/sex romp that I mentioned WAY BACK at the beginning of the series… if people would like to see that ;)

When the Lightning Strikes will continue where this story left off. While Harry helps Dean and Sam through the grief of "losing" their father, he'll be getting closer to a different Winchester… John. Shocking, I know, but since Harry is the only one that knows that John Winchester is alive they will be interacting a lot (whether John likes it or not). Trust me it's going to be a LOT of fun :) After all, it's only together that they stand a chance of finding Sirius…

Don't forget to show your support by voting in the Always Hoping Fanfiction Awards. You Leave the World Behind was nominated for a total of THREE categories! Here's the link (just eliminate the space)… http:// always-hoping . 110mb . com

I would LOVE some final feedback on the story. So please, even if it's just a brief sentence, try to leave a review to let me know your thoughts.

THANK YOU so much for seeing this through to the end with me. Hopefully I'll see you all back for the sequel… maybe?

For the final time (in this story), please don't forget to REVIEW!!!