Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. There is also reference to canon events. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: Sorry. I'm still a little salty about both the ending of SPN and the way that CW handled the confession.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Quidditch League (Season 10); RAVEN (2023); MC4A (Sp-Y6)
Individual Challenges: Quaffles (Y); Xs & Os (Y); Colors of the Sky; Gryffindor MC; MoD It; Celestial MC (x2); Old Shoes; Sandbox (Y); Crossing Over (Y); Reader (Y); Cinematic (Y); Binger (Y); Animated (Y); Gamer (Y); Book It; Divinity (Y); Elder Berries (x2); Small Fry; Immortal MC; Nonhuman MC (x2); Ethnic & Present; Rian-Russo Inversion; Short Jog; Bucket Listing; Eating Cake (Y); Green Ribbon; Two Cakes (Y); Salt Wrench; Crack Addict; Bi Bi Bi; Claimed; Ship Sails; Wibbly Wobbly Era; Rainbow Connection; Finders; Gender Bender; Hold the Mayo
Team (Position): Wigtown Wanderers (Seeker)
Round (Prompt): Round 10-05 (n/a)
Other QL Challenges: Part of Another World [04] (Crossover Ship)
RAVEN Challenges: Colors [21](Candy Floss Pink); Items [01](Afghan Blanket); Settings [01](Afterlife)
Other MC4A Challenges: SpB [3A](Sap); TrB [4D](Prodigal); Ship (Troublemakers)[ SpMed2 (Cuddling/Snuggling; Literal Sleeping Together); SpMic1 (Fusion/Crossover); SpMic2 (Black; Pink); 2D (Time Travel/Time Loop)]; Chim [Sumac]("God Help the Outcasts" – Hunchback of Notre; Turned Left Instead AU; Race Bend); Hunt [Sp Set (Castle)]
Representation(s): Desi & Fem Harry Potter/Gabriel; Master of Death Harry Potter; Jack Kline; Dean & Castiel's Profound Bond
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Found Family; Nontraditional; Bee Haven; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistence Still; White Dress); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Pocky Pockets); Demo 2 (Messing with Morlocks; Seven Gates)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: SN (Rail; Ameliorate); Once (Moses Supposes; Santa Fe)
Word Count: 1011 words

(^^)
Master Knows Best
(^^)

"You knew," Jack accused as he stomped into the library of the castle where they had set up residence in the portion of the afterlife that had been recreated from the dying remains of what used to be Heaven. (Harini's influence had caused it to closely resemble Hogwarts as she had known her, eons ago and worlds away but also only slightly to the left. But that was all neither here nor there.) Despite his teenage appearance and godlike power, there were still times when the fact that Jack was less than five-years-old showed itself. This was definitely one of those moments. He began to pace in front of the navy blue couch where Harini was sitting with Gabriel stretched out beside her.

"I probably did," she replied, looking up from the book she held in one hand. Her other hand did not cease petting Gabriel's hair where he was sleeping with his head in her lap. She had covered him ages ago with an afghan that had been crocheted with a candy floss pink skull surround by black. It amused her to have images normally associated with death in such innocence colors. The humor was not lost on her beloved trickster. "But just to be certain, perhaps you should tell me what it was this time that I knew?"

"You knew that Dean would go looking for trouble." Jack gave an inarticulate yell of frustration as he yanked on his hair. No doubt he had been the very picture of calm and collected while out and about in a realm where losing control like this could kill people.

"Oh, that," Harini commented flatly. She scratched lightly at Gabriel's scalp, earning a soft sound almost like a purr from the archangel. Jack looked like he might scream again.

"Yes, that! You had only ever met him once, and only for a few minutes! How did you know?!"

"Well, in his defense, you did leave him unsupervised."

"I had Bobby watching him."

Harini gave Jack a flat look that expressed exactly how she felt about that answer. Jack flushed just like Teddy used to whenever he was caught sneaking biscuits at the same age. As he should, too, because they had discussed this possibility when she had found him rebuilding his little world. She had specifically warned him about this possibility. She had told him what he would have to do in order to corral it.

Whatever had caused this outburst was completely on Jack.

"Do you really think that Castiel would have been able to prevent Dean from poking around in other timelines?"

"I think that Castiel would have at least kept it from escalating to the point that someone had to involve you."

"It's just," Jack started but stopped himself. He was calmer now but still visibly upset. Harini could feel his power rippling through the air around them. The boy's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Do you know that Castiel finally told Dean how he felt? And Dean didn't say it back!"

"Maybe he said it in Spanish?" Harini offered. Honestly, all of these men were so frustrating that sometimes she wondered why she put up with the lot of them. And she had thought that she was emotionally repressed and lacked communicative skills. She took a deep breath to center herself as she rested her hand against the nape of Gabriel's neck. "Do you really think that Dean Winchester would ever be able to talk about how he felt without trying to deflect or dissemble?"

"Castiel deserved the words!"

"And I'm not denying that." Harini looked over the godling with an assessing eye. "I sometimes forget how very young you are. There are more ways to tell someone that you love them than mere words, Jack."

"What—what do you mean?" Jack cocked his head to the side, so much like a puppy that she had the urge to pet him like she would Gabriel. "What other way could there be?"

"Actions speak louder," she told him. Then she merely watched as he processed what memories he had from his own short life as well as those passed along when Castiel adopted him. She smiled softly as she saw him thinking about it all. She rubbed her thumb against Gabriel's neck, reassuring him that she definitely did not need him to intercede in any way. He could just continue on pretending to still be asleep. 'Penny in the air.'

"Dean did say it," Jack whispered in shock. 'And the penny drops.' "But not in English."

"Now that you realize that, do you realize just what you did wrong in the situation that catalyzed whatever is your current problem?"

Jack flushed again.

"I, uh, I shouldn't have hidden Dean's arrival in Heaven from Castiel?"

"Got it on the first try!" Harini grinned. "And what do you need to do in order to prevent this situation from happening again?"

"I need to have someone other than Bobby watching over Dean, someone who could actually convinced him to finally rest." Jack's shoulders slumped. "I need to allow Castiel to take over again."

"I mean, there's still no guarantee that they won't get up to any shenanigans," she cautioned, "but at least they will be together while doing so."

"Do you think Castiel will be very upset with me?"

"I think that you'd get a better reaction if you already had Dean with you when you break the news. Their reunion will soften any blow, especially with the way they parted."

"That really is the best anyone can hope for when it comes to Winchesters."

"Exactly," Harini agreed readily. She laid her book on her chest to make a shooing motion towards the godling. "Now go collect our wayward son and tell him that it's time for peace."

Jack nodded decisively and left like a soldier marching to his doom. Harini sighed in contentment. In her lap, Gabriel echoed the sound before rubbing his cheek against her thigh.

"Children grow up so fast these days," she commented before going back to her book.