Stranger Than Your Sympathy
Part One - Freshmen Year
Chapter Two
She turned to face the only person still in front of the lighthouse – everyone else had long gone through the door. "Dean Winchester – Gryffindor."
Bobby smiled at him.
"Go on then – get your butt inside. You'll have plenty of time to wallow later."
Dean did as instructed – still a little shell-shocked.
On the other side of the doors, he entered into a large cavernous space. The room was divided into four – once again Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow. A large banner declared which section was which track and with no small amount of trepidation, Dean went over the red section.
"Welcome to the monster chow house, brother," Benny grinned. "Knew you had it in you."
Dean had the grace to look down. "I expected you – but Cas, what happened? I thought you were Ravenclaw bound for sure."
Cas tilted his head at him. "I told Mrs. Moseley that. She said not to question her and that sometimes the people you are surrounded by are more important than what you are learning. I would appeal, but she told me that was pointless. Guess we're stuck with each other."
Benny used his arms to pull them into an awkward, three-way hug. "Ain't stuck if you are having a good time! Now…" Before he could continue, the room started to hush as a man walked out on the platform.
He was unlike any hunter Dean had ever seen. And from his appearance alone he had a very difficult time believing that his father knew this man at all.
His hair was long and curly – falling well past his shoulders and onto his chest. It was thick and must have once been a rich, dark, color, but was now tinged with strands of silver. He was wearing several bracelets, rings, necklaces, and a large belt buckle. With his paisley shirt and leather vest he looked like he had stepped straight out of the '70s, a hippy if Dean had ever seen one.
"Welcome!" He called out. "Welcome, Class of 1997. We're very excited to have you here. In just a couple of moments, you will join your classmates in the mess hall. Here at Hogwarts, your house is important – of course, why else would we divide you otherwise? But I want you to look around you. Your classmates – no matter which house they are in, will be your teammates and colleagues for life. You will spend the next four years with each other in close quarters. Make friends. Lean on each other. Have fun. And most of all – never forget who the true enemy is."
He turned and left.
"What the…" Dean mouthed at Benny, who shrugged.
"Always heard he was a bit eccentric."
"He's brilliant," Cas provided. "I've never seen someone radiate such…" he promptly shut his mouth.
"You're a dork," Dean told him but there was fondness behind those words.
"We should be talking to the other students," Cas said. "That's what the principal just told us to do."
Dean shrugged. "Who cares? I'm not going to be here much longer anyway."
"Why's that?" Benny asked.
"My dad hears I'm in Gryffindor? Look – he forced me to come here but he's gonna be pissed when he hears I'm in the wrong house. Doubt he'll think so highly of the education here when he finds out – will probably charter a boat himself to come pull my ass home."
"Then don't tell him," Cas suggested.
That startled Dean. "What?"
"Don't tell him," Cas repeated. "If you want to stay, that is. They don't report our houses back to our parents. There's a reason this school is on an island and difficult to get to. They want us separated so that we can focus on our studies."
"Or to keep us safe," Benny said, offering a sunnier version of the school's location. "Up here they can ward the island to keep supernatural creatures that would love to destroy the next generation of hunters in one go. That's why my mère and père told me. But he's got a point – it's not meant to be a secret, but I doubt that anyone here is going to tell your dad what house you got."
Lying to his father wasn't something Dean had ever considered. Mostly because it was stupid. The man seemed to always know, despite not having psychic abilities. Benny wasn't wrong either – Bobby hadn't spoken to his dad in years and the principal had only called to invite Dean to the school.
It also gave him a level of control he hadn't had before.
As much as he wanted to get home to Sammy and his dad, he revolved that, for the first time in his life he had a choice.
And he had time to make it too.
He hadn't given the welcome packet much more than a glance, but Sam, the nerd, had. His younger brother had said that the first chance he would get to talk to his family would be Sunday. Outside of emergencies, that was the only day that freshmen were allowed to call home. Or, rather, have home call them - families had to call and set up a time in advance.
Which was good because there was no reliable number to call John Winchester - he just moved too often.
Hopefully, Sam would be able to convince his dad to have a homebase so that he could attend school for at least a couple of solid months before being moved again.
He wanted to go home right away but – Bobby was here. He'd already (kind of) made some friends. One week away from Sammy wouldn't kill either of them. He was pretty sure that nothing here could change his mind, but come Sunday, he would have a choice.
And that felt amazing.
He grinned.
"ATTENTION FRESHMEN!" A voice yelled from the staircase.
That stopped all the conversations in the room.
"Good," a young woman was standing on the stairs. She was wearing a Hogwarts uniform but had an air of authority both in her voice and in her stance. "My name is Jody Mills – senior class president. As such, it is my job to escort you freshers to the mess hall. Follow me."
Twitters of excitement filled the air as they all approached the spiral staircase that ran up and down the entire lighthouse.
"The second floor is the mess hall. On the floor we just came from, you'll find training rooms. Third floor is the library. From there up each house has its own floor. Starting with Slytherin, then Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and on top, Gryffindor. You are expected to be in the mess hall for all meals during the week – attendance will be taken. Weekends are a little more relaxed."
Dean tried to hold back a groan. That meant he was going to have to climb four flights of stairs multiple times every day. His legs hurt already at the thought.
III
Sam waited until his dad went to grab a drink at a bar with some hunter buddies to have a breakdown.
It was so unfair that he wasn't allowed to go to Hogwarts at the same time as Dean.
He had never done anything without Dean.
He had never been allowed to do anything without Dean.
And now it was just him and his dad and…he felt hot tears fall down his face.
Dean said that John loved them but Sam honestly wasn't so sure. Their interactions with him were limited. He often left them alone for weeks at a time while he was on hunts – or, if he was between jobs, he would work all day and return late at night.
He had started taking Dean out on hunts with him when Dean turned ten, but wouldn't allow Sam to do the same, even though he was now twelve.
Sam didn't even want to be a hunter, not really.
At least not one like their father.
Before John had announced that Dean was going to Hogwarts, Sam had assumed that all hunters were like his father. Vigilantes going after the bad guys. Dean called him a hero but Sam saw through that façade. Their father didn't kill supernatural creatures for the good of Muggles (a new word that Sam had learned by looking over the materials for Dean's school) – or to keep them safe.
He did it for himself.
Because he couldn't protect their mother that night. Because he wanted revenge more than he wanted anything else – including his family.
Rage flowed through Sam. Because, as it turned out, what John did was almost unheard of in the hunter community. There was, in fact, a hunter community. More than that, there was a hunter government. A secret one that reigned over those in the know. The Hunter's Council of the United States of America – or in plain English as Dean would insist, HUCUSA. A government older than the American government. And within that government, there were a lot of different jobs. It was more than just hunting and tracking monsters. Sheriffs who were stationed throughout the entire country were secretly hunters. Lawyers who helped when things got sticky legally. Doctors in hospitals that specialize in injuries caused by the supernatural. And, if you went to Hogwarts and passed your NEWTS, you could actually be paid.
John had turned his back on all of that.
He had a license to hunt, but he wasn't formally employed, and, in fact, had even been fined for acting outside his bounds. Sam had found this all in the weeks between when Dean was accepted into the school and when he left. That they didn't have to live in a car. That they didn't have to go from one crappy motel to another. They could have had a home. They could have had friends who knew about all this.
The more he learned, the angrier he got. He tried to tell Dean all of this. But his older brother hadn't wanted to hear it at all. And now he was off getting to stay at one school for four years while Sam was left behind.
The door to the motel room opened quicker than Sam thought it would. He quickly did his best to hide his tears. He would not let his father see him like this.
"Sam?" His dad called out.
"Yeah?"
"Just finished talking to Caleb. Found a case – but we got to leave now."
"I thought you already had a case here."
"Yeah, damn Council Hunters took it. Pack your stuff. We don't have time for you to question me."
"Yes, sir," Sam sulked.
He sighed as he packed his stuff away. He was going to do everything he could to get to that school as soon as possible. If that meant sucking up to his dad or learning everything there was to know about hunting, he would. He had always been good at school but now that he knew that he could merge academics with "the family business," and apply them to something other than the physical work of hunting, he was determined.
He'd go to Hogwarts too. He'd rise through the ranks. He'd be a success. And he couldn't wait to rub his father's face in it all.
III
The mess hall looked almost like any other school cafeteria Dean had ever been in.
Except – more circly?
Also – more formal. Although it looked like there were stations where they'd be able to run a lunch tray past some lunch ladies to get globs of mystery meat or a square pizza or two, that's not how the room was currently set up.
The back half of the semicircle was populated with long tables and benches. Two on each side of a table in the center. Hanging over each of the tables were the banners of each house. Dean rolled his eyes – this school was very into these houses.
Behind the table in the center was a large scoreboard. Not unlike the ones that would be in a regular high school gym. On the top, it proudly boasted "HOGWARTS HIGH." Instead of a "Home" and "Visitor" indication on the sign, there were designators for each of the four houses – all currently listed as "0" points. On the sides, there seemed to be a place for individual scores to be kept.
"Oh, that's the infamous scoreboard for the house competition," the one Gryffindor in their year that Dean hadn't met yet said. "Keeps track of us. Like the Man."
Dean was very confused.
"House competition?"
"Of course," Castiel said. "Didn't you read your welcome packet?"
He fought off an eyeroll.
"During the year, the houses compete for the greatest number of house points. The teachers keep track during class – you can get points for answering a question right, or doing something nice for someone else in the school."
"Or for just being a kiss-ass," Benny added.
Cas glared at him. "No. Not that. You can also lose points. For being an assbutt."
"Assbutt?"
"Breaking rules. Things like staying out after curfew or failing to report to the mess hall on time for attendance. Being late for class."
"But only if you get caught," Benny pointed out.
That sounded like a challenge Dean would very much like to take on.
"What happens if you lose?"
"Nothing good."
The class president, Jody, butted into their conversation. "We take the house competition very seriously around here. Gryffindor hasn't won in three years."
There were several guilty looks around the table.
"But that's not what is going to happen this year, is it?" Jody said, sending a stern look at everyone.
"No, Madam President!" One boy said cheerfully towards the end of the table.
Jody rolled her eyes. "Sean – I will take points off of you myself if I have to. And that'll make me very grumpy."
The kid smartly shut up.
"Winners get out of Spring cleaning that happens right before we leave. Losers – well, take a look," a group of students wearing yellow and black striped ties came streaming from each side of the staircase.
They were all smiles as they delivered large platters of food.
"They serve food?" Dean asked.
"Yeah – people are usually more upset about it," she rolled her eyes. "Hufflepuffs."
One of them approached them. A happy-looking boy with a bright smile. "Dinner is served! So nice to see your freshmen, Jody. Hope they're up to the task. Would hate to have Slytherin win. Again."
Jody scowled. "THEY CHEATED!" she yelled loud enough for the whole hall to hear.
The Slytherins, who were on the other side of the teacher's table in the middle jeered and hissed from their seats.
"Anyway," Jody said. "Enjoy your dinner. I'll lead you up the stairs at the end of the feast and we'll go over rules and expectations."
She left to go sit with others in her year.
That gave Dean the chance to finally see what was on the table. His jaw nearly dropped.
He wasn't sure that he had ever seen this much food in his life.
Roast chicken, roast beef, pork tenderloin, mounds of vegetables, three to four kinds of potato, and fluffy rolls.
No one else seemed phased.
Never one to be shy around food, Dean dug straight in, loading his plate up until there wasn't any spare room.
"Slow down, you're going to choke," a girl that Dean vaguely remembered from the sorting said from the other side of the table. It was then that he noticed that everyone was looking at him. He blushed but didn't slow down.
"Come on, Jo, it's delicious, you should dig in too," the Gryffindor boy that wasn't Cas or Benny said.
"You two know each other?" Benny asked as he filled his plate with only slightly less gusto than Dean.
"You could say that," the girl said.
"Her mom took me in. I'm Ash, by the way, Ash Miles, but you can call me Dr. Badass if you'd like."
Jo rolled her eyes. "No one likes that, Ash. I'm Jo. My mom runs the Roadhouse – so she takes in a lot of strays. Even if they have fleas," she teased.
"Hey! That was one time!"
"The Roadhouse, huh? That's pretty legendary," Benny said. "I bet even Winchester has made the rounds there."
Dean had no such recollection.
"Winchester?" Jo asked – there was some sort of infliction in her voice that made Dean freeze a little bit.
"Yeah, what's it to you?"
"Nothin'," she started to move food around her plate.
Dean had no idea what it was that people had with his name. Or with his family. He had always thought his father was a recluse, but he seemed to be somewhat well-known.
Dinner continued to be a little awkward, but Dean ignored it as he ate with his new classmates. The other two girls in their year, Pamela Barnes and Cassie Robinson introduced themselves.
Before he knew it, he could feel his eyelids getting a little heavy. He hadn't been this full in…well ever. Not that they didn't have enough to eat, but food was never unlimited.
Dessert was cleared by the once again far-too-cheery Hufflepuffs when a hush fell over the room. Dean had been so absorbed in his conversation and food to notice that the table in the middle had been staffed by who he assumed were the teachers.
The silence happened as the principal stood up to speak.
"Welcome, everyone, to the new school year! I am pleased to see so many of your smiling faces back here again. Before I send you off to sleep, just a couple of reminders of the rules. Curfew is at 2100 hours – everyone must be back on their floor at that time. Seniors, of course, are allowed to stay in the library until 2300 hours. All students are expected to be in bed at midnight – unless, of course, you have astronomy that night. Students may not enter the staff building unless there is an emergency. The complete list of rules is in your student handbooks, which you will find on your beds. So, until tomorrow morning, I bid you all a fond adieu."
It was an odd speech but everyone clapped with such enthusiasm that Dean wondered if he had missed something. The staff all exited the room together.
"All right, frosh, follow me!" Jody said as she came up to them. "Time for you to get some beauty sleep – you look like you need it."
Grabbing his duffle bag that he had stored under the table (he noticed that no one else seemed to have their belongings with them – which was odd) and started following Jody up the stairs.
III
"Carlos, I always knew you were one sneaky motherfucker, but this is more than I thought even you were capable of," Bobby grossed in the faculty lounge not long after the opening feast.
The principal laughed. "I'm sure I have no idea what you mean, Bobby."
"How'd you even pull it off? I was a little suspicious when I saw who was on this year's rotation, but I thought that it was just that we'd all been avoiding it for so long."
"You know we've been trying to get you here for years, Bobby. You have just always been so dedicated to staying in the field. And you sure did your house proud, but it's time for others to step up to the plate, which they would never be able to do with you still on the phones."
"Yeah, yeah," Bobby grumbled.
"And Missouri wasn't even asked. She just showed up in the Council's Chamber and announced that she would be the designated psychic this year. And no one dares say no to Missouri, especially not me."
"Damn right!" Missouri called from the other side of the room.
"As for the rest of the faculty. Well, the name Mary Winchester is still sacred to many of us. And we've been kept from her boys for far too long."
"Bet Ada was disappointed," Bobby said.
Carlos shrugged. "There's still another one to come through, plenty of time to bring the whole gang back. They're going to need all the support they can get."
"You believe it, then?" Bobby asked, giving him the side eye. He wouldn't have asked, but Missouri was the only other one in the room.
Carlos closed his eyes. "I don't want to – but, for Mary, I've got to act as if I do."
"Is that why you allowed Castiel to come here?" Missouri asked, joining them where they were sitting in front of the fireplace.
"Should have known that wouldn't have gotten past you, Missouri," Carlos said. "Yeah – I think having him here will help. Even if I may be… sidestepping some rules."
"Sidestepping? You know that if the Council knew that…"
"I'm not going to tell them. Are you?" Carlos challenged.
"Of course not. I saw into him. I know that he's good. At least, for now. He doesn't really know, does he?"
"He knows that his parents aren't his real parents," Carlos said. "He knows that he's different. But unless something major changes, he won't remember the other part of him. I'm hoping that he is ingrained enough in our community at that point that we'll actually have one on our side."
Bobby's eyes were wide. "Carlos…that was…"
"Brilliant, I know. It never hurts to have an inside man. Plus, for now, he's just a kid. He'll be more accepted here than he ever would have been in the Muggle world."
"Not if they find out what he is," Bobby said, now far more worried about the blue-eyed kid sharing a room with a boy that he considered a nephew, if not a son.
"Have a little faith, Bobby."
Bobby grumbled. Carlos' never-ending optimism never failed to grate his nerves. But despite it all, he trusted the man. "I just hope you know what the hell you're doin'."
"Me too, Bobby, me too."
III
At very least, Dean wasn't the most winded by the hike up to what Jody referred to as "Gryffindor tower." He really wished he hadn't topped his fourth slice of pie with ice cream. (He could never regret the pie – he was sure it was the ice cream.)
"There's a reason why Gryffindor's do best in PE," Jody said with a little too much pep in her voice after having practically raced up the steps. They were all standing on the landing outside of a large metal door. "Now – other houses have been known to try and raid our common room, so there is a lock on this door and the combination changes weekly. Do. Not. Forget. The. Combo. If you have to ask a teacher for help, then it will cost you an automatic three house points, and I will not be happy. This is for Gryffindor's only. I don't care if you're hooking up with a cute Hufflepuff – you take that shit anywhere but here. Now – welcome to Gryffindor!"
She opened the door with a flourish.
Most of the lighthouse was fairly stark – metal stairs and concrete floors, but this room – it was just cozy. Sam would love this, Dean couldn't help but think.
The floor was covered in a thick honey-colored carpet. The walls were draped in red curtains. Older Gryffindors had taken spaces on some of the many sofas and armchairs.
"This is our common room," Jody explained. "This side is our living room – comfortable places for you to read, study, or hang out. On the other side you'll find the Gryffindor study. That is considered a quiet zone – treat it the same as you would the library."
Next, she walked around the circular common room and pointed out the doors. "Each year has its own barracks. Gender segregated – boys on the common room side, girls on the study side. You are expected to keep your rooms neat and tidy – there will be inspections. Boys, your room is straight ahead, girls, follow me."
Dean, Benny, Cas, and Ash glanced at each other before heading into their room.
The room opened into a small hallway that, upon closer inspection, had doors to a room with two showers on one side and a room with toilet stalls on the other. The space behind those rooms was smaller than most motel rooms that Dean had stayed in. There were bunk beds – two sets each pressed against a wall. Barracks, Jody had said. It certainly looked like something out of a movie about the military. John Winchester must have felt right at home when he joined the Marines if this is where he had been living before that.
All that being said, it was still cozy and the plush bedding and privacy curtains around each bunk would provide more privacy and comfort than Dean had experienced in the motel rooms he had grown up in.
"I guess this is home, boys," Ash said, as he, without consulting anyone else, threw himself onto a bottom bunk.
That led to a quick scramble to claim the other beds. No way was Dean going to take the bottom bunk but it seemed that he was going to have to fight Benny for the one above the bed that hadn't been claimed yet. Dean was wiry but quick and accustomed to fighting dirty against Sam. He got to the ladder leading up to the bunk first by elbowing Benny in the side before the other boy could do anything other than look at the bed.
Benny didn't take it sitting down though, Dean was only two steps up when he felt a tugging at his waist trying to pull him down. Dean kicked at him, unsuccessfully, but as soon as he landed on the ground, he shoved Benny harder than he was expecting. He spent a split-second debating apologizing but instead took advantage of the couple stumbling steps back that Benny took and clambered up the ladder, this time victorious.
He looked around the room, smug, until he saw Castiel perched on the top bunk across from him grinning like that cat that caught the canary.
"Violence is never the answer," he said with a proud grin.
"Right on," Ash said from his bottom bunk, reaching up for a high five, Castiel meeting his hand halfway.
"Fine, I'll take the bottom bunk. We'll see how y'all feel about havin' to climb up there after a long day or training,'' Benny grumbled as he sat on the bed underneath Dean's.
Each of them took a moment or two to catch their breath.
"This what you were all expecting from Hogwarts?" Castiel asked out of the blue. "I was hoping it'd be a castle of some sort. Or a mansion."
Dean snorted. "What, like what you grew up in?" he shot out.
Cas frowned. "My parent's house isn't a mansion but it's nice."
"This ain't nothing like our family house in Louisiana," Benny said. "My family is Acadian through and through – escaped down from Nova Scotia when those batards took over our territory. I'm just happy to be by the water of some sort – although the Sound sure ain't like the Bayou."
"I like the Puget Sound. I took a vacation to the San Juan Islands one time with my parents to go whale watching. I think it's one of the most beautiful places on Earth," Castiel said. "But both my parents and I poured through the brochure of this school before we decided this would be the best place for me."
"Brochure?" Benny asked. "I didn't think this place was advertised to Muggles at all."
"Muggle?" Castiel frowned.
"Non-hunters," Ash supplied. Dean was grateful, he had heard the term but didn't know what it meant. "It's what people who are under oath of HUCUSA call the people we protect."
"But it sounds derogatory. If our mission is to protect people, why would we call them names?"
"'Cause they're ignorant. And if they knew about us…" Benny said.
"What?" Dean asked.
"You ain't heard of the hunter trials of the 1600s? They burned hunters like we were witches at the stake."
"Well, were they witches?" Dean didn't see a problem with burning witches. They were some of his least favorite of the monsters his family fought.
"No! But sometimes we got to use a little magic – fight fire with fire," Benny said. "It's why we hid ourselves from them. The less they know the better."
"I don't like it," Cas declared.
"Yeah, well, you didn't grow up in the life did ya? Tell him, Dean, Ash, what people are like when you save 'em."
"Ungrateful bastards," Ash and Dean said at the same time – surprising themselves.
"Exactly," Benny said. "How the hell did you hear about this school if your parents ain't hunters, cher?" He repeated the question he had asked Cas on the boat.
"They're friends with the principal," Cas said, a little too quickly for Dean.
"Really? Cervantez has been active since the '70s. He was Muggle-born, but he's famous for his first big hunt. Saved the whole damn world, some reckon. Everyone was surprised when he decided to teach instead of heading up the Council. Doubt that he has many Muggle friends at all."
Muggle-born was another term that was new to Dean – of course, not knowing Muggle to begin with. He figured it was self-explanatory. Although not very useful, because, technically, he was Muggle-born, but he still grew up in the lifestyle.
Cas pursed his lips and looked vaguely uncomfortable. "I didn't ask for details. My parents were looking for a place for me to get an excellent education. And Hogwarts doesn't just produce great hunters, many students go on to attend Ivy-League schools and become government leaders. Both Muggle and HUCUSA."
Benny held his hands up in surrender. "Fine. Just odd, is all. You an only child then?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
"Me three," Ash said. "Not that I know my folks real well."
Dean didn't say anything.
"Dean?" Benny asked.
"Oh. I've just got Sam." His stomach ached a little at the thought. "He's two years younger than me and friggin' genius."
"Will he be coming here when he's a freshman?"
"Honestly, I'm a little surprised he didn't manage to stow away on the boat," Dean said, laughing at the image himself. "He tried to convince Dad to use his connections to get him in early. I know he'd keep up, but the old man needs him for hunts. Don't know what he's gonna do when we're both here." If that ever happened. Dean wasn't sure if he could even last the week before trying to get home.
"Surely he's too young!" Cas objected.
"Hardly. I've been hunting since I was eight," Dean scoffed. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. Talking about his family was just too painful. "I'm beat. I'll see y'all in the morning." Without waiting for anyone to say anything else, he correctly pulled the cord that closed the curtain around his bed.
There was stunned silence in the room, but his roommates took the hint and started moving around getting ready for bed.
Dean was still awake when the lights had gone off and the soft sounds (or not-so-soft sound of Ash snoring) filled the room along with the howling of the wind outside the lighthouse. He sat in the dark wondering how he had gotten there in the first place and regretting not fighting his father more. He closed his eyes eventually, promising himself that he'd figure out a way out of there. Nice friends and old family members wouldn't be enough to keep him away from Sam.
III
Dean shot up and reached for the knife under his pillow when he heard an alarm blare.
He looked to see if Sam was next to him only to see a wall where his brother would normally be in the motel room bed next to his.
Then he remembered.
He took a deep breath before opening his curtain to see the room was filled with light from a window that he hadn't even noticed the night before. Around him, all his roommates were also blearily looking out from their beds.
"Guess they were real serious about breakfast being at 0700 hours."
"What time is it?" Ash mumbled.
"6 in the morning," Cas said. He was down from the top bunk and already showered, dressed in his uniform, and his bed made.
"How the hell are you up already?" Dean asked gruffly.
Cas shrugged. "I've always been a bit of an insomniac. Don't need much sleep – I've been awake for the last hour and a half. I got a good head start on our reading for the week. You all better hurry if you're going to be ready for breakfast," he disappeared out the door of their room.
Dean was still not awake. "Do you think they've got coffee in the mess hall?" He knew that some schools didn't provide caffeine to students but he was used to running almost entirely on coffee when he didn't get much sleep. If there was no coffee, he wouldn't even last the day here at Hogwarts.
"There's some out here in the common room," Cas popped his head back in for a second.
"Oh, thank god," Dean said, much more motivated to move.
"How'd he hear that?" Ash asked Benny as Dean ran to be first to take a shower.
"Guess he's just got good hearing."
"Superhuman, maybe," Ash grumbled. That was the last thing Dean heard before he turned on the water in his stall.
He washed quickly – growing up, especially if they were staying someplace where they had to pay for water, he was expected to be in and out of the shower in five minutes. He was also grateful that his roommates didn't seem to expect to share the shower room – even though there were two available. His dad had told stories about everyone having to shower at the same time during Basic Training for the Marines. Hearing that the dorms were called "The Barracks" he was worried this whole place would be run like the military. But knowing that he'd have privacy – even if it was fleeting – made him want to be sure the other guys got the same.
He dressed in the same uniform that Benny had lent him the day before. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about his lack of proper clothes. He knew there was a small town on the other side of the island – maybe they would have a thrift store where he could buy one or two of his own.
His dad had given him $50 of the hustling money the two of them had made a couple of weeks before to get him through the semester. Which had shocked Dean – that was more than double what his dad regularly gave him and Sam to survive a couple of weeks with when he was off hunting.
He hadn't been worried about it before – thinking that he would be out of this school within a week or two, but now…he just wasn't sure.
Benny was waiting outside the room to jump into the showers himself and Dean left to go out in search of coffee.
It didn't take him long to find it – there was a large carafe located just to the right of the entrance of the tower. He hadn't had more than a sip when the blonde girl from last night (Jo? He couldn't remember) approached him.
"So, Winchester," she said.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't expect to see you here. Not after all the crap your father has pulled."
"You're just as surprised as I am," he responded, ignoring the barb on his dad. "Never even heard of this place until my dad announced that I would be coming here a month ago."
She seemed taken aback. "He didn't tell you?"
"Not much of a conversationalist, my dad," Dean said, feeling a little like a traitor. But his father had dumped him here, so he also felt entitled to some anger. "Are you going to tell me what your problem is specifically?"
She gave him a piercing look as if she couldn't decide if he was telling the truth or not. "No."
Dean shrugged. "Have it your way then," he went back to drinking his coffee. It was good – way better than the crap that most motels had.
She seemed fine with that and took a seat across from him on a comfortable-looking armchair.
They sat in silence until Benny emerged from their room. He looked like he was still half asleep even though he was freshly showered. However, the sleepy look in his eyes disappeared when he saw Jo sitting across from Dean.
"Don't tell me you've already managed to bag the prettiest girl in all of Hogwarts, brother," he said with a smile.
"Excuse you?" Jo asked, pursing her lips.
"You're the prettiest girl in this whole school – I know, I saw them all last night. I just hope that Dean here hasn't already taken you. He's mighty handsome himself but you'd be missing out on…" he didn't get to finish his sentence. In a swift movement, Jo had gotten to her feet and punched him in the stomach.
"Still think I'm pretty?" She asked viciously.
Benny was doubled over but he grinned. "No. I think you're gorgeous. Want to go out on Friday?"
Jo scoffed, flipped him the bird, and stomped off.
Benny looked at her with what Dean could only describe as heart-eyes.
"I think you've struck out there, dude," Dean said, not having dared move from where he was.
"I think I'm in love."
"She just sucker punched you in the gut."
Benny laughed. "And she didn't hold back either. I wonder what her favorite flower is – I'm gonna go ask."
"Your funeral, man."
With a grin and a besotted look on his face, Benny went after Jo.
Dean just shook his head.
"I don't think that Jo likes him at all," Cas said, startling Dean because he had had no idea that the other boy was there.
"Dude!"
Cas tilted his head.
"Just – announce your presence. I coulda stabbed you."
Cas rolled his eyes and flopped into the chair that Jo had vacated.
"Alright freshmen, I've got your schedules here," Jody said, coming over to the two of them. She handed each of them a piece of paper. "And start getting your butts downstairs. You don't want to be late on your first day."
Dean looked down at the paper. It was unlike any class schedule he had ever seen before. Sure, Sam had yammered on about the classes at Hogwarts, but he hadn't been listening because he had been so convinced that he was going to talk his dad out of this.
"Are these real?" He couldn't help but blurt out.
Cas looked up from his own.
"It's all the normal curriculum…"
"There ain't anything normal about this. Sure, I guess some high schools teach Latin but… Defense Against the Supernatural? Lore 101? Sigils and Wards?"
"What did you expect at Hunter High?" Ash finally joined them just outside their room. "That's Council Approved Curriculum, you know. Gonna need it all if you're going to pass your OWLs."
Dean gave him a blank look.
"Ordinary Warding Levels, Dean, did you read anything before coming here?" Cas asked sounding somewhere between concerned and deeply judgmental."
Dean decided not to answer that. "I'm going to breakfast. You two coming?"
"Hell yeah, can't get by on coffee alone," Ash said bounding towards the staircase.
Cas just shook his head and the three of them headed out.
III
They found Benny already waiting for them at the Gryffindor table.
"A swing and a miss?" Dean asked, grabbing the seat next to the Cajun boy and putting his tray down on the table. On the non-table side of the mess, there was a cafeteria that more-or-less looked the same as every other school cafeteria Dean had ever experienced – and he had seen plenty.
"Yeah, but it's only the first inning," Benny said. "I'll win her over yet."
"You talkin' about Jo?" Ash asked.
Benny nodded.
Ash whistled. "Good luck. She's a tough nut to crack. Known her for years – she's sharp, you know. But good people. Real good people."
Benny's eyes lit up. "Oh, you grew up with her, didn't you?"
"Last couple of years," he answered.
"Tell me everything. A girl like that…man, you should've seen this morning. Never seen a woman with so much strength before. I gotta get her to go out with me."
"Oh boy, well, if you think she's strong, you have to meet her mother. Look, Benny…"
Dean turned away from the conversation and towards Cas who was picking at the food on his tray.
"What, the food not good enough for you?"
Cas looked up. "Never had a big appetite."
"Does that mean you're not going to finish that bacon on your plate? 'Cause I've already eaten all of mine and…" Dean didn't wait for Cas to answer before he swiped it from the kid.
III
Classes were not held in the Lighthouse – they were taught in one of the buildings just outside the tower, which meant that everyone had to trudge outside from one building to the other.
Their first class of the day was at least something that Dean recognized. Social Studies. Not that he had ever been much good at any subject in school other than recess but this wasn't completely out of his experiences.
He had been hoping to take a seat at the back of the class like he usually would, but this classroom was set up around a conference table.
"This is the only class that we have that is Gryffindor-only," Cas was explaining. "For the rest of our classes for the rest of the year, we'll be in with at least one other class."
"That's correct Mr…"
"Novak, sir," Cas responded to the teacher.
The teacher, a middle-aged black man, raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on the name.
"Take a seat Novak – you too, Winchester."
Dean sat as far back as possible at a long oval table and looked down at the piece of paper in front of him while Cas started to pull things out of his backpack.
All Dean had was a pen.
He did have a couple of old notebooks tucked away in his duffle, but in the excitement of leaving the barracks this morning, he hadn't thought to bring it with him.
"Need to borrow a piece of paper?" A girl sat down next to him.
"Thanks, Cassie," he said, proud of himself for remembering her name. Of course, she was pretty and he never had difficulty remembering pretty girls. "What would I do without you?" He asked with a wink.
She rolled her eyes. "Write in the margins, I imagine," she responded before she started pouring over the paper herself.
Jo was the last one to come in, muttering a quick apology to the teacher before taking a seat.
"Alright – well, I guess we're all here now. I am Mr. Turner. And I have the dubious pleasure of being your Social Studies teacher this year because those Council motherfuckers decided that I hadn't done enough "service" to the community. So they took one of their best guys and have me stuck on this damp, good-for-nothing island to teach all of you when I could be out there saving lives. Your syllabus is in front of you. Read it. Then we'll talk."
There was a light laugh from Cassie. Dean looked over to her to see. She pointed to the words under Week One.
Civic Duty and Why You Should Do Your Part.
Dean laughed out loud.
"Something funny over there, Winchester?"
"No, sir," he answered quickly. How did everyone already know who he was? Was there a sign on his back or something?
"No, really, why don't you share with the class?"
Dean looked around and everyone was staring at him. But he had never let a teacher embarrass him before and he wasn't about to start now. "You're going to teach us all about Civic Duty?"
Mr. Turner glared at him. "Yeah. I am. And I sure as hell know more about it than your father, Winchester."
Ah, that's how he knows. Dean was going to have to try and get a lot of answers out of his dad the next time they talked. Not that he had faith that he would get a ton.
The teacher seemed to think that he had made his point and started talking. "You are all here at the invitation of The Hunter's Council of the United States of America. The governing body of our fine society and the reason this school exists. If you want to earn your place and get your certification at the end of your time here, you're gonna have to know the basics. Now. Who can tell me how the Council is organized? And there's a reason we're in this room – no need for hands, just shout the answer on out."
Everyone looked at each other for a moment, before Jo answered. "It's not so unlike the Muggle government. Or how the Muggle government was originally set up. The main power is more in the legislative and judicial branches instead of the executive. But there is a series of checks and balances that keeps everything running smoothly. Usually."
Mr. Turner nodded in appreciation. "Usually. We do have an idiot for a president, but that's nothing new. Anyone else?"
Cas spoke up next, "All hunters must be registered to a specific department within the government to be paid. Part of the registration is that everyone must do two years of public service every ten years."
"And what forms may that take?"
"Teaching at Hogwarts, serving on a Muggle police force, or being an elected official," Benny supplied. "Or achieving a certain number of community service hours over five years."
Dean's head was spinning. He had never heard any of this before. There was no question in his mind that his dad had never done any of that crap.
"You got a comment to go with that stink face, Winchester?" The teacher challenged him.
His scowl deepened. "Isn't it just our job to hunt monsters? Save people? Don't see why that's anyone's business but our own."
"Uh huh," Mr. Turner said. "Sure. God knows I'd love not to be stuck in this particular hell hole but what if a hunter starts using all of his…"
"Or hers!" Jo called out.
"Or hers," Mr. Turner did a slight eye roll, "skills and decides to just start killing things in the bright daylight? Let's the Muggles see what we do?"
"I mean – they'd be arrested, right?"
"Yeah. Probably. And if they are arrested for killing something that needed killing and end up in Muggle jail – or worse, they manage to convince the Muggles that monsters are real, what then?"
"Then everyone knows and everyone can protect themselves." There was a loud groan from everyone around him. "What?"
"You never heard of the Hunter Trials, chief?" Benny asked him.
Dean hadn't but he didn't want anyone else to know that.
"You probably heard of them as the Salem Witch Trials," Jo said, not kindly.
"…those were witches. Probably the sort that ought to have been dead anyway," Dean argued.
"They weren't," Pamela said, "they were hunters. Damn good ones too. One of their own betrayed them and everything wrong that was going on in the community was blamed on them – instead of on the monsters they were trying to kill. We lost a lotta good people."
"Mostly women," Cassie added.
"But not all women," Ash said. "There were…"
"If they got themselves caught by nor – Muggles, then didn't they deserve it?" Dean asked. Any hunter worth their salt knew how to avoid the authorities. Hell, half of what he had learned from his dad was how to fool the people who didn't know what they knew.
"You think that they deserved to die for getting caught?" Cas asked, horrified.
"No, they deserved to die for ratting out their community!" Ash joined in.
"Most of the people who were burned at the stake weren't the traitors," Cas shot back.
"Alright, alright, I think we've veered far past the point here," Mr. Turner interrupted before things could get more heated. "Our unit on Civic Duty doesn't officially start until tomorrow, in any case. Today – we have some housekeeping to do. First things first – textbooks."
III
Three classes down, three to go, Dean and the others went to the mess for lunchtime. Since he hadn't brought a backpack down with him, he was forced to precariously balance his tray ontop of the many books that they had collected in Social Studies in the morning.
"Want some help there, brother?" Benny asked, smirking at him as he walked as carefully as he could towards their table.
Dean glared. "I'm fine," he said, annoyed that the offer of help came after he was almost all the way to the table.
"We can see that," Ash said from his seat at the table. "You ever heard of a backpack?"
Dean sat down and ignored him as he dug into the lunch. It was way better than he had ever gotten at the many schools that he had attended.
"You know, they're not going to take it away if you don't eat it fast enough," Cas joined them at the table.
"They're not going to take your face away," Dean quipped cleverly. "I'm hopin' to eat fast enough that I have time to go back to the barracks and get my backpack. Or, at least, drop off some of these books."
Dean wasn't sure if it was a function of Hogwarts or boarding school in general, but it seemed that if you were living on campus, you were not provided with a locker like in any other American high school.
"That's a good idea. I'll go with you," Cas said with a nod.
Dean quickly shoveled the rest of his lunch into his mouth, not engaging in any of the other conversations at the table. He looked down at his watch. "Think twenty minutes is enough time?"
"You appear to be in fine physical shape, I'm sure that we can make it up there and back in that time."
What? Dean made a face. "You're weird, dude."
"Thank you."
Dean just shook his head. "We'll catch y'all in the next class."
Castiel followed him as they left the Mess to start the long climb up to Gryffindor Tower.
"Can't believe we're stuck in the house the furthest away from the bottom. Or that a school this fancy doesn't have a friggin' elevator."
"I believe this is considered, "character building,"" Cas said with air quotes.
"But Gryffindor's are the only house that needs that? That's bullshit."
"Maybe it's to stop us from becoming monster chow."
"I can't believe that not everyone at this school is monster chow with the level that these classes are starting at. So far it's all been baby stuff."
"I've found all the classes so far to be very intriguing."
"Are you kidding? We spent the first half of Sigils and Warding discussing salt and what makes the best for keeping ghosts out. It's a salt line. You use what you've got."
"But surely the density and thickness of rock salt is better than table salt. Much harder to blow out of the way."
"Who the hell carries around rock salt?"
"Hunters employed by the Council. I see your point about it being too heavy to carry around all the time, you are smart to point out that table salt is lighter and it will do in a pinch. A prudent hunter would have both."
"Dude!" Dean stopped on the landing they had just reached. Ravenclaw was on this level. They were almost there. "It doesn't need to be such a big friggin' deal. I just – I don't get it."
"Perhaps you should talk with the principal about getting advanced placement. I did. Algebra I is a little too basic for me – I'm going to take Geometry with the Sophomores."
Dean snorted. Of course, Cas was some sort of genius like Sam. No one had ever suggested that he be put into anything advanced at school. "Surely the hunter stuff isn't new to you?"
"My parents are Muggles. I did a little advanced reading over the summer but I know that I have a lot to learn. I'm glad that we're roommates – I think that I can learn a lot from you."
From anyone else, Dean would have taken that as sarcasm, but even on the first day of knowing Cas, he knew that the kid didn't have any concept of sarcasm.
"I just hope things get more interesting or I will be telling my dad about this and getting out of here as soon as possible."
They finally reached their tower. Dean was a little out of breath. "So stupid," he muttered to himself. It was a relief to drop the textbooks from the first three classes on the bed. He was tempted to lie down and take a nap. The next class was Algebra I and his new classmates were about to learn just how "advanced" he was at school.
He started rummaging through his duffle bag for his backpack. When he got to it, he was surprised.
This wasn't the grubby backpack that he had used the last five years of school.
It was the brand new one that he had bought for Sam for this upcoming school year. That sneak, Dean thought with a pang of homesickness.
He opened the bag. Inside was filled with clothes that were not his own. He started pulling them out. They were Hogwarts uniforms. And not just the gray pants and blazer that were required but also gym clothes and even a couple of t-shirts with the Hogwarts seal on them. How? There was no way anyone but Sam had pulled this off. But his little brother wasn't allowed to go out on his own. Not while he was around. When had he had the time?
He felt a surge of gratitude, annoyance, and sadness. Tears started prickling in his eyes.
"Hey, Dean," Cas called up to him from below the top bunk where Dean had been going through his stuff. "If we don't get going we're going to be late for class." He said it gently, which just made Dean more annoyed. Brushing the tears off his face where the other boy couldn't see, he started grabbing the books he needed for the rest of the day.
"Coming," he responded.
III
"Now you all might think it's easy, spottin' a case, but with tabloids the way they are these days and crazy Muggles on the rise, you're gonna have to learn the difference between our sort of thing and utter nonsense."
It was finally the second to the last of the day. He couldn't believe that even this – the course taught by his uncle who knew everything about hunting and even this was… Well, this was…baby stuff. The class was called "Lore 101," but they were starting with how to find a case. Surely anyone brought up in the life would know how to comb through the newspapers? He respected his Uncle Bobby but this was ridiculous. He began reading over the syllabus rather than paying attention to what his uncle was saying.
"Can you believe this?" he asked Benny under his breath pointing out the unit on mircofilm. "Any toddler would know how to use a microfiche reader."
"What is a microfiche?" Benny asked him.
"Are you kidding – come on, man, my dad started me on those when I was in the first grade and he only waited that long because…"
"Would you two please shut up?" Cas hissed at them from Dean's other side. "Some of us are trying to pay attention."
"How about you then, Cas? Surely, you've used microfilm before."
"It doesn't matter if I have or not – Mr. Singer is trying to…"
"Is there something that you three idjits would like to share with the class?" Bobby was staring at the three of them and not with a very happy look on his face.
Dean felt a blush creep up on his face. "No, sir," he muttered.
"Didn't think so. Now, can you answer the question?"
Looking up at the screen, Dean could see images being projected from an overhead projector. He had no idea what the question was. "Uh – the Loch Ness Monster is the only one up there that is real?"
A look of annoyance and then (very) slight pride crossed Bobby's face. "You're right. But I catch you gossipin' in my class again, it'll be detention. As it stands. Two points from Gryffindor for not paying attention. Three points for getting the answer right. And see me after class, Mr. Winchester."
"Oooooooh," everyone in the class said, making Dean blush even deeper and duck his head.
"Stop that nonsense right now," Bobby snapped and the whole class went quiet. "Moving right along – let's look at how we would research each of these monsters…"
He spent the rest of the class staring straight ahead and planning just what he was going to say to Bobby when he was forced to stay behind. Maybe he'd just walk straight out of class and ignore his uncle altogether. That'd show him.
Of course, Bobby didn't allow him to try, because as Dean passed in front of his desk, the older hunter grabbed Dean by the shoulder. "Stay," he commanded.
Dean sulked.
"You want us to wait for you?" Benny asked.
Dean shook his head.
"Suit yourself."
Everyone filtered out of the classroom to head to their next class (Elementary Latin). A couple of students (including Vaught) tried to leave as slowly as possible in hopes of hearing Dean get into trouble, but Bobby shoo'd them out of the classroom and locked the door behind them when they left so that his next class couldn't' try to come in.
"What?" Dean asked him, rudely. He was embarrassed and annoyed to be here.
"I think you owe me a little more respect than that," Bobby said sharply.
"Sorry, Mr. Singer, sir," Dean said sarcastically. "I'll be more respectful in the future, sir."
"Hey now, Dean," Bobby said, in a much gentler voice that Dean thought he might hate more than the "teacher" voice Bobby had been using before, "what's wrong with you kid?"
"What's wrong with me? I don't know – there's this whole secret hunting world that no one ever told me 'n Sam a damn thing about. A government? A school? What the hell, Bobby? Why didn't you tell us? We could'a known other kids like us growing up? And I don't even want to be at this stupid school. I mess up one friggin' time and Dad just ships me off to this place that don't seem to teach anything that I didn't learn before I was outta elementary school."
He could feel tears begin to form in his eyes but there was no way in hell he was going to show that much weakness, not even in front of his uncle. Also, he had never been so close to crying so many times in one day since before his mom died. He hadn't meant to say that much, but it had been a long day after a long night and he just couldn't take it anymore.
"You done?" Bobby asked. He looked more tired than angry.
"Yeah. Just – I dunno, give me detention or whatever the hell you do here."
"I had to threaten you with detention because that sort of lip is not acceptable here. Dean – why don't you have a seat?"
"I gotta get to Latin – "
Bobby snorted. "I know that Latin ain't exactly your strongest subject, but trust me, you know much more than what they'll teach in that first class. I'll smooth it over Latika later."
Dean didn't want any special treatment, but he was tired. And it felt pathetic to even admit that to himself. But this was Bobby.
"I messed up, Bobby. Bad. Nearly got both Dad and I killed all because I froze. Over one friggin' ghost. And then where would Sam have been? And I know I screwed up, but I never thought Dad would just…send me away."
Bobby sucked in a breath. "Is that what he told you?"
Dean looked up. "What?"
The older man sighed. "Did John tell ya that you were comin' to this school because you messed up on a hunt?"
"Well…yeah. Why else would he send me here?"
"Son, you really better sit down."
Dean was confused, but he took a seat in the front row of desks.
"I don't know why John said that – I'm sure he had his reasons. Actually, I'm pretty damn sure that reason was that it somehow made his life easier, but that don't matter. Dean – your name, and your brother's name have been down for this school since you were born. Hell – they may have been on there before you were even born. As soon as HUCUSA found out your mom was pregnant, I'm sure it said, "Baby Winchester," on the list of names of kids to invite."
"What?" Dean repeated, not understanding what his uncle was saying. "But he said…"
"I don't care what he said. You're a legacy. Hell, a Winchester helped found this school. Each generation of hunters has had at least one of ya at this school."
That left Dean's head spinning. His Dad had told him that it was Slytherin or nothing but he had no idea that it stretched back that far.
"He wasn't going to send me though," Dean said, with more certainty than he felt.
"Wasn't he? Why'd you think I took a job here? It's sure as hell ain't because I love teaching snot-nosed brats. I coulda done my service to HUCUSA just answerin' phones from the comfort of my own home. Or I could've retired and given up my licensure, God knows I've done my fair share, but I knew you'd be here this year. And that your brother won't be far behind. Your dad is on thin ice with the law as it is – if he had tried to keep you outta here, he might've actually had to serve some time."
"Dad's been avoiding the cops and feds for years," Dean scoffed. "I don't think…"
"I'm not talking about the Muggles. Yeah – of course, he's good at avoidin' them. But he wouldn't stand a chance against our guys. And that's somethin' else we can talk about later – but you may want to shut your trap about all the hunting you've already done. It's illegal before attending Hogwarts."
"Illegal…"
"Yeah. It's not common practice to have kids hunting before they start – many of the old families have tutors and controlled hunts, so no one will bat an eye that you know what you can 'cause you're a Winchester, but you've got to be discreet about it."
Dean was tired of asking questions, but he couldn't stop himself. "Old families?"
"Yeah. Didn't I already say that, you idjit? Winchesters are practically the royal line of hunters. If we had such nonsense, that is. The Kennedys of HUCUSA. Your great-granddaddy was Head of the Council in his day. And then his daughter followed in his footsteps. Henry shoulda been next but…"
"But what?"
"That don't matter now."
Bobby looked like he regretted saying that. Which made Dean narrow his eyes with suspicion, but he knew that now was not the time to press.
"What I'm saying, Dean, is that you belong here, and it would've been real hard for your dad to keep you away. I'm sure he gave you some bullshit reason for it, but you were meant to be here. And as for why I didn't mention it – I thought you knew. And knew better to bring it up in front of your dad 'cause I didn't want to rub it in his face that he was expelled."
Expelled? That's not what he had said. But Dean didn't think he could stand to hear any more secrets now.
"He really didn't mention any of this? Not the Council? Or the school?"
Dean shook his head. "He talked about school a couple of times – but only to talk about how he made more of a difference in the Marines than he ever could've with a high school diploma…"
Bobby sighed again. He removed his hat, and ran his hand through his hair, before putting it back on. He looked like he wanted to say more but he just shook his head. "Alright. I'll write you a note. Then head on to Latin. Just – if you need me, you know where to find me."
Dean nodded.
AN - Chapter Two! I think that my update day will be Thursday nights, EST, but it may end up being Fridays. But, ultimately, it will be updated once a week.