They're only a couple chapters into the first book when Dean decides they need to find a motel. Obviously, these are not books that are meant to be read while driving. Honestly, Dean would almost prefer not to read the books at all.
The kids are witches. Wizards? Warlocks? Whatever they are, they have magic and powers and seem to have been through a hell of a lot of shit.
Him and Sam stay up the entire night to finish that first book.
"'Oh, we will,' said Lea, and they were surprised at the grins that were spreading over the twins' faces. Harry picked up where she left off, 'They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. We're going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…'"
The two lean back on their respective beds in the small rented room. Sam sets the finished book on the nightstand between them. Silence reigns for several moments.
"Well…" Sam starts to speak, but seems at a loss for words.
"At least we know why they're so damn weird." Dean groans, throwing an arm over his eyes.
"Dean, they're not weird." The taller brother scolds. "They're just-"
"Magic?"
The word hangs in the air as the two stare at one another. Eventually, Dean bursts into hysterical laughter.
"Holy fuck." He holds a hand to his chest as Sam watches him with an unamused expression. "Dad-Dad's kids are witches!"
Sam's lip twitches as he tries to remain stern. Another moment passes and his own stressed chuckles join the chorus. It's several minutes before the hunters are able to calm down once again.
"It's a good thing he's gone." His younger brother speaks much quietly this time, a frown marring his features. "He told you to kill me once. Imagine if he knew about them?"
The thought sobers Dean from any lingering amusement. John Winchester would have put a silver bullet through the twins' heads if he'd known them.
"Yeah." His response is barely more than a whisper.
"They're not like other witches."
Dean looks back at his brother. Sammy flips through the book they just finished again, brows furrowed.
"Well, yeah. Doesn't seem like they're getting their power from demons." Dean rolls onto his back, looking at the ceiling. He furrows his own brows as he thinks. "They're just born with it?"
"Seems like it." Sam sets the book aside again to pick up another. "Ready to find out what the hell the 'Chamber of Secrets' is?"
"Hell no." Dean scowls out his brother. Sam only holds the second book in the series up in response. Dean sighs. "Keep reading."
Neither of them were prepared to find out what the Chamber of Secrets was. It seems like being dragon smugglers, cursed-broom-riders, and professor killers wasn't enough for their psycho siblings. No . They had to go and become SIXTY FOOT SNAKE SLAYERS. Forget making it to thirty-five, Dean could feel himself growing gray hair with every word Sam reads.
Dean feels nauseous by the time they finish the second book. The kids were twelve . Twelve and fighting ghosts and being bitten by snakes. Fuck. How the hell does he learn how to raise two magic powered trouble magnets?
"So, when are we crossing the Atlantic and murdering the Dursleys?"
"What?" Dean turns his attention back to his brother, thoughts still on the basilisk that bit their kid sister.
"The aunt and uncle. The people that put bars on their window and a cat flap on their bedroom door? Who made them sleep in a closet for ten years?" Sam's expression is thunderous.
Right. The damn Dursleys. Well, at least he finally knows what Lea had meant by 'living in a cupboard' that one time.
"First, we finish the books. Then we call our resident angel and demand he tell us why he hasn't told us witches are real . Then we go home and tell Bobby." Dean takes a breath. " Then , you sign those damn papers and we make sure those two never set foot in that death trap of a school again."
"And after that we kill the Dursleys?"
"After that," Dean almost glares at his brother, tone serious. " I find a way to ruin those motherfuckers. You'll be a legal guardian and those kids are absolutely not ending up in the system so you'll be keeping your nose clean. I'm legally dead so murder or other methods will have no effect on me."
Sam is returning his glare by the end of his speech, ready to rebuttal. Rolling his eyes, Dean collapses back onto his bed.
"Nap. Then we'll pick up with book three."
The third installment of Chuck's series on the Potter twins was both tamer and equally as terrifying as the previous two. Dean is sure that his blood pressure has been through the roof since they found Chuck the prophet. He's also sure that it won't be coming down anytime soon.
"Dementors." Sam's laugh definitely has a hint of hysteria to it. Not that Dean can blame him, he's feeling rather hysterical himself. The brats have faced creatures he would have sworn were myths. Basilisks, dementors, hippogriffs, even fucking unicorns.
"I'm a bit more focused on the time travel, Sammy." Dean puts his face in his hands, tugging at his hair. "It's just going to get worse isn't it?"
"I don't know how the hell it could get better!"
Looking over, he sees his little brother opening a beer, face pale. A grunt has a bottle thrown into his outstretched hand. It's several silent moments as the brothers absorb all their younger siblings faced in their third year at that School of Insanity.
"So, Black's probably the friend that told them about Dad."
Dean finishes his drinks before nodding. "Probably."
"You think he's who they'll go running off to after I sign the papers."
The elder Winchester can't help the tired sigh that escapes him. "Only one way to find out." He gestures toward the fourth and final book.
The two sit and stare at the text for a moment, neither reaching for it.
"I need a stronger drink and an entire pie before we crack open the 'fire cup' book."
They end up finishing the final book on the road, not far from Bobby's. Dean is sure that his knuckles will burst through the skin of his hands if he grips the steering wheel much harder.
Harry has a mass murdering psychopath after him. That's why they came searching for dad, he's sure of it. The book ended before the twins left for America, the final scenes detailing them leaving the school for summer vacation, but he's almost sure that their sister dragged her twin out of England based on her reaction to his kidnapping in the final book. It's exactly what Dean would do if it had been Sammy.
He thinks he might finally see the similarities Sam, Bobby and Harry have been pointing out between him and Lea.
The twins are sitting on the front steps when they pull into the yard. Lea jumps to her feet as soon as the car is in park, papers clutched in her hands. Harry stands slower, seeming down as he kicks at a stray rock.
His sister meets him halfway on the walk to the house, holding out the packet with a determined look on her face. She glances between him and Sam as Dean takes the papers with a frown.
Her green eyes almost glow, something that he now recognizes as the ambient magic mentioned in the books. His blood freezes in his veins with her words.
"The blood tests came back."
-
The nerves roiling in her gut make Lea feel nauseous. She's not sure what exactly she's anxious about, but she knows that if her emotions don't settle soon she's liable to expose her and Harry both by shattering a window or something equally ridiculous with her reaching magic.
"Okay. The tests are done. You have your results. Will you please sign the papers? I promise we won't bother you anymore." Lea's tone is pleading, grasping at straws after the stressful few weeks.
Sam doesn't look up from the paternity results he has in hand, staring at them hard. When he finally lifts his head, he turns to Dean instead of Lea or Harry. The older brothers stare intently at one another for several moments before Dean focuses on the twins.
"He'll sign." The relief that flows through her is short lived, even as she watches the taller of their older brothers do just as Dean said. "But, you two aren't just leaving to who knows where. You're fourteen and somehow managed to run halfway across the world to escape your…relatives."
Lea feels Harry grasp her arm tightly as she opens and closes her mouth several times. "But, but…"
"You want us to stay?" Harry's voice is almost a whisper, but there's no mistaking the hope in it.
Lea doesn't dare breathe. Is that an option? Does she even want it to be an option? She never planned on her and Harry going back to Britain away, not after what Pettigrew and his master did to her brother, but also never planned on it ever being more than her and Harry. Does she even want more brothers?
"Well, yeah. You're Winchesters." Dean says it as if it's the most obvious answer in the world. Sam rolls his eyes, folding up the guardianship papers as he speaks.
"None of us planned it, but the fact is that you're our siblings. It seems like you've been in a tight spot. We're not just going to let our kid brother and sister go off on their own."
But they have magic. Lea and Harry are wixen. Dean and Sam are witch hunters . How could it ever work? How will they hide the fact that they are what their brothers live to kill?
"We-we can't." Lea shakes her head. They can't hide their magic forever. And, if it comes to it, she would rather be killed by a deatheater than by one of her brothers.
Harry whips his head to stare at her, opening his mouth to object. He must see something on her face that gives him pause. With a sigh, he hangs his head. "Yeah, we can't."
Neither of them look up to meet the Winchester's eyes. Lea feels a heavy weight settle in her stomach. She and Harry really can never catch a break.
One of the brothers clears his throat. There is a thump on the kitchen table. "Is it because of these?"
The twins look up at the same time, gazes locking on the stack of books in front of Dean. Lea reaches out to grab the one on top. She chokes on spit as she reads the title. "What in Merlin's fucking beard is this?"
Harry reads the cover over her shoulder. They're both quick to grab the three remaining books, finding similar titles on their fronts.
Harry and Lea Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry and Lea Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry and Lea Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry and Lea Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The lead in her gut is replaced by panic as Lea looks back up at her older brothers. They both stare calmly back at her. She can feel her grip on her magic slipping like her hands would on a wet bar of soap.
Harry gets to his feet beside her. She can feel his terror as if it's her own. A glance over her shoulder shows her his glowing green eyes and sparks of magic at his fingertips.
"We're leaving. You don't have to do anything, just-just give us a chance to leave."
Her twin brother has a grasp on her arm and is tugging her to her feet before she can even register the actions. He drags them both back toward the doorway as Sam and Dean stand from their own seats. Lea can feel static growing in her hair.
"Hold on." Sam holds his hands palms out as he takes a step around the table. Harry drags them back another step.
Lea can't help but find some insane humor in the fact that her brother survived a duel with Voldemort mere months ago but now she is going to have him killed by their witch hunting brothers.
"We're not going to kill you." Dean sounds almost exasperated.
"But, we're magic?" Lea feels as if she's hearing her own voice from underwater.
"You're kids. And you're ours. We're not going to kill our brother and sister because they're a little weird."
"Yeah, have you met Sammy? I would have become an only child ages ago if we killed siblings for weirdness."
Sam throws a glare at Dean, scowling. "Besides, this explains a lot. Well, it explains part of why you two are so twitchy." His scowl deepens.
"Wait. You know we're wix, but you still want us to stay?" Obvious disbelief bleeds into Harry's voice, his grip on Lea's arm tightening.
The Winchesters glance at each other once more before Dean nods. "Yeah. We want you to stay."
The twins turn to each other, staring hard for a quiet moment. It's when Harry tilts his head toward her that Lea finally nods. She looks back to their brothers. "Okay."
"Okay." Sam echoes her, a smile on his lips.
Just as Lea starts to return the grin, her lips drop into a frown. "Wait. Why in the bloody fuck are there books about us?!"
The Winchesters share a look before Dean sighs and walks to the fridge. He returns with a couple of beers and soda, setting them on the table. Him and Sam take a seat once more. He looks between the twins before gesturing to the chairs they vacated minutes ago.
"We've got a lot to tell you."
Several hours later, Lea can honestly say that she never imagined their brothers would have lives just as chaotic as her and Harry. She and her twin head to bed with much more knowledge of their brothers than they woke up with that morning and two new sets of books to read. Though, personally she thinks 'Supernatural' is a much blander title than their series was given. That might just be personal bias, though.
