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Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 11); MC4A (Swap; FaB; DP; TY; War; Share; T3; SN; O3; SHoE; FPC; BAON; ToS; SIN; NC; PP; SoC; FF; Star; Fence; ER; AV; RoB; MLG; Rum; Cluster; VV)
Individual Challenges: Rainbow Focus; Gryffindor MC; Death's Inevitable Master; Sett to Destroy; Hunter MC (x2); Immortal MC; Seeds; Golden Times; New Fandom Smell [Spn] (Y); Old Shoes [HP] (Y); Above Average Natural; Location, Location, Location; Themes & Things A [Love]; Themes & Things B [Protection]; Advice from the Mug; Ethnic & Present; Neurodivergent; Quiet Time; Booger Breath; Booger Breath Rider; Rian-Russo Inversion; Flags & Ribbons; Letter of the Day; In a Flash; Yellow Ribbon (Y); Yellow Ribbon Redux; The Real MC; Two Cakes!
House: Hufflepuff
Assignment No.: Term 11 – Post Assignments
Subject (Task No.): n/a
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Insane Prompt Challenge [200] (Alienation); 365 [148] (Precious); Galleon Club (No using "said")
Other MC4A Challenges (Prompt): Fa Bingo [3B] (Fog/Mist); Swap [Outer Wear] (Purple Sweater); Sp Micro 1 (Fusion)
Representation(s): the Winchesters; Tessa the Reaper; Reapers as Family; autistic Harry Potter; the Apocalypse
Bonus Challenges: Hot Stuff; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistence Still; White Dress; Found Family; Nontraditional; Middle Name; Mother Hen; Unwanted Advice; Lovely Coconuts; Grease Monkey; Most Human Bean; Muck & Slime; Rock of Ages; Hot Apple; Bad Beans; Morrigan's Tentacles; Under the Bridge; Where Angels Fear); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Wabi Sabi; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Mouth of Babes; Tomorrow's Shade; Eternal Boredom; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Creature Feature; Wind Beneath; Abandoned Ship; In the Trench; Surprise!; Turtle-Duck; Sitting Hummingbird; Some Beach; Getting On)
Tertiary Bonus Challenges: DP (Immemorial; Terse; Yearn); TY (Enfant); T3 (Terse; Tether); SN (Rail; Spare); O3 (Ox); SHoE (Terse; Onus)
Word Count: 818

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Needs and Wants
Chapter 3: Rocky Start
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"Hold on a damn minute," Dean objected. It was difficult to keep his eyes from tracking the kid. Harry seemed to sense the scrutiny because his thin shoulders tensed as he moved up to the trunk—of course, the kid was the one traveling with the most difficult piece of luggage possible. "We're in the middle of trying to stop the end of the world, and Death wants us to babysit?"

"The world is always ending, Dean," Tessa commented neutrally. "One day it will succeed, no matter what you do or don't do. Regardless, you will deliver Harry to Robert Singer, who will be sitting this one out."

"It's the Apocalypse," Sam protested. Dean finally managed to drag his gaze away from Harry. Sam seemed to be bristling with indignation, despite facing down an entity that could kill with a thought. Tessa looked as unphased as always. In fact, with the stupid cardigan on, she looked downright cuddly. "We need everyone we can get! Bobby can't just sit it out."

"Less than two days ago, you planned on him doing so," Tessa reminded them both. A fog began to grow around the edges of the unloading bay. That never boded well as a mood indicator for supernatural beings. "This is just a return to that previous status, nothing more. Did Dean not pass along how precious Harry is? Nothing ranks above him."

"Oh, and why is that again?" Sam asked recklessly. Dumbass was going to get himself killed if he kept riling up the reaper. No matter how Dean felt about Sam's stupid plan to kamikaze himself to get Lucifer back into the cage, it was still the only one they really had. Sam dying would put a major kink in it.

"I'd like to know, too," came a voice from behind Tessa. The voice was as firmly determined as it was British. The reaper was smiling as she moved aside to reveal the kid standing beside his trunk. Despite the determination in his voice, he was bunching the cuffs of his purple sweater in his hands with a grip tight enough to turn his knuckles a pale tan.

"Harry, sweetheart," Tessa greeted cheerfully. Of all the things that Dean had seen over the years, a reaper looking like she wanted to bounce on her toes had to be the creepiest. Something about it was more unnatural than anything a demon or creature had ever done. "These are your escorts for the last leg of this trip."

Harry was even smaller close up, which should have been impossible. Speaking of things that should have been impossible, Dean could now see the world-weariness in the kid's eyes. Dean wasn't an expect on kids, but judging by size, Harry couldn't be more than eight or nine.

His idea that Harry was some hunter's kid seemed more likely than not, but something about it still felt off. It wasn't that Dean thought that there weren't hunters in other countries, because he wasn't stupid. Anywhere there was creatures, there was going to be hunters. But something in how Harry shifted his weight as if to brace himself before he spoke was throwing off Dean's conclusion.

"I want to know why I was brought here," Harry stated with a raise of his chin. Dean could tell that he was looking Tessa directing in the eye, but he got the impression that the act was difficult for the kid for more reasons than how very small he was. "I think I've earned that much, Tessa."

"It's not a matter of earning, sweetheart," Tessa replied, moving forward quickly. Her hands came up as if to touch the boy, but she froze before making contact. It could have been the flinch that Harry had made but Dean had a feeling it was something else as well. "You never have to earn anything from us, you know. Any reaper would be more than happy to help you."

"Then why won't you tell me what I want to know?"

"It's not time yet, Harry," Tessa answered. The fog was thick enough now that Dean could not see more than a dozen feet around them. "Death wants to be the one to tell you, but he's a bit tied up at the moment."

"Understatement," Sam muttered just loud enough to be heard. Harry's unnaturally green eyes cut away from Tessa to settle on Dean's idiot brother. Tessa turned to glare at Sam. Noticing the gazes, Sam blushed deeper than he had since he was a teenager. He swallowed deeply before pulling himself together. "Uh, hi. I'm Sam Winchester, and this is my brother Dean."

"Harry Potter," the boy returned. He paused after saying the name, as if waiting for something. By the way his shoulders relaxed after a moment, Dean guessed that he didn't get whatever reaction he was fearing.

Who was afraid of being recognized by name alone?