Chapter Text
The year was 1990 when an old barn owl first appeared on the hood John Winchester’s Impala. It was early morning. The boys were fast asleep in the back seat and all that could be heard was the low hum of the Impala’s engine mixed in with the continuous back and forth motion of the windshield wipers. Things had been hard since Mary died, especially on Dean, and he figured the best way to move on was to just keep moving. He couldn’t bare the thought of staying in that old house so he took a job that required him to be on the road a lot. He had no choice but to take the boys with him, sometimes dropping them off for weeks at a time with family friends or at cheap motels. He didn’t like it but these were hard times. John had been on the same stretch of highway for hours and began to think his mind was playing tricks on him. A giant owl swooped next to the the driver’s side window, keeping pace with the speed of the Impala. Had it made eye contact with him? he thought. He reasoned with himself, thinking it was just the fatigue setting in. But the owl continued to glide next to his window, eventually pecking vigorously at the glass to the point where John had to pull over. He rolled down the window trying to shoo it away.
“Get the hell out of here you damn bird!” He whispered loudly through gritted teeth.
The owl fluttered away from the window, perching itself on the hood of the impala, a letter strapped to its leg.
“Hey! Get off you’ll scratch the hood!” He whispered loudly, the volume rising with each word. He heard someone stir in the back seat.
“Dad? What’s going...”
“Stay in the car Dean.” Said John as he stepped out of the car to bat it off the hood.
But before he knew what was happening, the owl began to change shape in front of his eyes allowing him little time to react. Then suddenly, standing before him was an older gentleman dressed in a funny set of robes. John wasn’t really sure what to make of him but before he had time to say anything the man began to speak.
“Hello Mr. Winchester.” Said the man calmly. He definitely had some sort of accent.
John instinctively pulled out the knife he kept in his jacket pocket, pointing it at the man.
“What...the hell...are you?” He growled. He could see Dean out of the corner of his eye staring through the window, fear and confusion in his eyes.
The man only smiled and handed John a letter with green writing on the front of it.
“Mary told you this day might come.”
It had now been four years since Dean received his letter of admission to Hogwarts and John still occasionally thinks back to that day. The whole thing had been extremely hard for John to accept and sending Dean half way across the world to some school to study magic of all things had been the hardest. The summer was now winding down and Dean would be going back school soon. John couldn’t help but wonder if this year he’d be accompanied by someone as well. Sam had just turned eleven which was the same age that Dean received his letter. Naturally John was worried his youngest son would posses the same abnormality. On this particular morning they had stopped to eat breakfast at an old diner west of Rockford, IL. John looked up from the paper he was reading and glanced across the table at his two boys.
“So do you have everything you need?” John directed at Dean.
Dean was slumped back in the booth. He couldn’t stop staring at the waitress who was serving a customer behind the counter, a smug expression spread across his face.
“Yeah dad, my friend Benny is getting everything for me.” He replied, half paying attention.
“And, you’ll be taking the...the...”
“Portkey, Dad. It takes me right to King’s Cross station.”
“Right, right.” said John. “Can never remember the name of that thing.”
Sam was sitting next to Dean, resting the side of his head on his hand and playing with his food.
“Is anything the matter Sammy?” John asked, concern in his voice.
“Does Dean have to leave again?” asked Sam, trying to blink back tears.
John shifted uncomfortably in his chair. It was the same every year; Sam always had a hard time seeing Dean go. He wished more than anything for the chance to go to school with him. Every summer Dean would tell him all the amazing things he did that year at Hogwarts and secretly longed for the chance to experience it himself.
“Hey Sammy it’s alright,” Dean suddenly chimed in. He put his arm over Sam’s shoulder completely forgetting about the waitress. “I’ll write to you every day. I promise.”
He gave John a frown but was startled when a massive shadow flew by their window. However, no one else in the diner seemed to notice the large owl that perched itself on top of the Impala. Attached to its leg was a letter, the same green etching on the front that Dean’s had. John’s heart sank. How was this possible? he thought. Both of his sons products of the supernatural. Sometimes it was just too much. But Sam’s face lit up at the realization that he’d be joining his brother this time around.
The Hogwarts express was alive with excitement and commotion. Sam sat in the train car gazing anxiously outside the window. Dean was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed as he and a young girl his age were in what seemed to be a tense conversation but Sam couldn’t make out what they were saying. Sam couldn’t quite put his finger on it but Dean was just different with her. She gave Dean a sad smile and squeezed his arm as she left. Sam swore he saw Dean turn a few shades of red before he shook it off and took his place in the seat across from Sam, propping one leg up on the cushion.
“Old flame?” asked Sam with a smirk. Dean shot Sam an annoyed expression.
“Cassie Robinson, writer for the school’s newspaper. It’s complicated.”
“She’s a babe.” said Sam playfully.
“Sam, enough.”
“You must really care about her if she has you feeling all broken up inside.”
“Just drop it alright?” Dean snapped.
Sam rolled his eyes and let out a defeated sigh.
“Fine whatever.” he said still smiling.
Dean shook his head and shifted in his seat to face Sam, changing the subject.
“Well Sammy this is it. Are you excited?”
Sam furrowed his brow and suddenly remembered how anxious he was.
“I guess.” said Sam hesitantly. He looked down at his hands.
"You guess??" Dean almost seemed offended but he could tell Sam was worried.
“You’re going to love it here man, I promise. And once you get sorted into Gryffindor I can show you all the ins and outs of the common room and how to sneak food from the kitchen, maybe even sneak you into Hogsmeade, and...here let me see that.”
He pointed to the wand box next to Sam’s leg. Sam took it out of its box and handed it to Dean.
“See this? Its identical to mine. That’s because we’re brothers no matter what ok? And also it contains dragon heartstring. That means its powerful. It takes a strong person to wield it and it chose you for that very reason.”
He smiled and tossed it back to Sam. This seemed to relax Sam a bit. He could always count on Dean to make any situation sound less threatening.
The train began to lose momentum and the town of Hogsmeade gradually appeared before them.
“Alright Sammy this is where we part ways.” said Dean.
“What? You’re not staying with me?” the nerves suddenly started flooding back to Sam.
“Relax! You’ll be taking the boats; it’s a tradition for first years. I’ll be in the great hall waiting for you ok?” Dean reassured him.
As Dean started walking toward the carriages he heard Sam call after him.
“Hey Dean...what are those things?” he was pointing towards the carriages.
There was a sinking feeling in the pit of Dean’s stomach. Of course Sam could see them too. After all, they were both there during the house fire. Sam was only a baby but he still saw his mother engulfed in flames that fateful night. Dean shook his head and tried his best to push this memory aside. He let out a deep sigh, faked a smile, and turned back to look at Sam.
“They’re called thestrals and only wizards with really special powers can see them. Guess you’re advanced for your age!” he called back.
That would be a conversation for another time.