Visitation Privileges

Dean started to laugh. If that wasn't the funniest thing he had heard in a while, he didn't know what was. But no one else was laughing along with him… He looked over at Sam who was worrying his lip and then at Castiel who was rubbing his eyes with his fists. His amusement died down pretty quickly. "Wait, what?"

Sam had more tact. He approached the angel and sat beside him. "What are you talking about, Cas?"

"It's the strangest thing," Castiel mumbled.

"Whoa." Dean held up a hand to stop the conversation. "Are you serious right now?" Sam glared at him. "Oh…" He dropped his hand. "Uh…"

"Maybe I should go back." Castiel got up to his feet.

Sam tugged him down. "Talk to us first."

"Wh-who?" Dean stuttered. "Who the hell would you fall for?! Another angel?"

"No, that's not… No…"

The brothers exchanged a loaded glance. They had to approach this situation carefully now. Something was wrong with Castiel. Maybe it was a hex from a witch or one of Loki's tricks. It had to be. There was no other possibility.

"Alright," Sam said deliberately. "Who are you in love with?"

"Harry."

He was shocked into silence for a second. "Harry… You're talking about the same Harry you saved?"

"Mhm."

Dean clicked his tongue. "Wait a second. I thought he was human," he frowned.

"… He is."

"Oh."

"Okay," Sam interjected. "Okay, this… We can figure this out." He stood up while running his hands through his hair. No need to freak out just yet. Castiel was calm. Dean was slightly less so. But nothing to worry about. He gestured at his brother to take his spot on the couch. Dean agreed with curt nod. "So," Sam continued casually as he walked to his laptop, "what's this guy's name? Harry what?"

"Potter." Castiel turned to Dean. "You have been in love before. You know what if feels like."

"Sure," Dean said with a placating smile. "What does Harry Potter do, hmm?" Sam was rapidly typing into the computer, running a search.

"Do?" Castiel exhaled in frustration. "What do you mean?"

"We don't know him, that's all." Dean was calm despite his racing thoughts. "Does he have a job? Something like that?"

"He's an Auror. But I don't see why-"

"Is that where you went? When you got hurt, did you go to him? He gave you these clothes?"

Awareness dawned on Castiel. He stared at Dean for a beat. "You don't believe me?"

"Of course I believe you," Dean lied without batting an eye. "I'm just curious."

"Because if you don't believe me, then I don't know who to-"

"I said I believe you. I do. I just want to know why you feel this way."

"I-I don't know. I mean, I've started to care for him so I thought-"

"You care for us too, don't you?"

Castiel paused upon hearing that remark.

He cared about the Winchesters' well being. He cared as much for Harry as he did for them. He didn't want any of them to get hurt, not if he could prevent it. "I do," he murmured. "I care for you two."

"Besides, you don't even know him, not like you know us. Doesn't that make a difference?"

Like night and day…

"Uh, Dean?" Sam interjected, his voice hollow. "Take a look at this…"

Dean scrambled up to his feet and hurried over. He leaned over Sam, squinting to see the words on the screen. "He's gone bonkers, man," he whispered. He scanned the highlighted paragraph. "Huh?" He tilted the screen so he could see better. His disbelief caused his jaw to slacken as he read on. "What the hell?"

"What's an Auror, Cas?" Sam looked up at the couch.

It was empty.

"Damn." He hated that disappearing trick. "He's gone."

Dean couldn't care less. He was scrolling down the search page in awe. "This is Harry Potter?" he squeaked. There had to be thousands of articles on Harry Potter – 'wizard behind the curtain', decorated Auror, freedom fighter, most influential man of the century, Boy-Who-Lived, dragon tamer, Dark Arts defense expert, the Chosen One. "Holy shit."

Castiel looked up at the wisps of clouds above him, his fingers weaving into the blades of grass beneath him. He was back in Heaven, alone with his thoughts. There was so much to think about. He had said something most absurd. He had to make sense now.

Maybe he should see Harry again. Things might make sense afterwards…

"Hello."

Harry started and looked around, his tired eyes sparking with recognition when he found Castiel behind him. "Ah, hello," he answered.

"May I walk with you?"

"Sure."

They fell into step. Harry had just finished up a long twelve-hour shift and was looking forward to taking a break. He wasn't in the mood to talk. He adjusted the strap on his satchel while casting a sideways glance at Castiel, waiting for him to speak.

But he didn't.

They simply walked in silence through nearly empty streets, moving from the light of one streetlamp to the next.

Sam and Dean doubted him. He doubted himself. He could find no fault in them. They were rightfully worried about him.

Another London visit should prove them wrong.

Harry was just finishing up his warm-up laps around the Quidditch pitch when he spotted a familiar figure in the bleachers, much to his surprise. He waved at his teammates to carry on before floating down to meet Castiel. "Fancy meeting you here," he said. "Came to watch me, did you?"

"Yes," Castiel answered truthfully.

"Word of caution?" He adjusted his gloves. "No need to save me if I get hit with a Bludger."

"… I won't save you."

He laughed at the angel's solemn promise. "I'm the Seeker," he added. "When I catch the Snitch, it's game over. A hundred and fifty points."

Castiel tilted his head. "Are you going to win?"

"One of the only things I'm sure of," Harry said. A whistle pulled his attention away. "Oh. I have to go." He raised his hand in a half-wave before taking off upwards to the rest of the team. It was a friendly Ministry match that happened nearly every weekend. This week was a game between the Aurors and Hit wizards. Both teams were very evenly matched, so it was bound to be a good one.

Castiel had watched Harry play before. He knew how passionate the young man was about flying. It was one of the first things he did once he had been sufficiently rehabilitated at the hospital. He could tell that Harry escaped his work tension through this sport. He was a natural at it too. His confidence showed in his flying style. Effortless and expert.

He did end up catching the Snitch.

No matter how absurd his thoughts were, the ache in his chest, his consciousness of his heartbeat, it was becoming less startling.

This next visit will clear things up.

"So it's sort of like a balancing act, isn't it?" Harry tipped the fork that was held between his fingers back and forth. "You are good and they are evil, so there needs to be a balance."

"Yes," Castiel said.

"Hell is spilling and so is Heaven."

"Yes."

"Did it get too crowded down there?"

Castiel smiled and kept his eyes on the cold spaghetti he had spun onto his fork. The things Harry said… He took a bite to avoid answering the candid question.

"These demons can possess people," Harry muttered with a heavy sigh. "That's… I mean, how do you get rid of them?"

"They can be trapped using a demon trap. To expel them, an exorcism must be performed. They are also wary of holy water."

"Hmm." He would have to keep that in mind. "And how do I get rid of angels?"

Castiel drank some water instead of answering.

He smirked. "I had to try."

There were a great many things that Castiel loved. He loved his Father. He loved his brothers and sisters. He loved his Heaven. His love has always been pure and soft. Love filled him with a warm glow. He had experienced love before.

He should talk to Harry again. For posterity.

"I loved Hogwarts. When I was young, before I knew I was a wizard, I didn't really have a place to call home. Even though I lived with my mother's sister… Going to Hogwarts was incredible. I never thought I'd be able to make friends until then. As dangerous as it was, it was also nurturing." Harry pointed out a photograph from his fourth year, from the Yule Ball. "Ron looked pretty stupid, huh?"

"What else did you love about Hogwarts?" Castiel asked.

"Well… I met Ron and Hermione there. They're my best friends. I can't imagine where I'd be without them, you know? They're great." He smiled fondly. "And, um, I guess I learned to fly there. Became the youngest Seeker to play for the Quidditch team in a hundred years. Dad used to play Quidditch too. So that was nice." He folded his arms against his chest and shrugged. "I don't know. Just… it was different. I always knew I was different. Hogwarts made me feel at home. I hated going back to the Dursleys for the summer." He glanced at the angel. "What about you? Do you have a home?"

"Heaven?" Castiel faltered.

Harry nodded at him to go on.

"Perhaps it is the same as your situation," he mumbled. "They say I am different."

Harry frowned. "Who says?"

"Many."

"Why?"

"Sometimes free will gets me into more trouble than good," Castiel said drily.

Harry raised his brows in wonder.

Even Castiel had to admit… these visits were getting a little out of hand.