The Witch and The Hunters

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Page count: 6

"So, did you get into their lockers?" Hermione asked as she and Dean sat at the table, Sam joining them with cereal and Tupper's coffee.

"Yes," Sam grumbled. "I got into all of them... but before I could search anything, the other janitor magically appeared every damn time."

Hermione and Dean both snorted at his expression.

"Well, we haven't learned anything new either," Hermione sighed. "Hopefully, we'll have better luck today. Now—arm. I'm going to start infusing the runes. I'll finish the rest tonight."

Dean watched Sam lift his arm, and something about his brother's reaction made him frown — Sam looked curious, sure, but otherwise unfazed. Dean remembered the flames licking over his own skin, warm and strangely comforting. Sam didn't flinch at all.

Weird.

Hermione spent fifteen minutes working, her brow drawn tight in concentration. When she finished, she downed an Invigoration Draught like it was morning coffee.

"Didn't you want to test them?" Dean asked.

"Yes, on you. Sam's aren't ready."

He thought she'd have to fight him on it — glare, argue, bribe him with kisses — but instead he just shrugged and stood, walking to the middle of the room.

Hermione blinked at him, then shared the same look with Sam.

She raised her wand.

"Rictumsempra."

The purple jet of light shot at Dean... And Hermione had to dive aside with a startled scream as the jinx rebounded off him and slammed into the wall.

Dean blinked. "What was that supposed to do?"

Instead of answering, Hermione turned and flicked the same jinx at Sam.

He instantly dissolved into laughter, practically folding over the table.

"S-stop— it— tick—les—" he wheezed.

Hermione cancelled it and turned back to Dean. "Tickling jinx."

Dean's mouth curled. "You have a spell to tickle people?"

"Yes. Like I told you — not all magical folk are monsters. We do know harmless spells." She pointed her wand again. "Diffindo."

The cutting charm snapped toward him... And rebounded like it'd hit a brick wall.

She stepped aside, eyebrows reaching her hairline.

"That one?" Dean asked.

"Slicing charm," she said. "Both were minor spells. First-year level."

"So why do you look like something's wrong?" Sam asked, straightening in his chair.

Hermione sat slowly. "Because the runes are working too well. Protection runes are supposed to reduce the damage. Not block it entirely. Not rebound it. And certainly not mimic a fully-cast Protego."

Dean and Hermione exchanged a loaded look — yet another weird, unexplained thread between them.

"So will it do the same for me?" Sam asked. "You are one of the most powerful witches alive... maybe that's why Dean's reacted so strongly."

"It's possible," Hermione admitted. "We won't know until yours are fully infused. And for the record—" she added, giving him a look, "just because people say I'm powerful doesn't mean it's entirely accurate. The Wizarding World tends to exaggerate."