Imagine: The List
Fic posted by members of Vo's Imaginings YahooGroup


Harry rushed downstairs to show his Aunt the letters. Uncle Vernon had already left to work for the day and Dudley was with his gang so it was safe. The weird truce he had with Aunt Petunia felt...odd but also nice. Though she acted the same as always when the male members of the family were around when it was just the two of them she was...warmer though only a little.

Harry was half dreading opening the letters addressed to him, what if they didn’t want anything to do with him? Then again they could be begging him to come stay for the summer so he really had no choice but to open them. Harry wisely said nothing about the slight tremble in Petunia’s hands when she took the fat envelope from him, instead leaving her alone to read while he returned to his room to read his.

Dear Harry,

It was a surprise to hear from you since Dad has never said much about his family. We didn’t even know he’d lived in England! Since Dean is staring over my shoulder while I write this letter is from both of us. We are glad you decided to contact us though maybe you should use regular post, Dean nearly shot Hedwig for sitting on his beloved car though he seems to have warmed up to her now. How did you train her to deliver mail let alone track us down?

I guess you’d like to hear some things about us. I’ll go first. Everyone calls me Sam and I am twenty-two. I attended Stanford University until earlier this year when there was a fire. My girlfriend, Jess, didn’t make it. Dean and I have been on a road trip ever since and I haven’t decided whether I will go back or not. Do you enjoy school? I always have but Dean is the opposite. I’ll give this to Dean now.

Hey kid, I’m your cousin Dean. I am twenty-six years old and the cooler of your two wonderful cousins. And don’t listen to him, his name is Sammy. Ignore his talk about school, he’s a major geek. School’s just something you have to put up with till you graduate. And no matter what he said I did not warm up to that feather duster! I just put up with her since she’s your pet. And why an owl anyway? So, do you have a girlfriend yet? Sammy’s the talker ‘round here so I’ll let him get back to it. He’s the giant in the picture.

Back again. I managed to find a picture of the three of us, somehow, that isn’t too old. Dad is obviously the older guy and yes I am taller than Dean though I am not a giant. Could you send a picture? It’d be good for Dad to know who he’ll be looking for. See ya soon little cousin.

Your Cousin’s,
Sam and Dean

Harry tore through the envelope until he pulled out the photo of three men. He studied it closely; easily able to tell who was who from the letter’s comments. From the car they were leaning against it was pretty obvious they were all way taller than him. So he must have gotten the short genes in the family. Maybe it was the Winchester side that was tall? Sam looked...softer than the two older men, like he was more open with emotion. Uncle John looked rather gruff and scruffy but the way he stood close to his sons screamed of protectiveness. Dean did too with the way he was angled towards Sam. It was so obvious he was the youngest; he’d seen the same behaviour in the Weasley family towards Ginny and even Ron.

It was the last line of their letter that had his pulse racing...see ya soon. That had to mean what he thought it did, right? He pulled out the remaining sheets of paper to find another letter, obviously from his uncle since the handwriting was different and another, older photo of a couple, toddler and baby. Obviously a shot taken before his Aunt’s death. They were cute as kids.

Dear Harry,

I am sorry about your parents. I never knew of Lily’s birth and am sorry I was never there for her or you. I hope Petunia has taken good care of you, she was a wonderful child and I miss her a lot. Thank you for tracking us down. I know Sam dug out a photo of the three of us for you so I have enclosed one of them as babies with your Aunt Mary. After talking it over we have agreed to take you for the summer. We are staying in Denver at the moment so if you get a flight to Denver International and send us the details one of us will be there to pick you up.

Your Uncle,
John Winchester

Harry smiled as he finished the letter. He was going to America! He couldn’t believe they had actually agreed and really wanted to meet him. There was so much to do! He’d need a passport and some new clothes at least. Plus a ticket. He’d have to go to Gringotts and work out how much money he had spare after taking the remainder of his schooling into account. Hopefully it would be enough.

“Harry!” He ran down the stairs at his Aunt’s call and joined her in the living room.
“I assume you were told that they have agreed to look after you for the rest of your vacation? Your Uncle has sent half the airfare and I will pay the rest. We’ll go today to get your passport and book a flight for as soon as it is done.” She told him and then frowned as she looked him over.
“You’ll need some new things obviously.”

“I have my trust; I can probably get some money changed from it.” Harry offered, surprised he wasn’t going to have to buy his own ticket.

“We’ll see. Get ready; we’re going in to London.”

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An old baseball cap of Dudley’s easily hid his scar as Harry walked into Gringotts later that afternoon. While Aunt Petunia had become a bit more accepting of magic she had refused to accompany him into the Alley and they had arranged to meet up in two hours at a nearby coffee shop. Harry waited patiently in line until it was his turn.

“Hello, I’d like to talk to someone about my account please.” The goblin sneered down at him as he spoke but Harry refused to flinch.

“Key.”

“I don’t have it, I was never given it.” Harry explained and the goblin straightened.

“Name?”In answer he leaned closer and raised the hat to reveal the distinctive scar.
“Follow me.” Harry followed the goblin into a nearby office.
“Mr. Potter was never given his account key.” The older goblin paused at what he was doing and looked up at them. With a motion Harry’s guide left and the door shut.

“You never received your key?”

“No sir, Hagrid had it first year, Mrs. Weasley the year after. Third year the ministry bought my supplies and Mrs. Weasley did it again last year. I wanted to know how much I have after school fees and supplies since I’m going to America as soon as I have a passport and will need to buy some things.” Harry explained and the goblin’s frown seemed to deepen if that were possible.

“Hmmm.” Harry waited as the goblin dug around his desk.
“Three drops of blood to prove identity and your keys will be reissued.” Harry gave the required blood and then took the key that appeared. The goblin studied a stack of papers.
“After school supplies and fees you have roughly three thousand galleons in your trust. The main family vault which you can’t access until you are seventeen comes to three hundred thousand galleons, five hundred sickles and twenty knuts.” Harry blinked at the amount. He had not expected that.
“Everything here appears in order. How much would you like to withdraw?”

“Can you change it to English and American muggle currency?”

“Of course. Or for a two galleon fee we can give you the equivalent of a muggle debit card. The card can be used anywhere and has a daily withdrawal limit to keep you from overspending.” The goblin offered and Harry grinned.

“That’s brilliant.”

“We can also supply you with a passport as you are a magical citizen. That will cost fifty galleons and will automatically update when needed.”

“I’ll take both, thanks.”

Harry left the bank twenty minutes later with his new passport and debit card. His first stop was Flourish and Blotts for some extra reading material. He’d had a wonderfully enlightening conversation with the goblin while waiting for his passport. Under aged magic was not as closely monitored in the States. As long as he didn’t use magic in front of a crowd of muggles he would be fine.

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John paced around the escalators up from the underground train system that linked the concourses of Denver International Airport. Dean and Sam were waiting back at the motel where they now had two rooms. Harry would be staying with him since it was safest and the boys would stay together like they always did. Now if only his flight would hurry up and land.

As people began flooding up the escalators John unfolded the piece of cardboard Sam had given him and held it up. He didn’t understand why he needed the sign, he had a picture of Harry after all and Harry had seen one of him. But Sam had been insistent and he hadn’t wanted to be late. John scanned the crowd and then relaxed as he saw the short, dark haired teenager headed up the stairs.

“Harry!” John called and the teen looked around until he saw him. Harry waved shyly and ducked through the crowd until he was at John’s side. Not knowing whether he should hug his nephew he stuck with holding out a hand.
“It’s good to meet you Harry. Did you have a nice flight?” John asked as he led the boy towards the luggage claim.

“It was okay I guess, bit long.” Harry’s answer was soft and John smothered a smile at his accent. How long had it been since he’d heard an English accent? He’d lost his years ago.

“You can get some sleep once we’re at the motel. You’ll be rooming with me while we’re there. Have much luggage?” John asked awkwardly, half wishing it was Sam who was here. He hadn’t known what to do with his own boys when they were teenagers outside of hunting and now he had another teenager under his care. One he couldn’t make research for hours or clean the guns when he got annoying.

“Just one bag Uncle John.”

John studied his nephew as they waited for his bag to arrive. He was short for a boy of nearly fifteen and didn’t look much like him or his boys except for the green eyes. He had Rose’s eyes just like Dean although Harry’s were even more vibrant. The black messy hair was probably from his father’s side. Harry was slender, almost too slender and that made him frown. It could be natural but something told him it wasn’t. Had Harry been sick recently? Or was there a more worrying reason?

Watching Harry move through the crowds was interesting, the boy had a natural grace that allowed him to move easily around while John almost had to push his was through. His nephew was built for speed and grace, not power like Dean or even Sam who while slimmer than his brother still had power in his build. Harry would be the one who was always underestimated in a fight and then hit you before you knew it, if the boy even knew how to fight which John doubted.

Harry turned to him after grabbing his bag and John got his first really good look into his eyes. Grief and anger pooled in the green depths to such an extent that it shocked him. Something had definitely happened to him and recently and yet neither Harry nor Petunia had mentioned it in their letters. And he suddenly noticed the thing he had missed in the way Harry moved, there was a wariness there that he hadn’t seen since Dean and Sam were his age, Harry was waiting to be attacked. Did he think John...? No, now that he was looking for it he could see Harry constantly scanning the crowds for possible threats. What the hell was going on? He’d have to talk to Sam; he was the best bet for getting the kid to open up.

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“Dude they’ll be here soon, stop pacing you’re making be dizzy.” Dean complained as Sam moved around their room, constantly checking the window for sight of their father’s truck.

“His flight was meant to land two hours ago Dean.”

“Dad probably took him to grab dinner. Poor kids been stuck with airline food remember? He would have called if something had happened.” Dean told him, trying to calm Sam down though he was a bit worried himself, not that he’d let Sam know that.

“They’re here!” Sam flung the door open and was through it before Dean was even standing, making Dean smile at Sam’s excitement. It was a nice change from the grief and anger he’d had to deal with lately.

Dean joined Sam in standing at the door as their Dad finished parking and got out of the truck. He nodded to them and moved to the passenger door, opening it and taking bags of take out from the person sitting there. Dean strained to see but couldn’t due to the growing darkness and distance. Then their cousin dropped out of the truck, John having to steady the kid for a second.

“Dean his bag’s in back.” John called and Dean immediately went to get it. John placed a guiding hand on Harry’s back and led him into the second room, Sam and Dean following him.
“That’s your bed Harry, Dean and Sam are in the room next to us. Boy’s this is your cousin Harry. Harry this is Dean and Sam.” John introduced them and watched as his nephew returned his boys studying stare.

“Pleased to meet you.” Harry spoke first and Sam smiled at him.

“It’s great having you here.” Sam told him, moving forward and pulling the startled teen into a quick hug. Only John saw Sam’s sudden frown and it was gone when Sam pulled back from Harry.

“Good to meet ya kid.” Dean grinned and held a hand out.

“Let’s eat.” John said as they all heard Harry’s stomach growl, making the teen blush slightly.

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“So what do you think of him?” John asked. Harry was asleep in the other room and John had joined the boys in theirs once sure the kid was deeply asleep.

“Seems a nice kid, a bit overly polite but he has just met us.” Dean said, shrugging.

“Sam?” John asked and watched his youngest fidget.

“When I hugged him...he went stiff, like it was a shock. And he’s way too thin under those close, I could feel his ribs.” Sam admitted and Dean straightened eyes wide.

“Could he have been sick or something?” Dean asked and John sighed.

“I don’t think so. I was watching him at the airport, he is as aware of his surroundings as we are. I saw him continually scanning the crowds for threats and he moved through them like he’s used to having to run and dodge. And for one second his eyes...all I saw was grief and rage. Something happened to him and recently.” Sam and Dean were silent, digesting what he’d told them.

“But what? It can’t be family or Aunt Petunia would have mentioned it and he’s away at some boarding school for most of the year. You think something happened at school?” Sam asked, mainly just thinking out loud.

“I don’t know. Just watch him and don’t startle him or anything.”

TBC...
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