27.
The group was just walking down the street, away from the cozy restaurant. Dana skipped next to Hagrid, who smiled broadly as he told her about the Great Hall at Hogwarts.
Dean and Sam were a little behind them, watching intently as always. Diagon Alley was busy, but it felt safe enough until an icy silence suddenly settled over the street. Dean stopped mid-step and looked around. “Sam?”
Sam frowned. “Yes… It suddenly became too quiet.”
Before anyone could say anything, there stood three men in black robes in front of them, their faces hidden behind masks. Dana looked up in alarm and grabbed Hagrid’s hand. The other people in the Alley started screaming.
“Death Eaters,” Hagrid hissed, pulling Dana behind him. “Stay close to me, girl.” The men pointed their wands at the group.
The taller of them spoke in a low, menacing voice. “Give us the girl. Now.”
Dean's hand instinctively went to his gun. He quickly drew it and pointed it at the man who spoke. "Listen, you douchebag, you stay away from my daughter."
The Death Eater laughed coldly. "What are you going to do, muggle? Do you think your weapons can stop us?"
The sound of gunfire echoed through Diagon Alley as Dean tilted his head at the insult and pulled the trigger three times. The first bullet hit the lead Death Eater in the shoulder, spinning him around with a cry of pain. His wand fell from his hand, clattering to the cobblestones.
The other two Death Eaters froze in shock.
“He shot me!” the wounded man hissed through clenched teeth, clutching his bleeding shoulder. “The filthy muggle shot me!
Dean took a step forward, his gun still raised and steady. His voice was cold and dangerous. “And I’ll do it again if you don’t back off. So, what’s it gonna be?”
The remaining Death Eaters exchanged uneasy glances. They weren’t used to this kind of fight. Their opponents were usually frightened wizards, not muggles who shot first and asked questions later.
“You’re protecting her?” one of them finally said, disbelief in his voice. “Why would you risk your life for a - ”
“For my daughter,” Dean interrupted, his voice sharp. “And if you think I’m going to let you or anyone else hurt her, you’re dumber than you look.”
Hagrid stepped protectively in front of Dana, his massive frame blocking her from view. He raised his pink umbrella, which crackled with faint magical energy “You lot better think twice before trying anything,” Hagrid rumbled, his voice low and dangerous. “These men aren’t like the ones you’ve faced before.”
The Death Eaters took a hesitant step back, their confidence clearly shaken. The wounded man scowled, his gaze flickering between Dean and Hagrid “This isn’t over,” he spat. “She belongs to the Dark Lord.
Dean’s jaw clenched. His finger twitched on the trigger. “Yeah? Well, tell your ‘Dark Lord’ to come and get her himself.” The Death Eaters apparated away and the people in the alley started clapping.
Dana stood frozen behind Hagrid, her small hands clutching the fabric of his cloak as she stared wide-eyed at place where the three men in black robes had just vanished. She could still hear the cracks of Dean’s gun echoing in her ears, but it was as if her mind was struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
A man had fell backwards, bleeding from his shoulder. The other two Death Eaters had looked at Dean with a mixture of fear and anger. Dana had seen everything, but her gaze lingered on the bloodstain spreading across the stone.
Her heart pounded in her chest. “Daddy?” Her voice sounded small, almost fragile.
Dean turned at the sound of her voice. His face, which had been tight and dangerous just moments before, softened immediately. He put his gun back in his jacket and slowly walked over to her. He didn’t even hear the people around him. He knelt down so that he could look her in the eye.
Dana looked at him with wide, surprised eyes. “You shot him…”
Dean swallowed and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “Yes, I did.”
Dana stared at the spot where the Death Eater had just stood, now empty except for the dark stains of blood on the cobblestones. “I knew you guys… that you guys fight monsters. But I never really saw it.”
Sam stepped up next to Dean, his gaze soft but alert. “Dana, listen. What we do, we do to protect people. To protect you.”
Dana looked at him, her lip trembling slightly. “But he was human…”
Dean gently pulled her close and held her tightly. “He wasn’t human anymore, kiddo. Not really. He wanted to hurt you. And I’ll never let that happen.”
Dana remained silent for a moment, her face hidden in Dean’s coat. When she spoke, her voice was barely audible. “Is that what you guys always do?”
Sam sighed softly. “Yeah. But you don’t have to do that. You’re safe with us.”
Dana slowly pulled away from Dean’s embrace and looked at them both. “You protect people. But who protects you?” The question hit hard.
Dean swallowed visibly, and Sam smiled painfully. “We have each other,” he said simply. Dana nodded slowly, as if trying to understand. She wiped away a tear that had rolled down her cheek. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Dean smiled softly and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “We won’t let that happen, kiddo.” They looked at each other, and Dana nodded. But her gaze remained alert, as if she understood for the first time that the world was more dangerous than she had ever imagined.
Hagrid looked anxiously at Dana, who was huddled against Dean. Her small hand clung tightly to his coat. She had just seen her father use his gun without hesitation, and the whole situation seemed to really hit her now.
Dean brushed a lock of hair from her face and knelt down to be eye level with her. “Hey, kiddo. You’re safe. I’ve got you, right?”
Dana nodded slowly, but her eyes remained wide with wonder and fear. “They wanted to take me.”
“They didn’t,” Dean said firmly. “And they never will.”
Hagrid stepped forward. “We need to get her somewhere safe. Hogwarts should - ” Dean shook his head. “No. Hogwarts can wait. We have a place.” Sam looked at his brother and nodded. “Tinker.”
With a soft thud, Tinker appeared in the middle of the street. His large eyes shone with pride, but also with curiosity. He wore an apron with the Potter family crest and held a cloth with which he wiped his hands.
“Tinker, we have been attacked, we need to get back home.” Tinker nodded enthusiastically. “Tinker will bring you back safely, Mister Hagrid need not worry.”
He held out his hand to Dana. “Little mistress, hold Tinker’s hand.”
Dana glanced at Dean for confirmation. When he nodded, she gently placed her hand in Tinker’s. The house-elf turned to Sam and Dean. “Masters, ready? Hold on.”
With a gentle twist, they were all pulled off the ground. A mere moment later, they stood outside the door of the Potter Townhouse in London. The facade glinted in the light of the street lamps, and the door swung open of its own accord as they approached.
Tinker bowed again. “Welcome home, little mistress.” Dean looked around. “Okay, Tinker, thank you. We’re safe here. Hagrid?”
Hagrid nodded slowly. “I’m going back to Dumbledore. He needs to know what happened.” Dana looked at the giant man. “Is he coming to see us?”
Hagrid smiled warmly. “I think so, girl. But you’re safe now. Stay close to each other.”
Dean extended his hand to Hagrid. The big man had not hesitated for a moment in the attack and that made him good people. “Thank you.”
***
Diagon Alley was still in turmoil. Shopkeepers huddled in groups, whispering, and customers exchanged worried glances. The news spread quickly: a muggle had attacked Death Eaters with a pistol weapon of some sorts.
The air above the street trembled briefly, and with a loud crack a group of aurors in long, dark red cloaks appeared. Among them was a broad man with a magical eye, which spun in its socket as he scanned the area.
“Moody,” said one of the other aurors. “We’ve heard the reports. This needs to be investigated.”
“Damn right,” growled Mad-Eye Moody. His magic eye stopped at the spot where a bloodstain was still visible on the cobblestones. He walked forward and crouched down by the stain, his normal eye narrowed in concentration.
He touched the ground with his fingers and sniffed softly. “Blood, he wounded them.”
The other auror looked surprised. “Sir, do you mean the muggle man injured the Death Eater?”
Moody nodded and slowly straightened up. “Yes. He did. Dangerous muggle it was too, if he’s going to take on Death Eaters without a speck of magic.”
A small group of shopkeepers and customers stood at the side of the street, clearly curious about the investigation. Moody turned to them. “Who saw it?”
An older witch in a fur coat stepped forward. “I, Mr. Moody. I saw everything. They came out of nowhere, those Death Eaters, and they pointed their wands at that girl.” Moody’s eye darted to her. “What girl?”
“A little girl, with dark hair. She was with Hagrid and two men who looked like muggles.”
“And what were those muggles doing?” Moody asked, his tone sharp. The witch seemed to hesitate for a moment. “One – the older one – pulled out a wand of some sort, but it wasn’t a wand. It was a… weapon. He did something and it hurt the Death Eater.”
Moody grinned broadly, his face distorted by his scars. “Well well, that is something you don’t hear every day.” The witch nodded. “Yes. And he didn’t look scared at all. He stood there, as if he’d done it a hundred times before.”
Moody turned to the other aurors. “We’re dealing with someone who’s used to fighting. A muggle who takes on Death Eaters without hesitation… He’s no ordinary man.”
A young auror raised an eyebrow. “But muggles don’t know anything about our world.”
Moody snorted. “This one does. And he’s not afraid. That makes him dangerous.” He turned back to the group. “Where are they now?”
The witch shrugged. “They just disappeared after calling out for a House-elf, along with Hagrid.”
***
The great doors of Hogwarts swung open with a loud crash, and Mad-Eye Moody strode briskly into the Great Hall. His magical eye rotated constantly in its socket, scanning for movement and possible danger. The staff, who were just finishing their dinner, looked up in surprise at the sudden intruder.
Moody strode straight toward Hagrid, his wooden leg tapping on the stone floor. "I've come for answers, Hagrid. I heard you were there when the Death Eaters appeared in Diagon Alley." Moody leaned forward, his face dangerously close to Hagrid’s. “Tell me everything. What were those muggles doing there? Who are they?”
Hagrid squared his shoulders. “Dean and Sam Winchester. They’re good people, Moody. They’re looking after that girl.”
Moody’s magic eye turned sharply to Hagrid. “A girl? The girl the Death Eaters were trying to get?”
Hagrid nodded slowly. “Dana Potter.”
“The Girl-Who-Lived,” came a quiet voice from the doorway. Albus Dumbledore had just entered the room, his eyes glittering behind his half-moon glasses. “And yes, she’s the one who was attacked this afternoon in Diagon Alley.”
Moody frowned deeply. “And you let her associate with muggles? With armed men?”
Dumbledore smiled slightly. “They’re not just muggles, Alastor. They’re hunters. Protectors. And they’ve risked their lives to keep her safe.” Moody snorted. “Protectors? Or threats?”
“That depends on your perspective,” Dumbledore replied calmly. “I suggest we continue this conversation in my office.”