The New Marauders and the Trickster God

Chapter 27: The Aftermath

"Is there any way to keep them safe?" Sprout asked with concern in her voice.

"Unfortunately not. I already helped things by teaching about most of the supernatural things that could endanger the students. Still, even then...they are only children." Loki sighed again. Everyone could clearly see that the pagan god wished that there was an easy way to protect everyone, but there simply wasn't. "All I can do is forewarn you should a seal be broken that might affect Hogwarts, but that is regrettably everything I can do."

"I'll have to talk to Dean, but if he's okay with it, I'll also stay here and help with things. Since he's with his new girlfriend, I somehow doubt that he would have too much a problem with not having me around," Sam spoke up with a snicker. "I have a vast knowledge and experience in how to deal with most of the supernatural stuff."

"That makes me wonder how you gained that knowledge, not to mention the experience in the first place." It was the first time that Snape spoke up.

Sam winced, that man could be more intimidating than a demon. "Yeah well, I'm not exactly eleven," he replied with a sheepish smile.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" McGonagall questioned in a clipped tone, her face pinched.

"I'm actually 24."

Everyone looked at him disbelief, only Flitwick looked at him in contemplation.

"Am I right to assume that Loki has something to do with your sudden...rejuvenation?" he asked.

Sam nodded. "When we learned that I'm a natural wizard, Harry taught me a few spells he knew. I even learned some on my own, but it was rudimentary at best. Not much later, Loki learned about it and suggested that I come back to Hogwarts with the two since my brother was about to be...indisposed for some time," he explained.

"And may I ask what your normal occupation is Mr Winchester?" Flitwick now inquired, having an inkling about the answer, not many distinguished between natural and demon-deal magicals. The statement that he had much experience in dealing with the supernatural was a big clue.

Sam looked at Loki, not knowing whether it would be a good idea to tell them but Loki nodded encouragingly.

"I'm an American hunter," he told them, confirming Flitwick's suspicion.

"I suspected as much," he said thoughtfully.

"What is a hunter? I never heard of them." McGonagall was confused.

Flitwick chuckled. "That's no surprise, especially if you've never travelled to America. They are what we would classify as a Hit Wizard, though they are not necessarily magicals. In America, they are those who keep anything supernatural in line, like those vengeful ghosts we encountered earlier," he explained patiently.

Now McGonagall looked at Sam shocked. "You go after dangerous things without even having magic yourself? Do you know how dangerous that is?" she asked incredulously only to receive a deadpan look from Sam.

"My brother and I have been doing this for quite some time now, so yeah we know how dangerous it is. But good preparation and knowing what you're doing goes a long way. Even if you don't have the magic to assist you," he told her in a cold tone.

"And here I thought your main weapon was sheer dumb luck," Loki said with a grin earning a smirk from Snape.

"Oi," came the indignant cry from Sam. "We always research what we're up against and find their weaknesses."

"And then you storm in with guns blazing and wonder why everything goes to hell in a handbasket," the pagan retorted.

Sam only huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, which looked like a massive pout in his eleven-year-old body.