As the trio arrived home after a long day Y/N was extremely happy. He had his own wand now- not a discard from Jacob.

Dean had explained that Y/N's wand was extremely powerful given its properties. Y/N was still considering Ollivander's words- he would be great but possibly terrible- he was deeply troubled by that phrase.

At Flourish and Blotts Y/N had bought a book on Wand woods and cores and was looking forward to reading it. He also bought a lot of other books as well. Penny was good enough to put an undetectable extension charm on his bag and so Y/N bought not only the first year books he needed but second and third year as well. He also picked a number of books that looked interesting- Hogwarts: A History, Quidditch through the Ages, Magical Maladies and How to Fix them, Dark Arts and How to Combat them plus anything by Newt Scamander he could find and over a dozen other books that interested him. That was one thing about Jacob. As long as Y/N was learning about magic he was allowed to read as much as he wanted.

Y/N's new Kneazle kitten was also adorable, she had blue and grey fur and the tiniest little face, but Y/N wasn't sure why she had reacted so badly to Penny. She must be intelligent though, she seemed to understand his words perfectly.

Y/N also couldn't stop thinking about that girl Hermione. She was like no one he had ever seen before. He wasn't sure why but he couldn't get her out of his mind.

He was smiling to himself as he emerged from the floo network back at Dean and Penny's apartment. He was quickly snapped from the illusion of happiness and normality he had been living the last week. Reality smacked him hard in the face. Jacob was standing there, in Dean and Penny's house.... and he looked fucking furious.

"Where the fuck have you been?!?" Jacob screamed at Y/N as soon as the boy stepped out of the floo.

"I've been here for hours. I've had Moody and the hunters out looking for you!"

Y/N was speechless. Jacob was hard to deal with at the best of times but this was something else. Fortunately Dean and Penny appeared moments later. Jacob's fury shifted to his other younger brother instead.

"Where the fuck have you been?!?" Jacob roared at Dean.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to Jacob? We've been at Diagon Alley" Dean replied angrily.

"Why wasn't that done last week when he got his letter"

"Because he needed a break Jacob, he's a kid not a ministry hit wizard"

"Don't you tell me what he needs, he's my responsibility not yours" Jacob snarled as Dean stepped forward enraged only to be held back by Penny.

"That's bullshit he is ours as well" Dean snapped back, he was ready to knock Jacob's teeth out.

Penny looked over at Y/N. He was standing there, looking down, seemingly terrified and resembled a deer in the headlights. Penny released her boyfriend's arm and rushed over to Y/N. She wrapped her arms around him to try and comfort him from the confrontation between the brothers, whispering:

"It's ok Cutie Pie. It's all ok"

Jacob instantly snapped his head towards the pair.

"No don't do that Penny. You don't coddle him. He's not a baby. He's a fucking soldier!"

"No he's not Jacob" Dean screamed even louder and angrier. "He's an eleven year old boy who needs to be loved and protected".

Jacob sneered at Dean:

"Don't give me that sob story shit. You have no clue who he is or what he has to do! So keep your ignorance to yourself and shut the fuck up Pip!"

Dean stopped in his tracks and looked at Jacob confused.

"What the hell are you talking about Jacob?"

Jacob snapped again.

"It's on a need to know basis and you don't need to know shit so keep out of it!"

He turned to a still frightened Y/N and snapped:

"Come on boy. Get your shit now. We are leaving! But leave that furball here!"

Y/N stood still, practically petrified and looking down at the ground, too scared to move.

"Boy I said now!" Jacob bellowed.

"Could I maybe, stay one more night Jacob" Y/N asked quietly, meekly. It broke Penny's heart to see him this scared.

"No! Now come on. That's on order!" Jacob snapped with a scowl.

Y/N squeaked up again.

"But.... sorry Jacob... but I was hoping to make dinner for Dean and Penny to say thank you for looking after me. I already bought the ingredients. P-p-please?"

Y/N couldn't look Jacob in the eye, feeling the intensity of the anger pouring out of his legal guardian.

Jacob's eyes narrowed as his lip curled upwards.

"Fine, but you will pay for this. You understand boy?"

Whenever Y/N displeased Jacob he was punished. Sometimes it was physical. He'd been slapped a lot. Sometimes it was gruelling punishment... he'd had to stand with his arms above his head for hours before. Sometimes it was the curse.

"Y-yes sir. I accept the consequences" Y/N answered quietly with a bowed head.

"I expect you to floo to Moody's house at 8:00am tomorrow morning. Every minute you are late is an additional punishment".

With that and a pop Jacob was gone.

Penny burst into tears and wrapped Y/N in another massive hug which Dean came to join. Y/N just stood in the hug with his head down. Y/N had fooled himself into this false sense of security. He didn't get happiness. He didn't get a family. He didn't deserve it.

After a few minutes Y/N simply stated "I better start dinner".

"No, Y/N don't worry about that" Dean exclaimed.

"Really, I want to" Y/N answered quietly, and with that he disappeared into the kitchen. Penny broke into tears again and hugged Dean tightly. She had never felt more useless, powerless and heartbroken.

About an hour later Y/N called out to the pair that dinner was ready. Penny and Dean came into the dining room. Penny's eyes were bloodshot and puffy. She hadn't stopped crying the whole time. As they sat at the table Dean spoke quietly:

"Smells delicious mate what is"

"It's a stew called Joey Grey. It's a traditional Romany dish" Y/N answered, just as quietly.

"Where did you learn that?" Penny asked sniffling.

"Jacob took me to stay with a Romany traveller community last year, learning some divination skills. While I was there I picked up this recipe. I really wanted to make it for you both to say thank you for having me". Y/N concluded looking down at his bowl.

"It's really good" Penny said sadly. No other words were spoken.

-~-

Penny had trouble sleeping and got up in the middle of the night. She went to Y/N's room to check on him, make sure he wasn't in the throes of another nightmare. She was surprised he wasn't in his bed. She found Y/N in the lounge, sitting on the couch, staring off into space. She sat next to him and gently rubbed his back.

"Hey, you ok?" She asked tenderly.

Y/N was quiet for a moment before he whimpered:

"I don't want to go"

In an instant Penny was on him, wrapping her arms around him in a bone crunching hug, crying and kissing his head as she spoke:

"We don't want you to go either"

Y/N was quiet for a moment before he replied:

"Dean doesn't want me to go?"

Penny was gobsmacked at the question:

"Of course not. Dean loves you Y/N. Of course he wants you to stay with us. He even tried asking the Ministry if you could stay but they wouldn't allow it".

"Oh" Y/N answered, no discernible emotion in his voice.

Penny continued to hold the boy, running her hand through his hair as she asked:

"Why would you think Dean doesn't want you here?"

Smoky jumped up on Y/N's lap, meowing and trying to push Penny away as Y/N placed the kitten on his lap, patting her and answering:

"Jacob always says I'm too much trouble and that I'm weak. I thought Dean would think the same. She would always tell me Dean hated me".

This was too much for Penny, she was now bawling her eyes out as she hugged her little Cutie Pie tightly.

"Don't you ever think that Y/N, not even for a second. Dean loves you, you're the most important thing in the world to him. It breaks his heart to be apart from you. He wants nothing more than to live here with you, permanently. We both do".

Y/N was quiet for a while before muttering quietly... "me too".

-~-

It was now morning time, Y/N had everything packed and was at the floo ready to say goodbye.

He stroked Smoky on the head and as she purred he spoke to her:

"I have to leave you here Smoky. Dean and Penny will look after you but I'll take you to Hogwarts. Please be nice to Penny"

The Kneazle meowed as if in understanding and walked off towards Y/N's bedroom.

Penny hugged Y/N tightly and kissed his head. She sobbed as she told Y/N she loved him and would see him soon. Dean held his hand out to Y/N.

Y/N looked at Dean's hand, remembering Penny's words from the previous evening before wrapping his arms tightly around his elder brother. Dean hugged Y/N tightly, fighting back tears of his own. Penny wept even more as Dean spoke tenderly:

"I'm gonna miss you baby brother. I'll try to see you soon"

Y/N answered quietly:

"I'm gonna miss you too big brother. Thank you for everything.... I love you"

Without another word Y/N turned to the floo network, uttered "Alastor Moody's home" and was gone in a spark of green flames.

It was all too much for Dean to bear as he fell to his knees in tears. Penny rushed to his side and hugged her boyfriend, whimpering:

"We'll get him back. We'll get him back".