Castiel considered much. He had to return to the garrison to properly heal following the fight with Alastair. None of his brothers or sisters had seen Uriel but all were overjoyed the King of Hell was dead at the Prophesied One's hands.

None seemed aware that it was the abomination within him that had delivered the killing blow or that Castiel was present when it happened.

Revelation had simply came from on High- The King of Hell is dead. The Prophesied One has enacted Divine Justice.

This was undoubtedly good news, a miracle. Alastair was one of the first human souls to be sent to hell and then transubstantiate to a demon. He was Millenia old and his age bestowed his power. His death would trigger a civil war in Hell in a race for power, drastically reducing both Hells' and the Knights' power. It was a miracle. But Castiel couldn't stop thinking about Y/N, worrying about Y/N- no matter how many times he purified himself through pain.

Once sufficiently healed to travel Castiel had gone looking for Y/N. He checked his estate but he wasn't there. He checked the roadhouse with no success either. It then dawned on Castiel- Hogwarts.

He travelled to the medical bay of the magical school and saw Y/N in bed- battered, broken.

Sam and Hermione were with him along with the soulless stain. Castiel could not sense Y/N's soul. He wasn't dead but he was far far within himself. Strangely Castiel could no longer sense the abomination either. He stepped into earth's dimension from the angelic one he usually resided in and stared at Y/N from the edge of the cubicle he had been placed in. Sam noticed his presence first and glared at him angrily.

Castiel motioned with his head for Sam to follow him.

Sam stormed out of the cubicle, surprising both Ruby and Hermione who remained with Y/N. Castiel stopped and faced Sam.

"Sam I-"

"Get in there and heal him. Miracle! Now!"

"I can't I'm not strong enough yet!" Castiel said apologetically. Sam meanwhile was furious.

"You and Uriel put him in there..."

"No!"

"... because you can't keep a simple devil's trap together!"

"I don't know what happened that trap..." Castiel spoke back with a raised and concerned voice before sighing and softening:

"It shouldn't have broken. I am sorry!"

"This whole thing was pointless. You understand that. The demons aren't doing the hits. Something else is killing your soldiers!"

"Perhaps Alastair was lying!"

"Seriously Cass!"

Sam was yelling now as Pomfrey, Ruby and Hermione had looked over at him arguing with an angel.

"You heard Alastair's screams as the archon tore him apart from the inside. He wasn't fucking lying!"

Castiel wore an expression of concern and fear now as Sam looked at him with disgust and turned to return to his young comatose friend.

With a flutter Castiel disappeared as Hermione turned her attention back to Y/N, lovingly squeezing his hand. She had cried so hard and for so long she honestly didn't think she had any tears left. She looked at her comatose lover and tried to put on a brave smile.

"You just sleep baby. You have a nice sleep. Sam, Ruby and I are gonna keep you company and you just have a nice...."

She stopped as more tears fell from her eyes. Ruby rubbed her back gently as Sam looked at the former knight with an angry expression.

"Fucking sanctimonious pricks!"

—~—

Uriel was sat on a park bench, his hands together, his eyes closed. He was suddenly aware of the presence next to him.

"Castiel. I received revelation from our superiors!"

Uriel's tone sounded saddened, almost grieved. He shook his head.

"Our brothers and sisters are dying and they... they want us to stop hunting the demon responsible!"

Castiel sat next to him as Uriel looked to the heavens.

"Something is wrong up there. I mean can you feel it?"

"The murderers... maybe they aren't demonic?" Castiel hypothesised.

"Sam Winchester said the demons had nothing to do with it. Alastair's tortured screams from the archon... I don't think he was lying!"

"If not the demons what could it be?" Uriel snapped.

Castiel looked deep in thought for a moment before he continued.

"The Will of Heaven! We are failing Uriel. We are losing the war. Perhaps the garrison is being punished!"

Uriel looked at him stunned.

"You think our Father would-"

"I think maybe our Father isn't giving the orders anymore. Maybe there is something wrong?" Castiel replied in as close to a panicked tone as an angel could muster.

Uriel stood as he looked to the heavens again. This time angry.

"Well I won't wait to be gutted!"

With a flutter he was gone and Castiel sat there, alone. He looked to his left and noticed a dog water dispenser with a tap slowly dripping.

—~—

Castiel returned to the abandoned warehouse. Alastair's vessel already starting to stink. He entered the torture chamber.

There was so much blood. He couldn't tell what was Alastair's and what was Y/N's. He prayed not much was Y/N's. He closed his eyes and the blood was gone. As he opened them he noticed the edge of the Devil's trap. It had been broken.

He leant down to touch the outline and the ground was still wet. A drop of water landed in his hand as it dropped. He looked up at the pipe and followed it to its source- he waved his hand and the tap turned off.

"You called?" Uriel spoke from behind him.

"What do you say Castiel. Will you join me? Will you fight with me?"

Castiel ignored his request and stared at the torture devices before speaking.

"It's strange. Strange how... a leaky pipe can undo the work of angels when we ourselves are supposed to be the agents of fate."

He finished looked at Uriel with an expression that was full of malice. Of mistrust. Of anger.

"Alastair was much more powerful than we imagined" Uriel answered in a way that seemed to be asking, rather than answering, as if he was trying to persuade Castiel.

"No. No demon, not even the King of Hell, can overpower that trap. I made it myself. We've been friends for a long time Uriel. Fought by each other's sides. Served together away from home for what seems like forever. We're brothers Uriel. Pay me that respect. Tell me the truth"

"The truth is apart from the abomination the only thing that can kill an angel is another angel" Uriel replied as he lowered his Angel Blade.

"You?" Castiel glared at him.

"I'm afraid so" Uriel answered matter of factly.

"And you broke the devil's trap? Set Alastair on Y/N?"

"Alastair should never have been taken alive. Really inconvenient Cass. Yes I turned the screw a little. Alastair should have killed Y/N and escaped and you should've gone on happily scapegoating the demons."

Castiel couldn't believe what he was hearing. Y/N was sacred to prophecy. This was blasphemy... not to mention his brothers and sisters.

"For the murders of our kin?"

"Not murders Castiel. No. My work... is conversion. How long have we waited here? How long have we played this game by rules that make no sense?"

Castiel turned and started pacing, overwhelmed.

"It is our Father's world Uriel!"

"Our father? He stopped being that, if he ever was, the moment he created them!"

Uriel's voice had gone from pleading to spite.

"Humanity. His favourites. His whining puking larvae"

Castiel shook his head in disbelief.

"Are you trying to convert me?"

"I wanted you to join me. And I still do! With you we can be powerful enough to..."

"To?" Castiel asked infuriated.

Uriel smirked and answered with a sadistic tone: "To raise our brother"

Castiel scowled in disgust.

"Lucifer?"

Uriel grew a look of admiration. Of worship.

"You do remember him. How strong he was. How beautiful! And he didn't bow to humanity. He was punished for defending us. Now if you want to believe in something Cass believe in him!"

"Lucifer isn't god!" Castiel roared.

"God isn't god anymore! He doesn't care what we do. I am proof of that!"

"But this? What were you going to do Uriel? Were you going to kill the whole garrison?"

Uriel looked at him with a smirk.

"I only killed the ones who said no, Castiel."

Castiel looked down.

"Others have joined me Cass. Now please brother don't fight me. Help me. Help me spread the word! Help me bring on the apocalypse! All you have to do is be unafraid!"

Uriel smiled as Castiel looked back up.

"For the first time in a long time. I am"

He reached back and punched Uriel through a brick wall, again.

Uriel got up in rage as the two exchanged blows. Castiel was normally the stronger of the two but was still weak from fighting Alastair. A hard right cross caused him to spit blood as another shattered his nose. Blow after blow felled him until Castiel fell to his knees, beaten, bested, looking up at his brother waiting for his fate.

"You can't win Uriel. I still serve God!"

"You haven't even met the man!" Uriel roared pulling back his blade before another ripped through his throat from behind.

His eyes and mouth opened wide as a bright holy light exploded out, causing an explosion in the room as he fell, dead.

A bald middle aged man stood in front of Castiel smiling at him.

"Your loyalty will be rewarded Castiel. The other rebels have been dealt with."

His touched Castiel's forehead and he was instantly healed.

"Go now to the boy. Heal him. Make sure he is aware of his destiny! We will be watching!" With a flutter he was gone.

—~—

Y/N stood on a pier, looking out on a river. It was peaceful, tranquil. He smiled as he took in the calm scene before he was suddenly aware of a presence behind him.

"Am I dead Castiel?"

"No. But you are badly injured and in a coma. I can heal you but I wanted to ask your permission first" the angel responded.

Y/N turned around and suddenly Castiel started to disappear, become transparent.

"Y/N, quick. We aren't alone. Something...... block....... ca...... nection"

"Yes Cass yes" Y/N yelled, unsure if his message got through.

He was gone. Everything got darker, the beautiful breeze was replaced by a scorching tempest that hurt Y/N's nose and throat to breathe, the air full of fire and ash. The lake turned to lava, it resembled the apocalyptic scene from his Boggart.

He looked around only to realise the archon was in front of him. Y/N realised at that moment the black eyed father he saw in his childhood nightmares wasn't his father- it was his Archon, as Y/N would grow to become. He looked so much like his father it was difficult to tell them apart, other than Y/N's height and build.

That witch may have saved you boy but you can't keep me out forever. I'm always here.

It reached forward and tapped Y/N's head and suddenly he was shot back and up, the scene turning to black as all he could hear was the demonic laugh of the archon.

Y/N's eyes shot open as he looked around disoriented. He was propped up in bed but could hardly move. The pain he was experiencing was up there with the worst cruciatis curse, back when they hurt.

He realised he was in the hospital wing as he looked down at his bruised, badly beaten body. He looked to his right to notice Hermione next to him curled up on a chair with a blanket. She looked like a sleeping angel.

He looked to his left to see Cass sitting there, staring at him.

"Are you Alright?"

"No thanks to you" Y/N replied through a swollen face.

"I brought you from your coma but you didn't answer. Do you want me to heal you?"

Y/N disregarded what he said as he spoke out in a pained voice.

"You need to learn how to manage a damn devil's trap"

"Uriel is dead"

"Was it the Knights?"

"It was disobedience. He wasn't working for them, but still his goal was to free Lucifer. He sabotaged the devil's trap."

Y/N's voice became shaky.

"Is it true Cass? Did I break the first seal? Did I start all this? Is this my fault?"

Castiel didn't mince his words.

"Yes. When we discovered Lillith's plan for you we waged spiritual warfare to try and get to Fudge to release you, but we were too late. Everywhere Fudge inhabited had been surrounded in Enochian sigils even we could not counter, surrounded by demons in their thousands."

Tears of guilt started falling down Y/N's face.

"Too late before I jump started the apocalypse?"

Castiel looked to the ceiling in regret and nodded.

"Why not just smite me then Cass? It's what I deserve" Y/N added.

Castiel reached out, overtaken by a wave of sympathy for his young charge, speaking with an uncharacteristically sympathetic tone:

"It's not blame that falls on you Y/N. It's fate. The righteous warrior who begins it is the only one who can finish it!"

Y/N turned around and asked: "What does that mean?"

"It's your grand destiny, Y/N" Castiel smiled.

"All of this. All the lives lost... its all on me. It's all my fault. I can't deal with this Cass, I'm not str- I'm not strong enough..."

Tears started falling down his face.

"...I guess I'm not the man either of our dads wanted me to be."

Castiel stood and placed two fingers to Y/N's forehead. In an instant he was healed.

"I can't imagine how hard this must be for you Y/N. I know you feel the things you do. But it was always destined to be you. Before time began your name was written in my Father's book. All of this was destined to happen. You need time to accept this, adjust to it. But you will. I have faith in you Y/N. I believe in you. Get some sleep, you need it. Call and I will be here."

—~—

Y/N couldn't take Castiel's advice. He leant there all night. Staring at the ceiling, tears rolling down his face. He was broken in the worst conceivable way.

He did this. This is his fault. Every person who had died, every person who would die, the apocalypse. He caused it all. This couldn't be undone. He wanted to die. He wanted to burn in Hell. He deserved the worst suffering imaginable.

It was all his fault.

—~—

Albus walked briskly towards the infirmary. He had received a note that pleaded with him to come urgently. Poppy's panic was evident in the notes scrawled nature.

Y/N had woken, and appeared fully healed, but he was non-responsive when she found him. Just staring at the ceiling with tear stained cheeks.

Albus entered and approached the young Lord cautiously. Their relationship had started to heal. They were at a point of mutual respect, but he definitely wouldn't consider it a friendship yet. He opened the closed curtains and entered. He felt his heart break at what he saw.

Y/N looked like he was broken beyond all measure. Although physically healed he looked worse than when Ms Granger had been petrified twelve months earlier.

"Y/N? Y/N are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Hermione who had been asleep on a chair next to his bed woke. She saw him awake and was momentarily overjoyed until she saw his face.

"Baby?" She asked, the concern in her voice apparent.

Tears fell from Y/N's eyes again as he turned his head and looked at her.

"It's all my fault!"

—~—

Albus sat stoically and listened to Y/N's tearful confession. That when he had tortured Rookwood in his cell it was the first seal. That he had brought on the apocalypse. All the people who had died. All the people who would die. It was because of him.

Hermione sat there silent, she held Y/N's hand with one hand and stroked his leg with the other. Y/N couldn't look at her. He felt far too ashamed.

"Y/N... you couldn't possibly have known ahead of time the impact of your actions. The pressure of the archon, your history, Castiel saying it was predestined..."

"Save it Albus. No words are going to take away this pain. This guilt. Cass should have just left me to rot!"

"Don't say that Y/N Thomas L/N. Don't you ever say that!" Hermione spoke to him firmly, angrily. Her heart broke for her lover.

"Y/N I understand how-"

"Don't you dare tell me you understand, Albus? How I feel? How could you? How could you possibly understand this guilt? All the people who are dead because of me?" Y/N snapped.

"Twenty years" Albus replied with a sigh, catching Y/N off guard.

"I- uh... pardon?" Y/N asked as he looked at the Headmaster puzzled by his words.

"Twenty years the war raged with your grandfather"

Y/N was no closer to understanding his point.

"Your grandfather and I... we were lovers in our youth, Y/N, as you know. I loved him like no other in my life. I still do. It took twenty years for me to face him in battle, to end the war. Do you know how many people died in those twenty years?"

Albus looked up at the ceiling- a tear rolling down his cheek.

"I have carried their deaths with me for fifty years."

Y/N understood now.

"How Albus? How do you survive the guilt?"

"By making sure they didn't die in vain, Y/N. To do everything in my power to ensure it can't happen again. By fighting men like Voldemort."

Y/N looked up at the ceiling and replied: "I can't do it Albus. How can I stop the apocalypse? How can I stop the Devil? It's too much"

"We can run!" Hermione blurted out quickly, surprising both men.

"What?" Y/N asked quickly, looking towards Hermione but down. He still was too full of shame to look her in the eyes as he added quickly:

"How could you possibly love a coward?"

Hermione looked at Y/N with renewed intensity.

"I told Dumbledore I would never judge you for your choices. I would love you no matter what. As long as we're together nothing else matters. Run away with me Y/N. We will leave all this behind, let the angels sort this mess out. I love you and-"

She was cut off as Y/N's eyes rolled back in his head, just as she had swayed him with his decision. As Hermione panicked Albus yelled out to Pomfrey who confirmed Y/N had slipped back into a coma.

—~—

Y/N woke up in his hospital bed. Hermione wasn't next to him. He looked around and realised the place was in ruins. It looked like the bombarda to end all bombarda's had gone off. There were holes in the walls, a breeze flew through.

In short, it looked apocalyptic.

Y/N walked around Hogwarts, up through the stairways until he got to Gryffindor tower. Or at least where Gryffindor tower should be.

It was gone, nothing but a giant hole in the castle and rubble scattered for miles beneath. Hagrid's hut had been turned to ashes. Half the forbidden forest looked like it was gone. Burnt to the ground.

Y/N apparated to Hogsmeade and it was the same thing. He went to his manor- the same, skeletons lining the grounds. It seemed like the Phoenix Bearers had made a last stand here.

Hermione's muggle street had been burnt to ashes. Finally he apparated to Diagon Alley. There were buildings here at least, but they looked like Hogwarts- ruined husks.

"What the fuck is going on?" Y/N asked himself as he walked through the ruined street.

He noticed a girl in rags playing down an alley. He approached her slowly. She was the first person he had seen alive since he woke up.

"Little girl. Little girl. I'm not gonna hurt you. I just need to know what's going on"

She continued to dig at the dirt.

"You know the silent thing is kind of creepy right?" Y/N chuckled.

She growled and turned around, slashing at him with a shard of broken glass. Y/N dodged the swing and instinctively threw a right cross, knocking her out cold.

"Fuck I hope I didn't kill-"

He stopped talking as he looked up. There it was, written on a building at the other end of the alley.

CROATOAN

He looked to his right to see a sign on a wall.

CROATOAN
VIRUS
HOT ZONE
NO ENTRY
By order of Acting Regional Command
January 5th 1999
London

"1999?" Y/N said puzzled.

Suddenly he was surrounded by about two dozen Croats from either side, drawn by the noise.

"Fuck me" Y/N whispered to himself.

He drew his hidden wand and fired two Bombarda Maxima's at the feet of both groups, sending them flying. He apparated to the only place he could think could be safe.

"Bobby? Bobby I'm coming in" Y/N yelled from the front porch. He walked into Bobby's house. It wasn't trashed like everywhere else but it was layered with a thick layer of dust.

He suddenly remembered what Bobby had told him.

ICE

He rushed to the fireplace and pulled out the ornate shell brick in the middle, finding a drop box, a picture of Sam, Bobby, Castiel and some others in front of a sign saying Camp Chitaqua.

"Camp Chitaqua?" He asked puzzled. There was also a map.

"50 miles. Now let's see if I can get one of these rust heaps started" Y/N muttered to himself, appreciative now of all the muggle mechanics Jacob had made him learn 'just in case.'

—~—

As Y/N drove and the light began to fade he fiddled with the car radio, picking up nothing but static.

"Oh that's never a good sign" he muttered to himself.

"Croatoan Virus reaches Australia" a voice next to him said suddenly. Y/N jumped at the sudden appearance of a bald man next to him.

"Let me guess. Angel right?"

"Mmhhmm" the Angel hummed as he continued to read the paper.

"I thought I smelled your kind on this back to the future crap."

"Prime Minister Farage defends bombing of Edinburgh. Certainly a buyers market in real estate. Let's see what's happening in sports. That's right no more sports. Houses of Parliament revoked the right to group assembly. What's left of Parliament that is. Hardly a quorum if you ask me".

"Who are you and what the hell is going on?" Y/N snapped.

"My name is Zachariah. And this... this is well... inspiration"

"Ok so the worlds in the shitter. Send me back you son of a bitch!"

The Angel chuckled.

"Oh you'll get back. We want you to marinate for a bit first"

"Marinate?"

"Three days, Y/N. Three days to see where this course of action. Running away like a coward. See where it takes you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that your choices have consequences. We can't force you to accept your fate. To make amends for what you did. To embrace your destiny and end the apocalypse. But we can force you to see what happens if you don't. Have a little look-see."

Y/N growled in frustration before noticing Zachariah had gone. He slammed his fist on the steering wheel as he drove forward.

—~—

Y/N parked the car about a mile away from the camp and crept through the bushes. Once he could see the heavily fortified base and could see in through a mesh wire fence he apparated inside. His attention was called to Sam's impala that was a rusted heap in mess of tall weeds.

"Baby what happened to you?" Y/N asked as he was suddenly aware of a presence behind him. Before he could turn around he felt a hard blow to his temple and everything went black.

—~—

Y/N woke up with a pounding headache. Sam was in front of him. Glaring at him.

"Sam? What the hell?"

"I should be asking that question don't you think?"

"Sam it's me. Y/N!"

"What are you and why are you walking around with a dead man's face?"

"I'm dead in the future?" Y/N asked shocked. Sam was caught off guard before looking into Y/N's eyes. His breathe hitched.

"You're really you are you?"

"Yes it's me. I'm no shapeshifter or demon or anything okay?"

Y/N was caught off guard by a hard right cross across his jaw.

"Yeah I know. I did the drill while you were out. Iron, salt, silver, holy water. Nothing. But you know what was funny is you have every tattoo and scar that Y/N had. Not to mention these."

He held up Y/N's two wands.

"You wanna explain that. Oh and the resemblance while you're at it?"

Y/N sighed.

"An angel named Zachariah. Sent me forward five years to-"

"To see how bad things get...Five years... yeah. You and Hermione ran away five years ago today. I've spent five years hating your guts."

Y/N was stunned.

"What? Why?"

"We were defenceless without you Y/N. Rudderless. Leaderless. Dumbledore tried his best until Snape killed him. Voldemort came back the night he murdered Cedric Diggory. Everyone rallied behind Harry but the kid wasn't ready. Voldemort tried everything to draw you out. Your friends, your family. He slaughtered them all publicly- Lavender, Patroclus, Jacob, Dean, Penny! Still you hid like a coward. Until about two years ago when he finally found you. You were too weak, went soft, the archon just left, fizzled out. First he killed Hermione. Slowly. Made you watch. Then he killed you..."

Y/N was horrified beyond belief at his words.

"...They paraded your bodies around the streets for months before they let werewolves tear them to pieces. About a month later the first Croatoan outbreak hit. And we found out he had rose. Lucifer rose. It's worse than anything you can imagine. Small pockets of resistance scattered. Billions of muggles just exterminated... or infected. All because of you."

The bitterness and hatred in Sam's voice was obvious.

"Sam I didn't-"

"Know? Or care. You had months... years to come back Y/N. Instead you ran like a bitch!"

"Sam I'm sorry, I-"

Y/N was met with a hard kick to the ribs.

"YOU DON'T GET TO SAY SORRY. NOT AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

He breathed deeply before speaking again.

"I need to go on an errand. You'll stay here til I get back and I figure out what to do with you!"

Sam stormed out to the cabin. Y/N looked up at his arm that was handcuffed with anti-spell handcuffs to a post. He looked to his left to see a small nail in the floor board.

—~—

After several hours Y/N had got the nail out and managed to pick the lock on the handcuffs. He transfigured into Sam and walked out the hut.

He looked around stunned. It was daylight now- the place was an overgrown dump, looking like the people there were surviving by the skin of their teeth. He attention was drawn to a voice behind him.

"Hey Sam you got a second?"

He turned around shocked.

"No, yes Uh I-I guess. Hi Neville!"

"Hi so uh listen, we're pretty good on canned goods for now but we're down to next to nothing on perishables, hygiene supplies. People are not gonna be happy about this. So what do you think we should do?"

Y/N/Sam looked at him puzzled.

"Uh I-I don't know? Maybe, uh share? You know, like at a Great Hall feast?" Y/N/Sam smiled at Neville goofily. Neville suddenly appeared confused.

"Wait aren't you supposed to be on a mission right now?"

"Absolutely and I will be-"

"Uh oh" Neville said as he grew panicked. Y/N/Sam turned around and narrowly avoided a punch before quickly pushing Nev in front of him. Nev cowered from the angry woman.

"Geez easy lady!"

"Risa" Neville whispered

"Risa" Y/N/Sam corrected himself.

"Did you spent the night in Jane's cabin last night?"

"Uh... did I?" Y/N/Sam asked Neville who nodded.

"I thought we had a 'connection'?" Risa asked angrily with air quotes.

Y/N/Sam chuckled as he quickly looked her up and down.

"I'm sure we do"

Risa stormed forward and Y/N/Sam shuffled to the side keeping Neville in front of him.

"Hi Risa" Neville whimpered.

"Screw you!" She scowled as she walked off.

"First I get in shit for stuff I haven't even done yet now I get blamed for Sam's shit!" Y/N muttered to himself.

"What?" Neville asked puzzled.

"Nothing. Please tell me Cass is here!"

"Yeah!" Neville chuckled. "I don't think Cass is going anywhere!"

—~—

Y/N approached a cabin and entered. He immediately noticed beads hanging from the doorway and a number of Eastern mysticism artefacts and decorations. He glanced to see Castiel sitting in a circle with several women.

"So, in this way. We're each a fragment of total perception—just, uh, one compartment in that dragonfly eye of group mind. Now, the key to this total, shared perception—it's, um, it's surprisingly physical."

Castiel glanced across at Y/N/Sam.

"Oh. Excuse me, ladies. I think I need to confer with our fearless leader for a minute. Why not go get washed up for the orgy?"

Y/N/Sam's head shot around in shock as the women got up and left. Castiel smiled at the women "You're all so beautiful"

Castiel stood and stretched his back, grunting as he did.

"What are you, a hippie?" Y/N/Sam asked.

"I thought you'd gotten over trying to label me"
Castiel replied as he closed his eyes and stretched.

"Cas, we got to talk!"

"Whoa. Strange" Castiel replied once his eyes opened and he looked at Y/N properly.

"What?"

"You...are not you. Y/N- you're dead. How is this possible?"

"No! Yeah. Yes, exactly"

"What year are you from?"

"1994"

"Who did this to you? Is it Zachariah?"

"Yeah"

"Interesting"

"Oh, yeah, it's friggin' fascinating. Now. Why don't you strap on your angel wings and fly me back to my page on the calendar?"

Castiel laughed at Y/N/Sam.

"I wish I could just, uh, strap on my wings, but I'm sorry, no dice"

Y/N noticed his behaviour.

"What, are you stoned?"

"Uh, generally, yeah" Castiel nodded.

"What happened to you?"

"Life!" Castiel chuckled.

—~—

A car and a jeep arrived at the front gates of the camp before entering. Sam and some soldiers climbed out. Sam grabbed two beers and tossed one to one of the men. They both opened the beers and drank before Sam drew his wand and pointed it at the back of the man's head.

Y/N/Sam exited Castiel's cabin just at this moment and yelled.

"Hey. Hey! Watch out!"

Sam fired off a killing curse as the others looked between the two Sams.

"Damn it" Sam muttered before addressing the others.

"I'm not gonna lie to you. Me and him—It's a pretty messed-up situation we got going. But believe me, when you need to know something, you will know it. Until then, we all have work to do."

—~—

Sam shoved Y/N into a cabin and slammed the door. Y/N dropped the human transfiguration before Sam yelled at him.

"What the hell was that?"

Y/N yelled back.

"What the hell was that? You just avada'd a guy in cold blood."

"We were in an open quarantine zone. Got ambushed by some Croats on the way out!"

Y/N gave Sam a 'yeah and?' expression.

"One of them infected Yeager."

"How do you know?"

"'Cause after a few years of this, I know. I started seeing symptoms about a half an hour ago. Wasn't gonna be long before he flipped. I didn't see the point in troubling a good man with bad news."

"Troubling a good man'? You just blew him away in front of your own people. Don't you think that freaked them out a little bit?"

"It's 1999. Plugging some Croat, it's called commonplace. Trading words with my bloody clone—that might have freaked them out a little!"

"All right, look—" Y/N tried to reason but Sam wasn't having it.

"No, you look. You're dead... and the most hated man in the world. This isn't your time. It's mine. You don't make the decisions. I do. So, when I say stay in, you stay in."

"All right, man. I'm sorry. Look, I—I'm not trying to mess you—me—us up here"

"I know" Sam said as he poured two glasses of alcohol.

"It's just been a really wacky weekend!"

"Tell me about it!" Sam replied, sliding Y/N a shot as they both drank. Sam smiled briefly at the nostalgia before frowning again.

"What was the mission, anyway?" Y/N asked.

Sam pulled out an Angel blade out of his rucksack.

"Is that?"

"Your Angel Blade. The only thing left of your corpse after the werewolves finished with it. They couldn't destroy it, been moving it around for the last two years. Took me two years, but...I finally got it. And tonight—tonight, I'm gonna kill the devil!"

—~—

It was nighttime now- Y/N sat in the Camp's headquarters with Sam, Cass and Risa.

"So, that's it? That's the blade?" Risa asked.

Y/N unsheathed his blade and the others looked between the two.

"Definitely is!" Castiel smiled.

"If anything can kill Lucifer, this is it" Sam smiled.

"Great. Have we got anything that can find Lucifer?" Risa asked sarcastically.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked

"Oh, you were in, uh, Jane's cabin last night. And, apparently, you and...Risa have a connection" Y/N said sarcastically.

Risa looked at Sam angrily as Cass chuckled.

"You want to shut up?" Sam snapped at Y/N.

Y/N raised his hands in surrender.

"We don't have to find Lucifer. We know where he is. The demon that we caught last week, he was one of the big guy's entourage. He knew!"

"So, a demon tells you where Satan's gonna be, and you just believe it?" Risa asked skeptically

"Oh, trust me, he wasn't lying!"

"And you know this how?"

"Our fearless leader, I'm afraid, is all too well schooled in the art of getting to the truth!" Castiel chuckled.

"Torture? Oh, so, you're torturing? Great that worked so well for me."

Sam glared at Y/N who continued:

"No, that's—that's good. Classy!"

Castiel laughed as Sam looked at him.

"What? I always liked Y/N!"

Sam ignored him and pointed at a map on the table.

"Lucifer is here. Now. I know the block and I know the building".

"Oh, good—it's right in the middle of a hot zone" Castiel said frustrated.

"Crawling with Croats, yeah. You saying my plan is reckless?"

"Are you saying we, uh, walk in straight up the driveway, past all the demons and the Croats, and we stab the devil?"

"Yes" Sam answered straight faced.

"Okay, if you don't like, uh, 'reckless', I could use 'insouciant', maybe?" Castiel replied.

"Are you coming?" Sam asked.

Castiel sighed.

"Of course. I'll get the grunts moving".

"We're loaded and on the road by midnight"

"All righty" Cass answered as he and Risa left. Y/N looked at Sam.

"Why are you taking me?"

"Relax. You'll be fine. Angels are looking after you, right?"

"No, that's not what I mean. I want to know what's going on"

"Yeah, okay. You're coming because I want you to see something. I want you to see how bad it gets. How because of you... your cowardice... the world ended. So you'll go back and do it differently!"

Y/N looked down and didn't answer.

—~—

Y/N walked through the camp towards the hunting party, fully aware of the filthy looks he was getting before Neville approached him.

"Hey Y/N. So, you're really from 94?"

"Yeah, afraid so Nev."

"Some free advice? You ever get back there, you hoard toilet paper. You understand me? Hoard it. Hoard it like it's made of gold. 'Cause it is!"

"Thank you, Nev" Y/N chuckled.

"Oh, you'll thank me, all right. Mark my words"  Neville replied. Y/N entered one of the vehicles and they drove off.

—~—

Y/N was riding shotgun next to Cass. He saw out the corner of his eye Cass pop some pills.

"Let me see those?"

"You want some?" Cass chuckled

"Amphetamines?"

"It's the perfect antidote to that absinthe" Cass chuckled again.

"Uh-huh. Don't get me wrong, Cas. I, uh. I'm happy that the stick is out of your arse, but—what's going on? With the drugs and the orgies and the love-guru crap?"

Castiel just laughed genuinely.

"What's so funny?"

"Y/N, I'm not an angel anymore!"

"What?"

"Yeah, I went mortal"

"What do you mean? How?"

"I think it had something to do with the other angels leaving. Same as what seemed to have happened to your archon. When they bailed, my mojo just kind of— psshhew!—drained away. And now, you know, I'm practically human. I mean, Y/N, I'm all but useless. Last year, broke my foot, laid up for two months- didn't have a healer in our camp to fix it with magic."

"Wow!"

"Yeah" Cass sighed

"So, you're human. Well, welcome to the club."

"Thanks. Except I used to belong to a much better club. And now I'm powerless. I'm hapless, I'm hopeless. I mean, why the hell not bury myself in women and decadence, right? It's the end, baby. That's what decadence is for. Why not bang a few gongs before the lights go out? But then that's, that's just how I roll"

Y/N raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

—~—

The group had made it to the Hot Zone rendezvous site. It was a forested area next to a large industrial compound. Sam and Risa had their wands out, the muggle soldiers carrying guns. They scanned the area before looking up to a building within the compound.

Sam pointed up.

"There. Second-floor window. We go in there!"

"You sure about this?" Risa asked

"They'll never see us coming. Trust me. Now, weapons check. We're on the move in five"

"Hey, uh, Sam. Can I talk to you for a sec?" Y/N asked as Sam nodded and walked off with him.

"Tell me what's going on" Y/N demanded.

"What?"

"I know you. You're lying to these people and to me"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. I know you Sam. Now, there's something you're not telling us"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh, really? Well, I don't seem to be the only member of your posse with some questions, so, uh, maybe I'll just take my doubts over to them!"

"Okay, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait!" Sam snapped grabbing Y/N's arm.

"What?"

"Take a look around you, man. This place should be white-hot with Croats. Where are they?"

"They cleared a path for us. Which means that this is-"

"A trap. Exactly"

"Well, then we can't go through the front!"

"Oh, we're not. They are. They're the decoys. You and me, we're going in through the back!" Sam replied.

"You mean you're gonna feed your friends into a meat grinder? Cas, too? You want to use their deaths as a diversion?"

Sam just looked away.

"Oh, man, something is broken in you. You're making decisions that Sam would never make. He wouldn't sacrifice his friends!"

"You're right. Sam wouldn't. You did! It's one of the main reasons we're in this mess, actually!"

"These people count on you. They trust you"

"They trust me to kill the devil and to save the world and that's exactly what I'm gonna do!"

"No. Not like this, you're not. I'm not gonna let you!" Y/N snapped.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah"

In an instant Sam had clocked Y/N in the temple, knocking him out.

—~—

Y/N woke up groggy. He heard agonised screams, explosions. They were being slaughtered. He rushed around the corner to the back area only to see someone with their foot on Sam's neck. He looked at Y/N and smirked.

A sickening crunch ended Sam's life.

"Noooo!!!" Y/N screamed rushing over to Sam, leaning over him as his lifeless eyes looked up. The man spoke.

"Oh, hello Y/N. Isn't this a surprise!"

Y/N heard a chuckling behind him.

He turned with tears in his eyes as the man smiled.

"I'm Lucifer. You've come a long way to see this haven't you!"

Y/N stared at the Angel.

"Have to say I'm a little disappointed. You look... underwhelming. I was expecting horns and a pitchfork!" Y/N chuckled.

"This... this is just a vessel. But let me adopt another form for you!"

He transfigured into Sam's appearance and a white suit and grinned at Y/N.

"Better?"

Y/N's eyes hardened.

"Well go ahead. Kill me!"

"Kill you wouldn't that be a bit redundant?" Lucifer chuckled as he sneered sadistically at Y/N.

He reached out and Y/N recoiled back, he tried to unsheathe his blade but couldn't.

"Ah no. That stays away thank you. And you don't have to be afraid of me Y/N. What do you think I'm going to do?"

"I don't know maybe deep fry the planet?"

Lightning flashed and Lucifer was back behind Y/N again.

"Why? Why would I want to destroy this stunning thing? Beautiful in a trillion different ways! The last perfect handiwork of God!"

He chuckled.

"Did you ever hear the story of why I fell from grace?"

"Oh good God you're not gonna tell me a bedtime story are you? My stomach's almost out of bile!"

Lucifer smirked and continued.

"You know why God cast me down? Because I loved him. More than anything. And then God created..."

He huffed in disgust.

"...you. The little hairless apes. Not only that but he gave his favourite, Adam, magic. Do you know what magic is Y/N? It's a gift of angels. And he gave it to you! Told us to bow and worship YOU. Love you more than him! And I said Father I can't! I said these human beings were flawed, murderous! And for that God had Michael cast me into Hell! Now tell me, does the punishment fit the crime? Especially as I was right. Look what six billion of you have done to this thing- and how many of you blame me for it?"

He glared at Y/N. Y/N glared back.

"You're not fooling me you know that? I know what you are!"

Lucifer chuckled. "And what am I?"

"You're the same thing only bigger. The same brand of cockroach I been squashing my whole life. An ugly, belly-to-the-ground, evil piece of crap. The only difference between them and you is the size of your ego!"

Lucifer smiled at Y/N.

"I like you, Y/N. I get what the other angels see in you. Good-bye!"

He turned to leave but Y/N yelled, causing the Angel to stop.

"You better kill me now!"

Lucifer turned and chuckled.

"Pardon?"

"You better kill me now. Or I swear I'll find a way to kill you!"

Lucifer sneered before laughing maniacally.

"Oh I'm sorry Y/N. I can tell this is a serious moment for you. That would be a neat trick... considering your death set me free!"

Y/N was speechless, muttering only:

"What?"

"You don't know oh that is too.... Precious!
Your death was the last seal Y/N. You and your little girlfriend ran away. Hid... but once my antichrist returned he found you. And here I am.. so I win. No matter what you do we will end up here. So I win!"

"I'm the last seal. I'm the last seal..."

Y/N repeated it to himself shocked but processing. That meant...

"So to stop this all I have to do is... Zachariah!" Y/N smiled and yelled out to the other Angel.

"No. NO!" Lucifer screamed in realisation at what he had done. Thunder and lightning erupted above them. He plunged his hand into Y/N's chest. It went straight through and Y/N smiled at him, he was now transparent.

"Enjoy your box. You're gonna be trapped for eternity!"

Lucifer roared and the sky was ripped apart by lightning bolts as Y/N disappeared.

—~—

Y/N's eyes opened as he looked around. He was back in the hospital wing. Hermione was asleep next to his bed, curled up in a chair. She looked terrible, beautiful... but like the weight of the world had weighed her down.

"It's been rough on her!"

Y/N looked at Zachariah who was stood at the end of the bed.

"I've watched over her, given her angelic strength to try and lessen the ordeal... but her boyfriend slipped back into a coma the for the past three days. She has cried a lot."

Zachariah looked back at Y/N who was looking at his girlfriend pained for her before he glanced back at the Angel.

"So I'm the last seal!"

"You are Y/N. You are the Prophesied One. You are fated to kill the antichrist. Save the world. Everything you endured prepared you for this. Lilith thought she was creating the ultimate weapon when she made you. All she was doing was playing her part in Our Father's plan. Nothing more, nothing less!"

"Why me?"

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Y/N raised an eyebrow.

"Your place is not to question. It is God's will and God's plan. That's all you need to know!"

"Alright then so to end it I have to do what kill Voldemort?"

"Yes. The same task you've been prepared for your entire life. The stakes may been higher than you expected, but your Holy Mission remains the same"

"Alright I'm back in. I'll kill Voldemort. How do I live with the guilt though Zachariah?"

"It is your cross to bear Y/N. If it brings you comfort know you had no choice in the matter. It was written eons before you were born."

"So what happens now? Business as usual?"

Zachariah smirked at Y/N.

"Now I kill you!"