Being Death

"CHARLIE!" Dean jumped out of his seat so fast it knocked over. He ran and scooped up his sort of adopted little sister. Dean never thought he would see Charlie again. Building her pyre was one of the hardest things he ever had to do. Dean knew Charlie was just trying to help him, but he still felt at fault. Dean is still angry with his brother. Sam went behind his back and got Charlie, Rowena, Crowley and Castiel involved. Before Charlie's embers were even cold, Dean went after the Styne Family. Losing Charlie, Dean lost part, if not most of his humanity. Having Charlie back and in his brotherly arms, made him feel whole again. Yes, he has Sam and Cas, but Charlie was his sister in everything but blood.

Sam closed his slacked jaw with an audible click, "Charlie". Sam slowly got up from his seat and made his way over to his brother and Charlie. The girl he unintentionally got killed. Sam stood a few feet away, shifting from one foot to the other. He will never get over the guilt and pain he caused Charlie and Dean. Sam knows Dean is still angry with him. Hopefully Sam can dodge the punch Dean will most likely throw his way.

Nope...

Dean set Charlie down, took one long stride and clocked Sam in the jaw. Busting his lip open, bloodied his nose and bruised his jaw. It wasn't a particularly hard hit, but it still hurt. Sam stumbled back from the impact, cupping his bloodied nose and regaining his stance.

"I deserved that." Sam sounded muffled with his hand covering his mouth and nose. "Yeah, ya did." Dean standing straight, nose to covered nose with Sam. Sam broke the contact first, going inside to clean up his face. Dean turns back to Charlie, "It's good to see you, Charlie. You hungry?"

"Um, Dean? Where are we? Cas just grabbed me after I entered the Bunker and brought me straight here." Charlie looked around, noticing the tent full of people eating and trying not to stare. Slowly spinning around she gets a good look at the Burrow. "That's so cool." Turning back to face Dean, "Where are we Dean?" Dean grasps her shoulders and brings Charlie to the table. "We are at the Burrow, the home of the Weasleys'." Dean introduced everyone to Charlie, "And this is Charlie Bradbury." Charlie made herself a plate and joined everyone. She was still in shock from being brought back. When she woke up inside a dingy hotel room near the bunker, she headed straight there hoping to figure out what happened. Now, sitting at a massive gathering with Death a few seats down kind of lets her know what is going on.

Harry had continued to eat while thinking over Death's offer, "Sir, I would like to take your offer...Please." Death set down his dessert spoon and slid off his ring, holding it out for Harry to take, "This is no simple task. You will see things that might break you and will have to reap those who have died. No matter the circumstances." Dean cut in, "That is where I screwed up. I tried to stop a reaping I personally felt was unfair and failed the task." Dean didn't give any details of the terminally ill child he had to reap.

Harry listened to both of them and absorbed what they were saying. No matter the circumstances. He nodded his head, "I understand." Death gave Harry his ring, "Twenty-four hours. One of my reapers will accompany you." Harry stood up, kissed Ginny on the cheek, slipped on Death's ring and vanished.

Death stood up from his seat, "I enjoyed the meal, Misses Weasley. I will see you next Sunday." Molly smiled, "Of course, sir." Death nodded and vanished. He will speak with Harry when he completes his task. For now, Death will retrieve those he plans to bring back.

The occupants inside the tent are a little weary of what just happened. They are not sure how to proceed until Charlie W starts talking to Charlie B, "Do you have a nickname?" Charlie B laughed nervously, "Charlotte is my real name, but I felt it never fit, so I went by Charlie. Why do you ask?" "My name is also Charlie," Charlie W snickered. "Oh, okay. I'll just by Charlotte while I'm here." Dean spoke with his mouth half full of pie, "Or Sunshine." Charlie W agreed with Dean, "Sunshine it is." Charlie B groaned but didn't argue.

On the other side of the world, Harry met with Reaper Markus at a house being broken into. The older man that lived in the house had shot the young adult male that broke in. The gunshot had pierced his heart, the burglar had died instantly. A ghost of the young man stood next to Harry and Markus staring down at his bloody body in guilt, "I needed the money for my sister's meds. I'm all she has." Harry looks at Markus who shook his head. Harry sighed as he placed his hand on the young man's shoulder and watched as he vanished.

Markus stood with Harry silently before breaking the silence, "It is never easy." The two of them vanished to the next scene. Time works differently for reapers and Death; it is now several hours later. The two appear in another part of the world in a hospital room. An older man in his late 80s was flatlining from his second heart attack. The man had a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate.) in place. A few family members and the doctor stood around the hospital bed as the doctor called time of death. The old man's ghost stood between Harry and Markus. The man didn't say anything, he just nodded his acceptance as Harry grasped his shoulder and the man vanished.

The last one got to Harry. He became angry at the unfairness. Markus had to remind him that it doesn't matter the circumstances. Harry watched as a little girl around the age of five took her last breath inside the overturned car. Her parents were unconscious with major injuries but will survive. The drunk driver of the other vehicle will walk away without a scratch and possibly no jail time due to being a powerful political figure. Harry wanted to reap the drunk driver instead, but he couldn't.

Harry felt a tug on his jacket. He turned to see the little girl's ghost, "Mister? How come I'm here but I see me over there?" She points to her now cold, dead body. Harry tries to hold himself together, "I don't know what to tell you." The little girl is smarter than she looks, "Am I going to the angels?" All Harry could do was slowly nod. "Will I ever see my mom and dad again?" She looks into Harry's teary eyes, "Someday." The little girl smiles, "Okay." Harry gave a watery smile as he held the little girls' hand and she vanished. Markus didn't say anything as he transported Harry back to the Burrow.

Death soon joined Harry. They stood in silence as Harry gathered his senses. Death cleared his throat, "I'm sure you noticed how easy the reaping came to you? How instinctively you knew what to do?" Harry nodded, "Yes sir." "When you died with the Deathly Hallows in your procession, you essentially became the Master of Death. You now have the ability to communicate with me. I sent you on this task to show you there are consequences for cheating death. The last reaping. You became vengeful. You wanted to veer from fate, and I cannot have that. So...Keep that in mind."

Harry heavily sat down in one of the chairs sitting on the back porch of the Burrow, "I understand." Death could see that he was being truthful. He decided to close the conversation, "As you have completed your task with barely any hiccups, I will keep my end of the deal. Do not make me regret this." Death didn't let Harry respond and vanished. In place of Death were two people Harry thought he would never see again...

"Sirius...Dad?"

AN: One more chapter then this story is finished. I finally had the motivation to write this chapter. The next will be the last.