AN: Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I had a weird amount of trouble writing it. I think this will be the last chapter of this first 'year'- I do plan on writing the following years later, but I have another small Supernatural fanfic project that I want to work on first. It's probably only going to be a oneshot though, so it shouldn't take too long for me to write.

With that said, let's get back to the fic!

Dean Winchester and the Book of Dreams

Chaper 11: Empty Pages

The revelation that Castiel was not entirely human really didn't change things as much Dean thought that it would, though it certainly does explain why the dude was so out of touch with the rest of the world, both wizard and muggle alike.

Castiel seems relieved that Dean knows the truth, explaining that he doesn't like lying. Dean figures it's an angel thing, even though Professor Novak doesn't seem to have a problem with it- he doesn't need Castiel to tell him that that dude is pretty freaking far from an ordinary angel.

Dean has an easier time wrapping his head around the whole angel thing once Castiel explains that the Bible 'gets more wrong than it does right'. He figures that the angels are just some race of super-strong supernatural creatures that people decided to start worshiping because they weren't trying to kill everybody. Sort of like the old Pagan gods. The idea of heavenly guardians or some divine plan is just some fantasy that people created over they years. He could believe that.

He still doesn't understand what happened to make Castiel so close to human, or why. He figures that it is a sensitive topic though, so he avoids bringing it up.

Detention was, just as Gabriel had promised, horrible. The archangel had apparently decided that the worst way to punish Dean and Castiel was by boring them to death, and had scheduled extra lessons with Professor Binns during the weekends. The ghostly teacher went on and on in this horrible monotone voice about one goblin uprising after another. During the time before he had been allowed to interact with humanity, Castiel had at one point literally watched grass grow for an entire season, he was not a creature made to feel impatience, but even he was finding these lessons particularly unenjoyable. Dean, meanwhile, consistently looked as though he was five seconds away from either breaking something or passing out in boredom.

Dean finally erupted after their third extra lesson with the Professor. "It doesn't make any sense! The guy's a terrible teacher- no one ever learns anything in his class anyway, why is he still here?"
"I suspect that it might have been an economic decision. Since he is dead, the school no longer has to give him a salary and they get a history teacher for free."
"Cheap bastards." Dean grumbled, glaring at the wall as if to frighten the castle into taking some kind of action. Suddenly, his face lit up. "Say, Cas, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Castiel's expression of confusion answered that question, so Dean leaned closer, grinning. "Judging by the fact that the professor is here, he can't be buried too far away. I think we ought to go pay our respects, if you know what I mean."

Castiel blinked, realization dawning on his face before nodding slowly.

This was not a hunt, they decided. This was a public service.

Fortunately it seemed that the only thing that Professor Binns enjoyed (that term being used loosely, of course) talking about more than Goblin rebellions was himself. After a few lessons spent pumping him for information in thinly veiled questions, the History teacher had revealed the location of a secret staff graveyard near the lake.

After that, finding and torching the Professors bones proved to be a rather easy endeavor.

The Great Hall was already abuzz when Dean and Castiel entered that night for dinner.

"Did you guys hear?" A fellow first year practically shouted at them as they sat down.

"Hear what?" Dean asked, hiding a smile.

"Professor Binns burst into flames while lecturing the fourth years earlier today- just out of nowhere! I mean, what does that even mean?"
The students' outburst was cut short as Dumbledore stood in front of the gathered students.

"I have an important announcement to make before the feast can begin. Regrettably, it appears that Professor Binns has passed on to the world beyond. As such, it appears that History class is cancelled until we can find a suitable replacement." The students immediately began to murmur as they realized that they had both lost the most boring teacher in existence and gained a free period in one fell swoop.

And when Headmaster Dumbledore led the student body into the obligatory moment of silence for the now truly deceased professor, the occasion was marked more with the students' barely-contained glee rather than the solemnity that was most likely intended.

Dean and Castiel shared a private smile as the food appeared before them.

No one would ever know that it had been them, but Dean felt a sense of pride in knowing that in some small way he had made Hogwarts a better place for its students.

"I suppose that you both think that this is very funny."

"Yeah, a little." Dean replied without missing a beat, and dammnit, Gabriel had to give it to them, he really should have seen this coming. He had put a freaking ghost in charge of overseeing Dean Winchesters detention, what had he thought was going to happen?

"Well don't get too cocky. You two still have to serve out the rest of your detention with me."
"Yeah, well at least it won't be boring now." Dean replied, unfazed.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. All in all, his plan to tell Dean the truth had achieved the desired result- Dean was no longer suspicious of Castiels strange behavior and Castiel had stopped moping about whatever rift that had formed between them. He knows that he should count this as a success. But really, if he's perfectly honest with himself, he had been hoping for a bit more respect from Dean once he learned the truth. He was a friggin archangel after all, it would only be natural that the brat fear him at least a little bit.

He doesn't know why he's surprised. Dean had never given much respect to anyone besides his own father, and he certainly isn't going to start now- reality might have been warped but it hadn't warped that much.

He makes up for it by forcing them to perform progressively more bizarre tasks for the remainder of their detentions, reminding them that while he might not be boring, he is creative.

It is almost a month after their final detention before Dean is able to get the smell of fish out of his cloths. And suddenly, Dean realizes it the school year was over. It had certainly been an eventful one.

He makes Cas promise to come over during the summer and begins mentally composing a list of movies to show him. He doesn't know how it is possible for someone that is literally older than dirt to have never seen Star Wars, but it is an oversight he is going to correct.

Professor Novak grins and says that he will only allow Cas to come over if Dean comes on a trip with them sometime during the summer, a declaration that Cas is clearly unhappy with. "A trip where?" Castiel asks suspiciously and the archangel just laughs in a way that can only be described as maniacally before disappearing into thin air. Castiel grumbles something about how there had better not be any strippers involved this time. Dean decides it's probably better if he doesn't ask. He isn't about to put anything past Professor Novak ever again. That dude was capable of anything.

He is surprised to find that he is enjoying himself more now than he can ever remember. After all, this life isn't the one he had planned for himself. And to be honest, some part of him still wants things to go back to the way they were before- the easy black and white answers to what is right and wrong, what is human and what needs to be hunted. Things were simpler then. Sometimes he thinks about that book, hidden away in a secret room, that shows the way things might have been.

But he isn't as tempted to fall back into that world as he was before. Because this new life isn't without its advantages either.

As he gets off the train, he is greeted by an overly enthusiastic Sam, who nearly knocks him backwards and into the train tracks with something that more resembles a tackle then a hug.

"Welcome back! Did you learn anything?"

"You know, I think I did." Dean replies, smiling.

To be continued…