Sam Winchester staggered through the trees of the Forbidden Forest, panting, tired and hurting, he tried to be as quiet as possible. He could hear the sounds of battle- shouts and cries and running- a few feet to his left, in the grounds of Hogwarts proper.

He wanted to go back and fight, he wanted to find his friends but he couldn't, not until he found his brother and found out if he was all right.

Heavy footsteps approached Sam from behind and he slipped behind a large oak tree, pressing one hand to his mouth to keep from breathing too loudly. His right hand gripped his wand tightly, his fingers shaking.

The footsteps paused for a moment and Sam closed his eyes. Then, slowly, as though whoever it was knew he was close by, the footsteps moved on.

Sam let out his breath and looked up as a sudden chill fell over him. He swore, his breath spreading out before him like a plume of smoke, and raised his wand as the cold seeped through his robes, through his skin and into his bones.

"Sam!" a voice called from behind Sam and he turned to see his brother, a gash across one eyebrow, standing behind him.

"D-Dean!" Sam whispered through chattering teeth, "D-Dementors."

"I know," Dean nodded, "C'mon."

Reaching out, Dean grabbed Sam's left wrist and began dragging him through the trees. As the brothers moved, the cold did not seem to dissipate but appeared to be getting worse.

Sam staggered and stumbled, shaking, gasping for breath.

"I-I c-can't," Sam leaned against a tree.

"I'm not leaving you here," Dean told him. Sam shook his head, "You leave me. Find the others."

"No way," Dean argued, "I'm not leaving you alone. Besides, a couple of Dementors should be no problem for you."

Sam smiled wanly. He raised his wand and Dean did the same.

"Piece of cake," Dean muttered, joking "Compared to a usual day at the office."

"N-No n-need to r-rub it-it in," Sam stammered and squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

Dean grimaced but reached out and touched Sam's shoulder, "You okay?"

Sam opened his eyes with a gasp.

"I-I will be," he told his brother and caught sight of the first of the Dementors, floating towards them through the trees, like a piece of the sky had torn itself free and gained sentience.

"You're not getting any closer," Dean snarled and then shouted out loud, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A small, silvery creature exploded from the end of his wand and shot towards the Dementor, making it stop where it was.

"C'mon Sammy," Dean encouraged, holding his wand out, struggling to hold onto the happy memories that gave his Patronus life.

Sam shook his head again and pointed his wand at a second Dementor that had appeared, closer to them than the first and gaining ground by the second.

"Sammy," Dean said, "You gotta help me here."

Dean's Patronus danced out of the way of the first Dementor, but only just, it was small and quick but not strong enough to hold of two of the creatures on its own.

"Exp- Expecto…" Sam began to feel faint, and he began to list to one side.

"SAM!" Dean shouted and Sam straightened up, the first Dementor waved its rotting, skeletal hand and his brother's Patronus vanished in a swirl of silver mist.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Dean shouted again and once again his Patronus appeared, running circles around the Dementor, trying to keep it at bay.

"Sam, now!" Dean snarled and Sam set his jaw, tightened his grip on his wand and locked his gaze on the second Dementor.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Sam cried and a large silvery beast exploded from the end of his wand, charging towards the Dementors.

The creatures, sensing the strength of the Patronuses, turned and fled, floating as fast as they could through the trees.

Dean laughed when his Patronus, a small squirrel, scampered back towards him through the underbrush before it vanished in a silvery mist. Sam's Patronus, a bull moose, stepped carefully through the trees towards him until the boy reached up and put a hand on its nose, smiling gratefully before it too disappeared.

"You know, Sammy," Dean commented, "You wouldn't make a bad Auror."

Sam shook his head, his expression serious. He still needed to find his friends.

"C'mon Dean," he said, "Let's help Harry and the others."

Author's Note:

This can be a stand-alone drabble but it can also be connected to my other crossover, The Magic In Your Heart.

Please take a moment if you liked this story.