Daryl watched as Harry slunk past him, moving through the group and finally shifting back to human form. Most members of the group moved away from him, as if still not realizing that the panther was not going to hurt them.

The creature in the sky grew closer, still very far above land. It was about at the altitude that a plane would be at but it clearly wasn't a plane. Daryl kind of thought it looked like a horse but from this angle... It was very weird looking and he knew what horses looked like. The creature was a horse but wasn't a horse at the same time.

"Harry, do you know what that is?" Rick asked, coming to stand next to Daryl. The two of them exchanged glances, Rick's being slightly bewildered, then Daryl quickly looked back at Harry.

"Uh, yeah..." Harry trailed off, as the creature in the sky started to circle in the sky, obviously about to land. He glanced back at them, narrowed his eyes. "May I be excused?"

Andrea and T-Dog snorted and Sophia and Carl laughed, breaking up the tension in the atmosphere somewhat. Though it was still tense, with blood and decomposed guts splattered all over the ground and corpses in front of them. Patricia, Beth, and Maggie, well... pretty much everyone was staring at Shane wearily.

Harry took off, but not going up to Beth, Jimmy and Patricia. "You three okay? I'm sorry about all... this."

Patricia nodded wearily. "We're okay. I think."

Beth was still crying, still being hugged by Jimmy. Jimmy stared at Harry before nodding. Hershel turned to stare at Harry then over to Shane before turning and taking off back to the house. Maggie and Glenn were both standing right up close to each other. Shane sighed before taking off back to their camp, shotgun in hand. Dale, having arrived at the barn a few minutes after Shane had started his tirade, stared at the carnage sadly.

Harry nodded then took off to the patch of land in between the farm house and their camp.

"We need to make a grave for the people that were family," Lori remarked, looking over to Rick. He nodded.

"I'll get on that," T-Dog replied.

"I'll help," Glenn said, looking at Maggie who nodded.

"What do we do with the others?" Patricia asked, wrapping an arm around Beth as the younger woman's cries finally quieted.

Harry stared at the hippogriff in the sky as it came closer and closer to the ground. There were two people riding the creature but he couldn't make out who they were. They were definitely wizards but... It wasn't like anyone knew where he was. And he was fairly sure that the Greene family had no friends in the wizarding world.

He knew who the hippogriff was though and knew what the red stuff dripping from it was. Before the shit at the barn had happened, he had heard a big bird and apparently, he hadn't been too close off the mark. He had heard labored flying and what he saw now confirmed that. The hippogriff in the sky was landing almost quickly, too quickly, with one wing trailing limp alongside it. He could also vaguely see wounds that looked like they were from being shot. "Buckbeak?!"

The hippogriff let out a relatively loud cry though it was muted and hoarse, like Buckbeak was exhausted. Judging by the visible wounds, Harry thought that if Buckbeak wasn't exhausted then the animal was very close to it. Then Harry heard yells from two people he thought he would never see again.

"Daddy!"

"Uncle!"

Buckbeak finally landed, taking a few galloping strides on land and as Harry watched, Buckbeak's legs buckled and the hippogriff crashed to the ground. The hippogriff plowed into the grass, slid a little then slowly came to a stop. The two children on top of Buckbeak slid off hurriedly, before Harry watched as Buckbeak toppled over, and ran toward him, crashing right into Harry and making him fall. He didn't even have the heart to stay standing, distantly realizing he was in shock, so he made sure he fell easily onto the ground. Teddy and Lily laughed quietly, a little timidly before burrowing into his chest.

"Oomph, you two," Harry whispered, tears coming into his eyes. He wrapped his arms tightly around the two of them, feeling so, so happy that they had survived. "I... I thought you guys... How did you two find me? How?"

Lily sighed happily, her short red hair all mussed up from flying. Harry could see that there were bags under her eyes, bags that shouldn't be there for a child of 13 years.

"We let Buckbeak find you!" Teddy exclaimed quietly, voice watery. His light brown hair turned light blue like it usually did when Teddy was happy. Harry could see that Teddy wasn't even trying to control his ability now, too excited and happy to. "Uncle..."

"Buckbeak?" Harry asked, turning to look at Lily, who was still quiet.

"He could sniff out magic," Lily replied, voice a little muffled because she was burrowed into Harry's chest. He could feel tears coming from her and he gently started to stroke her back. "We knew you were in the States but that's... That's all that we knew."

"Did you two..." Harry trailed off, afraid to ask but... "Did you guys have an adult with you or is it just you two and the menace over there?"

"It's just us," Teddy said, sniffling a little. His hair turned dark red and Harry pulled them both in closer, ruffling Teddy's hair in comfort. He could feel people watching the three of them but he just didn't care. He didn't, not when he had two of his children back with him.

A inhuman squeal of pain woke him a few hours later, having fallen asleep with Teddy and Lily in his arms. Teddy and Lily had both fallen asleep in his lap after just a few minutes, finally safe. Teddy was even snoring quietly, little noises that made Harry's heart clench happily. Though he dreaded having to ask where James was... or whether... But otherwise he was content.

Harry shot bolt upright and glanced around him, waking up the children. Shane was holding his gun up in a raised position, like he was about to... Harry tensed and started a little when he saw that Daryl had pulled up a camp chair and was sitting behind him, crossbow propped on his lap. The other man was also sharpening sticks, making more arrows. Lily and Teddy both looked at him curiously. He looked around at the campsite, searching for... "Hey, Carol?"

Carol and Sophia were sitting on the porch steps of the farm house. Carl was sitting down next to Sophia and Harry could see that they were flipping through one of the books that he had let them borrow. The three of them looked anxious, like something had happened while Harry was asleep. Harry hoped that it was something not bad but given... given that the world had ended... It had probably been something bad.

"Harry?" Carol asked, standing up and telling Carl and Sophia to stay on the porch. She walked slowly around Buckbeak and Shane, who was about to...

"Would you mind getting something to eat for these two?" Harry asked as Lily and Teddy stood up and stretched. Harry stood up too, making sure one of his wands was within easy reach.

"Sure," Carol replied, peering down at the two new children.

"Lily, Teddy, meet Carol Peletier. Carol, my daughter Lily Luna Potter and my godson, Teddy Lupin."

Lily and Teddy both glanced up at Carol then up at Harry. "Dad?"

Harry nodded, leaned down to place a kiss on Lily's forehead. "It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe here."

"It's nice to meet you two," Carol spoke, lowering her voice a little.

"Nice to meet you too," Teddy replied, glancing up at her. "Have you been traveling with my uncle?"

Carol smiled, startling a little when Teddy's hair changed color to a muted, dark, blue. "Yes, I have. Would you like to come meet my daughter?"

Teddy nodded and Lily glanced between the two of them and took Teddy's hand as he reached out. Harry saw them exchange glances then they followed Carol as she led them over to the house.

"Uh, Shane? I wouldn't do that, if I were you," Harry spoke, raising his voice and walking over to Buckbeak. Daryl followed, scooping up his crossbow. Harry could see the hunter was curious, glancing at Buckbeak before looking at Harry. "You were guarding me?"

Daryl nodded. "You fell asleep."

"I hadn't expected to see my children again," Harry explained quietly. "They... Hermione, my best friend, had written that she hadn't seen them when their safe place fell. I thought... I thought they had died."

The hippogriff's eyes were hazy from pain but they still brightened a little, almost in recognition. Harry dipped his head in a shortened bow and Buckbeak dipped his head back but it was clear that even the littlest movement hurt.

"The fuck is this?" Shane yelled as Harry placed himself between the injured hippogriff and the other man.

"He's a hippogriff which means he's half horse, half eagle," Harry said, narrowing his eyes. "Now if you would step away from me and the animal? Before I do anything I won't regret?"

"Get," Daryl added, raising his crossbow with an arrow already nocked.

Shane looked between the two of them, shook his head and took off, but not before glaring at Harry. "Mutiny, huh?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "We're not on a ship, you idiot. Even injured, a hippogriff can do you a good injury. So get."

Shane strode off without another word.

Once Shane had buggered off, Harry turned to kneel in front of Buckbeak. "Daryl, I maybe probably could use some help?"

"How'd you want me?" Daryl asked, staying where he was. He had seen Harry nod his head at the animal and had seen the animal nod back, like it was a tradition of some sort. Though given that this was a magical creature, he didn't exactly know where to start helping.

Harry glanced up at him then back at the hippogriff. "Given that Buckbeak is injured, I think nodding will do this time. He dipped his head for me so..."

"Buckbeak?"

"That's his name," Harry replied, sighing and closing his eyes briefly, remembering Hagrid. Harry didn't know what had become of the groundskeeper, his first friend in the wizarding world. "Don't ask. I didn't name him. Hippogriffs are proud creatures, never offend him. You can just nod you head at him, before you come any closer."

"Then what?"

"Wait for him to nod back," Harry said, certain that Buckbeak would nod back at Daryl. He was very much certain that had Shane gone any closer to the hippogriff, the man would have seen what an angry hippogriff looked like. "Don't make any move before Buckbeak decides whether or not he likes you."

Daryl nodded his head at the creature as the hippogriff stared at him with its orange eyes. Buckbeak looked at him, lifted a wing an inch or two off the ground hesitantly before nodding at him in return.

"Good. You can come closer now," Harry muttered then turned to look at where their tents were. He stared at his tent and crooked a finger, murmuring a summoning spell under his breath. A few seconds later, his trunk flew out of his tent and floated the thirty or so feet toward him. "Buckbeak officially likes you now."

Daryl snorted, walking over to stand next to Harry. "Officially?"

"I had guessed that he would like you," Harry replied, peering up at Daryl with a slight smile. "What happened while I was asleep?"

"Beth. The girl's comatose and Hershel's nowhere to be found," Daryl replied, kneeling down beside Harry. "Rick and Glenn took off to the town bar to find him."

Harry's eyes widened, turned to look back into the house before looking back at Daryl. "Well, that's just great. Just when I needed the local veterinarian, he vanishes. Why the bar though?"

"Maggie said something about her father being a drunk a long time ago," Daryl said.

"Ah. Okay, let's see. Buckbeak..." Harry trailed off as the animal looked up at him. He narrowed his eyes at Daryl's tone, remembering the scars on the man's back. "Thank you."

Buckbeak whined quietly, reaching his head out to lean on Daryl's lap. Daryl startled a little, glanced at Harry.

Harry grinned, spoke in a whisper. "Just pretend he's a horse."

Buckbeak looked up at him without moving his head.

"No offense meant to you," Harry muttered before opening his trunk and looking through the potions that he could see. "I think I have something that might help Beth and Buckbeak but I'll need to... Stay here for a minute, you two."

"Ain't going nowhere," Daryl retorted, hand tentatively going to stroke Buckbeak's head feathers.

Harry nodded before standing up and stepping into his trunk.

"So you're Harry's godson?" Carol asked as the two new kids followed her over to the porch of the farmhouse. Sophia and Carl were engrossed in looking through the book that Harry had given them, both muttering excitedly over the different creatures. Carol's eyes had widened when Harry had given it to the kids as the man had stroked the spine before handing it over. It's called the Monster Book of Monsters for a reason.

"Yeah, he's my godfather," Teddy replied quietly, still holding hands with Lily. The two of them looked exhausted and wary and their hands that weren't holding others' were occasionally going to pockets in their pants. Lily almost looked like Sophia when her father had... Carol winced and sighed. She hoped that this girl hadn't gone through what Sophia had but it was more than likely that Lily looked like this because of the walkers. Lily hadn't at all flinched when Harry had placed a kiss on her forehead. "My dad and mom... they died ten years ago."

"Mom?"

Sophia looked up at her then at the two kids by her side.

"Sophia, sweetie, these are Harry's kids. They were on that horse creature that arrived."

"Hippogriff," Carl said, looking up at the three of them.

Carol raised an eyebrow at him.

He grinned a little. "I read about them in the book."

"Buckbeak helped us find our dad," Lily replied, nodding. "I'm Lily. Who're you?"

"I'm Carl."

"I'm Sophia. Carol's my mom."

"Carol?"

Andrea came out of the house and stopped at the sight of two new children.

"Andrea, these are Harry's children. Lily and Teddy," Carol said, gesturing to each child. "Kids, this is Andrea."

Teddy and Lily looked up at her then glanced at Carl and Sophia. Sophia grinned and nodded.

"Hello," Teddy offered quietly.

"Hi Teddy, Lily, where's your dad? Beth..." Andrea trailed off as Maggie came out of the house too.

"He's tending to the... hippogriff's wounds," Carol replied, glancing at Teddy for confirmation that she said the animal's name correctly. Teddy nodded, his hair turning light blue briefly before changing back to light brown.

"What..." Maggie gaped and looked at Carol and Andrea.

"Teddy, is that a spell that you can do?" Carol asked tentatively.

"No, it's something my mom could do," Teddy explained, voice still a little dry. Sophia looked at him then at Lily and ran into the house, calling for Lori. "She was a metamorphmagus and now I can do it too."

"A what?" Maggie repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"She could shift any of her features," Lily replied tentatively. "Her nose, her hair, her eyes, her skin. At least that's what Dad said she could do."

The three women gaped at the children and Lori came onto the porch, led by Sophia. "Sophia said something about wanting two glasses of water?"

Carol nodded, smiling gratefully. "Thanks, Lori. They're for Harry's children."

"So that was who the passengers on the animal were," Lori said, handing the glasses of water to Carol. Carol handed them to Lily and Teddy, who smiled and drank the water quickly enough. Though it looked like the two were savoring the liquid too, like they knew what it was to have to hunt for water.

Lori knelt down to be at eye level with the two. "What're are your names?"

"I'm Teddy and this is Lily," Teddy said excitedly. "Thanks for the water!"

"Your welcome. You two have met Carl and Sophia already?" Lori asked, smiling at Teddy's enthusiasm.

"Yeah," Teddy said, looking at the two that looked like they were the same age as him and Lily. "We haven't seen any other children since..."

Lily leaned her head on Teddy's shoulder and Teddy looked like he was tightening his hold on Lily's hand. "Since Hogwarts fell."

Carol winced.

"Hogwarts?" Maggie questioned.

"Our school," Lily answered, as her stomach growled loudly.

"Let's get you two something to eat. How does that sound?" Lori said, standing up.

"That sounds great," Teddy replied quietly, peering up at the adults happily.