Chapter Nine: Approaching Tides
AN: Hi all, I know it's been a while since my last update to the story, (almost two years), and I'm sorry it's taken this long to get back to writing. I've had a lot happen to me since I last wrote a single word on this story and that's taken it's toll on me. I'm thrilled to see that this story has drawn so much interest from the many readers of ff dot net and I look forward to seeing more reviews as this story continues once again.
One last thing of note, I had a draft for this chapter typed up about eight months ago, but my old laptop died. I pulled the hard drive, but I haven't as yet been able to see if the data on it is still intact or just gone. Therefore, since this was a seat of my pants story in the first place this new chapter will still have elements of that chapter so far as I can remember it off the top of my head, but it won't have everything that was in it. If I can recover that chapter and any other stuff I had on that drive, I'll see if I can write it into a future chapter, (perhaps as a flashback), we'll see.
Now on with the story...
Atlanta, GA CDC
Five days later
Rick, using a forklift, finished stacking the final palate of fuel in the hazardous materials area on sub-level 6 of the CDC. It had taken them the last five days to top off all the various supplies that the place needed for the new contingent of people that had poured into the place to help Jenner come up with at least some kind of stop gap to the virus that was raising the dead.
Wizards, witches, and squibs as well as many surviving scientists with the needed skills had volunteered to man the site so supplies had been given. Hopes were high with the ideas that Harry and his friends had put forth about how to generate a possible "cure".
Most of the squibs were to be put through the ringer to see if their cores might be boosted, while ten were held back as a control group to be used for comparison.
Another two groups of mundanes were to be examined in a similar fashion and studied to see if they had any kind of magical core themselves, no matter how small it might be.
If Harry's idea panned out, they would develop a procedure to increase the size or power of mundane cores, even if only temporarily, and see if this could eradicate the virus in them.
If it worked, they would then test for reinfection over a period of time and keep tabs on those they had freed from the virus to make sure it lasted, for the rest of their lives if needed.
So many ifs... Only time would tell if this was the right track to take. Hopefully it was, if not a lot of precious resources will have been wasted in this new project. Resources that were presently getting harder and harder to come by.
Neville, holding a clipboard with the fuel inventory on it, checked off the last box with a flourish, "...and that's done, and done. Thanks for your help Rick."
"Sure thing Neville. I had fun with this forklift and it made me feel useful again. Thank you for asking me to do this." Rick replied. He'd been feeling rather useless of late and was happy to have a chance to contribute to what this place was trying to accomplish.
Harry came into the large warehouse like level and spoke, "Hey Nev, Rick. Neville I need a hand with powering up the new wards I've put up. Can you join us outside?"
"Okay Harry." Neville returned. "We've just finished laying in the supplies. They should last this place a good five years as long as the people here don't get carried away using everything up."
Harry nodded. "Dr. Jenner is in charge, so I don't think that will become a problem. He's sworn off drinking and has found a new drive in his life with the core project he'll be running. I have every confidence in him that he will find some way to keep the living alive and eliminate this damned virus."
"I hope so. We won't survive for much longer if he doesn't." said Rick as they all walked back towards the elevators.
Moving inside one compartment, Harry pressed the ground level button and watched as the doors closed, "I'm going to put this place under a fidelius charm as well, there are factions starting to form out there that will want to seize this place and steal all the resources we've just added to it. I'll add a strong illusion charm to make it look like this place imploded as well so if anyone comes looking, they'll find nothing but a burnt out crater."
"I'd also add a family of house elves to this place. They will guard it and everything and everyone here with their lives if asked. They can give us warning too if something bad happens here." Neville suggested as the doors opened out into the main lobby of the center.
"Luna made the same suggestion. The elves will be here in a couple of hours." nodded Harry.
The three men walked up to the outer doors and looked out to see a tall white wall standing twenty feet from the entrance. It was made of solid rock and painted an off white color so as not to be a pain on their eyes despite the hot Georgia sun beating down on it, reflecting its light at them. Three cooling charms applied later, the men stepped outside to join Hermione and Ron, along with a group of ten magicals that were there to help Harry power up the wards and cast the fidelius charm.
An hour later it was done and Ron, being the chosen secret keeper, was soon busy writing down the secret to pass it on to others they trusted.
Harry grinned, "Okay gang, time to hit the road again. Pack it up."
They were already packed, had been for a few hours thanks to Ron and Hermione.
"Come on Harry, everything is in the RV." said Hermione.
The RV was a new acquisition they'd found on the road during one of their many runs. It had been decked out and modified to hold a lot of supplies along with an added room in the back where Harry had placed his trunk for easy access. The room was warded to hell and back and Harry thought it could hold up against just about anything short of a nuke. It was a portable safe room that, even if someone managed to get access to it, could keep the invaders held in stasis, thus keeping the trunk safe from invasion as well.
Sanctuary now held over a hundred souls and was growing as they were now going to start to visit the prison community weekly as a base for their operations.
Rick was looking forward to seeing his family and new friends that he was making.
The five of them bid their farewells to the CDC group and hit the road...
HPTWD
Hogwarts, same time...
Minerva McgGonagall and Pamona Sprout made one last circuit of their beloved school, sealing each window and door to the many rooms of the school as they passed. Hogwarts had fallen, at least the forest and its outer grounds. A huge herd of walkers had come to pay them a visit and overwhelmed Hogsmeade in short order as well. Too many wizards and witches had fallen the night before to maintain any kind of meaningful defense, so Minerva had evacuated the remaining survivors to the Ministry of Magic. The Ministry too was now being evacuated to the Colonies in hopes of saving as many people as they could.
Outside the main entrance hall to the castle, the horde was trying futilely to gain entry, hoping for a meal of more magical flesh...
"That's the last room. Let's raise the war wards and leave." Minerva said sadly as they rounded the corner towards the great hall. She raised her wand and began a complicated weaving of her wand, magic coming off of it in waves as the wards were activated once again.
"I can't believe the Minister ordered the evacuation of all Great Britain and Ireland. We can hold the line if we all gather together here at the school!" Pamona uttered.
"No, I've received word from a seer that if we do that, everyone here will die. We must retreat to the Americas, there we have a real chance of surviving, she's seen this." rebuked Minerva looking slightly cross at her one time colleague now subordinate.
"You've heard from Miss Lovegood? How is she?" Pamona said in surprise.
"She's doing well. She surprised me as well with her letter detailing why we have to leave. She sent another letter to the Minister, explaining to her why Britain was a lost cause, at least for now. Very few muggles are still alive, and those that are aren't the types we want to save at this point. The wards are up. Let us leave this place..." sighed Minerva as she pulled out a sock that she'd once gifted to Albus. "This portkey shall set us down in the Ministry, grab a hold Pamona."
Pamona did so and a moment later not a living soul remained in the greatest school for magic ever built. Only the ghosts remained as they took up their self appointed vigil, to guard the school, no matter how long that might be until the living returned to grace the halls with their much missed presence...
HPTWD
London, Ministry For Magic
The two arrived without fanfare and were soon gathering what students remained unsupervised in the chaos that was the evacuation taking place around them. Hundreds of people were arriving every few minutes as the portkey arrival point was cleared for each group of arrivals.
A few were apparating in as well in a small area set aside for it. One such arrival was very disturbing as a man came in splinched, missing his right arm and part of his right foot.
"AAAHHHH! They've got my arm and foot!" the man screamed in agony. "They're eating me! Eating me alive!"
A group of aurors made as if to retrieve his missing parts, but the man ordered them not to. He was dying and he knew it. He wasn't willing to risk their lives so he pointed his wand at his head and cast the killing curse, shocking everyone there to their very core.
"He was the last guard left outside ma'am." an auror informed Minister Longbottom.
"Withdraw, everyone left alive in this cursed country is to portkey immediately to the coordinates set for our arrival in the Colonies. I'm told that the area is cleared of the inferi for miles around and there is plenty of room for us all to arrive together." the Minister ordered with clear sadness upon her face.
Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank, the former professor for Care of Magical Creatures spoke up, "We've saved what we can of all our magical creatures and plants ma'am, we have them all in stasis."
Augusta gave a firm nod of thanks and yelled out again, "Evacuate!"
Everyone there grabbed onto the international porkeys, be they ropes, hula-hoops, or a hundred other objects and quickly began to vanish.
Three minutes later, no one worthy of safety remained on the British Isles... Only the worst of criminals remained, the murderers, the rapists and the pedophiles. They lasted barely a week before the last living man on the island was eaten alive by his fellows, now turned into the walking dead...
HPTWD
United States, Washington DC., Outside the Capitol Building
The British and Irish survivors arrived in a mighty swirl of magical lights and most promptly landed on their butts. Some puked and were helped by those that kept their feet and their stomachs by vanishing the mess, while others surveyed their new surroundings in dismay and with some relief, though they all did keep their guard up.
All along the veranda that was their arrival area were wizards and witches watching the newcomers with caution. Magicals from all over the world were present gathered in their separate groups, many showing some signs of having fought pitched battles very recently.
"Oh my!" exclaimed Pamona, as she noticed all the gathered people.
Minerva nodded, "I think Miss Lovegood is responsible for this endeavour. She's brought all of us together here." They had done the same with some of the countries around the world earlier, when all of this started, so it seemed that all of those now gathered here might be the last survivors of every other country on the planet. The numbers of her fellow magicals weren't looking to be very promising...
She looked around and started gathering up all of her students, along with the other teaching staff and the children's surviving families and soon had them all in some semblance of order.
Augusta and Shacklebolt were doing the same with the rest of the survivors from the UK and the rest, and they were soon approached by the American Magical Minister, George Reynolds, and a familiar looking blonde witch.
"Minister Reynolds, Miss Lovegood." Augusta greeted the newcomers. "Thank you for your warnings and for taking us in. We've brought all the supplies we could manage, so as not to be too large a burden on your own resources, and we're quite willing to share if that's needed."
"Thank you Madame Minister. We may take you up on that latter suggestion, but, for now, your supplies are your own. We won't be demanding that you share. As for taking your people in, it's something we've been doing for centuries, so think nothing of it. You're all welcome here and you may stay as long as you like. Hopefully, you'll be able to return to the UK in good time, but if not I'm happy to extend my hand in welcome and make you all American citizens if you so desire." Reynolds spoke.
Augusta gave a relieved nod and thanked the man again.
Luna came forward and said, with a solid conviction in her voice, that everyone noticed, "Hello Minister Longbottom, I'm glad you took my warning seriously. You're all welcome here and will play pivotal roles in the near future for all the remaining living people now here, as well as for all the magical creatures you've managed to save."
"Miss Lovegood, it does my heart good to see you after so many years. So, is this where you've been hiding?" Minerva asked after greeting one of her favorite pupils.
Luna's face was covered in a cloud for a moment, but then she smiled, "Yes, Headmistress, I came here right after the Battle to escape from the remaining death-eaters that were still active back home. I just couldn't stay there anymore."
Augusta Longbottom gave a huff, "Well, I believe you have little to fear on that front my dear. Most of the death-eaters are dead, I believe. The Malfoy's are the only ones left unaccounted for that still carry the mark."
Luna nodded, "I can't see any of them except Draco. His father died just after all of this started. Right now Draco is in the Midwest. I can't be anymore specific than that. But know this, Draco will also be pivotal in what lays ahead, whether that is to the good or for the bad, it's too soon to tell. He stands on a very thin line, one that will decide the fates of far too many."
Those present pondered her words in a moment of silence, then Minerva spoke, "My dear, could you show us where we'll be staying?"
Luna nodded and grinned, "We've set you all up inside the Capitol building. It's been expanded and fortified to hold back any walkers that might get this far. We've fenced off over half of the district and we're clearing it out, block by block. It's one of Harry's ideas so we don't get overwhelmed. Each block is fenced off as well as we go so if we lose control to the walkers, it will be limited to just one block at a given time. At least that's the plan, and so far it's been working."
"I always knew that boy was smarter than he let on." Pamona muttered.
Minerva gave a rare smile at the thought that only Pamona and Luna caught. "I trust that Mr. Potter is well?"
Luna nodded, "As well as Ronald, Neville and Hermione. They've made great progress in Georgia. Let's get everyone settled in and then maybe we can continue this conversation later."
Everyone agreed and followed Luna into the Capitol...
HPTWD
Draco grinned at the muggles on their motorbikes as the pulled up to stop a few meters away from him.
A bearded man stepped off his bike and said, "Half of your shit right here in front of me now..." the man started to say, but he and the twenty men with him were suddenly gone in a sudden burst of bloody mist as Draco cast one of the darkest area effect type spells he knew.
Draco stepped up to the bikes and the liquefied remains of his victims. He used levitation charm on the bloody clothes and personal effects, looking for acceptable salvage. He discarded most of it, but kept all the weapons and two sets of clothes that he cleaned with his magic.
He then looked at the bikes and debated what to do with them. He knew how to ride them from his years in hiding with his parents before they'd returned to London and his father had become Minister. He decided on the leader's motorbike and then shrank the others and stored them in one of the packs he had also salvaged. He then began vanishing the evidence of his attack. When he was finished he continued on his journey to DC, on his new bike, after silencing it of course. He wasn't a fool after all...
HPTWD
All attempts to move east as John had planned failed. He tried every route he could see on the maps, and even thought about going off-road more than once, but he worried that if they did that, the car wouldn't be able to handle it.
They finally got down onto I-72 and were making some progress, when they saw a truck coming towards them from the east. Inside was only one person and he was giving them a friendly wave as they drew closer to one another.
"Should we stop?" asked Megan, "He might know what the roads are like up ahead and he doesn't look like a bad man."
John stopped the car and looked at Megan, then turned back towards the guy in the truck. The man had stopped in the opposing set of lanes across the median from them and was getting out, keeping both of his hands up and offering a friendly smile. "Let's see what happens, nut if things go south, run back towards the last turn pike and that bridge over the Mississippi River that we saw a few miles ago. Hide in East Hannibal if you can."
When John was younger he'd been to Hannibal on a school tour. He'd seen the signs for the small and tiny settlement of East Hannibal and learned it only had about forty residents. In the past, it had been a big hub for farmers bringing grain to the river for shipping on to the granaries in Hannibal and further down river.
John exited the car while Megan cracked her door, making herself ready to run. "Heya mister. Can you tell us how the roads are up ahead? We're trying to reach some family down in Atlanta."
Matt Grayson nodded, "Not sure about anything East of Springfield right now, but the road was clear enough a few days ago up to there. I haven't had a need to go further that way lately, not since this shitshow kicked off anyway."
John was pleasantly surprised to hear this, "Thanks for the information."
Just then, off to the east and north, along another road then ran alongside the interstate, a truck was barreling along. Inside were six mean looking men, and they looked to be armed to the teeth.
"Shit, turn that car around and head back to the bridge in to Hannibal! These guys are going to cut us off if we don't hurry!" Matted yelled as he hightailed out of there burning rubber towards Hannibal.
John jumped into his car and quickly followed.
The chase was a narrow one as the barely got ahead of the armed men and started across the bridge that looked like a warzone, burned out steel barrels lining the road as they saw a large barricade ahead blocking off the other end of the bridge made out of thick and long looking pointed rods.
Behind them, no one saw a man jump out of the truck as it stopped for a moment, before it continued to follow the fleeing trio...
HPTWD
Kyle Moorland warily watched as the small convoy of vehicles slowly made their way across the Hannibal bridge from the Illinois side. He only relaxed when he saw that one car had a young girl smiling at him as they came closer.
He heard her faintly cry out, "Look John! Did you see the lighthouse?"
John, the man Kyle saw driving the car apparently, nodded, "I saw it honey." The car pulled up to the barricade and John cut the engine. "Hello? We come in peace!" John said feeling foolish about his last remark.
Kyle smirked at the man's awkward greeting, "It's fine mister, but let's wait for the other two trucks coming up behind you. I know the guy in the first truck. It's the third that has me feeling so cautious just now."
Kyle recognized Matt Grayson from his frequent visits to trade for those things his group needed and couldn't just make on their own. He was driving the first truck.
The second truck however was a different matter. He'd never seen the men in that truck before, and they looked like they were a pretty rough sort. They weren't somebody he wanted to have to deal with, but he liked his odds better now that Matt had just pulled up.
Matt glanced over his shoulder at the other truck, then he hustled Megan and John through the barricade that had opened just enough for them to get by before he slammed the opening shut again and called for reinforcements.
The other truck stopped a few hundred yards away from the obstruction and five men all piled out armed with AR15's with scopes on them.
The leader carried a small bullhorn, which he then used to hail the people of Hannibal that were in hearing of him, "We want you all to know that there's a new group people running things here. We call ourselves the Saviors, I'm their leader. Name's Negan. Listen, I'll lay it all out for ya. You give the Saviors half of everything you have and we make sure your community stays safe and biters free. You've got the Negan guarantee on that."
"Now the stick," Negan brandished a bat, modified with barbwire, "You fail to hold up your end of this bargain, we kill half of you and then make the offer one last time. You fail to comply again, we'll wipe you out and salt the earth with your ashes. Doubt me and my word, how about a demonstration of our sincerity..."
There was the rush of wind, then a wall defender's head exploded into nothing but mist and tiny chunks of gore, then the report of the shot was heard... A sniper was across the river!
Everyone on the wall ducked down behind their meager barricade and not a few needed a change in underwear.
"Now then, you've got three days to produce or we'll come in and take it ourselves. Make no mistake people, we mean business." Negan said. The men jumped back into their truck and turned around on the bridge before gunning it out of there.
Kyle swore like a sailor for some time before sighing, "Hannibal's about to be overrun from the west. Missouri's full of the shufflers and we're far too few to hold them off for very long. We were thinking of heading east, but those Saviors bastards are going to be a problem for us going that way."
Matt nodded, "I'll see if they paid my people a similar visit. We've got no idea on how many people this Negan character has, but we're still recovering from those assholes with the tank. If Negan can make good on his threat against Hannibal, we'll be no match for him. I'll have my people grab what they can and come back here so we can all plan on what to do."
"We can use all the help we can get, whatever we decide to do." replied Kyle. He turned to John and Megan, "I'm sorry you got caught up in all of this. We'll do what we can to resupply you if that's what you came here for."
"That sniper bastard killed Lisa!" one wall defender screamed. "I want justice!"
Kyle grabbed the teen, for teen he was and said, "Dammit Tom! You'll just be throwing your life away! We've got no information about these people. Hell, they're probably counting on some of us running off after them, all half-cocked and we'd run right into an ambush! It's what I'd do if I were them!"
Tom looked stunned by this, but sobered as Kyle's words really sank in. There was still fury in the boy's eyes, make no mistake about that, but it was now a cold and tempered fury. "I will have my justice Kyle..."
Kyle just nodded in sympathy, "And I'll be right there beside you when you do. You can count on that."
Matt headed back to his home and found out that Jeb was dead. His own fury knew no bounds as he ordered everyone to gather everything they could, they were abandoning the farm. The place just wasn't worth their lives, though it did break Mary's heart to leave her home of so many years.
Once they got to Hannibal, they all met with the elders of the town, since none of the local government was left alive and planned their exodus.
The next day, everyone left alive in town was a good fifty miles away heading east on I-72. They'd already been as prepped to leave as they could be and had stashed what they could in the caves that riddled the area around the small town, denying those supplies to Negan and his Saviors...
AN: I know, you're all thinking, but Negan's dead! Harry killed him and forty of his goons! Thing of it is, do you all remember the part of the show where Rick is asking where Negan is and if he was inside the building they'd just attacked, and the guy's response was "I'm Negan Shithead..." Then Rick just blows him away, while Carol seems to freak out? That's where I hoodwinked all of ya. If it had been the actual Negan, then I would have had Harry describe Lucille because that's one memorable bat, and Harry would have probably cut a joke about it with Rick. Anyhow, Harry did set the real Negan back a bit so the Saviors are setting up much further west as a direct result.
That's another chapter done. Happy two year anniversary since my last story update! A new chapter IS coming, don't worry! Lol, Martin70