Chapter 11 Who Will Walk Away pt3

Just a quick note to say hi. Hi!

Remember updates are sporadic due to mental and physical health. I won't apologize, just remind you.

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Harry had just joined Remus and Mac at the table when Hedwig flew in. She landed in front of him and started pecking his hand.

"Sorry, Hedwig, I had no idea what was going on when I sent you away. How did you get here anyway?" he said, petting her on the head.

She allowed him to pet her as she stuck out her foot. On it was a large letter. He took it and still pandered to her by giving her some bacon.

"There are portkeys for owls," Remus said, also giving the bird a slice of bacon.

"Oh, I didn't know that," Harry said, still staring at the letter.

"Who's it from?" the werewolf asked as he started petting the owl.

"Hermione, who else?" the teen said as if resigned to reading a book of information. He tore the envelope open and started skimming the contents. "She's safe at Hogwarts, with her parents. That's good I was worried they wouldn't let muggles in. She says there are hundreds of people there. Magical and non, mostly parents and relatives."

"Tonks' parents?" came the worried question. It would be nice to give Tonks some good news.

"They're there."

"Ron?" Remus wanted to know. He only knew the kid a bit, but he was Harry's sorta friend. Harry had hung out with everyone in the dorm, so Ron wasn't the boy's best friend. That privilege belonged to Hermione. He already knew the Lovegoods and Longbottoms were safe in their houses. But the Weasleys house might not be up to the end of the world.

"His whole family is there too," was the answer.

"How are things faring there?" there was the sound of children playing in the background, that meant that Harry's and his break would be over soon.

"The zombies are surrounding the castle, but the wards are keeping them out. She says Dumbledore has erected the war wards. They'll keep out everything. She also states that there are more muggles there than wizards. Something about wizarding homes being better equipped to handle the zombies."

"That's good of Dumbledore. I'm sure that the Ministry isn't going to like that," was the werewolf's comment. Not that he cared what the Ministry thought, but the last thing Hogwarts needed was the Ministry sticking their nose in.

"Fuck the Ministry," Harry spat, ignoring the "Language" from Remus, "They wouldn't care about anyone who doesn't have money. I'm glad they never found out about me turning furry. Arseholes."

"Too right," the adult said, nodding along. "Still, language," he added. He knew how they treated werewolves very well. It was only because Snape outed him that his life was shite. Before that, he had just been poor, now he was poor and an outcast.

"Anyway, they have enough supplies, and they are sending the elves to loot. I hate that they are putting the elves through that, but no one else can get in or out. Damn them," Harry said, "I agree with Hermione it's not right to risk the elves. We don't do that to ours."

"Ours might hurt if we tried," Remus tried to joke.

"No likely," Harry scoffed, though he chuckled at whatever image that provoked.

"Any good news, besides they are safe?" Remus asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, Hermione says that most of the 'Dark Faction', as she calls it, aren't there. And those that are, are keeping quiet. That's good. The last thing they need is a bunch of prejudice people running about."

"What of Voldemort?" Remus inquired, hoping that there was no news.

"He attacked the castle looking for me. Snape let him know that I wasn't there," Harry answered, skimming over the words on the letter. "She says that Voldy swore he would find me, then had to fight off the zombies to get away. She says he lost five men in that fight. I don't think I have to worry about that man right now."

"I would still be on guard. Voldemort is not someone you want to underestimate," came the warning.

"You're right. I should keep my eyes and ears open," the teen conceded. He skimmed the letter for anything important, "It's mostly rambling now. She's going on and on about how all this should not be possible, and how she should have seen it coming. How she hates that she missed the signs until it was too late," Harry concluded, putting the letter down.

"No more on Voldemort?" the werewolf asked, making sure that was all the news.

"No, old Voldy must have took Snape's word that I wasn't there. Are you sure he's on our side?" Harry asked, his voice one of disbelief.

"Yes, he's on our side," Remus said, wearily. "We should also stop saying his name. He put a taboo on it in the last war. If he takes the Ministry, he can do it again."

"Why the Ministry?" the teen asked, his head tilted to the side.

"The Unspeakables are the only ones who can. I'm pretty sure his spy in that department was arrested in the last war. But if he razes Azkaban then…" the man trailed off, it being self-explanatory.

"Okay, if it'll make you feel better, we'll just call him Tom," Harry said, stated firmly. "I would think that the Dementors would hate zombies," he said in deep thought. "I mean, do they have souls?"

"Not according to the good doctor," Remus said, thinking along the same lines as Harry.

"Will they come to places like this then? The Dementors, I mean. If they can't find 'food' where they are?" the teen wanted to know.

"I would hope not, but probably some place like this in England. However, we'd better make sure all magicals can do the Patronus. The wards will keep them out, but we won't be behind them all the time." Remus looked around watching everyone eating happily.

"We should figure out a way to kill them. We have the Black Family Library, it should have something," Harry said, waving towards where the library was stored.

"I'll talk to Sirius when he gets back. Now, did you get the kids settled?" Remus promised as he changed the subject.

"Yeah, they know what's expected of them. That Lori woman wasn't happy about it, but when I explained to her that everyone, including kids, were required to take self-defense she agreed," Harry said, folding Hermione's letter and tucking it in his pocket.

"Well, she's a mother, so I can understand why she doesn't want her child to fight," the werewolf stated. He didn't tell Harry about the argument he had just had with the woman.

"I guess. I wonder where Sirius is," Harry said, looking towards the entrance.

"I'm sure he's fine," was the answer he got.

Harry wasn't sure.

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Sirius was tired. After they left Rachel with the Vatos they went to find Merle. According to his spell the man was outside Atlanta. Not far outside, but Atlanta was not a small city. As it was Sirius was considering holding off until he could Apparate. He couldn't right now because he had no idea where to go. That gave him an idea. "Daryl, let's get up on a roof. I can Apparate us from one building to the next without all these damn zombies."

"What is Apparate?" Daryl asked, looking at him like he had suggested they do something dangerous.

"Teleport," was the answer.

"Why didn't you say that?" the redneck grumped. Not even going to ask if it was possible.

"Because it's Apparation, not teleporting. I hate that I have to reexplain everything," Sirius mumbled under his breath as he headed towards the nearest building. He wasn't worried about the car. It's not like zombies could drive. Anyone else desperate enough to steal it can have it. They had plenty more and they didn't need one to get around.

Daryl followed him. They both kept alert and moved quickly. Soon they were on the roof, only having killed three zombies on the way. Daryl told the man that he liked that Sirius could hold his own. Unlike the group he had come with, only three of them could do as well.

As soon as they got up to the roof, Sirius did the spell again. He noted it seems that Merle was still in the same direction. So, he grabbed Daryl's arm and hopped to the next roof. They continued to do this until they were at the edge of the city. It took about 10 minutes.

"I ain't never doing that again," Daryl said spitting on the ground next to him. The first few times were murder, but he got used to it the fifth time, more or less.

"We might have to do it so we can get back." Serious said seriously. "We have no other way. But it'll be one instead of many," he added, waiting for Daryl to get his bearings.

"Thought you said Merle was gonna be here," the redneck said, looking around and not seeing his brother. Now that his head wasn't spinning, he could see they were in a small grove of trees.

"He should be around here somewhere," the wizard stated as he too looked around. He did the spell again and it confirmed Merle should be there.

"Daryl, you sorry sap-sucking son of a bitch, what the hell you doing here?" a large, burly one handed man said as he came out from behind a tree. He was tall, baldish, and definitely missing his left hand. He looked like he had been fighting the whole time he had been missing. Which he probably had, but it looked like he came out on top.

"You mother-fucking asshole, you left me again," the younger brother snapped, getting in Merle's face. "Why are you always leaving me behind? I came here to find your sorry ass and either go with you or take you some place safe."

"You ain't no baby. I don't have to hold your goddamn hand," the older brother said, pushing Daryl away. "Go back to your safe place with the others. You'd do better there. I don't want your whiny ass around."

"You mother fucking goat fucker, I was worried about you. You're running around all gimped out. Now you're telling me to fuck off. Fuck you, asshole," Daryl said, throwing his ever-present crossbow to Sirius and threw the first punch.

"I don't need no wet-behind-the-ears pansy helping me," Merle said, throwing the second punch as if to prove as much.

Then the two of them were duking it out. They were really laying into one another which was impressive since Merle didn't have a left hand. That didn't stop him though, he laid into Daryl pretty good. They were throwing each other all around the grove.

Sirius just watched and moved out of the way. He knew they needed to settle it between themselves.

After a good fifteen minutes they both stopped. Both sported bruises and cuts, and Merle's left eye was black, while Daryl's lip was swollen.

'You two done?" Sirius asked, moving towards them cautiously.

"Yeah, we're done," Daryl said, dabbing his lip.

"Who the fuck are you?" Merle answered, narrowing his eyes at the newcomer.

"This is Sirius Black. He has a safe place that he brought us to. Get this they're goddamn wizards, with real magic and all," Daryl said, watching his brother's reaction. Merle was a hothead at the best of times.

"Magic ain't real, you idiot."

"I beg to differ," Sirius said, waving his wand and turning the tree he was standing next to into a puppy.

"Mother fucker," Merle exclaimed, jumping away from the magicked dog. "What the hell?"

"It's what I've been trying to tell you. They make it so the Walkers can't come in. There's a whole bunch of them there. And if you can control yourself, you can come too," Daryl said, though he too was keeping clear of the dog. "They might could fix your hand."

"I don't think so," Sirius said, shaking his head. "He cauterized the end. I don't think even magic can fix that."

"Still, maybe they can try," Daryl said, looking at his brother. "I have your hand," he added.

"That's sick shit right there. I always knew you was touched," Merle said, spitting at his feet. "Throw that shit away, idiot."

"Fuck you, Merle," Daryl said, shaking his head. "I thought you could be fixed."

"Don't start," Sirius said, waving his wand and the dog was a tree again. "You'd have to get passed the wards," he said then added. "Shields that tell if you're going to behave. Meaning if you two want to do fisticuffs, you need to go outside the wards."

"You'd have to work too," Daryl added, knowing that his brother didn't like to be told what to do.

"Fuck that shit. I'm going to go on my own. I ain't staying with those that handcuffed me and left me to rot. You stay here. I don't want you slowing me down," Merle said, looking at Daryl with eyes of a big brother, though his words belayed that emotion.

Daryl knew his brother though. He really just wanted Daryl safe. As if such thing existed now.

"Fine," was all he said, then did something he rarely did, he hugged his brother and was shocked when Merle hugged back, for a mere second, but the emotion was there.

"Don't die," they both said, and then Daryl handed Merle the backpack that he had put on the ground when they first got there. "Here's our stuff. There's guns and food, water, and such. You come back this way in a year. I want to know you're alive. We're in the campgrounds on the highway to the north."

"Don't die," Merle said, and walked away.