Seven: If it tastes magical, it might be?

I really want to thank all my readers for the kudo's, the sweet comments, and all the love you have been giving me and my story. I have been a bit busy with schoolwork, we're nearing the end of the year and I need to get my students to succeed and get their diploma's. As always, you would not have been able to read this without my lovely beta; Salllzy! Thank you so, so very much!

Present time The Farm

Merle and Daryl were sitting outside of the big tent, not to raise suspicion that they could fit into the bigger one. While the tent had some sort of magical air conditioning, they loved being outside. The sun was out and shining on their faces. Merle had caught a few fish in the stream, and two rabbits from traps that he strategically had placed in the woods behind the camp, that they were skinning and descaling. In Daryl's head 'Harry' sounded too normal for someone as extraordinary as Hadrian, so he still called the man just that: Hadrian.

Hadrian had made a real impact on the Dixon brothers in the short time that they had met him, and his equally silly friends who were crazy in a good way with that. It seemed fitting for a Saviour of the Wizarding World, as Ron had put it. The enigma sat next to him, watching how they skinned the animals with precision and skill. Since the magical barrier was still up, as Hadrian had explained, he had a block of wood out in the open next to his own wand and was looking at the wood intently.

"Whatcha doin' with tha'?" Merle was interested in the wands the minute he heard about them, and Daryl just followed their back-and-forth conversation. Hadrian answered them all with such patience. If anybody would see him glancing more at Hadrian than he realised himself, they would be able to pass it off to the conversation that went on between Merle and Hadrian.

"I'm trying to get this going, it keeps me busy." Hadrian was stroking the heavy branch with his hands, as if it were sacred.

"Are ya craftin' somethin'?" Merle stopped with the rabbit and hammered his buck knife into the tree he was sitting on. "Figurines?"

"No, I'm a wandmaker. Wands are crafted, created. I was fortunate enough to learn that trade. I had this piece in the tent from an earlier adventure and I did not know why I did not bring it into the workshop. My Master says everything happens for a reason."

"Huh? Ya make them with wood, chisel them into the form they have?" Daryl looked up towards the mixed woods in Hadrian's hands and mixed himself in the conversation. "What tree is it?"

"This is a highly unlikely mixture. Normally wand makers do not mix woods, but my Master has learned that trade as it is very rare. It is the only way that it works for me. Not always, sometimes it is just a small piece, other times it must be a perfect combination. Sometimes it is just one type of wood. It depends." Hadrian traced the ebony running through the English oak. "This here is ebony, a wood that has quite the reputation among wandmakers. They are usually made for witches or wizards who are highly individual but hold fast to their beliefs. The English oak makes for a loyal wand that partners with someone who is courageous and has strength. Wandmakers believe that the wand chooses the wizard or witch, so this says a great deal about the little lady that I feel that I am crafting for." Hadrian smiled, and then took out another wand that both men had not seen before.

"I craft with this one. My magic can get violent if I use the others to do it." The man laughed sarcastically and shook his head when he saw Merle's face. "You can say it; I'm crazy! I know, I am so special that I even disgust myself." Hadrian's face now fell, and he was visibly affected by his words.

"Come on, sunshine. Don't cha do that to yaself, it ain't necessary." Merle had returned to his task but was listening intending to learn from Hadrian. Daryl was surprised that the Brit would be able to get this side out of Merle; it was usually only reserved for Daryl himself. The hunter was glad that Merle finally seemed to loosen up, that he cared again, and maybe got another chance at life.

"Hmm, maybe." Hadrian had taken a few ingredients out of his long, now green coat, and started the same staring contest with those things. He looked at Merle and directed his next question to Merle. "What do you think would fit Sophia the best, Merle?"

"What'cha mean?" Merle looked at the dark hairs, the shiny silver strand, and something that looked like a stone that laid before Hadrian on a conjured table as the wizards called it. "And don't ya think I'm letting ya of tha' hook, eh sunshine."

"What would fit her? What should her wand do for her?" Hadrian started humming under his breath, ignoring Merle for the other part of the conversation. "I wonder if I should go traditional or completely the opposite."

"It should help her, protect her, put som' pepper up that butt. Give her strength to live in this stupid world. Yeah, I guess somethin' like that." Merle took a swig from the stoneware mug that Ron had delivered earlier, and Daryl nodded that he agreed with Merle.

"Safety, protection, family." Daryl summarized, while stabbing a metal skewer through the fish, so it could smoke above the fire. Carol was going to make a lovely salad for the afternoon lunch. She had practically banned Hadrian from doing it all and had demanded at least one meal a day. The evenings were always made by the Elfthing. Daryl was still surprised to see what that tent was able to carry. Every day he would find something else in the same drawer or he saw another nook with a chest of drawers or the likes. He knew magic was involved, but it still boggled his mind.

"Thank you, that is exactly what I need. The griffin nails and feathers should do it. I knew it, I knew it." He took the rock-like materials and vanished the rest back into the tent with a wave of his wand.

He started murmuring some Latin, some English, and then he hissed like he was a snake before the wood in his hands started shaking, and slowly it became smaller and it looked like Hadrian was carving bits and pieces from the block, to form a wand-shape while the ingredients started to melt into the wood. It looked magical, and Daryl figured that if he had not known about magic, he would still find it very admirable.

It did not take long before Hadrian sighed with content and happily showed the wand he just crafted to the brothers. He did look a bit out of breath, but content. He held a dark brown wand in his hands that was infused with vine-like carvings of the black ebony. It was a medium wand, a bit thicker than Hadrian's own, but still very elegant. It was rounded out at the tip, with delicate carvings on the handle, with a soft pattern embedded. Hadrian seemed proud of his creation and started to look for Sophia immediately to hand her the new tool.


Past time Somewhere in Ron's mind

Arthur Weasley was a fair man, a man that had taught all his sons to be lord of an estate, because he knew a war was brewing, and he did not know what would happen to his oldest. Ron, who always thought that Dumbledore taught Harry as he should have been as his magical guardian, had picked up after Sirius' untimely death. When he learned that Harry did not know anything before Sirius started with his teachings, he had a raging outburst that would have earned him at least three howlers if his mother would have heard him.

Ron might hate all the knowledge that came with running an estate, even to this day, but he had grown up to be a decent wizard, one that could pass as a Lord if he wanted to. Like he said it himself; "I might have been a prejudiced prick back then, I think I can be a good man now. Maybe even a Lord if the need arises." Ron knew what being a Lord meant in the Wizarding world, and he knew what hardships Harry would have to face. So, he stood by his best friend, and made sure that Harry would not befall the same trauma again.

Ron had joined the aurors, after finishing his last year of Hogwarts after it was rebuilt, with Hermione, Neville, and Draco. Yet, after rounding up the last death eater on the list (courtesy of the houses of Malfoy and Snape-Prince) personally, he had tossed his red cloak at Shacklebolt, saluted, and had left to join George at his shop, only to take over the Hogsmeade shop all on his own. The public outcry could only make Harry laugh even more on his behalf. When Harry had asked, one Christmas evening, Ron had said that somebody needed to do it and Harry already had done enough. They never spoke of it again, not needing to. They understood each other.

Ron had promised himself at the end of the sixth year that he would always take care of Harry, no matter what. If that meant fighting two Death Eaters at the same time or facing an acromantula: Ron would do it. This had been the reason why he had gotten extra defence lessons from not only Harry, but also Severus, Minerva, and Filius. He decided that Hermione might have a little point when she pointed out his lack of study, so he started paying attention to his classes a bit more. Not too much, he had realised that he had to play a role, a character that everybody would know and love. But in his head, he stored all the knowledge. Hermione once used a metaphor to make him understand. Something with information being a chess piece. That had caught on. For the form he started a relationship with Lavender, only to realise that he wanted something entirely different than a girl like that. It did help with his plan to cover for Harry and the adolescent' evening adventures. Lavender was the main gossip of the school, together with Pansy, and he needed to make sure that she did not know anything that was of importance.

Draco later would call it the best cover-up he had ever seen. Only Draco knew what Ron was doing, and he supported his supposed rival in any way he could. It may have been a book from the Malfoy libraries, or a bracelet that detected if there was poison in their food, so Ron was able to check his and Harry's for love potions. That time that Ron 'accidentally' spilled a full jug of milk on Harry's food. No accident. The mashed potatoes that exploded in Ginny's face, also no accident. It had been with pain in his heart that he needed to vanish the treacle tarts.

It was also Ron that would help Draco wherever he could, without raising suspicion. Harry, who was neck-deep in the occlumency lessons, and under great duress, had enough on his plate as it was. If Draco was harassed because they thought he was gay, it was Ron that used his prefect status to punish people, take points or ask Malfoy for a prefect meeting: that never happened. More than once they ended up in the Room of Requirement, so that Draco could vent, scream about his mission, and pass on information that Ron would feed Harry. He might look like he wasn't subtle, but he had learned from the twins and Draco to use that to his advantage. The best defence was offense sometimes. Ron was the true chess master on the board in the war. He navigated like a pawn that became the knight to cause more chaos, so that other pieces could play. If only the other two who deemed themselves the Kings had known about the other players on the board, or who was really playing, they would have decided differently.


Past time Hogwarts, somewhere during their sixth year

"Mister Weasley, I am surprised to see you spilling my ingredients yet again. Pray tell, is this a ruse?" Severus Snape, master spy extraordinaire, walked into the remedial potion's laboratory with ease, and with an elegance that others would have trouble matching. If you looked closely, and knew what to look for, you could see him looking all worn out, but not many people noticed that.

"Professor Snape, my apologies. I tried to add these ingredients but must have gotten them wrong." Ron knew the code in which Severus spoke. It meant that his practical training tonight would be cancelled, probably because Harry was having more and more nightmares, and the occlumency lesson would have been taxing on Severus.

"Dreamless sleep is a dangerous and addictive potion mister Weasley, you are not allowed to drink your brew whilst being a student among these walls but need to get one from the infirmary with permission from our resident medi-witch." This meant that Harry would have gotten a fresh new batch from Severus, and the contents from Ron's cauldron would be used for the infirmary ones that Harry was supposed to get. Officially dosed with a loyalty-potion, unofficially just Ron not being the perfect brewer and accidentally his colouring had looked like the potion being added. Severus had helped him afterward, but recorded what Ron had done wrong, to remake that.

"I know sir, I was merely practising for my exams." He understood, he would switch them out tonight with Neville's help. His roommate was not the goody two-shoes everybody thought, but the leader of the underground resistance that was brewing. He was available, approachable, generous, and a friend of Harry's. That would do it within seconds. There were even some Slytherins who had contacted Neville to help out.

"Good I am surprised to see you genuinely try. Maybe miss Granger has gotten through that thick skull of yours. Try to add a bit more of the root next time. It might be passable then in small amounts." This was genuine advice disguised through the first sentence, knowing that Ron would need to be able to brew it if Draco or Severus could not send them a batch. They both knew that Harry needed it if he wanted to survive his current predicament.

"Muffliato." Severus had been sure enough that they were alone, and whispered some more wards, and spells that Ron was only starting to learn. Having a paranoid spy as a defence master who also taught him personally did help. Ron had learned one thing; he needed to know why, then he could learn even the hardest things. No matter what.

"I appreciate your help, Ronald." Severus nodded his head towards the youngest Weasley male. "Draco has spoken highly of your help and the right amount of interference. Harry is trying, but the connection to Him is wearing him out greatly. It would do that to the strongest of wizards, mind you. He's under too much stress already to be the center of attention."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate the stomach soother you send over, for me and Neville. You were quite right, a lot of the Gryffindors are being loyalty dosed." After Ron found out, he had Draco spell the contents from his stomach, and he took the special potion that Severus made. Ron set a stasis charm over the cauldron and walked up towards the teacher's desk, which was empty bare a tea set and a chessboard. Severus had transfigured two generous seats and offered one to Ron. A soft Darjeeling, as Severus loved to drink while they played.

"I am sorry to hear that. Please refrain from taking anything without the bracelet you are wearing, Ronald. Harry, Draco, and Neville are protected by their family rings or heirship rings. Now, do you fancy a game of chess?" Ron understood, and he was eager to learn more.

"Yes sir, I would love to." Ronald smiled with glee. Severus was the only decent player left for him, and it was always a challenge to see who would win. The fact that Severus also used this to explain strategies, defence positions, or other trivia, that was merely a coincidence. Naturally. Nothing else.


Past time Hogwarts, somewhere during their sixth year

"Weasley, we have a head boy meeting at nine. Please try to leave that Weasley-tardiness at home, will you?" Draco sneered over at Ron, who was making even a bigger mess of his food than normal. Just to antagonise Draco – because that was actual fun – Ron answered with a full mouth.

"I'll try Malfoy. Can you take that stick out of your arse then beforehand?" This made the table around him laugh, and Draco nodded with visible disgust that was not acting. It also told Draco that he would try to get to their private meeting as soon as possible.

"Be there Weasel, McGonagall will have our heads otherwise." This signalled that the other understood, but no one noticed.

That night at nine, Ron walked without Hermione who had gone to the library after the real head boy and head girl meeting, towards the Room of Requirement. Draco had also been promoted to head boy and would be joining him shortly. The prefects from the year before were asked to train the newer ones, and so it was that Ron and Draco had to partner up. A lovely detail Severus, well played, he thought.

He tried pacing in front of the Room, but it would not budge. Draco must have been in already; Ron had walked Hermione to the library to be sure that she was safe, and to pretend that they were better friends than they were. It was not that he disliked Hermione, but she sometimes did not get the hardships they lived in. Her muggle views could be very refreshing, and yet Ron only felt a good friendship towards her. Not the strong one he had before the fourth year. When he laid his hand on the door handle while musing, he felt the Slytherins energy surging through him. The room gave way, and he was able to enter.

"Draco?" Ron whispered when the door closed behind him. He only saw the usual formal sitting room with the big chaise lounge that Draco preferred, and a crying blonde sitting with his hands in his hair. "Damnit mate, you alright?" He walked up to his former rival and without thinking, hugged the man with all his might. A proper Weasley-hug, as his mum would say, could do a lot.

"Fucking asshole tried to rape me." It came out as a whisper, after a long time of silence, but Ron held on and rocked Draco softly left and right in his arms.

"Who? We'll get rid of them immediately. I'm still carrying a boot knife, you know." Ron's voice was tense but battle ready. He knew that Draco was gay and only semi-dated Pansy for the diversion, and he also did not care in the slightest. Ron was grateful for his parents; his father had told them from their earliest talks that he would never care if they married a man or a woman, as long as they were happy.

"Blake my semi-boyfriend you idiot, his father is a silent follower so I hoped he would keep his calm. Theo arrived just in time to clear him from the room. I just wasn't in the mood, to be honest, but he seemed to want something. Last time before this he started pushing as well." Draco was now laying on Ron's chest, which had only gotten broader due to quidditch and the exercises he and Harry did every morning with Neville.

"I thought you were dating Blaise? He practically doesn't bother about gender, right?" Ron just shrugged. "But say the word and Neville and I will figure something out." If Harry was his best mate, Draco was getting dangerously close to becoming his second. Neville was more like a brother to Ron even though he had more of those already.

"No, I can handle this. Thank you, Ron. I'll get Pansy to deal with it, maybe break up with the guy. The sex isn't that good anyway." Draco closed his eyes and relaxed in the stronghold that Ron had on him. The man smirked. "Blaise is too blasé, and so not my type."

"Too smooth?" Ron smiled, and caressed his friend's hair. The boy's school uniform was wrinkled, and Draco even had creases in his tie. Nothing a good charm could not fix, something Ron had learned all from his mother. Knowledge he always hid. Being the youngest in a big family made him disappear more than everybody expected.

"Dunno, just not what I fancy. Is Harry coming as well?" Draco wished for some drinks, and some soda water, and hot chocolate appeared.

"He's with Severus first, but will join later. I believe he could use the practical exercise; his magic is going haywire at every moment his emotions get out of check. Luna is helping him with meditation, but we all know that this might not be the best way to go." Ron smirked, a trait he had picked up from Draco.

"Ha, yeah. Makes you think who is off worse; Luna or Harry." Draco sighed. "Thank you, Ron, for this." Draco sat upright, and let Ron spell the wrinkles and creases away.

"Always Draco. You just give me the word, and I'll take care of Blake with pleasure. Nobody touches family."

"Not now you evil git." Draco threw him a side-eye.

"That's you, not me. I'm the red devil." Ron smiled and laughed at the blonde who shook his head in tiredness.

"Draco, Ron?" Harry was looking wearily into the room after the door closed behind him. He had a few cuts on his face, and two books under his arms. His uniform was incomplete, and he sported a shagged look, while both boys knew he had never done that so they started worrying immediately.

"Come inside," Draco answered. He took one good look at Harry and shook his head. "Try to not get yourself killed, will you? We still have plans for after…"

"I have you guys to make sure that doesn't happen." Smiling, the man said sheepish, and he gave the books to Draco. "Thanks Ron, for this morning. What was it this time?"

"Amortentia. Did you get a good whiff?" Ron shuddered. The fact that anybody was that stupid, was beyond his belief.

"A bit, it smelled earthly, like a forest and smoked meat. The smell I always get, so nothing new there." Harry shrugged it off too used to being the victim and accepted the cup of chocolate that Draco handed him. His Potter heir-ring softly glowed blue, to signal it was safe. The Black one stayed calm, so no charms. Ron loved the Black paranoia even more than normal.

"Good, at least it's still that and you haven't been dosed again with an loyalty potion." Severus entered the room with a stern look on his tired face. "Let us revise and continue where we left off, gentlemen. We can sleep when our enemies are dead. Guards up, wands out!"


Past and present time Ron recollects his past

Protecting Harry from a Dark Lord, or walking corpses, Ron could and would do it all. An apocalypse was no exception. He smiled at the weird group of people that were seated at the big table. Mack on Draco's left hand, playing a card game with Sophia, that the farmer had brought along. He had been explaining the rules to her with a lot of bravura. Merle and Daryl were teaching Harry all the ins and outs of a bow and how to shoot with one, and Ron just sat there with his summer ale, enjoying the shimmering heat of the Georgian summer, softly settling like embers on a fire.

Ron knew he was reminiscing too much, but lately everything got him thinking. He still wrote to Hermione every week, but she was too engrossed in trying to solve the mystery around the inferi, then she was interested in getting over the pond. He had asked her a few times, but she always evaded his questions. He was glad that Charlie was with her, so she was protected, but he realised he had hoped that she would hop over. Although he had a feeling that Charlie might be the reason that she wasn't coming along and that did make him happy. He had been afraid that she would not find anybody or that anyone would be able to keep up with him.

Their 'seventh year' on the run had been a weird one. Remus had gifted Hermione with some gear to help protect Harry, and she had apparated them away before Ron realised that it was happening at Bill's wedding. She had been an amicable companion, a good friend who helped them without a doubt, but he wished he could have protected her from all that trauma. The infamous fight between Harry and Ron had been staged. Staged so Ron could go to Draco to get information, supplies, and take care of Draco who had been living with a mad man in the summer, and later on with the Carrows in the castle. People thought he had been safe, but Draco had feared for his own life. Severus had been the only one who had made sure that he survived.

Now that Hermione had been with them for the search for the Horcruxes, he and Harry had to change their plans. Thankfully Draco had sent over a communication device that looked like the mirrors that Sirius once had gifted Harry, so they could talk if Hermione was otherwise occupied. Ron had started to fall in love with Hermione during their official last year; he saw how she was without the constant academic pressure, and he had liked that. He tried to make a move, but as Draco said: they were too different. Hermione only loved the public version of Ronald, and not the warrior, the leader, the protector. She refused to see the real Ron, so he had hidden that guy during and after the battle of Hogwarts. The blonde had been right, unfortunately about everything when it came to Hermione and Ron; they were not meant to be together.

Hermione had dated some Hufflepuff during eight year, but even that guy had been no match for the smartest Gryffindor in years after Lily Evans. Ron had somehow not dated much during Hogwarts, trying to make up for his lost years. Ron knew he loved the ladies; he always had done so. He did not feel picky but somehow he always drew the shortest straw. He would be friend zoned, told that he was too much of a brother, or just plainly ignored. He did get enough attention, especially being a war hero, but it was not the kind he needed nor wanted. Those ladies only saw the war hero or hoped to rope him into marriage for their fortune and fame. Harry always said that any girl would be lucky to have him, but Ron wondered if she was still alive. Not that an apocalypse was the best time for this, he was back into his protector mode, and apparently that was not attractive to most lass's. He was too strict, too tight, and not romantic enough. He wondered if he would ever find anyone, or if he and George would die as singles together. At least he had his brothers at his sides; both in blood and not.

Ron reminded himself to get back to the present, and he noticed everything that was going on at the table, but he decided not to mention it. Luna always told him that he could do a lot more if some information was kept hidden. That was the only way to play the game he was so well-versed in. So, he hid it, but laughed about it in his head. Ron felt the amulet around his neck heat up and checked Neville's message. George and Luna had made those to work the same way the coins from the DA. It was a good message. Things were finally looking up again. His family would be safe; Ron would make sure that was going to happen and stay the same way.


Present time The woods

"Could you teach me?" Hadrian's voice sounded soft but enthusiastic.

The hunter had stopped being surprised when Hadrian encountered him again and again without being noticed by either Merle or himself. Maybe it was the magic that swirled around Hadrian, but Daryl doubted that since it felt like it had been ingrained in Harry. He just lowered his crossbow, and silently looked over at the wizard. Dressed like a muggle or charmed to act like it; Daryl would not know the difference anyway. The green cargo pants with a long black sleeved T-shirt, his trademark black coat on top of the combination that fell to his ass. It was a shorter one than the one he had been wearing before. Maybe to blend in easier, who knew what the wizards thought. Hadrian's hair was up in a weird updo that reminded Daryl of Vikings, black combat boots, and his leather messenger bag strapped over his left shoulder. The man looked to be out of place, and yet fitted in like he had been there all along. He was ready for this mess that they found themselves in.

"You know. Hunt." Hadrian waved his hand around and shrugged when Daryl did not answer his question immediately. "I can only do it magic-wise, and this might come in handy for the future. I just want to learn."

"Sure, ya can shoot?" Daryl nodded at the riding bow Hadrian had over one shoulder, and the quiver that was fastened onto the straps of his bag. He figured that it could not hurt to teach the man. He had saved both brothers, they could teach him in return what they knew.

"I know the basics. I'm a good shot, spellcasting helps with that. Just need to learn to control the bow the best for hunting." Hadrian smiled lopsided, being a bit nervous with the bow in hand. "I am still better with swords and daggers."

"Alright' then." He nodded towards the start of the forest and motioned for Hadrian to follow.

Hadrian did so, and Daryl realised he had no idea how he could teach the man the best way. Merle had taught him, so that was the only way he knew. It would just have to do.

"Just try to watch me, tha' will be the fastest way to learn." Daryl whispered, when he came upon one of Merle's traps.

"Sure, I will do that." Hadrian smiled that full smile that seemed to cross his features way more often, and Daryl went to work, feeling Hadrian's magic floating around him like a protective blanket. Now that he knew what it was, he felt it constantly around him and he felt comfortable around it.


Present time The Farm

"Ya' should learn how to defend yourself, sweetheart." Merle was kneeling before Sophia one morning and rested his right hand on her shoulder. "With an' withou' magic." He showed her his biggest grin, and she sighed.

"I don't like violence, Merle! Mummy says that God does not approve of that." She shuffled on her feet, which were now clad in walking boots, sturdy jeans above. On her right arm was her new wand strapped in a holster that Draco had brought along and on the left a shiny knife in her dragon leather belt. Hadrian had gone above and beyond, and had given them all full survival kits, with magical necklaces and other stuff. Merle had opted for to keep the bracelet that Hadrian had given him, he did not like to wear a necklace. So, the men had sent that in some way to Luna, and it had come back with the right rune things and spells.

Merle appreciated Mack, who had a realistic and practical look on life that was very well needed right now. He seemed to blend seamlessly within the group of wizards and non-maj's like it was a normal thing. Ron was a fearsome warrior, even with his big sword, never mind with magic. He was a quick thinker and a true soldier. Merle never had found many people intimidating, but big Red had a look in his eyes that Merle recognized and simultaneously feared healthily. The man was standing behind them, a golden box in his hands with a red velvety fabric inside in which there were more knives, and a sword. They looked to have belonged to royalty, but Merle had stopped asking how they had stuff like that. Harry seemed to have inherited some sums of money and possessions but decided that he could just use that as he wished. Merle agreed; he would have done the same.

"Neither do I, love." Hadrian tapped her shoulder softly and winked playfully at Merle. "Yet we live in a world that forces our hand. It is eat or be eaten, quite literally. Now I do not mean to be rude, love, but unfortunately you must grow up sooner than you feel is normal. I know the feeling. It can be very unpleasant."

"Fine," muttered Sophia. "But I don't want to kill people, only walkers."

"Naturally, sweets! Nobody expects you to do anything different." Ron smiled, and handed her the stiletto from the case. "Rule number 9: never go anywhere without a knife."

"Or a second, or third, or fourth knife, if you're like Harry." Draco laughed, before said man jabbed at his ribs.

"I like knives, so shut it Malfoy!" Hadrian threw a mock-angry look, but this did not impress the blonde at all.

"It's Malfoy now?" Draco winked at Hadrian before he dodged a hand that swept behind the back of his head.

"Oi, Potter!" Draco hid behind Ron, who just rolled his eyes towards Mack and Merle, but had his wand ready to teach them both a lesson if necessary.

"There are rules to this?" The young teenager looked up towards the adults, who were trying to hit each other with jinxes, which made Mack smile. He had confessed that they had been too business-like most of the time, and they could use some distractions.

"We made them, during our war." Draco smiled with a broken smile that he directed towards the girl. "Severus insisted we'd have some code of conduct. We ruined it for him, but sometimes it is good to have something to remind you of the abnormality of the situation."

"What are they?" Her eyes now glistened to get the knowledge. She had taken to magic like a fish to water, and her first spell had been learned without a hitch. She was now reading through some informative books that Minerva had sent over. The wizards loved to see someone learn magic with so much glee, that it had gotten them in better spirits; thinking about their first years in school, instead of their last.

"Ah, my youngling," Ron had enjoyed the hand-to-hand combat training they received during the war way too much and had taken some of his catchphrases from their trainer. "You will learn in due time! You will also know when that time is nye."

"I can say number one." Draco laughed, as Mack threw him an unreadable face. "Good men die. Rule number two: Not even the healer can change rule number one, but for his brothers in arms he will try."

"Nah, blondie, rule number one is: if you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will lose every battle," Merle smirked at Draco who rolled his eyes.

"If you're without a medic, you will lose no matter what." Draco retorted viciously. "Want to try it without me?"

"Okay, okay, right! Both are true, but let's get this show on the road." Hadrian huffed, and put his hands on his sides. "We're wasting daylight. Come on."

"Ai sir!" Ron mock-saluted, much to Hadrian's protest, who threw a knife at the man, which Ron deflected with a fast drawn wand and shield. Hadrian just shook his head and summoned his knife. He threw a tripping jinx as an extra payback when Ron walked out of the tent, which the man did miss or maybe let through. Nobody would know.

"Constant vigilance, Ronald!" Hadrian seemed to quote someone else, but the others were unaware of that.

"Stuff it, Harry!" Ron turned around with a mischievous smile. "Just wait until I'll use Georgies stuff!"

"O no, absolutely not when I am around!" Draco looked a bit panicked and waggled a finger towards Ron. "I am not doing purple hair again. I am very proud of my Malfoy-blonde locks."

"No, I would go for red this time." Ron snickered, and ran away from the visible angry blonde.

"Weasel, if you try to, I will not heal you the next time you forget to deflect a burner. Mark my words!"

Sophia looked up at Merle who shrugged and smiled. Daryl said nothing, but walked behind Hadrian as a sort of protector, while Carol watched the young men go. Mack just emptied his glass of sparkling water, and muttered something about 'crazy wizards', but said nothing out loud.


Present time The Farm

Harry looked towards Shane who was training his group to shoot with a gun. Rick stood on the side, watching Carl and Lori, and assisting wherever was necessary. He waved at them when they arrived, and Ron took point.

"Y'all want to train as well?" He extended his hand with a small revolver in it towards Ron.

"Nah, thanks, Rick. We rather train with bows, knives, machetes, and swords. The lesser noise you make, the less you will attract the walkers as you call them." Ron smiled, and unsheathed the heavy zweihander from his back. "I'm very fond of this one, as you can tell."

Harry was wearing two smaller swords at his back, that he pulled out easily, to show Rick. The officer smiled and nodded.

"True, we ask everybody to wear a knife as well, but Hershel asked us to not openly carry any weapons on his property."

"We won't, only during hunting or fighting." Ron nodded.

It did not take long before Harry made pairs. He was paired up with Sophia, Ron with Merle, Draco with Carol, and Daryl with Mack. Ron had taken the lead with instructing, but he followed Harry's command, so that everybody could view what Ron did, with Harry's commentary. Ron and Harry were showing how to kill an inferi without getting too close to their arms, and why they opted to wear protected leather jackets no matter what. They kept silent about the cooling charms. Ron now wished that they could use the animated dummies, or even conjure something, but that would have to wait until later if he understood Harry's intentions correctly.

Mack and Daryl got the hang of it very quickly, as Harry had expected. Both were rough men, who had been in bar fights before. Merle knew enough, but loved to learn the new techniques, and he was sparring with Ron verbally and physically to see what would work, and what would not. Draco was teaching Carol with a soft hand, using his healer's voice to make sure she was comfortable. Sophia was a quick study, but she was still afraid. Harry had briefly touched the surface of her thoughts, and he had found the reason immediately. Ed. Now Harry knew a bit about ugly men like that, but he did not know how to explain that to Sophia without revealing too much of his own trauma, and he was not ready for that. Not yet now.

Carl had been watching them the whole time and was trying to emulate on his own when his father was called away and his mother tired. Shane was busier trying to teach Andrea, than watching over the boy. Harry motioned him over and gave him the same wooden practise knife that Sophia and the others also had.

"Come on, you can also try." Harry explained it with a bit more detail to the boy and let him spar with Sophia a bit. He made sure that they took it seriously and did not hurt themselves towards the end of the training. After a good hour, Harry called it quits.


Past time Recollections during their fifth until their seventh year

It had been nearing the end of their fifth year that Seamus had talked about muggle hand-to-hand combat, and Harry had gotten interested. After the whole debacle with the Tournament and the ministry, he felt like he needed more training than he had gotten. He talked it over with Severus who had wholeheartedly agreed that this would be good for the boys, and the head of Slytherin had found them a squib who trained wizards and muggles in France through Lucius. Severus had signed Ron, Draco, and Harry up and the boys loved it. Every Saturday morning their trainer would meet them in a facility room in Hogsmeade where they would learn MMA, and a special Philippinian fighting system that was called escrima. Harry's cloak and map helped them through Zonko's and into Hogsmeade every weekend.

Next to the heavy boxing, hand-to-hand combat, and learning how to defend themselves streetwise, as the trainer called it, escrima was a discipline that taught knife and sticks fighting (that was supposed to emulate a sword or machete). Ron took to the swords (or sticks for training) like a fish to water. It seemed that his physique was good for the speed, agility but mostly the strength and control that he needed. Draco was a multifunctional fighter, agile with one knife and one stick, a peculiar combination that was easily combined with a wand. Harry loved to use two knives instead of the two sticks, and he started wearing a combat knife in his boots or a very sharp potioneer knife in his school pack so he could feel safer. There was one thing wizards and witches never saw coming: muggle weaponry.

Their trainer was a middle-aged man, an ex-soldier who had found out about his heritage during his time in the army. Linus was half French, half English and had fenced all his life before he found his true passion in escrima. He trained hard but with passion and emotion. He knew that there was a war brewing in the wizarding world and realised that the boys needed an edge. He trained them with discretion and taught them how to be honest with each other. How to trust one another, and how to win a fight dirty if needed. It made them faster, more muscled, and gave them confidence. It helped with their quick spellwork, the drawing of their wands, and their reaction in a conflict. Mad-Eye's 'constant vigilance' was now a rule they lived by and Linus's 'be true' was a mantra that helped Harry through it all.

Harry had thanked Linus after the war profoundly but the man had just shrugged and told them they would always be welcome to train if they were around. It had saved Harry's life in more ways than he could explain to Linus. Some of those death eaters never saw those knives coming their way let alone expect them. Back then Harry would have never guessed that he would use those particular skills again soon.