Thirteen: let the sunshine in

Previously; Harry, Ron, Merle, and Daryl go look for Hershel in a nearby town, where they find the Greene patriarch, Rick, and Glenn in a gunfight. Harry decides that sometimes it's too much and he heeds Luna's and Death's advice, and takes an executive decision. Luna stayed with Carol and Sophia, while Carol argued with Kreacher and miraculously may have won that battle, while Sophia studies. When the group decides to leave that evening, Shane deems it necessary to start a fight with Ron.


Present time Green farm, Green house

Ron was wearing a long leather overcoat, something normal people would not do in this weather, even during the night. The heat had been scorching all day, but the man seemed unfazed by it all. There was a hardened smile on his face that felt unnatural as he looked towards Shane, and Shane did not know what to make of it. His instincts were off, and did not warn him as they would have done before.

He had felt the hotness searing through his body for the last couple of days. After the CDC, days started to blend, become one and one became many. He wandered from place to place, not knowing what to do or how to do it. His actions were more questionable than ever, but he did not know how to change it. Lori annoyed him, Rick angered him, and their son should learn his place and just do as Shane said. People should just do as Shane said, he felt.

It was easy to say that Shane was fed up, and now his once brother had found himself in a situation that he did not want to solve, while Shane would have done that in a heartbeat. It was a miracle the man had survived his trip to Seattle as it was… It was like Shane needed to solve all their problems, while all he wanted to do was survive.

"Hello Shane, everything alright?" Ron asked him, in a calm voice that sounded more antagonising for the former deputy.

"No, why the hell are you leaving? You can't just leave people behind as you please." Shane shouted angrily, the heat in his body taking over him as he let loose all his control.

"You mean in the same way as you have an escape car at the ready? Or am I missing something right now?" Ron asked him with a stupid smile on his face that seemed too fake to handle. He wanted to punch the guy, see that smile disappear off his freckled face.

Hadrian was coming up behind him, and Shane saw the blond doctor turning in their direction as well with the blonde woman on his heels. Daryl stood a few feet from them, discussing something with his brother with a map on the hood of the pick-up, but Shane knew that the Dixon's were alert, and ready to attack. They were hunters after all.

"I'm doing all I can to get these people through it all, while Rick is doing nothing. So yeah." He fired back. "I think I'm leading just fine."

"I agree that you guys could do with some better leadership, but I would not have chosen you, my friend." Hadrian added as an afterthought, and shrugged as he waved towards both blonds that they could continue their work.

"Like you are the one who's honest about it all. I know you have a base somewhere, and I will find you guys, and then I will show you how you should lead, Hadrian." His voice was laced with anger, depression, and trauma. It was only Shane himself that did not notice those emotions.

"Did you tell your best mate you got his wife pregnant? If we are talking about honesty." Ron asked as he smiled viciously, and looked over at Maggie who was getting closer at a soft pace.

"You son of a …" Shane had enough, he had enough of those freaks who walked around them like they were better, and refused to share anything. They did not even contribute to the consensus, and as their leader, Shane would not stand for that. They were nothing special, and he needed to put them down, show them that he would sacrifice it all for the group. Show them he was a better leader than Rick. Show them all what he was worth.

He took a swing at the redhead with all his might, who had not seen that coming, and took the full brunt of that swing as if it were a slap in the face. If Shane had looked a bit better, he would have seen that Ron's eyes turned a very dark red, like there was fire that took over his soul, whereas Hadrian's green eyes practically turned black, with a silvery-green shiver through it. Ready to strike if the need would arise, but just as happy to stand back and let his friend handle it.

"Shane," the man muttered, "think hard if you want to do what you are about to do, because I will put you down if it comes to it." Ron dodged the second swing that Shane made, as Shane ignored the redhead and his words lost in the haze that was the anger that coursed through Shane.

Before the onlookers knew it, the fight was on, and Shane fought like hell. Sweat was pouring all over his head, clothes, and hands, but Ron fought back even harder. The man had churned himself out of his leather coat during the confrontation, and wore a beige, thin linen shirt with long sleeves that had been rolled up towards the elbows, with two leather necklaces around his neck. One seemed to be a big coin, and the other a gemstone that Shane did not recognize.

A sliver of a tattoo came out from under his shirt on his right arm, it looked like fire was creeping out of his arm, and the redhead smiled as he fought back with a vigour that had not been there before.

"I missed this, Shane." The man did not seem to be without his breath, as he dodged, and then hit Shane fully on his nose, making it crack. "If you would have asked, then you would have known that I served as a special operator in the Army of her Royal Majesty. I don't go down easy, mate."

"You're enjoying this?" Shane bit out, as he felt blood dripping down his nose and cheek. His anger welling up in his body. "Are you a fucking psychopath?"

"You'll never know," Ron smiled, as Shane saw a punch coming his way, before he heard the voice of a man who had saved him so many times that he resented it.

"Stop it, both of you, stop it!" Rick, who had blood all over him, pushed Shane away with a hand on his breastbone. "Pull your man back, Hadrian, now." He ordered, like he always did.

"That's where you are wrong, Rick." Hadrian's smile was small, but vicious. "I don't order my friends, I am not a totalitarian leader. If Ron wants to punch him, I won't stand in his way. If you decide to get in Ron's way, I will intervene." His voice was stone cold like he was not alive right now.

"Then it is best you leave, if you won't cooperate." Rick decided.

"We already were." Hadrian fished something out of his pocket and handed that over to Maggie. "An old fashioned, military communication device. If you ever need us, push the red button, but think twice before you bring the wrong sort of people. I won't help twice."

Hadrian nodded towards the two other men, but Maggie took the device and slipped it in her jeans pocket anyway. Shane, who was still struggling in Rick's arms, tried to lunge forward, but was stopped by Merle who had been watching, came closer, and tipped Shane's nose.

"Uh-eh, officer. Be a good boy now." He smiled with his open mouth open, crooked teeth on full display, before they all walked away.


Present time Peverell grounds, George's watch

George had been on watch for a few hours humming along with some songs from the American Wizarding Wireless that fortunately was still broadcasting, and they gave the best scoops. He loved being on watch, and just listening to nature. They did not need to walk the grounds as the muggles did, but somebody needed to be awake to feel the wards, if Harry wasn't around, and keep an eye on the apparition point. With Harry around, they didn't need this precaution as the man was as tuned in to their wards as an estate Lord would be.

George had barely listened to the British Wireless since it was usually full of gossip, and very partial in their Wizengamot session reports, or Quidditch narratives. His mother loved to listen to the soap opera when they were little, but George had not been fond of it. The American Wireless had way more voice actors and journalists, and covered everything from the news to the weather, to the No-Maj news updates (before the outbreak). For now that bulletin had been pretty small, but they gathered all the news they could, and gave people an update on which states not to visit, and where the best safehouses were.

He had been listening and making notes so that they could make their plans. He knew the council liked his feedback, and he felt at least useful again. Then he felt his necklace heat up, and Harry's Patronus shot around the corner. They were finally coming home.

George missed his brothers; one biological, the other not. It felt like Ron and Harry had been away for much longer than they had been, and while George had seen them a few times in between, the rest of their group barely had, and the lands needed their master in all his glory to sustain it.

With a practiced shout he called for Kreacher to relay the message, who giddily started commanding the house elves under his command since his Master would return home, while George walked over towards the apparition point where he found Hadrian with a young child in his arms and a woman who looked in awe at everything she saw.

This must be Carol with her daughter Sophia, that Luna had been talking about, thought George to himself, as he offered his hand towards the older lady, and smiled at Harry.

"Here, bring her and her mother towards the guest rooms, we'll be back with the rest of the group in a few." Harry handed him Sophia hastily, yet careful and then turned around before he disappeared on the spot. Being the master of the property gave him those advantages whereas the others needed the apparition point every time to do the same thing.

"Aye, aye." George mock-saluted to the thin air, as he guided the woman with the mousy hair towards the Peverell guest wing, while he held her daughter in his hands, making sure the little girl would not wake up while he gently laid her on a bed that Kreacher just had gotten ready so she could sleep next to her mother.

Harry's voice had been crisp and business-like, but George was used to that. It had been the way before Harry had won the war, but this was also the Harry that had been dealt with too much on his plate, but took on even more just because he could.

"I'll put a spell up, so she can sleep. Learned that one from my mother," he said, as he asked for permission from the mother. Carol just nodded tiredly, and almost fell fast asleep next to her daughter as the soundproofing spell worked quickly on the room.


Present time The day after. Peverell grounds, Harry's musings

Harry was sitting in his office, before the fireplace on the small, bronze couch that Draco had gifted him when he had just gotten the premises. He was reading through the letters that had come in for the last few weeks while he had been away, already having responded to the majority. He had saved the more difficult ones for later that day, and he was musing on his reply towards Lucius, before he would send everything over with the boxes, so that Lucius could distribute them around Europe.

Running a large family estate was a daily job, even when there wasn't an apocalypse going on, and Harry had not been doing this for many years as Lucius did, or the Black and Potter lords before him, so it could be a tedious task and he needed to make sure that he did not make any mistakes. He wanted to make sure that his estates would thrive especially during the current times. A huge difference was the fact that most heirs were also trained from a young age to take up this job, and usually would only carry one Lordship at the time. Not the three Harry was burdened with for now.

Although Draco and Lucius had been a great help throughout the years, Harry sometimes needed to make some of the executive decisions himself, as some of it was supposed to be completely secret. He had appointed Teddy as his heir for the Black Lordship, so that meant that he was already teaching the young boy some things, but he wasn't sure if Teddy wanted the heirship directly at his seventeenth, as he knew that with his newfound powers, he would live a bit longer than expected, even for a wizard. They had not talked about that yet, but his godson was still young and needed not to be worried about those matters, especially not right now.

The tell-tale pop that announced Kreacher shook him out of his musings, and as he looked up, he saw a full lunch before him. Harry knew he should have joined the others in the communal hall, but now that everybody was safe and accounted for, he needed to do some of the work, and not get too distracted. Ron and Neville would be able to handle the rest for today, and tomorrow he would be more settled, and more calm to join the others.

Harry stood up from the mahogany desk that had been used by many Peverell Lords before him, and made his way to the big windows that oversaw the rest of the lands. His lands. On one hand he could see the swimming pond, as Luna had dubbed it, that was slowly being overhung by trees planted by the couple, and on the other side he could see the new buildings that the Goblins had built for him that were now being rebuilt as common areas. Neville had found a new hobby as a magical architect as he and Master Vilnuk worked closely together on the ongoing project, while Linuok worked on Luna Park.

The castle-like building looked like it had been built at the same time as Peverell Manor, and it fitted completely into the scenery, even with all the greenhouses surrounding it. Neville already had a large greenhouse built, but he had expanded extensively the moment Luna had warned them. Its towers had long banners floating in the air, waving the Peverell crest as they did so. Harry adored the Peverell crest for its simplicity, elegance, but its way to impress anyone.

Harry was supposed to be meeting with his counsels today alongside Lucius who had responded with an urgency to his letter, and he had dressed accordingly. He was wearing a nice dark green wizarding suit, with his dark charcoal robe that hung on the coat rack in his office that held the Potter and Black crests, while the clasps were made with the Peverell crest.

He wore his three Lordship rings without concealing charms today, each on a finger on his right hand, with the Potter ring on his ring finger, and the Peverell one on his index, where the Black one stood out in the middle.

Whereas the Black ring was laid in with both Onyx and moonstone – a reference to their naming tradition – the Potter ring had a golden lion with three small cut, red carnelians in the form of a triangle. The Peverell ring was the most beautiful Harry found, but that thought could be influenced by his own crossings with Death, as he had changed by accepting his faith.

The Peverell ring had the Goblin silver details whereas the triangle was sunken in the metal. The circle within was laid in with hematite, and the line that stood for the Elder wand, was made of Jet. Everybody had thought it to be onyx, until Vilnuk had looked at it in marvel and told him about the extensive history of this particular ring. The Goblin hadn't stopped talking about it for a few hours.


His floo flared, and Lucius stepped through with ease. Although international floo travels were prohibited for personal use, apparently the Peverell's had never bothered with that, and had created their own floo network with dark magic. It had been one of the turning points for Harry to decide that he could move to America (for his mastery) if the travelling times and efforts could be cut short. International travel through the ministries was odious, but being able to travel without problems made everything so much easier.

He had found the ritual to create another portal in the main library, behind him, where all the Lords kept their diaries, and he connected his floo to Malfoy Manor immediately. It was heavily warded, and for now it only would put Lucius, Draco and Minerva through to the main study, any other guests would be spit out in the guest lounge if Harry did not give his permission. The Malfoy's, Black's and Peverell's had been distrusting bastards, and Harry loved those spells and wards the most.

The dark flames that rose from the hearth in his study always seemed to calm Harry down, and the house elves that came with the properties, always kept it going for him. Kreacher had been taught how to maintain as well, and one of the younger ones was being trained by Kreacher to take over if necessary. Little Woory was proud to be chosen, but Harry had a feeling that Kreacher would not die that easily as he had bound himself to Harry personally after Harry had become Lord Black and had restored Regulus' honour.

"Good afternoon, Harry," Lucius drawled in his usual slick voice, but his face wasn't as stiff as others would believe. Especially if you knew him on a more personal level. He laid a hand on Harry's shoulder, but moved along as well. "I know I am an hour early, but is Draco around, I would like to talk to him? Family business."

"Hello Lucius, he's on the ground floor, would you like me to walk you there?" Harry was connected to the lands as its Lord, something that had confused the hell out of him as he first experienced it. It had been Lucius, of all people, who had talked him through it. One Lordship was already a lot if it was as big as the Black one, but Harry held three and thus he would be able to tap into all the lands if necessary. Even at the same time.

"No, that will not be necessary, I'll be back in time." The man told him in his usual lord-like manner as he swept out of the room. Harry truly believed that Severus and Lucius had practiced this move in their youth, just for fun. Or maybe it came with serving a dark lord in their spare time; who would know.

'Probably the latter.' He heard Death snickering, and Harry rolled his eyes like a ten year old, even knowing the entity could not see him. Dealing with Death on a daily basis allowed him his childish behaviour.

Precisely an hour later, Lucius appeared again, less tense than he had done before, and both men exited through the floo to get to their meeting without exchanging a word. They were comfortable in each other's silence.


Present time Hogsmeade, somewhere obscure

"Good afternoon gentlemen," Lucius opened the meeting with a flourish of his wand that added a ward around the room, "I am glad you could make it safe and sound."

One of the Malfoy house elves had brought lunch with tea and some small bites, and Harry, Lucius and his guests were enjoying a cup of tea and some small talk, while waiting on the last person to arrive. The small room was simple but exactly what they needed for this meeting. No one would know they were there, except for Minerva who had hugged her former lion quickly, as they exited the floo at the headmistress' office to travel in safety to Hogsmeade.

Hogsmeade had looked very sombre as they passed. People walking in groups, hastily like they would catch fire any minute they were outside. Which was ridiculous of course, since Hogwarts protected the lands and the people on it. Harry had helped when they put her back together, and he knew for certain that she was sentient. People would only look at them quickly, but not in contempt. It was as if the wizarding war was going on again except the Dark Lord had been replaced with a disease.

Blaise looked as elegant as he had always done, and spread some butter on his toast with marmalade as he had added a palate of diverse fruits to his plate. Being friends with Draco, meant also becoming friends with the two neutral Slytherins Hogwarts had to offer, and even though it had taken some time, it had been worth it. To work together with Blaise Zabini had been a big leap for Harry, but the man had proven his trust. The dark-skinned man had a gifted tongue and was a good solicitor, whereas his associate Theodore Nott had the business instincts that even Lucius praised – naturally not in public.

Harry had already eaten well that afternoon, and was slowly munching on a piece of the divine chocolate cake that had been served, as he listened to Theo and Lucius who were discussing some matters on the different estates Harry and Theo held. He noticed that both Blaise and Theo had started wearing engagement bracelets, and he wondered if they finally found solace in each other, or if some other witch or wizard had come on their path.

Blaise had been one of the people who had helped Harry after the war when he had been confused with liking both men and women. He was less crude than Draco, but he always listened to Harry if he had any questions. The lawyer had always been bisexual; a very known fact in Hogwarts, but it was no surprise that Harry missed all those facts. Something with a Dark Lord, and being in danger for your life every year, could really do that to a young man.

Theo never had seemed to like anyone nor had he dated during Hogwarts or even after, but he also did not come from the most loving houses, as Nott's mother had not survived the first wizarding war, and his cold father was all that had been left for him. Theo had told him once, during a drunken dinner party, that his father blamed Theo for his wife's death, but he never shared any more secrets and no one seemed to get any more information out of the man.

"If they do not show up, then this deal will be off." Theo declared, as he wiped his mouth with a dark green cloth napkin – courtesy of house Malfoy.

"Are we sure they are not in danger?" Harry asked them, as he set the cup back on the saucer, all the while twirling his fountain pen in his hands. He had been taught not to do this with his wand as it was against the etiquette, but the gesture was left from the wartime, where he had played with the wood just to feel protected while on the run.

Harry's handwriting after all his years of abuse at the Dursleys, the blood quill that Umbridge favoured, the repeated use of the cruciatus curse during the war, nor the wounds he had left from other things in his life, had left not much room for improvement. It had been on their first summer trip, as Draco had not packed enough ink, that they needed to visit a muggle shop where they also sold fountain pens, that reminded Harry that he had used those in primary school.

He had found himself a plain model and had ordered three more when they got back to England. One for every lordship with its own specialty ink. Most houses had their own colours manufactured, and that was one thing that Harry loved.

The one he bought first needed to be loaded with an ink cartridge that was refillable, and the other two were just like feathers, but just sturdier. Harry loved them, it made writing a lot easier, and less difficult.

He took the sturdy journal before him, and crossed out the name of the fishermen they were trying to negotiate with, as Lucius and Theo had already started planning for the next endeavours.

"No, their manor is warded heavily, and I spoke with Erich through floo this morning. It's really a setup, or a test." Theo shrugged in a small way, that reminded Harry of Tom Riddle. It was poised, elegant, yet nondescript.

Blaise looked pensive at Harry, before he straightened himself and scraped his throat before he started talking.

"Hadrian, does your offer still stand?"

"On moving over?" Harry looked up in surprise from his notes. "But of course." He looked towards the dark skinned man, with his half-long hair that came to his ears in a wavy swoop.

"It is not that we want to leave you, Lucius," Blaise took a breath, "But Nott Manor is falling into disrepair, and even though Bill Weasley gave it all, the wards are corrupted too much."

Lucius merely lifted an inquiring eyebrow; his trademark.

Theo took it from there. "Lucius, you already have too many people to take care of, and we are imposing your hospitality right now. With the manor in disrepair, and the Contessa busy with politics in Italy, I believe that Hadrian could use some extra minds and wands in America."

"Plus, with Hadrian's floo, we could easily move over for visitor days at our office. We have limited those with this crisis." Blaise added. They had opened their offices in a new part of Diagon Alley that had been reconstructed after the war. Many families had donated to buy Muggle lands, and convert them under the heavy wards.

"Plus, we could use the protection that Hadrian offers, where the Nott family name isn't as tarnished as it is over here." Theo smiled, and then showed his engagement bracelet off very proudly.

"That explains a lot," Lucius murmured. "On behalf of the Malfoy House, I would like to offer our sincere congratulations." He shook Theo's hand, and then Blaise's as tradition dictated.

Harry smiled, and extended his hand as well. "I always thought you weren't exclusive with each other?" He smiled as Blaise shrugged. "On behalf of the houses of Potter, Black, and Peverell, I would like to extend my congratulations on your intentions and wish you fruitful and happy endeavours."

"Sometimes it takes a severe situation to realise that I would not want to lose Blaise." Theo glanced over at Lucius, who pretended not to listen at the next words that came out of his mouth. "We still don't mind an extra every now and then, but .." Theo looked over at Blaise with his steel grey eyes, and smiled. Harry understood them.

"How about you come over for dinner at Peverell Manor tonight?" Harry offered, as he put his fountain pen down, and called for Kreacher. He really loved house elf magics. Scratch that: he loved magic, and unknowingly to Harry; magic loved him even more.


Present time Peverell Manor

Draco stood in front of the floo, waiting and almost pacing, when Harry stepped through with Blaise and Theo in tow, as he flung his hands around Harry's neck.

"O thank Merlin, you're safe!" He exclaimed, and then immediately let Harry go as he looked at the others who came through, with his father being last in line. He composed himself very quickly, and he took a calculating look from Blaise in stride.

"Father, Theo, Blaise. A pleasure seeing you here." The blonde added.

"We were worried, mate," Ron now joined the conversation, as he sat in one of the lounge chairs, wearing a typical Weasley attire with a Southern touch to it. The heavy battle, dragon leather boots, combined with the dark red corduroy pants, the dress shirt in a weird colour with a vest over it, was as good as it would get with Ron. Nobody had to know that Draco did make sure that he was wearing the finer qualities in life even though his ensembles were less refined, but being in the situation they were in, Draco forgave the redhead for looking like he did.

"It is good to see you too, Draco." Theo smiled and they exchanged their greetings with Blaise next to him.

"Let's go for dinner. We have some good news to share, and you guys can meet our new additions." Harry prolonged his hand in a gesture that led them towards the dining hall, where Kreacher had just told him that dinner would be served.


Well, there you have it! A bigger chapter than last! With thanks to my lovely beta Salllzy!

Let me know what you think! Ps. I wanted to thank each and everyone who posted a review. FF-net sometimes makes it difficult to react, but I appreciate them all!