The following morning Harry woke up before sunrise to start his strict daily routine. He always ran 6 miles before the sun came up than regular workout routines such as pushups, sit-ups, and Russian twists. He was halfway through his run when Daryl wandered out of the tent.
"Wanna join me, Daryl?" asked the sweaty Brit as he began jogging in place. "Only if you are jogging out of this meadow. If I run circles in here, I'll feel like a mouse on those wheel things," Daryl tiredly elaborated.
"Well, I guess we can go on a ran to town to find another tent! Go get running shoes on, and let's go"
Daryl did just what Harry told him very sluggishly, so much so he knocked over a book in the living room causing Charon to bolt out of Harry's room to protect his family.
"I'm sorry, baby girl. Do you want to join us on a run?"
Charon huffed before walking tired back to Harry's room to sleep. Shaking his head Daryl entered his own room to grab the shoes he borrowed from Merle and never returned many years ago.
Not before long, the pair found themselves jogging through the very picked-over town of North Decatur. They checked all the places Daryl could think of.
"Want to try Sedonia?"
"Why not"
The pair kept place with each other, and they were so in sync that their feet would hit the ground just to rise a second later in time. They took a sharp right on the main road.
There is one large two-lane street with buildings lining both sides. Strip mall-esque setup. Broken glass littered the ground causing crunching noises with every step. Abandoned cars and a reverent here and there.
It was hard to see the town he grew up in absolutely demolished. Granny and him would do everything they could to help the community especially those who were at risk. Seeing everything in such disrepair sends a sour spike into his soul; the gentle people he helped... what happened to them?
Daryl lead the pair to a Dick's Sporting Goods. The store was a shit show. Half of the racks were pushed over on each other, there were liquids of all kinds all over the floor, and even the ceiling was falling apart in some places. The hunter had no idea how fast society could crumble, especially since he was here 2 days before all the crazy reports hit the news. It shouldn't be this bad.
"And the government wants us to stay put..." Harry snarlingly comments as they reach the tent section.
"At least no one thinks they need to go camping"
They stare at a nearly untouched camping section. The guns and water filters are mostly missing but there's everything else. The pair walked up to a 6-person tent displayed and looked at the shelf beneath it.
"Ain't much choice," Daryl points out as he picks up a 4-person tent and a 6-person tent.
"This is still too much, but we can make do" Harry shrinks the boxes and puts a featherlight spell on it before he throws them in his pocket.
"Mr. Hunter, what else do you think we need?"
"Probably some extra gear like duct tape, flashlights, toilet paper, canteens, or ice chests for the food"
Harry begins to wander off debating on what he should grab while Daryl makes a pile of things that may be helpful to them. The dark-skinned man heads towards the clothing sector of the store. He starts in the little boy's section and grabs things randomly, such as winter jackets, sweaters, hoodies, underwear, running pants, etc. He does the same for men, women, and young girls sections.
He grabbed a few extra sports bras because he remembered Pansy in Hogwarts complaining about lack of tit support when training. He never understood why she didn't just buy a sports bra, but that may just be a muggle thing.
Harry's hands were too full, so he snagged a random backpack and started shoving everything into it when he heard muffled voices from outside the building.
He quickly adjusted his half of the impromptu raid to be more silent. His steps became quieter as he began dodging in and out of isles in case the strangers were spying as he made his way back to Daryl.
Before he even made it to the outdoor aisle, he was snatched and shoved into a person's chest, hiding behind the Nike slides and flip-flop shelve.
"Don't fight it, Harry- you know me" Daryl sharply whispers to the smaller man that was holding him at Wand point. "Get that magic stick out of my face before I snap it"
"Oh, sorry, Dare. Habits... Did u finish picking out what we need?"
"Ye but I don't have them fancy, no bottom bags like yous"
"Oh, I forgot- let's carefully get the pile and add it to my bag then," Harry comments while peaking his head out of the shelves to see the hunting pile Daryl created adjacent to their current vantage point.
He shot a disillusionment charm at the pile, followed by a notice-me-not spell to ensure the strangers don't take them.
"Fucks sake, these aisles have been raided too- I don't want to seem like a cunt with a glamping tent" Some random rough, deep, almost northern accent came from behind the tent display, followed by a small giggle from a young female's voice.
"Father, daughter?" Harry mouths to Daryl, but before he can get a response, a young girl darts out of the aisle towards the shoe portion of the store. "Daddy, look, we don't have to pay for the shoes now! She joyfully grabbed 3 or 4 pairs off the shelf to try on.
Daryl nods his head towards to back of the aisle where there's an opening towards the hunting goods. The pair slowly inched towards the pile, hoping the older dad was not still there.
"Stop lallygagging, Delulah. We have to get back before Mommy knows we left. Grab two pairs, and let's head back to the car"
"Okay, Daddy!" the little girl grabbed one pair of light-up running shoes and one rainbow pair with Jojo Siwa bows. With box pairs in her arms, she sprints to her father's head, somehow turning towards the pair as they watch her struggle to hold everything.
"Did she?" Harry whispers to the larger man
"There's no way she saw us- kids er just like that," The larger man mumbled while watching the father-daughter pair leave the building.
Disillusioning the pile, Harry approaches it to shrink everything down but forgets to take off the notice-me-not spell.
"Where ye going? Ain't no reason to go there," Daryl confusingly asks as he stares at Harry walk towards the empty camping isle.
"Oh fuck, my bad, Finite" Harry waves his wand.
"Remember you grabbed the stuff for the group?" Harry giggled as he began shrinking down a camping stove that was powered by electricity.
"I thought ye already got them- my bad." Daryl walks closer to the pile he forgot about.
"You really got everything! I had no idea biodegradable two-ply toilet paper was a thing"
"Hurry it up. something doesn't feel right." Daryl ushered the smaller man to pack faster. The hunter was right, the air has been growing more and more intense since the others arrived in the States.
The moon has shown brighter, which is concerning to everyone. Tonight should be the full moon. The last thing those in tune with the feminine power of the moon want was a blood moon.
A blood moon symbolizes death and downfall. This, in combination with the intensity in the air, is terrifying to those who are in sync with nature. Other species are seen preparing, which is even worse.
Squirrels are stockpiling way earlier than they normally do, bears are going into hibernation early, and dogs are restless and more aggressive than ever. Something is going to happen soon.
"When do you think the government is going to give up?" Harry asked the American man he was jogging home with.
Daryl hummed at Harry in thought before guessing, "A few days...I'm surprised they lasted this long in the first place."
"Yeah, they already blocked off airports, grounded all flights, increased military presence, and are demanding crops," Harry thought, allowed about what he had heard on the radio that night before.
"If our small city is in rubble, imagine the large cities." Daryl openly questioned his government. He did not trust it growing up and still doesn't now. If the foster system is any representation of the government, then shit is about to go down, "Probably will be told to evacuate to the cities so they can either kill us or protect us from one area"
The pair fell back into silence as they mentally prepared themselves for the inevitable. Sooner than they expected, they entered the meadow- the pair was so lost in thought they went on autopilot.
"Ye doing anything else?"
"Yeah, I have a whole routine. You can join if you would like"
"Yeah. No thanks. I'm going to make breakfast for everyone" Daryl winked at the other before entering the tent.
As the sun rose, so did the others. By the time the sun was fully in the sky, everyone was around the fire pit doing their morning sacrifice. Today, it was deer bacon, eggs, and toast.
"Y'all ready for the precipice?" Merle said while shoving bacon after bacon into his mouth. "The moon should tell us tonight," Luna mournfully has her head titled towards her plate as she played with her eggs.
"Everything's about to change," Neville interjects while squeezing her shoulder three times.
"We should pack everything up today and maybe even try to live in muggle tents"
Everyone nodded their heads, thinking about how they were going to pack.
"Should we have a trunk with everything in it or a bag?" Draco questions, "The trunk would make more sense for books and crystals, but everything else seems like the bag would be a better bet"
"Oh yes- have it be a muggle chest too with herbs, crystals, and books so it just looks like we are hippies," Luna giggles while imagining what outfits would go with that vibe.
"I'm begging you, let me wear a peace sign necklace, and no one will question our quirks," Fred starts before George finishes. "Actually, no, we can just say we are pagan"
"Not in the south, you ain't. Just say your spiritual." Merle vehemently rejects the notion that they are pagans simply for safety reasons. Catholics, to this day, still see it as a sin and a threat. The last thing they need is a target on their backs.
"They ain't know better- just say it's a British thing," Daryl interjects while agreeing with his brother's past statement. The cultural differences between the States and England were not extreme or dangerous up until this point. The British couldn't care less if someone was pagan these days; meanwhile, many in the States would shoot them without a second thought.
The people surrounding this table somehow just feel like the perfect group. Everyone felt loved, supported, and, most importantly, equals. Granny brought them together, and the Dixons damn well won't let her work go down the drain.
"Okay, so one trunk kept in the van with herbs, crystals, and small books. We can replenish them with new books every few weeks and leave the rest in the pouch charm then" Everyone around the table nodded their head while finishing up their meal.
"We got shit this morning like a camping stove, 6-person tent, 4-person tent, flashlights, a radio that's solar powered, basic water purifying tablets, bug spray, ropes, locks, backpacks, and various clothes for all ages," Daryl describes each item while counting down on his fingers to ensure he covered everything.
"What about coolers? We have one large one from Draco's but only a small one from this tent," Neville asked, unsure of himself afraid of if Daryl thought he was questioning his skills.
"Damnit. I knew we were forgetting something. My bad y'all"
"Ain't nothing to apologize for, brother; ye solved our tent issues. We can just keep an eye out for some from now on"
"We can make the small one the bottomless one so the big one can hold the older meats or veggies," Fred suggests.
"We have two cars. One 5-seater truck and one 9-person caravan. Both are solar-powered. The things that can get wet can be placed around the motorcycles, like the camping stove, waterproof bags, and anything else we can think of"
The rest of the day, the group sullenly packed the two cars so they could blend in with the muggles. They put up the tents adjacent to the magical one; it helps them sort through their mass amount of goods.
Neville, Dixon Brothers, and Luna put their heads together to figure out what should be placed in the muggle chests. Luna was suggesting simple books that the muggles can use to find insight into their actions, such as Beginner's Guide to Spiritual Sacrifice, Herbs for All, and Astronomy Book 1. Neville was pushing for more magical-related books such as The Energy Within, Moon Cycles, and Magical Creatures. Merle suggested no magical-related books at all, just simple earth-related things.
Daryl was just there for the crystals. Slowly and painstakingly, he chose a solid collection of powerful crystals that should be used on a much smaller scale than he was used to. He limited himself to ones that could be used on a chest board. Daryl's favorite larger ones will have to stay away for now. Hopefully, one day he can use the large ones again.
The twins did their best to categorize every item they owned so it would be easy to use the bottomless pouches when they needed to. They got so frustrated at their lack of speed they bag mailed the Goblins for guidance.
The New Empire responded right away with a small letter.
"Hello, Beloved friends,
I would suggest looking at the Lestrange Family Grimoire. They may not have been good people, but they knew how to categorize their supplies when internationally trading. That's why they made so much money. Page 749 will work. Attached to this letter is a bag of small rings that should be placed on the ring finger of each member on their left hand. This is a permanent port key that should take you directly into our meeting room. Inscribed by our most skilled, the interior roughly translates to "Heart is where family is." It is a vow said during weddings by very few. It has such a strong meaning it scares people away. You, 7, and two others have become our family. This vow stresses the importance of love and loyalty. Society was not built on lies and deceit. Without you guys, we would be abused, bullied, and taken advantage of by others. You mean the most to me and all goblin civilians. You are one of us, and we are one of you. Our door will be forever open to you, your loved ones, friends, and spawns. To activate, say, "Find my heart"; this should bring you to us or, in extreme cases, another member wearing the ring. I, myself, the King of the Goblin Nation, have not even said those words to my longtime husband of 298 years. Yet, I vow eternal love and support to you all...
Forever on your side,
Brother Warwick"
"Bullocks, I love the Goblins. Harry, get everyone's asses over here to check this out. We got more jewelry," George hollered to the darker-skinned man.
"You heard the man. Drop what you are doing. They have something for us," Harry responded as he placed down the water-purifying water bottles.
"Read this" Fred passed the note to whoever was on his left. Slowly but surely, everyone got to read the letter. George reached his hand into the bag mail pouch to get the Lestrange Grimore.
"Daryl, how do they know us? I didn't even believe in them until last week?" The blonde, almost bald man asked his brother. Merle was a little freaked out by these magical creatures. They seem to know too much all the time. They should not know he exists, let alone that he is now friends with the others. They shouldn't know everything, he hopes.
If they know this, what else do they know? Do they know everything he has done in his entire life? Even the times he wishes he could forget when he was a user? Will they use it against him? His past needs to stay away. He's not losing these people over his past mistakes.
"They know what people tell them and any prophesies or tales spread by word of mouth. They ain't all-knowing, so stop thinking like that, Mer" Daryl knows his brother's insecurities are running through his head. One's past isn't something someone should be judged by, especially addictions or mental health issues.
"They probably know because I tell them everything. King Warwick and I write each other almost daily," Draco embarrassingly pipes up. "We both like knowing what is going on in each other's worlds"
The rings were placed on their left-hand ring finger. When it was put on, there was a warmth to it, then a flash of yellow light, and it blended in with the skin tone of the wearer. The only noticeable sign there was anything on their finger was a very faded scare in a straight line.
"These were way nicer to put on than the other one" Luna smiled and returned to her packing. The rest went back to packing while the twins tried to figure out the instructions for categorization.
After retrieving the dark blue and gold grimore, they felt the tough felt binding the parchment paper together. Carefully, George opened the tied string and turned the pages until he found the recommended page.
"Page seven hundred..."
"749," Fred responded to his other half as he peered over at the grimore. On the page, it read:
"Divisiogenora: this spell consists of a spiral flick counterclockwise encompassing items followed by a sharp thrust towards the chosen itemization parchment. Ensure proper annunciation. If stated wrong, it will banish someone into the paper itself"
"Blimey Fred. You do this one, I fumble my words" George shoved the grimore haphazardly into his twin's hands before shooing everyone away from the items.
"Deeeeeeeeeee viseee oooo Geeeeeeeeeee OOORRRRRR ah," Luna hummed while walking pasted Fred ensuring her tongue was rolling the OR sound.
Practicing the movement a few times while everyone rushed into the tree line behind the magical tent. Finalizing the movement, he grabbed a singular piece of parchment with his left hand out of one of the many trunks.
"Divisiogenora" Fred almost yelled while feeling everyone's eyes on him. After a few seconds of nothing, he sighed and put down the grimore. He emphasized the D and G as well as rolling the R as taught. Why can't he do it? Frustrated, he looked at the paragraph underneath the original description.
"Sacculum Divisiogenora is used for categorizing a certain bag, whereas Divisiogenora Summa is for total categorization within wand movement. Divisiogenora alone will provide a mental list of categorized items to those only HOLDING the chosen parchment"
"Oops," Fred blanched before restarting his incantation, "Divisiogenora Summa."
"YEAH, BROTHER" Merle yelled out in bliss, only inches behind the tall ginger man, "Ain't no parchment life for us"
Clapping Fred on the back, Merle and others continued to go back to the chore of packing.
Over the next few hours, the group slowly packed, transferring items from the magical tent to the muggle ones. In the end, everyone had up to 1 large 70L camping bag holding their essentials. The additional items not deemed essentials but still important were placed in magical trunks, the two vehicles, or left in the magical tent.
As the sun was setting, the group sat around a blazing fire, silently eating. The muggle radio was playing in the background. As the moon was rising the energy was getting more uneasy.
Before long, there was a large circular rust-colored moon grinning down onto the earth below it. The world was colored in the red moonlight.
"Put out the fire. It's time for us to get rest before tomorrow's big day." Draco solemnly stated before heading to the closest Dixon Mechanics Tent. Luna nodded at Neville to follow the other blond, then turned to the twins.
"You two can have the Dixon tent in the middle," The long-haired blonde turned to the remaining 3 people or 4, including Charon.
"We can either all live in a tent or split in half. The nargles do not mind either way," She dreamily spoke, debating on what she saw in each case.
"What about just having us 5 in the 4-person tent? That means Charon won't have to choose between Dare and me," Harry added while scrunching Charon's face making her look funny.
"Ye just don't want to be the loser. She likes me more. Don't cha, sweet girl" Daryl spoke in an obnoxious puppy voice.
"Will you guys be okay with my nightmares every once in a while?" Merle interjected in an uncharacteristically shy way.
"We all get them in this family" Harry nodded as he headed to the 4 person tent, "At least be aware I do cuddle"
Laughter all around, and all 5 headed to their new home for the incoming future.
