A/N 1: I don't own Harry Potter or The Walking Dead. They belong to J.K Rowling...Robert Kirkman…and many others.

A/N 2: I was going to include Teddy in this (Merle's reference to three other faces last chapter) but decided adding an additional kid was just too much. Cannon kids for TWD only. I don't like TV Lori or Shane…so there maybe bashing in future chapters…not too bad in this, but a bit.

Chapter Two

Harry wished he could have those he cared about safe behind wards. But, it was like this apocalypse was giving the wizarding world a big fuck off. Wards were passive. While it took a great deal of magic to cast powerful wards, once they were cast they no longer relied on the magic of the caster…instead, they relied on the smallest spark of magic that is present in every living thing. And that was the crux of it all. The dead were walking and eating people…dead…lifeless…no spark at all…wards were useless.

Harry thought of the discussion he had with Hermione years ago. Why don't wards stop things like rocks? They are covered in single celled organisms, like bacteria. Hermione had huffed up, stating that as the organisms were described...single celled…they had no way to have a magical core. And that was the problem now. Walkers might be…well, walking diseased petri dishes….but the human magical spark was gone…leaving only the single-celled organisms that worked on decaying a body…and the virus that kept them going. Thank goodness their offensive and defensive spells still worked, those just had to hit something and didn't rely on any magic except that of the caster.

He could only imagine the devastation of the naïve English wizards and witches. Before they left their home, Harry received a quick floo call from Neville. When the dead made it into the wizarding world, the people did what they always do…they ran to Hogwarts. The professors and every above average magical spent days pouring power into the wards surrounding the school. This included the anti-apparation wards, as they discovered when the school was overrun…only a few made it out through the secret passages. Harry had begged Neville to join them, but he said he had something he had to do first, and would find them as soon as he could…that was six weeks ago.

Now, he and his family were set up in a rudimentary camp on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia; he ruefully thought he had felt more protected in the Forest of Dean on the run from Snatchers with Hermione and Ron. What they considered security here was laughable…and their "leader" was no better than Lockhart; all pompous show and no clue. Thank Merlin Luna and he had Daryl and Merle.

The Dixons had, quite literally, stumbled into their lives two years ago. Harry and Luna had been in their kitchen chatting while making dinner. Noise from the woods on the edge of their property had drawn their attention. Two men stumbled from the tree line, feet from the beginning of the wards Harry had surrounding the property. They watched as the two men were obviously yelling at each other, then a punch was thrown by the bigger man, and both were rolling on the ground trying to beat the other.

Luna let out an annoyed huff and stormed out of the house, heading straight for the fighting men. Harry cursed vividly as he took off after his headstrong sister. Luna paused at the edge of the wards, hands on her hips, as she watched the two men roll around on the ground in front of her; their presence going unnoticed thanks to the wards used to conceal their home. Before Harry could say a word, or grab her, Luna stepped across the wards.

Harry chuckled now, remembering how Luna had used magic to separate the two…their shocked expressions at the wispy blonde suddenly before them declaring her destined was not going to behave in such a manner…and she would absolutely not tolerate the poison he allowed in his body. Merle Dixon never stood a chance…he worshipped Luna from the moment he laid eyes on her, and treated her like the most delicate thing in the world. Harry turning him into a Pomeranian for a day the first time he raised his voice at Luna probably helped with the delicate treatment…a little. Harry hadn't stood a chance either, once Daryl decided Harry was his…much to Harry's delight.

Merle and Daryl were from a long line of squibs. The flabbergasted look on their faces when they found all of their grandma's tales were true were priceless. The fact they knew about the Wizarding World, even if it was through stories, lifted a burden from the hearts of Harry and Luna. They didn't need to hide.

Harry had blood adopted Luna as his sister six years ago, as such he was her head of house, and it was his responsibility to ensure a good match for his sister. Not that he thought Merle wasn't a match for Luna; he could see how well suited they were for each other. Still, Luna was his little sister, and after watching Merle detox from the muggle drugs in his body…Harry just wanted to be sure Merle could be strong enough for his sister.

He had been against his sister going into the city with the others. Daryl had headed out the day before on a hunt. Harry had tried to get him to wait one more day, but Daryl said there was no way he was going to let his family go hungry if he could help it. When Shane had said they were getting a group together to go into the city, and Merle and Luna volunteered, Harry was ready to panic. He did not like the idea of his family being scattered. But, Luna was as stubborn as Harry and was adamant they needed to be with the group on the run. So he was left alone in camp, worrying for the safety of his family.

The quiet of the camp was suddenly shattered by the shrill blaring of a car alarm, as a bright red Dodge Charger came into camp. He watched as their "leader" Shane went storming across the camp. He yelled something at the young Asian guy, Glenn, while the hood was lifted and something ripped from the engine…blessed silence followed.

Harry watched for a bit as Shane yelled at the young man, but his attention was soon diverted to the white box truck moving into camp. He watched as people poured out…Morales from the driver's side, then T-Dog, Andrea, Jaqui…and finally Merle and Luna from the back.

His heart lightened his family approach. Then a new person stepped out of the front of the truck. Harry watched as the young boy his family had taken to watching over, Carl, went running to the man yelling "DAD!" He watched as the "Queen Bee", Lori, approached the man like he was an unwelcome ghost. Most of all, Harry watched as Shane looked at the man as if he was the answer to all of his prayers and the ultimate betrayal all at wrapped into one body.

"Things are about to change, brother," Luna said softly as she reached Harry's side.

"Who is he?" Harry asked, never taking his eyes off the blue eyed, dark haired man holding his son close.

"Balance…hope…survival," Luna whispered. "For all of us."

"How long is that going to take?" Harry asked, taking note of the looks passed between Lori and Shane.

Luna merely hummed, patting Harry on the arm, as she moved towards the largest tent in their grouping…an unusually quiet and twitching Merle following.

AN: No Daryl this chapter…but he's coming. Promise. I realized I said Glenn had a Mustang in the last chapter…I corrected that.