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Merle and Daryl started the truck first. Harry fired up the bike next. Finally, the SUV was ready to go. Merle signaled out the front window that they were leaving, and they all began the long trek back to the quarry.

The sun stayed high in the sky as they sped out the city they way they had come into it. The weapons had been unattainable, but the journey was not wasted. They all remained unaware of the horde making it's way to the quarry. Only time would tell if they would be able to make it back in time to save their people from painful ruin.

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The trip back to the quarry occurred without much incident. As usual, they had to stop and reroute at certain infested points, but there seemed to be a silent agreement to get home quickly. Each kill was clean and efficient. At one point, Harry and Hermione faked difficulty in moving a barricade of cars in order to cast subtle memory charms on Rick, Shane, and their group. They weren't terribly strong, but they did change the memories so everyone besides Daryl and Merle would believe they had just met Hermione and Harry at the barricade.

It wasn't long before they approached the edge of the camp marked off by the barrier of gently swaying cans. Smoke rose in the air from various fires, and the sounds of children went a long way to soothe the nerves of those who had volunteered to go to Atlanta. They piled out of the vehicles as people came up to help unload the supplies. For the moment, there was peace and hope.

Merle and Daryl returned to their area of the grounds with little fanfare. A shared glance, a clap on the back, and they were off. Harry had realized earlier that they weren't ones for small talk, so he took no offence.

Hermione grabbed Harry by the hand and tugged him towards their own tent. They hadn't truly been able to talk without being overheard since earlier that morning, and they had much to discuss. Some of the members of the camp stopped what they were doing to stare or whisper, but the Hogwarts duo were much too driven to notice.

The tent unzipped and they both dipped inside, oblivious to the leers of their fellow campmates who assumed they were up to some private business. It seemed that the end of the world didn't mean the end of gossip.

"God, what a mess we've got ourselves into. These people...Harry, I can cover here tonight while you check in with Jess at the compound.I'm sure he could use some help with strategizing for how to get all of that equipment home. I'll just tell everyone you wanted a bit of a lie down if they bother to ask."

"Thanks, Hermione. I'll do that after dinner. In the meantime, how are we doing on supplies for this camp?"

"They desperately needed that run Harry. I know we saw mismanaged sanctuaries at Hogwarts, but to not even consider the needs of the people, to ask them what they need, it's inhumane. I don't know how the women here stand it. I'm sure you've noticed that the men love to prance about pretending they know everything while they leave the women to do all the housework and watch after the children. They treat Andrea and Carol like house elves."

Harry interrupted before Hermione could wind herself up further. It was obvious that the camp had gone back to the dark ages when it came to work distribution. He cleared his throat to slow her train of thought.

"I know. We will be able to help these people Hermione; it's just a matter of time. We can watch for a few days to see who would fit. Obviously Shane isn't a good fit, but I see potential in some of the others. If we give it some time, I'm sure we can make things better around here for the women, more equitable, and then we can go back to the compound and ensure things are staying fair there. In the meantime, what supplies did we manage to bring back for them?"

"Well, a lot of things were brought back that won't do a whole lot of good. Chips, caffeinated beverages, things with little nutritional value. I snuck in the good stuff where I could, but a little education on rationing and protein necessity would be a godsend. They seem so much more concerned about the short term than they do the long term, and the longer they think like that the longer they will be stuck living minute to minute. This camp isn't fortified, and with the rate of those zombie packs...who knows how much longer everyone will be able to stay together like this. Honestly, it would probably be better for everyone if they split into smaller groups that were easier to provide for and transport."

Hermione's fingers were twitching like she was itching to write a list. Harry grabbed a notepad and pencil from his backpack so she could jot down her observations. He took a breath before asking a question he was dreading.

"How long do you think the camp can hold?"

"I think with luck it can make it for a few days. Should luck not be on our side, I would be surprised if we made it through tomorrow with no incidents. They haven't made any effort to defend this place, and relying on a natural barrier is risky at best." Hermione glanced at him worriedly.

They had intended to stay for several weeks, but that was looking unlikely. They wouldn't be able to cast the wards necessary for the place by themselves, especially under such a time crunch. The quarry would fall, and perhaps the ensuing chaos would show who had what it takes to survive in this new world. For now, they would play the waiting game.

They made a show of going out, greeting Glenn who was making dinner, and sitting down to eat. It was a bit early for dinner at only 5 or so in the evening, but Harry's errands were best done sooner rather than later. It wouldn't do to look suspicious, so they remained friendly throughout their dinner, gave their "leftovers" to some of the nearby children who had been playing, and Harry retired to the tent for a pretend nap.

With a pop, he arrived at the bottom of the compound driveway and began the arduous task of walking up the hill. He wondered about the practicality and effort involved in installing some sort of ski lift, but that was mostly a pipedream to keep him occupied on his walk. As he neared the midway point, he happened upon a Sphinx devouring a walker. It was only visible from the corner of his eye, but he couldn't help but think how ingenious it was to bring such a creature to their stronghold. Walkers lacked the ability to talk, and thus, could not answer riddles. Furthermore, if a walker threatened a sphynx den then they would be gobbled up immediately.

He did pause to wonder if the walker was safe for the sphinx to eat, but given the various myths and lore he had learned about them, he figured it should be fine. He continued on to the main doors, put in the passcode, and made his way towards the group in the middle of the camp who were busy unloading, sorting, and storing the goods from that day's haul. After some quick greetings, Jesse and Harry adjourned to the kitchen to discuss the plans for the next few days.

They discussed the progress of the wards at Glenn's camp first. Everything had been completed to keep the block safe for at least another week. After that, the wards would need to be renewed to prevent weakness and collapse. Generally, wards would last longer, but the constant barrage from the undead would weaken the wards exponentially. It would be difficult to keep up the wards for more than 3 or 4 weeks, so it was their hope to clear every scrap from the block before the wards inevitably fell.

"Harry, I know you're on a limited amount of time here, so I think it would be good to discuss our long term plans again. We're running out of storage space, and while I'm actually thankful that's our biggest problem, we do need to figure out what to do since we're planning on clearing out those stores and more eventually," Jesse stated.

Harry weakly smiled in his direction before replying, "I do have a very unstructured idea for that. As you know, there's about 30 miles between this place and the Green Farm. Obviously we can't just ward 30 + miles right now, but I think it might be a great long term goal. Assuming we continue to recruit and rescue, that amount of land would be veritably equal to the Hogwarts grounds, Forbidden Forest, and Hogsmeade. I would love to eventually absorb the Greene farm, with their permission of course, and allow them to continue living on their own land."

Jesse paused with his head tilted and considered various options. 30 miles was a LOT of land to cover, especially with warding magic. However, the benefits were undeniable when considering strategic ways to protect the people and supplies within their walls. They could have 2 or more farms, a small town to work the land, keep the animals, and continue building. The space would make sanitation and disease control far easier, not to mention decreasing the closed in feelings that were already affecting those inside the walls.

The logistics of it all would be a true nightmare. The safest and most efficient idea he could think of would be to start at the finish line. If he could ward the Green Farm and build the walls to mirror those of their current citadel's then he could have two teams work to make the two citadels meet in the middle. Once the initial walls were built they could add an additional perimeter wall to surround their entire 30 miles of territory. From there, adding magical creatures and traps to the forest would make them virtually indestructible from that side while the cameras and drones could patrol the weaker points of the keep.

Harry didn't really know the area like the warding team, but this would also allow them access to two small lakes between the properties. One lake was near the Greene's and had clearly been used for fishing. They could repurpose the other lake as a source of irrigation water if times ever got tough.

It would be a difficult, time consuming process, but the rewards were worth the risk. He estimated a minimum of 2 months to complete all of the work, but that did include to bevy of interruptions that were sure to occur.

"It can be done Harry, and I can begin work on it as soon as tomorrow if you wish. It's going to be time consuming, but we could have the entire 30 miles cleared, warded, and ready to inhabit by August. Should our luck hold we could have the Greene's back on their own land in as little as two weeks. If we were both planting for winter then we should have plenty of crops between the two farms to not need to dip into our supplies an awful lot this winter."

Harry's shoulders sagged with immediate relief as he answered, " If you are comfortable leaving your crew to handle Glenn's block then it would be a lifesaver for you to start tomorrow. Take a man or two with you for warding, and once things are safe feel free to bring the Greene's to get started cleaning the place up."

With the most difficult conversation out of the way, Jesse drew up a plan for a barn to be built near the fields for the large equipment being brought in. At present, they only had a little gas, so that was put on their list of immediate supply needs. They discussed clearing out the entirety of the Home Depot for all of their upcoming building projects. Some of the ladies would be working on some of the building kits while the warders and magicals were completing the clear out. Each family house would soon have several raised garden beds for personal use as well as a communal hen hutch for morning eggs. If nothing else the beds would provide basic gardening skills for all while the separate hutches for hens and even rabbits would be a way to prevent disease for the animals.

Hermione had given Harry plans for a community pantry where the citizens inside their walls could "shop" for their needs. It would be a small building where basic supplies for the home and personal hygiene could be gathered without scrutiny. The shelves could be spelled to only allow so many of the product to be given to a household for a period of time to prevent hoarding. Harry passed off the plans to Jesse who would be giving to plans to one of his men to complete by the end of the week.

Harry's time was running short if he wanted to avoid suspicion, so he ended their planning meeting by discussing potential new members. Hermione had made a list for that as well, and Harry discussed the pros and cons of each potential member with Jesse to see if he had further insight.

"We really need more members who know how to use a gun or are comfortable being trained. Magic is great, and it's keeping us safe, but if we want to be able to raid, ward, and build all at the same time then we need more hands. Magicals are going to be hard to find, but finding someone who can use a gun in the south is easy as pie. Anyone who has a special skill like carpentry, gardening, city planning, and even conflict resolution would be invaluable. Magic can speed things up, but we need people who know what they are doing and how to contribute. Obviously, women and children would be a blessing around here, and a good heart is worth just as much as a skill. Use your best judgement Harry. I know you'll do what's right, "Jesse said with a faint smile.

They hugged briefly, more a clap on the back really, before Harry prepared to disapparate back to camp. With a deep breath and a very faint pop, he appeared back in the tent. He could see the outline of Hermione outside the tent doors. Her silhouette appeared nonchalant at first glance, but he could see the subtle tensing in her shoulders that signalled her alertness.

With the most sincere yawn he could muster, he unzipped the tent and stepped outside. Hermione's shoulders eased as she asked him about the citadel. After going over the updates in brief, they discussed the normal goingson of the camp that continued in his absence. Hermione spent her waiting time reading through the veterinary book that Hershel had given them and talking with Amy when she stopped by.

Once caught up, they began writing the list of potentials they had spoken about throughout the day. Andrea, Amy, Merle, Daryl, T-Dawg, Carol, and Sophia were added to their paper with short notes by each person. Hermione made it quite clear that Carol and Sophia would not be coming if Ed Peletier was allowed, and Harry had no qualms with that condition. Even from their far out spot in the camp it was apparent that Ed liked to shout, drink, and abuse. There was no room for that sort in their home.

Harry offered to take the first watch as Hermione looked completely knackered. She quietly went inside the tent, and he could feel the slight tingle of her magic as she set alarms, protection spells, and the simplest of wards.

He poked at their small fire (spelled to smoke only faintly), and settled in on the cushion Hermione had vacated. He brought his small planning notebook back out and looked over all their previous notes. It was strangely comforting to be back in the habit of running for his life, but he knew better than to wallow in a feeling for too long.

Quiet footsteps interrupted him as he was sketching out plans for the much larger, and hopefully improved, citadel. He glanced up surreptitiously to see Daryl eyeing him from his tent a few feet away. It probably should have felt invasive, but Harry understood curiosity. He couldn't count how many times he had stared at a new person and wondered what role they might occupy in his life.

"Do you want to hear about your uncle," Harry called softly from his cushion.

There was silence, but it felt warm - friendly even. Daryl shuffled over a bit closer and offered Harry a camp plate of freshly cooked meat. Not one to turn down food, Harry took it gratefully and gestured for Daryl to sit on the other cushion.

"I met Jesse when he was helping me build our citadel. We had noticed the warning signs of danger while we were in England, and some quick research led us to purchase some land and attempt to set up shop in America as quickly as we could. Your uncle was leading the team working on our property, and I knew from our first meeting that he was a good man."

Harry paused to eat some of the squirrel. It was simple, and it was tasty. Daryl hadn't moved or shown much interest in his story, but he had pulled out a stick and a sharp knife to set about whittling. Harry prepared to continue.

"The first few days were hard and long, but I think all the days since then have been the same. It's a new world now after all. We invited your uncle as our very first member, and Bella too of course, and he moved in the next day. I really don't know what we would have done without him. Hermione and I are soldiers, but the day to day can be overwhelming. We're used to running and fighting, but making sure people are happy and cared for? Well...we try, but we're not really used to nurturing."

Harry stared off into the fire remembering some of his attempts at care. Teddy most noticeably sprung to mind with his endless joy and boundless energy, but there were many attempts throughout his life. It was only in this moment that he really understood Ron's lack of willingness to believe. Harry and Hermione were always on edge, so much had been stolen from them, and the personal attacks had left permanent scars. They held people at a distance, and though they cared, the care was limited and stunted. They didn't make new friends after the war, they didn't live the "regular" early 20's life that Ron so willingly embraced. They both spent about 2 years in therapy with mind healers, and most of their free time was spent at home. It had been easy for them to believe the end was coming, but that was because they never truly believed the end had stopped coming. They had been granted a brief, but pleasant, intermission.

Molly had of course encouraged them to get out and find love. She even suggested they go on a date with each other as they seemed so close. Hermione had attempted a few relationships with men she knew from work, but the damage had been done. No one really understood her life, her petrification, the fear that she lived with from age 11 to present. No one felt her torture like she did every night in her dreams. No one really understood her choice to wipe her parent's memories to keep them safe. She was a soldier, and most of the men she knew had done a bang up job of pretending that a war had never even happened.

Harry was even more hesitant to get involved with someone new. Based on his disastrous attempts with women his own age, he attempted to date older for a few months. He courted a 30 year old from the Department of Mysteries for a few months, but there was no spark. He tried to be a good sport when Ron drug him out to clubs, and he had a few casual hookups, but nothing ever seemed to stick. Really, relationships just felt like more trouble than they were worth, and it was very difficult for him to share anything with the women in his life because there was no way they would ever understand.

"Jesse is a good man," came Daryl's quiet voice from his left side. He didn't look up from his whittling, but Harry was surprised by the conversation. Daryl seemed like a man of few words, and Harry could respect that.

Harry smiled, "He is."

That sat in companionable silence while Harry wrote in his book and Daryl continued his crafting. The night was peaceful as most of the campers had gone to bed, and the fires were slowly dying. The soft night breeze soothed Harry's frayed nerves, and the sounds of the night lulled him into an almost sleep. His eyes drooped further, and he fell into a light sleep.

Daryl sat quietly and continued his whittling. He would be switching watch with Merle soon, but he was comfortable for now. He continued carving a proud raven, adding detailed feathers and claws as the night continued.

Several hours later, Harry awoke to soft footsteps leading away from the cushions and the unzipping of the tent. Hermione made her way to the other cushion, and he could see the tip of her wand pointing out of her sleeve. He moved inside of the tent, and laid down on their sleeping bag. It was then he discovered a small protrusion in his jacket pocket. He reached his hand in, traced the object with his fingers, and finally pulled out a small bear carving.

He drifted back to sleep holding the bear delicately with a small, secretive smile. For the first time since the beginning of the war, he had made a new friend.

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Harry came awake to a quiet whisper from Hermione that it was morning. They had gotten away from their routine lately, and they had discussed getting back into it the prior scrubbed his face hard, waved his wand, and was ready for their morning run. He swapped places with Hermione so she could change privately.

The war proved early on that physical fitness was key in dueling as well as maneuverability. Being fit could and did make the difference between life and death when facing magical opponents, and it seemed even more important now that their foes seemingly didn't feel pain, hunger, exhaustion, or fear.

They placed monitoring charms for breathing, heart rate, and speed before strapping their wands to hip holsters. Prior to the last week they had been running roughly 8 miles each morning before work. However, accounting for their lack of practice, they prepared for 6. They would be doing a full circle around the bottom of the camp before heading up to the top of the quarry. From there, they would be able to see any upcoming threats and plan accordingly.

They left just as Merle and Daryl were heading out for the morning hunt. Merle sent a quick salute, and off they went.

The first mile was always the hardest. They took it relatively slow, and occasionally chatted as they went. They had decided after the war that runs should be a "shop talk free time," so no business talk was allowed. They discussed food, friends, weapons preferences, etc. but they avoided anything too serious. As they began looping out away from camp, they came across some zombies that they dispatched with wands. It had only been a few, but it was proof that the boundaries of the camp weren't as safe as the refugees believed. They continued, killing stray walkers as they went. As they neared the top of the quarry, Hermione asked for a break. They found a log, sat quietly, and enjoyed the quiet before walking that last kilometer to the top.

They appreciated the view as much as they could before casting charms to sharpen eyesight. The spell allowed them to zoom in using their eyes. At present, there didn't appear to be any hordes near the camp. There was a very small group of zombies gathering on the road nearly 12 miles away, but the dead tended to gather and travel fast. They would need to keep an eye on it and possibly warn the others within the few next days.

They made their way back down at a swift pace. As they were coming back to camp, they were met by Daryl and Merle carrying a large deer for stripping. Hermione asked if she could watch and learn, and she took the grunts as permission. She went off while Harry met with Glenn and began the process of making breakfast with what they had in their packs.

He summoned a few eggs from the citadel that he knew wouldn't be missed. He could always say he had found them while he and Hermione had been on their run. He set about making some quick omelettes, searing some canned tomatoes, and putting together a plate of crackers smeared with peanut butter. It wasn't the best breakfast he had ever made, but it would be filling, nutritious, and give them the protein they needed for a long day.

A few of the children from yesterday stood near and waited for some food. He wondered at the last time they had 3 square meals a day and vowed to continue making extra for as long as they stayed.

With the youngsters fed peanut butter crackers and canned tomatoes, Harry whipped up some more, ate, and delivered plates to Glenn and Hermione. While he was trekking out to Hermione he heard some of the men talking about going back into Atlanta that day. Apparently, Shane was still determined to get the guns, and he wanted to make one more attempt. He had been rounding up men all morning, but it seemed as though Harry, Glenn, Merle, and Daryl had not yet been considered.

Hermione met Harry half way and ate her plate on the way back to their little corner of the camp. They discussed going into Atlanta, but decided that staying with the camp served their long term purposes better. Glenn would be going along, with an emergency portkey, mostly to check up on Atlanta and see if there were more survivors. They encouraged him to scavenge while there, and gave him two bottomless bags just in case. One had some emergency supplies, while the other was empty and waiting to be filled.

Glenn spoke with Rick briefly, flashed them a thumbs up, and started helping the nearby men load up the SUV with weapons.

Hermione went to speak with Andrea while Harry roamed the camp. They both wanted to try to get to know some of the campers, and they figured it would be easier if they split up. While near the Peletier RV he could hear some rough smacking sounds followed by some quiet whimpers. Just as he was preparing to enter the RV, Ed came stomping out, red faced, and headed to the latrine ditch. He could hear Sophia crying inside while Carol shushed her gently.

He quickly set up monitoring charms to warn him of Ed's imminent return before entering the tent. The place was very tidy, but there was broken glass on the floor, and blood seemed to be splattered on some of the walls. Carol looked up at him with fright as he entered, and he caught her subtle shifting of Sophia so that she was hidden behind Carol's body.

When she saw he wasn't Ed he watched shame fill her every pore. He looked on with empathy as he moved closer to gently examine her.

"Oh Carol, what has he done to you?" He asked as he turned over her cut up hands and gently brushed her recent black eye.

"It's nothing Harry. I dropped a glass, and then I tripped. It's all my fault really." She whispered this cautiously. He could see the way she winced every time she breathed, a motion he was familiar with as he remembered years of punches and kicks from his beloved relatives. He spent most of his childhood nursing bruised and broken ribs.

"Carol, none of this is your fault." Harry couldn't do anything for the wounds without using his wand or taking her back to his tent. With the defensive stance she was currently in, he doubted either option were really welcome.

He went to the nearby sink to wet some paper towels and was surprised when Sophia brought him a first aid kit. He was less surprised to find the kit well stocked with both usual and unusual supplies. He didn't know many people who kept suture kits, multiple splints, trauma dressing, and mounds of gauze.

He quietly set about cleaning her up. They sat in silence for most of the time, and while Carol tensed while he was wrapping her ribs, she seemed to relax the slightest bit as he continued to be gentle and quiet.

As he was cleaning up the wrappers and bloody alcohol wipes, Carol hugged Sophia tight and whispered into her ear. The monitoring charm Harry had set off began to vibrate slightly signaling that Ed was soon to return.

He slipped outside to buy them some time and attempt to control the situation. He considered putting up privacy charms, but that would likely cause more questions than allowing the ensuing argument to be heard.

Ed came through the trees rubbing his hands against his filthy pants. The minute he noticed Harry by the camper his eyes seemed to fill with fire. He stomped over and pushed Harry, shouting at him to get away from his property.

"Ed, calm down. I merely want to speak with you," Harry began calmly before dodging a punch.

Daryl came around the corner swiftly. He had heard Ed shouting from across the camp, and curiosity more than care called him to watch the ongoing scene.

The fight was honestly over before it even began. Harry dodged Ed's punch, grabbed him by the arm, and used the hold to pin Ed against his chest. While Harry was by no means a muscular man, he did know how to use momentum, speed, and pressure points to his advantage. Ed tried pushing, rolling, and thrashing out of the hold, but every time he moved his simply forced Harry's hold on Ed's neck to tighten and his elbow to drive more forcefully into Ed's ribs.

Everyone was now watching Harry, a man they had written off as quiet, skinny, and weird, force a much larger man into submission. Ed continued yelling and thrashing while Harry simply withstood his tantrum and tightened his hold until Ed was red in the face and weakening.

Daryl looked on with intrigue. From his experience, most magic users relied on their powers for everything. Jesse had been the only magical Daryl had ever met who used his hands for work, and even then it was clear that his first instinct was to reach for his wand first and use physical force second. Yet, here was a man who knew how to fight - who knew how to use his body to his advantage. This wasn't the kind of fighting you learned from schoolyard scraps, and that much was clear.

Harry brought Ed to the ground on his knees before he began whispering in his ear.

"Now, Ed. I know tensions are high right now, but I feel it's my civic duty to tell you a thing or two about the way things are going to be from now on. The next time I get even the smallest suspicion that you're thinking of laying hands on your wife, I'm going to put you out of your pitiful fucking miserable existence. If it weren't for this crowd, I might even consider doing it right now. The pain will be infinitely more horrifying should I find out you've done anything similar to your daughter. I don't like bullies Ed, I don't like drunks, and I definitely don't respect a man who feels powerful when subjecting innocents to vicious treatment. It ends today Ed, or I end you."

The onlookers watched, some horrified and some pleased, as Harry dumped Ed forward on the ground and stood to brush off his pants. Ed grunted and began to get up while Harry turned to leave. Ed grinned maliciously as he pulled back to punch Harry while his back was turned only to end up flat on his back, unconscious, with a bloody nose. A few men went to help get Ed back into the RV, and Harry calmly broke through the circle of spectators to head back to the tent.

Daryl moved back to the far side of the camp to finish up with preparing the deer meat. If nothing else, the repetitive process would give him time to consider the new magic using conundrum in their camp.

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Andrea had invited Hermione along on a short fishing trip she had planned with Amy the night before. They had an old aluminum boat and a single person kayak, so Amy had volunteered to take the kayak so Andrea could teach Hermione the basics of fishing.

Hermione was much more used to books and magic than she was the outdoors and fishing for dinner. She was excited for the experience, but she also knew that her focus needed to be more driven towards finding out information about the members of the camp.

Andrea's hands were graceful from practice as she showed Hermione how to thread the line in the rod and put the bait on the hook. The children of the camp had been helpful in hunting for bait earlier that day, so they had no need to worry about running low. They planned to spend several hours out on the boat, and Amy and Andrea had already put out a few traps in an attempt to catch more fish.

Hermione watched in fascination as the other women cast their lines into the water. It seemed so easy, but surely there was more too it than simply putting a baited string into the water. Andrea laughed as she caught Hermione's calculating look before helping Hermione to cast her own rod. The sunshine warmed their backs, and the world seemed almost peaceful for the first time in weeks. Hermione reminded herself to not be fooled by one calm moment as it was often when the guard was down that the enemy decided to strike. They chatted easily about better times, and Hermione mentally noted the ways the two sisters might be useful. Conversation was easily swayed to some of the members of the camp, and Hermione took mental notes on who to watch closer.

They spent the morning and some of the afternoon out on the pond. Andrea caught most of the fish, but Amy and Hermione helped to add to the pile. For once, there would be plenty to eat that night. At one point, a few of the women from camp had come to do laundry and check on them, and several offered to forage for nuts and berries to go with the meal.

Eventually, the afternoon began to wane, and they knew it was time to get back to the camp. They each took a line of caught fish and walked steadily to the food prep area. Andrea and Amy had volunteered to clean and cook the fish, so Hermione planned to check in with Harry and compare notes for the day. While her afternoon had been quiet, she now felt fully vindicated in her opinion that Andrea and Amy would make good additions to the citadel.

She found Harry helping some of the older women to prepare several sides at their section of the camp. Word must have gotten around that the catch had been good that day. Canned green beans, boxed potatoes au gratin, canned corn, and boxed couscous would round out the meal while still making it appear as though they were being careful with their supplies. As she walked up to Harry she caught the motion of him slipping a potion into one of the pots.

"Nutrient Potion?" she asked.

"Yeah. I figured it wouldn't hurt to help them stay healthy while we were here. The kids at least should be spared the pains of hunger." He said this matter of factly.

She joined in on finishing up the sides and quietly spoke with him about her day on the water. He mentioned the incident with Carol and Ed, and Hermione's opinion of the situation was reinforced. Ed was not welcome, so they hoped against hope that Carol would be willing to leave him behind for the sake of her and her daughter's lives.

Some of the women who had gone foraging had managed to find a wild apple tree, and Harry made quick work of frying up what was brought to him with just the barest hint of sugar and cinnamon.

They all brought the sides over to the more communal area that was designated as their dining spot. The fish smelled divine, and the smoky glaze scent brought the rest of the camp towards the fire. Harry and Hermione laid out the sides, previously charmed to stay warm, and waited for the meal to commence.

Andrea and Amy were in charge of dishing out the fish so that everyone could get a portion. Even though many fish had been caught that day, there was truly only enough for each person to have one fish. It was more than many of them had eaten in one meal since the walker mess had started, so most went up to retrieve their fish gratefully and proceeded on with great joy to the sides where Hermione and Harry would heap their plates high.

The air seemed lighter, less tense, heightened by the camaraderie of the crowd. The children's eyes shined with glee as they stuffed their mouths happily. The adults, too, seemed to relax for the first time in ages. It was a joy to behold.

In the midst of all of the eating and celebrating, Hermione and Harry too the opportunity to observe once of the people seemed ordinary, though some appeared more guarded and some far too carefree to ever be of interest for their and Merle stuck to themselves, but many of the campers took the time to go around, help the children, collect plates, etc. That helpfulness showed a civility, a dedication to take care of one another, that would be worth it's weight in gold in their growing walled city. Without a "leader" the group seemed to flourish.

It was at that moment that they could hear a car horn blaring obscenely from the road. Harry took charge and yelled instructions to retreat further back into the camp. The car could signal the approach of some sort of raiding party, and Harry felt that he had to step forward to protect the people. He placed quick camouflage charms on the tents with Hermione's help. They were subtle, but they would need to remove them before the campers found out to avoid suspicion. They quickly aguamenti'd the fire and covered the logs, ashes, and rocks with dirt. There wasn't really time to cast any more defenses as the horn nearly shouted at them with it's closeness.

They crouched and raised guns. Their wands were tucked back into the invisible holsters on their hips in case they were needed.

"HARRY! HERMIONE! IT'S GLENN!"

This was shouted from the window of the car with the irritating horn. Glenn was beaming happily from the car, though he did look a little roughed up and dirty. Clearly, they had missed a grand adventure, but his smile told a story about his victory.

Harry and Hermione quickly cancelled the spells they had cast and rushed forward to check on Glenn. The others had pulled up in the black SUV and were piling out with supplies. Glenn popped open the hood of the flashy car and Harry poked around inside. He could pretend knowledge of a car to the others, but he really just cast a silencio to stop the horn and pretended to cut a wire in the hood.

With that taken care of and Hermione inspecting Glenn for injuries, Harry looked over at the others to see if anyone was missing or hurt. The other men also looked a bit worse for wear in the dirt department, but no one was missing any limbs or spilling an insane amount of blood, so he assumed they were fine. He turned to Glenn who began regaling him with a tale about some men who had kidnapped him. They had been in a warehouse, and he found out they were caring for their elderly. They were strong men, but they were too loyal to abandon their relatives. While alone, Glenn had started telling them about the citadel, and he offered them the portkey. They had taken it, but would like to speak with "the leaders" before deciding anything permanently one way or the other. They called themselves the Vatos.

The other men had eventually shown up to rescue Glenn at the urging of Rick. That action revealed that Rick had a good nature, and it also showed the priorities of the other men. There had been some brief fighting, mostly for show on the end of the Vatos, but Glenn had been released and they decided to come back to camp.

The takings from that day were sparse, but the items that had been grabbed were better than the trip that Harry and Hermione had interrupted the day before. It seemed that their advice, or perhaps Glenn's influence, had actually made a dent in the way some were thinking. There were boxes of ammo, some for guns that they didn't have. This showed foresight because you never knew were you might find another gun. Bullets had to potential to replace currency at this rate, so they were definitely a high value item.

Canned items and food with longer shelf lives were amongst a box of assorted items. Flashlights, batteries, and some small first aide kits had joined the mashup. The supplies were sparse, but it was better to have quality rather than quantity since the quarry couldn't be a permanent camp. There were still frivolous supplies in the box like chips, sodas, and candy but it was a vast improvement from the previous raid.

Harry and Hermione made plans to seek out the Vatos the following day in the middle of their morning run. That would provide them with an excuse should anyone ask, but they would have to keep the visit short. They could offer the elderly spots in family housing with their younger sons and nephews, and they could also use the sons and nephews for building, farming, and guard duty.

The men, having just returned, made their way over to the camp and called out for the campers to come back. As Andrea and Amy returned to dish out the plates, Harry and Hermione watched to separate the men from the boys. Several of the men complimented the women kindly and thanked them for the meal. Those men would be added to the list Harry and Hermione kept of potentials. However, several of the men chose that moment to say inappropriate things to the girls, to touch them without permission, or to try to snatch or finagle more food. Those men would automatically be barred.

Rick and Shane were both quiet. Something must have happened during their journey to give them both something to ponder. They went up, retrieved their food, and both made their way over to Laurie and Carl to eat.

The evening was winding down after all of the excitement, and though a small group was gathering to party and chat around the relit fire, most of the camp were getting ready to tuck in for the night. Some of the campers volunteered to wash out dishes and smother the fire later in the evening, so Harry, Hermione, and Glenn prepared for bed. Harry would be taking first watch, and Glenn left briefly to wash himself in the nearby lake.

Harry set up a small lantern, grabbed a book, and settled in for a few hours of alertness. As he sat on the log they were using for a bench, he heard quiet footsteps near the tent. Daryl planted himself near a tree and silently took out a small block of wood and a knife for whittling.

"Back again then, eh? I don't have much more to tell you about your uncle, but people have told me I'm a good story teller. How would you feel about a trade? I'll tell you about dragons, and you can carve me another figure?"

Harry smiled towards the fire as his mind conjured up images of his fourth year, the triwizard tournament, a green light, and a heavy body covered in dirt and his own tears. Sometimes it was hard to remember exact details, sometimes it all just felt like a story he had dreamed up - it was better that way, less personal, less devastating.

"I could listen to a story I think," Daryl's voice rumbled. He stayed planted, leaning against the tree, but Harry knew that was just his way. Daryl wasn't the sort to stay somewhere he didn't want to be. Harry stretched out his legs, cleared his throat, and started telling a story that seemed, all at once, far too close and too far away from his memory.

"There was once a boy who lived with his aunt and uncle. They weren't very kind to the boy, but most of the time he didn't care. For most of the year he lived his life in a castle, and he had something more important than kindness from his relatives. He had friends, he had a purpose, and he had magic…"

On the other side of camp, Jim started digging a hole.

*-*-*-*-*-* Happy *-*-*-*-*-**-*-*-*-*-* Author's Note *-*-*-*-*-**-*-*-*-*-* Update *-*-*-*-*-*

It has literally been more than half a year since the last chapter. In that time I:
1. Quit my job
2. Moved across the state
3. Started living with my boyfriend
4. Started a new job
5. Started talking about getting engaged
6. Settled into my new job
7. Got a new puppy

Sorry for the absence. Things have been insane. I hope you enjoy this chapter. For once, it didn't feel forced in any place, and I feel like a lot got done in 15 pages. As usual, feel free to let me know if there are mistakes, but also be aware that I likely won't fix them. I'm ok with being imperfect.