Harry yawned tiredly, standing up and automatically putting his boots on (they all slept fully dressed) leaving his tent and over to Merle's concern churning in his gut when he noticed that Merle wasn't there. Had he gone hunting after going salvaging with the group yesterday? Or was the group just not back yet? Daryl wasn't there either, but he hadn't expected him to be, it was his turn to hunt. Merle was better at skinning preparing the food to be eaten, Harry and Daryl were the ones that preferred to hunt for it. Not that they ever got a thank you for it either, Muggles were so damn ignorant - aright some Muggles, since Daryl and Merle were alright as was Carol, who thanked them for the food and tried to do their laundry but he had said no, he didn't need someone to do it (he could magically clean them better anyway). The bad feeling had followed him all day yesterday, and it was twice as bad today. Shrugging his shoulders, determined to get answers from someone, Dale would be best to ask since he was the one that was mostly on watch duty. Sniffing in distain, he stank, it was time to put a different set of clothes on, he couldn't risk just cleaning himself magically and leaving them on - now that would draw attention to himself. Not that he was going to get into trouble for using magic, since the entire magical world and he meant the entire magical world, not just the one in Britain had gone to hell. Word had reached him that the schools had gone on completely lockdown, nobody in or out, in a bid to save them and it had worked, everyone in the schools were safe, the rest of the world though was probably gone, except those maybe in Hogsmeade with it being a purely magical town - hidden as well, although he wouldn't put his money on it. He would have tried to go back home, but as the letter said it let absolutely nobody in, which meant him too so there was no point to exhausting himself trying.
Flipping open his six compartment trunk, which had three other shrunk trunks in it, which various different things he'd salvaged as the world was ravaged by some sort of zombie disease, and yes zombie, he had grown up in the Muggle world after all, they were also nothing like Inferi either anyway so there was no point to calling them that. Books, herbs, potions, tents, his potions supply kit, Medical supplies, Muggle medicine, Potions, clothes, shoes and more importantly an assortment of guns and an assortment of ammunition, as well as weapons and food and drink (under cooling and stasis charms, except the non-perishables, and quite a few other things. Shane had no idea about them though, the guy would only try and take them, like he had done with the gun he actually stored in his pants at all times beside his wands. He had come up to the quarry as if he owned the place and began telling everyone what to do, he of course hadn't listened nor did Daryl or Merle most of the time. He was a leader, not a follower, always had been, always would be. In fact he'd been raised that way, from the age of eleven to seventeen to be a leader, pushed, pulled and prodded in the direction until he had taken on the mantel without complaint. There was just something about Shane that made him wary, he'd watched him lead the people, and it seems to him that he truly didn't care for anyone, well except fucking Lori whenever he could and playing dad to her kid, playing on her desire to have a family presumably.
Shaking off his thoughts realizing he had spent too much time thinking, dangerous thing in these times, quickly undressing and putting clean khaki trousers on, just as he was, he heard something in the distance. He couldn't make out what, regardless he pulled on his white vest, anything more was far too hot. He wasn't used to this weather, hell it was almost like the weather was mocking them actually, with the sun shining so brightly while they were mostly miserable. Thankfully he had magic to help him, to keep him cool, to protect him from the suns rays, considering the state of the world he doubted the sun could do any real damage that he would live to see.
"Merle!" Harry heard Daryl call for his brother, huh, it looked as if his worry was for naught, and Daryl was obviously back which meant he had slept longer than he had in weeks. Sliding his wands into his right hand pocket at his thigh, safer than placing it in his upper pockets. He couldn't let anything happen to the wands or he was screwed magically speaking. Sure he could do some Wandless magic, but only some, so he would guard his wands with his life. Grabbing his gun from under his pillow he put that in his left hand pocket, and put his knife, which was on the small table he had conjured from a piece of wood in the forest behind them.
"Get your ugly ass out here," Harry heard Daryl yell again, chuckling softly, shaking his head, he'd heard worse coming out of their mouths, Daryl was either exhausted or in a good mood. Quietly closing his trunk, any loud noises scared the living heck out of everyone, so he tried to avoid it as much as possible.
"I got us some squirrel, let's stew 'em up!" Harry heard Daryl shout again, usually Merle had a come back for his brother - the bad feeling grew further. Scowling in annoyance, he stepped out of his tent, looking around glaring at the sun, next time he went scavenging he was definitely going to get some sun glasses, it wouldn't help if nobody could damn well see.
"Daryl, just slow up a bit, I need to talk to you." Harry heard, turning around curiously, his green eyes roaming over everyone, they were all gathering around, as if they were getting ready for something. There was someone new, he realized, he must be part of what was going on, he seemed all too comfortable around everyone...family member?
"About what?" Daryl asked, as Shane approached him, looking slightly apprehensive. Glenn and T-Dog looked down right terrified, they must have done something, either that or they were scared Daryl was going to kick their arses for some reason.
"About Merle. There as a..." Shane said before hesitated, turning back to face Daryl his body tense, "A problem in Atlanta."
"Ah, crap," Harry muttered in annoyance, and with the way everyone was closing in on them, Harry began to walk over, ready to help.
"He dead?" Daryl demanded, pacing restlessly, not wanting to know the answer but needing too.
Harry winced, Daryl loved his brother, Harry suspected it was the only person he actually gave a shit about. He would have loved Daryl to care about him the way he did his brother, but that was a pipe dream. No, one had to be family and grow up together the way those boys loved each other and would die for each other, Daryl more than Merle though. He'd had someone at least, he'd grown up with nobody around to care.
"We're not sure." Shane admitted, tensing further.
"He either is or he ain't!" Daryl argued, pacing in agitation.
"No easy way to say this, so, I'll just say it." the new guy walked over, Harry arched an eyebrow as he continued to walk, well he had guts, he'd say that for him, Daryl was like a cornered snake right now, and he was willingly going over?
"Who are you?" Daryl spat, glaring at him.
"Rick Grimes," the new guy, Rick told him, Harry watched him, cocking his head to the side, he was intimidated but refusing to let it deter him, he must be a cop, or someone who was used to dealing with volatile situations. Either that or he'd never been in one and didn't know what the heck he was getting into.
"Rick Grimes, you got something you want to tell me?" Daryl asked him, staring at the newcomer, not paying any attention to the sweat pouring down his face and body.
"Your brother was a danger to us all," Rick insisted, "So, I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked to a piece of metal. He's still there."
Harry closed his eyes and groaned, this was because he had warned Merle to leave everyone alone, Merle wanted to rob them blind and flee, something Harry refused to allow. They had kids, which to Harry made them off limits, now more than ever kids were the future to this damn doomed human race. So he'd made a nuisance of himself probably, Merle could be very unstable sometimes, not to him, but to others.
"Hold on, let me process this. You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof, and you LEFT HIM THERE?!" Daryl roared his anger reaching boiling point.
"Yeah," Rick admitted his tone revealing guilt and shame.
Then Daryl lost it, flinging the squirrels at the man, he was blind sided by Shane knocking him to the ground, but nothing kept him down for long. He crouched defensively, drawing his knife out, before lurching for Rick, he was too angry to think straight, otherwise Harry knew he would have hit him in a single swipe. Shane and Rick grabbed a hold of him, until Shane got him into a chokehold. That was when Harry began to move forward, fury leeching off him every step he took, his green eyes warning everyone to stay the fuck away. He knew how much Daryl hated being touched, in fact he absolutely hated anyone touching him except his brother and occasionally him if the situation called for it.
"Ok, Ok." Rick said panting.
"You'd best let me go!" Daryl snarled, trying to unlock the hold Shane had on him.
"Nah, I think it's better if I don't." Shane insisted sounding a bit too smug.
"Choke holdings illegal!" Daryl said, still trying to get out of the hold unsuccessfully.
T-Dog stepped forward, stopping when he saw how furious Harry was as he made his way over, something made him stop, he wasn't sure what it was but he felt a terrifying invisible force he didn't understand. He'd seen Harry annoyed, but never had he seen him this pissed off before, it seemed solely focused on Rick and Shane - he definitely wasn't going to get involved.
"Yeah, you can file a complaint." Shane said crouching over Daryl, keeping him subdued.
"We can keep this up all day. I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic." Rick said getting right in his face. "Do you think we can manage that?" he said before repeating himself once more.
Harry stepped up, his knife digging in at Rick's throat and gun aimed at Shane, "Or how about you let him go now before I end you both? You hypocritical bastard, if this was your wife or son you'd be acting just the same as Daryl. I wont ask again both of you back OFF!"
Shane predictably moved away, letting go of Daryl in the process, moving towards the females in the group as if that could somehow shield him from Harry's wrath. He knew how accurate Harry was with that damn gun, he wasn't taking any chances by continuing to keep Daryl in that chokehold. Rick hand his hands up to indicate surrender, backing away as well but he had the guts to actually start defending himself.
"What I did wasn't on a whim. His brother does not work and play well with others." Rick argued, but before he could continue to defend himself T-Dog spoke.
"It wasn't his fault. I had the key. I dropped it." T-Dog insisted.
"And you couldn't pick it up?!" Daryl asked sarcastically.
"I dropped it down a drain." T-Dog admitted.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Daryl questioned as he finally got to his feet, keeping well out of anyone's reaching distance except Harry's.
"Maybe this will. Look, I chained the door to the roof, so the geeks couldn't get at him, with a padlock." T-Dog admitted, glancing at Daryl and Harry warily.
"It's gotta count for something?" Rick said still standing where he'd stood earlier, the guy he hadn't been introduced to had a knife and gun still out in his grip and ready to use.
Harry walked over to Daryl, whispering "I can go get him alright, I'll be there and back before anyone knows it, but I'll have to stay away for at least an hour so I don't draw unwanted attention."
"To hell with y'all! Just tell me where he is, so's I can go get him." Daryl demanded, turning to look at them suddenly looking a lot calmer and that truly set everyone on edge.
"He'll show you. Isn't that right?" Lori said, clutching the caravan, already knowing what her husband was going to do.
"I'm going back," Rick admitted, after looking around, his tone slightly wary.
"No, no you're not, we're going alone," Harry stated sharply, "You don't get to lock someone up and leave them to the walkers then look for absolution though altruism."
Everyone blinked at his words, wondering how the hell someone obviously educated would spent time with the Dixons of all people. Well, most of them were thinking that.
Daryl snorted as if he knew what they were all thinking, either that or he was just amused by Harry's words.
"You should go and get cleaned up and get changed, we're leaving straight after," Harry suggested, knowing better than to make it sound like a demand, the Dixon brothers didn't do well when they were being told what to do or so he observed anyway. Although considering he was going to get his brother back, he suspected heavily that Daryl would do just about anything without protesting too much.
Daryl moved away immediately, only once he was a respectable distance, did Harry put away his gun and knife.