New Beginnings
Harry Potter was used to running from his cousin Dudley. Ever since his cousin could chase after himself, Dudley made it his goal to terrorize Harry. Which is exactly why Harry was sprinting down the street away from loud thunderous steps following closely behind him.
“Come back here freak!” His cousins voice echoed out behind him. Dudley and his friends had chased him two blocks to no avail. Harry look around quickly trying to find where to run next when he heard a piercing scream from Dudley.
A gurgling sob ripped from Dudley’s throat as a monster chomped on his neck.
Harry whipped his head around, getting brief whiplash, and instantly saw what happened. He eyes widened in shock as a humanoid thing made a quick feast of his cousin.
‘I need to get out of here! I need to get away from that thing!’ Harry’s mind raced as he saw movement in the corner of his eye. Two more of those creatures locked on him and started chasing him. ‘Anywhere but here! I need to be anywhere safe!’ Harry thought as he started sprinting away.
Within second a ‘pop’ crackled throughout Surrey as the boy standing in the middle of the street disappeared.
Harry’s head ached as his eyes opened to find himself somewhere that was definitely not Surrey. There was nothing but forrest for miles from what he could see.
“What the… where am I?” He said aloud as he glanced at the woody area, finding nothing familiar.
As Harry started wandering around the area he noticed a very soft, almost silent, crunching of leaves. ‘Is it one of those things? Should I run? I don’t have anything the fight against it, would I be allowed to use my magic?’ Thoughts raced his head as he froze in fear as the noise got louder. His heart raced as he made the quick decision to climb the nearest tree.
“Darleen why don’t you carry the rest of this back for ol’ Merle be a good brother would ya?” A grey haired man barked orders to a younger brunette man. Harry quickly noted the crossbow and rifle the two had on themselves.
Harry clung to the branch in fear of the men. ‘Where did they even get those!’ Harry’s heart pounded at the sight of the hunters. He was so caught up in his own mind he didn’t notice the noise he made when he slightly adjusted his foot. A deafening silence rang through the forrest.
“Did’ja hear that baby brother? Sounds like we’re not alone!” The man displayed a wolfish grin as he looked around. Harry pressed his body against the tree, praying they didn’t look up. Harry watched the men closely, wishing they would just go away. Unfortunately for Harry, the brunette locked eyes with his own ones.
“Merle, up there,” He said staring at the young boy.
“Well I’ll be damned! What are you doing up there little man?” The older one chuckled as Harry’s breathing quickened. He looked around trying to think of what he could do, but before he could even come up with a plan, the hunters started up again. “Ya gonna climb down here or are we gonna hafta come get you ourself?” The man spoke, clearly telling Harry to get down.
Harry shook his head and clung to the tree. ‘Maybe I could do that thing again!’ Harry thought to himself, closing his eyes and trying his hardest to disappear again. However, when he opened his eyes all he saw was the two unamused hunters.
“Look kid I don’t want to force ya down, but ya can’t hide up there all day,” the brunette tries, obviously more gentle than his companion. Harry realized he was going to have to come down. He slowly climbed down the tree, never once turning his back to the men. He landed on the ground with a soft thud and looked up at the two men. Despite feeling the need to run he stood his ground and looked up at the two.
“Who are you?” Harry challenged staring directly into Merle’s eyes. “So he does speak! Since ya asked so nicely I’m Merle Dixion and that right there is my baby brother Daryl!” The man exclaimed. “Now what’s a little thing like you running around the forrest?”
Harry realized he had to quickly think of a lie. “There were monster chasing me and I just ran into here,” he jumbled his words.
“Monsters?” Merle tossed his head back, cackling like a hyena. He wiped a fake tear,”that’s a good one!” He continued.
“Whatever don’t believe me, but when they attack you I don’t want to hear anything!” Harry huffed in annoyance. The two hunters looked at each other realizing he was serious. “Look kid, there’s no monsters, we’ll take you to a station or somethin’ so they can put you back with your family. Speaking of, what’s a Brit like you doing in Georgia?” The brunette asked.
‘Great I’m in America of all places!’ Harry internally annoyed at the information. “They won’t look for me, I don’t have a family,” Harry quickly fibbed. ‘It’s not a total lie right?’ Harry convinced himself.
“Look kid we ain’t taking in no strays. Just tell us where to drop you off and we’ll be on our way,” The older on stated. “Whatever, just take me to your car and I’ll tell you where to go,” Harry all but pouted. He quickly tailed the two hunters as they made their way to a truck. Harry hopped into the backseat. “Just take me to the nearest police station, they’ll sort it out” Harry mumbled.
As the Dixions drove Harry closer and closer to the station a decomposing man jumped out at the front window. “I told you!” Harry should as he curled away from the front. Merle swerved the truck and sped up to get away. “The hell was that!” Merle shouted as he sped further away from the area where to monster was. “Those thing are what I ran from! They attacked my cousin and I when we were outside,” Harry rambled just catching his breath. “They tear you apart! I saw… they,” Harry couldn’t get the words out as tear formed in the corner of his eyes. Sure Dudley was a bully, but he was also a kid, just like him. Harry couldn’t stop the tears from streaking down his face as he tried desperately to cry quietly.
Daryl turned around in his passenger seat to check on Harry. “Look uh kid… it’ll be okay,” he poorly comforted the twelve year old. While Daryl comforted the kid, Merle turned on the radio, listening for any news. “This just in a sanctuary for survivors will be hosted in Atlanta Georgia to protect everyone from the diseased beings,” a woman says over the air. With that information, Merle headed off for the city.
“Look kid, I know things are going to shit but yer gonna hafta toughen up if you want to get past this shit,” Merle exclaimed as he drove closer to the city. Suddenly he ran into a traffic jam. “Dammit!” He yelled slamming his hands on the steering wheel. “Might as well get out and see what the hold up is,” Merle stated as he hopped out of her truck. Harry and Daryl followed.
‘Is this really what the worlds come to? Just two months ago I was up at Hogwarts, now I’m stuck in Georgia with nobody I know’ Harry thought to himself.
“Hello, where’s your parents kid?” A brunette woman approached him. ‘Think think!’ “My dads seeing what the hold up is,” Harry blurted out. “Well you shouldn’t wonder too far from him should you?” She condescendingly stated. ‘This woman’ Harry rolled his eyes and ignored her. “Now you listen to me-“ “I don’t know who you think you are lady, but if you don’t back up from the kid right now,” Daryl stated as he walked back to the truck. “I see where he gets his disrespect from,” she harrumphed.
A whistling noise disrupted the dispute as a bomb soared through the air and hit what was supposed to be the safe zone. Daryl covered Harry with his body quickly, only to realize it didn’t hit them. He pulled Harry up a little harshly. “Look lady just, mind your business, not your kid not your problem okay?” He grumbled. “As if he’s your? He’s clearly not American,” she pressured him to delve into their situation. Daryl quickly lied,” his mother was British, and when he passed I was given custody.”
Before the woman could start up again a man with curly hair approached them.”Lori! Others are going down to a quarry while we wait this whole thing out, I think it would be safer for you and Carl if we stayed with a group,” the man stated. Just then he noticed the two others,”you two should come with us, safety in number right?” He chimed. “Well see about that,” Daryl huffed as the others disbanded.
Once Merle came back it was agreed that they would leave for the quarry. “So let me get this straight, you had a British baby momma who died and now you’re stuck with the kid?” Merle laughed at the cover story,”well you best get used to calling Darleen daddy!” He chuckled as he drove to the quarry.
“Now that you mention it, I guess I should call you dad huh? Never really done that before.” Harry laughed softly to himself. The two Dixions noted this statement and what it implied. “Well we can’t exactly keep calling’ ya kid,” Daryl hinted at Harry. “Right! My name is Harry Potter, but I guess now it’s Harry Dixion?” He all but asked to use their last name. When he got a nod from Daryl he understood that he was to use their last name. As the conversation died out, Harry realized he was at the quarry.
Once they all got out of the truck they were met with the same curly hair man from before. “Names Shane, now y’all are gonna be on your best behavior right? Because my friend told me about a scuffle from earlier,” He continued on. “You mean the lady who was trying to tell me what to do? I was staying by the car like.. my dad asked me to,” Harry rebutted quickly. “What’s done is done, but I won’t have anymore issues in this camp understood?” He commanded.
The three decided to make their own camp away from the main set up. When the night came Harry decided to sleep away the stress of all that has happened within the past twenty four hours.