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Chapter 34
Alexandria buzzed with excitement and everywhere seemed to be people. Daryl sighed into his tea, enjoying a small moment of peace, while it lasted.
Man, Merle would be laughing his ass off, if he could see his little brother, sitting in a neat kitchen, sipping tea like an old lady.
But this was the good tea from Harry's stash and even if the hunter wouldn't admit it out loud, it tasted fine enough, when there was no coffee.
Natania was scheduled to arrive today with her delegation from Oceanside. The King and Carol were already there… and for the first to Daryl's dismay they had arrived a few days ago. The hunter wasn't annoyed with his friend or her lover, though. But Benjamin and Henry, their foster sons, had accompanied them and were currently shown around Alexandria by Carl, Beth and Noah.
Daryl wasn't going to lie. He was more than glad that this kept Ezekiel's eldest son a safe distance away from Harry. The young, blond man was crushing hard on the slender wizard, baby blue eyes sparking with lovesick longing every time he saw Harry. It was almost painful to watch Morgan's usually graceful pupil, stuttering and stumbling whenever the green-eyed Brit was near him, who in return seemed completely obvious to the effect he had on the poor lad.
And while it might make Daryl an insecure and possessive asshole, he couldn't stand the young, chivalrous knight looking at Harry like that. He just couldn't! There was still this tiny little voice in the back of his head, claiming that his little wizard could find a better match in a heartbeat…
Paul had understood lover's mood immediately, what might have been the reason the ninja had offered self-defence classes to Benjamin and his little brother, trying to keep them occupied and to tire the lovesick young man out.
The hunter had come to the conclusion that maybe even their usually Zen Jesus was a little irritated by someone so close to Harry's age, being interested in their lover. Not that the small wizard even gave Benjamin that much attention.
No, his attention had been hogged by another male entirely.
Maggie and Glenn had also arrived a few days ago, giving the men in Dixon-Potter-Rovia household a chance to reconnect with their little godson. In fact, it really wasn't that long ago that they had seen the baby, but it felt like ages.
And damn it! The little bugger had already changed a lot. The hunter could swear that the baby had looked totally different, then when they had seen him the last time. Harry really tried to spend each free second with the tiny guy, while Mama and Papa Rhee relished in some much needed baby-free time. So, the Dixon-Potter-Rovia living room had become something close to a day-care. Since Judith had been adamant, that if her favourite person played with another child, she and Gracie wouldn't be excluded.
Littl' Asskicker clearly had inherited Rick's stubbornness. Sure as hell, she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.
Thank God, for Michonne, or Rick and Carl would have already spoilt her rotten.
A baby and two toddlers now wreaked havoc on their home on a daily basis.
On the upside, Snape had taken one look at the growing gaggle of loud children and had buried himself immediately in his makeshift lab…
Daryl hadn't seen the bastard since yesterday morning.
At the creaking of the door, Negan glanced to the entrance, stopping for a moment with his throwing exercises with the stress-ball the freaky ass priest had brought him. The father had even offered him to teach him mediation techniques… apparently to help him with his anger management and to find some inner peace… some bullshit like that…
"Come to mess some more with me?" Negan greeted, grinning broadly at the sight of the young man sneaking into his prison.
"No." Harry deadpanned with a short huff, one dark eyebrow raised.
"Oh, so you just missed my fucking a-class company, huh?"
The kid actually snorted at that, appearing begrudgingly amused by his cocky behaviour. It irked something in Negan that Harry thought him so little a threat. As leader of the Saviours he wasn't used to that kind of bland disregard anymore... Hell, even before he had never taken well to being underestimated.
"How's your head?" Green Eyes asked instead, head curiously cocked to the side.
Negan couldn't help but notice how tired the kid looked, obviously still not completely recovered after the heavy fight with Dolohov. He stomped viciously on the building wave of concern for the boy.
No need to get, that sentimental.
"Aww, just fucking peachy." Negan snarked back instead, a fucking broad grin showing of his teeth, as his voice dripped deep in sarcasm. "I really, really enjoy of feeling constantly violated and fucking helpless. I am having a real fucking blast with it."
Negan shivered under the scrutiny of those brilliant eyes. The kid had always something uncanny about him, that never failed to catch him a little off guard. Even more so since the little prick had so generously 'shared' his bad memories with Negan. The former leader of the Saviours could hardly close his eyes anymore without seeing or hearing shit.
That little girl…
She haunted him. Her matted, blond curls. Her tiny hands, pawing at her attacker, trying to push away a laughing and leering Dolohov, without avail.
Those screams.
Those horrific, high-pitched screams. The sounds of a dying animal, were shaking Negan to the very core of his heart every night.
But the worst part was that at some point everything just seemed to blur together, over layering until it was all one.
Her screams.
Harry's screams.
Negan's screams.
Negan became Harry. Lost in a flood of terrifying memories and the degrading feeling of being ripped apart, again and again.
Degraded for the pleasure of someone else, who laughed at his unimaginable pain. To be so fucking helpless, when another person destroyed your body and your soul.
Unable to escape, not physically and not even mentally.
Trapped.
Humiliated.
Cut into a thousand little pieces.
Looking at the young man before him Negan couldn't even begin to understand how the kid could appear so whole, after all that.
After being so thoughtfully broken.
But that wasn't entirely true, was it? If Negan looked just closely enough, he could see it…
Those expressive green eyes that were staring at him with a hint of dullness, right now. They betrayed the horrors the young man in front of him had already lived through...
For a tiny moment Negan was able to see behind the veil of normality around Harry, glimpsing the tortured soul that had somehow prevailed against the odds. He could see a boy, who had been broken for the entertainment and pleasure of others, again and again. And in the light of Harry's haunted emerald gaze, the man in the leather jacket realized that he had only been shown the tip of the iceberg...
Those impossible green eyes reflected a fucking ocean of suffering and despair, if one cared to really look. An Ocean, that despite its sheer endlessness hadn't managed to swallow Harry.
It was one of the reasons why Negan had decided to stop fighting against Alexandria and its allies... Besides the obvious uselessness in a prolonged fight that would only cost precious lives, before the Saviours' inevitable defeat.
Harry's silent account of his horrifying suffering, made Negan feeling like whining baby.
With a deep sigh he shook his head. "Forget it, Green eyes. Ignore this old man's babbling."
Stunned the kid blinked at him, before he frowned in confusion.
"Are you sure? You just said…"
"Yes, I'm dealing with it. Nothing ya need to fuss about. Can't imagine that your hubbies are too thrilled that you came to see me at all…" Negan waved the teen off.
"No, they're definitely not. Not at all, to be honest. They're probably waiting outside, trying to be subtle." Harry laughed softly.
Negan wanted to pat his own shoulder in congratulation, when the kid's green eyes regained some of their brightness at the mention of his two men. Hell, Harry looked quite disgustingly in love.
A sight that caused Negan's stomach to clench almost painfully.
Fuck! How he missed his wife!
The only real one he ever had. Oh, how he yearned for Lucille!
"Why worry about dear old me at all, kiddo? What does it matter to you, if my head's right? Some, maybe even your friends, would say that I deserve a little bit of torment." Negan asked to distract himself from where his thoughts were wandering again.
"Life isn't fair." Harry deadpanned at him, his beautiful fine-featured face sharp with seriousness. "Bad things happen to good and to bad people alike, but I don't think what I lived through, should be considered a just punishment no matter the crime. I have given you a taste of my pain... And while I don't regret what I did to you, it wasn't my intention to shatter your mind in the process. So, I want to make sure that you are somewhat… OK-ish…" Green Eyes finished with a huff and a shrug.
Negan needed a moment to follow the teen's strange reasoning. The kid was quite clearly trying to hold onto some kind of moral code.
"Damn kid, you really like busting my nuts, don't cha?" Negan chuckled a little breathless. His answer consisted of a single raised eyebrow.
Fuck that little witch-boy and his fucking grown-up attitude.
Maybe all that trauma hadn't left any space for all the bullshit, everyone else felt the need to pull to get through the day.
"Despite that, your Ichabod Crane with the sourly attitude already checked me for any lasting brain damage and barked at me a clean bill of health." Negan shrugged, smirking lightly.
"Who?" Harry blinked in confusion.
"That Snape guy." Negan explained a little surprised.
"Oh, yes. I gathered that from the context... But who or what is Ichabod Crane?" The kid had his head cutely cocked to the side.
"Wait...how can't you...!?" Negan gaped at the teen. "He's a Disney character, from an old animated movie based on that 'Sleepy Hollow' novel... A teacher, with a really big nose... Every kid knows him..." Negan finished somewhat lamely with a sigh. Trash-talking really lost its appeal when you had to explain your references.
"Ah! That explains it." Harry nodded; his face animated with endearingly earnest interest. "My aunt never allowed me to watch that kind of fun movies. Only my cousin Dudley was allowed to watch the telly. But sometimes I could see bits and pieces, when I was doing my chores around the house." He revealed a little absentminded, picking on a fingernail.
Negan had dealt with enough abused kids in his job to look behind the carefully nonchalant facade Harry demonstrated. Form the conversations they had had until now, the former baseball coach had already gathered enough to paint a rather unpleasant picture of Harry's childhood. But Negan also knew that kids like that usually were really uncomfortable with any kind of loud outrage or pity.
So, he settled for a simple but honest. "Doesn't sound fair."
"No, it wasn't." Harry shrugged. "But I was different and they didn't like different."
"That sucks, kid."
"Yeah, it does." Harry threw him a crooked little smile.
For a moment they shared a companionable silence, before the green eyed-youth rose to leave the room.
"Natania is going to be here soon. There will be a decision then." Intense emeralds bore into Negan's soul.
What kind of decision would be made hung unvoiced in the room between them. There were no further words needed as they both knew that there could be only one way this would go…
"Negan…" Harry started, looking torn.
"Save ya breath, kid. I know."
"About what Snape said…"
"Yeah, I don't expect ya to do anything." Negan shrugged and he had to supress a little smirk when Harry seemed to deflate, maybe in relief… maybe in disappointment… maybe both.
But the small wizard nodded nonetheless, clearly bracing himself. "Good. I'll be going now."
There was a strange expression on the young man's face that Negan couldn't really interpret. But suddenly something else spurned the bearded man into action.
"Wait!"
The British youth stopped right in front of the door.
"There was something else Snape said…" Negan rasped out, already knowing that this might be his last chance to address this. Harry was waiting patiently for him continue. "He said you were unsure how to handle the Saviours… The Sanctuary… There are workers, families live there. People who don't know how to fight… Who became and stayed Saviours, because it was their only chance to survive. Because I and my men wouldn't let them leave anymore." Negan saw no reason cover this up… his position couldn't get worse any way. "I understand that there might be no saving me… but these people don't deserve to die."
Harry stared at him. His glowing, green eyes solemn as the kid processed Negan's plea.
A short nod was the only answer he received in the end, before the door closed behind the British teen.
When Natania had arrived, she had promptly made her way to the Grimes house, where all the allies were assembling.
"Potter, you still look dreadful. I thought that Potion Master of yours would have remedied this by now." She huffed as she entered Rick's living room.
That woman had sure a way of making herself known, Harry thought a little exasperated.
"Hello to you too, Natania. It's lovely to see you again." The green eyed youth wryly greeted back.
"Mr. Potter has been seriously injured in his fight against Antonin Dolohov. Healing takes time! And I can assure you that Professor Snape is a Master on the subject of potions." McGonagall spoke up sharply, sounding more than a little indignant.
"And who might you be?" Natania's steely, grey eyes sought the other British woman out.
"Minerva McGonagall, headmistress of Hogwarts. May I inquire your name in return?" Harry's former teacher asked sharply.
"Natania Miller."
There was an unmistakeable tension between the two elderly women, as McGonagall just raised her eyebrows in silent doubt. As an experienced teacher and former head of house, who had dealt with many generations of unruly students and the Marauders, McGonagall was surely one of the most skilled people to detect half-truths. She was a master in calling out bullshit.
Natania scowled at the witch, before she heaved a sigh.
"Natania Miller… by marriage. I was born as Natalie Dolohov." She finally admitted, a defiant look in her eyes.
"My deepest condolence." McGonagall remarked drily, her head cocked to the side in graceful acknowledgement, not bothering to clarify what those condolence were meant for.
Natania looked a little gobsmacked for a second, then she threw her head back with a barking laugh, that dissolved the previous tension.
"Yeah, thanks." She chuckled, but this relaxed attitude was very short lived as she fixed another concerned look on Harry. "Did he cast a very distinct purple coloured curse at you?"
"Yes, uhm… he did. A few times. Hurt like hell." Harry mumbled softly, just all too aware of the weighted looks his lovers and Rick were throwing him.
"No wonder, you still look like hell." Natania huffed. "It's a curse that was developed in the Dolohov family, passed down and honed for generations. It's known for the lasting and extensive damage, it's causing."
"I'm fine." The green-eyed youth tried to smile reassuringly. But apparently 'I'm fine.' translated to his family as 'I am totally not fine, just short of dying.'… Harry shrunk a little when Rick's head whipped around to him, scanning him with narrowed sky blue eyes. "Well, I'm better. The potions, Hermione and Snape have made for me, helped immensely." The green-eyed wizard relented, rolling his eyes at his overprotective foster father.
"Has your Potion Master added enough Dragon liver to the healing draughts? To counter the effects of the curse you need to adjust some of the recipes." Natania frowned. "I'll have some words with Mr. Snape then about the quality of his work."
Harry would be lying if the thought of Snape getting lectured by Natania didn't amuse him to no end.
And if the small upwards twitches of McGonagall's mouth were an indication, he wasn't the only one that enjoyed that notion very much.
What to do with Negan?
That was the questions that hung heavy in the room, after they were done inspecting Harry's recovery process.
Rick was still out for blood. Not speaking of Natania.
But Ezekiel seemed somewhat hesitant to order the Saviour's leader's death. To kill in an open battle was one thing for the idealistic king… to order an execution another…
"Do you really want to kill Negan?" Glenn asked softly.
The young Asian wasn't looking at any of them, just solemnly tracing the patterns on his pocket watch.
Hershel's watch.
Daryl could see how Rick clenched his fists, a familiar glint of troubled stubbornness gleaming in his blue eyes. And despite the hunter's own hatred for Negan, everything the man had done and everything that had been done in his name, he felt a strange kind of guilt welling up inside him. They all had loved Hershel Green. They had respected and appreciated his opinions.
And Daryl knew what he would have told them.
Hershel had valued life.
In the time after the fall of the prison they had almost lost their moral compass the devout, old man had often provided. But it seemed that Hershel's son-in-law was about to remind them…
What a time to decide to pull this out of your sleeve, Glenn…
"Glenn…" Rick growled lowly, thin lips pressed to a disapproving line.
"I know… I know…" The young Asian sighed, looking up from the watch in his hands.
But somehow Daryl had the feeling that he wasn't giving in… Glenn's kind, dark eyes held no less conviction than Rick's. It was a stark contrast to the insecure and terrible, geeky kid, they had first met in Atlanta. Maybe it was because he had become a father now or maybe he and Maggie had fledged with their responsibilities at the Hilltop, growing more independent away from Rick's leadership…
But in this moment with the light from the window illuminating Glenn's features and Hershel's watch, Daryl saw no longer a kid or a lost young man that needed guidance but a grown man in his own right.
"I'm just asking you all, if this is truly the best way to handle this…" Glenn said, his gaze unwavering.
"Negan tried to kill you! If it wasn't for Harry he would have bashed in your head. Leaving your wife, a widow and your son, an orphan before he would have been born. Look what the Saviours did to the Hollowbranch men. " Rick hissed through tight clenched jaws.
"Yes, and we assassinated at least 30 of Negan's men in their sleep in the Satellite Station." Glenn answered solemnly. What they had done that night obviously weighted heavy on the Korean's consciousness.
"That was different!" Rick growled.
"Was it?" Harry mumbled, sounding carefully neutral, causing both of his lovers to flinch. Yeah, Daryl and Paul had killed too that night… the night that had been the last straw to the escalation that had followed… that had killed Denise and had nearly costed Abraham's and Glenn's lives.
"Negan was oppressing the Hilltop!" The former Sheriff argued back.
"Yes, as he did with the Kingdom… because we let him. Because we lacked the courage to seek alliance and to fight back." Ezekiel answered solemnly, exchanging a long look with Carol.
"And we know now that Negan didn't order the attack on the Hollowbranch community, in which all of the men and boys over the age of 10 were killed… In fact, he seemed earnestly shocked about it." Harry added.
Natania snorted disbelieving. "And you think that makes it better?" She snapped at the green eyed wizard.
"No, but do you all realize what this means? What this tells us?" Confused Daryl frowned at Harry, while Paul sucked in a startled breath.
"Simon moved on his own with this one… And if he did this in that case… with something so huge…"
Daryl couldn't quite follow his lovers' reasoning quite yet, but he felt dread starting to rise in him with their implications. He saw the same unease reflected in everyone's else faces.
"Could you please quit beating around the bush, Potter. I have no patience for that kind of nonsense." Natania berated the young wizard sharply.
"Negan isn't just the leader of the Saviours. They are all Negan. Willing or unwilling. And we already know that he left a lot with his executives, trusting them to adhere to the rules he had implemented when he took over the community…"
"Wait! What?" Glenn interrupted, looking truly astonished. "Negan didn't create the Saviours himself?"
Natania and Ezekiel looked equally stunned by this revelation.
"No… He told me and Carl that he conquered the Sanctuary. That before it had been a loose confederation, 'an army made up of gangs of animals'. He brought it all together, establishing some ground rules, build a community that identified itself with him as a leader." Harry explained calmly. "Simon became his right hand man, Dwight told us that."
"So, Negan trusted Simon to follow his orders, just to kill one person… but he went overbroad? And Negan didn't know about it?" Cyndie frowned looking troubled by this. "But there were so many of them… They had to know about Negan's rules. If they went through with Simon's plan despite that…" The young woman was biting on her button lip.
"It would mean that we're dealing with a totally different dynamic here." Paul agreed. "We thought that Negan was the source of their aggression and violence… but this could mean that he was the one containing and directing it for his motives. If we kill him now… it could unleash all that."
"We are protected by the blessing!" Natania offered coolly.
"Yes, but I believe that there are other survivors out there… and the blessing only goes so far. There will be times when we need to leave the area, I managed to ward. The Saviours are still our closest neighbours, ignoring them now could prove very dangerous. Either trapping us here or forcing our hand into a confrontation when we're in much worse position." Paul sighed, laying the full extent of the problem open for of them to see.
"So what? You're saying that we should keep Negan alive, so he can keep control over his people?" Rick asked incredulous.
"No. Yes… Maybe." Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I just... It's easy to take a life, but impossible to give it back. There are so few people left… shouldn't we consider taking lives more carefully?"
Almost unconsciously Daryl reached out to massage the young man's tense shoulders, trying to sooth some of his green-eyed lover's unease. He tried to push down a renewed wave of jealousy that Harry was even thinking about keeping Negan alive, after all the son of a bitch had done to them.
"I think, what Harry was trying to say, is that we should be aware that it's about more than just killing Negan. We have to reach a decision what we're going to do with the Saviours and the Sanctuary, as well." Maggie interjected calmly. Her brown green eyes were shining with a solemn seriousness. "When we started this meeting, it was about if we should kill one man and now, we need to decide whether we're ready to kill a whole community or not."
"Simon was always Negan's right hand man. It's been weeks since we caught Negan. I think it's safe to say that Simon is now running the Sanctuary…" Carol finally spoke up.
Natania cursed colourfully at that.
"Damn you, Potter! For making this even more complicated. Damn you, for being right! When all my old heart wanted, was that man's head on a bloody pike!"
Daryl had to close his eyes for a moment. Yeah, before Harry had brought this up, the decision would have been much easier…
Looking around the room, he found very different expressions on the faces surrounding him.
Glenn and the King were clearly uncomfortable with the prospect to wipe out a whole community that didn't pose a direct threat at the moment. Maggie was sporting a very thoughtful look, making it impossible to say what she wanted to do.
Rick was clearly still out for a fight. The former Sheriff hadn't forgotten what a monster Negan had called to their door step and what it had nearly costed him.
And if the steely glint in Carol's eyes was any indication, then their den mother would back the cowboy on his warpath. No one messed with that woman's kids and with sicking Dolohov on their trail, Negan had done that exactly.
And despite all the things Harry had brought up, Daryl was sure that the old hag, Natania, and her granddaughter wouldn't be satisfied, if their loses wouldn't be paid for in blood.
That left Harry, Paul and Daryl, himself.
Both of his lovers looked torn about the matter.
And Daryl couldn't fault them…
Even if he wanted to beat Negan into the ground, breaking every single bone in the man's body. He remembered just all too well, what it had felt like when Harry had chosen to hunt Dolohov…
This dark killing intent, how it had clung to the teen like a heavy, oily cloak. How it had swallowed everything that was good, bright and lovely about Harry…
Daryl just knew that if they chose to fight and to destroy the Saviours… if they allowed their inner darkness to lead them into a bloody revenge…
Then they would ultimately pull Harry with them into the darkness.
And it would destroy everything that made Harry, their Harry.
If they chose to fight…
Daryl sighed. He didn't want the little wizard to be forced to kill for their sake. The hunter was no fool. There was no way in hell that the green-eyed teen would let them fight alone. And the small Brit certainly wouldn't leave his family behind if they needed his help…
So, yeah…
Fuck!
An all-out war wasn't an option Daryl wanted to purse.
For Harry's sake if for nothing else.
"We should talk ta Negan." Daryl grumbled a little unwilling into the tense atmosphere.
"What?" Rick choked out, bright blue eyes looking at his brother with betrayal.
"It's a good idea." Paul quipped up. His bright cyan eyes glowing with grateful appreciation, causing the hunter to feel embarrassed and proud at the same time. Even after all this time it was hard to believe that anyone could hold him in such high regard.
"With Dwight gone to look for his wife, Negan is our best intel. He might be the only one to give us an idea what to do with the Sanctuary and the Saviours." The long-haired ninja added with a calm nod at both of his lovers.
"What makes you think that he is going to be inclined to be of assistance?" Ezekiel questioned them with a deep frown.
"Because, despite his methods, Negan sees people as resource. He surrendered and I don't think he's interested in sending hundreds of his people into a fruitless battle." Harry answered the King.
"And you hope that he's reformed because you violated his mind with your memories?" Natania asked sharply, causing the green-eyed wizard to flinch under the old woman's curt observation.
"Seems like it, doesn't it? Was sure no fairy-tale Harry showed him." Daryl growled at the ancient harpy.
Natania could mind her own business. Harry had done this in a fit of fury and not out of cruel calculation. And even if he and Paul were not happy that Negan now shared such intimin knowledge with their little wizard, the three of them had started to talk about the things Harry had shown the other man.
Daryl could understand, why the little Brit hadn't told them about it before. The night after the talk when Harry had dropped off to sleep, Daryl had wept silently for all the horror the Death Eaters had brought onto their sweet and kind lover as Paul had held him, cuddling the archer close like a Teddy bear.
So, fuck it! If it would prevent Harry getting hurt even more… than yeah, talking to Negan would be a price Daryl was willing to pay.
But the shared presence of the Oceanside women and McGonagall had opened up the space for another topic. Back in the day Natania had agreed to their alliance only under the condition that Harry would help her to negotiate for a place in Hogwarts.
And Natania would be the leader that she was, if she would let such opportunity pass.
"Relocating so many people would be quite a challenge but with enough preparation and negotiation with the goblins it could be possible…" McGonagall admitted thoughtfully.
"I think that would be an entirely too optimistic assumption." Hermione interjected. "I don't think that the goblins feel any obligation to play nice with wizardkind or muggles anymore. Neville had to offer them a huge part of his heritage to get us three a passage here. I wouldn't want to rely on them too much for this endeavour." The bushy-haired witch was shaking her head.
"How many of your community would want to come?" Hermione asked calculating.
"Not all of them." Cyndie admitted. "Maybe 20… 25 women and their children. At least another 20 want to stay at the Oceanside. They are hesitant to move to yet another community… but their numbers might be not enough to keep the place running and safe."
This was going to be a problem on so many levels….
"Hmmhmm… Just how travelled wizards between the continents without the use of portkeys?" Harry asked. "I mean, when they had a little more time."
"Not that different from Muggles, Mr. Potter." McGonagall responded with a light smile, apparently catching on. "A ship would do very nicely."
"The Oceanside has ships." Cyndie grinned excited. "But I doubt that they are in any condition to survive along journey through the open waters of the Atlantic."
"That wouldn't be a problem. We could quite easily repair what you have, stabilise it for a longer journey and there are some really good spells that would help to navigate the seas properly." Hermione had also caught on and was now in full planning mode. Her brown eyes were sparkling lively at the prospect of using magic for something like this and the possibility of an adventurous journey.
Harry could see that Natania looked excited by the prospect of resettling in Hogwarts. The green-eyed wizard could relate to that to some extent. Natania had been borne into an old powerful house, generations after generations of her family must have gone to Hogwarts. Not having been able to go there herself, the school must have seemed to her like a sacred place, for an elite she had been exiled from.
A safe haven of learning.
A symbol of power.
To be able to go there now after all this time, as a hedge witch and as the sole survivor of the Dolohov family – their little, black sheep. This had to be a triumph in its own right for the old woman.
But it was once again, who Hermione gave the Oceanside women real reason for caution.
"Hogwarts is safe for now. But that might change in the future, if we don't find a solution for our biggest problem. The huge amount of magic cumulated in the school will sooner or later attract half of Britain's walkers in a gigantic herd."
Natania frowned in worry at that information, the elderly woman had clearly hope that Hogwarts would offer them a more secure and more importantly, permanent haven by now.
"Since we came here, I conducted some research on herd movements and especially on the inferies reactions to magic, though. Which are extra ordinary by the way! They seem to sense it, like they hear, see and smell. Together with Siddiq, Eugene and i developed the thesis that this speaks for a lasting activity in the brain stem of the walkers. This is consistent with the way they move in herds. It's really fascinating that they can still sense so much, although most of their brain seems to be essentially dead. This tells us so much about the working mechanisms in our brain! Eugene…"
"Hermione, please… your drifting off." Harry coughed softly to interrupt the rapid word flow of his friend.
It was nice to see her like this, alive, bursting with knowledge she wanted desperately to share. Ron would have rolled his eyes at Hermione's nerdy behaviour. They would a bickered for hours over inconsequential nonsense.
Harry really missed the tall redhead at time like these.
Hermione looked a little flustered at Harry's interruption but cleared her throat pointedly before resumed somewhat slower and calmer: "Oh well, what I was going to say is… We're working on a solution. Eugene and Siddiq have been extremely helpful so far. And I am very sure that we can find a solution for the problem. And since all of you have great experience how to handle walkers and how to secure a community, I think we can make Hogwarts into a save community."
For a moment Harry could already see the capable leader his friend would become over time. Confident, intelligent and strong, Hermione would be a force to recon with. Together with McGonagall and Natania, they would make Hogwarts into a stronghold, a female bastion.
But something else Hermione had said earlier, had Harry now frowning deep in thought.
To lose the Oceanside community here could weaken them drastically, all the communities here were in a fragile state. Losing one community could be a disaster. Especially the Oceanside… It was close to the sea, with good farming land and a strategically well-placed. And none of the other communities could spare people to send them to the sea side without weakening their own homes…
Nibbling on his bottom lip Harry had an idea… but unsure if it would be well received, he hesitated a little.
"I know that look. What is on your mind, Potter?" McGonagall asked with raised eyebrows, that woman never failed in making him feel like a school boy.
"Well… I was just thinking… Uhm… If those women didn't want to leave the Oceanside but 20 people wasn't enough to keep the place safe and working… do you think they would be opposed to accept new people in?" He asked Cyndie.
The young girl blinked perplexed.
"Who do have in mind for that?" She asked perplexed.
"Well…"
Negan cursed.
Colourfully.
How the fucking fuck had this happened?!
Just yesterday he had sat in his shitty little cell, rubbing one out and waiting for the fucking wannabe council to decide on his death… because whatever his new favourite, overgrown bat might have thought, there was no way in hell that Rick-the-prick or that old, blood thirsty bird, Natania, would ever let him see the sunlight again… or so Negan had thought…
Well…
And now… NOW, he was trying very fucking hard not to fucking puke his shitty guts out, because apparently wizarding travel methods consisted of inhumane body sensations of being distorted beyond imagination, like being forcefully squeezed through a too narrow tunnel at full speed.
And even worse, while Negan cowered on the floor, heaving and hacking and obviously about to lose the fight against his uprising stomach contents, said overgrown bat stood beside him.
Upright. Infuriatingly calm and if possible, even more regal looking than ever, observing Negan's troubles with a single raised eyebrow, very silently mocking.
"Could you be by any chance done with those unnecessary dramatics?" Snape asked him, sounding disinterested, but one corner of his mouth twitched in a very telling way.
God, what a dick!
Gritting his teeth, Negan glared angrily at the man, only his nausea keeping him from cursing outright at him.
Another popping sound altered them to the arrival of the others. And to Negan's immense and petty satisfaction, Harry landed a lot less graceful than Snape, while Jesus also sank to the ground with a deep groan of discomfort.
"This. Is. The. Absolut. Worst!" The messiah-impersonator lamented in pure discomfort.
"I'm sorry!" The green eyed teen winced awkwardly, putting a soothing hand on his lover's shoulder. "For the way back, we could take the broom." Harry grinned mischievously, as the long haired man starred at him in uncertain horror. "…or you could ask Daryl for a ride." The teen wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing Jesus to bark out a startled laugh.
"You're a tease, sweetheart." The bearded man replied with an easy smile.
It was almost sickeningly cute to watch their little interaction. Snape for his part looked surely disgusted enough at the open display of affection and suggestive teasing.
"Potter! Could you, please, cut this infernal nonsense out!" The Potions master barked at his former student, causing Harry to roll his eyes and to press a demonstrative kiss on his lover's nose, before helping him up.
Then intense green eyes turned on Negan. "Are you well enough to go?"
"Yeah, just give me a moment to convince my fucking organs to stop from spinning around, Green Eyes." Negan managed to hiss out.
He had to pull himself together. He still had a job to do… and maybe, maybe he could live up to hopes Lucille once had in him… maybe he had it still in him to be a Saviour to his people.
+++ Flashback+++
"Oh, look who coming to visit me in my humble home?" Negan mocked, when he saw Green Eyes and Rick-the-prick enter his prison. They were followed by Harry's lovers, the King, the Wife and that old hag, Natania.
"You coming here to read me the verdict?" The man in the leather jacket laughed bitterly.
"No, not yet at least." Rick grumbled, obviously displeased with something.
Well, well, well! Whatever had mighty Rick's panties in a twist was bound to be interesting.
"We trying to figure out, what to do with the Saviours." Harry spoke up, staring intensely at him.
Their last still fresh in his memory, seeing Green Eyes always brought a wave of overwhelming guilt with him. Knowing what he knew now, Negan couldn't even begin to think about all the people, he, himself, had broken. And how much he had loved every minute about it.
That mindset escaped him now. Like wafts of mist he felt reminders of his old ways in the back of his head but every time he tried to hold onto them, they just slipped through his fingers and instead he was left with the impression of a pair of impossible green eyes and all those feelings of inscrutable pain and bitter regret.
In the wake of many sleepless nights Negan had mulled over life choices and paths taken. The very real possibility that he would be on his way to hell really soon had spurned on quite a few moments of self-reflections.
And the results hadn't been very pleasant.
Harry had once asked him, what Lucille would have thought about him and his actions. Back then he had pushed the answer away from himself… but alone in his cell with nothing else to distract him…
The answer had come to him as pleasant like a punch to the nuts.
After the talk he had with that Snape guy about Harry's mother. In a way he could relate to that prick. Realising that your actions were hurting the only person that mattered to you.
Fuck!
Even worse realising that you're the reason that the woman, you loved more than anything, was dead.
Haunted by another person's freaking trauma, drained and raw from the lack of sleep and nightmares, Negan had faced the truth.
Laughing and crying at the same time, he had talked it out with Lucille's ghost.
"I hope, you're at peace." He had whispered into the night, as his head had rested against the bars of his little prison. "I hope you... I hope you're in heaven. Fuck, I known you're in heaven. You deserve to be there. After all the shit you put up with. After putting put with me." It was the first time he had addressed her like that and somehow it felt sad and good at once to acknowledge her life like that.
"I hope, you fell in love with someone there. Someone, who treats you better than I ever did. And that they're fucking your brains out and then fucking your brains back in after that on a daily basis." Negan chuckled when he said this.
Yeah, he really hoped that she was having a good time. That someone took care of her now, like he should have done, when she was still alive. Negan felt his throat growing tight with that thought. He had missed so many opportunities to do right by her.
In the end, he would die with that regret, knowing that he would never see her again. Because there surely would be no place in heaven for a man like him. He could pull a bunch of bullshit reasons out of his ass, how he had good intentions and how it had been all for survival…
A whole load of motherfucking crap.
Maybe it was time to own up to his deeds and face the consequences. Harry had pulled a mirror in front of his face and now there was no denying the ugly truth.
"I'll always miss you, Lucille. I'm damn sorry, I named those fucking baseball bats after you, honey." Negan had come to peace with her, at least as much as he probably ever could.
He was ready.
And now these assholes didn't even want to kill him, as it seemed.
For crying out loud!
He would never understand this bunch of pussies!
"And what is it you want to know, my dearest Green Eyes?" Negan asked in a soft sing-song.
Well, that he had come to terms with his imminent death, didn't mean that he couldn't have some fun in the meantime.
And oh boy, teasing ninja Jesus and the scruffy older guy that Harry dated, was motherfucking, cock-sucking fun, indeed! Too bad the little Brit had to mess it up by chuckling in amusement and swatting him through the bars. "Kindly stop messing with my boyfriends, yeah? We have no time for mind games, right now. And I think that the things we want to talk about, are also in your interest."
And turning to the two men, who were currently trying to murder Negan twice over with their glares, Harry send a mischievous grin. "Please don't rise to such small baits, would you?" He laughed kindly.
With a tingle of regret Negan allowed himself to realize that he really liked the kid.
Respected him even, as he watch how this pretty, fine-featured face grew serious once more.
"We need to know what kind of leader your second in command is? Simon. He must have taken the lead by now, right?"
"Damn, you Green Eyes! Someone already sung to you, didn't they? Who betrayed us like that?" Negan whistled.
So, they were after Simon… and probably after the whole Sanctuary. Snape had hinted at something like that.
"That's neither here nor there, since they have moved on already." Harry waved him off. "We need to know a few things. It could be fatal to make decisions blindly. They were… are your people. Talking to us, could save a lot of lives. You could help us to resolve the issue as peaceful as possible." The kid implored, his eyes much too bright, for a room without a real source of light.
Behind the teen, Rick and Natania scowled darkly.
"Seems like not all of you think the matter can be solved without bloodshed, honey." Negan mocked softly.
"Don't take me for a fool, Negan! People will die, I know that! Simon and the ones responsible for the deaths at the Hollowbranch community. The one, you didn't even know about, I might add." Gleaming emerald eyes threw him a piercing glare.
Ouch, Green Eyes! Hit where hurt, wontcha? Negan winced mentally.
He was still sore about that betrayal. He really had trusted Simon to follow his orders. And he was pretty sure that that his former right hand man had just waited for a chance like this to snatch leadership and power from Negan. And a tiny voice in the back of his head wondered if Simon hadn't planned this with Dolohov all along…
The wizard had clearly not cared what would become of Negan… and something about the way the man had mocked him…
It had made him suspicious that maybe Simon had been in on Dolohov's plans all along. Well, he was certainly not interested in rescuing him…
What a ton load of shit!
And Harry was not backing down, as the wizard was stubbornly glaring at him.
"But there are people in the Sanctuary that don't have to die, you said so yourself!"
"So, you really wanna save the innocent ones? Huh, Green Eyes?" Negan flashed his teeth at the little Brit.
Sweet hell, the boy was really an idealist, wasn't he?! Negan was starting to see what Snape had meant.
Shaking his head Negan smirked at the assembly before him. "Kill a few… The right ones, I say… Send a message? And the others? Will they be allowed to work for you? Sounds not so unlike my own system."
All of them glared at him for that.
"Nobody will be forced to work for us. People will be free to decide, where to go or to live, to join our alliance or not, but the old regime has to fall." King Ezekiel announced gracefully. "Natania and her people are going to transfer to a safe place in England. Their old community, Oceanside, could provide those of the Saviours that prove to be trustworthy with land to farm and resources to live well. They could become areal part of our alliance…"
"Hahahhaahhaa."
A dark mirthless laugh interrupted the King and with dropping jaws all Non-Magical persons in the room gapped at the ghostly form of Severus Snape… Goddamn, growing out of the fucking brick wall! Gaining more contour and gracefully shaking off the colour and pattern of the wall behind him, the bastard raised his eyebrows mockingly. And from the corner of his eye Negan could see Green Eyes scowling and exasperatedly throwing his hands up.
Cute.
"This is a touching idea, really… Inviting the enemy for a new beginning." The greasy haired bat drawled, his voice dripping in sarcasms and full of unspoken insults. "But I think it will be hard to convince anyone of your good intentions, when you just kill their former leader and then storm their base to kill their current leader and some of their own."
Fuck that Fucker to the moon and back!
But Snape in all his overgrown battyness was right… the was no way in hell anyone would trust Rick or the alliance… Not, when they would kill Simon… and Arat… and Justin… and a bunch of other people…
Fuck, all good intentions.
This was going to be one hot mess!
++++Flashback end++++
In the end the plan was simple. Really.
Snape's intervention had caused the Wife to blurt out something along the lines of: "Well, then we need someone from within to convince them to trust us. Someone they know. Someone they know doesn't lie…" She had mused out loudly.
All the while an innocent smile had played around her lips but her pretty brown-green eyes, gleaming with sharp intelligence, had been fixed on Negan, making it perfectly clear whom she had in mind for that.
And before he could really grasp what the fuck was going on, he had been recruited to give a motivational speech at the Sanctuary.
Yay, fucking yay.
Rick and the other fighters of the allied communities would group together for an attack on the Sanctuary, waiting for a signal to storm the Saviours' headquarter and to detain Simon and his lackies. A signal that Harry was supposed to give, once they had safely sneaked inside and had managed to separate the workers and civilians from the fighters and guards. Harry, the King and surprisingly the Wife's husband had been quite determined to keep any collateral damage to the minimum… something that Rick and the rest hadn't seen as a priority.
Rick-the-dick's original plan… wow, had would have been impressive, but a right bitch-move! Leading hundreds of walkers to the Sanctuary, laying the factory under siege. Underhanded, dirty, and to be honest, it would have been mind-blowing impressive… and fucking bloody was well.
The right start into a full blown war.
Snape had been right. There was no way in hell anyone would have trusted the former Sheriff or anyone with him after a stunt like that.
So, here they were…
Negan to give his little motivational speech and to assure the workers of the Saviours that they wouldn't swap one tyrant system for another.
Harry and his messiah-lookalike-ninja-lover to get them inside the Sanctuary with minimal bloodshed as possible.
And Snape… well, Snape had volunteered to play Negan's security detail with an unfathomable look in those dark eyes that had Negan wondering if he would ever see his cell again to be tried like Rick had promised… or if an unfortunate accident would befall him on this little trip instead. The sourly Professor seemed strangely… entertained… by the whole trip. And by entertained Negan meant the man was even more bitingly sarcastic and snarky than usual.
What a gigantic ass!
It was really hard to imagine that this guy had taught children, but considering Harry's bitchy attitude against his former teacher he might not have been a good one.
Not that babysitting Negan would be Snape's only task…
The women of the Oceanside that would stay behind had agreed to take in some of the Saviours but that old hag Natania had demanded an insurance that they weren't inviting the foxes into the chicken coop. It was a shitty and impossible demand, really…
How do you prove that someone is trustworthy beyond a doubt?
How do you judge the soul of a person?
Well, it seemed like Snape could… Creepy fucker apparently specialized in looking into other people's minds… great… just fucking great.
Harry stifled a weary sigh.
The plan was bad, but… it had been drawn up a little hasty and it certainly lacked refinement. Smuggling himself and Paul inside the enemy's hideout had been risky the first time they had done it, but doing it now with Negan and Snape in tow…
Merlin!
That man just refused to shut the hell up! Blabbering on in one go, trying to get a rise out of Paul or Snape, until the older wizard cursed him into blessed silence.
The deeply affronted look on Negan's face was a nice bonus, as he mutely swore at them, before resorting to giving them all a one fingered salute and continued on with a sullen pout. Paul was sniggering into his beard with badly concealed glee, while Snape looked actually pleased with himself, something that left Harry feeling weirdly uncomfortable. A happy Snape was just too strange. But this wasn't the right moment or the time to ponder Severus particular moods.
Negan mutely yelped and glared as the Potions Master cast a Disillusionment charm on him without a warning. Harry just shuddered, as he applied the charm on himself but not before he had draped his invisibility cloak around Paul's shoulders. He trusted that his heirloom would not fail them and keep his lover safe as they invaded the Sanctuary. If things went pear-shaped, Paul would be the most vulnerable in this situation and thus Harry wanted him to have to best protection.
As they sneaked closer to the gates and the fences with the walkers tied to them Harry could see the blurry outline of Snape's body stopping for a second, taking in the amount of dead bodies snapping and growling at them, as dead, milky eyes sought them out when nobody else knew that they were there. They needed to get moving before the Walkers agitation would reveal their presence.
Quietly they hurried on… but as they passed through the gateway…
The ear-splitting wailing sound of a siren filled the air…
… immediately followed by the chilling sensation of freezing cold water washing over Harry's body. Startled and panicking the slender wizard whirled around in search for his companions only to come face to face with a wide eyed Negan and an equally wide eyed Snape…
Merlin! He could see them… the charm had been washed off them…
Fuck!
A bullet almost grazed his cheek.
"Negan?!"
"This that Negan?!"
Fuck, they were very clearly visible and recognizable…
"Oh my god! Don't shoot! Is that Negan?" Harry heard someone shout.
Yep…
"Yeah, that's Negan! Negan is alive!"
"Someone needs to call Simon!"
The Sanctuary was all of a sudden alive with buzzing shouts and confusion. So much for getting in a subtle way… Shit!
The only thing that saved Harry's peace of mind was that whatever enchantment had caused the Disillusionment charms to fail, hadn't had any effect on the invisibility cloak so that Paul was still hidden.
Thank Merlin, for small mercies!
Snape was the first the recover from the shock and just as the guards around them readied their weapons again, the Potions Master erected a strong shield wall, cursing sharply under his breath. "Don't just stand here starring dumbly into the thin air get moving!"
Harry wasn't sure if that had been directed at him or Negan, but the former leader of the Saviour's reacted first, using the cover Snape had created for them to guide them behind some solid walls to provide them with more cover. Harry yelped when a strong hand gripped his arm and pulled him close against a warm body. It took him a moment to recognize the smell of Paul's shampoo (Ginger and vanilla) and the familiar sensation of being under the invisibility cloak. As much as they both cursed their short and slender frames at times… right now Harry was damn thankful because there was no way that the cloak would have covered them both otherwise.
As the skidded to a halt next to Negan and Snape, Paul pressed a frantic kiss against the green eyed youth's temple.
"You ok?"
"Yes. You?" Harry tugged on a lose strand of hair that had fallen from Paul's bun.
"Yeah." Paul nodded, tugging the hood of the cloak down, to look at Snape and Negan.
The latter was staring a little flabbergast at their floating heads, since the cloak still cover their bodies.
"What the hell was that?" Paul asked Snape.
"That was a most likely a Probity Probe. It is a type of Dark Detector. It is used in order to detect concealment spells or hidden magical objects and apparently it triggered something's like the Thief's Downfall." The former Professor growled darkly.
"Like the waterfall in Gringotts?" Harry frowned.
"Yes, it washes away all enchantments… very effectively as we could see." Snape hissed through clenched teeth, before he turned a heated glare at Negan. "I am pretty sure that these enchantments were a present from dear Antonin."
"I didn't know that they were there! Fuck you very much!" The man in the leather jacket hissed back.
"So, Dolohov didn't tell you that he installed those? You know that doesn't bode well for you, right?" Harry mumbled.
"Yeah, shit, no kidding?! Means probably that Dolohov never meant for me to come back here at all… and that Simon has known about it all along, too… Yeah kiddo, I'm not a fucking retard. I can count shitty 2 and 2 together." Negan grumbled, his face resembling a dark storm cloud.
"~Negan! ~"
They all jumped a little.
"~Negan! ~" Someone male was practically purring into a megaphone with a sing-song voice.
"That's Simon." Paul hissed. Besides Negan, he was the one who knew Simon the best, since Negan's right hand man had handled the Hilltop colony for the Saviours.
"~What a surprise to see you, man.~" Simon's voice resounded around the complex. "But even more so that you're sneaking back into our home with our enemies, like a rat. ~"
"What now? Should we just teleport away?" Paul asked.
"That might be a very dangerous idea." Snape hissed. "If Dolohov went as far as protecting the gate, he might have taken preventions against Disaparation, as well. A fail try could end really, really ugly."
Paul went very pale at that.
"Call Daryl, let him now that they should come here as quickly as possible. I don't know if we can still hold onto our plan… I fear that we might not be able to avoid bloodshed in the end." Harry mumbled, lips pressed into a thin line.
This was going to be a mess…
"Negan, you might as well try to talk to them right now… Snape and I can give you cover and enhance your voice so it can be heard all over the Sanctuary." The green eyed wizard instructed, seeking confirmation in his companions.
"As much as it physically pains me to say this, Potter is right… We might as well proceed with what is left of that plan." Snape grumbled.
"So that means, it's now showtime for good old Negan, huh?!" Negan grinned wolfishly back at them.
If the man was nervous about the situation, he was hiding it well. Harry's stomach was churning with deep unease with how things were going. They had underestimated Dolohov yet again. Even dead the bastard still had found a way to make their lives miserable.
But honestly who could have guessed that a former Death Eater, who's distain for everything Muggle was well known, would have helped Negan's right hand man to size power and to make the Sanctuary wizard-proof.
Harry agreed with Snape, he also feared what else Dolohov might have done for Simon.
But there was little sense in overthinking stuff right now…
Negan was about to start the show! And while Snape continued to ensure their safety with various spells, it had fallen to Harry to get Negan on the stage. With a few charms a small platform was created so that Negan's tall form would be visible to the Saviours surrounding them and for those in the old factory buildings. A simple Sonorus spell had amplified the man's voice enough that everyone in the area could hear him easily.
Negan gave a sharp whistle. It was haunting sound that filled the air around them and it didn't fail to silence all commotion around them. And like one man, all residents of the Sanctuary sank to their knees.
Harry swore, he heard Snape mutter under his breath something along the lines off: "He really conditioned them well. I should have tried something like this with my own dunderheads."
Negan still held and impossible amount of power over these people, the glue that kept those wild men and women, fighting for him, together and apparently in line… what they could become without him… Well, that might be nothing short of terrifying. There was a violent potential here, brimming just under their rough surface… dozens of Len's and Joe's…
The thought alone made Harry sick to the bone.
Bending a little backwards and grinning sharply at the men and women before him, Negan launched into his spiel.
"I am guessing a lot of you fine folks thought I was dead, chewed up, never to be crapped out again. Well, here's a little refresher of who the hell I am! I wear a leather jacket, I have Lucille, and my nutsack is made of fucking steel. I am not dying, until I am damn good and ready." He announced in a booming voice.
Harry tried not to roll his eyes… that man was such a show-off… Paul caught his eyes and quickly ducked his head to avoid laughing out loud. Now that Rick and the others were on the move, they needed to buy time.
"Now, I find asking myself if my dear right-hand man left me behind to fucking rot at the hands of our enemies! Since it turned out that our latest friend, who apparently also improved our fine security measures, planned to off me from the beginning… and to kidnap the kids in the all the communities for his sick pleasure. I trusted the wrong man to help us… he deceived me… And yet I find myself asking, if not someone knew about all this fucked up bullshit. If Mr. Dolohov hadn't let someone in on his plans… as an insurance so to speak. And I ask myself, who has benefited the most from my disappearance?"
Here Negan had made an effective break, looking around him, pausing on familiar faces every once in a while. Some of them squirming under his searching gaze, some of them holding it unwavering. They knew he was talking about Simon.
"There's no reason for you to kneel!" Simon tall form appeared a on a loading ramp. "No, no reason for that! Because, I'm your Negan, now." He was barking into his megaphone. There a hint of panic under his display of cocky self-assurance.
Good, so Simon wasn't as sure in his leadership as he wanted them to believe. Negan might be still the bigger shark of the two and the bastard was sensing it, too.
It was interesting to see how Negan's grin just grew a little broader, sharper, teeth flashing. He looked down on the kneeling Saviours and when he spoke up again, his voice had taken on a compelling sort of… velvetiness, soft and almost caring.
"Folks, listen to me! I told Rick once that I wasn't one for playing 'my dick is bigger than yours'. That I wouldn't march my people into the line of fire just for the sake of it. And that is still true. I care about my people. I care about you! That's why I took the risk to come back, because I still feel, it's my responsibility to look out for you. To save you. I won't let my people die about that shit, like Simon is about to do. I took a gamble, a big one! Mr Dolohov would have destroyed us all and the fucking worst was only avoided because our assumed enemies fucking put him into the ground. I witnessed the power they veiled first hand… and I am god-fucking-damn comfortable enough to accept and admit that this time I have come up freaking short in comparison." The audience sucked in a stunned breath.
"We're done. There's nothing to fight for anymore because there's no shitty fucking way we could win. The only reason we're all still alive is, because the other side was too fucking noble to throw a god damn nuke on us, obliterating us all in go single easy move… And now they have come here to give you a chance to end this without killing all of you." Over the curse of the speech Negan's smile had slowly vanished, making room for a much more serious expression.
That man really knew how to move the masses with aspeech… the crowed had certainly adopted a much more insecure and sombre mood, in comparison to the earlier confusion and excitement.
Harry could see Simon bristling from where they had taken cover. In a harsh gesture the former right hand man pointed at Negan.
"Everyone! Don't listen to him! Negan clearly isn't the man any longer. All that talk of balls of steel… when the truth is that he's just a dickless coward! We won't back down. We are the Saviours. We've built something here and we won't just allow some weak communities to destroy the new world-order we created. Even if he lost his pride and courage, know that I haven't! I am still Negan. We are still Negan! We don't need him anymore! The Sanctuary will prevail! After this is done, we get to work. This is not the man to prosecute this conflict." Simon barked aggressively, snarling at Negan like an angry dog.
Stunned, hushed silence followed… The Saviours were clearly thrown by the openly announced fight for leadership, for the role of alpha male.
"HAHAHAAAAHHAAA!" Negan's laugher broke through the tense quietness. "You wanna be Negan? You wanna be boss? Well pal, ya know how that works. Ya gotta fight for it! Man on man!" He mocked, laying on thick on the drawl.
"What the hell! Negan!?" Paul hissed up to him. "That wasn't the plan…"
"Let him." Snape interjected lowly. "This will buy us time until the others come and it might help some of those guys out there to make up their minds, when they see them fighting it out."
Harry could see small beads of sweat forming on the Potions Master's forehead. He had been holding the protective barrier around them for a while now… Distraction and buying time could be the only thig that saved their asses right now. So, Harry just nodded in confirmation at Negan to go on.
"Listen all of you, just know that I didn't want it to go that way but the Sanctuary must stand." Simon growled discharging the megaphone, as he and Negan moved with long steps into the courtyard.
Both of them tall and confident looking. But while Simon just screamed overall tenseness, Negan seemed to bounce into the fight, a relaxed swagger in very movement. Harry couldn't see any weapons on them…
"Holly shit!" Paul cursed besides him. "Are going to beat each other to death just with their fists?"
"It certainly looks like it." Harry muttered stunned.
"Muggles." Snape hissed in open disgust. But when Harry turned to him to berate him… there was something his former teacher's dark eyes… not fear, but something close to it a shadow of an old memory, an uncomfortable dislike for physical violence… That had Harry keeping his mouth shut this once.
Together they watch with the assembled Saviours how Simon pounced on Negan, swinging his fists with practiced force and precision. His opponent managed to avoid the first punch but not the second, even if he deflected it a bit. Harry winced when Simon's fist landed square on Negan's nose with an audible crunch, before the later retaliated with around of fast and swift attacks. Soon enough the sound of flesh hitting against flesh filled the tense silence, as no one seemed to dare to cheer on any party…
Maybe too afraid of whomever would win in the end…
It was clear that Negan was the more graceful fighter of the two, but Simon fought like an ally cat, giving out as good as he got. Kicks and punches got more and more aggressive, no one giving in at all.
Grunting both men rolled through the dirt, until Negan managed to gain the upper hand, dealing out blow after blow. But Simon had given up, as he blindly grabbed a handful of sand and threw it into Negan's face.
"Arg! Fuck!" They could hear him yelp, when the dirt got into his eyes. Simon used the opportunity to both hands around Negan's neck squeezing.
"Damn it! We need to do something!" Paul hissed, as they could hear Negan wheezing.
A salvo of gun shots broke through the tense atmosphere, startling Simon enough to let Negan break free, putting the other man into a chokehold.
"You are fucking done, my friend." Negan hissed through bloodied teeth.
"I… I surrender…" Simon rasped brokenly.
"Listen, all of you!" A new voice suddenly shouted from the gates.
Rick had arrived with the back up! Thank Merlin!
"We have the Sanctuary surrounded. It's done. Saviours inside! All of you have a chance to survive. To survive this. You all can live if you surrender. Can't guarantee it any time but now. Right now."
There was an insecure murmuring in the crowd, slowly building up to an agitated buzzing. Many were staring helplessly at Negan, obviously waiting for orders.
"Open the fucking gates already!" The man barked in between laboured breaths. "This is fucking over."
As Negan staggered back on his feet, he pointed at two Saviours. "Smith, Menderes, hold Simon!" He commanded.
While Harry, Paul and Snape left their cover, finally confident enough that there wouldn't be a sudden attack from the surrounding Saviours.
Harry watched with relief as Daryl hurried through the gates clearly searching for Paul and himself.
"Thank fuck! Yer both alright?" The hunter grumbled, as he took in their appearances, checking them over for any possible injuries.
"Yep, a little spooked by the way things went, but Negan is probably the only one that got seriously hurt." Harry assured the worried man.
"I can tell ya how much I don't care 'bout that asshole." Daryl rasped darkly, glowering at the man in the leather jacket.
"And here I thought I was growing on you." Negan grinned broadly at the hunter.
"Yeah. Like fungus." Daryl groused, causing Paul to snigger.
Caught up in the relief that they had managed to avoid big bloodshed and that both of his lovers were well, Harry didn't recognize his growing uneasy until it was suddenly too late. Allowing himself to be lulled in a false sense of security, he went over to Negan to take a look at the man's wounds.
A surprised yelp was their only warning, as Simon had managed to catch Smith and Menderes of guard, stealing one of their knives and swiftly cutting both of their throats. Wide enrage eyes had fixed themselves on Harry even before their bodies hit the ground. In a big launch Simon threw himself forward. The slender wizard just managed to raise his arm in time to deflect the knife away from his heart before it sunk in his chest.
Shocked the green-eyed teen just stared at the blade where it had pierced his flesh.
"You! You destroyed everything!" Time seemed to slow down as Simon ripped the knife back out, causing blood and pain to bloom from the wound.
In the background someone shouted his name…
Just when Simon was about to attack again, Negan was there, shoving Harry out of the way of the slashing blade.
Numbly the British wizard watched as a fountain of red liquid erupted from Negan's throat. With weak gurgling sound that seemed to come more from the gruesome gash than his mouth, Negan crumbled to the ground down.
When Harry collapsed right after that, frantic hands were immediately pressing against the freely bleeding injury.
He thought it was Rosita… Rick was close by….
Simon was still there.
… still has a weapon…
But before anything else could happen a knife hit Simon in the heart. At the same time a bolt, fired from a crossbow, punctured his left eye. With look of astonishment and a single gurgling sound he, too, dropped to the ground. Dead immediately.
Snape was by Harry's side in flash, hissing at the sight of blood flowing heavily and freely from the wound in Harry's chest.
"Tell me, Potter. How is it that you always end up in such a mess? Why is it that for the life of you, you can avoid looking for trouble?" Snape' eyebrows were drawn together in concentration, whispering healing spell after healing spell, in between various insults to Harry's intelligence.
Despite everything the young wizard chuckled, coughing up blood. "I don't go… don't go looking for trouble, Pro… Professor. Trouble usually finds… finds me."
Snape's response was a disbelieving snort. "You're a menace, Potter."
The green-eyed wizard felt drained by as his wound knitted itself together, probably because his last serious injuries hadn't been not completely healed yet. Snape proceeded to force a few potions down his throat, that tasted disgusting and made him sleepy.
With a curt. "He'll live." Harry was then shoved none too gently into strong warm arms, from there he gazed drowsily into worried slated blue eyes and equally concerned cyan ones.
Daryl and Paul were there. What a relief!
Harry couldn't help but smile at his lovers.
"Harry, sweetheart, when we're back home, I am so tying you to bed for the next months… maybe the next year." Paul whispered in exasperation, that did nothing to hide his shock and panic.
"Hmmhmm…that's alright, love… as long as you and Daryl come to cuddle with me." Harry hummed, his head feeling a little fuzzy from whatever Snape had given him.
"We'll do that, darlin'. We'll do that, until ya sick of us and throw our overprotective arses out of the house." Daryl pressed a kiss on Harry's forehead.
"Sounds nice." The young man sighed, leaning into the calloused hands caressing his hair.
"Sorry, for worrying you, again."
"Not you're fault, sweetheart. Not you're fault." Paul mumbled sounding a little calmer.
Snape's quick intervention had saved the green-eyed wizard from suffocating on his own blood, as it had filled his lungs, but Negan was still bleeding heavily…
… still alive…
Merlin!
"Save him, too." Rick growled at the Potions Master, pointing at the Saviours' leader with a deep scowl.
The former sheriff was pressing a piece of cut-off fabric to the deep cut in his throat. Snape just coldly looked down on the man struggling man on the dirty ground. Harry could see the fear in Negan's eyes.
The fear of imminent death…
No… that wasn't it…, was it?
"No. I already cast much more magic than I intended and you still want me to scan your pioneers for Mrs Miller's community, right? I refuse to waste any more magic on scum like that." Severus snapped coldly, already turning his back on the dying man.
Maybe it was a trick of the light or Harry's blood loss was getting to him, but for a second the young wizard thought that Negan looked grateful, relieved.
"You're really a cold bastard, aren't you? He saved Harry's life!" Rick hissed.
"I saved Potter's life." Snape snarked darkly over his shoulder, before walking away without another word.
"Damn that asshole!" Rick shouted in frustration. "Siddiq do what you can to save Negan's life!" Alexandria's leader barked out his order, causing Negan to clumsily trying to shake his head.
As he struggled to say something, the leader of the Saviours looked more afraid and panicked than ever before.
Oh… Harry thought numbly. So, this was it, wasn't it?
In the course of the last days Negan had grown to accept his death. Something in green-eyed wizard ached, beyond the healing wound in his chest as he watched Negan's struggle. He remembered that feeling, that mindset… being ready for the next world, ready for the next great adventure. The point, where living on seemed so much more frightening and unbearable, than just dying.
Harry had experienced himself, how enticing death's promise of finally finding peace could be.
"I wear a leather jacket, I have Lucille, and my nutsack is made of fucking steel. I am not dying, until I am damn good and ready."
Yeah, right!
And Snape…! "I refuse to waste any healing on scum like that."
Those two were all talk and snidey comments but damn them if they just once said what they really thought or felt.
Merlin help, fucking bullshiters to the core, both of them!
But it seemed like Rick had found a punishment for Negan that went way beyond just killing him. By forcing him to live on.
After that the Saviours surrendered mostly peacefully. Ezekiel had then announced the offer of a new residents to the workers of the Sanctuary, also revealing that those who would seek home in Oceanside would be screened carefully and that anyone coming with them would have to contribute to the community.
In the end about 70 people would join for the community by the sea, all of them deemed as safe by Snape. Indeed, there had been surprisingly few bad eggs, who had been ruled out by the Potions Master.
When Rick had asked about that Severus had revealed that most of the workers been terrified of Negan and his top henchmen, fearing for their lives and families, but feeling unable to leave on their own. He also discovered that since Harry had called onto the blessing and even more so after Negan had gone missing after his last mission that quite a few people had defected or at least tried to… not all of them had been successful in their escape.
Inquiring about their whereabouts always lead to the same response… silently, shaking fingers would be pointed at the fence and the snarling and growling walker bound there.
Those who didn't want to go with the Oceanside women fled in small groups one after another.
The remaining executives Negan had once appointed were detained as well as the ones that had been part of the killing commando against the Hollowbranch men.
The Oceanside women there ruthless in their revenge pointing each and every one of them. Harry had flinched when some of them had started to beg and cry for their lives, begging for mercy.
They all had been shut down with the same stony words.
"No. Exceptions."
They mirrored what Simon and his minions had said to the mothers, wives and sisters, when they had begged for the lives of their loved ones.
Every boy and man above the age of ten.
No one spoke up for the seven men and women about to be killed.
Arat.
Justin.
Kevin.
Mara.
Steven.
Milo.
Karlo.
They found no mercy here.
Paul and Daryl had been both uneasy to let Harry watch but the young Brit had just shaken his head at them. It was important to watch. This was going to be an execution, one they had all sanctioned, and they as that they all should take responsibility. While it might be justified right now… to Harry, it felt important not to look away from it. You couldn't just decide that a life should be taken and then look away from the reality of it. They had made an ugly decision and it wouldn't do to pretend it was anything else. Even if the Oceanside women pulled the trigger, all of them had condemned these people to die.
And there could be no blissful ignorance with this.
It would be just all too easy to start abusing this, just to take a human's life and be done with it. They really needed rules… they needed some kind of common ground. They needed some kind of law.
So, in the end Daryl and Paul had just bundled Harry up between them, not moving an inch away from his side, as they watched Cyndie and the other fighters from Oceanside putting down the men and women, who had destroyed their families forever. The British young man huddled as close as possible to his lovers, seeking their warmth in contrast to the chill he felt when watching death.
Sanctuary and with it the Saviours had fallen.
Leaving nothing but an empty factory, a naked skeleton and reminder of a shattered empire.
Two days after the sanctuary had fallen Snape and McGonagall got ready to leave by portkey, as Hermione tearfully said goodbye to Eugene and Siddiq to follow the Oceanside people home. As the young witch stood besides Cyndie, her bushy hair untamed and her skin more tanned than Harry had ever seen it, wearing a pair of lose pants and a floaty shirt, she looked all the parts of a proper pirate. Which Harry had already teased her merciless about.
A little teary eyed she came over to him, drawing her friend into a tight hug.
"Natania wants to leave soon." She mumbled with a little hiccup. "And I just wanted to say take care of yourself, or even better just let Daryl and Jesus do that from now on. They will be certainly doing a better way than you." She joked weakly.
"Aye, aye my captain." Harry saluted with a little smirk, which earned him quite a punch to the shoulder.
"Oh, shut it, you dork." She huffed with a little laugh. "I meant that! Please, take care."
"I will Hermione." Harry softened his tone, a fuzzy warmth filled him at her concern. Smiling brightly at her, he tugged a few wild strands of hair behind her ear. "But the same goes for you, ok? Be careful out there."
"I will. I already learned so much form Cyndie and from Eugene and Siddiq… and Harry, I just want you to know that understand now. I understand why you couldn't stay at Hogwarts. I see it when you look at them and when they look at you. I am truly happy for you." She whispered, pulling him into another bone crushing hug, that he returned full heartedly, as tears welled up in his eyes.
"Thanks, Mione! I love you!" He whispered, pressing a short kiss against her temple.
Whipping her eyes, she had one last question burning in her ever working, curious brain.
"What will you do about Negan? Was there an official decision by now?" She asked.
Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead, as a reminder of the headache that topic had caused him in the past days. This had been a difficult topic. One that had caused quite a bit of discussion between all parties involved.
"Yes. After he's healed enough, he's going to leave the blessed territory." Harry told her.
"So, you're just sending him away?" Hermione gapped disbelievingly at him.
"No. He's going to work for the communities. As a scout for food and people, keeping the roads to our territory save. I bound him in a vow." Harry revealed, a familiar unease about such an abuse of power churning in his guts.
"I guess he's happy, he gotten off so lightly?" Hermione scowled.
"To be honest, I don't think so…" Harry shook his head. "I think that's the main reason everyone settled for the punishment in the end… because this was worse for him than allowing him to die. I think… I think, he tried to beg for death instead."
"You think?"
"Siddiq has managed to save his life… but the attack had destroyed his voice box completely." Harry said quietly. "He's going to be mute, Hermione."
The bushy haired witch blinked in surprise.
"This… is this karma?" She asked wryly after a stunned pause, face completely blank.
"I… I don't know. Maybe. The way he spoke to people was such a big part of his spiel… it's hard to explain how … weak and vulnerable he feels now. The vow will even prevent him from ending it on his own terms." Harry looked up into the sky.
Between, executing those, who had wanted to live. and forcing the one, who wanted to die to live, the green-eyed youth didn't know which punishment had been the hardest.
Hermione looked thoughtful for a minute.
"Maybe this is the best penalty for him. A punishment and a chance for reprieve at the same time." She looked at Harry.
"I hope so, Mione. I hope so…"
Together they moved to bid farewell to their former teachers, which Professor McGonagall accepted primly, before turning her head subtly away to brush away a tray tear.
"Goodbye, Mr. Potter. Please, try to stay out of trouble."
"I'll try my best." Harry laughed good naturedly.
"Professor Snape…" Before Harry could say anything else the man was already turning quite brusquely his back on him.
"Potter, I hope we shall never meet again." He snapped, black robes billowing around him dramatically.
Harry just sighed heavily in defeat.
Why did he even try? All this man was giving him was an early headache.
Instead he let himself rest against Daryl's side, as Paul put a calming hand on the back of his neck.
Hermione just stuck her tongue out at the overgrown dungeon bat, before looking at her watch.
"The portkey goes off in 5 – 4 – 3 …" She gave the counted down.
"Lilly loved the Beatles and Billy Joel, too. She never stopped singing as a child." Snape muttered suddenly, just the second before he grabbed the portkey, pointedly not looking at Harry.
… – 1 – off."
And then he was gone… leaving a gapping and fuming young wizard behind.
That emotionally constipated, bullshiting asshole?!
