A few years ago, Maggie had installed two holding cells in the cellar of Barrington House. Over time they had to be used only a handful of times but right now one of them contained Alpha.

The woman was giving Rick creeps worse than Negan ever did. At least with Negan, Rick had always felt like they were on the same level. Sure, the former Sheriff had despised the Saviours and what they stood for… but he had been able to comprehend what Negan wanted to do and what he had wanted to build.

Fuck, that had been exactly the reason why they all had fought so hard against them.

But Alpha and the Whisperers…

Yeah, for the life of him, Rick couldn't understand what drove those people. How they could exist like that?

Living with among the dead, aimlessly drifting with the herds.

Merciless killing the living they encounter.

Never building anything lasting.

Never creating anything meaningful.

No community. No bonds.

No future.

Even in their darkest hours on the road Rick, Daryl and the others had always striven for a permanent place to stay at. Somewhere safe to create a future for his children.

For their family.

When Alpha had come to the Hilltop, Rick had thought that maybe Lydia had been mistaken about her mother. He had thought that this hard and cruel woman might be still a parent deep down.

He had dared to think that Alpha cared for her daughter and maybe still cherished at least this connection in her own misguided way. But the short interaction between mother and daughter they had witnessed, had destroyed this notion completely. Whatever reason Alpha had to chase after her daughter…

It wasn't care. Not really.

Alpha wouldn't bend the rules, that she had put on her group and the way she viewed the world for anyone.

This woman didn't want to create a safe place for her daughter to grow up.

And to be honest this scared Rick immensely. Even the Governor had loved his daughter and had tried to protect her existence far beyond death.

This woman didn't want their resources.

She didn't have an angle like Negan did…

No, Alpha reminded Rick of Dolohov in that regard. Like the dark wizard, Alpha didn't care for them. Their existence was a disturbance to her… nothing more. Something that just didn't belong into this world any longer.

Even if Harry, Daryl and Jesus hadn't taken Lydia from her, she would have always tried to kill them all.

Because for Alpha, you were either dead or you lived like the dead. This woman saw no place for the living in this world that was ruled by Walkers and death.

Even now, rejected by her daughter, captured und sitting bound in a cell, she emitted an aura of mocking confidence and nonchalance. Her expression smooth, Alpha regarded the assembled leaders of Alexandria, the Hilltop and the Kingdom with cool calculation.

Suppressing a shiver of unease, Rick felt reminded of a giant boa constrictor, who calmly observed her prey until she would attack in a flash.

There was a heavy silence in the cellar as they all waited for Harry to come back. Carol was glaring viciously at their prisoner. Ezekiel had put his arm around his queen's waist, holding her close to him. All the while Maggie and Glenn were holding each other's hands in silent support. Michonne had taken to restlessly looking between Rick and the second reason cause for the heavy atmosphere in the room.

Daryl.

Rick's brother in all but blood leant on the wall opposite of Alpha's cell, his face resembling a thunder cloud and sadly the former Sheriff was pretty sure that at least a quarter of Daryl's pissed-off mood was still directed at Rick and Maggie.

Rick could feel it in the occasional glare that prickled in his neck.

Yeah, damn fuck. I probably deserve this…

Suddenly the door opened and Negan sauntered down the stairs followed by Harry and to everyone's surprise Jesus and Lydia.

Harry could feel a headache building…

His lover's aggravation with the situation weighted on him on an almost physical level. Paul and he have had already a heated discussion about bringing Lydia down here. And as expected Daryl didn't look all to pleased either to see their little girl enter the cellar.

+++ Flashback+++

"Harry, you're already back?!" Paul greeted him with a smile but there was also a light surprise in his voice, when he saw Harry entering Hilltop's kitchen.

The young wizard pulled his lover into a quick greeting kiss.

"Yes, I got what I needed from my workshop. Negan and I will be joining Rick and the others shortly in the cellar."

Paul picked up on his slightly terse undertone and raised a questioning eyebrow. Inhaling shakily Harry prepared himself.

"I think we should offer Lydia to take her with us for part of Alpha's interrogation."

"What?!" Paul's cyan eyes widened in surprise, before throwing a cautious look at their little girl, who was talking to Connie and Sasha right now.

"Hasn't she been through enough for today?" The long-haired man hissed silently.

"Of course, she has." Harry mumbled back, his stomach rolled with apprehension. "But that's not the point here."

"Then what is the point of this? Why are you willing to let this woman get close to Lydia again? To hurt her again?!" Cyan eyes were narrowed stubbornly.

"I don't want Lydia to get hurt again! I want to give her a choice! This concerns her too." The young wizard hissed through clenched teeth.

"We can just tell her, what she needs to know." Paul agued back.

"Well, if this is what she wants, then we will do that."

Unable to shackle his own building frustration, Harry couldn't hold back the bitter words that spilled over his lips.

"Funny, a few hours ago you were all about letting her chose!"

Paul reared back as if struck. Eyes squeezed shut and face pale in obvious hurt.

A harsh silence stretched between them.

Harry knew he was being unfair. And being at each other's throats wouldn't help any boy right now.

But he felt drained… simply physically and emotionally exhausted. He didn't want to deal with the Whisperers or Walkers. He didn't want to argue with Paul. He didn't want Lydia anywhere near that woman.

He wanted to go home with their little girl and his husbands, to cuddle and to forget about all the shit that had happened today.

But none of that was going to happen.

So, Harry pushed his glasses up and dragged a hand over his tired eyes. He needed to keep it together.

They couldn't afford it to lose their cool.

Some things needed to be done now or it would be too late.

"Why? Why now?" Paul finally choked out, tentative holding a hand out for Harry to take. "Can't it wait 'til everything has calmed down a bit?"

"No, it can't. Because this will be the last time, she'll be able to speak to her mother, Paul." Harry muttered, squeezing the offered hand in silent comfort.

Cyan eyes widened and the former scout shaking his head in denial.

"Paul, you know, it will be. To say it bluntly, it will be Lydia's last chance to get answers or anything resembling closure before we're going to kill her mother." Harry hissed through clenched teeth.

Paul inhaled sharply before, he sent out searching look for Lydia.

Harry sighed in deep regret.

"Didn't this occur to you, until now?"

With a troubled expression his lover mutely shook his head. The British wizard watched how uncertainty and sorrow flashed in Paul's bright eyes.

Harry could tell that the long-haired man had begun to grasp the situation they were in. Lydia had chosen to live with them. She had chosen them over her abusive mother.

But that didn't mean that the little girl wouldn't mourn the woman, when they had to kill her to protect their communities.

Alpha would always be Lydia's mother.

For better or worse.

"Back when the Scavengers betrayed us, I made a mistake and let Jadis go because I felt guilty and pitied her… And not only came it back to bite me in the arse but it could have meant your and Daryl's death as well." Harry mumbled softly, as he caressed Paul's cheek. "I'm not making that mistake again. I don't see a future where we can let Alpha go. She'll never stop fighting us. I'm not entirely sure yet, but I think she can not simply walk away from this."

"Fuck!" Paul cursed under his breath, letting his head drop onto Harry's shoulder.

"Yeah. It's fucked-up." The slender Brit agreed, feeling incredibly weighted down and sad all of a sudden. "But we love Lydia and we both know that grieving without a chance to say good-bye is always worse…"

"I… I just want her to be safe from now on. That woman…is awful." Paul voice was muffled by the fabric of Harry's cloak.

"I want Lydia safe, too. But I feel like we should at least offer her a chance for closure. She won't be alone, someone of us will always be by her side and if we think that it's getting too much you can always bring her away from the cell. And if she doesn't want to come with us that's fine as well."

"It can't wait?"

"No… sadly not. What I fetched from Alexandria is a truth serum…. It will force Alpha to answer all of our questions honestly. It will not allow any lies or for her to hide the truth. It will last one and half hour, max." Harry revealed grimly.

"So, if Lydia wants honesty…"

"Yes, then it has to be now. Even if she doesn't want to see mother now, I could take her questions with me. So, I think we should tell her what her options are."

"Ok, let's ask her…" The defeat in Paul's voice was heavy.

++++Flashback end+++++

"Why have you brought her down here?" Glenn asked, looking aghast. To Rick even Daryl seemed to be staggered to see his adoptive daughter in the cellar with them.

In response Jesus pressed his lips to a thin displeased line and grabbed Lydia's small hand a little tighter, before he nodded in Harry's direction.

"Because she wanted to be here and because she has a right to be here. This might be the first and last time that Lydia will have the opportunity to get honest answers from her mother." The young wizard replied, crossing his arms.

It wasn't said in cruelty or in hurtful way, there was only a cool objectiveness in Harry's voice.

A fact.

And looking between Alpha's malicious form and Lydia's pale face, Rick knew that Harry was right.

Whatever was going to happen after today… the little girl, who was currently burying herself in Jesus's protective hold, would probably never see mother again after this.

Harry, Daryl and Jesus would make sure of this, now that Lydia had chosen to stay with them.

And to be honest Rick just could not see this ending like it had with Negan.

In all likelihood Alpha would be dead by the end of the day.

Right now, the woman stared almost hungrily at her daughter, who was still half hidden behind Jesus.

Harry crouched down in front of Lydia with a gentle smile. He said something to her, too low for Rick to understand, but it caused the girl to smile back at him and to shake her head.

"Ok, we should get started." Harry straightened his shoulders and schooled his features into a more determined expression as he turned towards their prisoner.

With a flick of his wand Harry conjured some chairs for all of them and waited for them to sit down. Jesus had chosen to forgone the chair and instead settled down on the floor where Daryl was still leaning against the wall. Lydia snuggled herself into the safe space between the two men. Now she was nearly hidden by the row of chairs from Alpha's view.

A physical line of defence. Between mother and daughter.

Rick had no doubt that Harry had orchestrated things like that, exactly for this reason.

In the meantime, the young green-eyed man had pulled a flask containing a clear liquid out of his pocket.

Now that her daughter was effectively out off her sight, Alpha had switched her focus on the slender Brit sitting in front of her cell.

With cold, analytical eyes.

But Rick thought that he could detect a hint of apprehension in her expression.

"Do you want to poison me?" She whispered calmly, nodding to the flask.

Harry snorted.

"No. There are still things we need to know. Things, only you can tell us. Poisoning you just now would be senseless, I fear."

Alpha also laughed nearly as silently as she spoke.

The mocking look was back as well.

"Why do you think, that I am going to tell you anything?" She cooed at Harry.

A little breathless Rick watched on as it was the wizard's turn to send Alpha a smile. A very wry one.

"I don't expect you to tell us anything, indeed. At least not on your own violation." Harry raised the vial into the thin beam of light, that came from the small window above Alpha's cell.

"But thankfully with this your willingness in the matter will mean less than nothing. You will talk."

"Torture? I didn't think you strong enough for that."

Rick shivered with unease, at the underlying tone of surprised respect in the woman's voice.

"Naa… I don't think this will count as torture." Harry gave her a thin-lipped smile, that was definitely not friendly, at all. "But I sincerely doubt that it will be a pleasant experience either."

"And how will you get me to drink…"

The former sheriff had wondered the same thing, to be honest… but as it still happened sometimes Rick forgot that Harry was a wizard. And while Lydia's mother tried to taunt Harry, the young man had drawn his wand and suddenly the vial was empty… and Alpha was choking and coughing…

He had spelled liquid into her…

Just like that…

Holy shit!

"Like this." Harry deadpanned.

With sharp green eyes the young man observed how the woman obviously struggled against whatever he had given her, until she slumped over in an unnatural calm.

Apparently satisfied with this reaction, he turned to look at the rest of them.

"I have given her Veritaserum. It's is a powerful truth serum. The potion effectively forces the drinker to answer any questions put to them sincerely and as truthfully as they can to the limits of their own knowledge and sanity. I think this will help us to clear up some important stuff. We should have about 90 minutes, give or take."

A stunned silence stretched through the room. Alpha's head lolled around listlessly. Her eyes had lost their sharpness… She looked pretty much drunk to Rick.

This would be a very different talk than they had with Negan a few years back.

"Let's start easy." Harry's face displayed calm determination, but his posture was tense.

"An old man once told me to always use a proper name for things, for fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. So, tell me Alpha, what was your name before the dead walked the earth?"

Rick saw Maggie and Carol blinking in surprise… Yeah, this wasn't what Rick would have asked at first. But behind him, he could hear Lydia inhaling sharply. A glance over his shoulder showed him a grinning Negan and a satisfied looking Ezekiel. Those two seemed to understand what Harry was trying to do.

Alpha seemed to be struggling again, her mouth pulled into a snarling grimace.

In the way her mouth was moving it was obvious that she tried to keep the words in that threatened to spill over her blackened lips.

It was a fruitless fight, as her face was forced back into a blank state all too soon.

"A… Alice. My name was Alice Baker."

Green eyes glowed for a second, giving away nothing.

But Lydia's breath hitched when her mother forced her real name out.

"Well, hello then. Alice." The way the young Brit purred and let the name hang in the air had Rick alert with apprehension.

Another shudder wrecked through Alpha's body and for a moment Rick thought that it looked like she was physically rejecting the way Harry was addressing her.

The young wizard just continued to carefully observe their bound prisoner, until his expression finally morphing into one of calm satisfaction.

Alice was such a common and sweet name...

Rick couldn't help himself as he tried to imagine what Lydia's mother might have looked like, might have been like before all this. Everything his brain came up with, created a stark contrast to the dirty, harsh... well almost animalistic woman, who had reinvented herself as Alpha.

Reinvented herself as someone independent, ruthlessly strong.

And above all… powerful.

More symbol than a real person.

And right now, with a single question Harry has begun to dismantle this symbol.

"Alice, tell us. Why did you come here?" Sharp green eyes bore down on Alpha, whose face became slack once more under the effects of the potion.

"To get my daughter."

Rick glanced at Lydia. The little girl was listening with rapid attention. Her brown eyes wide while she was nibbling on her thumb in the same way Daryl would when he was nervous. Harry also threw a look at her, which in turn she caught and answered with a small nod. That small understanding smile was shared between them again, before the wizard turned back to their prisoner.

"Why?" He asked simply.

"Because she's my daughter. She's my life. I saved her. I protected her. I made her strong. She's mine. Mine."

There was a chilling discrepancy between Alpha's monotone voice and the words silling out of her mouth.

"So, you beat her because you wanted to make her strong? That's bullshit." Daryl snarled angrily from the background at the woman in the cell. The archer's hand resting protectively on Lydia's head.

Alice craned her head to glance at the girl but Harry very subtly shifted, making it impossible for her to even peek at her daughter.

But Daryl had formulated his attack like a question and again the potion set to work. Forcing an answer out of an unwilling Ms Baker.

"No, it isn't. People, who stay soft, die. Pain is a gift to grow stronger. My daughter survived because I made her strong! She needs me! No one else just me. You and your weakness will get her killed with the rest of you."

It sounded like a curse and despite the potion there was a wild look on their prisoner's face.

"You don't need to be scared for Lydia's safety, because we will keep her safe from now on. And we will do so without abusing her." Jesus uttered icily.

Without a question asked, emotion returned to Alice's expression.

Something between pity and despair flittered over her face, as she shook her head.

"Oh Lydia! My weak, foolish child. My little bug." She cooed, softly calling out to her daughter. "Still such a stupid and weak thing, that you are. So much like your father. You should have come with me. Should have come back to me. This place is nothing. A fruitless dream that shall end soon. These people are nothing. They'll be dead soon, my bug. Real soon. All of it is weak, my Lydia. Weak and failing."

"That's not true!"

Rick jump a little when Lydia suddenly spoke up, having wedged herself right between himself and Harry. Holding onto the wizard's cloak, the little girl was defiantly glaring back at her mother.

"They care. But that doesn't make them weak. They are the strongest people I know and they make me stronger."

Oh, this declaration must have hurt, as Alice's face grew pale under all the dirt.

"I was trying to make you strong. But it seems I failed as a mother and as Alpha if you're this easy to blind. Stupid child, you don't belong here. You belong to my side. To me!" Alpha hissed at her daughter.

The only sign that this had upset Lydia was an almost unnoticeable tightening of her little hand in Harry's robes.

"I am staying here!"

Rick marvelled how clearly and firmly the little girl said this.

It was simple.

But therefore unfaltering.

It changed something in Alpha.

While the woman had tried to mock and coo to her daughter before, she was now obviously livid.

"You coward! You're weak! You make me look weak!" She spit at Lydia, causing Harry to draw the child closer to him, while Jesus appeared at her shoulder.

A second reassuring presence.

"I believe in these people. I love them. They care about each other. They love me. Do you love me?" Lydia young voice filled the silent cellar.

The question activated the potion again.

"Nnn… Arg! That's poison talking. I risked everything for you. You're my bug. Of… of course I lo... I lov…" Alpha's eyes were wide, desperate, as she seemed to ramble around a clear answer. But whatever she had said until now, was apparently not enough to satisfy the potion. "I care for you. You're my life! My way through this world. I need you. You're mine. I was only doing the hard things mothers have to do to protect their young."

Need.

Possessiveness.

Excuses.

But Alpha… or better Alice couldn't sincerely say that she loved her daughter.

The truth serum wouldn't let her.

Probably because she knew.

She knew what she had done to her daughter. This knowledge probably didn't let her claim that she did love Lydia.

"Oh, I've seen what you've done. I've heard what you've done. And we've also heard about the things you refused to do for her." Harry spoke up, eyes gleaming with an icy fire.

When he turned to the small girl by his side, his gaze softened considerably. Lydia had paled at Alpha's words. Rick could only image how much these words must have hurt her but she didn't look surprised.

Only resigned.

Sad.

"If Harry would let you go free, will you leave? Leave us alone? In peace? Can't you just agree to go away?" Lydia mumbled, brown eyes peering pleading at the woman in the cell.

Rick noticed how Harry straightened at the question. Apparently, the young wizard hadn't expected this kind of question. But green eyes narrowed in concentration as he observed Alice's reaction intendent.

Alpha was struggling visibly with her response.

"Alice, don't make this harder on yourself than it needs to be. Answer the question!" Harry said softly and it might have seemed like he felt a hint of compassion for the woman, if not for the icy glint in his eyes.

A vicious snarl was his answer and then again blankness.

"No!" Alice finally admitted.

Lydia scrunched up her nose, and Alexandria's leader watched as her bottom lip wobbled dangerously. But she didn't cry, instead she held onto Harry and looked straight at the woman who had raised her.

"Harry will have to kill you, if you won't leave us alone." The brown eyed girl stated simply with grave conviction.

"I don't want him to kill you. So please. Go away. Can't you do that for me, at least?"

Lydia's plea hung heavy in the cellar.

A glance at his foster son showed Rick, how deeply these words weighted on the young man. Killing had never come easy to Harry.

Rick's blue eyes met Daryl's and without words they came to an unspoken agreement in seconds.

Whatever may come, Harry wouldn't be the one to take Alpha's life.

And then came Alice Baker's answer.

"No. Never! I won't rest until they're all dead. Until you're all dead and this delusion you call a future is burnt to the ground. You took my daughter from me. You made me look weak. You humiliated me. I am Alpha of the Whisperers and we have no room for weakness. I will obliterate all weakness!" The words poured out of her as the potion took over again, dulling her facial expression into one of apathy.

Rick shivered.

Yeah, there was no way they could let her go now…

Looking down at Lydia, the former Sheriff found the same realisation mirrored in her solemn little face.

With a sad and utterly resigned sigh she tugged on Harry's cloak, causing the green-eyed wizard to turn his attention to her. Whatever was communicated between them needed no words.

With a warm expression and even gentler hands he caressed her head.

"Hey poppet, I think this might be enough. What do you think, huh? Is there something else you want to ask or say to your mother?"

Lydia turned away from her bound mother burying herself in Harry's embrace, taking calming breaths, as her teeth worried over her bottom lip.

With a small huff she raised her head to peek at Jesus, who just shrugged… and he might have tried to smile at her but it turned out to be more of a grimace.

"Whatever you want to do to, chipmunk." The long-haired ninja muttered, holding out an encouraging hand for her to take.

Exhaling heavily, Lydia seemed to be extremely tried all of a sudden and she nodded. After a quick hug with Harry and a searching look at Daryl, she hurried over to Jesus in quick steps.

Before they reached the door, she turned around one more time. Just staring at the woman in the cell, who looked like the light was leaving the room.

"Good bye, mama." The farewell was whispered quietly into the room.

There was no answer.

After Lydia hand Paul had left, Harry quickly checked the time.

Still 45 minutes left. Good.

Harry's stomach was in knots, churning in discomfort at Alice confession.

He knew it. He knew it. He knew it. He knew it!

Damn it!

He knew Alpha couldn't live. Harry, himself, had told Paul that. Merlin, Lydia knew Alpha couldn't be allowed to live.

And yet…

And yet, he felt sick at the thought that Lydia had tried to save her mother's life by pleading her to leave them alone.

Something Alpha had refused.

Vehemently.

Loudly.

And shockingly selfish.

Alice Baker may have come to get her daughter back. But she would be staying to kill them all.

No, like Harry had feared she wouldn't leave them alone. Because she couldn't.

"Seems like your own ideology has created quite the tight corset for you, Alice. It must be suffocating." Harry asked the woman. "You denied yourself and your people all bonds and all emotions, too afraid of showing any kind of weakness. And now you can neither any longer claim to love your daughter nor save your own life without making yourself weak and vulnerable in front of your own people. You'd be alone and powerless, wouldn't you?"

Alice's shoulders slumped.

"Yes, strength is power." She muttered numbly. "I saved them. I showed them the way to survive in the world of the dead. I am their Alpha. They need me."

Ah… well didn't sound that endearingly like Negan back in the day?!

But Harry was fed up with this kind of bullshit.

"You're no Alpha because you don't protect your people. You're destroying them! You're destroying their lives by forcing them to be dead. By forcing them to abandon their children, you're killing their future. You're a void! A nihilistic void! And most of all you're not a mother!"

The green eyed wizard had held himself back when Lydia had spoken to her mother but there were things that had to be said. Focusing on the scowling woman, he leaned forward. Magic thrumming through his veins, leaving a light metallic taste on his tongue.

"A true Alpha, a true leader, a true parent, would have ripped anyone's throat out for daring to lay a hand on their child, on a cub of the pack. And it's what I should have done the moment you showed up before the gate." The young wizard spoke in an eerie calm tone.

Beside Harry, Rick wasn't fairing so well, as he choked und started to cough, while Carl took a step forward. The one eyed young man sported a quite intimidating, almost feral looking grin.

Yep, neither Harry or Carl would never forget that night when Joe had lost his throat.

And now, the wizard understood better than ever what had driven Rick back then. He wouldn't let Alpha or the Whisperers harm their child anymore.

With vicious satisfaction Daryl watched Alpha rearing back, as Harry grinned at her with glowing green eyes.

The hunter remembered just all too well, what his lover had been referring to…

The image of Rick's blood smeared face would be burnt in his brain for the rest of his life. A feral, harshness… a wild gunslinger ready to tear the world and his enemies with his teeth apart if it meant that his own would live another day.

And as much as Daryl wanted Alpha out of the picture… and as much as he was sure that Harry would be able to pull something like this off… if pushed just far enough…

Daryl and Rick had already come to the silent agreement that it wouldn't be Harry, who would take the life of Lydia's mother.

Just because Harry was able to do it if push came to shove, didn't mean that he wouldn't suffer in the backlash.

And Daryl remembered that part of the night, as well…

The way Rick had stared hollowly into the darkness, still bloodied and reeling from what he had done. Afraid of the side of himself he had uncovered that night. Mostly all of their original group had been through too much shit at this point to feel squeamish over killing someone who threatened the lives of their loved ones but one of them enjoyed it either.

Not like the Governor. Not like Negan. And not like Alpha seemed to enjoy it.

"Harry?" Maggie's hesitant call, pulled the green eyed man out of his snarling gaze.

Daryl watched as Harry reeled his emotions in.

"Right. Right… we're not done yet." Taking a calming breath, the wizard rolled his shoulders and set himself back into interrogation mode.

"Was there another reason to come here besides getting Lydia?"

Again, Alpha's face smoothed out as the potion forced her cooperation.

"To walk your lands. To learn. To kill you."

Fucking bastards!

And then Harry prolled through a bunch of question with rapid fire.

"How many people are there in your group?"

"Around 80 people."

A lot more than Lydia had guessed…

"Who leads them now that you're here?

"My Beta."

Okay… they stayed in tune with the theme then, huh…

"What are his orders?"

"To unleash the horde if I don't come back. To attack. To kill all."

"When?"

"In two days. Before dawn."

A number of softly hissed curses bounced off the cellar walls.

Yeah, shit… that left them with hardly enough time to prepare themselves. Fucking shit!

As Daryl looked around, he found his friends all looking quite constipated. Before panic could settle in their bones, though, Harry shouldered on. Green eyes narrowed in cold calculation.

"Where will he unleash the horde?"

Here Alpha paused. Not answering.

Daryl blinked in surprised, while Harry sighed resigned. Apparently, he knew what the problem was.

"Beta will not set the horde free all at once, will he?"

"No."

"Will he release the horde in bouts?"

"Yes."

Damn it. Those assholes could not just be plain crazy, could they… no, they had to be damn good strategists as well… Fuck!

The Whisperers would try to wear them out… Prolonging the attack, giving them less time to rest or regroup.

Less time to work together. Less time to think.

"Where will the first part of the horde cross into our lands?"

Again, just a blank face and no reaction from Alpha. Fuck, that was getting annoying… Why didn't she answer? Didn't she know? Had she left all the planning to that Beta guy?

But Harry appeared undeterred by her silence.

"Where do you think he will start the attack? Be precise." He pushed on.

"North from here. The crossing of the interstates" Alice mumbled tonelessly.

"Where else?" Harry asked.

"East. By the old bridge"

The fuck…?! A double attack?!

Daryl felt his stomach sink with dread…

And the second attack would be close to Alexandria, as well.

That meant they had two communities that would need defence… They would need to split their forces.

The community leaders shared grim looks…

There was just one last question left to ask to determine just how fucked they were….

"How big is the horde?"

"I do not know."

The answer came fast this time. And Daryl thought that the potion might be wearing off already, because at a closer inspection Alpha seemed to smile mockingly. And if the way Harry was grinding his teeth was an indication, the hunter might be right.

"Why?" The wizard didn't waste time to ask.

"I haven't counted them."

"Then how big do you guess is the horde?" Harry desperately pressed.

"At least 10000."

Fuck?!

Fuck! Fuck!

That was way more then back in the quarry.

And back then they had weeks to prepare, to plan… and despite all their plans the Walkers had overrun Alexandria in the end.

Fuck!

"What are we're going to do now?" Glenn asked into the sombre mood in the library.

The young Korean man held his head bowed, hands gripping his hair in misery. This was a mess. All the information Harry had managed to gather with his truth serum had painted a glum picture. A huge horde was literally on their door step… and their enemy could control its movements.

Glenn glanced at Maggie who sat slumped in one of the chairs, a forlorn expression on her beautiful face.

Everything they had built up in the last years…

Alexandria. The Hilltop. The alliances. Hershel.

Everything that meant security to them… a future… all of that was one the line here.

"We're going to kill this bitch." Carol growled coldly.

"Yeah... But that ain't solving our problem, is it!?" Daryl grumbled.

The hunter was tense. His slated blue eyes hadn't left Harry since they had left the cellar and Alpha... no, Alice Baker behind. The green eyed wizard was obvious as worried as the rest of them. Glenn could see him chewing on his bottom lip, deep in thought.

"You've dealt with something like this before, haven't you? Back when I wasn't with you…" Harry finally turned to them.

"Yeah. The horde from the quarry." Glenn admitted, wincing at the memory.

That day had been one of the shittiest in his life.

"We tried to direct the path the horde would take and to lure them away from Alexandria. There weren't that many, though." Rick said.

"Yes… and we had a lot more fucking time to prepare and we still fucked up. Alexandria ended up looking like a slaughterhouse." Abraham's red moustache curled downwards as he obvious remembered what had happened then… and just how much had gone wrong. "The operation sounded damn good on paper… but we didn't have enough men power on our side the cover the all ground… no means of communication… there were too many unknown factors, too many things we couldn't control back then… We had to fucking ignite the lake in Alexandria to draw the Walkers away to save even a few of our asses. A lot of people bit the dust that day."

Yeah, that summed it up quite well…

Glenn really didn't want a repeat of that mess.

"But maybe we can still use some of that plan again to lessen the strain on us. If even a part of the Walkers would be lured away, it would be helpful." Harry mumbled, eyes somewhat distant.

He proceeded to pull his pocket mirror out to call Hermione.

They all listened as Harry explained their situation to the witch in Scotland.

The young woman cursed violently. Glenn choked a little at her choice of words.

Harry snorted dryly.

"Yeah… Any ideas?" He asked.

Glenn heard the British woman heave a sigh.

"You definitely need to lessen the strain! A horde this big… it's like a swarm of locusts." Hermione audibly shuddered.

The Korean could be mistaken but he thought she sounded quite tense at the prospect… There was something in her voice that had him thinking that she wasn't just worried about her friend.

Harry seemed to have picked it up as well.

"Everything alright on your side, Mione? How are the wards?"

A heavy pause was his answer.

"Attracting Walkers. A lot of them… nothing of the calibre you're dealing with…"

Yet.

The little word hung unspoken in the air.

"Shit! I'm sorry, Hermione! Are you ok?" Harry frowned at the mirror.

"Yes, we're dealing with it. We've already started to dismantle the wards… we hope things will calm down then. It's just… these wards are centuries old, ancient in endless layers…" The young woman whined.

"… and you're finding this unbelievable fascinating, am I right?" Despite the situation Harry smirked fondly at his friend.

"You have no idea! All this knowledge. All this incredible spellwork and no time to study any of that…! It's just such a shame!" Hermione drew a heavy breath, interrupting her own excited rambling. "I wish we could help you." She mumbled resignedly.

"It's alright. You can't leave Hogwarts. I understand that, Hermione. You need to protect the people there." Harry reassured her.

"Eugene told me that the last time Alexandria tried to guide the Walkers away with walls and noises…" The witch had apparently switch into thinking mode.

What followed was a long tirade of things and findings she had discussed with their own resident genius before.

"With a horde this big and with the Whisperers controlling them… possibly even steering a wayward horde back on track, you'll need a much better bait. That's for sure." The witch concluded.

"We'll need to take the Whisperers out who steer the Walkers…" Rick added his two cents.

"How will we do that?" Abraham asked, face flushed in frustration.

"We need a bait that will surely attract them… Just noise won't be enough. We need fires…" Carol put forward.

"… and magic." Harry and Hermione added in sync.

Glenn blinked at them.

Right. Magic. Magic attracted Walkers without fail.

Daryl was frowning at his younger lover who looked suddenly a lot more optimistic and determined.

"Harry, do you remember the spells I showed you in Hogwarts? When we talked about Inferi."

"Yes, I remember. The ones I told you to forget because they would attract more problems than they would solve." The wizard grinned at the mirror. "Yeah, this might work!"

Green eyes gleamed when he looked at them.

"We're going to fight, right?"

There was a challenge in those words, laid open in the room between them.

Were they going to fight? Or tuck their tails between their legs and run?

Fight or flight?

Looking around the room, in the faces of his family, his friends… in the face of his wife… Glenn found a clear answer.

Flight hadn't gotten them where they were now.

The apocalypse that thrown countless challenges in their faces and they had always risen to the occasion.

They were going to fight.

Harry smiled grimly at them.

"I'm going to take the horde or at least most of it. I'll leave Beta and the Whisperers to the rest of you."

"What?!"

That sounded absolutely impossible.

"Harry, even with your magic… that horde is gigantic! How do you want to contain such a mass your own?" Michonne intervened worriedly.

"I'll manage."

"How?" The samurai stressed.

"From above." The green-eyed young man smiled sharply, leaving them all to ponder over the implications of this statement.

From above…

Flying.

A bird's eye view…

Would that be enough? Could Harry really lure most of the horde away like this?

"We need to prepare somethings. Gear up. Get Alexandria and the Hilltop as safe as possible." Rick spoke up.

"Will the Kingdom and the Oceanside fight with us?" Michonne asked Ezekiel and Carol.

"Yes, my friends! The alliance will stand together against this threat!" The king proclaimed proudly.

"Good, that's a relief." Harry sighed. "I can bring the fighters here by Apparation… and I think we should evacuate the children and the older ones from the Hilltop and Alexandria to the Oceanside, I think. It's the community that's the furthest away from here… and should things fail they might have still enough time to flee. I am going to take them there, too."

Here the young wizard shared weighted looks with Michonne, Rick, Maggie and Glenn.

Right. All of them had children. Children who they wanted as far away from the line of fire as possible.

"Thank you." Glenn muttered in gratitude, feeling at least a little lighter with the knowledge that Hershel would be safe. Tears were swimming in Maggie's eyes as she stepped forward to pull Harry into an awkward hug.

"Thank you!" She whispered into the Brit's slender shoulder, before raising her head.

"And for what it's worth… I am sorry. I truly am. You were right to keep Lydia from that woman. I… just…"

Different emotions ran over Harry's face to fast for Glenn to decipher but then he nodded and squeezed Maggie's shoulder back, a slightly sad smile pulling on his lips.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."