Walking Dead Wizard

Chapter 113

"Do, do you…know what's happening?" Percy asked, relaxing and feeling much more comfortable out in the open. He wasn't sure what had overcome him earlier, but the thought of going in somewhere so enclosed was terrifying. He'd never felt his heart palpitating that way before. Not even when they were trying to escape, it had made him shut down, and that was a dangerous way to react to anything right now.

He had to figure out what had caused it, and fast.

"Two of our own have been missing almost twenty-four hours now," Lori explained, sitting down after letting her daughter play. "Michonne and Mira, we didn't realise until this morning when Andre started to cry for his mother." Thoroughly ashamed that they had taken that long to realize.

"We should have noticed much earlier," Carol explained, handing him a plate filled with an assortment of food. Sandwiches, crisps, and side of fruit in its own little container. Just plucked from the tree yesterday and cut this morning. "We have a rigid schedule for this very reason, but with a group of children having just joined us, we've been lax."

Lori and Carol looked at each other grimly, they knew Harry wouldn't even be pissed at them rightfully. They all had their tasks to keep things moving smoothly, and they were in charge of the ins and outs of P.A. He would blame himself, which just made the women feel worse. Harry had raised them up, ensured they were strong, confident and could fight, and look to each other. They prayed nothing had happened to either Mira or Michonne because of their inattentiveness.

"What do you think could have happened?" Lori questioned seriously, "There's not been any sign of another group settling nearby. As far as I know neither of the perimeter Runes have been breached, right?" glancing at Carol to see if she had heard anything. Carol vehemently shook her head no, definitely not.

Percy perked up hearing something so familiar, "Are you…magical?" Percy asked venturing unsurely. It wasn't as if he could tell a Muggle from a Wizard these days, not really. Even in Hogwarts he'd only seen a few people even bothering to wear cloaks.

"No, Harry and Luna were the only magical beings here for the longest time. Glenn and Mira are squibs, Meghan joined us later, with her mother and aunt, but she's a witch, and there's a group of wizards and witches, children who were grievously hurt by their…guardians they are still recovering…we don't have many of their names." Nobody would dare to ask Harry to go into their minds and see what those poor children had had to put up with again.

This surprised Percy, as hesitant as his question had been…they were mentioning Ancient Runes so flippantly, he'd been so sure that they were magical. The bigger meaning behind their words sank in, "How big is this place?" this wasn't just one building, this was a lot of buildings drawn together, and it was under the Fidelius Charm.

Lori smiled, and began to explain in great length and in great detail while the ate and drank their fill everything. What they'd saved, where they'd saved, and just how magnificent P.A was. Lori wasn't talking it up, she was being one hundred percent sincere in her estimation of what this place was like.

Home. She was essentially enthusiastically describing how everyone would describe Hogwarts.

Percy slightly dazed, listened attentively, as if she were a professor bestowing great wisdom. She was, in this new world, for sure.

Shrill screaming penetrated the air as a gunshot went off terrified civilians cowering in terror. Trying to become one with the wall, in hopes of being forgotten, in hopes of a miracle happening and them surviving. Despite the lack of answer to their prayers, they prayed to survive this, prayed to their god to please let them survive.

"Kill them," Harry said without an ounce or mercy or sadistic pleasure. He had seen more than enough; he didn't need to look further into her mind to see what they were all like. "Five less rapists in this world." green eyes giving each police officer a look of disgust, but he got to do nothing more than that, as Merle gleefully did as asked, and naturally that sat of a chain reaction, Daryl, and Andrea shot the police officers, Merle got the next one and Luna shock the 'doctor' who was not a Doctor in their estimation. He'd ceased to become one the moment he had killed someone. The doctor wasn't a rapist but that was all he had going for him.

The screaming and terrorized civilians huddled together; arms raised up in a feeble attempt to protect themselves. Their entire bodies shaking in fear and cold, the hospital was hardly warm, and even covers were counted, they couldn't even take extra material to get a warmer night sleep.

Fred and George nodded absently pleased with Harry's decision. He'd actually half expected – thinking Harry may well be unchanged by the apocalypse – for them to be imprisoned or some such nonsense. Food should definitely not be wasted on the scum of the earth. It was becoming more and more clear that Harry had changed, but he'd always had a deep and righteous sense of morals, right and wrong. He also believed in second changes, look at Severus Snape.

George and Fred also noticed that none of his people seemed surprised. Harry must have been like this from the very beginning. The twins liked to think they would have done exactly the same thing, but they weren't sure they would have. It takes humanity chipping away at you to do this, to be this cold and compartmentalised. Which is what the apocalypse had inevitably done to them all. Although, his time with the goblins had likely affected him that way.

Harry waited patiently, green eyes soft, wordlessly gesturing for the others to put down their guns. To give them a little measure of knowledge that they were safe as long as they complied. Daryl didn't lower his gun, and Harry didn't ask him to, all it would take was a weapon and a good aim and bye, bye. He would not risk any of his people for that, not in this life.

"None of you are our targets," Harry said softly, only speaking once the sobbing had died off. When they were able to listen to him, there was no point to trying to reassure them over sobs. "In fact, if they had not chosen the wrong people to hurt…we wouldn't have been any the wiser about this…so called operation they had going on."

"You'll need to explain that," Merle said, "What I figure doesn't make sense." Waste of resources as far as he was concerned. Daryl nodded in complete agreement, no doubt thinking the exact same thing as his brother. They surely had to be missing something…but what baffled him entirely.

"She reckoned it was worth using resources to prevent herself being…molested," Harry said with a disgusted glance at the one he knew to be the culprit of all this. That was the kindest way he could think of to say to stop herself being raped. He didn't want to remind them of what they'd been through. "It doesn't make sense, they were using their resources up fast, they'd intended on killing one of the girls, the resources were too thinned out." If it had been up to the so called 'police' he reckoned he knew who would have got the 'chop' so to speak. Michonne. Michonne would have got her way through them when she woke up. No doubt about it.

Merle curled his nose up a bit, nobody needed to ask to know what he was thinking. Weak, weakness was exploitable. In this world, there was no room for weakness. Look at Michonne, she'd been through hell at the hands of the Governor and his ilk. Raped and tortured but she was one of the strongest women he knew. She would never have allowed them to see weakness. Not like they were displaying.

His brother was softer in the head, as was Harry, so it would be them eating into their resources instead. He knew there was no danger to their resources dying out any time soon. They were extremely careful, and had more than they could use in a lifetime. However, it wasn't the case for the next generation. His nephew. He'd rather him not go hungry for sorry sons of bitches who would rather cower than fight.

"They wouldn't have been able to fight," Luna said, knowing very well what her lover was thinking. He was very open about his thoughts and feelings, he just used less 'labels' nowadays mostly because people actually listened to him, he didn't feel the need to gravely offend everyone. Or shout and yell to the world and the injustice of it. "They will have had seriously debilitating injuries, maybe broken bones and the inability to walk." Noticing the way, they held themselves, "I think they're in pain even now." They all needed to be seen by Hershel and Lily before they went their own way.

The boy - Noah – from before was whispering to one of the girls, his countenance wasn't as fearful as it had been upon their first interaction. It seemed as if once the news that they were wizards sank in, he became more trustful. Stupid thing to do, since wizards were no better, thinking of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Fortunately, he had run into a good group.

"We have an operational and working society," Harry said, and it was a working society, just nothing like it used to be anymore.

Merle rolled his eyes, resigned to it, five people digging into their resources without the ability to do anything themselves. He narrowed his eyes shrewdly, trying to glean if they were putting it on, but like he thought, they were beyond terrified. They were useless, were going to be useless. It ain't like they had people to give them therapy to live in this world now. Better just shooting em in the back of the head, it was a mercy kill really.

"Where nobody expects the sort of payment you've been forced into accepting to save your life." Harry said coldly, spitting the word 'payment' as if it was something sordid and dirty. "If in the end you don't want to stay, you'll be giving a pack and you can be on your way." or if they don't accept magic and its way of life.

"The pack will have enough food for a week, with a knife and gun as means of protection," Luna said, "Since we began, we've yet to have anyone walk away." She didn't really count those at Hilltop, not really. "Basic bandages and some rope and Swiss-army knife." They'd found an entire box of them, and with the ability to copy, they weren't entirely worried about running out any time soon.

"If you're thinking it's too good to be true, I'd agree," Andrea said honestly, "I would have thought the same at the beginning of all this. I would have walked away, even with my baby sister to take care of. I've been with this group since near the beginning, I chose to take that risk and walk with them." despite two of them being what she thought of as prejudice bastards and more likely to fuck off than save her if they were ever in trouble.

"It's time to make a decision, now," Harry said, glancing behind him, his group didn't need to play at confused, they knew why he wanted to leave. By now the two hurt members of their group – friends, almost sisters – were injured, hurt in a bad way.

"Some of us should stay here," Andrea stated, "They might be disgusting pieces of filth, but they kept their equipment clean and in good shape. Back up's or for pieces of the machinery from the P.A Hospital?"

Harry blinked, and looked around, "And the Saviors, the Kingdom and the Hilltop group could use stuff as well." As always thinking of everyone else, those groups – minus the Saviors – didn't have magic freely on hand like Harry and the rest of P.A.

"You're putting a lot of work on the nurse, she got those kids to look after," Merle pointed out, they didn't have unlimited people to help the kids they needed to be in the care of a professional. Add five more people? Even with Hershel and the young ones help, risky business.

"I know that look," Lori said giving Percy a curious look, "It's good to know we're not the only ones who underestimated Harry." she said with a tinge of sadness. Wondering what Percy had done to feel that shame she carried so close to her heart.

"Underestimated?" Carol gave Lori a look of utter amusement, it was definitely not the word she would have settled on for sure. Years ago, she wouldn't have dared to talk back to Lori or anyone for that matter. Now she was full of confidence in her own abilities.

"And Underappreciated," Lori added a little bit sheepish, "I was a bitch to him." she added, giving a resigned nod. "To everyone actually." And the worst of it all, Harry would never actually say that, he'd be maddeningly polite about her.

Percy grimaced at her, sympathy and a deep aching understanding enveloping him. Nodding in agreement, he got her, he'd at one point in his life been exactly the same.

"I'm curious though, you must have known Harry when he was a child…what was he like?" Carol asked, leaning in as if expecting to learn some really big secret.

"I met Harry when he was eleven, he was just a kid, an annoying eleven-year-old kid, same as my youngest brother and ten-year-old sister." Percy confessed, "And honestly? Harry hasn't changed much at all, he's still that same determined saving-people-complex person he's always been." He just hadn't seen it.

"At least tell us he got to experience normal life," Carol asked, glancing faraway as if she could see her daughter through walls. "Any life that wasn't harsh and cruel?"

Percy pursed his lips, his mind flicking through all the memories and his insides twisted unpleasantly. Watching over his brother was impossible with the shenanigans Ron and Harry used to get up to. Giant chess sets, Cerberus', mirrors of erised, second year as unmentionable really, Penelope, Hermione, his SISTER going missing, then the whole thing being hushed up but he knew what really happened even if nobody else did. Then the tournament, Merlin help him, that damn tournament, he wished it hadn't happened. Then he stupidly wrote to Ron, urging him to avoid Harry as if that would have solved a damn thing. After all it wasn't as if the Weasleys had been in good standing, how do you think his father didn't have any brothers? His mother didn't have any brothers…they had no uncles and it was because they'd been targeted long before Harry Potter had been on this earth.

Harry had been better to his own family than he had when it was most important. He'd turned his back on them and his relationship had never truly recovered. Sure, he was welcomed back with open arms, but nothing had been the same. Then everything went to hell and he thought he'd lost them all over again…only to see Harry once again somehow keeping his family together.

"Uh," Percy croaked out, staring at the rug covered road, licking his lips, "Um, he didn't really." He didn't think Harry had a normal year at Hogwarts or a normal time anywhere. Something always happened, it wasn't the kid's fault. It was just sheer bad luck.

"I thought as…"

"What the…" Carol stood, entirely interrupting Lori's words, staring at the group, "Excuse me!" she added hastily, politely, before she took off, hand close to her knife, something she unconsciously did now.

Percy strained to see what was going on, he saw a blonde and a ginger headed male heading into a building with stretchers that were evidently weightless. They had clearly come from someone who was magical, otherwise the stretchers wouldn't be levitating and weightless.

He blinked as everyone suddenly converged on the building. Well, maybe not everyone, but it was damn well more people than he'd seen in years. It caused anxiety to skyrocket. Way too many people.

"Distractions," Andrea stated firmly, "We don't have long you need to decide," they seemed to blanch just hearing the way she was talking to someone who was undoubtedly the leader of the group. Clearly, they hadn't been expecting that, but it could only be a good thing, let them see that Harry wasn't someone who got off on control, who liked to hurt them.

Merle just smirked back, noticing their reactions and rolled his eyes, honestly, he couldn't be bothered with people like that anymore. Not this far into the apocalypse. He didn't care if it made him seem cold hard and unfeeling.

"Noah are you sure they…" the petite brunette asked, looking leery of trusting anyone. She trusted Noah; he had been there to help her when she was at her worst.

Noah simply nodded, reining in his enthusiasm, he knew that wouldn't help them right now.

Harry, Andrea, Merle, Daryl and Luna all reacted to her question. Harry and Merle narrowed their eyes, Luna and Daryl cocked their heads just so, and Andrea just stared suspiciously. She made no attempt to hide it, given how long Harry had kept magic a secret…surely not…

"Are you telling me you've been informing everyone about magic?" Harry asked, staring at Noah as if he had lost his mind. Even Glenn had kept it quiet right until the end, until Harry had told everyone about it. It hadn't been a secret that affected Glenn, and wasn't his secret to reveal, so it made sense. Noah, however shouldn't have revealed magic to anyone.

"Not everyone," Noah said, giving Harry a cagey look as he confessed, wincing at the unimpressed look he received in turn from more than one person? wizards? Witches?

"Kid…I don't know whether to be impressed with your guile or kick your ass for exposing magic." Harry said dryly, he had gone months upon months without telling the Quarry group – Merle and Daryl hadn't originally been part of the Quarry group – about magic. There was a reason he Obliviated anyone who negatively reacted.

It was not a good idea everyone just knowing. Even without the threat of someone from the magical community arresting you.

"Can we make it impressed?" Noah asked squeakily eyes going extremely large as he observed Daryl's muscles. As if they were going to pop off Daryl's arms and strangle him. All Daryl did was shift his shoulders uneasily.

Luna and Andrea stifled their laughter, unbeknown to them, Daryl was the one least likely to hurt you. Well, at least they thought so, Luna and Andrea weren't sure just what the twins were like. Although, you even look at Harry wrong? You'd see a side to Daryl anyone rarely got to see.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Luna said giving Harry a look of utter judgement.

Harry widened his eyes dramatically and sighed, raising his hands up in mock defeat. Flipping his index finger giving her the go-ahead gesture. If the group weren't comfortable, the did have other groups they could go to.

Andrea went closer to them, explaining the mechanics behind the Portkey and what it would do. "It will take us to the front of P.A, and you'll read a piece of paper and the place will be revealed to you, and then you enter, the protections will be up the entire time. You'll be safe. If at the end of the month you don't want to be there, there are other groups you can join to see if it's more suited to you. If you wish to leave before the month, again you can, we aren't going to keep you hostage."

"But you will follow the rules as do everyone else, you will do the chores assigned to you." Merle stated firmly, making sure they knew they weren't getting to freeload.

"The rules are simple, you'll be educated in a certain subject, mechanics, nursing, Doctors, teaching, veterinarian, if you've already got an education then perfect. We'll get it all settled after I've got you settled in your property which you won't be able to leave until Harry speaks to you and tells you everything. Food will be supplied, the houses all are magically modified and run-on solar power efficiently."

"It's prepared," Luna said, stepping back, Harry grasped a hold, Daryl immediately stepped up behind him and held on to Harry's hand and wrapped his arms around him.

Merle joined Luna standing away from the two, between Daryl and Harry, if they tried anything they'd not live to regret it. Ain't no way they'd regain their equilibrium quick enough to take Harry and his baby brother off guard. It's why he didn't hold a single fear that something would happen.

Fred and George were wary, but trusting that Harry knew what he was doing.

The five distraught, distrusting people, four girls, one boy, Noah, who led the way. They held on, and Harry flicked his wand, and ensured they couldn't remove their hands. They were too flighty for his liking, and he was not having them removing their hand mid-flight. He wasn't going to go looking for them.

Harry and Daryl gave a nod, "We'll send Amy and Abraham with some help." Rosita, Carol, Sophie and maybe Lori it was time she actually started leaving P.A.

"Boxes too, something to transport everything in." George pointed out.

"Their bags can carry everything, they are expanded." Harry revealed, just before the Portkey whisked them away to P.A and with yet another group of people to join.

A/N – okay what the hell Percy Weasley and Lori? I didn't want you two getting close what the freaking hell is happening to my muse? Lol I was content to have him with Amelia Bones! Now this? *glares' at muses* traitors! Okay, so what did you think of the chapter? Do you actually want to see Percy with Lori and Amelia preferring someone older maybe? Despite the fact I'm constantly distracted by my MY TIME muse I finally managed to get this out…you have no idea how difficult it is to write a chapter when your mind continues to get distracted LOL of course, we'll need to show the progress the Saviors are making…and I need a new name for them too! Will they flourish under Susan's care? Or are some of them just too badly damaged under Negan to pull through? R&R please!