Walking Dead Wizard
Chapter 71
"Have you always been able to perform magic?" T-Dog was the first one to break the silence, he'd been wanting to ask this for days along with dozens of other questions. He'd never contemplated the idea that magic was actually real, that it actually existed. He'd always been a sceptic, especially around so called 'magicians' and their abilities, he'd assumed it was just cloak and dagger, illusions really. Now he was literally under some sort of spell that prevented any walker or human from seeing this place.
"I was born with the ability, yes, I've always been able to perform magic," Harry explained, not getting annoyed with the same question being asked after his explanation earlier. It would take them a long time to come to terms with magic as a reality. He'd been doing it accidentally since he was a child and even he'd been oblivious, but that might be because the Dursley's had made him feel ashamed of magic, made him think he was a freak of nature, an abomination. He knew he'd probably have to ask a million questions over the next few weeks, but they'd accepted it, that was what mattered really.
"What's it like?" Tyreese asked, awe plainly written across his face.
Harry stared thoughtfully at Tyreese, having no intentions of being completely honest like he had been with Daryl back when they were leaving the Quarry. They'd seen his struggle to control his magic, they knew the only time he walked away from a confrontation was because he was having trouble reigning it in. introducing magic into an equation by hurting them with magic would just be the quickest way to alienate them and make them fear him. "In what way?" he asked after a short pause, trying to think of a way to make non-magicals understand what it was like to have magic. Luna wouldn't be any better at describing it, although he was beginning to think they'd forgotten she could use magic as well…unless she'd endured all the questions while he'd been asleep.
Tyreese shrugged, "Using it I suppose?" it was more of another question than a statement.
Harry tapped his finger against his lips absently, his brow furrowed, "Having magic isn't all easy you know, I have problems just like everyone else. Although it's times like this I'm really glad to have it." he told Tyreese wondering if that was enough to sate his curiosity.
"Why didn't you do something like this right away?" Lori asked, seeing the look on the Dixon's and Luna's face she hasted to explain herself. "I don't mean it in a bad way, the outbreak had been going on for over two months when everyone came to the Quarry."
"I didn't think of it," Harry said honestly shrugging his shoulders, "I wasn't sure any spells would work on concealing us from the walkers, not even the Fidelius Charm, after settling in at the prison I decided to try it here, took a lot out of me but it worked, other than the walkers already on the inside none were able to get in the one problem though was I had no idea if it had worked until every single walker was destroyed." picking up the mirror, he gazed thoughtfully at it before using a spell causing the mirror to become larger until he was satisfied, "Hermione?" he called into the mirror, becoming distracted when Big Tiny questioned him.
"How did you manage that by the way? The buildings alone…it would have taken months, and you were never gone more than five hours, the majority of the time you brought back supplies." Big Tiny asked thoughtfully.
"HARRY!" was shrieked out causing everyone to jump in fright, looking around trying to figure out where the sound had come from. The Dixons just chuckled in amusement, denying that the very same thing had happened to them, although not quite to the same degree.
Harry turned the mirror around, spelling it to the wall with a semi-permanent sticking charm. Everyone gasped in shock seeing the woman in the mirror, she looked so real. Their eyes widened even further when it looked as though she could actually see all of them but surely that wasn't possible.
"These," Luna said, showing them the crystals with runes etched into them with care. "We created something that would get rid of large groups without expending our magic."
"What does it do?" Sophia asked curiously, picking it up barely able to see the design, looking back and forth between the mirror and the crystal.
"Easy, Sophia," Harry warned her, as Luna claimed it back. "It's the equivalent of a fire bomb, nobody had better be within a mile of the blast or they'll be incinerated. You get sixty seconds to run as fast as you can after you throw it, first comes the noise, a caterwauling sound which draws the walkers to it, as many as possible and then boom."
"You created that?" Hermione gasped in awe, staring at the crystal, muffling her laughter as the others with Harry jumped as if they were being electrocuted. They were a bit jumpy, she couldn't help but wonder why.
"That's not the only thing, necessity is a mother of invention," Harry said wryly, "Everyone this is Hermione Granger, my other best friend, she's currently in Scotland at Hogwarts."
"You mean she's real?" Carl blurted out shocked.
Harry grinned, "Yes, she's very real," he informed the stunned teenager. "Hermione, have you heard from Ilvermorny again?" Glenn perked right up at that, staring intently at the girl in the mirror worry warring with fear. His heart pounding away like a drum.
"We have, that's why I got in touch with you," Hermione explained, "What happened I noticed you were completely off the map a few days ago." the fact Harry hadn't answered might mean he was injured or constantly on the move.
"Amazing," Hershel murmured awed by the ability for these people to talk long distance.
Sophia was staring intently at the mirror, as if she was looking for something that was eluding her.
"The prison was attacked, apparently the wards I had up couldn't withstand an attack from an Army tank," Harry said in annoyance.
"You're leaving something out," Hermione pointed out narrowing her eyes on her best friend, very suspicious of him.
"Later," Harry said quietly, "I'll explain everything tonight."
"Very well," Hermione sighed shaking her head, she'd need to speak to Luna to get the full uncensored truth either that or make sure Daryl was there so she did get the truth.
"Ilvermorny?" Luna questioned, seeing how desperate Glenn was for any scrap of information on his sisters.
"Ah, well, Minerva sent a Patronus message out to the school, we weren't sure it would work since it wasn't aimed at a particular person, I mean we have no idea who the Headmistress or Headmaster of Ilvermorny is." Hermione explained in a rush, forgetting that there were Muggles there who didn't understand much of what she was saying. "We let them know we got the book, and not long after another book appeared with a thick letter inside."
"Let me guess, they're stuck?" Harry stated resignedly.
"They are, someone inside turned, they don't know if a walker got that far up the mountain, but they think if the walkers are dealt with the wards will be lowered." Hermione informed him.
Harry laughed at the irony, ruefully shaking his head, carding his hand through his hair, "Go figure."
"There's no saying it will work but it makes sense if it did," Hermione tried to cheer Harry up a little.
"You're Raven!" Sophia blurted out excitedly at the mirror causing all conversation to cease.
Harry stiffened, closing his eyes in dread, Merlin he wished he'd never opened his mouth and told those stories now. Well, not stories, not really, and apparently Sophia realized that. She was smarter than he'd given her credit for.
"I'm sorry?" Hermione said confused.
"You are aren't you?" Sophia said grinning widely, "Isn't she Harry? Those stories you told me they weren't stories! You're Chameleon! Luna is Moon!"
"Harry?" Hermione questioned her best friends, only to see him with his arms wrapped around his head, groaning into the table while Luna began to giggle in amusement.
Red faced, Harry finally removed his hands from his head, "I just told them stories when they were feeling scared." Harry said defensively, only for Hermione to bring laughing as well.
"You really faced a dragon?" Sophia was awed. "And a giant snake? And got rid of an evil magic user?"
"Oh boy," Harry muttered, seeing the looks of disbelief on all their faces and the hopeful look on Sophia's, he didn't have it in him to lie to her barefaced.
"Wait a minute…you're not THAT Harry Potter are you?" Glenn blurted out eyes humongous, they honestly made a House-elves look normal in comparison. Barely refraining from slapping his own head in exasperation for not joining the dots earlier, he felt like a right idiot.
"Wait a minute, you really did encounter a dragon? They really exist?" Oscar questioned.
"What do you mean by 'That Harry Potter' Glenn?" Maggie asked, just as confused as everyone else, but they began to ask questions left right and centre, completely overlapping everyone so much so that not a single question was decipherable.
Daryl and Merle both whistled sharply, loud enough to have everyone quieting down and turning their attention back to Harry.
"I told you it was only a matter of time," Mira said in sympathy, for some reason Harry just didn't want everyone to know what he had done. She didn't understand it herself, he was a hero, one of the most selfless wizards in the whole of the magical world. He deserved the acknowledgement that came with what he'd done.
"Yes, Sophia, the stories I told you were real, only slightly altered when needed," Harry said softly, turning to Glenn he added resignedly, "And yes, Glenn my name is Harry James Potter, better known to the magical world as 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'" sneering the words out as if they were filthy and disgusting.
"Glenn?" Maggie asked, wondering what it all meant.
Harry watched him, when the Asian boy turned to him he nodded, "Go ahead," he was actually quite curious to know just what the non-magicals thought of it all. Technically Glenn was a squib, but he always thought of families were both parents were not magical as non-magicals despite the fact the magical world saw them as squibs. He completely forgot that Hermione was still there, watching the scene in front of her patiently. Understanding these people better than Luna, maybe even Harry since he had been secluded at Privet Drive.
"I don't know much, just what my sisters told us," Glenn informed them, "There was a war going on back in Britain, none that we would have known about, they covered it up on the news, blamed terrorists, leaky gas pipes anything really other than the truth. It went on for three years, although there was rumours of this 'Dark Lord' having returned a year before."
"Very well informed," Hermione nodded, especially considering the Minister tried to keep it quiet.
Glenn blushed a little at the attention, "It got really bad, the Dark Lord had taken over the British government, even before it was over they were talking about someone having the power to stop him. Someone the Dark Lord wanted dead really badly, eventually he was defeated for the second time five years ago by a seventeen year old wizard…by Harry."
"Why you?" Andrea asked indignantly, why the hell had a seventeen year old boy been forced to defeat a dark wizard so young? "Where were the adults when all this was happening?"
"Technically I was an adult at seventeen, that is when we come of age." Harry said dryly. "Most witches and wizards were too terrified to make a move against Voldemort. They'd rather sit at home with their head buried in the sand. My parents paid the price of their freedom twenty years ago, he tried to kill me but because my mother, who had died moments prior, caused an ancient protection to save me. He was weakened to the point that everyone thought he was gone for good. He didn't come back until my forth year, I was fourteen years old." he had no intentions of getting into the whole damn Horcrux thing.
"Nobody helped?" Amy asked just as furious as her sister at the cowardice.
"Yes, a small collection of wizards and witches branded together to try and stop him. Many people died in the process, including my godfather…and my godsons parents." Harry admitted, his green eyes flaring in agony just thinking about Teddy. He liked to think he was up there with them, enjoying having his parents in his life with his grandmother at his side.
Maggie pressed her hand to her mouth realizing who he was talking about, the only one actually since she alone had asked. Maggie true to her word had never revealed what Harry had said to another person, not even Glenn.
"Godson?" the Dixons questioned truly surprised. Daryl was staring at Harry intently while Merle was staring at Luna almost accusatory.
"Edward Remus Lupin, everyone called him Teddy, he was being raised by his grandmother, who had lost her husband and only daughter to the war." Harry said, sadness coating his voice. "He was the last victim of the Death Eaters, the Auror's they didn't get all of the Dark Lord's supporters, knowing they couldn't get me they went after those closest to me. Andromeda was the only one unprepared for it. Both of them died that night." in a scene very reminisce of his own history, Teddy in his cot while Andromeda lay next to the cot wand still in her hand where she had battled so fiercely to save her grandson. Breathing out shakily, bloody hell, he hadn't spoken about this in four years, not to anyone.
Luna and Hermione had tears in their eyes that they refused to let fall, they had adored Teddy as well, Merlin Harry had loved him each and every milestone in that little boy's life had been celebrated. You would have thought Teddy was Harry's son the way he constantly spoke about him with awe, carried pictures of him around all the time. In his short life the boy had been adored, but when Teddy died part of Harry had died with him. It didn't help that Harry blamed himself for what happened, he'd shut himself away from almost everyone and stayed in the shadows until the world had gone to hell.
Clearing his throat, "So, did you send a mirror along?" Harry resolutely changed the subject.
"Yes, it should be there any day now, it just depends if the owl made it," Hermione explained, "I'll let you know straight away, tell me their names and I'll find out for you." leaving the screen for a few seconds before nodding, scribbling could be heard as she wrote the two names down as Glenn repeated their names for Hermione this time instead of Harry, more than a little hopeful. "Thank you." he added realizing he was being rude, she looked very tired but was willing to help him.
"It's no problem," Hermione answered, "It's lovely to meet you all, Harry has spoken of you often."
"Yes, lovely isn't it?" Harry said sarcastically, "Now the only thing we've got to do today is find somewhere to eat."
"What do you mean? Aren't we eating in our own homes?" Lori asked.
"No, we eat together, communal meals, it saves having to divide up supplies, they'll stay in the one place so it's easier to keep track." Harry stated, "Plus it will enable everyone to get to know each other better than staying in the house and avoiding everyone…I want this place to be a real community, we did it in the prison…so I'm hoping it will be just as successful here."
"It's a fantastic idea," Maggie said agreeing with him.
"That's not to say if you want a family meal with just a few people that it won't be granted, just ask," Harry added thoughtfully, he wanted to get to the central security area, see what he could find. The weapons vault was locked down so tightly that not even Daryl and Merle could get in without him or Luna either.
"We came by that museum?" Big Tiny suggested, "That's bound to have a large cafeteria and kitchen."
"Will it?" Harry asked blankly.
"Worth a look, even if it doesn't have we can make it into one, we brought everything from the kitchen in the prison even the stoves." Carol nodded thoughtfully.
"Me and Glenn want to have a look around…would that be alright?" Maggie asked. "It's just that we don't want to accidentally go passed the wards."
"I plan on that myself, I want to find the central station… the security centre," Harry said, "They'll have radio stations maybe even walkie-talkies and we'll definitely need them to get in touch with one another…it would save me trying to get mobile phones to work with magic. If you plan on going far take the horses with you, they could use proper exercise. Don't go anywhere until I've given you weapons, always check the areas you're going into thoroughly. If you find a map of the area while you're out then definitely bring it back."
Hermione nodded watching in satisfaction as the leader in Harry came out, Harry had never wanted to be a leader, he'd rebelled against it but in the end admitted defeat. He was so very good at it, but she was glad he had Daryl, Merle and Luna to keep him grounded, to give him something else other than being a 'leader' in this new harsh world or Harry would have ended up broken.
"Big Tiny and I will check out the Museum, see if it's any good." Carol said, so Harry could go and check the security centre.
"Alright, so all that needs doing is getting you set up in your houses," Harry said thoughtfully, "These homes have five bedrooms, now I know some of you will want to stay together." nods all around at that.
"Lori, Judith, Carl and Rick can stay in number one," Harry stated, his eyes zooming around everyone, "As for the Greene family…Hershel its up to you who you'd like to stay with you, but you need to be close to Rick as possible so that's house two for you."
Maggie gave her father a firm look as if she knew what he was thinking about - primarily a thought that stopped her and Glenn staying together - and Hershel spoke softly, "My daughters, Glenn and Jimmy." he confirmed.
"Alright," Harry said, "Now Big Tiny, Oscar and Axel would you prefer your own places or live together?"
"Together," the trio said in sync, they were so used to it now.
"Would you room with Tyreese and Sasha? If you would prefer your privacy it's completely fine," Harry said, his way of warning them to speak the truth.
"I don't mind," Big Tiny answered the other two nodded in agreement.
"Alright, you lot are in number three," Harry stated, "Now Dale…Andrea, Amy?" he didn't need to ask, the three of them nodded in consent to the rooming arrangements. "Then house four it is for you." it left two bedrooms empty though. "And T-Dog." Andrea piped in, they didn't mind sharing with him.
Harry nodded, "Next would be Carol, Sophia, Michonne, Mira and the boys Andre and Luke, they can share a room. You will be at number seven."
"That leaves Patrick," Luna said, "He's too young to room himself," plus he wouldn't leave the house, he needed someone there to make sure he did his chores and attended his lessons.
"With us," Andrea said firmly, and she would make sure the boy attended his lessons if not she'd drag him kicking and screaming, he wouldn't get to do what he had done at the prison of that she was determined.
"Good, lets get on with it then, you will all return here before darkness," Harry stated firmly, making sure that everybody understood. Once it was clear he turned to Hermione and said, "I'll talk to you later tonight," once Hermione smiled knowingly at him he called "Deactivate!" and the mirror shimmered back to normal.
Alright well the next chapter will definitely have a time skip since its beginning to get boring (and slow down) already but by how long do you guys recon? One month? Two months or a year? Will we see Harry going after magical children OR will we see him heading to Washington along the way ending up bumping into Rosita, Abe and Eugene? oh and please please PLEASE give me some examples of things you think Abe would say :D I've definitely got to write a list for myself but it would be amusing to see what you guys come up with too! He was my favourite sarcastic character by far :D R&R please!