Walking Dead Wizard

Chapter 87

Harry snorted in amusement, he actually understood that reference. Dudley had watched it religiously, although Petunia had hated the film. Then the House-Elves seemed to find their voices after being called and were all talking over each other. Scrambling to bow and show their respect towards their 'Master' whom they'd never met before.

"Calm down! Calm down! Stop bowing!" Harry called out to every single House-Elf. Merlin, he'd forgotten just how insufferable Dobby was to begin with. They couldn't even hear him over the racket they were all making. "CEASE THIS NONESENSE AND BE QUIET!"

Ah, finally, they quietened down. Harry could see that they were buzzing with the desire to start up again, but they weren't stupid enough to disobey their 'Master' so soon.

They were very thin, some of them must have been in places where there weren't much food. Other's though were the right weight and size for their stature, he doubted most Wizards and Witches would notice. Harry wasn't like most others, Dobby had meant the world to him, he'd even been fond of Winky. Who was very much still alive, back at Hogwarts with most other surviving members of her kind.

Feeding all of them would be difficult.

Thankfully they didn't eat much.

"Spread out over the house, I will be back soon and then I'll deal with all of you," Harry informed them his tone grim. Hating having to speak to them that way, but he knew it was the only way to get them to pay attention to him and do as he asked. "Go on, move!"

Daryl stared pensively at Harry, wondering at his actions or rather words. As soon as he spoke, the House-Elves disappeared with a different sound compared to Apparation. It was more of a cork popping out of a bottle than a backfiring car.

"Sonorous!" Harry murmured, wand against his throat, "Merle, Luna, Andrea, Michonne, Beth, Amy, Oscar, T-Dog, Maggie, Glenn, meet up designation point immediately!" his voice would be heard for miles, he was so out of it he didn't realise he could have used the radios, which were always charged, always in their pockets just as Harry had trained them to be.

They would know it was serious anyway, he'd only ran five drills in the whole time they'd been there.

This would be the first time it was real and not just a drill though. He was taking his best shooters with him.

"We need to go," Harry said, his voice back to normal.

"What the hell was that all about?" Daryl asked, as both of them hastily made their way out of the house, the door swinging closed, and for the first time, Harry used magic on the door. Presumably to lock it to stop anyone getting in and seeing the dozens of bloody things all around the house until he could explain.

"I take you're going on about how I was speaking to them?" Harry said, jogging towards the Armoury where their designated meeting point was. They all had weapons yes, but they were about to go into a situation they didn't know. So, more weapons were definitely needed, so the Armoury was the most sensible place to meet up.

Daryl grunted, not bothering to speak – Harry knew him well – so there was no need.

"They're House-Elves, they're programmed to do what their 'Master's' orders. They get rather overwhelming, the bowing, the scraping, the scrambling, and the bloody verbal worshipping," Harry's distaste was palpable. "If I had been kind it would have just caused them to become even more intense...in fact they might have ended up keeling over with a heart attack." shuddering in remembrance of Dobby's first few times.

"Kindness is foreign to them, they're used to domineering families," Harry continued to explain, not even slightly out of breath as they jogged the building looming over them. "It took Dobby and I a long time to interact without the constant bowing and scraping. He was a friend, and I know you'll probably think it's stupid, but I cared for him. He died in my arms a free Elf, after saving me and my friends lives." he lost the worshipfulness and saw him for who he was, just Harry, just a wizard.

"What's goin' on?" Merle demanded from inside the armoury, one of the few people who could go inside arming up to the teeth. A few of the others were already there as well, more coming in as Harry and Daryl armed up as well.

"There's trouble at Hilltop," Harry stated firmly, tightening his belt but not too tight to accommodate his weapons. "We don't know what the situation is, but only that it's dire." he had told him only to break it in the event of an emergency after all.

"How do you know about that?" Oscar asked, deeply curious, he doubted the radios would work so far between places. They had no cell phone coverage, although they had the internet he wasn't sure if anywhere else did. They'd been really lucky ending up on a base of all things, he owed Harry everything. Which left only one thing left... "Magic?" he unlike many of the others didn't care to learn something he would never use. Not that he was ungrateful to magic, what he saw did fascinate him to a certain extent just not enough to badger Harry with questions. It was like enjoying the show without peaking behind the curtain to get the how, why and what.

"Yes," Harry replied, "We'll be coming in from the rooftop, it will give us the greatest advantage, plus give us the added element of surprise as well as the best cover."

Merle nodded in immediate agreement, with them going into situation unknown, rooftop was the best bet. They had no idea the number threatening the group, or where they were situated. They could be in the manor, or spread out around the grounds or both. Sliding three additional magazines for the guns he had into his pocket. Glancing at Luna to make sure she had everything she would need. Sure, she didn't need the guns she had her magic, but he'd rather her prepared and have both. Bullets were faster than magic, at least that he'd seen so far – with the exception of the Fiendfyre spell – with having to utter the words, so yes, guns were better for speed than most magic.

Until he was proven otherwise, Merle was sticking to his guns, so to speak. Snorting wryly, he and everyone ignored the sound, more than used to the Dixon brothers and their oddities. Plus, they knew better than to ask what he found amusing...nine times out of ten it was usually insulting to someone or something. Plus they had more important things to deal with at the moment.

"Lets go!" Harry immediately stepped outside, "Crouch in a circle, touching each other," none of them so much as blinked at the order, or find it dirty as many would have, and did as Harry asked right away. Even though Luna cast him a sidelong confused glance, what on earth was he up to? "Hold on to your breath," he added, closing his eyes, visually wrapping each of his people in his magic before he Apparated them to their designation. Many of them had already been Apparated places, with only two or three of them only knowing the feel of Portkey's.

"That was...impossible," Luna whispered reeling with what Harry had just done. He'd successfully Apparated all of them without sidelong Apparating them, somehow.

Merle and Daryl who were closest heard her, while the others probably didn't. Only due to the blaring music coming from...the gates? Everyone wandered over to the edge of the roof, looking down to see what the hell was going on.

The entire front of the building – from what they could see – was teeming with Walkers. The gates were smashed open, the armoured truck had barrelled through it leaving them all very vulnerable to attack. If that wasn't enough, they'd evidently herded a large group of Walkers towards them. The truck would probably be impossible to get into, through the herd, causing further Walkers to stumble upon them. They were sitting ducks, every single last one of them.

"Oscar, Maggie, T-Dog check the back and sides," Harry commanded, shooting the walkers that were a little too close to home. "Their gates have been smashed, more will be coming, the music will lead them all here. They're sitting ducks whoever did this...wanted them all dead." narrowing his eyes, he paused shooting, aiming his wand he spat out "Silencio!" sighing in relief at the noise finally ceasing his ears were still ringing with the awful noise.

Now the only sound that remained was the growling, groaning and shuffling everyone associated with the Walkers by now.

"Christ, no wonder they called us," Andrea said, kneeling on the gravel filled roof, cocking her gun, she began to use her sniper rifle to take out walkers. "Amy, Beth have my back," they knew she meant look for humans who might aim at her.

Someone had done this after all, and they needed to protect each other. Thankfully it wasn't dark otherwise this would have been much more difficult. Using magic to light the area...it would have been a dead giveaway that there was something supernatural going on.

Harry wasn't stupid, someone had done this, and more than likely someone, more like multiple someone's, had probably stayed behind to watch from a safe distance.

"Merle?" Harry asked, as he let off another bullet, bullseye.

"Can't see anythin'," Merle stated, already on the same wavelength as Harry, and using his scope to get a look of their surroundings, being on a hill did not help either. There were many points where someone could hide, especially in trees.

"Where the hell is everyone?" Beth asked, firing bullets and hitting her mark, she'd been taught well and she was a crack shot. Between Amy and Harry she had become very proficient, she wouldn't be here if she wasn't one of the best.

"The only place that's half likely to hold against a dozen walkers," Amy stated, "Inside the manor house,"

As they thinned out the Walkers, a few of the braver members of Hilltop colony began to emerge. Defending their group and themselves with makeshift spears they'd created with trees due to the fact they just had no real weapons. Except Jesus they noticed, who had a blade, a small one but a blade nonetheless. Considering he was the one risking a whole lot more, he was a scavenger, constantly out there in danger trying to provide for his people.

"Daryl, two o'clock," Merle stated sharply, his brother for once wasn't using his crossbow. He had it with him though, he never went anywhere without it. It was probably the greatest gift he'd ever been able to give his brother. One of the rare times he'd given him anything other than advice, albeit useless advice at that.

"That's everything cleared around that side," Oscar stated, as he rejoined the front, yanking out his empty magazine.

"Not quite, there are people driving in a car heading this way," T-Dog called back, "They have weapons," he added after a few seconds.

"Get Jesus up here, we need to know if its any of his people," Daryl said, narrowing in on the fast approaching car. T-Dog was right, they did have weapons, he doubted any of Jesus' people did have guns, but they had to be sure. Hilltop wouldn't be happy if they accidentally killed some of their own.

"Agreed," was immediately stated by Harry.

"I'll get him, I've got eyes on him," Luna was quick to say, before Apparating before anyone could stop her.

"Bloody woman," Merle spat in irritation, aiming his gun to where she'd appeared, killing anything that was within five foot of his woman. Honestly, why the hell did he have to end up with a bad ass female who wasn't afraid to do what needed doing? Yeah, yeah, he wouldn't have been so attracted to her if that had been the case. Talk about a catch-22 if there was ever one. "I'mma gonna kill her," he grumbled to himself while Beth, Amy, Michonne and Oscar who was closest to Merle laughed a little, relaxing seeing that the worst of it was over. There were only a few Walkers left, which Daryl, Harry and Merle were quick to dispatch of.

"They your people?" was the first thing Jesus was asked, as he puked his guts up, upon being Apparated for the first time.

"I warned you to hold your breath!" Luna tutted as she cleared up the pile of sick which was sickeningly wafting through the air leaving them all feeling rather sick.

Jesus just stared struck dumb, when she'd told him to hold his breath he hadn't expected her to teleport him to the top of the building. Not forgetting the feeling, he hadn't been able to breathe for what felt like an entire minute as his body felt tightly compressed. Into a whole far too tiny for his body, he never wished to feel anything like it again.

"Never...do...that...again," Jesus choked out, as he was shakily got to his feet, his stomach twisting unpleasantly. He was partly starving, he hadn't eaten much in days, and partly sick to his stomach at the thought of eating.

"Are they your people?" Harry retorted impatiently.

Jesus peered into the scope when Daryl moved out of the way, paling when he realized who they were. "No, they're saviors."

Daryl immediately shoved Jesus out of the way, not enough to cause him to fall on his ass but enough that he'd get the picture without needing told.

"Wait...what are you doing?" Jesus protested, trying to stop Daryl but Merle and Harry shoved their palm against his shoulder, preventing him from stopping Daryl from doing what must be done.

The next moment Jesus jumped at the sound of an almighty explosion rippled the area. The car was now nothing more than a smoking smouldering wreck. The bodies of the Saviors already dead, burnt to a crisp.

"What have you done?" Jesus stared out at the flames, shocked, not at the violence, hell, they lived in a violent world now. It would be strange to be shocked by such a simple thing as an exploding car after years of an apocalyptic world. It was rather what the result of those actions would be, they'd barely survived yet another attack by the Saviors. Dread was all but consuming him. Just imagining the backlash this would cause...this...this was going to lead to a war...well before he was ready to consider it.

"What the hell happened?" Harry demanded, and he had a right to demand answers to what he'd just walked into. He was the one putting his people on the line, not just his people either, himself too. People he was very close to and didn't want to lose. He had only met Jesus briefly, but he struck him as very composed, hard to rile up, even when he was worried he didn't show much other than compassion, right now he just looked terrified.

"How the hell do we get down?" Jesus looked around, a bead of sweat collecting at his brow. Not a lot got to him, but the thought of going down the way he'd came up made him feel queasy as he hellishly recollected the feelings that had coursed through him. That added with his dread, well, he honestly just wanted time to process his own emotions.

"These old places all have them," Luna reassured Jesus feeling rather sorry for him, he still looked really sick. "Entrances...I mean," Luna gave Harry a look, he could wait for his answers, at least until Jesus had regained his equilibrium.

Harry sighed, apparently he wasn't going to get an answer until Jesus was back on stable ground.

Ten minutes later, and a long trek through the Manor, they found themselves in the same room they had been before.

A reception room.

Jesus stared at the fireplace, his back on the newcomers, hands in front of the fire as he gathered himself and got the warmth from the flames to warm him, not that it did much, he still felt cold through and through. There were people he didn't recognise with Harry this time, but they worked well as a unit, which caused Jesus to suspect they had been with him quite a while. He was rather envious of the closeness, they tried here, but they were just so stressed, scared and tired that even in the event of an attack most fled to safety – of the manor – rather than take a stand and fight.

Only he and a few others had tried to contain the mess, in the end he'd used the stone around his neck as a last resort as he got the others inside. He hadn't expected any help, thought he was utterly deluded to think crushing a damn jewel was going to do anything. Four minutes later he'd been proven wrong...after he realized it wasn't the Saviors anyway. That help had come for them, watching through the window as the majority of the Walkers were gunned down with single gunshot wounds to the head.

After that he had gone out with a few of his men – who used what spears they'd made recently – and helped. Although getting rid of the damn car was going to be difficult. Not to mention repairing the gates and reinforcing them. He was so tired, it had taken a long time and a huge toll to do that to him. He wasn't one for letting much get to him, enjoying what he could, when he could. Negan and the Saviors were draining him of every ounce of conviction he had.

"Sit down and eat," Harry suggested, rooting around in his bag for Daryl's Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a tin of pineapples that had been put in a few days ago. He brought out a bottle of Dr. Pepper as well. "Tell us what happened when you're ready."

Luna, Andrea, Michonne, Beth, Amy, T-Dog, Maggie, and Glenn all took seats when they realized they were in it for the long haul. Merle, Daryl, Oscar and Harry remained standing, there were always two people checking out the window at any given time, to make sure they weren't going to walk out into any surprises.

Jesus inhaled the sandwiches, they didn't have the means to make bread, and obviously bread had been stuck off within a week or so of the apocalypse. He couldn't believe these people had the ability to not only make bread but found peanut butter and the like even now. Sitting forward, opening the can and drinking deeply from it.

"Gregory is dead," Jesus revealed, none of the others spoke or offered useless platitudes, many of Harry's group didn't actually like him and the others had heard all too much about him. They would admit a certain curiosity as to how it happened. "The Saviors...kidnapped one of our own, and blackmailed the brother to kill Gregory, he bled out within minutes."

"What happened to the brothers?" Harry asked, closing his eyes resignedly.

"Their heads were given to us as a warning when they came for the next load of supplies we'd gathered." Jesus continued to explain, feeling marginally more normal now that he'd had something proper to eat and the most immediate threat was gone. For now.

"How much of the supplies did you get to keep the people going?" Andrea was the one to ask here, her face set in a 'bitch setting' as her sister called it. When she was going to keep digging into something until she got what she wanted. Without caring how she came across, the only people she didn't do it to was those closest to her and those she respected deeply.

"Not much," Jesus sighed resignedly, "We got by, but this latest attack has cost us at least twelve people...I'm not sure whether any of them ran or if they were all bitten during the early stages of the surprise attack."

"So you know who is responsible for that display out there?" Harry questioned, they really needed to move, the Saviors – how he loathed calling them that – were obviously trying to kill them.

"Negan and the Saviors, they weren't happy with the latest lot of supplies," Jesus scoffed, he'd worked his ass off to meet their expectations to keep everyone safe, and it had accomplished absolutely nothing. His people, and they were sort of his people now – they kept looking to him for answers – were going hungry because of the Saviors and he was tired of it. He didn't have the diplomacy that Gregory seemed to have when dealing with them.

"Then why not move or fight?" Merle demanded, grunting in frustration, the apocalypse was supposed to strengthen people not turn them into pussies. Even his frustrating woman had more fight in her than this lot did.

"We don't have the means to travel, not the amount of people here, we'd just be sitting ducks out there. Not many of my people know how to fight, which makes it doubly dangerous," Jesus stated, a speculative look on his face, he wondered if these people could convince him to fight. "I think it's time I introduce you to Ezekiel, King Ezekiel."

Harry wasn't the only one to choke on his own amusement at the words, his lips wobbling in amusement, "King Ezekiel?" this he had to see.

'King?' Amy mouthed to her sister, all of them having to look away from the other for fear of laughing. Even Oscar who wasn't one for laughing, in fact they'd only managed to get him to genuinely laugh around ten times in all the time they'd known him. Was finding it difficult, as he purposely stuck his head against the window, just moments after already looking.

"He called it the Kingdom?" Harry asked incredulously, as the car halted to a stop. Daryl, Merle and Luna in the back and everyone else in the boot. Not that it was in any way uncomfortable, one spell from Harry had expanded it, making it quite a comfortable journey. "Is he British?" with that name he doubted it, but honestly, if he was calling himself a king, he doubted that Ezekiel was his real name.

"Yeah, and no," Jesus replied as he exited the car, opening the trunk to let the others out.

"Why the hell we here again?" Merle grunted being squashed into a car with his brother and Luna wasn't his idea of a good time.

"I'm hoping you can convince Ezekiel to fight," Jesus explained again. "He is just as hard into as us when it comes to the Saviors." if they all band together they should have a chance to defeat Negan and his reign.

"Fight? You don't know his numbers, you say there are outposts...his fucking group must be huge," Harry pointed out seriously. "Your people can't fight...you say they have weapons, right now you just sound suicidal, what you need to do is some serious reconnaissance. If he really does have two groups he's we'll say stealing from...there might be others along the way. Which means his men are stronger, healthier, and has enough weapons to blow both places sky high."

"You asked why we didn't fight last time!" Jesus stated.

"Yes, but sensibly, when you're sure you'll get them all, even cutting off the head of the snake wouldn't work, there would be someone waiting to take the reigns themselves." Harry said thoughtfully. "You do have numbers though, that's on your side at least, again you need to do some major reconnaissance."

"So where is it?" Daryl pushed for information, all of them hyper aware that they were out in the open, and for all they knew being led like a pig for the slaughter.

"Well, technically we're already here." Jesus explained. "Well, we're already here, but here we are – at the Kingdom. Well, it's outer edge."

"What we waitin' on?" Merle asked leaning against the car getting impatient, neither he or his brother liked being blindly led anywhere.

"Them," Jesus said, pointing out the approaching people on horses.

"Oh boy, this is a fucking joke," Harry muttered turning away refusing to listen to the bloody babble who dares to trespass on the sovereign land of the king, were they fucking deluded? The world had ended and he was going on about the damn sovereign? One that wasn't even fucking real, "I think it's best if we left, Jesus, there is no way in this world we're going in there without insulting someone. And I can't guarantee I'll be quiet let alone everyone else."

"Jesus is that you?" Richard demanded, finally showing sense and suspicion. "Who are all these people, Paul?"

"Hi, Richard," Jesus said, giving Harry a staying hand, it wasn't as bad as he was making it out to be. "Nice to see you,"

"It's good to see you, too." Richard said.

Daryl, Oscar and Merle rolled their eyes, while Luna and Harry sighed. Glenn and Maggie watched the scene undeniably curious along with Amy and Beth while Andrea cynically observed them.

"Your friends, who are they?" Richard requested, staring at them cautiously, with good reason they had more weapons on than most had these days.

"This is Harry. He's the Leader of a Like-minded community," Jesus told them, ignoring Harry's mutter of 'that's debatable'. "These are his people. We would like to request an audience with King Ezekiel."

Glenn was beginning to lose his curiosity, now he was beginning to feel what Harry, Daryl, Merle, Luna, Michonne and Andrea felt. That this was all some sort of elaborate joke, if not, then everyone around here was utterly insane. He tightened his hold on his fiancée, this situation could turn into anything. Harry mustn't sense any sign of a trap or danger otherwise he wouldn't still be there.

Everyone knew he could read minds, so he knew they were safe, it was the only reason they stayed their hands and didn't reach for their guns multiple times. Especially when the guy Richard got off his horse with a gun in his hand.

"You say they're a like-minded community." Richard said, "Like-minded how?"

"We live, we trade, we fight the dead." Jesus said bluntly. "Sometimes others."

"Line up," Richard stated getting a calculating look in his eye.

"This is a waste of time," Daryl stated hotly, "Let's just go," they had their own shit to deal with.

"Maybe you're right. The King is a busy man." Richards said, "And it's a dangerous world."

"That it is," Harry states, standing right in front of Richard, eye to eye, "Which is why you'll only get our weapons from our dead cold hands." seeing what secrets the guy was hiding, so he wanted to go to war, regardless of the consequences. The guy was fucked up, stepping back Harry gave each of them a significant look not dwelling too long in case the two from the Kingdom thought they were going to attack.

"We don't usually allow a pack of strangers to waltz through our door," Richard explained, not completely lost to the madness of desiring an all out war quite yet.

"And we want to make the world less dangerous," Michonne stated. She like everyone else knew that Harry was going to help them. He had offered Jesus aid before, but he had declined, it seemed they were ready to do what must be done. It just came to the matter of whether Jesus and his people would remain at Hilltop or go somewhere safer.

"And Jesus evidently has an idea on how to do that, and wants an audience with your king," Harry successfully managed to say king without a single hint of sarcasm. Honestly, he could have patted himself on the back. "The others are going to love this," he said quietly towards Maggie and Glenn who were closest to him from the side where the Kingdom members were furthest away.

"The car stays outside and you give us your weapons," Richard stated.

"Not happening," Harry retorted, "I understand you're just protecting your people, but I have to make sure mine are protected too."

Jesus moved closer, "Please?" they had to stop Negan before more people were killed. These people knew what they were doing, Harry and his group could make sure they did this the right way without minimal casualties on their side of things.

Harry glanced at everyone in his group, an amused smirk on his face, "It's entirely up to you," he said to them all. He and Luna were perfectly capable of protecting everyone if anything did go wrong, they had a weapon the Kingdom people could not take – their magic – it was the principle of things though. Plus, if it came to it, it would be easy enough to summon their weaponry to themselves.

Luna rolled her eyes and handed over her three weapons, leaving the three that were in her pocket, carefully concealed with magic. That set of a chain reaction of the others doing the same thing, the only thing preventing them from feeling naked was the fact they still had weapons to defend themselves that the Kingdom people wouldn't be able to see or sense due to magic. Everyone had at least one pocket with an enchantment on it.

"Follow me," Richards said, as he gave half the weapons they'd just collected over to his fellow Kingdom soldier.

Jesus mouthed 'thank you' to them before he ran to catch up with Richard, who spoke to Jesus "Before we go in, you have a brain and a backbone, so I'm talking to you, not Gregory."

"Looks like we're not the only one who couldn't stand him," Harry muttered.

"Yes, but he doesn't seem to know of Gregory's demise. Which means they're either not close or they don't meet up all that often." Luna said speculatively.

"So, whatever you're trying to start up here, another protection pact, a trade, none of it matters if we don't start dealing with the real problem – the saviors." Richard told Jesus with a grim face.

"You know, Richard, I've never seen you smile." Jesus said, "I think that's going to change today."

Harry's lips twitched, Jesus was baiting the fish, while keeping all his information to himself. This guy would have definitely been a Slytherin, Severus would like him.

Before they knew it they were inside the kingdom, and Harry had to admit he was impressed despite himself. The community was untouched by the apocalypse, it looked much like PA. Washing hanging on wash lines. People tending to gardens, presumably where their vegetables and such were grown, others dealing with laundry.

"It looks like this place has gone back to the dark ages, women all doing the chores," Andrea griped in annoyance seeing only women doing the washing and folding. Although the men were doing the gardening and that stopped a full blown rant from her. It had been one of her irritations during this whole thing. Women were just as good at men at protecting and fighting so she hated when they were relegated back to doing chores while the men worked.

They had their own workout regimen by the look of it too, as men were running the perimeter, with matching uniforms on. Harry patted Andrea on the shoulder in silent support, not wanting her to go off on one again. It didn't pass his notice that they were only training the men, the women were so screwed if something severe happened just as it had in Hilltop. They might have their own defence classes though, so he would watch and wait and see.

"The King is ready to see you now," Richard said as he returned.

"Polishing his crown?" Amy asked innocently, and she was the only one in the group who could actually pull innocent off. She looked younger than she actually was, by a good 7-10 years as a matter of fact. No, Luna could as well, but she hadn't pulled off anything remotely 'innocent' for a very long time too jaded to do such a thing.

Suddenly Harry's group was either looking away or biting their tongues. With the exception of Daryl and Merle who just snorted.

Richard said nothing, almost as though he hadn't heard her. They were led through another building, Harry suspected one of them had been a school at one point, it certainly looked like it, but it may well have just been offices.

They paused momentarily as they passed through the threshold, "Points for theatricality," Harry said seriously, watching the muscles ripple under the skin of the tiger tied to the post on the stage before them.

"It's beautiful," Luna whispered eyes wide, "Would you look at that!" she had never seen a tiger before, well in books only, never in real life. She'd only ever seen magical animals, "My dad would have loved this." she admitted with a sad smile. He would have published an entire article about them.

Then of course, when words were spoken, it broke the majesty of it. "Jesus! It pleases me to see you, old friend."

"It pleases him indeed," a cheerful voice echoed.

"Jerry!" they soon learned his name was as he was reprimanded.

"Oh for the love of Merlin," Harry slapping his hand over his face in exasperation.

"Tell me, what news do you bring good King Ezekiel?" the self proclaimed King asked.

The group just stared in disbelief.

"Are these new allies you've brought me?" Ezekiel asked.

Harry's eyes narrowed in irritation, was this guy for real?

"Indeed, they are your Majesty," Jesus said an amused smile playing across his face.

Merle and Daryl choked on their own spit at the way the 'King' was addressed.

"This is Harry Potter and some of his people," Jesus told him as they wandered further down.

"I welcome you all to the Kingdom, good travellers," Ezekiel said, "Now, what brings you to our fair land?"

"Why do you seek an audience with the King?"

Harry arched an eyebrow utterly speechless for the first time in his life. He couldn't for the life of him think of absolutely anything to say. "Jesus fucking Christ Luna, that hurt!" Harry grimaced after she elbowed him in the back. "You're up, Jesus, this is your show, we're just observers,"

"We need help, the Saviors are getting more and more demanding and reckless," Jesus explained, "They drove an armoured tank through Hilltop this afternoon, with music blaring and let loose dozens of walkers. We need to do something before we end up killed. I know you have a deal with them..."

That caught Ezekiel's attention, as he sat up straighter, disapproval painted across his features.

"Our deal with the Saviors is not known among my people – for good cause. We made you a party to that secret when you told us of Hilltop's own travails, but we did not expect you to share-" Ezekiel was interrupted.

"We can help each other." Jesus interrupted him getting exasperated. He wasn't sure how long Harry and his group were going to remain there. They didn't look impressed, in fact Harry looked moments away from turning his back and leaving. Jesus wasn't sure why, but he knew that this group was pivotal to their survival if they wanted to do this and win.

"Don't interrupt the King," Jerry said quietly.

"We brought you into our confidence. Why did you break it?" Ezekiel asked.

"Because I want you to hear our plans," Jesus said. Harry had offered his help before, so he hoped it was still on the table. "They terrorised Hilltop, beat people to death and set loose Walkers just to make a point." the Saviors could do the same to them went without saying.

Luna wasn't interested in the conversation, the tiger had her complete attention. It was strange to see such a magnificent animal so domesticated – or given the appearance of being so. Everything she read about them said they were vicious creatures.

"I used to think the deal with the Saviors was something I could live with. A lot of us did." Jesus explained, "But that is changing. So let's change the world, your Majesty."

Luna stepped a foot closer to the stage, only for the tiger to stand up a snarl leaving it's mouth. Ready to defend it's Master from any and all threats.

"DOWN!" Harry's voice boomed through the entire room.

To the shock of all, especially Ezekiel, the tiger immediately complied.

Harry had had enough of this nonsense.

It was time for this King to have a few home truths told to him.

There we go! The next chapter and I finally got the King into it ;) will Harry successfully manage to get Ezekiel to show his true colours and not the character he's portraying? Or will Hilltop have to work with Harry on their own in order to bring them down? Will Harry show they have the upper side with magic at the helm? Will Rick find his peace helping others fight? Or will he continue to make things difficult for everyone? Don't think I'll ever add Alexandria into it though, without Rick and the others nobody would have even known they were there...at least Negan and his ilk didn't makes you feel slightly sorry for them doesn't it? Season 9 is going to suck...won't reveal any spoilers just in case you don't know...makes me more grateful for this story though :D Well, it might have been a hell of a wait but it was one hell of a chapter...longer than I've been able to get out recently! AND that was with me tired and sore lol I've had to move a ton of gravel from the front of my house to the back, which isn't easy when you live in a cul-de-sac by the way! My arms felt like they were going to fall off...only took me two hours in the blazing sunshine! Felt so lazy afterwards though :D anyway never mind that! Read and Review people!