Walking Dead Wizard

Chapter 107

The group made their plans for Apparating to Oceanside after collecting weapons from the vault. The wizards definitely preferred their wands over guns. They'd probably only use them as decoration, but to be on the safe side, Harry gave them only single round guns, although, they knew how to use them Harry had made sure of that. They were by no means experts but good enough to hit walkers when needed. All the years of hand to eye coordination when it came to casting spells ensured that much.

"We ready to go?" Harry called out to the group, despite not leading them, he was still asking, sometimes habits were hard to break. Absently patting his pocket where his scan pictures had been put. He'd show them to everyone later, when they didn't have somewhere to be. He was honestly surprised Hermione hadn't noticed them before he put them away, she must be really distracted or tired still. "Hermione, you going to be okay?" he asked her, making sure she was up for it. She'd not done anything like this for years, not since she was seventeen.

"I'll be fine," Hermione told him, an indignant look on her face, even if it wasn't in her voice. She knew Harry was just worried about everyone, but she was just fine.

Harry nodded, "Alright, so who's apparating who?" they weren't going to risk splitting up, so they had to coordinate it perfectly.

"I'll take you and Hermione, Luna will take Merle and Daryl and Marcus can take the others," Severus told them, the less people apparating altogether the less chance of a large cluster of them appearing. With three going, and familiar with the area, Severus had cleaned what he needed from Luna's mind – with her permission – so that he familiarised himself.

"Okay, let's get going," Luna grasped a hold of Merle and Daryl, while Severus grasped a hold of Hermione and Harry, keeping them slightly behind him, while Marcus held onto Blaise, Roger David and Graham Montague and Lavender Brown.

The second they Apparated into the area, they were set upon, but it was the bullet that was aimed at Daryl, and bounced of the shield just millimetres from his forehead that so enraged Harry.

Within seconds, before anyone else could react, Harry's magic did, all the weapons suddenly found themselves sky high. Not just weapons either, no, those with guns with straps around their necks found themselves choking caught up in them. Myriads of choked whimpers, pleads for help and struggles reached their ears.

"Let them down! Please, let them down!"

"Oh my god help them!"

They tried to stretch themselves forward, either to grasp them or hoist them up so they didn't choke but none of them were anywhere near tall enough. You'd need to be a troll or a giant to be able to help these people.

Merle naturally watched it all with fascinated eyes, making no move to help or ask Harry to stop. Magic had always fascinated him, even the fascination with 'Fiendfyre' hadn't ceased yet. Plus, they had just tried to kill his brother, and he did not like that one fucking bit. "I ain't got a problem fucking up a woman if she tries to kill my brother again!" he swore, glaring at the people surrounding them.

Two managed to untangle themselves, and fell back to the ground, howling in pain. With either friend or family coming to their aid, terrified beyond belief as they stared at the group that had managed to subdue them so easily. Guarding their injured members, but not approaching fear prevalent.

"They knew we were coming," Severus stated, there wasn't a single child out, all adults armed to the teeth, judging by the seventy or eighty weapons in the air, and that was just the guns he was counting not the knives. "They're on the defensive," just how on earth could they have been aware, waving his wand, he searched the perimeter for any spells that could have been missed.

"Were we spotted?" Blaise asked incredulously, it seemed highly unlikely.

"Harry," Luna said cautiously, as the five people caught up in the straps were unable to get themselves free and unconsciousness was greeting them on swift wings. Two of those straps belonged to sniper rifles, which were the likely culprit of what and who tried to take out Daryl, judging by the round of ammunition at Daryl's feet.

"The Leader of this place better come forward if you want them to survive," Harry roared out, so that he was heard by every single person whether they were visible or not. "You have ten second!" probably less, they would expire if they didn't get the obstructions removed soon.

"I'm the leader," one woman bravely stepped forward. "Let them go,"

Severus couldn't help but scoff, "Idiots," the others hadn't even attempted to remain impassive at her declaration. They'd all glanced at her, the disbelief evident, this was not their leader.

"I should kill you where you stand," Harry said, staring at her, his lips curled, before glancing at the five a loft Mundane's, "They're probably going to stop breathing any second now." With no way back, he wasn't going to go back on his word, it would make him look weak and he knew how weakness would be perceived. Plus, if his people hadn't taken ever precaution necessary, they would have taken Daryl from him.

"If you don't calm down you just might," Marcus muttered, shuddering, fucking hell, his magic was angry as hell. He'd met the Dark Lord Voldemort a few times, he'd never been marked, he'd been lucky really. His family had been minor supporters of the Dark Lord, agreeing with his goals but never considered important enough to mark. Which had been his intention when he remained at Hogwarts two extra years, despite being Head Boy. Even the Dark Lord's magic hadn't felt like this, he wondered how Draco had survived antagonising him for seven years.

Daryl wrapped his arms around Harry, drawing him close, normally he was vehemently against public displays of affection. He just wasn't into that shit, and hated any attention being on him. Like right now he knew everyone was paying attention to the group, but he felt as everyone was staring at him. "I'ma alright," Daryl whispered to Harry, "Reign it in." splaying a hand across Harry's stomach, letting him know why he should more than anything else in the world.

"I am the one you're looking for," a woman stepped forward, her stern features rigid, "My name is Natania let them go."

Harry nodded to Severus, who flicked his wand, and unwound them from the straps. He made no effort to ease their fall, their unconscious bodies falling with thunderous cracks. Nobody would be surprised if they'd at least broken something.

Stalking forward, reluctantly to move himself from Daryl but knowing he had to. Harry stared at her, she ostentatiously and stubbornly gazed back refusing to back down. Unaware of the fact Harry was reading her mind, gleaning everything he needed. "Severus…" Harry croaked out.

Every single one of them straightened even further, cautious and worry coursing through them. For Harry to sound like that? Something must be up, Severus all but lurched forward. "Are you alright?" concerned it might be the twins. Daryl was right behind him, the rest spread out further, keeping an eye on everyone. Sure, they didn't have weapons right now but it didn't make them any less dangerous.

"Thirty feet behind you, there's a trap door, below you'll find them," Harry said, swallowing thickly, "I don't…I don't know if they're alive…" choking the words out, he couldn't go down there and see. He just couldn't…it was like his childhood all over again. Leaning against Daryl who had stiffened at the words, nobody here was stupid enough not to realize what was going on.

"Fuck," Marcus hissed out, his gaze levelled up to lethal as he stared at the group, the desire to kill them all was strong. "If they're dead…you die." He promised, muggle-born or pureblood…nobody with magical blood deserved to be hurt because they have magic. They were frankly the worst sort of Muggles.

The women all flinched, stepping back in fear, Marcus was very intimidating, more so than Simon and his ilk had been.

"Lavender, with me," Severus stated, stalking off, eyes roaming everywhere for the trap door as he approached going on thirty feet. He sensed rather than heard Lavender behind him, she wasn't as quiet as the others but quiet enough. It was hidden, and if he hadn't been looking for it specifically, Severus would never have thought anything of it.

Severus knelt down and opened the latch, licking his dry lips, he stared down at the damp dark hole. Inhaling sharply, he didn't know what he was going to find down there. Given Harry's reaction it was probably going to vividly remind him of his Death Eater days…or worse. The only 'child' the Dark Lord had truly gone after was Harry, usually they were to be untouched. Even Voldemort had realized that children were the next generation. Had realized how important they were regardless of whether he wanted one himself or not.

The more bloodthirsty of the Death Eaters hadn't cared though, shaking off his rather depressing thoughts. It was over, that part of his life was over he didn't want to dwell on it.

"I'm not sure you'll fit down there; do you want me to…?" Lavender asked, she was much shorter than Severus although he was definitely as thin as her.

"They need a healer, of that I have no doubt, did you do any healing with Madam Pomfrey?" Severus asked, glancing up at her.

"Um, no, I've been helping here, before that I was teaching Charms to the younger years." Lavender admitted, sighing softly, in other words she was useless in this type of situation. Filius was still teaching the older years charms and duelling, as well as coming up with things to make life easier amidst an apocalypse. She was grateful for something different to do, but felt she should have also taken some basic healing. Not that it would help these people if the way Harry reacted was any indication.

Severus nodded, "Follow behind me, but not too closely…we may be dealing with walkers now…" not something he wanted to contemplate, he hadn't had to kill a reanimated child before, and honestly didn't want to begin now. He had enough nightmares from his time under the Dark Lord's rule as it was.

"Okay," Lavender agreed, she was an adult now, she'd long ago lost her irrational fear of her professor. Although, could it be considered irrational if she actually feared for her life at one point?

Severus cast "Lumos!" and waved his wand, the globe of light moved from his wand and began to descend. Severus slowly and carefully eased himself down the wooden ladder which looked about as sturdy as it looked, which is to say not at all.

Once his feet hit the ground, he felt marginally better, his eyes narrowed as he took in his surroundings. They'd done an adequate job of keeping the structure safe…unless it had been there already when they came here. It gave him hope that the children hadn't endured a cave in. It would have been a horrific way to die.

"Which way?" Lavender asked, glancing at both directions. "I'll go this way…"

"No point, look," Severus said, flicking his wand and another light zoomed out, and Severus was indeed correct, the light stopped a few feet in, clearly it hadn't been dug yet.

"How on earth did you notice that?" he was no closer than she was.

"I've spent the majority of my life in the dungeons, which are dark, my eye sight is all the better for it." Severus said dryly, turning they began to trek in the only other direction open to them.

"It's difficult to breathe down here," Lavender confessed, worry swirling like a living thing in her gut. "Could they run out of oxygen?"

"It won't matter soon enough…it's silent," Severus murmured.

"That's a good thing though, means they aren't…" Lavender trailed off, weren't dead and turning into Walkers.

"Indeed," Severus murmured, ducking down, they were coming to the end, there was a door, not badly made. This was definitely here before they were, the door itself, the lock, everything screamed it was done by someone at least more than competent in their field.

Which meant the room itself might be soundproofed, it might have been built for a similar purpose, to keep someone imprisoned. "Step back a bit, I need room to move if we're surprised," it was instinctive to move away, before Apparating. At least to him, a lot just spun on their heels, others could just Apparate. He'd begun Apparating amidst a war for Merlin's sake, so no surprises there.

Lavender moved back without a single word, wand and gun in hand. She didn't want to use the gun, but it was better than any spell they could use on walkers. Weapons worked a great deal faster and easier with walkers than spells. Since there was nothing that could actually stop a walker like a bullet or arrow to the head.

Severus breathed out, before grasping the wood and yanking it up until it reached the other side with a dull thud. Wincing when he heard rather than felt something trickling down, the earth or something? They needed to get out of there fast, before this place caved in, he didn't know whether it was just him being worried or not, but he'd rather not risk it.

Wrenching the door open, he stepped inside, the globe of light following him. It wasn't just children inside; it wasn't just wizards and witches either…he could sense no magic in some of them.

"Oh, Merlin," Lavender gasped as she entered the small room, gagging as she slapped her hand over her mouth. The smell was absolutely horrendous, she couldn't tolerate it, she stepped back outside, drawing hasty breaths before flicking her wand at the pile of excrement before cleansing the very air they breathed.

Even with a pleasant smell like Lemon wafting around, Lavender couldn't get the smell out of her nose. It was prevalent, she felt as though it would never leave.

The youngest there gasped and pointed eagerly at them, as if sensing a kindred spirit. The older boy who held him close despite his obvious emaciated state, just clutched him tighter, terrified in a way that the four-year-old was not. Not that Severus blamed the boy, he knew he wasn't the nurturing sort of sight, its why he'd brought Lavender down with him.

"Expecto Patronum," Severus murmured, and the doe shot out of his wand, giving some semblance of peace and tranquillity to the children. "How long has it been since she woke up?" he asked, kneeling next to the woman closest to him. She looked to be in her early twenties, late twenties at a push. He glanced at one of the conscious boys, he looked to be eleven, twelve-years-old.

He just stared back terrified, clearly too intimidated to speak.

Hiding his rising frustration, he cast a diagnosis charm, to find out how they were doing. He wasn't surprised by the results, she'd been severely beaten, a few broken bones that were healing slowly, and wrongly at that. Starvation, suffering from dehydration, it was clear that she wouldn't be able to leave under her own power.

Shuffling over in the small room, he repeated the process, and found more or less the same results.

"They aren't going to be able to come out under their own power, they have multiple bone breaks." Severus told Lavender, "We need Portkey's for them, instantly, they need immediate medical attention. I cannot do it down here." He could barely move, and he most certainly wouldn't be able to stand up.

And obviously, he couldn't create a Portkey for a place under the Fidelius Charm, he wasn't one of the secret keepers. He only knew of the secret; he couldn't give its secrets away.

Lavender spared the group a look, reckoning she knew why the adults were unconscious. It's the same thing she would have done, given the food to the children. The children had a greater chance of survival, compared to the adults. "I'll be right back!" she said, carefully but swiftly leaving the room, rushing carefully back through the passageway and back up the stairs to relay Severus' message as quickly as possible and get Portkey's created for them.

Hopefully the kids wouldn't make too much of a fuss and they'd succeed in getting them all to safety.

She took as her time as she slowly ascended the stairs, the Portkey's was probably the best idea all around. Two people on those ladders? They'd crumble, then again, if needed they could have transfigured it into something much sturdier. Poking her head up, she noticed that Luna and Merle were staring at her.

"We need Portkey's down here," Lavender called out, crawling out the rest of the way, "ASAP they need medical attention."

"Luna?" he said, and Luna immediately nodded, as she began to rummage around her bag for items to use as a portkey. "Anyone other than myself and Severus have training in healing?" Harry asked, mostly the other wizards that had recently joined the group. Still almost vibrating out of his skin, but he was no long exuding menace.

"We all have rudimental training, but that's it," Marcus told him, "Nothing that will help at this moment."

"How many?" Luna asked, having just created her second Portkey.

"Three should do," Lavender said, mind mulling over the best way to get them all out of there safely. "We might get away with two." With people unconscious though it was unlikely.

Luna nodded, as Lavender approached, she finished with the last one, "Need help?" aware that only Severus and Lavender were there.

"No," she said eyes going cold as she stared at the deadly silent group disgusted to the core of her. "I've seen a lot before and after the apocalypse, but this…this is the worst thing ever…you're disgusting." She spat out at them, so utterly angry and enraged her face was screwed up, like she couldn't think of a word to describe them. Even the Death Eaters had fed their captives! Despite Luna's captivity she was given food and water! Even Ollivander did, despite the torture he was put through. She knew it was because they didn't want them dead, but still.

Daryl tightened his hold on Harry, sensing his rising ire. "Marcus…Blaise, check every woman, teenager and baby for magic, if they've got it, they're coming with us…no magical person is to be left behind." he wasn't going to leave them to their fate whether they liked it or not.

"And if they have family?" Blaise asked, stepping forward ready to cast the spells required of him.

"They have a choice, they can come if they like…only if they weren't directly involved in that," gesturing towards the hole, other than Lavender and Harry nobody here (Severus was below) knew exactly what they'd seen. Although, they had a rough idea from Lavender's statement.

"And the rest of them?" Marcus said, baring his teeth at them, relishing in their flinches. He could sort of see how Death Eaters would get addicted to that sort of rush, but his desire to kill those Muggles were not selfish, more noble really.

Harry glanced at Daryl, silently seeking his thoughts on the matter.

"An eye for an eye?" Daryl suggested.

"They're all complicit," Merle grumbled, "Should kill them all."

"We can't do that, not without becoming hypocrites," Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead, this had become a lot more complicated than he'd ever envisioned. "Bloody hell," he muttered this was the worst of it, being a leader, having to make these sorts of decisions.

The spells were cast, over the groups who froze up completely, fear prominently displayed. Nobody noticed Lavender slipping away with the Portkey's as she made her way back down to Severus and the group shut in for being magic users.

"Your child has got magic," Blaise said, staring at the woman who clutched her child closer. "You aren't surprised." Either the child has a magical family member before all this, she knew about magic or the child had displayed magic before. "Head on over there, we'll protect you and your daughter…unless you want to condemn her to what the others have endured?" if that was the case, the child would be removed from her immediately. Harry had said no magical person is to be left behind after all.

The woman glanced around her, seeing the looks she was getting from the rest of her group. She cringed, before stumbling forward, clutching her daughter tightly. She couldn't remain here, if she did…she was condemning both of them to death.

"Look at me," Harry demanded, terrified blue eyes met green, and Harry went through her mind. She had no magic herself, but her older sister had been magical, she'd always known there was a possibility of magic since the age of eleven. She'd been terrified of discovery, had given birth alone, and rarely let her daughter out of her sight, and praying constantly for no magic to manifest. She snuck extra food and water to those imprisoned, and had been gathering the courage and plan to get them out of there. She'd been prevented a few times by sheer wrong timing. "You're both going to be safe," he told her, his entire demeanour changing once he got his answers.

"Don't you dare touch him!" called a woman, "Get off him!" before she could do so much as touch Marcus the woman was bound tightly and the child safely away from her.

"Marcus?" Harry called cautiously, frowning at the wizard.

"Kid's not hers, she kidnapped him, she's planning on killing him because he has magic!" Marcus retorted defensively; Harry wasn't the only one who could read minds. The second he'd stated the kid had magic, her thoughts became twisted and dark. The child perched on his hip like he had always belonged there.

Harry and Marcus stared at each other for a moment before Marcus turned back to the woman bound at his feet.

"Do what you have to, and for the love of all that's Wizardry don't let the kid see," Harry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, it didn't escape his notice that the kid wasn't even trying to remotely get back to the woman. Harry raised his gun against the leader of this group, she was ultimately responsible for what he'd seen. "You deserve worse than this, but we are nothing like you." with that Harry shot her through the head, she fell back, a line of blood oozing from the bullet wound.

Screaming in shock and anger the women flinched back.

Another gunshot rang through the air as Marcus dealt with his offender.

"The rest of you will be judged the same way," Harry said coldly, "I came here with good intentions…to offer you aid despite the fact I knew you were killing in cold blood. Anyone found guilty of that will be killed…and regardless of whether you go we will be watching you, and if anything like this happens again…we'll keep dealing with the offenders."

"You're going to let them remember?" Merle asked, surprised Harry normally wouldn't conceive that. Speaking lowly so that only Harry and those closest to him actually heard.

"No," Harry declared quietly, he wasn't about to let any danger to magic survive to spread word. It wasn't just because he was used to the magical world being secret, he just didn't want some sort of uprising…it would be innocent children that would pay for it…like they already were. What did they think they were doing? Starving and beating the magic out of them? Instead of using it to their advantage.

Merle relaxed, glad to hear that, it wouldn't just be Harry in danger but Luna too. Although, by the look of things, the group of sixty would be greatly reduced by the time they were done here.

"That's everyone at P.A," Harry murmured, the three Portkey's had activated and passed through the wards one at a time. "Hopefully Hershel will be nearby." They would need both Muggle and magical aid he reckoned.

Luna created another Porktey while Harry declared whether the adult responsible for the child or children were allowed to come. Any sign of hatred, real deep jealousy or anger towards magic they were denied the right to come. Harry should have felt guilty for taking the kids away but he didn't. They were in very real danger here, and he'd feel a whole lot worse leaving them to their fate. Which would be death.

Ironically enough, he found, that the wizards on their radar were out and free, successfully stopping themselves from performing magic.

Such a big group, well, except for Hogwarts, it was almost unreal to find them all in the same settlement.

"Round them up, anyone killing with extreme prejudice meets the same fate as your leader." Harry declared coldly, he just wanted to get back home. To see to his new charges, hopefully Severus had everything he needed for them. He could see a few that would meet the same fate, they were shifty for lack of better word.

Between Marcus and Harry, they got through everyone, only four others met the same fate. It seemed the 'inner circle' were the only ones that were truly awful. They knew everything that happened.

Harry gave a nod to Luna for her to get the children out of here, well, the children and adults that were coming. It would fill up the street, they'd have more people to take on the chores, it was a good thing they had more than enough food to go around.

"Hold on to this, it will take you to our home, we'll be with you soon," Luna said, handing out the Portkey's. They'd land in the police station, one of the others would be alerted by the alarm and would know what to do. They wouldn't be stuck inside, she'd made sure of that, they weren't going to be Portkey'd into the actual cells.

"No matter where you go, what you do, we will be watching you, any more killing for the sake of it…this will be your fate. Know that this is your only warning, I don't threaten twice." Harry said coldly, watching them all with glacial eyes, nobody hurt children on his watch. The urge to kill every single one of them was so strong that he was almost overcome. The thought of his own child in their place…yes, he wanted to.

He had to rein in his fury, to stop himself doing something he would regret. And he would regret it, not all of them were like that. Some were just too weak to stand up to them, for fear of suffering the same fate.

Daryl was the only reason they weren't all lying on the ground, dead.

His anchor was keeping him anchored. Stopping him from losing himself entirely. Well, Daryl and his babies.

Everyone glanced at him intermitted, waiting on the new orders, he could even feel Luna, Hermione and Merle waiting at his back.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Harry roared, causing even his own people to jump.

Trembling whimpered 'yes's' met his ears.

"Let's go home," Harry declared, dismissing them entirely, before he waved his wand in a mass "Obliviate!" their eyes went glazed as he made them forget magic itself. They still did what they did, even if they couldn't understand why. It was cheating really, but Harry would not allow these people to remember magic. "Now we can go home."

"We're running out of food," the red head wizard said, staring at their shrinking pantry. "This will do us maybe another week…if we're lucky." they had been lucky to end up where a lot of food was stored.

"Yes," the red headed woman agreed, sighing softly, as she slid down the wall, she felt like she was slowing going insane.

"We need to do something," the wizard determined, "If we don't…well, we'll die here." They had three barricaded doors between them and walkers. Very heavily, reinforced barricaded doors, they were unground and trapped.

"I just don't understand how they aren't decomposed yet," she told him, staring up at him, he looked so much like his brother now. "From everything we read before it got worse, they decompose especially quick in heat." Wiping her own brow.

"Yeah, but weren't those reports from Muggles?" he asked, turning around he closed the cupboard door.

"Well, yes," she agreed.

"Could be why, you know Magic doesn't allow us to decompose so easily…" he trailed off, tightening his hairband with a tired sigh. "Come on, there has to be something we can do,"

"That many? We'd be taken out within moments," she shook her head. They'd grown used to being down here, but with the dwindling supplies came a new desperation. They had tried to keep track of the days, but it was no use.

"Not if we plan it properly," he said, "Together, if we leave it too late, we'll all be too weak."

"And you honestly think we could get through the herd of inferi? It's not just one…there are dozens of clusters, its why we came here." She said, but her spine was stiffening. "It was the only way to save ourselves."

"You want to see your niece again?" he asked, "I want to see my family again, the others want to see their family again. We've spent too long down here, every single assumption we've had has failed. We have not been rescued, the Inferi aren't decomposing, the Floo isn't working and we cannot get out to send an owl out not that there are many!" they'd managed to save two, and kept feeding them, but there was no way to get them out without making themselves vulnerable.

A vulnerable look came to the woman's face, "Yes, yes I want to see her again," if she survived, if she had any way of getting in contact with her. To do that she needed a wand, any of them needed a wand, but they didn't. "I wish I had paid more attention to Wandless magic classes." She informed him, as she stood.

"Then we do it," He declared, despite his threadbare stinking clothes, he stood proud and tall. "Tomorrow." Eat what they could then attempt it, they'd need to plan it out properly in any hopes of succeeding.

Turning the tap on, she filled the jug full of water, before turning and nodding, "Alright, let's see what the others say."

"Regardless of whether they wish to come or not…I'm going," he declared, "I'm not dying down here." He couldn't, he had to find his family.

She nodded grimly in turn, in full agreement, it wasn't in her to give in either. Who knows how many years had passed with them stuck here, stuck yes, but safe-ish. It was really a suicide mission, there was no way they could get passed the herd without wands, without any sort of aid.

If they did not…they'd die regardless.

It was time for them to make one last stand.

She could only hope that they weren't all that was left of humanity.

"Together," she declared, clasping hands with him, with that they moved to the rest of their group. Taking the water with her, it was time to plan for the future…however short it might be.

A/N – You probably already know who they all are but I'd love to hear your guesses :D and are they together ;) the little muse finally got its say :P well, one of them, and really, I had intended to use it earlier but meh, never got the chance since it only returned a while ago and when I lost all my documents I lost my plot ideas too 😉 I had actually intended to end the last chapter with the shot ringing out and bullet barrelling towards Daryl :P but meh, you all know I wouldn't really kill him off :D R&R please