Walking Dead Wizard

Chapter 18

Harry's 'other' training of Sophia and Carl wasn't exactly going how he'd expected it to. Carl had asked his parents, Rick had been completely fine but it had taken both father and son to convince Lori to allow it. Everyone had sat and watched curiously, trying to memorize everything Harry was saying and doing. There was no doubt he knew what he was doing. Except those who had chores to do around the farm. Amy and Beth were sitting to the side watching as well, both really curious. Harry had felt extremely odd and self conscious with everyone there.

After Harry showed them how to hold the dagger, where to aim, how to aim and what to do seen as how all walkers and people were taller than them. It was best to kick or shove a walker down on the floor unless of course there were lots of them then the gun was a must.

"This training will be good if you come upon strangers, now like before you shouldn't trust them or go with them, especially now, its simply a survival of the fittest, nothing will change not in our lifetime. If and when a cure if found we'll all be less civilised just like we used to a long, long time ago." Harry told them firmly. "It can just give us hope that we can get back to our way of life some day."

"You can't go telling him to distrust people!" Lori said aghast, staring at him in shock from where she was stood nearby keeping an eye on Harry and what he was teaching her son.

Harry stared at her as if she had grown an additional head, before slowly turning to face Rick and raising a single eyebrow. He was beginning to wonder how the hell those two had stayed together so long. Rick might not be a big time cop investigating murders every day, but bloody hell, he knew how the world worked but Lori seemed unable to comprehend just how nasty it got out there. "Fine," he conceded, shrugging his shoulders, he wasn't Carl's father or mother, he didn't get a say, and so if they wanted to continue to make the world seem like a good place so be it.

Shane bit his tongue, having to physically stop himself saying anything, not liking how dismissive Harry was of Lori. She was a good mother, the best, and he had no right to dismiss her worries so easily and casually.

"Where did you learn to fight?" Carol asked curiously, having watched Harry teach her daughter how to best defend herself from both walkers and humans. Walkers best hitting in the knees or shoving them until they fell then a dagger to the head, humans a much more painful location.

"Trial and error," Harry replied honestly, he never had anyone actually teach him, he'd learned from being beaten to a pulp more often than not by Dudley and his gang. Learned where to punch or kick where it would hurt. "I want you to keep this with you at all times, Sophia, and don't be afraid to use it." he told her, attaching the sheath to her trousers, then placing the dagger in it. He didn't do the same for Carl since he already had one. Carol already had hers, as much as he trained them they would only truly get more confident as they got better at dealing with the walkers.

"Okay," Sophia agreed, pulling her top over the dagger.

"No, you need to be able to get it quickly, always keep your clothes under it," Harry pointed out, "Like mine," nodding in approval when he noticed both kids doing as he suggested. The kids looked exhausted, too much excitement and exercise for one day, they'd been training since this morning, only stopping for lunch. There wouldn't be much daylight left, so it was why he had to get going as soon as possible, Merlin only knows what the hell he was going to tell everyone when he brings her back - and he would, failure wasn't an option, Merle was right, Luna could fight like hell, he refused to believe she'd be taken down by a walker.

"Good, you both did brilliant, well done," he told them smirking a little when they both puffed their chests out in pride and smugness. Sighing softly, muffling a yawn, he rubbed at his tired eyes, he moved off towards his tent, he grabbed his equipment, he'd found himself a carbon matrix compound bow a few weeks into the apocalypse while scavenging. It was much easier to use than Daryl's (or should he say Merle? Since it had been Merle's until he'd given it to his brother) damn crossbow, the kick behind it had left him bruised and sore for days, he'd eventually perfected his aim though. He shrugged the quiver until it laid dead centre on his back and, put a gun in his pocket just to be on the safe side and closed the trunk, it locked automatically. Nobody was going to get into it, and he would know the second someone tried.

Opening the flap he wandered back out, to find nearly everyone had dispersed while he had left.

"Should you be going hunting? You look exhausted," Rick pointed out, his blue eyes filled with concern. "We don't have to hunt here."

"That's your problem; you can't just wander up to someone's farm and expect them to take you in, no matter what they did. Yes you've got medical care, food, water and a place to stay, but your thoughts that you can stay here are wrong. Trying to force their hand isn't right either, Rick, and you know that. You shouldn't fight for this place, it's too open, too exposed you know what would happen to this place if a herd like before came around." Harry told him grimly, "You should be finding somewhere secure with the time we have. From what I've learned from the brothers is that winter is really bad here. It will slow us down, we won't be able to hunt much either. So food will be scarce, you're a leader, you should be making all these provisions for them, clothes for the winter, making sure we have food, you aren't considering anything other than trying to stay here."

"You're wrong, we need to stay here," Rick said adamantly.

"That is your opinion," Harry replied nodding, "I respect that, I am only giving my own and you should respect it too. You should always prepare for the worst, your son…he has only t-shirts and trousers, I've never seen him with a jumper on…"

"A what?" Rick stopped short. It was times like this that he remembered quite shockingly that Harry was from Britain as if his accent wasn't enough!

"Um…a sweater?" Harry guessed trying to remember if anyone had called a jumper anything else. "Never mind that, it's getting cooler, prepare for it not when its too late and they want to yank clothes of a walker just for an additional bit of warmth." honestly Harry didn't know why he was wasting his breath…perhaps in hope that Rick would wise up and become the leader these people desperately needed? He was just plodding along right now, just trying to settle, without really thinking of a bigger picture.

Harry turned and walked away without saying anything more, just hoping that his words would take. He was too worried about Luna to give a shit if he took his advice or not right now anyway. He made a quick beeline for Merle since it was his turn to keep an eye on the barn. "Do me a favour, if Luna shows up before I get the chance to find her…keep her away from the others…especially Shane and Rick,"

"Why?" he asked, curiously.

"Um…let's just say she can come across as…odd, she might end up saying things that make her sound insane, she's never really interacted with non-magical folk, like seriously, ever. She's been in the magical world her entire life." Harry answered seriously. "Just keep her out of sight until I get back, if she comes and trust me…you'll know it's her. Blonde hair, blue eyes, she's short but will stand out."

"Alrigh'," Merle agreed, "You got it."

"Thanks," Harry replied, his gratitude evident. "Anything you fancy?"

Merle's eyes widened, about to open his mouth and Harry didn't even need to think to know what would be said, or the profanities that would burst out.

"I mean to eat, do you fancy anything to eat, bloody hell," Harry rolled his eyes; "The language barrier is bloody annoying. Never thought we were that different, until I came here anyway."

"Catch what you can," Merle shrugged, settling back down as the misunderstanding was dealt with.

"Don't I always?" Harry replied, smirking wryly, before he took off, heading towards the direction of the trees. It didn't take him long to realize he was being followed; he stopped and waited on Daryl catching up. It was him of course, crossbow slung across his back, both of them silently continued on, never making a single sound, both of them comfortable in each others company and trusting each other - something that should have been impossible for both men but regardless they did.

Something that was about to become all too apparent to the Dixon brothers.

While Harry continued walking, trying to put enough distance between the farm to send a Patronus to Luna, both men took down anything that came their way, their challenging looks causing both to try to out do each other, so they'd go back to the farm with the most. They stuck to squirrels and rabbits mostly, there weren't any deer tracks to be found. Arguing if both hit the animal with their own arrows, before reluctantly going with the 'kill shot' so if they got the head or the heart it was theirs or closest to it.

"This should do," Harry murmured quietly after they'd gone out a mile and half at least maybe two. He had over a dozen animals tied up and they were quite heavy, if he picked up more he'd be trailing them at this rate. Flicking out his wand, he spoke clearly, "Expecto Patronum!" Once his patronus was fully formed, and Prongs was staring at him, "Patronus message for Luna Lovegood message starts 'Luna where are you? I need an update, I'm sending this to you at three thirty five,' end message. With that the white magnificent creature, headed off straight ahead in the direction.

"What was that?" Daryl asked curiously, eyes narrowed as they always were as he paced around.

Harry smiled in genuine sadness and happiness, "It's what we call a Patronus, and originally they were used as a shield from Dementors, a magical creature, nasty things. During the first war someone figured out how to use them to send secret messages to whoever they wanted to converse with. They take the shape of a guardian or an aspect of someone you love, mine was after my dad, not that I knew it at the time. He could turn into an animal, it's called being an Animagus, soul animal, or your inner animal, he was a stag, and they gave him the nickname of Prongs."

"A Dementor?" Daryl couldn't picture anything.

"Yeah, skeletal creatures that are more like spectres floating off the ground with what looks like a large black cloak covering it from head to foot but its their skin not a cloak. They only have a single hole in their mouth for a face, which is what they use to suck out your soul, and yes we have souls, all of us. Without one we become vegetables with no hope of getting better. Without a soul the body just withers away it's a brutal death." Harry told him quickly wanting to get off the topic.

"You mean they're ringwraiths?" Daryl asked genuinely curious.

"What's that? I've never heard of it," Harry said staring blankly.

"You never watched the Lord of the Rings?" Daryl asked exasperated, it was annoying having to explain everything he didn't know how Harry did it with them.

"Nope, I wasn't allowed to as a kid so never did as an adult, that and the magical world was backwards," Harry answered. Correctly assuming 'Ringwraiths' was something from a movie.

Daryl just scoffed; it was weird if you ask him. Although he did file that piece of information from Harry's childhood into the same place as all the small titbits he'd learned from him. Which overall wasn't all that much, Harry was like him, the past was the past. Sensing movement he aimed his crossbow and with deadly accuracy hit the squirrel. Now he was in the lead, it quickly joined the others on his own belt. His eyes narrowed when he saw white light making its way towards them weaving through the trees, a hare? He guessed as it stopped in front of Harry.

"Harry, thank Merlin, I've not heard from you or Hermione in days, if it wasn't for the tracking spell I would have assumed the worst! I'm four minutes from your current location as the patronus flies. If its safe stay where you are, I'm flying in your direction I'm assuming you're alone or with people who already know." Harry shook his head, Luna's perfectly odd way of asking if it was safe to continue to his location without outright asking.

"Flying?" Daryl echoed, automatically looking up at the sky, why wasn't he surprised that they could fly too?

"Yes, but she needs a broom," Harry told him, leaning against the tree doing the same thing as Daryl and staring upwards, just waiting on Luna making an appearance.

"Meaning you don't?" Daryl asked shrewdly, twirling blades of grass between his fingers.

"I don't, it's not for everyone though, only a small amount of us used to do it," by small amount Harry obviously meant three at least, Severus Snape, Voldemort and himself. The brothers would never know how rare or hard it was for wizards and witches to fly without brooms. He liked the brothers, liked the anonymity that had come with the end of the world, yeah he was screwed up, he knew that, go figure he'd find normalcy in the mist of an apocalypse and like it. He didn't want the brothers opinion of him tainted or changed, especially Daryl's. It was a miracle they hadn't treated him different for his magic alone, so no, he didn't want them to know everything about him, why would he want them to know even by magical peoples standards he was a bloody freak?

"How the hell do I explain this back at the farm? We just ran into each other hunting?" Harry snorted, shaking his head ruefully.

"They don't need to know nothing," Daryl scoffed.

"Now we both know that's not true, they're gonna want answers," Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead. "And I have no clue on how to answer them. I'm not going to put up with any suspicion, so if they start anything we're gone, I'm definitely not putting up with Shane if he gets worse." especially if he starts his crap with Luna. Harry was very protective of his friends and those he considered family, and Luna was part of that family.

"Course he's going to get worse, he's losing it, groups broken," Daryl replied, his gaze still sweeping around.

"I hate to say it but yeah, you're right," Harry nodded his agreement.

They had no idea how bad it was.

"It's been four minutes, she should have been here by now," Harry said getting concerned; surely the broom could go as fast as the patronus message.

"She is," Daryl said pointing in the direction he could see the shocking blonde hair that almost looked white.

Harry turned swiftly, his eyes landing on Luna and he paled, she looked like she'd been through hell. Harry bolted towards her, she looked shaky on her feet, and he could feel the tension in her body as he reached her. She immediately hugged him, trembling in relief and shock.

"Did you fly the entire time?" Harry asked aghast as he backed away slightly to see her properly.

"No," Luna croaked, "Stopped a few times, had to leave the food and water I had…the things surprised me on a roof…managed to grab my bag though. As I got further on and the weather got too much I started staying in during the day and flying at night…it was just a bit too much."

Daryl watched them from where he was hanging back, observing that Harry actually let the girl touch him, he was comfortable with her, cared about her. She looked thoroughly sunburnt, it was a good job she had stopped flying during the day. In fact she reminded him of how badly affected Harry had been from the sun.

"When was the last time you ate or drank?" Harry scolded her, wishing he had brought his damn trunk.

"I drank an hour ago, I haven't eaten for at least a day," Luna replied sheepishly, "I couldn't find anywhere to go that wasn't completely overwhelmed with those things…"

"Walkers, we call them walkers," Harry added, "Come on, lets get you back to the farm, the group I'm with is there, they don't know about magic and I don't want them to."

"So you don't trust them…why are you with them if you don't?" Luna stared at Harry in blank confusion, it just wasn't like Harry.

Harry shifted slightly uncomfortable, "They've got kids," he eventually mumbled embarrassedly.

"Well that makes sense," Luna said, "Who's your friend?" she blinked when she saw Harry grinning.

"Daryl Dixon, Daryl, Luna," Harry explained, Daryl nodded but didn't approach. Luna in turn gazed at him in that piercing way and nodded back with a sweet smile. "He and his brother are the only ones who know about magic…the group is…well different. You'll see what I mean for yourself."

"A farm?" Luna finally asked, putting her broomstick away after shrinking it to have more room.

"Yeah, the leader of the group in all his wisdom has decided to try and stay on a farm," Harry sighed nodded resignedly. "We should all head back." glancing at Daryl who nodded his agreement.

Luna wasn't surprised that Harry wasn't leading these people, he'd done it once and she sincerely doubted he'd ever want to do it again. He was a good leader though, and he would do well if he chose to take it up again, he might not have a choice in future it just depended on how things went. Luna walked with them, keeping a grip on Harry's arm, after flying so long it felt odd having to use her legs again and she was quite weak and dehydrated.

They paused when they heard quiet pained whining; Harry glanced around trying to find the source of the noise. His eyes narrowed in on tail, he couldn't see anything else, guiding Luna towards the tress so she could hold onto it, as he approached the animal, which he realized was a dog. A German shepherd, if he was right, but he was no expert. It was emaciated; it had dug a ditch to die in. Its paw lay in an unnatural position; it had obviously been broken at some point. It had been someone's pet, he realized, seeing the collar.

"Might as well put it out of its misery," Daryl said raising his crossbow, but Harry's arm came up and guided it back down with a silent shake of its head.

"Ferula," Harry whispered, aiming his wand at the dog's leg, causing bandages to wrap around its leg causing it to cry out in further pain. "Ossa Sanare!" wincing slightly hearing the bones realign how they were heard over the howling he had no idea. "Praerigidus," now it wouldn't feel anything as the spell did its work, the dogs wounded area should be completely numb right now.

"You've been practising healing spells," Luna observed, making her way over slowly, rubbing the poor dogs head, before cupping her hands together and casting 'Aguamenti' to get water to appear for the poor thirsty thing. She'd never seen a dog move so fast.

"Have to, potions aren't going to last forever," Harry explained.

"Dogs tongues drink backwards, there ain't enough room for him to drink proper," Daryl pointed out.

"Phialam," Harry cast on one of the stones in front of him, transfiguring it into a bowl. Luna immediately poured more water into it, causing the dog to sit up properly and began to drink greedily and messily, there was more water on the floor than got into its mouth they'd bet. Yanking one of the squirrels from his belt, he cut down the front, until he found the liver and kidney's and fed it to the dog. They were tiny, probably didn't even take the edge of its hunger but it was something.

"Why don't the animals turn?" Harry asked out of the blue, "They're bitten, they're infected, but they never turn, it's not because they've lost too much, because walkers get up no matter how much of their insides are hanging out! What makes them so different from us that they don't turn? Could they help find some sort of cure or answer?"

"Um…there is an answer, didn't the scientist tell you?" Luna said giving Harry an odd look.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked immediately, glancing straight at Luna, "I'm not going to like this am I?"

Luna shook her head solemnly.

"Perfect," Harry grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Well just wait until we get back; explain it once, to all three of us."

Daryl's lips twitched, it seemed despite the fact he had one of his own they weren't being left out, for the first time he didn't care that he'd been wrong. "It's gettin' dark, we should get back."

"Ooo, I love your accent," Luna said, causing Daryl to blush and look away, causing Harry to grin with unholy glee from where he sat, he'd have to keep an eye on them both, that blush was just…heady, and he would love to see it again. Merlin help him he was a sadist, he thought, having the hots for someone who would never be his, but wasn't that the story of his life?

There we go! so will Harry keep the dog or will it run off as soon as its able? Will it become Harry's familiar and give them warning about advancing walkers? well what do you think Merle will make of Luna? will Harry have to threaten Merle nine ways to sunday soon or will it be a slow awkward build? and I'm sorry about the lack of Daryl/Harry but come on the guy rarely talks! It's difficult trying to keep them sort of 'in character' which i do want to a certain extent and keep who Daryl is but make him with Harry it's definitely going to take time...when i said slow burn i did mean it lol so will Daryl's jealousy get the better of him when he sees Harry and luna together or will Daryl just summon up the courage himself? or will he avoid Harry unable to deal with his own feelings? i loved all your ideas for shane but most of them require an actual outright usage of magic which can't happen obviously Harry wouldnt risk anyone finding out hmm guess i could use more tripping hexes :D I kind of what Harry to end shane...but a lot of you want Rick to do it...so i'm torn, and just remember if rick does it and goes on about his 'dictatorship' surely you realize what Harry would do! he'd leave taking the majority of the group with him who dont trust Rick at that point! especially not carol, (who has sophia) Glenn and Maggie...ultimately Daryl and Merle would go too leaving Rick with a group of girls an old man! LOL so what's your opinion? R&R PLEASE!