Walking Dead Wizard
Chapter 73
After breakfast was over the group made a move to leave, several others walked with them, leaving PA temporarily to help deal with any walkers in the vicinity, as soon as they were over the threshold that was the Fidelius Charm, Tyreese, Big Tiny, Oscar, Axel, Lori, Carol and Amy joined the others in driving their weapons through the skulls of the walkers, ending them once an for all, using only their daggers they never used bullets unless they had absolutely no choice, they had more ammo than they knew what to do with, but it was better to keep it just in case.
"Be careful," Amy said, hugging her sister tightly, eyes alight with worry. The fear that Andrea might not come back constantly plagued her, for good reason, it had happened in the past. She'd thought her sister was lost to her, but instead she'd seen a miracle happen before her very eyes. It wasn't irrational, even Harry had said that, no matter how much real trust you had in your leader or sister, the worry wouldn't fade you'd just learn to live with the worry and continue on with your day.
"I'll be back," Andrea insisted, hugging her sister back, Amy had come with them a few times, but quite often she'd go on her own with Harry and the others, it was the same each time, she worried needlessly.
"You listen to everything Harry tells you," Lori insisted, anxious that Carl was leaving and anxious about the fact her daughter was with Rick, but thankfully not alone, Hershel was with them and had promised not to go anywhere until she got back. "You come right home after you get back and come see me?" her hands on Carl's shoulders gripping them tightly as the anxiety ate at her. Glancing at Andrea pleading her to keep an eye on Carl for her since she couldn't.
Andrea nodded, whether she liked Lori or not, she would do her best to look after Carl. It wasn't needed, Harry made sure that everyone was safe and in his sight at all times.
"I will, mom," Carl insisted nodding, so glad to be able to help again. The smell of burning walker flesh made him turn around to find that the others had piled the bodies up and Harry had cast a fire making the bodies burn really quickly, they were already being reduced to ash before his very eyes. He watched it in awe, even a month on he still wasn't used to magic being performed since he didn't see Harry or Luna using it often.
"Keep your eyes open, stay near Harry and Daryl," Carol was telling her daughter at the same time, she was by far more comfortable with Daryl and Harry watching her daughter, Luna and Merle secondary, although it wasn't as if she didn't trust them she just knew from experience Harry would risk everything to save her. Carol eyed all the weapons on her and nodded, she had enough to keep her safe.
"Let's go," Harry called out, and those going with Harry, immediately got into position, Andrea and Sophia grabbed Harry's left arm, Daryl took his right, his crossbow ready, they were more than aware that Harry was slightly vulnerable when Apparating, since he couldn't carry his weapons and transport them, so it was no surprise that Andrea and Sophia also had their weapons drawn.
Luna grasped a hold of Carl, pulling him towards her, while Merle wrapped his arms around her guarding her back.
Both Luna and Harry nodded once before they Apparated from the Fort and as close to Bennington house as they dared.
Immediately afterwards all of them were on the defensive, weapons raised and looking around with narrowed eyes, listening intently for any sound of the walkers. Since they were surrounded by trees they didn't relax, they weren't novices anymore. "Where do we go from here?" Andrea asked, arms still up, noticing the tree stumps that surrounded them, they had been cut down at some point, judging by the moss on them it wasn't recent.
"This way," Harry said gesturing for them to follow him without a word; all of them began walking Merle and Luna keeping an eye on their backs as they did. Either jumping over the tree stumps or moving around them.
"It's rather quiet, no walkers, you know what that means," Luna mused thoughtfully as they continued to move, time was of no consequence to them. If she had to guess she would say they had been walking for five minutes at least maybe more.
"This tree was cut lately, two weeks ago I'd say," Merle commented, seeing a clear stump, his fingers brushing against it. Daryl nodded in agreement with a single look from where he stood quite a bit away.
"Looks like you might be right, Luna," Harry said, his eyes taking in the dirt and footprints. "There was no magic used here though," so obviously the teenager was keeping his magic a secret.
"How would you know that?" Andrea asked freezing when she snapped a twig under her foot, before continuing on still gazing at Harry's back in curiosity.
"I would be able to sense magical residue," Harry explained, "It's like a faint static in the air, in fact you would be able to sense it as well, depending on the amount of magic that's been used." they could see a dirt road, in the distance, they would soon be leaving the woods behind. They'd be out in the open so they would need to be extra careful. If there were people here, as the evidence seemed to indicate, they had no idea how they'd take strangers being in their territory.
"Look up there," Sophia said, gesturing with her index finger, her tone quiet but excited.
"Get back here," Harry demanded, seeing that she was a bit too far ahead of them for comfort. He glanced around looking for Carl, to see him sticking to Andrea's side. Relaxing a little when they were all back from the tree line. Creeping forward, Harry looked in the direction that Sophia told them to find a large mansion.
"I thought we were looking for a house?" Carl said, confused, that didn't look like a house. They'd used trees to barricade the house to keep the inhabitants safe by the look of things.
"Back in the day most places looked like that, now they'd call them estates or mansions," Harry explained, "This is the only place it could be," it was a rural community. "There doesn't look like there's anything else and I wasn't off in my Apparation."
"There could be a lot of people in there," Merle grunted, eyeing the house and surroundings on top of the hill suspiciously. "Might not be friendlies."
"Alright, here's how it's going to go," Harry said firmly after a few minutes of silent contemplation. "Put your guns away, stay behind me, the first sign of shooting grab a hold of me and we'll Apparate out. Carl, you grab a hold of Luna like before, and stay behind me this isn't up for negotiation," he didn't need to tell Merle what to do he was more than familiar with the routine. They couldn't consider everyone who had survived as enemies, and while it changed them, it wasn't always to a deprived state like those in Terminus or Randall's group. Yet he wasn't prepared to risk everyone either he wasn't stupid.
Harry stepped out, his guns and daggers in their sheaths his machine pistol at his back. They stepped onto the well trod path and began to slowly make their way up the hill.
"Someone's watching," Daryl said, his arms itching to raise his crossbow it felt wrong having someone in their sights and not doing anything about it.
"I see," Harry murmured back just as quietly. "Looks like a spear he has, you don't give those on the outpost's weapons like that unless you don't have a choice."
"No weapons," Andrea mused understanding what Harry was referring to.
"Unless the ones with the weapons are on the outside," Merle grunted, his blue eyes cautiously taking in their surroundings.
"There is that," Harry conceded, "But to have them all leave the compound leaving it unsafe?" his ears picking up the sound of shouting, evidently the person on watch was letting others know they had company.
"Incoming," Daryl told them, tensing slightly as a long haired tall man wearing a leather jacket to his ankles practically danced towards them, talking to the guard on duty, evidently calming him down if his relaxing stance on the only weapon he had was any indication. Despite his words to the guard, he was no less suspicious of them; in fact he was eyeing them with a keen interest and suspicion.
"What do you want?" the long haired man asked them, tense and alert. They had just taken half of their food, surely they couldn't be expecting more so soon? Yet he knew they would if they wanted too, it was exhausting constantly scavenging for supplies to continue to feed his own people as well as to give half to Negan. He mostly went on his own, he had nobody to guard his back, and the people inside most of them wouldn't survive out here. Plus they needed some of the better fighters inside just in case Negan and his men came back…which apparently they had.
"My name is Harry Potter, this is Daryl, Luna, Merle, Sophia, Carl and Andrea," Harry said introducing each of his people, it never hurt to be polite. Plus he knew if he was mentioned by name Rory would more than likely trust them. "Can you bring Rory Rutherford here please?" Harry informed the stranger, presumably the leader of this settlement. Harry wasn't blind to the way everyone who heard his statement froze, Harry glanced at Daryl, then Luna then Merle then Andrea, sparks of realization began to draw on them, this wasn't going to be good news.
"My name is Paul Rovia," Paul explained, his tone grim looking around hilltop cautiously as if suspecting the saviors to be watching. It was obvious they weren't in league with Negan, and considering 'Harry' knew Rory had been here…he may well be a family member, he had similar features, brown hair, but his eyes had been hazel. "But my friends call me Jesus," he added with a charming smile, relaxing in their presence now that he knew they weren't Saviors.
Merle snorted in amusement.
"Follow me," Jesus added, turning around and beginning to make his way inside, he would take them to Gregory and explain everything, maybe they would be lucky and Harry would have a settlement, they might be able to work with each other to help prosper in this apocalyptic world. "Welcome to Hilltop colony," he said as the doors were closed tightly behind them.
"You picked a good spot," Harry said, ignoring the suspicious looks they were receiving from everyone.
"We didn't pick it," Jesus explained as they walked up the well worn trail, "I made my way here when FEMA was still set up here, they chose Barrington house which was turned into a museum, due to the secluded location, bring trailers, security and defence here with it. Like all other government and military agencies abandoned Hilltop, just like they abandoned all other safe zones."
Harry glanced at Daryl in query; he'd never heard of FEMA, he wondered if it was an American thing. "Federal Emergency Management Agency, they help with disasters, like flooding in that," Daryl explained quietly so Harry and Luna could hear.
"We saw the promise of being here, and we built the defences around the land," Jesus continued, understanding why he didn't know what FEMA might be, he had a very prominent English or Australian accent he wasn't sure why due to the fact they did sound similar at least to him.
"We didn't come here for the tour, where's the kid?" Merle asked, still highly suspicious of the earlier silence, they were being strung along.
"I'm taking you to the hilltop leader, his name is Gregory," Jesus informed the impatient man, taking no offence.
"They're terrified, Harry," Luna whispered, her bright blue eyes looking around, they were practically cowering, well some were, others just looked resigned. It was looks they were all too familiar with during Voldemort's reign of terror. There were dozens of trailers next to the 'museum' how many people did they have there that the museum and the trailers were being used?
"I see it," Harry murmured, this place wasn't all that bad, it was quite secured all things considered. There wasn't a walker in sight, so it couldn't be the walkers they were terrified of unless a herd had blown by. So it was either the leaders here that made them scared stiff or they'd had some sort of confrontation that made them extremely leery of strangers. There was no sign of much in the way of weaponry; maybe they were just scared of them. He knew they looked intimidating; hell the teens had four guns on them and two knives, while the rest of his group had an assortment, bows for him and Daryl and swords for Luna and Merle. Andrea had guns and a dagger as well, they were well equipped to deal with whatever came there way.
"What is your part in all this?" Luna asked Jesus, trying to gather up more information.
"Part of my job is to search out other settlements and trade with them," Jesus explained, "My skills made me the obvious choice to be the community recruiter mostly I scavenge for supplies." his smile slightly tense, just thinking about the amount of stuff he'd need to get to stop anymore of his people dying as a warning from Negan when half the supplies they gave over was not enough.
"I see," Luna replied, the museum was in a perfect spot, and with the tower windows they could see for miles without a problem, very ideal for security purposes. She could see why they had come here; it was just too bad that the government had abandoned them as they had abandoned all other outposts. Secluded as well, but that didn't help anyone completely, the walkers could smell people, hear them for miles.
"Come on, I'll show you inside," Jesus told them, as he opened the door with a flourish, expecting some sort of reaction from them, Merle, Andrea and Daryl just glanced around cautiously, the two teenagers did look around in interest. It was the lack of interest from the other two that surprised him. "Most of the rooms have been converted into a living space." he added.
"It's…cute," Luna said, compared to Hogwarts though it was pathetically lacking in all ways. "So you must have at least eighteen people in here alone?" mentally calculating from the layout and windows.
"Nowhere near that," Jesus admitted, shaking his head, his attention drawn when his name was called.
"Jesus, you're back." the elder gentleman said, greeting them from the doorway of a room that looked like some sort of office.
Harry eyed the guy, something about the smile on his face, his stance and impeccably dressed body reminded him vividly of Cornelius Fudge. It was the damn apocalypse, why the hell would anyone care about being clean and tidy. Jesus and the others who lived here weren't exactly impeccably dressed or clean for that matter.
"Everyone this is Gregory, he keeps the trains running on time around here," Jesus said in introduction.
"I'm the boss," Gregory informed them, his face remained open and friendly, but he practically oozed of a superiority complex, it wasn't hard for Luna and Harry to observe it, having dealt with the likes of Draco during their teenage years.
Andrea snorted at his words, finding herself repelled by the man; she'd been around her share of men who all wanted to be the top dog…the leader if you will. Shane angry and all about numbers and keeping everyone protected while he slowly unravelled. Then there was Rick, just as broken and unravelling like Shane had been, both of them had done their best she had to admit that, both of them did think they knew best. This man was completely deluded, the boss? Seriously? It made her appreciate Harry more.
"I'm Harry, Daryl, Luna, Merle, Sophia, Andrea and Carl," Harry said staring blankly back, none of his feelings showing on his face.
"Why are we here?" Sophia leaned in and asked Harry, "I thought we were coming for someone named Rory?"
Harry's lips twitched, leaning down he whispered back, "Think about it, Sophia, he's already told you his game plan, what does he do?" as always educating them, making them think about things so they could be better.
"He's a recruiter," Sophia said nodding eagerly as she finally understood. "He needs us,"
"That he does," Harry nodded proudly as he straightened up. "Not that the damn so called leader has a good way of showing it." he threw in Daryl's direction with a sardonic look on his face.
"We have a community," Gregory continued, "Why don't you go and get cleaned up?"
Harry arched an unimpressed eyebrow, was he trying to antagonise them? Harry didn't comment, instead he crossed his arms and continued to stare at him.
"Jesus will show you where you can get cleaned up. Then come back down when you're ready Harold." Gregory continued. "This place is difficult to keep clean."
"I have no interest in talking to you; quite frankly I'm not sure whether to give you a breath mint or toilet roll with the shit that keeps coming out of your mouth." Harry replied stonily, giving Jesus a look to say he was fucking mad taking orders from this piece of shit who couldn't even remember someone's name after only hearing it a few seconds ago. "Tell me where Rory is so I can get this over with and leave before his egotistical, narcissistic and braggadocio rubs off on any of us."
The Dixons snorted and guffawed in amusement making no secret of their amusement; it always did make their day when Harry was able to insult people so thoroughly by using fancy ass words. Luna and Andrea had to suppress their sudden fits of giggles and the teens just laughed at the words Harry had spoken previously since the ones he'd used just now left them confused, they didn't know some of the words but it was obviously meant to be insulting.
Gregory stormed away up the stairs, leaving Jesus behind; he looked suddenly tired all of a sudden.
"Follow me," Jesus said stepping into the room that Gregory had just vacated, it was nice and warm, a direct contrast to the rest of the place which was cold. He shrugged off his leather jacket standing in front of the fireplace warming himself up.
"I have more I need to do today before it gets dark," Harry commented, "So if you can move this along I'd appreciate it."
"Have you heard of Negan and the Saviors?" Jesus questioned, figuring it was the best way to start.
"Sounds like a band, but no, what does this have to do with anything?" Harry replied getting annoyed now.
"Everything," Jesus sighed, "We'd just finished getting the walls built when the Saviors showed up. They met with Gregory on behalf of their boss. They made a lot of demands and even more threats. And he killed one of us. He was sixteen years old, it was Rory, I'm sorry," his tone was sincere, filled with regret. "They beat him to death in front of us…said we needed to learn right off bat."
Luna and Andrea gasped in appalled shock, Andrea looking a little sick but other than the gasp Luna didn't react to the violent nature of Rory's demise, she'd seen her fair share of shocking stuff, it was little wonder she didn't react the way normal people would.
"Gregory isn't good at confrontation, he's not the leader I would have chosen, but he has helped make this place what it is, and the people like him. He made the deal, half of everything, our crops, and our livestock it goes to the saviors." Jesus continued on.
"You stood by and let a sixteen year old kid be beaten to death?" Harry said revulsion coating his voice. Why hadn't he checked the book? There must be a black line running right through Rory's name, if only he had come sooner he might have been able to save him…nobody deserved to be beaten to death in such a horrific way. Especially not a wizard, it galled him that his magic hadn't tried to protect him.
"What the hell y'all getting in turn?" Merle grumbled.
"They leave us alone, they don't kill us," Jesus said resignedly, "Two of our people have already been killed because Negan wasn't satisfied with what he was given."
"Then why stay here? Why don't you just find somewhere else to settle down? It's difficult but not impossible," Harry asked him utterly perplexed as to why they just stayed there waiting on pins and needles to see who was beaten to death next?
"Better yet why don't ya'll fight?" Daryl argued he was just as baffled as the rest of his group.
"Most of the people here don't know how to fight, even if we had guns and ammunition," Jesus argued right back.
"Let me get this straight, you've been here since the beginning that's over a damn year, and they don't know how to fight?" Harry was aghast by what he was hearing. "What the fuck do they do all day? Why the hell aren't you training them? If this place gets overthrown you'd be damn well feeding them to the wolves!"
"Make what weapons we can, wooden spears mostly, look after the crops and animals, go scavenging," Jesus answered, he wasn't sure how Harry had the ability to make him feel very small but he did.
"I've got a thirteen year old girl who does all that but could probably kick nearly everyone's ass around here," Harry muttered quiet shocked.
Sophia grinned smugly, she was good and she knew it.
"We need to rebuild, I hope you will consider trading with us," Jesus informed them, desperate to help his own people.
"So you can give half to the Saviors?" Harry said incredulously, "I don't think so,"
Jesus nodded in resigned understanding, not really blaming the guy for not wanting to get mixed up with Negan.
"Let's go," Merle muttered he'd had enough of this place.
Harry couldn't have moved sooner, this trip had been an entire waste of time; he should have looked at the damn magic book. Carl opened the front door and the rest of them piled out into the open, Harry looked at the people so terrified and sighed tiredly. "Look, we have somewhere that's safe and secure, where Negan and his men cannot get to you, food, supplies, weapons, homes, proper homes, and a community that helps each other."
"I'll talk to Gregory," Jesus promised, assuming it was nearby and that he'd be seeing Harry again.
"Do me a favour and don't let him decide for everyone," Harry said grimly, "He would put his own desires ahead of the rest of the group, plus where he would end up…I wouldn't put him in charge of a snake let alone a human being."
"Here, take this," Luna said handing the gem over to Jesus, "If you do take us up on our offer squeeze it tightly, in an emergency break it we'll come as quickly as we can."
Jesus blinked automatically accepting the natural amethyst, wondering inwardly if they were twisting his leg. How would they know to come just because he squeezed it? Or worse if he broke it? Did they think he was stupid? Jesus nonetheless put it around his neck and tucked it under his yellowing but well kept shirt. Not sure why he did it instead of just putting it in his pocket but something was telling him to do it, and he listened to his instincts.
Harry stalled for a few seconds before took one off his guns from its sheath and a magazine from his pocket before handing them over with a grim nod. "Be careful," Harry said grimly, and with that the group walked out of the Hilltop colony, making there way back towards the woods so they could Apparate to their next destination - a secluded farm in hopes of getting more animals.
"Can you believe the nerve of this guy?" Andrea blurted the second they were far enough away from the perimeter.
"What I can't believe is how the hell they've survived this long," Harry scoffed incredulously.
"Bloody stupid if you ask me, useless all of em, like tits on a bull," Merle muttered barely blinking when Luna nudged him for his words.
"Just goes to show you all would have been fine without magic," Harry conceded, "They're getting by alright, or were."
"Did you get anything about Negan?" Luna queried, still retracing their steps.
"They've never seen him, for all we know it could be a ghost, lies they've told to make themselves more formidable." Harry said thoughtfully. "The so called Saviors though, they're ruthless, what kind of men brutally bludgeons a teenager to death? Then say they needed to learn right off 'bat' that they were serious? It's fucking sick, whether Negan exists or not the Saviors are very much a threat…we'll have to keep an extra cautious eye out whenever we are near here."
"It's always going to be this way isn't it?" Carl said sounding disheartened.
"It always was that way, Carl," Harry admitted, "You just had the protection of a civilized world and a government to protect you from it. These men existed before the world went to hell, others just found out they were capable of it afterwards. Not everyone is the same way, but it's why we must be cautious about who we let in."
"Sometimes not even then," Sophia added, thinking of the violence Ed had inflicted upon her mom and her. She no longer thought of the man who was biologically her father as one, he was now Ed to her, he'd never been anywhere close to parental with her, Harry had shown her more love in a year than her father had in twelve years.
They all understood her words, but Andrea, Carl and Luna were the only ones that truly couldn't comprehend its deeper understanding although they tried. Only those who had been abused by someone they should have trusted above all else could understand it. The majority of the people in the group had experienced that.
Damaged people gravitate towards damaged people.
Luna smiled as Merle wrapped his strong arm around her, keeping her at his side.
That saying couldn't have proven truer, it also bonded them together, and in turn they found something worth living for.
Daryl and Harry locked their hands together as Sophia giggled from right next to them.
Andrea and Carl shared an amused look as they kept an eye on the area.
They were all a family, against all odds they'd found each other and made something of their lives.
Perhaps there was more to them than just 'the walking dead'.
I can't stand Gregory lol so will Jesus call for aid after he's killed? Or will we be seeing more of him? will most of the inhabitants go to PA anyway before the others decide to go as well when it becomes obvious they don't have the supplies that Negan will want? What about the Kingdom people...we dont know an awful lot about them yet so I'm probably best not to bring them in yet! So who will be first to be brought to PA after this? Bob? Lizzie and her sister as well as their father? They did come from the Goverors compound didn't they? Or did Rick's group get them? Something I'll need to look up! I suppose you guys would like Karen to be in it for Tyreese? Then again with Harry in charge he won't get the chance to shy away from the dirty grimy stuff so he might not be the awkward guy she met at the prison! :D R&R please!