Walking Dead Wizard

Chapter 85

"So, why do you want to know about Potter Manor?" Hermione enquired as soon as Harry was within hearing distance. Curiosity written across her face, he couldn't possibly want to move everyone to Potter Manor, did he? Not with a place like this, no, there has to be a different reason for it. She couldn't help but wonder what Harry was up to now, she wondered if he ever paused for a brief moment to rest, relax and stop trying to save the world. Which of course, made her a bit of a hypocrite really, since that was all she'd been doing, or had been really. Severus helped her stop obsessing too much. Just thinking of him made her stomach swoop pleasantly, she had never felt this way with Ron. Severus was the last person she'd ever thought she'd end up with when imagining her future. Not that she would have thought such a thing, despite genuinely trusting him as a teacher, even believing there had to be something they weren't seeing when Severus killed Dumbledore, he had been first and foremost her teacher, but she was no longer a student, hadn't been for a long while. He could keep up with her, challenge her convictions, Merlin she loved it. The most academic her and Ron had ever been was when she was helping him with homework and studying during his Auror training.

"It would be quite perfect to build on," Harry admitted, his lips twitching as he watched Hermione settle back on Severus, looking more content than he'd ever seen her. "Plenty of land for crops, with fifteen bedrooms, I could make them bigger, turn them into apartments, this isn't including the basements which can be converted too, and the labs, the cupboards, the cloakroom, anything that's possible really."

"If it's a traditional manor, it will have four different sitting rooms, at least two Dining rooms, a ballroom, perhaps five private offices," Severus added thoughtfully, black eyes gleaming knowingly. "Let's not forget the servants quarters, the attic space, then there's the outdoor buildings you'll have, stables, workers cottages, depending on the animals the family has kept over the years there could be more outbuildings, or less if they were destroyed."

"Won't all that be…gone now?" Hershel asked, a pained grimace on his face, he had left absolutely everything behind to get his family to safety. Thankfully his daughter Maggie had listened to Harry and the most precious of their keepsakes had been brought with them, including photo albums of his family, and items that had been handed down for generations.

Daryl stiffened minutely more and more at each word, this was…well out of his scope of things. He had lived in a cabin for all his life, and it had left him with insecurities a mile wide. It made him wonder not for the first time why the hell Harry had stayed with him back then, why he was with him now.

Harry leaned against him, their fingers brushing against the others, a slight grimace on his face as he rolled his eyes. Conveying his annoyance at the conversation and Daryl's reaction. Which he knew without reading his mind, he wasn't stupid, he knew Daryl inside and out, which was saying a lot for a man who rarely spoke. He listened to Severus and Hershel spoke, not surprised to see the old man getting on with everyone, he just exuded wisdom, a kindness, but Harry knew that kindness had its length, had its time, and also ran out eventually if it came to it, towards the end before the farm was overrun…Hershel had wanted them gone, realizing the danger they posed to his family. That kindness had dried up pretty quickly yet he was a merciful man and couldn't condemn them. By then Harry believed he had grown fond of certain members of the group and once the house was gone…knowing the danger the walkers posed, it had made him feel defenseless and thought his girls needed a leader.

Severus startled hearing the voice, "No," he replied immediately, "Our manors began to close themselves down, preventing anything from getting in or out for that matter. Everyone who has a manor could safely live inside them for the rest of their lives unless it had been abandoned. They're self-sustaining, housing growing fruit, vegetables and animals, there would be no need to fear anything except loneliness."

"I see," Hershel murmuring wistfully, he had thought to die in his home of old age when the time came. The apocalypse had prevented that, but he couldn't say he had anything to complain about now. He and his family, everyone he cared about was safe here, no more constantly running, on watch or fearing for their lives. If his home was the price to pay he would gladly pay it, but it didn't mean he didn't feel pangs of homesickness now and again.

"Do you know where it's located?" Harry asked Severus, it was a very, very long shot, why the hell would Severus know? Unfortunately, he hadn't known much about his families finances or his homes before it all went kaput. "How about you? Minerva?"

"Did you not take control of your vaults and begin advancing your own portfolio when you were seven….afterwards?" amending what she was about to say, they had been at war when Harry was seventeen. There would have been no chance of him going to Gringotts and beginning to expand his earnings.

Harry snorted derisively, looking extremely awkward, "I'd have had to know about them first," he told her a tad too defensively.

"I don't understand, didn't Albus tell you? He was your magical guardian, it was his duty to help you learn before you turned seventeen. Most teens begin learning at the age of twelve, so they're comfortable, competent when the time comes to take over themselves." Minerva's confusion was evident on her face.

Harry glanced at Severus arching an eyebrow, wondering why the hell she was confused, the subtle shake of his head from Severus told him everything. His hand meanwhile gripped at Daryl's arm tightly, sensing the coiling anger within Daryl, he and probably Merle were the only ones who truly knew just what Dumbledore was like here except for Hermione, Severus, and Minerva. Luna will have told Merle everything just as he had told Daryl everything.

"You forget Dumbledore didn't think I'd live to see my eighteenth birthday," Harry pointed out wryly, ignoring the gasps that came from those who obviously didn't understand, and those who didn't, it probably sounded like he'd either been very sick or more likely murder on their mind. "So I don't think he really cared about showing me the ins and outs of the responsibilities I'd have when the time came." he could feel Daryl's muscles clenching and unclenching sporadically, a low growl leaving his lips, green eyes flashing, conveying danger and the urge to kill, to defend.

Minerva's lips faded into a harsh line at the reminder that Dumbledore had been despicable enough to plot and plan the death of a child. It didn't matter to her that he was expecting Voldemort to do the deed, he was just as culpable and to blame. She hadn't been able to forgive him for all that had happened. She'd expressed that anger to his portrait so many times, and refused to give in to Dumbledore's pleadings, claiming it had been for the greater good and that he believed Harry would survive it. Something Minerva strongly believed to be a lie, believing it further with each new piece of information she learned.

"What exactly do you mean by 'not live to see your eighteenth birthday'?" Beth asked, sounding very young at the moment, not the fierce warrior she had become.

"I'll explain later," Harry waved it off, having absolutely zero intention of actually doing so. "Back to my question, do either of you know where it is?"

"I was not close to your mum after she married your father," Severus explained, his face twisting unpleasantly as if it was hurting him to be kind, to not spit out 'Potter' derisively. "Unfortunately I don't know anything about the properties you own other than Godric's Hollow," his own voice going hollow just saying those words.

"I only know of a Potter Manor in Britain, but that was destroyed generations ago, an accident with a Fiendfyre I believe, Charles' mother was responsible I think." Minerva sounded more like she was musing on her thoughts than answering his question towards the end.

Hershel winced in sympathy, just imagining what it was like, knowing how it felt slightly, and it had only been his barn that had suffered through blazing flames. He wasn't even sure if his home had been burnt to the ground or just completely consumed by walkers. All it would take is a single flame before his home caught fire.

"Do you know if any of your House-elves survived?" Neville asked, joining in the conversation with confidence, something he had found leading those at Hogwarts during his last year at the school. When faced with your worst fear every day, you learned to get stronger, so it was little wonder Neville had grown a spine. It had always been there though, waiting to peak through given the right circumstances.

"I suppose I would have House-elves huh," Harry said thoughtfully, "But I don't know, considering I was collected from Godric's Hollow by Hagrid…I doubt there were any House-Elves."

Severus snorted, eyes gleaming, "No, there most definitely wasn't, Lily absolutely abhorred the thought of it,"

Harry grinned wryly, what was it about Severus' preferences? The strong-willed woman, Muggle-borns, both with strong morals. He was glad that Severus had someone though, he deserved it. He slotted that piece of information deeply into his mind, keeping it beside everything else had found out about his parents. Until the end of the war, he definitely had known more about his dad than his mum, but now it was definitely his mum in the winning with the memories Severus had shared and each titbit he gleaned overall.

"Well, some families have the habit of giving their House-elves names that rhyme or are similar, like colors, flowers," Neville pointed out, "Maybe Charles or Harry's dad mentioned one by name?" aiming this at Minerva since she was the only one old enough to know.

"There is a way," Severus admitted, shifting just slightly, his only show of discomfort. "Blood magic, it will call your House-elves to you,"

"Might actually need to do that," Harry nodded, it seemed despite the end of the world, the taboo on blood magic was ever present, despite the fact there was probably absolutely zero magical government to prevent it. "I might even have a book that does it, from the Black vaults."

Severus' eyes gleamed once more, "I don't suppose you would send a few through?" he was an avid reader above nearly all else.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, he didn't mind at all, just as long as he got them back really. "I'll send some through this week, I'll need to look through the books anyway."

"So what exactly are your plans? Who do you plan to send to the manor if and when you find it?" Hermione questioned, "Wouldn't you be better sending them to other bases? There are quite a few I have compiled information about them all, they're at Hogwarts."

"Why? Did you plan on helping them?" Hershel asked blue eyes alight with wonder.

"No, um, Harry was planning on moving from the prison, to somewhere more permanent, where everyone could put down roots," Hermione explained, trying to listen in and Severus and Harry spoke and failing. "Harry mentioned this place so I looked up everywhere, I learned that there were many bases actually closer to the prison where he was stationed, but by then Harry had begun to set up the place and it was one of the largest so it seemed like a good idea."

Hershel nodded, "I see," his curiosity dimming a little as he was so vividly reminded of the bleakest time of his life, one where he thought that all hope was lost. All the while the group that had split up, leaving quite orderly and determinedly had trudged on, found a place for them all the while planning on another more permanent place. Yes, he had made quite a big mistake on not going with Harry and his group. He should have listened to Maggie, but he did not think Glenn would have left Rick, even for Maggie at that point, it was difficult to say.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, her brown eyes softening in worry.

"More than alright," Hershel replied, a small smile on his face, the girl reminded him vividly of his sweet Annette.

"Do you need to sit down?" Hermione then wondered, he was slightly slumped.

"There's still plenty of life in this old man yes," Hershel said, patting Hermione's hand with amusement.

Hermione laughed, sounding bittersweet, "My grandpa used to say the same thing, that and when he was caught sleeping he'd insist he was just 'resting his eyes'," she had been very young when she lost them, long before she displayed any signs of magic, and most definitely before she found out she was a witch. She had been very close to him, he was the one who had got her into books so young, regaling her with tales and such, yes she missed him a lot at the moment.

"What the hell is going on?" Merle muttered, standing up, Luna going with him, as he stared straight ahead.

That caught everyone's attention, to find Carol was running towards them with a grim look on her face.

"Where's Lori?" Rick demanded, rushing towards her as the Husky growled at Rick, threatening the human with a very painful bite if he continued to advance that way on his humans mum.

"Hela!" Sophia commanded, and immediately the Husky stopped growling, but she did watch Rick closely.

"Hey! Where's Lori? Where's Judith?" Rick snapped when Carol immediately gave him a wide berth, not out of fear but to get to Merle, holding her ribs panting outrageously.

"Abraham… is beating… the hell… out of Eugene, he…. dragged him… out of the car…" Carol rasped out between breaths. "He doesn't…look like…he's going to stop." she managed to finish her sentence.

"Where's Lori and Judith?" Rick asked yet again.

Harry sighed in exasperation, "She has a gun, she knows how to damn well use it," he retorted in annoyance, she didn't need him nearby every minute of the day, hovering over her. "We best go before he starts breaking bones,"

"Looks like you were right," Sasha commented deeply and vindictively happy.

"We'll be back in a moment," Harry said, his annoyance and exasperation at the situation obvious.

He wasted no time in Apparating with Daryl to the gates.

He wasn't at all surprised that Luna and Merle showed up directly aft wards.

"It's over, he's stopped," Lori explained staring off into the distance, watching Abraham, he had that look on his face, the same one each of them had on their faces when they were told the virus was airborne, that they were all infected. He was just kneeling on the ground, eyes vacantly staring off into the distance, a broken man.

"Walkers," Daryl cautioned, hand hiding his eyes from the sun, so he could see better.

"Head back in," Harry told Lori, who had her daughter safely behind the fence, constantly looking back to ensure she was there, that she was safe. It seemed the constant danger her son had been in she'd learned to be more cautious with their whereabouts. "Tell the others we will be back soon." with that Harry Apparated them both closer, armed and at the ready to deal with the walkers who must have heard the scuffle or more likely smelt the blood and came grumbling.

Rosita squeaked in fright looking ready to pass out at the sight of people materializing in front of her.

"You'd think you'd know better than to stand around while walkers come creeping," Harry stated sharply, reprimanding her as he would any of his people without really thinking. Not that his people would make such a stupid mistake, they had all learned and learned fast once he began teaching them.

Rosita's head shot up, looking around surprised before a professional mask set over her face and a knife was suddenly in her hand. Gripping it tightly, ready to lay waste to the damn walkers.

No gun was fired, between Daryl's crossbow, Merle and Luna's sword and Harry and Rosita's knife they dealt with each of them. With an ease that came through experience, it helped that they weren't overwhelmed by a sudden influx of walkers, just nine ambling towards them from all directions, but they also knew from experience more would be making an appearance.

The bodies of the dead walkers began to float towards the gates and then passed them to drop against a tree.

"What are you doing?" Rosita asked in utter bafflement.

"Get him up, there will be more on the way," Harry stated, gesturing towards Abraham, as he swiftly knelt down beside the unconscious Eugene, who was swelling grotesquely blood pouring from his many wounds. Abraham hadn't half managed to kick his ass, judging by the way his nose was centered, he'd at least broken his nose for starters. While it was very tempting to leave him out here, Harry couldn't bring himself to actually do that. He certainly would never trust him though, he would need constant watching. His survival meant more than anything, or anyone, that much he had made abundantly clear.

Harry stood up grimly, "I'll do a thorough diagnosis when I get him back home," murmuring a spell, watching as Eugene floated upwards, as he was placed on a magical stretcher, spread out utterly limp. He really hoped the idiot didn't have bone breaks, he didn't want the first time using potions to be on this ungrateful son of a bitch. Automatically glancing around, first for walkers, then to make sure everyone was alright.

"He must be in shock," Harry said, staring at the vacant-eyed body of Sergeant Abraham Ford, who both Merle and Daryl had hoisted to his feet, gripping his arm in a tight grip, guiding him forward which Abraham did so reluctantly as if merely functioning on his automatic bodily functions. "Let's go."

With that they all slowly made their way towards the entrance, Harry estimated it would take them fifteen minutes to get back to the gates. Unfortunately, he couldn't Apparate them all, Ford was in shock, added to being Apparated might just bloody kill him. As they were passing the stationary car an idea came to him. "Get him into the car if you can, you lot drive, I'll Apparate this idiot back to the doctor surgery."

Daryl and Merle immediately shoved Abraham into the back of the car, where he went unresistingly. Rosita fretted feeling that the Dixons' were being too rough with him. She nonetheless got in as well as Merle got into the driver's side, and Luna joined him at Daryl's urging, he wasn't sitting in the back so he might as well go with Harry.

Daryl moved towards Harry, wrapping his arms around him, well aware of the routine by now. The loud revving of the car, as it sped off disappeared into nothingness as they Apparated on the spot. The sight of the room the trio had previously used coming into view, without even missing a beat, Harry had Eugene levitated onto the bed and the stretcher disappeared without a trace.

"Shoulda' let 'im out there," Daryl said darkly.

Harry threw him an amused look, "He reminds me of both you and Merle in the beginning," Harry revealed honestly, "Both of you would have done whatever it took to survive. He was just doing the same thing. For all we know there may have been someone in this guys life that he was loyal to other than himself…he might have had a family…who knows?"

Daryl scowled, but said nothing, he knew Harry was right, he'd had no loyalty to anyone other than his brother in the beginning. Would have done whatever it took to survive. They'd only ever had each other, but they had both learned loyalty from Harry, learned to be better, and look at them now. Though he reckoned Merle had stayed only because Harry had been his best bet for survival, he'd commented on it often enough. Seeing the amusement though, Daryl knew Harry must have thought the same thing.

"He'll require constant monitoring, I don't trust him as far I could throw him without magic," Harry commented, before running a diagnosis over the guy. His wand absently sweeping up and down, each injury glowing and there were many of them before paperwork shot out of the wand, which Harry swiftly caught. "Well, he's going to be laid up for a while, broken leg, broken nose, twisted ankle, a whole lot of bruising…I wonder if Hershel could deal with this,"

"Course he can," Daryl scoffed, a broken leg wasn't anything on the wound on that idiot Randall, who Hershel had fixed up without even a quarter of the medical equipment he now had. Taking feral amusement out of the fact that Harry was actually letting him suffer, while he could actually heal him with potions within a few hours. It would keep him off his feet, easier to watch for a longer period of time. Which is why he reckoned Harry was doing it.

"We also have a nurse now, Lily, she'd be able to help Hershel just as well as Maggie," Harry continued on as if Daryl hadn't spoken, sounding more thoughtful than anything at the moment. Tapping Eugene's face with his wand, the body which had been rather tense in pain slowly began to relax as he was put into a spelled sleep. "That will keep him out of it for a day at least until we talk to Lily and Hershel. I'm not cutting anything short today, it's the first time I've seen my best friend since all this happened." as if he had to try and convince himself that it was alright to be this way.

"So let's go," Daryl grunted, through wasting any more time with him.

Harry laughed a little, "You're hungry again," he stated, shaking his head, Daryl could eat for America and still stay the same size, and what a lovely size he was too. "Come on then, I have your favorite dip and crisps."

"Chips," Daryl corrected him, rolling his eyes, indicating it was something he did often.

Harry just walked out with a smirk, sealing the door closed after Daryl made a quick exit too.

"That was quick," Harry muttered seeing Luna and Merle back, "I wonder where they've put him." as they all swiftly walked towards the center where the party had dwindled down but not stopped.

"How bad was it?" Andrea asked from where she sat beside Sasha and her sister, both of them looking a bit too eager for information, while Beth sat next to Amy on one side and her dad on the other.

"Broken nose and leg," Harry told them the worst of his injuries before righting his trunk and disappearing down, gathering up the salsa dip and crisps, and they were crisps damn it, chips were completely different things, he wouldn't convert completely he thought with light-hearted amusement. Once he had everything he made his way back up, Merle and Luna were there now.

"We have a potion that would help," Mira pointed out perplexed, especially seeing the smirks on Sasha, Andrea, Amy, Daryl, Merle, Luna and the Potions Master Severus Snape's face.

"That we do," Harry muttered rejoining the conversation as he hopped out of the trunk letting it close with a thump.

"It's perfect, there's nothing wrong with the potions I've brewed," Mira argued, assuming it was something to do with her.

"We know," Harry replied, handing over a bag and a jar to Daryl, before laying the rest on the table, he wasn't all that surprised that everyone dived in to have some. Despite the fact they'd been eating all day, it wasn't very often they allowed themselves to indulge

Mira was about to open her mouth again when Severus leaned down and whispered something into her ear. Harry couldn't say he was surprised it would be Severus who broke and reassured her that it was nothing to do with her skill, especially considering it was the only magical skill she was capable of. No, it was more to do with keeping Eugene in line for a while.

"Where did you put 'im?" Daryl asked his brother.

"He's with Lily, the nurse, she knows how to treat shock," Luna explained before Merle could speak, too busy gulping down another beer. "She saw us passing and I think she was grateful for something to do, keep herself busy with someone who needed her."

Daryl nodded, refraining from rolling his eyes, he didn't want a whole explanation, just an answer, girls, honestly.

"Here, drink, one won't kill you," Severus stated, passing over a generous helping of fire whiskey in a tall glass.

Everyone went stone cold silent as they watched Harry drink the alcohol, stunned beyond belief.

Some even had their jaws hanging open almost unattractively.

Severus arched an eyebrow at the looks, wondering what had been said or done to cause them to be so stupefied.

Daryl dumbly accepted a glass of fire whiskey, eying his partner in quiet contemplation.

Merle's sudden boom of laughter caused absolutely everyone startling enough to jump in surprise.

"To P.A and safety," Luna said her own cheers before downing her fire whiskey, a wicked grin on her face, rather enjoying the look of stunned disbelief on everyone's face.

A lackluster 'To P.A and safety' was murmured all around as they drank themselves still eyeing Harry as if he had suddenly sprouted fins.

There we go! hmm, I wonder too whether have those in Hilltop need Harry while the others are there or after they are away? what do you think? Will Greg (I think that's his name the leader yeah I've totally gone blank :O) survive the stabbing? Will they all end up in another base or Potter Manor? beginning the process of a long network of survivors working together? Well, at least Eugene can't betray them all ;) who will first encounter some of Negan's group? it was Daryl, Sasha, and Abe in the series...will it become explosive if Sophia is taken by them? Or do you reckon it's too soon for all-out war with Negan before he gets the others to safety? Read and Review please!