HARRY POTTER AND THE NEW PLAGUE Author's note- All credit is given to J.K. Rowling, from whose imagination, the wonderful world of HP springs forth. All of the recoginizable characters are her's. No compensation or respect is desired by me. Flames welcomed.Please be patient, this my first attempt at fan fiction. Please review.

"CRUCIO" , the voice hissed through the cold air, followed by a harsh gasp and then a howl of pain. "Please forgive me master, I will not fail you again "the huddled form at the feet of the large throne sobbed. "I send my best death-eaters to capture a group of teen-agers, who have been decoyed into an ambush, the likes of which has not been seen since the wizard Grindelwald was in power, and not only do I not receive my weapon. I also have to rescue the elite force from the Ministry of Magic's auror division and personally duel Dumbledore. I lost 3 death-eaters that night and what happened to my foes? A few minor injuries, and one fatality. On top of everything else, now the Ministry, which did not believe I had arisen, saw me and now my existence cannot be refuted and my plans are nowhere near complete. Lucius, if you do not wish to end up like that fool, Sirius Black, you will give a reason to allow your pathetic self to live, RIGHT NOW !"

"Master, I believe that I have news that may change the way you are feeling. The formula I've created is ready to be tested on the muggles, my Lord if you wish we may proceed with the test." "Very well Lucius, you may begin the test," said Voldemort. With a nod to an assistant the huge doors at the rear of the room opened and twelve muggles were brought forth to stand before the throne. "My Lord, they have ingested the potion, would you care to do the honors?" Slowly Voldemort stood and pointed his wand at the nearest muggle. "Avada Kedavra" a streak of green light streaked through space toward the muggle, but was absorbed by the man with seemingly no effect.

The assembled death-eaters gasped in shock as the muggle began to groan softly, then a blank, unfocused look came into his eyes. "Oh no, those side effects that Severus said were possible appear to have occurred", said Lucius, with a sideways look at one of the death-eaters. "The man has no soul, sire, he is as the muggles say, become a zombie. According to Severus only Patronus charms and very powerful stunners will have any effect on him. He will desire to eat the flesh of the living and they will become like him. We cannot go any farther with this potion until we figure out what went wrong."

"This is not a complete failure Lucius, you have achieved immortality as I wished, but with an undesirable result. We will use this to our advantage. Allow him to infect the other muggles and release them in Wales. This will focus the attention of the Ministry there while we find a way to destroy Dumbledore, Potter, and company. Then we will work out the problems with this potion at our leisure, without any interruptions." With a bow and a shaky "As you wish, M-Master" Lucius and several death-eaters left the room with the prisoners in tow.

It was going to be quite an interesting summer.