28 Days Later
***WARNING***
IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE BRITISH MOVIE, '28 DAYS LATER', YOU MAY NOT FOLLOW THIS STORY (although I will try to explain the situation as best I can). ALSO, IF YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO BE ALLOWED INTO THE MOVIE IN QUESTION, YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO READ THIS FIC. ALL IN ALL, IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN (and been able to survive watching) '28 DAYS LATER', DON'T READ THIS.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, and anyone from the Harry Potter books belongs to the goddess J.K. Rowling ... not me. 28 Days Later, and anyone from that movie, belongs to whoever created it ... I'm not sure who that is, but I am thankful I don't own them.
Author's Note: I went to see 28 Days Later, and Harry Potter CoS, in the same day, one after the other. I was petrified before I even set foot in the CoS screen of the cinema complex, thanks to the terrifying nature of 28 Days Later. I was unable to sleep, because of nightmares, for three nights after seeing it. It was bloody scary, creepy, and freaky. I do NOT want ANYONE who hasn't seen 28 Days Later, and liked it, to read beyond this point. I have just begun my recovery from the movie (ironically, 28 days after seeing it) and this fanfic is the final stage of said recovery. If I can write this, I'm cured of the blind terror the movie inspired.
This fic is short, and anything but sweet ... but there might actually be some humour near the end ... I'm not sure if you could call that humour, really.
I repeat: DO NOT READ ANY MORE OF THIS, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN 28 DAYS LATER!!!
* * *
Harry Potter was about to begin his seventh year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Well, in a month or two, anyway - it was the beginning of the summer holidays. Sixth year had been bad - the evil-snake-faced-one (who even this writer is too afraid to speak his name) had increased his homicidal activities, again. Still, while he stayed with the Dursleys, any witch or wizard with the desire to kill or injure the Boy Who Lived could take their concerns elsewhere.
It was a normal day, in the 'normal' household that was Casa de Dursley. Dudley had tried to punch Harry three times, since he had woken up, and failed all three of them. Aunt Petunia had forced Harry into menial labour around the house, and Uncle Vernon was already at work, running a company called Grunnings, which sold drills.
However, it was not a normal day, in that Harry had a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach - the sort of feeling that anyone who's ever taken Divination class as far as sixth year will get when something really really bad is about to happen ... but his scar didn't hurt, so snake-face wasn't behind the potential bad ... now that was a change.
Having finished mowing the lawn, Harry came inside, and began polishing ornaments in the living room.
"If you break any of those, you're paying for them!" Petunia snapped.
"With what?" Harry replied, pausing and looking up at her. Now that was a question she couldn't really answer - Harry had no money that the Dursleys were aware of.
Suddenly, Harry's attention (and Petunia's and Dudley's, for that matter) was drawn towards the television, as Dudley's favourite TV program was interrupted for a news bulletin.
The announcer sounded fairly panicked, so if it could freak out a seasoned news-reporter, it had to be bad, didn't it? Anyway, the report said, "New reports claim that the viral infection known as Rage has spread to small towns and villages, around the outskirts of London. Anyone in these areas is advised to evacuate immediately. I repeat anyone in the area around London is to evacuate immediately."
All three inhabitants of the Dursleys' living room looked at each other in shock. "What, exactly, is this 'Rage' thing, anyway?" Petunia asked, looking at Harry as if he might actually know.
"Never heard of it." Harry said, honestly. He then glanced back at the screen, where it showed camera footage taken by a very lucky surviving camera-man, from less than half-an-hour ago. The picture showed a building that had been overrun by what, at first glance, looked like an angry mob. Closer inspection of the image revealed that every single member of said mob was twitching, and writhing, like a deranged wild animal, many were coughing up blood, and when a few of them turned towards the camera, they had red eyes.
Harry blinked. He knew of only one person with red eyes, and He would never lower Himself to these standards. Dudley, meanwhile, had bolted from the room, to his own bedroom. "I doubt barricading yourself into your room will help!" Harry yelled after him, "The news-guy said to evacuate, didn't he?"
Dudley replied with a muffled yell that had to have contained an insult to Harry, but it was hard to hear. Aunt Petunia promptly proceeded to panic. Minutes later, Dudley reappeared, holding a printout. "If you want to find out anything about anything, go on the internet." he announced.
"I didn't know you were computer literate?" Harry asked, truely stunned.
Dudley glared at him, before reading off the printout, "'Rage is a new discovery that has been known to affect humans, in extremely weak doses, for centuries. A virus that causes its victims to become homicidal killing machines. Research into the virus has been conducted for the last few months. Dilute, the virus will kill itself off within an undefined time span, and the affected will return to normal. In its pure form, however, it destroys all thought, save for a need to kill - victims would not even have the presence of mind to eat, sleep, or protect themselves from harm. It is unknown how the dilute form is passed on, but the pure form spreads from blood and saliva. It takes between twenty and thirty seconds for a bite or contact with blood to progress into infection. If someone is infected, there is no hope of survival. The facility at which Rage was being researched was broken into by animal rights activists, and infected chimpanzees were released. Authorities are trying to contain the problem, but so far there has been little success.' ... Bloody stupid animal rights idiots ... can't they leave well enough alone?" that last comment was evidence enough that Dudley was growing up to be very much his father's son.
"I also didn't know you knew all those big words." Harry said, still in shock at what he'd just heard. He then glanced back to the TV, where Dudley's program had resumed ... no one seemed to care, though. "That building on the newscast seemed familiar." he commented.
"It was ..." Petunia suddenly turned very very white, "It was the building where Vernon works." she whispered.
Harry's eyes widened, and his brain started working over-time. What if this spread to the magical community, too? Hell, it could wipe out the whole world, if it got a chance. It was now his turn to bolt up to his room. He instantly wrote a warning to Sirius (who was hiding out in the Muggle world - still on the run from the law) Hermione, and Ron ... in that order ... warning them. He then took a fraction of a second to decide that it would be faster to borrow Arabella's Floo grate than to fly. With that, he shrunk his school trunk (illegal - hah - this could be life or death situation), and put it in his pocket - he didn't want to have to come back for anything, if this was really as bad as it looked.
He returned to the living room, "We should go to Figg's house. It's safer there." he said, glancing out the window, to check ... those things that had been people did not look friendly.
Petunia, however, had no intention of following anything Harry suggested, "Why would it be any safer there?" she asked.
Harry rolled his eyes, "I guess you ought to know ... she's a witch. Her house will have protection-wards around it. She'll be able to keep anything bad out ... certainly better than you two could."
Both Dursleys looked petrified.
"It looks like a straight choice to me - put up with us or go up against them." Harry said, pointing at the page Dudley held.
There was no contest, really. The three of them made their way, as quickly as possible, to Arabella Figg's house. She let them in, asking what she could do for them. Harry showed her the printout Dudley had obtained, and she immediately turned an odd shade of green, "That is revolting." she said, "And it actually might explain something." she added, thoughtfully. "I will start setting up extra protections around this house. You, Harry, will go and inform the Ministry - it will take some time to set these up, and we have none to waste."
Harry knew it had to happen, so he braced himself, and stepped into the Floo-grate, saying, carefully and clearly, "Diagon Alley." He then ran, at top speed, down the street, past Gringotts, towards the large building that was the Ministry of Magic. In the foyer there he found Albus Dumbledore speaking to Arthur Weasley about some problem. "Professor!" he called, loudly.
Dumbledore turned to look at him, "Harry? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"We got a notice from the Department of Underage Magic, about you ... again." Arthur added, sounding angry.
"Good reason." Harry said nervously, "Look at this." and he handed the now-well-read printout to Dumbledore, who scanned the page and immediately turned and marched down a corridor into the Ministry itself.
Within less than ten minutes, the meeting had been completed, and arrangements were being made. All access to the magical world, bar Floo, Apparation and broomstick, were sealed. The elite branch of the Ministry - the Unspeakables - were sent out to recover any suriviving Muggle-borns and their families, as quickly as possible.
All the Muggle-parents who were recovered were given safe homes in Diagon Alley (in the same area that all the Squibs lived). All the students were sent to Hogwarts, which was completely safe - even the Forbidden Forest was protected. The Dursleys were among these families ... Vernon Dursley was never heard from again, but Petunia and Dudley reluctantly stayed within the magical world, purely for the safety of it.
* * *
Harry sat in the dorm room in Gryffindor tower staring at the wall. Ron was sitting nearby, watching Harry nervously. The other three boys were in the common room, alive and well. Not all the Gryffindors had returned yet.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon." Ron repeated for the umpteenth time.
"You have no idea, Ron. You didn't see what they looked like. Even on the television screen they scared the Hell out of me." Harry said, quietly, "And the chances of everyone surviving unscathed are next-to-nothing."
"We've faced worse odds before." Ron said, hopefully.
"That was different - we can handle anything together, but she's on her own. She could be dead by now ... or worse." Harry said still staring at the wall. "If I had to choose between being bitten by one of those things, and being Kissed by a Dementor ... I'd pick the bloody Dementor."
"That has got to be bad." Ron whispered, knowing perfectly well how terrified Harry was of Dementors.
Five more minutes of silent staring, and the door creaked open. Harry jumped, ready for anything from a friend, to one of the Infected, to the Dark Lord himself. He barely moved his hand towards the wand sitting on the bed next to him, when he recognised who it was. Hermione! Alive and well! He ignored all thoughts of self-defence, and ran over to Hermione, hugging her, "Hermione!" he cried, "I was afraid you'd not make it."
Hermione patted his back, and gasped, "I still might not, if you suffocate me."
Harry immediately let her go, looking at her critically, "What happened? What took so long for you to get here?" he asked.
"I had barricaded our house, using all sorts of magical wards." she answered, "I think the wizards who rescued us ... when they eventually got to us ... said something about a job offer after I graduate, for my defence skills."
"Us? So your whole family's safe, then?" Harry asked hopefully. Hermione nodded. "That's good." he said smiling.
"I was told to tell you ... there's a Feast in the Great Hall. Everyone who survived has been brought back here. Including a lot of the Muggle-born would-be first-years ... the surprise of their parents, I'll tell you ... but they were grateful to be safe."
"What about the pure-bloods?" Ron asked.
"They should all be here - not many of them venture into the Muggle world anyway." Hermione said, grabbing Harry's hand and dragging him out the door, in the general direction of the Great Hall. Ron followed.
Down in the Great Hall, there were too many empty chairs, which should have had students in them. Harry also noted the presence of several adults who weren't teachers. Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg and Mundungus Fletcher were the only three he recognised. His stomach dropped when he noted the absence of anything resembling a large black dog.
"Where's Malfoy?" Ron asked, distracting Harry from his thoughts. Harry looked up at the Slytherin table, scanning its length ... no Malfoy. Odd.
* * *
Draco Malfoy ran down the street, side-by-side with his half-blood classmate, Blaise Zabini.
"Figures." Blaise panted, "The one time I bring a friend to the Muggle city, there's an apocalypse. It's not usually like this, I swear." she added.
"I hope not." Draco gasped, glancing behind him and throwing another stunning curse over his shoulder. "I've just realised something. The stunning spells aren't working."
"Oh, shit!" Blaise said, trying to speed up, when she was already running as fast as she could.
"Draco pointed his wand over his shoulder again, glancing back to check there was no one else running away between them and the creatures, and yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"
"Draco! That's illegal!" Blaise snapped.
"It worked. Isn't that what matters?" he asked.
"Good point." and Blaise tried throwing a killing curse behind them too.
"You're not strong enough." Draco gasped, throwing curse after curse at the oncoming hoard of inhuman creatures behind him. "What are they, anyway?"
"Killers." Blaise replied, "I heard about some Muggle virus turning people into homicidal monsters - I thought it was some sort of hoax. I think you're probably doing them a favour by giving them a quick death."
"That's nice." Draco said sarcastically. They reached the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, and Blaise grabbed the door-handle.
"F***! It's locked!" she yelled. Draco didn't stop shouting the fatal words of the killing curse to bother asking her the question she knew he wanted to, "We've got to get to somewhere they won't get to." she said, turning to run on. Draco threw another curse at a red-eyed monster that used to be human, and started to run off too. An ear-piercing shriek caused him to turn to see Blaise catch up to him, holding a bleeding wound on her arm, "It bit me!" a few seconds later, her eyes widened and she turned to Draco, "Kill me." she whispered.
"What?" he asked shocked.
"Kill me." she repeated desperately, "I'm going to turn into one of them unless you do."
Draco backed away from both Blaise and the monsters, "How can I? You're my friend."
"Not for long." she whispered, "Please, kill me."
Draco shook his head fearfully, but then pointed his wand at her, "You're sure?" She nodded and held her arms out, with a pleading look on her face. Draco bit his lip, but then she started to convulse and twitch like the monsters, and he realised she was right, "Avada Kedavra." he called and the green light hit his friend dead-centre, "I'm sorry." he whispered, before turning and pelting down the street again, just ahead of the swarm of killers.
He turned sharply into a small side-street, thanking whatever deity happened to be passing by that it wasn't a dead-end. Suddenly a voice called from ahead of him, "In here! It's safe here!"
Draco ran for the voice and found himself in a Muggle shop. The metal barrier closed behind him and he was sealed in. "Where are we?" he asked.
"Mini-mart. My mini-mart, to be precise. I was in here alone when it all started this morning, so I locked myself in ... you're lucky to be alive."
"I noticed. I just killed one of my best friends because one of them bit her." Draco answered, "What's going on, anyway?"
"It's a long story. Before I start - what's your name?"
"Draco ... yours?"
"Jenna." she replied. Then she began to explain everything.
After Jenna had finished, Draco stared at her for some time, "I will never look at someone with red eyes the same way, ever again." he muttered.
"Huh?" Jenna asked.
"Nothing." Draco said, quickly, "You're sure they can't get in here?"
"They gave up after three hours, when they first tried it." she replied.
"So what now? How do we get past them?" he asked.
"Why bother? We've got food - they won't eat even if they had food, so they'll starve to death, and we'll be fine in here." Jenna said cheerfully, indicating shelf upon shelf of Muggle foodstuffs.
"What about everyone else?" Draco asked, certain that he wouldn't like the answer.
"Well, I'm sure there must be some other survivors." Jenna said, in a voice that betrayed the fact she didn't truely believe herself, "I mean, if we both got away, then there's a chance, right?"
"I hope so." Draco muttered, thinking, "Is there a roof access, here? Is it safe to go up there, if there is?"
"Yes, and yes." Jenna said, "Why would you want to, though?"
"I have an idea." Draco said, "Show me how to get up there."
Jenna led Draco up a few flights of stairs, and onto the roof of the building. Draco looked out at the Muggle city. It was chaos. Swarms of the monsters ran everywhere he looked, and he felt exposed outside, as if the creatures had the presence of mind to bring a ladder, or something like that.
He looked up to the sky now, hoping to see signs of life, Muggle or magic, he didn't really care ... though magic would be preferable if he had the choice. Nothing visible. He took out the packet of owl-treats, that he always kept for his owl's benefit, in case he ever got an unexpected letter, and emptied the packet in a pile on the roof.
And waited. While he waited, he wrote out a letter (on paper from a Muggle note-pad, using a Muggle ball-point pen) detailing the situation, giving the address of the Muggle shop where he was, and asking for help.
It must have been half-an-hour later, when three owls swooped down together. Two were Ministry owls, and one was a snowy owl. The Ministry owls flew away when they recognised a Malfoy ... damn the reputation. The snowy owl however, landed next to the owl-treats and took one.
"Hey, owl." Draco said nervously. It looked up at him in a quizzical way, "Thanks for coming here. I need a letter sent, please." the owl tilted its head, only increasing the quizzical nature of its expression, "Could you take this to someone? Anyone, I don't care, so long as it's not one of THEM." As he said 'them' he indicated the monsters swarming the streets. The owl nodded, took the page from Draco with one taloned foot and hooted in a friendly way before taking off. Draco watched it fly away, praying to the aforementioned passing deity that someone would come to rescue him ... and that the entire magical world hadn't been overrun as the Muggle world had.
Jenna meanwhile, was staring at the departing owl with stunned amazement, "How'd you do that?" she asked.
"Owls are very useful creatures if they like you." Draco said cryptically. This woman was a Muggle and he thought it best not to give away too much about the magical world if he could avoid it. Still, he wasn't objecting to being trapped with her - if she hadn't called for him to come in here, he'd either still be running, or long since lost his humanity (yes, he does have humanity to begin with) or his life. She had saved him and when survival is all that counts who gives a damn about bloodlines?
Jenna gave him an odd look before saying, "We ought to go downstairs again. I'll leave the roof-access with a spare key outside. The Infected are to stupid to use a key, even if they got up there. And we'll be warmer and have food down there."
"Good idea." Draco replied, following the Muggle down to the shop again.
Time passed and they both began to give up hope on the world outside. Draco became addicted to coca cola, and Jenna eventually learned about the magical world, because they were both so bored that Draco told her all about himself, just to pass some time. He also learned a lot about the Muggle world from her too.
After a couple of weeks [A/N: I refuse to do the 28 days later thing ... no way], a noise outside disturbed Draco's sleep. He crept quietly to the door and saw a large black dog scratching at the metal barrier. It didn't look Infected. "Jenna." Draco called.
He heard a sleepy response that sounded like, "Huh?"
"Something's out here. I don't think it's Infected." he said. Jenna jumped, and bolted to his side, looking out at the dog.
A second later, it wasn't a dog - a man stood in its place, and hit the barrier with his fist, "Let me in ... please. They're after me." he begged. Draco backed away fearfully, but Jenna eagerly opened the barrier, let the man in, and closed the barrier again. "Thank you." he gasped, collapsing from exhaustion in the middle of the floor.
"You should throw him back to them." Draco said viciously.
The man looked up at Draco with fear and shock. Jenna looked at him with disbelief, "Why? He's another survivor."
"His name is Sirius Black and he's a mass murderer, escaped from an impenetrable prison." Draco said, coldly.
"I was framed." Sirius whined.
"Yeah, right." Draco snapped, almost laughing.
"You should know. The git who framed me is good friends with your father." Sirius snarled.
Draco held his hands up in a gesture that said he didn't want to argue now, "Fine. Who cares. Safety in numbers, I guess."
And at that moment, a crashing noise came from the metal barrier. "Looks like you got here just in time." Jenna said as the sound of inhuman snarls from the Infected reached their ears.
"I could smell normal humans here, so that's where I came." Sirius answered. On recieving odd looks, he reminded them, "You saw I can turn into a dog, right?"
Draco nodded, "So you're the Grim that Potter thought was following him." he said, grinning.
"I don't see why everyone who sees a large black dog automatically thinks 'Grim'." Sirius griped before picking himself up and making a beeline for the edibles on the shelves.
* * *
At breakfast in Hogwarts the next day, Harry looked up as the owls swooped down with the post. Hedwig landed next to him, and handed him a piece of Muggle-paper, which she had been carrying in her claw. Harry gave her some scraps from his breakfast and she began to eat happily. Harry, meanwhile, opened the letter, and read it.
As he finished, he snorted with laughter. "What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking at the blank side of the paper intently.
"Draco Malfoy is stranded in a Muggle shop in London and sent a note for help with the first owl that passed by." Harry said, still sniggering.
"Let him rot." Ron said immediately.
"No." Hermione said horrified, "We can't do that." her expression turned very dark, "The things that infection turns people into. We can't leave anyone to that fate. Not even Malfoy."
"She's right." Harry said adamantly. Then a smirk appeared on his lips, "Wait here." and with that, he stood up and walked straight up to the teachers' table ... to Professor Snape. "Professor."
"What do you want, Potter?" Snape snapped angrily. Harry handed him the letter and he read it.
"I want to borrow the Slytherin team's brooms to rescue him. He says there's someone else with him, so I want to take spares for other survivors."
"I don't see why you want the Slytherin team's brooms, specifically." Snape said coldly.
"Because they're the second fastest in the school and there's only the one faster." Harry noted, smirking as Snape glared at that comment.
"Very well." Snape replied coldly.
* * *
Draco was learning the intricate art of the Muggle board game, Snakes and Ladders (complaining that snakes should be the good sign and ladders bad, since a ladder would let the Infected inside, and snakes were his favourite animal), when the sound of the roof-door unlocking came to his ears. Sirius also perked up, looking at the stairway nervously.
Draco took out his wand and pointed it at the entrance to the stairs. Footsteps could be heard, slowly descending to their level. Suddenly a shadowy, unidentified figure jumped into view. Draco panicked, "Avada Ke-" he stopped when the figure came out of the shadows. "Shit! You bloody idiot - you should know better than to jump out suddenly, when you're expecting to find a group of paranoid people with weapons, hiding out from the homicidal monsters." he snarled at Harry.
Harry also lowered his wand, smirking, "I wasn't sure if there were still any paranoid people left." he said, "The homicidal monsters could have got you by now."
"So why are YOU here?" Draco asked.
"You sent a letter for help, with my owl. I responded." Harry said, then he spotted Sirius, "Sirius! You're alive!" he shouted, running over to his godfather who stood up and hugged Harry.
"I had no idea if anyone else had survived." Sirius said quietly.
"The magical community sealed their entrances and retrieved the Muggle-borns ... most of us are fine." Harry replied. Draco seemed relieved. "Not all, though ... mostly Muggle-borns that were lost, but it's still better than it could have been if there had been no warning."
Draco suddenly realised something, "That's why Blaise and I couldn't get into Diagon Alley! The Leaky Cauldron was locked!" he snapped.
"Blaise?" Harry asked, "You mean Zabini? Where is she?"
"Dead." Draco responded, sounding truely upset about this fact, "She got bitten. I killed her."
"I see you've got the 'shoot first ask questions later' thing going pretty well." Harry said acidly, "I heard what you were trying to curse me with."
"Killing curse is the only one that works on them." Draco replied, shrugging.
"Actually, guns and bladed weapons work pretty well, if you get a fatal shot first try." Jenna noted.
"And you are?" Harry asked.
"Jenna. Who're you?"
"I'm Harry. Pleased to meet you." Harry responded, holding out his hand to shake. She took it eagerly. He then looked at Draco, with a vicious grin, "Hanging around with a Muggle? I never thought you'd ever even concider it."
"I was running for my life. She offered sanctuary. I didn't care who she was, as long as I survived. I owe her my life." Draco replied.
Harry smiled and nodded knowingly - the Dursleys had made the same assessment of the magical world, when it came down to it. "Now. I think it's time to rescue you all."
"How?" Draco asked, "How'd you get here?"
"I flew." Harry said, smirking, "Come up to the roof, I'll show you."
When they reached the roof, Draco's jaw dropped, "You swiped the Slytherin team's brooms?" he asked, horrified.
"No. I borrowed them." Harry said, grinning at Draco's horror, "With full permission, of course. Saving their Seeker's life seems to be a good reason to let the - quote: 'suicidal Gryffindor' - borrow the brooms."
"Who called you that?" Sirius asked.
"Snape." Harry said, grinning.
"I must hurt him." Sirius said, smirking, "Remind me to hurt him."
"No." Harry snapped, "He let me bring enough brooms to bring you guys back, so you should be grateful ... even if he didn't know you were here any more than I did." Harry stared at Sirius, just managing not to cry, "I thought they'd got you. I thought you'd gone forever."
"Dogs can run a lot faster than humans." Sirius said, smirking, "Also, I figured out the difference in smell between normal humans and Infected ... I tracked normal humans to here and banged on the gate till they let me in."
* * *
When the three of them (Sirius remained in the air, out of sight of any authorities) returned to Diagon Alley, to drop Jenna off at a Muggle-safe-house, they found Lucius Malfoy yelling at Fudge for losing his son during this time of crisis. Draco crept up behind Lucius and tapped him on the shoulder.
Lucius whirled round angrily but his expression softened on seeing Draco, "Where were you?" he asked, obivously relieved but not missing the Muggle clothes Draco was wearing.
"I got locked out in Muggle London." Draco answered honestly.
"What were you doing there in the first place?" Lucius asked, now showing a hint of anger.
"Blaise took me to see a Muggle band." Draco answered nervously.
Lucius' eyes flashed with anger and he snarled, "You could have been killed!"
"If it's any consolation, the band was rubbish." Draco said hopefully.
"I always tell you, never to go into the Muggle world!" Lucius growled, raising his hand to strike Draco. He stopped, only because Harry grabbed his wrist. Lucius glared at Harry for a few seconds, straining to pull free of the unnaturaly strong grip. Harry snapped Lucius' wrist and let him go.
"One would think you were ungrateful that your son survived, Mr Malfoy." Harry said coldly, "You didn't see those creatures. I did. Draco did. They are monsters. The fact that they used to be intelligent human beiings just makes it worse. They're not like vampires - vampires are intelligent creautres, but these ... these are mere killing machines." Harry glanced at Draco who seemed slightly afraid of Harry's tone. Harry then turned back to Lucius, staring the man down, "These killers are infected with a diease - a disease that makes them want nothing more than murder - not their own kind, but those unlike them. They are deformed and their eyes glow red." Harry smirked viciously, "And the Muggle research says there is a milder form of the disease that's not so infectious and non-fatal ... I wonder who you know who might have that? Red eyes and all?"
Draco tried not to show that he thought Harry had a point, but Harry saw it in his eyes. Lucius meanwhile, snarled with anger, reached for Harry's throat with his good hand and started trying to strangle him. A couple of Ministry members pulled Lucius off Harry and took him to the holding cells for questioning.
"I'd guess the version snake-face has is contagious too." Draco whispered.
"Uh huh." Harry muttered, rubbing his neck, "I think the research facility was trying to find a cure. For the milder version as well. Shame about the animal-rights activists. They really screwed everything up, didn't they?"
* * *
The End
The moral of the story ... 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' ... The Dursleys were willing to associate with witches and wizards to save themselves. Draco joined forces with a Muggle to survive against a worse foe. Draco and the Muggle both allowed the convicted murderer, Sirius Black, to join them for the sake of survival. Harry was willing to risk his life to save his second-worst enemy from a fate worse than death. And Lucius Malfoy is still an evil bastard. It just goes to show how some people will react in a crisis.
***WARNING***
IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE BRITISH MOVIE, '28 DAYS LATER', YOU MAY NOT FOLLOW THIS STORY (although I will try to explain the situation as best I can). ALSO, IF YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO BE ALLOWED INTO THE MOVIE IN QUESTION, YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO READ THIS FIC. ALL IN ALL, IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN (and been able to survive watching) '28 DAYS LATER', DON'T READ THIS.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, and anyone from the Harry Potter books belongs to the goddess J.K. Rowling ... not me. 28 Days Later, and anyone from that movie, belongs to whoever created it ... I'm not sure who that is, but I am thankful I don't own them.
Author's Note: I went to see 28 Days Later, and Harry Potter CoS, in the same day, one after the other. I was petrified before I even set foot in the CoS screen of the cinema complex, thanks to the terrifying nature of 28 Days Later. I was unable to sleep, because of nightmares, for three nights after seeing it. It was bloody scary, creepy, and freaky. I do NOT want ANYONE who hasn't seen 28 Days Later, and liked it, to read beyond this point. I have just begun my recovery from the movie (ironically, 28 days after seeing it) and this fanfic is the final stage of said recovery. If I can write this, I'm cured of the blind terror the movie inspired.
This fic is short, and anything but sweet ... but there might actually be some humour near the end ... I'm not sure if you could call that humour, really.
I repeat: DO NOT READ ANY MORE OF THIS, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN 28 DAYS LATER!!!
* * *
Harry Potter was about to begin his seventh year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Well, in a month or two, anyway - it was the beginning of the summer holidays. Sixth year had been bad - the evil-snake-faced-one (who even this writer is too afraid to speak his name) had increased his homicidal activities, again. Still, while he stayed with the Dursleys, any witch or wizard with the desire to kill or injure the Boy Who Lived could take their concerns elsewhere.
It was a normal day, in the 'normal' household that was Casa de Dursley. Dudley had tried to punch Harry three times, since he had woken up, and failed all three of them. Aunt Petunia had forced Harry into menial labour around the house, and Uncle Vernon was already at work, running a company called Grunnings, which sold drills.
However, it was not a normal day, in that Harry had a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach - the sort of feeling that anyone who's ever taken Divination class as far as sixth year will get when something really really bad is about to happen ... but his scar didn't hurt, so snake-face wasn't behind the potential bad ... now that was a change.
Having finished mowing the lawn, Harry came inside, and began polishing ornaments in the living room.
"If you break any of those, you're paying for them!" Petunia snapped.
"With what?" Harry replied, pausing and looking up at her. Now that was a question she couldn't really answer - Harry had no money that the Dursleys were aware of.
Suddenly, Harry's attention (and Petunia's and Dudley's, for that matter) was drawn towards the television, as Dudley's favourite TV program was interrupted for a news bulletin.
The announcer sounded fairly panicked, so if it could freak out a seasoned news-reporter, it had to be bad, didn't it? Anyway, the report said, "New reports claim that the viral infection known as Rage has spread to small towns and villages, around the outskirts of London. Anyone in these areas is advised to evacuate immediately. I repeat anyone in the area around London is to evacuate immediately."
All three inhabitants of the Dursleys' living room looked at each other in shock. "What, exactly, is this 'Rage' thing, anyway?" Petunia asked, looking at Harry as if he might actually know.
"Never heard of it." Harry said, honestly. He then glanced back at the screen, where it showed camera footage taken by a very lucky surviving camera-man, from less than half-an-hour ago. The picture showed a building that had been overrun by what, at first glance, looked like an angry mob. Closer inspection of the image revealed that every single member of said mob was twitching, and writhing, like a deranged wild animal, many were coughing up blood, and when a few of them turned towards the camera, they had red eyes.
Harry blinked. He knew of only one person with red eyes, and He would never lower Himself to these standards. Dudley, meanwhile, had bolted from the room, to his own bedroom. "I doubt barricading yourself into your room will help!" Harry yelled after him, "The news-guy said to evacuate, didn't he?"
Dudley replied with a muffled yell that had to have contained an insult to Harry, but it was hard to hear. Aunt Petunia promptly proceeded to panic. Minutes later, Dudley reappeared, holding a printout. "If you want to find out anything about anything, go on the internet." he announced.
"I didn't know you were computer literate?" Harry asked, truely stunned.
Dudley glared at him, before reading off the printout, "'Rage is a new discovery that has been known to affect humans, in extremely weak doses, for centuries. A virus that causes its victims to become homicidal killing machines. Research into the virus has been conducted for the last few months. Dilute, the virus will kill itself off within an undefined time span, and the affected will return to normal. In its pure form, however, it destroys all thought, save for a need to kill - victims would not even have the presence of mind to eat, sleep, or protect themselves from harm. It is unknown how the dilute form is passed on, but the pure form spreads from blood and saliva. It takes between twenty and thirty seconds for a bite or contact with blood to progress into infection. If someone is infected, there is no hope of survival. The facility at which Rage was being researched was broken into by animal rights activists, and infected chimpanzees were released. Authorities are trying to contain the problem, but so far there has been little success.' ... Bloody stupid animal rights idiots ... can't they leave well enough alone?" that last comment was evidence enough that Dudley was growing up to be very much his father's son.
"I also didn't know you knew all those big words." Harry said, still in shock at what he'd just heard. He then glanced back to the TV, where Dudley's program had resumed ... no one seemed to care, though. "That building on the newscast seemed familiar." he commented.
"It was ..." Petunia suddenly turned very very white, "It was the building where Vernon works." she whispered.
Harry's eyes widened, and his brain started working over-time. What if this spread to the magical community, too? Hell, it could wipe out the whole world, if it got a chance. It was now his turn to bolt up to his room. He instantly wrote a warning to Sirius (who was hiding out in the Muggle world - still on the run from the law) Hermione, and Ron ... in that order ... warning them. He then took a fraction of a second to decide that it would be faster to borrow Arabella's Floo grate than to fly. With that, he shrunk his school trunk (illegal - hah - this could be life or death situation), and put it in his pocket - he didn't want to have to come back for anything, if this was really as bad as it looked.
He returned to the living room, "We should go to Figg's house. It's safer there." he said, glancing out the window, to check ... those things that had been people did not look friendly.
Petunia, however, had no intention of following anything Harry suggested, "Why would it be any safer there?" she asked.
Harry rolled his eyes, "I guess you ought to know ... she's a witch. Her house will have protection-wards around it. She'll be able to keep anything bad out ... certainly better than you two could."
Both Dursleys looked petrified.
"It looks like a straight choice to me - put up with us or go up against them." Harry said, pointing at the page Dudley held.
There was no contest, really. The three of them made their way, as quickly as possible, to Arabella Figg's house. She let them in, asking what she could do for them. Harry showed her the printout Dudley had obtained, and she immediately turned an odd shade of green, "That is revolting." she said, "And it actually might explain something." she added, thoughtfully. "I will start setting up extra protections around this house. You, Harry, will go and inform the Ministry - it will take some time to set these up, and we have none to waste."
Harry knew it had to happen, so he braced himself, and stepped into the Floo-grate, saying, carefully and clearly, "Diagon Alley." He then ran, at top speed, down the street, past Gringotts, towards the large building that was the Ministry of Magic. In the foyer there he found Albus Dumbledore speaking to Arthur Weasley about some problem. "Professor!" he called, loudly.
Dumbledore turned to look at him, "Harry? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"We got a notice from the Department of Underage Magic, about you ... again." Arthur added, sounding angry.
"Good reason." Harry said nervously, "Look at this." and he handed the now-well-read printout to Dumbledore, who scanned the page and immediately turned and marched down a corridor into the Ministry itself.
Within less than ten minutes, the meeting had been completed, and arrangements were being made. All access to the magical world, bar Floo, Apparation and broomstick, were sealed. The elite branch of the Ministry - the Unspeakables - were sent out to recover any suriviving Muggle-borns and their families, as quickly as possible.
All the Muggle-parents who were recovered were given safe homes in Diagon Alley (in the same area that all the Squibs lived). All the students were sent to Hogwarts, which was completely safe - even the Forbidden Forest was protected. The Dursleys were among these families ... Vernon Dursley was never heard from again, but Petunia and Dudley reluctantly stayed within the magical world, purely for the safety of it.
* * *
Harry sat in the dorm room in Gryffindor tower staring at the wall. Ron was sitting nearby, watching Harry nervously. The other three boys were in the common room, alive and well. Not all the Gryffindors had returned yet.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon." Ron repeated for the umpteenth time.
"You have no idea, Ron. You didn't see what they looked like. Even on the television screen they scared the Hell out of me." Harry said, quietly, "And the chances of everyone surviving unscathed are next-to-nothing."
"We've faced worse odds before." Ron said, hopefully.
"That was different - we can handle anything together, but she's on her own. She could be dead by now ... or worse." Harry said still staring at the wall. "If I had to choose between being bitten by one of those things, and being Kissed by a Dementor ... I'd pick the bloody Dementor."
"That has got to be bad." Ron whispered, knowing perfectly well how terrified Harry was of Dementors.
Five more minutes of silent staring, and the door creaked open. Harry jumped, ready for anything from a friend, to one of the Infected, to the Dark Lord himself. He barely moved his hand towards the wand sitting on the bed next to him, when he recognised who it was. Hermione! Alive and well! He ignored all thoughts of self-defence, and ran over to Hermione, hugging her, "Hermione!" he cried, "I was afraid you'd not make it."
Hermione patted his back, and gasped, "I still might not, if you suffocate me."
Harry immediately let her go, looking at her critically, "What happened? What took so long for you to get here?" he asked.
"I had barricaded our house, using all sorts of magical wards." she answered, "I think the wizards who rescued us ... when they eventually got to us ... said something about a job offer after I graduate, for my defence skills."
"Us? So your whole family's safe, then?" Harry asked hopefully. Hermione nodded. "That's good." he said smiling.
"I was told to tell you ... there's a Feast in the Great Hall. Everyone who survived has been brought back here. Including a lot of the Muggle-born would-be first-years ... the surprise of their parents, I'll tell you ... but they were grateful to be safe."
"What about the pure-bloods?" Ron asked.
"They should all be here - not many of them venture into the Muggle world anyway." Hermione said, grabbing Harry's hand and dragging him out the door, in the general direction of the Great Hall. Ron followed.
Down in the Great Hall, there were too many empty chairs, which should have had students in them. Harry also noted the presence of several adults who weren't teachers. Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg and Mundungus Fletcher were the only three he recognised. His stomach dropped when he noted the absence of anything resembling a large black dog.
"Where's Malfoy?" Ron asked, distracting Harry from his thoughts. Harry looked up at the Slytherin table, scanning its length ... no Malfoy. Odd.
* * *
Draco Malfoy ran down the street, side-by-side with his half-blood classmate, Blaise Zabini.
"Figures." Blaise panted, "The one time I bring a friend to the Muggle city, there's an apocalypse. It's not usually like this, I swear." she added.
"I hope not." Draco gasped, glancing behind him and throwing another stunning curse over his shoulder. "I've just realised something. The stunning spells aren't working."
"Oh, shit!" Blaise said, trying to speed up, when she was already running as fast as she could.
"Draco pointed his wand over his shoulder again, glancing back to check there was no one else running away between them and the creatures, and yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"
"Draco! That's illegal!" Blaise snapped.
"It worked. Isn't that what matters?" he asked.
"Good point." and Blaise tried throwing a killing curse behind them too.
"You're not strong enough." Draco gasped, throwing curse after curse at the oncoming hoard of inhuman creatures behind him. "What are they, anyway?"
"Killers." Blaise replied, "I heard about some Muggle virus turning people into homicidal monsters - I thought it was some sort of hoax. I think you're probably doing them a favour by giving them a quick death."
"That's nice." Draco said sarcastically. They reached the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, and Blaise grabbed the door-handle.
"F***! It's locked!" she yelled. Draco didn't stop shouting the fatal words of the killing curse to bother asking her the question she knew he wanted to, "We've got to get to somewhere they won't get to." she said, turning to run on. Draco threw another curse at a red-eyed monster that used to be human, and started to run off too. An ear-piercing shriek caused him to turn to see Blaise catch up to him, holding a bleeding wound on her arm, "It bit me!" a few seconds later, her eyes widened and she turned to Draco, "Kill me." she whispered.
"What?" he asked shocked.
"Kill me." she repeated desperately, "I'm going to turn into one of them unless you do."
Draco backed away from both Blaise and the monsters, "How can I? You're my friend."
"Not for long." she whispered, "Please, kill me."
Draco shook his head fearfully, but then pointed his wand at her, "You're sure?" She nodded and held her arms out, with a pleading look on her face. Draco bit his lip, but then she started to convulse and twitch like the monsters, and he realised she was right, "Avada Kedavra." he called and the green light hit his friend dead-centre, "I'm sorry." he whispered, before turning and pelting down the street again, just ahead of the swarm of killers.
He turned sharply into a small side-street, thanking whatever deity happened to be passing by that it wasn't a dead-end. Suddenly a voice called from ahead of him, "In here! It's safe here!"
Draco ran for the voice and found himself in a Muggle shop. The metal barrier closed behind him and he was sealed in. "Where are we?" he asked.
"Mini-mart. My mini-mart, to be precise. I was in here alone when it all started this morning, so I locked myself in ... you're lucky to be alive."
"I noticed. I just killed one of my best friends because one of them bit her." Draco answered, "What's going on, anyway?"
"It's a long story. Before I start - what's your name?"
"Draco ... yours?"
"Jenna." she replied. Then she began to explain everything.
After Jenna had finished, Draco stared at her for some time, "I will never look at someone with red eyes the same way, ever again." he muttered.
"Huh?" Jenna asked.
"Nothing." Draco said, quickly, "You're sure they can't get in here?"
"They gave up after three hours, when they first tried it." she replied.
"So what now? How do we get past them?" he asked.
"Why bother? We've got food - they won't eat even if they had food, so they'll starve to death, and we'll be fine in here." Jenna said cheerfully, indicating shelf upon shelf of Muggle foodstuffs.
"What about everyone else?" Draco asked, certain that he wouldn't like the answer.
"Well, I'm sure there must be some other survivors." Jenna said, in a voice that betrayed the fact she didn't truely believe herself, "I mean, if we both got away, then there's a chance, right?"
"I hope so." Draco muttered, thinking, "Is there a roof access, here? Is it safe to go up there, if there is?"
"Yes, and yes." Jenna said, "Why would you want to, though?"
"I have an idea." Draco said, "Show me how to get up there."
Jenna led Draco up a few flights of stairs, and onto the roof of the building. Draco looked out at the Muggle city. It was chaos. Swarms of the monsters ran everywhere he looked, and he felt exposed outside, as if the creatures had the presence of mind to bring a ladder, or something like that.
He looked up to the sky now, hoping to see signs of life, Muggle or magic, he didn't really care ... though magic would be preferable if he had the choice. Nothing visible. He took out the packet of owl-treats, that he always kept for his owl's benefit, in case he ever got an unexpected letter, and emptied the packet in a pile on the roof.
And waited. While he waited, he wrote out a letter (on paper from a Muggle note-pad, using a Muggle ball-point pen) detailing the situation, giving the address of the Muggle shop where he was, and asking for help.
It must have been half-an-hour later, when three owls swooped down together. Two were Ministry owls, and one was a snowy owl. The Ministry owls flew away when they recognised a Malfoy ... damn the reputation. The snowy owl however, landed next to the owl-treats and took one.
"Hey, owl." Draco said nervously. It looked up at him in a quizzical way, "Thanks for coming here. I need a letter sent, please." the owl tilted its head, only increasing the quizzical nature of its expression, "Could you take this to someone? Anyone, I don't care, so long as it's not one of THEM." As he said 'them' he indicated the monsters swarming the streets. The owl nodded, took the page from Draco with one taloned foot and hooted in a friendly way before taking off. Draco watched it fly away, praying to the aforementioned passing deity that someone would come to rescue him ... and that the entire magical world hadn't been overrun as the Muggle world had.
Jenna meanwhile, was staring at the departing owl with stunned amazement, "How'd you do that?" she asked.
"Owls are very useful creatures if they like you." Draco said cryptically. This woman was a Muggle and he thought it best not to give away too much about the magical world if he could avoid it. Still, he wasn't objecting to being trapped with her - if she hadn't called for him to come in here, he'd either still be running, or long since lost his humanity (yes, he does have humanity to begin with) or his life. She had saved him and when survival is all that counts who gives a damn about bloodlines?
Jenna gave him an odd look before saying, "We ought to go downstairs again. I'll leave the roof-access with a spare key outside. The Infected are to stupid to use a key, even if they got up there. And we'll be warmer and have food down there."
"Good idea." Draco replied, following the Muggle down to the shop again.
Time passed and they both began to give up hope on the world outside. Draco became addicted to coca cola, and Jenna eventually learned about the magical world, because they were both so bored that Draco told her all about himself, just to pass some time. He also learned a lot about the Muggle world from her too.
After a couple of weeks [A/N: I refuse to do the 28 days later thing ... no way], a noise outside disturbed Draco's sleep. He crept quietly to the door and saw a large black dog scratching at the metal barrier. It didn't look Infected. "Jenna." Draco called.
He heard a sleepy response that sounded like, "Huh?"
"Something's out here. I don't think it's Infected." he said. Jenna jumped, and bolted to his side, looking out at the dog.
A second later, it wasn't a dog - a man stood in its place, and hit the barrier with his fist, "Let me in ... please. They're after me." he begged. Draco backed away fearfully, but Jenna eagerly opened the barrier, let the man in, and closed the barrier again. "Thank you." he gasped, collapsing from exhaustion in the middle of the floor.
"You should throw him back to them." Draco said viciously.
The man looked up at Draco with fear and shock. Jenna looked at him with disbelief, "Why? He's another survivor."
"His name is Sirius Black and he's a mass murderer, escaped from an impenetrable prison." Draco said, coldly.
"I was framed." Sirius whined.
"Yeah, right." Draco snapped, almost laughing.
"You should know. The git who framed me is good friends with your father." Sirius snarled.
Draco held his hands up in a gesture that said he didn't want to argue now, "Fine. Who cares. Safety in numbers, I guess."
And at that moment, a crashing noise came from the metal barrier. "Looks like you got here just in time." Jenna said as the sound of inhuman snarls from the Infected reached their ears.
"I could smell normal humans here, so that's where I came." Sirius answered. On recieving odd looks, he reminded them, "You saw I can turn into a dog, right?"
Draco nodded, "So you're the Grim that Potter thought was following him." he said, grinning.
"I don't see why everyone who sees a large black dog automatically thinks 'Grim'." Sirius griped before picking himself up and making a beeline for the edibles on the shelves.
* * *
At breakfast in Hogwarts the next day, Harry looked up as the owls swooped down with the post. Hedwig landed next to him, and handed him a piece of Muggle-paper, which she had been carrying in her claw. Harry gave her some scraps from his breakfast and she began to eat happily. Harry, meanwhile, opened the letter, and read it.
As he finished, he snorted with laughter. "What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking at the blank side of the paper intently.
"Draco Malfoy is stranded in a Muggle shop in London and sent a note for help with the first owl that passed by." Harry said, still sniggering.
"Let him rot." Ron said immediately.
"No." Hermione said horrified, "We can't do that." her expression turned very dark, "The things that infection turns people into. We can't leave anyone to that fate. Not even Malfoy."
"She's right." Harry said adamantly. Then a smirk appeared on his lips, "Wait here." and with that, he stood up and walked straight up to the teachers' table ... to Professor Snape. "Professor."
"What do you want, Potter?" Snape snapped angrily. Harry handed him the letter and he read it.
"I want to borrow the Slytherin team's brooms to rescue him. He says there's someone else with him, so I want to take spares for other survivors."
"I don't see why you want the Slytherin team's brooms, specifically." Snape said coldly.
"Because they're the second fastest in the school and there's only the one faster." Harry noted, smirking as Snape glared at that comment.
"Very well." Snape replied coldly.
* * *
Draco was learning the intricate art of the Muggle board game, Snakes and Ladders (complaining that snakes should be the good sign and ladders bad, since a ladder would let the Infected inside, and snakes were his favourite animal), when the sound of the roof-door unlocking came to his ears. Sirius also perked up, looking at the stairway nervously.
Draco took out his wand and pointed it at the entrance to the stairs. Footsteps could be heard, slowly descending to their level. Suddenly a shadowy, unidentified figure jumped into view. Draco panicked, "Avada Ke-" he stopped when the figure came out of the shadows. "Shit! You bloody idiot - you should know better than to jump out suddenly, when you're expecting to find a group of paranoid people with weapons, hiding out from the homicidal monsters." he snarled at Harry.
Harry also lowered his wand, smirking, "I wasn't sure if there were still any paranoid people left." he said, "The homicidal monsters could have got you by now."
"So why are YOU here?" Draco asked.
"You sent a letter for help, with my owl. I responded." Harry said, then he spotted Sirius, "Sirius! You're alive!" he shouted, running over to his godfather who stood up and hugged Harry.
"I had no idea if anyone else had survived." Sirius said quietly.
"The magical community sealed their entrances and retrieved the Muggle-borns ... most of us are fine." Harry replied. Draco seemed relieved. "Not all, though ... mostly Muggle-borns that were lost, but it's still better than it could have been if there had been no warning."
Draco suddenly realised something, "That's why Blaise and I couldn't get into Diagon Alley! The Leaky Cauldron was locked!" he snapped.
"Blaise?" Harry asked, "You mean Zabini? Where is she?"
"Dead." Draco responded, sounding truely upset about this fact, "She got bitten. I killed her."
"I see you've got the 'shoot first ask questions later' thing going pretty well." Harry said acidly, "I heard what you were trying to curse me with."
"Killing curse is the only one that works on them." Draco replied, shrugging.
"Actually, guns and bladed weapons work pretty well, if you get a fatal shot first try." Jenna noted.
"And you are?" Harry asked.
"Jenna. Who're you?"
"I'm Harry. Pleased to meet you." Harry responded, holding out his hand to shake. She took it eagerly. He then looked at Draco, with a vicious grin, "Hanging around with a Muggle? I never thought you'd ever even concider it."
"I was running for my life. She offered sanctuary. I didn't care who she was, as long as I survived. I owe her my life." Draco replied.
Harry smiled and nodded knowingly - the Dursleys had made the same assessment of the magical world, when it came down to it. "Now. I think it's time to rescue you all."
"How?" Draco asked, "How'd you get here?"
"I flew." Harry said, smirking, "Come up to the roof, I'll show you."
When they reached the roof, Draco's jaw dropped, "You swiped the Slytherin team's brooms?" he asked, horrified.
"No. I borrowed them." Harry said, grinning at Draco's horror, "With full permission, of course. Saving their Seeker's life seems to be a good reason to let the - quote: 'suicidal Gryffindor' - borrow the brooms."
"Who called you that?" Sirius asked.
"Snape." Harry said, grinning.
"I must hurt him." Sirius said, smirking, "Remind me to hurt him."
"No." Harry snapped, "He let me bring enough brooms to bring you guys back, so you should be grateful ... even if he didn't know you were here any more than I did." Harry stared at Sirius, just managing not to cry, "I thought they'd got you. I thought you'd gone forever."
"Dogs can run a lot faster than humans." Sirius said, smirking, "Also, I figured out the difference in smell between normal humans and Infected ... I tracked normal humans to here and banged on the gate till they let me in."
* * *
When the three of them (Sirius remained in the air, out of sight of any authorities) returned to Diagon Alley, to drop Jenna off at a Muggle-safe-house, they found Lucius Malfoy yelling at Fudge for losing his son during this time of crisis. Draco crept up behind Lucius and tapped him on the shoulder.
Lucius whirled round angrily but his expression softened on seeing Draco, "Where were you?" he asked, obivously relieved but not missing the Muggle clothes Draco was wearing.
"I got locked out in Muggle London." Draco answered honestly.
"What were you doing there in the first place?" Lucius asked, now showing a hint of anger.
"Blaise took me to see a Muggle band." Draco answered nervously.
Lucius' eyes flashed with anger and he snarled, "You could have been killed!"
"If it's any consolation, the band was rubbish." Draco said hopefully.
"I always tell you, never to go into the Muggle world!" Lucius growled, raising his hand to strike Draco. He stopped, only because Harry grabbed his wrist. Lucius glared at Harry for a few seconds, straining to pull free of the unnaturaly strong grip. Harry snapped Lucius' wrist and let him go.
"One would think you were ungrateful that your son survived, Mr Malfoy." Harry said coldly, "You didn't see those creatures. I did. Draco did. They are monsters. The fact that they used to be intelligent human beiings just makes it worse. They're not like vampires - vampires are intelligent creautres, but these ... these are mere killing machines." Harry glanced at Draco who seemed slightly afraid of Harry's tone. Harry then turned back to Lucius, staring the man down, "These killers are infected with a diease - a disease that makes them want nothing more than murder - not their own kind, but those unlike them. They are deformed and their eyes glow red." Harry smirked viciously, "And the Muggle research says there is a milder form of the disease that's not so infectious and non-fatal ... I wonder who you know who might have that? Red eyes and all?"
Draco tried not to show that he thought Harry had a point, but Harry saw it in his eyes. Lucius meanwhile, snarled with anger, reached for Harry's throat with his good hand and started trying to strangle him. A couple of Ministry members pulled Lucius off Harry and took him to the holding cells for questioning.
"I'd guess the version snake-face has is contagious too." Draco whispered.
"Uh huh." Harry muttered, rubbing his neck, "I think the research facility was trying to find a cure. For the milder version as well. Shame about the animal-rights activists. They really screwed everything up, didn't they?"
* * *
The End
The moral of the story ... 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' ... The Dursleys were willing to associate with witches and wizards to save themselves. Draco joined forces with a Muggle to survive against a worse foe. Draco and the Muggle both allowed the convicted murderer, Sirius Black, to join them for the sake of survival. Harry was willing to risk his life to save his second-worst enemy from a fate worse than death. And Lucius Malfoy is still an evil bastard. It just goes to show how some people will react in a crisis.