Hi. Guys.

20 is finished. That was fast wasn't it. Thanks for the reviews. Keep 'em coming.

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE POWER OF LIGHT

The night was young as dead, rotting bodies were walking down the road. Fire was erupting behind them as though it was following them. Smoke had covered the night sky, making it impossible for anyone to see the full, pale moon.

The inhabitants of the Burrow were scurrying about the house, peeking through the blinds of windows to get a glimpse of the havoc outside. Food left untouched, chairs lying in awkward positions, panic was obviously in the house. Mrs Weasley was grasping the bottle of Wizidium Potion tightly, so tightly in fact that her palm was getting red. Nobody spoke. Only the soundS of burning houses and grass were heard, originating from the outside.

Unable to take this deadly quiet, Harry finally spoke: "Don't you guys think we need to go out there? There is no use waiting here if they are coming this way. We need to get out so when the Inferi arrive, we won't be trapped in here!"

Everyone seemed to consider this, as shown in how Tonks said "The boy's got a point. Being trapped here is not going to be good."

After a moment's thinking, Arthur finally nodded in consent. Molly though, was unconvinced and tried to sway her husband, who was just about to turn the knob of the door.

"Arthur! Going out there will only endanger us! Look, we are no match for them. We need to board up the house so that they can't get to us! We need to stay inside!"

"Molly, dear," said Arthur. "Boarding up the house and remaining all cooped up inside will only kill us. What with the fire raging and all, it will burn the house with all of us in it!"

Convinced, Molly did not reply and remained silent as everyone stood up to troop outside through the door Arthur was holding open.

The view from the outside of the house was more horrible than from what they just saw from the inside. The fire was blazing angrily and by the feet of the rampaging Inferi were dead animals like birds trampled upon and small mice. They were all occupying the one and only road towards the Burrow. They were almost trapped. Beside the main road though was the woods full of foliage growth. This inspired an idea in Mr. Weasley.

"Okay, all of you, run beside, not on the main road. Go to the opposite direction of the Inferi, meaning you have to all go through passed them," yelled Mr. Weasley through the panic that was now rising. "Remember to traverse through the trees, not the main road, okay? The Inferi are in the main road so you should all be safe by the trees and bushes. If the need comes, don't hesitate to use the Ministry issued Wizidium Potions okay?"

Harry, together with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny sped through the side of the main road. The others were traversing the other side of the road. Harry were now heading towards the bushy area of the sidewalk where he could see the Inferi walking through the main road on their left. Pants were being heard as they hid in the bushes. The Inferi were still making their way to the Burrow as Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione ran through the many vines that wounded their skins.

At last, they were about to run through the horde of Inferi. They crouched silently as they hid by the berry shrubs, making sure that silence was maintained to avoid detection. They slowly moved their feet forward, with Harry looking at the Inferi's grotesque bodies: Their eyes all white plugged into pale, almost light green faces. Some wore torn and wet clothes while some walked naked, their skin so pale as though they were made of pearls flattened together to form skin. The smell was stronger now that they were side by side with the Inferi: the smell of dead flesh assaulted Harry's nose, making him a bit dizzy. He shook this feeling off as he and the rest crept through.

As they kept silent, a yell from the direction of the Burrow was heard.

"AHH!" yelled the voice. "NO!"

Harry's and the rest's heads spun around to peer through the smoke and flames and saw that it was Fleur. She was being cornered by two Inferi and was now clutching her stomach, as though it might save her and the baby she was carrying.

"Harry, no!" whispered Hermione as she grabbed Harry's arm. "You can't possibly help her. It's too dangerous!"

Harry was trying to shake off Hermione's firm grasp on his arm as he readied to ran back to help Fleur. "Hermione!" replied Harry. "She is pregnant. She needs help!"

With one final tug, Harry was able to yank off his arm from Hermione's hand and stood up, causing the arousal of the Inferi's attention.

"Impedimenta!" shouted Harry so five of the Inferi in the front of the battalion were blasted sideward. Harry, covering his nose for the winds have changed to blow the smoke emanating from the flames towards him, jumped over the bushes and landed on the main road. The Inferi were near him as he commanded his body to run as fast as it can. He tore through the streets, thinking of nothing but to help Fleur.

"No, not me, not ze baby!" yelled Fleur as she sprawled onto the floor alone as two Inferi circled in on her.

Her screams urged Harry's protesting legs to go faster. Lactic acid was starting to burn in his legs, making it painful to run but he knew he had to. Searching for the potion bottle inside his pocket, he was now around five meters from Fleur.

Extricating the bottle from his pants, Harry wasted no time as he threw the potion bottle upon the backs of the two Inferi. The bottle broke and the potion contacted their bodies. Gurgling and smoke erupted from the bodies of the Inferi, accompanied by howls of pain. Both Inferi were kneeling in pain as their bodies sunk towards the floor. After some more writhing, they went still, their eyes open and unmoving, lying down staring at the smokey sky.

"Zenk You!" said Fleur as Harry pulled her up. He now saw that the rest of the Inferi were now encircling them both. The fire was almost near the house as he stood there, trying to think of a way to save himself, Fleur, and the Burrow. Suddenly, an idea erupted into his mind. He knew it was illegal but he had no choice. He bent down and picked up a rock the size of an apple and tapped it with his wand, saying "Portus." The rock gleamed for a second and then he said: "Fleur, this is now a portkey leading to Grimmauld Place, the Order HQ. I want you to go there and stay there. Wait for the rest of us, okay?"

"Okay," said a pale and shaken Fleur. "'Arry, zenk you for saving my life and my baby."

She then touched the stone and after a second, disappeared.

Harry was now surrounded by the Inferi. There was no sign of Hermione, Ron, Ginny, or the rest. They must have passed through the Inferi horde. He was alone and trapped within a wall of fire and reanimated corpses.

He knew he cannot just cast spells away. Reeling in his mind were the spells he taught the DA but these jinxes cannot help him now. There were too many Inferi to jinx one by one. He tried to think of a way to get passed through the Inferi. Apparition? A few hours ago, Minerva McGonagall was able to ask the Ministry to put an anti-apparition charm on the Burrow and it perimeter to prevent Death Eaters from just appearing inside the house and thus, he cannot disapparate. The only way to survive was to send for help and pray that it comes. How though? He remembered Dumbledore and Tonks sending signals through Patronuses. Maybe he could do that too.

Concentrating, he closed his eyes and resurrected the happiest memory he could remember. He then waved his wand, saying "Expecto Patronum!"

A white smoke went out of his wand. The smoke grew bigger and became more distinct, shifting towards a stag appearance. The stag then pranced through the Inferi and disappeared behind the moving dead bodies that were a few feet from him. He now had to wait, praying that someone might be able to intercept the message he sent through the Patronus.

The Inferi were too close now. He had no choice but to ward them off until help comes. "Reducto! Impedienta! Petrificus Totalus! Levicorpus!" All these spells were cast one after another in his attempts to keep a wide distance with the Inferi. Some of them were shot out of the way, some collapsed on the floor with their bodies in a full-body-bind, and some went hanging in the air by their legs. The spells were of little help as more bodies were coming. "Sectumsempra!" yelled Harry as slashed gashes appeared on some of the Inferi's bodies. It was not effective for the dead had no blood to spill. Helpless, he backed a little towards a high wall and was now about to be devoured by the Inferi.

Harry closed his eyes. Is this the end? Is Voldemort going to win now that he was about to die? He has won then. He was now giving up the chance that he may survive this Inferi attack. He now waited for the bites that will kill him. He waited for death as the heat of the flames were radiating towards him.

Suddenly, a sound made his spirits go up. "Aguamenti!" shouted several voices. He knew that the rest must have discovered where he was. They must now be trying to overcome the fire that surrounded Harry and the Inferi. He knew then on that he must live. There was hope in the form of the Weasleys trying to save him.

Harry then took out his wand again and started to jinx some of the Inferi away. "Diffindo!" The body of an Inferi was cut in half. "Incarcerous!" Thick ropes appeared out of thin air and wrapped around some of the Inferi's bodies. "Aqua Eructo!" A big jet stream of pressurized water came out of Harry's wand. Now maneuvering his wand like a flame-thrower, he moved it side to side, sending the Inferi back as the pressure of the water hit them.

It seemed to work as the Inferi were now backing away. He then remembered something of Dumbledore's words. He recalled how he and Dumbledore were in the cave surrounded by Inferi. He remembered how Dumbledore said that against Inferi, one should use the opposite of darkness and evil. Use the power of light.

He then waved his wand again and said "Lumos!"

Some Inferi backed away but the light was too narrow and weak to be of any use. He then said "Lumos Maxima!" Now, a wide beam of light erupted from his wand and illuminated the dead bodies. They all writhed in disgust and backed away, scattering. They were going away. They were scared. As the light prevailed, the darkness was losing.

After a few moments, the Inferi were scrambling out of sight. He now saw the rest of the Weasleys still extinguishing the fire that was surrounding the area—a great sight.

"We came right away as soon as we saw the Patronus, Harry," said Mr. Weasley as soon as it was safe. "Why did you come back?"

"It was Fleur. She was cornered. That's why I came running back?" said Harry.

"Dear me. Where is she now?"

"In Grimmauld Place. I turned a stone into a portkey to lead her there. I know its illegal and all but I did not know what to do."

"That's okay. All that is important is that you're safe. I'll get Fleur okay?"

Arthur then went far from the Burrow perimeter and disapparated outside the boundaries of the anti-apparition charm. Harry then remained silent as the gushes of water from the many wands of his friends quenched the thirst of the remaining blazing flames. He silently thanked Dumbledore in his mind for somehow helping him in his fight with Inferi moments ago. He then made a mental note to visit his grave in Hogwarts once the vacation is over. Till then, the Chamber of Secrets and Azkaban lay waiting for him to step foot on.

END OF CHAPTER TWENTY