Chapter 2 - Plague and Pestilence

Harry fell to the ground covered in rubble. There was a dull pain in his abdomen, and he had landed on something hard and pointy, but other than that he was alright. There were shouts and screams of pain, random explosions Harry found himself lost in the overload of senses. He opened his eyes to find himself face to face with a corpse. Harry yelped and scooted backwards, bumping into another body lying on the floor. Deciding it was better to be standing, he leapt to his feet. Someone yelled a curse and Harry had to duck to avoid the deadly light. He took in the scene around him, appalled and horrified. Bodies littered what used to be a peaceful street in London. But these bodies were twisted and evil looking, with blood all over them and coming from every place Harry could imagine. He looked around and found two people spinning and dodging other people, shooting off spells while the bloody people tried to cling to them, catch them, and.... bite them? Harry watched in horror as one of the monsters snuck behind the tallest, reach up, opening its mouth to take a bite when the smaller darted around and sunk a long blade into its stomach.

A hand gripped his shoulder and tore him down towards the ground. He looked back to find one of the corpses he had rolled onto in his landing was clinging to him, gruesome teeth bared in hunger. Harry screamed and tried to push the monster back, but its grip was strong as it pulled him closer to its waiting mouth. Suddenly, a throwing knife flashed over his shoulder and sunk itself into the things head. It released Harry with a wail, clutching at its skull, and Harry felt a tug on his robe, dragging him away at a quick pace. He looked up at his robed saviour, but found a hood hid his view of the face. A few more spells and knives and they were in a dark building, a locked door between them and the monsters, not that he couldn't hear the scratching of them wanting to get them through the door. Harry felt himself shaking in shock as the person bent down next to him.

"Are you alright Harry?" the smooth male voice asked.

Harry nodded; gasping for breath and feeling his throat were the teeth of the monster nearly got him. What were those? A new kind of Inferi? The person moved about, and Harry heard a flick of a switch before bright light stung his eyes. When he opened them again, he found himself in an abandoned shopping center. Little piles of supplies and food littered the floor, obvious sleeping and eating areas where arranged with piles of rags and crates. Harry held his head and looked up when he heard the sound of clothing being removed. There was Voldemort, in a black sweater and pants, looking at Harry curiously and holding something out. Harry felt his heart triple its beating as he leapt to his feet, brandishing his wand. "Got you now! Expelliarmus!"

The item in Voldemort hand flew towards him and landed into his own He looked triumphantly down at... a container of pills? Harry looked up at Voldemort who was giving him the strangest mix of confusion, amusement, and suspicion in one look. Harry was taken aback. Voldemort showing emotion? Freely and without evil intent? Harry felt like passing out and held his wand out at Voldemort. 'I don't care if he is acting strange; he needs to pay the price for those he has killed!'

Voldemort gave a small chuckle and Harry struggled to hold onto his wand. "Knocked your head a bit in the attack Harry?" The man turned around to pick up a piece of half rotten apple. He fell ungracefully into a pile of rags and munched on the still good side.

Harry?

He called him Harry?

Harry felt as if the world had spun and dropped him upside down in this new world where monsters roam the streets, evil Dark Lords live in supermarkets and Voldemort has emotions! Harry thought on that line for a moment, 'Maybe that is what happened.' he thought. 'I'm in a new... universe?' he looked at Voldemort who was flipping through a comic book, making comments about certain characters' idiocy. Definitely a new universe.

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Voldemort landed in a torn up alley, and couldn't help but fall to his knees. He swiftly stood back up, for on his knees is nowhere for a Dark Lord to be. He heard screams and frowned. Had he not gone back far enough? Had he already taken over and the Potter boy destroyed his other self? No, that couldn't be right. The spell said to state the time and place in between the words of time, and he did! This must be where he specified, he must just be in the wrong place. Voldemort peered out of the alley to see carnage and blood painting everything in sight. Voldemort smiled 'Indeed, this must be the place I sent my Death Eaters to draw attention away from the Potters while I murdered them.' He looked up the street, the Potter house must be nearby....

He spun around and fired off the killing curse at the person who had snuck up behind him. There was a ghastly scream of pain before the person fell to the ground. Voldemort smirked and kicked the things side. As he did, another person came from the shadows and he got a good look at them. 'These must be a new kind of Inferi.' thought Voldemort and he mowed down the small crowd that had gathered in front of him, staring at him with hungry eyes, with one strong spell.

A small figure in a robe darted up beside him and motioned for him to follow, holding a finger to small lips to signify for them to be quiet. Insulted at being ordered around but wanting to be rid of the stink mess of bodies, he followed the small figure to another alleyway and stopped when it went up a long ladder to the rooftops.

'I will not climb like a common Muggle.' Voldemort cast a spell and levitated himself up to the roof.

The person jumped back in surprise, having just bent over to see if Voldemort was following. Voldemort landed gracefully and examined the small station as the figure drew up the ladder. There was a large backpack full of items and a basket full of half rotten fruit. He refrained from wrinkling his nose and asked without looking "And why exactly did you lead me here?"

"To get away from the infected, duh." a familiar voice mocked. Irate, Voldemort whirled around, the cruciatus curse on the tip of his tongue when the person took off their hood to reveal the messy mug and green eyed stare of Harry Potter.

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"Why aren't you evil?" asked Harry suspiciously, "And why aren't you trying to kill me?"

Voldemort snorted and raised one eyebrow. "Because it's overrated? Unintelligent? Doomed to fail before I begin?"

Harry really did drop his wand this time. What was happening? He pointed his finger at Voldemort "You are an imposter! A polyjuiced Death Eater messing with my brain! Well I'll tell you this!" He marched up to the fake Voldemort and poked him in the chest, punctuating each word with a poke, "I'm. Not. Falling. For. It."

Voldemort grabbed his wrist and gave it a twist, sending Harry onto his bum. Voldemort studied him over the comic, suspicion on every inch of his face. "Have you completely lost your mind?" Voldemort asked.

'Ha!' Harry thought, 'You wish!'

Sitting up, Voldemort asked in a serious tone. "Do you not remember?"

"What!" Harry shouted exasperatedly. "What am I supposed to remember?"

"That everyone is dead."

Harry fell silent, feeling a chill work its way up his spine and freezing any thought other than Voldemort's words.

Said Dark Lord was looking at Harry worriedly. "Everyone's dead. You know... the Infection? No more wizards? Just us?" not seeing a response, Voldemort tried snapping his fingers in front of Harry's eyes. When that didn't work, Voldemort stood with a sigh and picked up Harry, carrying him over to a pile of rags. When he put him down, Harry's sweater rode up and Voldemort saw the rune tattoo. "Where did you get that from?"

Harry jerked and looked up into Voldemort's red eyes. "What?"

Voldemort pointed at the mark. "That. How did you get it? Did one of the Infected get you?"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "No, that was from the ritual you did. Do you not remember?"

"No ritual I've heard of makes these marks." Voldemort said, studying the marks. "Except-" he cut off his words and pointed his wand at Harry. "Are you on the Light side?" All emotion was gone from the formerly expressional Dark Lord.

Harry frowned, "Yes."

"What is your full name?"

"You already know my name! You've said it!" Harry exclaimed, confused at the new interrogation.

"Say it." Voldemort said dangerously, the menacing looking wand pointed in Harry's face.

Harry gulped. "Harry James Potter."

Voldemort's wand started to shake. "Who is alive on the Light side?"

Harry grew angry. "I'm not telling you! You filthy snake!"

Next thing Harry knew was a strong body bind curse and Voldemort almost running out of the store, tension in every line of his body.