Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter.

This chapter is dedicated to Tyler Morse. You will be missed from this world.

Chapter 3: We're Fucked.

A soft breeze filled the distance. Silence was eerily met throughout Hogsmeade. No one dared to utter a word. This was until three distinct pops sounded in the air. If anything had been in the area, they would sure be alerted to the sound.

Standing as leader, Harry quickly grabbed the girls arms and hid behind a wall. He placed his gun up to eye range and scanned the distance. They were only a few feet from the Hogwarts gates. Harry didn't see any walkers; this was all too strange.

"Something isn't right." Harry said, his finger anxiously on the trigger.

Hermione shivered and held tightly on her wand. She knew not to far from here was a cemetery. If she was correct and these things had risen from the ground, they would have swarmed Hogsmeade indefinitely.

Harry placed his gun on his arm and motioned for them to go forward. Silently they stepped through the town. As they walked passed, they looked inside the shops to see if anyone was there. They were completely deserted. Chairs and tables were unturned. He noticed several scorch marks on the buildings.

"There using fire against them. If anything, that's going to make it worse."

Daphne turned to him, "How? Wouldn't that help?"

Still keeping focused, he said, "No, the walkers come in hoards. You light one and the others start on fire. It doesn't kill them. So just imagine a flaming zombie running after you."

"Oh.. Well shite."

They were only a few paces from the gates. They walked faster, their only flaw was that they had made noise. Harry realized this all to late.

A loud, menacing howl was heard. Spinning around, Harry pointed his gun to the noise. He reloaded his gun quickly. If he was going into battle, he made damn sure that he enough rounds to take out an army. His eyes went up the road they had came. There he saw four wolves staring down at him.

"Get to the castle, now!" Harry yelled at them. He was going to do everything to protect them.

Tonks growled back at him, "You can't take them out by yourself! At least let me stay."

Harry shook his head. "No, I'll be fine. If you stay here then I'll be distracted. Go! NOW!"

They were all taken back his fiery retort. Never had they seen him so determined. They took his words to heart and spirited towards the gates.

Hermione didn't know the man that they had left behind. He was someone so new yet so familiar. Her Harry would let them stay, then again he wouldn't think before he acted. His hot headed temper would always get in the way when they were in school. She remembered though, he wasn't the same anymore. Not since his joining of the military. She had to talk to him, that is if he made it back.

Harry skitted to a halt behind a concrete blockage. Looking down his scope, he observed the wolves. They had flesh hanging from their mouths. Blood was seeping from their wounds on their bodies. Harry knew now that they were fed upon by these creatures. The virus was running through their veins. It was like rabies for them.

The wolf pack scattered out around the village. Harry couldn't fire at them because they were still to quick. Still keeping calm, he looked out for any wolves. Suddenly, a wolf came at him. Harry swung his gun towards the wolfs head. He shot off three shots. Two in the brain and one in its torso.

He didn't have time to see what happened as a wolf came to his left. Harry quickly got his Beretta M9 pistol from his hip. He held on to his rifle with his left hand and his right aimed steadily at the wolf. Harry fired off five shots. The wolfs throat was ripped apart by the bullets. He noticed the wolf still moving and shot it in the head. Killing it completely.

Harry was knocked to the ground. His rifle and Beretta lay away from his hands. The wolf laid on top of him, trying to ripped Harry apart. He put his arm to the wolfs throat, trying to keep it away from his face. He was struggling and he knew if he didn't do something now he would surely be dead. Harry slowly tried to get his hand down to his boot. He had hid a bayonet there.

Just as his hand was near, he glanced up to see the last wolf. If he didn't do this fast then the other one would kill him. Harry pushed his hand faster toward his knife. He grabbed it and quickly stabbed the top wolf in the head. He pushed him off and rolled away just as the last wolf jumped at him.

Harry jumped to his feet as he stared at the creature in front of him. He was to far away from his rifle to grabbed. He glanced out the corner of his eye to see that his pistol was only a few inches from him. He glanced back at the wolf to see it stalking back and forth. He had to time this just right.

The wolf ran full speed at him. Harry kicked off his feet and rolled to his pistol. He grabbed it and only had a few seconds to aim his sights. His heart was pumping fast in his chest. Squeezing the trigger, he saw the bullets penetrated the wolfs skull leaving him no more.

Harry steadied his breathing as he picked up his weapons. Placing his bayonet in his boot, he walked up to the castle.

Hermione, Daphne and Tonks had walked up to the castle, dreading what was going to come.

"We might as well get this over with." Daphne said, "Great Hall first?"

They nodded as they walked through the Hogwarts gates. They entered the hallway and looked around. There was a few stragglers in the hall as they walked. Daphne called out to one of the first years.

"Hey kid! Where is everyone?"

The first year looked at her nervously, "There in the Great Hall. Dumbledore is setting up for the refugees."

Daphne nodded and shooed him away. She shrugged at the others as they started to head towards the giant doors. All three of them could feel a heaviness from their chest. Would they be thrown out or would they be allowed to stay?

Hermione stared at the doors. Looking back at her companions, she took a deep breath and pushed them open. She saw so many people. They lay in cots around the hall and tents many of them had transfigured. Being as smart as she was, she knew that the tents themselves were huge inside. Hermione looked around and saw several of her old classmates. They seemed to have the same idea as everyone else in the room.

If anyone had looked at all three of them now, they would of seen the faces of three very pissed off witches. All of them had seen him. That pathetic fool of an old man. He was standing talking to several wizards and witches. He was trying to make it seem like he was the people's saving grace.

It was at this moment that he had seen them. Dumbledore looked straight at them. His eyes were twinkling as he walk towards them. The girls rolled their eyes and met him half way.

"Dumbledore." they all muttered. None of them wanted to speak a word to him.

He smiled and looked at them over his half-moon glasses. It was obvious to them that he was trying to keep up appearances. In his mind though, he was thinking something very sinister.

'If there here, this could mean the Potter boy is back. He, after all, should be remembering soon.'

Oh, he knew. He was the one who had Harry beaten and erased his memory. It was for the greater good, he thought at least. Dumbledore had carefully laid out his plans to ensure that he was the one that got recognition. What he had not expected was these undead creatures. This again though, gave him an opportunity to seem like the light hero he tried to portray himself as. His thoughts were interrupted by the Great Hall doors slamming open.

It was him. Harry James Potter. The boy he initially abandoned so that he could be the "Great Leader of the Light." Dumbledore stared straight into Harry's eyes. His emerald eyes seem to blaze with power. Harry had his rifle strapped to his back with his pistol in his hand. He was slowly walking towards Dumbledore. Everyone in the hall looked on with fear and some with amazement. Not only was there Boy-Who-Lived back, but his wardrobe had blood stained on it.

Harry stared right into Dumbledore's eyes. He squeezed the grip of his pistol, tempted to put a bullet in his head. Hermione, Tonks and Daphne slowly backed away from Harry. They had never seen him this angry... Or this powerful.

Harry grabbed the front of Dumbledore's robes and said lowly, "You listen here, old man, and listen well; I will no longer be your puppet or your pawn. I'm only here to make sure these girls remain safe. You stay away from me and them."

Dumbledore looked at him. He could feel his heart beating against his chest. Dumbledore collected a breath and said, "Harry, my boy, there is no need to act irrational…"

Harry let go of Dumbledore's robes and looked back at him menacingly, "I'm not acting irrational. Acting irrational would be putting a bullet in your skull. I'm not your boy. Now just point to where we can stay for now."

Dumbledore sighed. It was going to take much more work for him to make sure that Harry was under his control. He looked down at the muggle weapon. He hadn't had much experience with them and didn't grasp what they could do. It was only a muggle weapon after all.

"End of the hall. Next to the head tables, there is an empty tent that can house up to ten people." Dumbledore pointed. He knew if he pestered Harry even more, he would end up staring down the barrel of his weapon.

Harry motioned for the girls to follow him. As they walked, they looked around at the faces who were there. Some were familiar, some were not. The ones he hoped to avoid the most were the Weasleys. It was odd that they didn't see them here.

They stepped into the tent and looked around. It was just like the ones from the World Cup. The only thing that was different was there was separate bedrooms for all of them. Tonks and Daphne had went to individual rooms, no doubt wanting to get rest and shower.

Harry dumped his equipment on the table of what was there living room and stripped off his blood-stained military jacket. He sat down and looked at the fiery embers in the fire place. He could hear shuffling next to him and knew Hermione was sitting next to him.

Harry folded his hands and placed them over his knees. He knew sooner or later they were going to have to talk.

Hermione hesitantly looked at him. He was so different now. He wasn't exactly the same Harry that she had fallen in love with. The Harry she had seen with Dumbledore was someone who held no fear. This was a man who had seen too much for how young he is.

'But he isn't young anymore.' Hermione thought as she looked at his aging face. She placed a hand on his arm. She had noticed he twitched a little. After all these years, he still wasn't used to human contact.

"Harry?" She said, somewhat timidly.

He looked up at her, "I know you're probably frightened of the person I've became. I don't blame you in any way."

Harry looked down and away from her. He felt ashamed. He knew the military had changed him, in more then one way. The kind, soft man was hidden away and replaced by a killer. He had seen things that no one should of seen and he had done things that would haunt him for the rest of his life. His thoughts were interrupted by Hermione's hand gently caressing his face. She slowly turned his chin to face her.

"I'm not afraid of you, Harry. You are you and I accept that. You have more courage then anyone I know to stand up to Dumbledore. You protect those you love. You will do anything to make sure they are safe." Hermione took a breath, "Harry, you aren't as different as you think you are. In ways, you have changed, but not enough to lose the person you were."

Harry clenched his laced hands together as he listened to her words. "I've done things though, Hermione. I've killed people! I know what its like to see a persons cold, lifeless eyes. I've seen things that have eaten away at me."

He stood up and placed his hands on the fire place mantel as he continued, "I've seen men beat and rape women savagely, just because they were in enemy territory! The men I fought along side!"

Harry chocked back tears as he told his story, "I watched my friends die right in front of me. I've had to become cold and build up walls just so I didn't fall into depression. Now, all of this! I don't know why I'm alive right now. I shouldn't be, but I am."

Hermione immediately stood up and wrapped her arms around Harrys chest. This was the first time in years she was ever this close to him. She felt had much he changed, physically and mentally. He was so much stronger then anyone she had ever met.

"Harry." She softly whispered in his ear, "I will always love you. You're here because you are such a great person. You survived all these horrors yet here you are. Still the caring, gentle man. You do what is right and you always have."

Harry gripped the mantle tighter. Her words, no one elses, would always make an impact on him. Here he was, laying out his horrible history to her yet she still wanted to be with him. This is why he loved her so much, she never judged him. She always saw him for him, never a hero.

He turned around in her arms and held onto her tightly. He never wanted to let go of her. She was his and he was hers. She was always his hope, his hope to keep striving and live.

Hermione placed her head against his shoulder. This is what she had missed all those years that they were supposed to be together.

She leaned her head up to his ear and whispered, "We could both use a shower and some rest."

He gently nodded as they went to their bedroom. They would lay and cuddle till night fell. Both sharing the comfort of each other they had missed out on.

Unbeknownst to them, Tonks had listened to every word that was said between them. She sat on her bed with her knees against her chest. She gently sobbed as she knew that the man she was in love with was with someone else. Granted, he had proposed to Hermione before his memory erased. She just had hoped he would fall for her. No, she would be happy for them. Harry had went through to much to have that ripped from him.

As the night fell, many people gathered out of their tents for stories and conversation. If anyone muggle looked on, it would seem like a good old fashion camp fire. Many families sat with others in huge circles. They told stories of how this calamity fell and how long it would last. They all sat as they waited for the dinner to cook.

This is what Harry and the others saw as they walked out of their tent. Hermione transfigured them chairs while they waited for their food to be done. They thought they might as well join in the festivities rather then seem anti-social.

Harry brought their plates out and had their own conversation about what was happening.

"Where do you think this all came from? Surely, someone powerful must of risen them." Daphne said, picking at her food.

"When theres no room in Hell, the dead shall walk." Harry put simply.

Daphne and Tonks looked at him. Tonks, being muggleborn, wasn't brought up religiously so she had no idea what "Hell" was. Daphne was a pureblood, she knew little to nothing about Hell.

"Whats Hell?" Daphne asked confusingly.

Hermione, the all knowing, said, "Hell is a place were some muggles think the evil or wicked go. It is a place of suffering and punishment for their afterlife. Your soul is basically tormented for the evil sins you have done in this life. It is said there are demons and other abominations resting within Hell to torture those souls."

Daphne remained silent.

Harry then turned to her, slightly worried that Hermione traumatized her. "There is a place were the souls of the good go. A place of paradise. You are given whatever you want. At least that's the way I preserve it. This place is called Heaven."

Daphne then nodded and asked, "Do you really believe in all that?"

Harry shrugged, "Not sure."

They left the topic as that. Giving them all something to think about. It was whether they believe their soul would go to Heaven or Hell, but if this was really Hell on Earth. The concept was a little hard to handle.

Hermione then perked up and looked over at Harry, "What about necromancers?"

"They haven't been around for centuries though. How could one just pop up out of nowhere?" Tonks injected.

Harry nodded, "Tonks is right, but then again, you really never know. It was a rare thing, but not impossible."

Hermione remained thinking on the subject as they ate. She was shaken from her thoughts as a loud roar sounded out through the hall. It was so loud. Something that they had never heard of in their life. The earth shook underneath them. Screaming could be heard throughout the hall as the castle shook.

All four of them stood up immediately. Their hearts beating insanely fast as they felt the ground underneath them rumble.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore shouted, his wand send out a loud cracking noise. "I need everyone to get to stay here! Any reliable wands should come with me."

Only five people came up to Dumbledore, wands out and ready to fight. Harry shook his head. They didn't understand the nature of these beings. Harry got up and went inside the tent. He strapped up his boots and placed his bullet proof vest over his chest. It was for extra safety measure. He place his extra rounds in his gun pockets. Harry went over to his military jacket and took a grenade. Whatever was outside wasn't going to come down with a few spells and bullets.

Hermione ran into the tent as Harry picked up the grenade. "Where do you think you're going?"

Harry just looked at her and simply said, "Out."

Hermione looked at him furiously and walked over to him, "You will not! I'm not going to have you go out there and kill yourself!"

"I'm not going to kill myself. I have more experience with combat then this whole castle put together. Whatever that is, isn't coming in here. I have to protect you." Harry said, looking into her eyes.

She just stood there. He was right, not that it mattered since nothing was going to stop him. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him passionately, making sure he knew he had to make it back alive. Harry deepened the kiss, placing his hands around her waist. The fear and love could be felt between their lips.

Harry released the kiss and looked her. No words had to be said between them. They both knew what the other wanted to say. With one last kiss, he walked out the tent and to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked at him with surprise, but masked it over his twinkling eyes. He called them all over as he told them his plan of action.

"We have no idea what that creature is. Stun it, if possible. We don't want to use lethal spells just in case."

Harry shook his head. The fool was leading them into a death trap. There was no way that whatever was outside was going to go down with stunners. He would at least make sure the damn thing came down. Harry placed a new magazine in his gun and walked outside with them.

This creature was huge. It was over eight feet tall and dawned in a straight jacket. The creatures face was melting away as it let out roars of fury. It pierced through all of their ears. It stomped all over the ground before in charged towards the Hogwarts gates. His muscles pulsating underneath his coat as he took a breath. Harry noticed at least the straight jacket kept the creatures arms at bay. [1]

"We are so fucked." Harry heard the man next to him mutter. He almost agreed with him.

AN: I would like to say again, this chapter is dedicated to Tyler Morse. I would also like to dedicate this to Alexandra Paul.

I'm completely sorry for making any of you wait, but so much has happened to this week. Other then sad things happening, I finally played through Dead Island. I would like to say that game is amazing except for the ending. I was completely disappointed with it. Oh well, still a great game I recommend to anyone who loves zombies.

[1]: If you're looking to see what this resembles and what I got the idea from, look up The Ram from Dead Island. One of thee scariest creatures in the game.

Till next time, PopePatine.