Harry awoke late one night to the sound of Dumbledore's voice booming into the common room. It had been just under a week since he had arrived at Hogwarts, and from what Dumbledore was saying the inferi had finally broken the wards and reached Hogsmeade.
A large amount of the older wizards that had taken residence in the Gryffindor common room rushed out of the portrait hole to assemble in the entrance hall. The younger students were told to stay calm, but to stay armed at all times.
"What are we going to do if they get in?" Sobbed Neville, clinging on tightly to his pet toad Trevor in an attempt to stay calm. "I cant- I can't defend myself…"
"Neville, don't you remember last year? At the ministry? You managed alright with the death eaters, you'll be fine now." Said a visibly nervous Hermione trying to reassure her friend. "At least we know who's behind it now. Dumbledore will sort everything in no time, I promise."
The day after Harry had arrived, Severus Snape had appeared looking very nervous. He had explained how Voldemort was behind the inferi's appearance, and that he was planning on attacking the castle as soon as his numbers were large enough.
As the rest of the school buzzed with fear and excitement, the wizard army set out to defend the school from the threat that was just mere miles away.
When Dumbledore and the rest of the adults, both wizarding and muggle alike reached Hogsmeade it was clear that the problem was much bigger than expected. On the floor were several heavily bleeding bodies littered about the street. Bodies that were unmoving until Madam Pomfrey rushed out to aid them.
As soon as they caught sight of the kindly faced woman, they reached out from the floor, nails tearing into her flesh, and teeth sinking down hard into her. A flood of multicoloured lights filled the street. Every witch and wizard there had aimed curses at the bodies, while the muggles stood at the back, hoping for the best.
The curses had caused the inferi to rebound away from the woman, but almost instantly they were standing back up. "Remember what we've learned, a good decapitation works best." Shouted Dumbledore to the concerned crowd.
Madam Pomfrey was now huddled with her back against the wall of the Three Broomsticks, but there was nothing that could be done for her now. She had been bitten, and therefore infected. While she knew that there was no saving anyone who had been attacked by these monsters, she had still rushed out to help what she thought were still humans, out of what she felt was moral obligation. Now she was going to become one, she expected no help. With one last battle cry she picked up a lid from a upturned bin and ran straight into the crowd of inferi. The last thing she saw before she felt the life drain out of her was the pale, twisted face of Madam Rosemerta.
It was three in the morning when the worn face of Remus Lupin clambered into the Gryffindor common room, soaked in blood that was not his own. "Everyone, you need to get ready. They're coming!"