Prompt: Blasphemy

Chapter 6: Corrupted

Explosion rocked the castle grounds. The shields weren't going to hold much longer. Once they were down, Harry understood there would be severe casualties on both sides. Everyone was fighting for their lives. Harry was fighting for someone else's.

Voldemort had finally given his ultimatum. He was in the forbidden forest. Expecting Harry to just turn himself over to be murdered. If that happened Hermione would be killed next. The minute his voice rang out for everyone to hear, Harry understood he was being asked to surrender it all. His life, Hermione's life. The life they wanted to have together. It wasn't something he was willing to sacrifice. He also wasn't willing to put anyone else's life in danger. Even as he made his way toward the forest alone, that's what he told himself. He left everyone behind to save them from the ambush that no doubt waited for them all. He slipped away under the cloak so no one would try to follow. It wasn't entirely why he wanted to do his next plan alone. No one would understand what he'd done.

The familiar tree line was in front of him. Removing his cloak, he looked behind him toward the castle. They'd hold their own without him. With a small breath, he entered the forest. He had the path to his destination memorized, visiting there multiple times over the previous month. He didn't know his painstaking work would be required so soon. The walk through the empty forest was surreal. All the creatures had been recruited to fight for a side. At the thought, Harry stopped. Hagrid. None of the creatures the half giant cared for would have joined the Death Eaters if Hagrid had been around. Where was he, Harry wondered with concern. Weeks before, apparating to the forest had been easy enough for Harry, knowing it nearly as well as he knew the castle. Racking his brain, he tried to remember if he saw any magical creatures that month. The cave was in front of him. He'd have to worry about his friend after...

"Hey," a hushed voice called out behind Harry.

Whipping around quickly, Harry leveled his wand, ready for an attacked. Just as quickly, he lowered his wand, "Ron. Have you been behind me this whole time? How'd you know where I went?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "We've been using that cloak since our first year. I know the signs," he said, motioning to the wet grass. "And you walked through Fred's smoke bomb when you left the castle. I didn't want to let you know I was with you. You seemed determine to do this alone."

Harry looked down at the ground, he thought it was too dark to see his footsteps. It probably was for everyone except those who would know to look. Ron was right, they spent too much time making sure they mastered the use of the cloak to not know how to follow him.

The cave was behind him and Harry had to decide if he trusted Ron with his secret.

"Why are you going the wrong way? What's in there?" Ron asked in response to Harry stepping in between him and the cave opening.

Realizing it would be a futile effort to try to convince Ron to turn around, Harry lit his wand tip and turned toward the entrance. "A weapon I can use against You-Know-Who," Harry explained, remembering the lie Hermione told to Umbridge. This time, it wasn't a giant. As he crossed over the enchantments he put into place, torches lining the walls lit up. Shadows moved in the back, as if to get away from the flames.

Ron stepped further inside, his wand up. "What is it?"

"What are they," Harry corrected, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder to keep him from bumping into the shield charm he couldn't see.

Without warning an blur of movement rushed them. A figure hit the shield, bounced back and then tried again.

"Harry," Ron breathed out, terrified at the blasphemy of the sight in front of him. "What did you do?"

Shaking his head vehemently, Harry felt anger that Ron would think he would make an inferius, let alone a full cave full. "I didn't make them. They're from the other cave. The one with the horcrux. Or where the horcrux was. I moved them here. A few at a time. All month. Forty-six in all."

"You what?" his friend asked, stepped further away from him.

"They obey me. Somehow. Maybe they remember me. I went back the cave and they were all standing on the island in the middle. Waiting. I asked one to come to me and it did. It let me apparated it away. I didn't know where else to take it and knew the fighting would end up here, at the school, eventually," he explained quickly. Willing Ron to understand.

Ron glanced from the group of inferi that were starting to line up around the shield. They were pressing on the invisible barrier, mindlessly pushing against it. Sparks would fly if they lashed out too hard. Ron winced, his lip curled up in disgust. "They're animated corpses. They're not pets meant to be trained."

"I didn't train them," Harry snapped back. He didn't want Ron thinking he had spent time with the beings. "I brought them here. In case we needed them."

"No one needs inferi. This is wrong. You should have left them alone."

The attitude was grating on Harry. His head hurt. He hadn't asked Ron to follow him, hadn't asked for his opinion. "Well, if they'll help me get Hermione back, I need them. Better leave now, before I turn them loose."

"Turn them loose. You've gone mental. They'll attack anyone who gets in their way. People will think you made them."

Harry rounded on him. "That's what you're worried about then. That people will think I used the dark arts. Or that you knew I did and helped?"

"That's not it. Harry. Leave them there. I'll go with you. We'll go get Fred and George. Remus and Tonks. McGonagall. No one would ask you to face him alone. Just don't do it this way."

Turning back to the dead army, he shook his head. "I'm doing it my way. With them. Go protect the castle. The enchantments are going to break any time now." Wand up, he lowered the shield keeping the beings locked away. "Stop," he said as they lurched forward at the freedom.

They all stopped moving. Waiting.

"This is wrong, Harry. But I'm not letting you go in there alone. I want her back just as much as you do."

Harry understood the sentiment but knew it wasn't possible. It wasn't possible for anyone to want someone back as much as Harry needed Hermione. She kept the darkness inside him at bay. That was the answer he had come to. There was evil inside him. He knew that now. The inferi knew it too. "Come on then," Harry said, motioned for Ron to go ahead of him. It would be better if Ron didn't see the products of the Dark Arts respond to his voice like he was their master.