Chapter 4: In the Morning Light
Hermione looked at Harry frantically. "Harry coming back to the hotel was not a good idea."
Harry grit his teeth as he summoned his elemental abilities once more the energy sparking and crackling. "Now is not the time to point fingers Mione!"
Hermione swung her arm in a wide arc her wand tip blazing a jet of fire scorching down the corridor they had just came from. Back in the corridor several shambling forms of what were once citizens of the wizarding town exploded in flame. The groaned hungrily arms still hanging limply at their sides ignoring the fact they were burning. "Harry!"
Harry stood back to back with her, electricity crackling across his hands as he sent waves of arc lighting down the corridor towards the hoard of shambling infected hotel staff. The energy blasted them off their feet and leaving them lying on the ground twitching as what remained of their nervous system overloaded. Almost as one they spun swapping places as once more a jet of flame roared down the corridor engulfing the already incapacitated infected while Harry released another arc of lighting bowling the already flaming corpses off their feet. "We can't stay here Mione."
She nodded her wand still drawn eyeing the corridors and the burning corpses warily just in case they decided to get back up again. She swung her gaze searching for a way out of this corridor. Finally she found their way out, a small sign on a door a few feet past the burning corpses that said in bold black letters "Roof Access". "Harry!" She bolted by him her shoulder slamming into the door forcing it open as Harry let fly with another blast of elemental lightning.
Harry slowly backed down the corridor towards the now open door not willing to turn his back for a second just in case.
"Harry move!"
He spun on his heel and darted through the open doorway past Hermione onto the stairs as she slammed the door shut. Harry laid his hand against the metal doorway and closed his eyes concentrating as a sheet of ice started to slowly spread from his fingertips till it covered the door and sections of the wall. "That should keep them out of the stairwell."
Hermione sat down and scrubbed her face tiredly as she sat down on the stairs and looked at Harry. "What the hell is going on in this town Harry, everyone here is dead. AND THEY ARE TRYING TO EAT US!"
Harry leaned against the wall and shook his head. "I have no idea, though somehow I think what ever has caused this is the reason Neville was found floating face down in the river. We have to get up to that into the forest. Where ever Neville was working is up there and if we are going to find the cause and a possible cure…it's there."
"Harry…" Hermione began before a low dangerous growl filled the stairwell. She pulled herself to her feet and leaned over the banister and looked down into the darkness. She drew her wand from her sheath and pointed it into the darkness. "Lumos." She stared in horror at what she saw. It was crouched on a small pair of stubby muscular legs most of it's weight resting on the knuckles of its hands attached to Gorilla like arms, it's skin cracked and bleeding and it's neck shoulders and half it's face covered in a mass of seeping boils. It looked up at the light and shrieked and started to lope up the stairs. She looked at Harry her face pale. "RUN!" She started to bolt up the stairs two at a time.
Harry watched as Hermione started running. Below him he could hear the sounds of whatever had frightened her coming closer. Frankly he was getting pissed off and tired of running so he stood his ground, electricity crackling around his hands. Suddenly it rounded the corner and Harry blanched as it skidded to a stop momentarily and bared its mouth, its broken and jagged fangs dripping with saliva and it screamed at Harry.
It Leaped massive foot long claws sliding from the sheathes in it's finger tips as it took a swipe at Harry. He fell backwards as the beast soared over head it's claws narrowly missing his head as he fired the electrical blast point blank into the creatures exposed abdomen. He rolled to his feet with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Hermione you can come back it's dea…" The smirk faded as he watched as it slowly pushed itself to its feet and shook it's head trying to shake off the effects of the blast. "You have got to be fucking kidding me." Without even thinking Harry stepped up behind the still dazed monstrosity and swung his foot with all his strength. The steel capped leather combat boot connected with something soft and the creature squealed before collapsing once more.
Not wasting another second Harry spun on his heel and started running. Two at a time he took the steps while below him he could hear the creature gaining on him. Soon the door was in sight but the sounds behind him had stopped. "Oh shit." Harry flung himself at the door rotating his body as he did so, so his back struck the security bar shoving the door open as he watched the creature sail through the air towards him. Using skills he developed in his tenure as Gryffindor seeker He caught the Creatures arms at the wrists and placed his feet against it's stomach straining to keep it's jaws and clawed limbs away from him. He grunted from exertion and almost vomited at the creatures rancid breath filled his nostrils. "Hermione help please!"
"Harry when I say three Heave that thing over your head and let go…one…two…THREE!" Harry grunted as he kicked up hard with his feet and vaulted the creature into the air with all his strength. It yelped as it flailed through the air and hit the roof surface several metres away with a thud. "Reducto!" Harry rolled onto his stomach and watched as the blue white blast of magic rocketed across the rooftop and struck the creature as it rose once more to it's feet. It didn't even get a chance to shriek in pain as the top half of its body exploded in a font of bloody gore.
Harry slowly sat up rubbing arms tired and sore from the strain of keeping that thing from ripping him apart. He watched as the sun slowly climbed over the horizon before he turned to look at Hermione who had sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "When we get back to London remind me to kill Moody for sending us here ok."
TBC…
AN: Yes its me. I am alive and as you can see once more writing, though I have to inform you that for the time being updates in all my fics will be few and far between as I am currently working on two projects.
Project 1 is trying to convince Marvel Comics to buy some of my stories to turn into comic book format.
Project 2 is designing and writing a fully in playable Resident Evil tabletop role playing game
Once those are out of the way regular updates of your favourite fics will resume
Yours faithfully
The Evil Kai Lun Mau