Mostly Dead, Partially Alive

The eyes of the corpse had flown open suddenly. The eyes were a milky white, as if they weren't truly seeing.

A strange grunt- no it was more like a groan escaped the animated corpse's lips as it began to sit up. When the corpse sat and attempted and failed to stand he could clearly see it's features, the once bright red hair had dulled in color due the death, the skin was pale- so much so that if it was any paler it'd be translucent, the freckles present on the corpse seemed like many pinpricks in its face. Scars and burns marred parts of its body, but even so, the corpse was recognizable to him.

"Fred?"

The name slipping from his own lips caused him to freeze in sheer awe. Here in front of him was his twin brother, Fred Weasley, alive.

George stared at his brother, with a stupid grin on his face, as he twirled his wand in his fingers trying to remember how to speak or move so he could greet the brother he had missed. Fred pulled himself to his feet and he shuffled forward the strange and loud moan left leaving his lips once more.

George wet his lips and opened his mouth, to force himself to say something when a knock sounded on his office door. "Mr. Weasley?" Verity's voice called from the other side. "Everything alright?"

"Better than alright!" George found himself yelling back. "But if I'm still drunk I don't want to be sober again!"

George kept his eyes on Fred, who stumbled and as he tried to stand and George jumped forward to help him stand, but Fred had moved back away from him. George held up his hands to show he meant no harm, "Oi, take it easy."

George heard the office door open, and he heard the scream which escaped Verity's lips. He looked up at her still smiling to see her eyes were wide, and her hands hand flown to her mouth as she took small steps backward.

"It's a miracle," George told her still smiling. Verity lowered her hands slightly and her mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she took another step back, though when she did she must've slipped on one of the many things George had left out because she was sent crashing to the floor. George moved to help her, but Fred was faster- something which would later would be George's downfall- he got to her first and Verity's scream ripped through the air.

Fred was on top of her.

His teeth sinking into her skin, and his fingers clawing into her body. She screamed again, her hands trying to push him off but he grabbed her arm, ripped it, and took a bite, her blood and flesh flying. Her eyes landed on George, "Help me!" She screeched as she kicked at Fred trying to fight him off. "Help!" She shouted again, "My wand!"

George suddenly jolted and moved closer unsure of what he should be doing exactly. He put his wand in his mouth and grabbed Verity underneath the arms and pulled her away from Fred as she kicked him in the face sending him falling over. He pulled Verity away and sprinted out of the office and out into the main part of the shop, which was dark, Verity must've been closing up before coming to talk to him.

Verity shouted in pain and George lowered her down to the floor carefully.

"What did you do?" She asked him through gritted teeth.

"I don't know," George responded honestly once he had pocketed his wand. "I don't think you should move. I'll go get-" he cut himself off when she grabbed his leg with a bloody hand.

"Don't leave me," She told him with tearful eyes. "Not with him- not with it."

George stared at her unsure how to respond as he felt a sting in his eyes. The sound of shuffling followed by a moan cut through the air sending a shiver down George's spine. He picked up Verity and moved her behind a shelf as a figure appeared in the doorway. George drew his wand and held his breath, and he stared down at Verity. She had one hand pushing down against one of her many wounds, and it was then he realized she only one hand. George fought the bile which was working his way up his throat as he forced himself to focus on her face instead. Her face was covered in blood and George didn't doubt he was as well. Her eyes were shut tightly due to her pain and her breath came out jagged and small.

As the sound of shuffling grew nearer George held his breath and hoped that the thundering sound of his beating heart was only audible to him. His hands shook and around his wand he could feel his palm sweat. What did I do? He asked himself. These days things were a blur, but tonight a few things were clear.

It wasn't Fred, not anymore. He no longer existed, instead of his twin brother, it was now something which in theory shouldn't even have existed, something which he shouldn't have created.

To be honest George wasn't even quite sure how he had done it. For days, he had been in a haze of butterbeer, firewhiskey, misery, and guilt. He hadn't written it down, he hadn't meant to do it. He had simply thrown things together in desperation under the guise that he had been working on something new for the shop. One way or another it had happened. He had thrown the strange potion on top of the body, and shouted the charm so many times that even now, the word still rang out in his mind as if mocking his blunder,

Rennervate. Rennervate. Rennervate.

To his surprise, and delight it had worked. The body rose and he couldn't stop the drunken smile which split his face. In the moment, it had seemed like a drunken delusion, or perhaps even a miracle, but now he knew it was far from it.

The shuffling drew nearer and George held his wand tightly as he tried to think of a plan, but nothing came to mind, he was blinded by fear- a strange fear that he hadn't even felt during the battles. Perhaps because then he was fighting for this eye cared about and what he believed in, but here and now he was only running from his mistakes.

The shuffling came closer and in the dim light coming for the office George could make out the outline of an arm. When the arm turned toward him he swallows once and shouted, "Stupefy!"

Fred went back slightly, freezing, and falling. George breathed a short breath of a relief and failed at trying not to stare at what had once been his best friend.

The sound of the door opened caused George to jump.

"Georgie?" A voice called. "We just came to see-"

"Mum!" George shouted running around the corner toward the front door. There she stood along with his Ron, Harry, and Hermione. George didn't hesitate to grab his mother in a quick hug before releasing her as wands were lit.

"George!" She gasped, "Y-you're covered in blood!"

"It's not mine," he told her quickly. "We need to get Verity to St. Mungo's now, and we need every Auror do deal with him."

"Who?" Harry questioned.

George's mouth went dry, he opened and closed it far from sure of how to explain the situation. "We need get out here," he said finally. "I'll grab Ver-" A loud moan cut through the air and George could feel the tears leave his eyes. "I need you to help me grab her," he choked out. "He shouldn't be able to move this fast. He shouldn't be able to move this fast!"

"Calm down mate!" Ron demanded giving George a light smack on the arm. "What's going on?"

Shuffling met his ears and George backed toward the door his wand pointed forward. None of the others seemed to understand, but they followed suit as a figure moved in the darkness out from behind the shelves into the light.

The figure had blonde hair which had stains of red and pink. Pale, nearly gray skin, bloody and maroon robes, and one arm.

"Verity?" George asked quietly as tears left his eyes. "Verity!"

"What the hell happened to her?" Ron shouted. "She looks- she looks-"

"Almost like an inferni," Harry whispered quietly.

"No, zombie," Hermonie corrected. "They are native to the Americas, but they are big in muggle movies... They're a corpse but aren't controlled by a wizard," she continued taking a step back toward the door. "They aren't controlled at all- and they- they kill and eat human flesh..."

George's mind flashed back to when Fred had first attacked Verity, he couldn't let that happen to anyone else. "Run!" He shouted as he turned and dashed out the door others following. He slammed the door behind them and pointed his wand at it, "Colloportus!" He door sealed and Verity stopped but her dead eyes watched them through the glass.

They stood there for a moment and George forced himself not to breakdown when he heard another moan even though Verity's lips had not moved. Moments later Fred joined her in the shop window staring at them. Both blooded figures- creatures bumped and banged against the glass their mouths moving and clamping shut as if mimicking the bites, they would take out of their skin.

"George," his mother started, but George ignored her.

"Hermione, how do you kill one?" He demanded. When she said nothing, he looked at her to see her eyes glued upon to the two zombies in the window. "How do you kill one!" He shouted at her.

The girl jumped and her eyes went to George, but they kept flickering back to the two, "In-in movies they always smash in their heads, blow them off with guns, or cut the heads off. And I don't think the Killing Curse would work, they're- they're already dead."

"Lovely," Ron muttered.

"George," his mother said firmly drawing his attention. "What happened?"

George wiped at his eyes suddenly aware to the fact he was still crying, "I dunno Mum. I dunno. I was drunk! I dunno!"

She pulled him in a tight hug, but George didn't move, he still stared at the two zombies in the window.

"Zombies can also turn others into zombies," Hermione informed them quietly. "If the person is not completely eaten that is."

George pulled himself away from his mother and looked her in the eye, "Go to the ministry."

"George Weasley, I am not-"

"I don't want you to see him like this Mum."

His mother's widened as she stared at him, before she nodded and apparated away with a loud crack.

"You too Ron," George told him turning around.

Ron shook his head, "I'm not leaving. Hermione do you think the Wildfire Whiz Bangs, could do the trick?"

"It might," she responded and it was clear she was deep in thought.

"Mrs. Weasley, they might not believe her down at the Ministry," Harry started slowly. "This is- its-"

"I know," George swallowed hoping his fear and shaking hands would go down with it. "But if we are going to have to kill him, I-I don't want her to see that either. The Whiz Bangs are in the store room. We'll need to stun them and hurry by."

"Ready?" Hermione asked her wand pointed to the door.

"Not at all."

She nodded and took a breath "Alohomora."

George could feel as his heart rate began to speed up again, and in the back of his mind he wondered how at this point he was even conscious. When the door opened the zombies were behind it and George barely registered as his own voice along with the others cast the stunning spell and ran by, he was too busy fighting the urge not to run screaming in the other direction as adrenaline went to his legs instead of his arms.

In front of him the other three dashed into the store room and George stood in the doorway, his eyes glued on the dark back the way he had come. He listened carefully for the moaning and the shuffling, some indication that the creatures were coming.

But even after what felt like an eternity, he heard the shuffling, but it seemed to get farther away and then he heard nothing.

Silence.

Unnerving silence.

When it dawned on George he doubled over and the contents of his stomach finally spilled out his mouth. His throat burned, and he lost his balance falling to his knees. The words said to him didn't quite reach his ears as he was still shaken, by what had happened.

"They went outside," he said quietly when his system had stopped moving reverse. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and swallowed, noticing the taste of blood on his tongue. "They went outside," he repeated. "We've got to go after them."

"You shouldn't be-"

George didn't know which of them had said it, and quite frankly he didn't care. He spotted his wand lying in the mess of green and yellow he had made on the floor and picked it up. He wiped it off on his blood-stained robe, and forced himself to stand. "This is my mess." He told them taking a step forward and immediately swaying. Hands steadied him, and George took a deep breath then ran out the store.

Screams came from his left he dashed that direction just as moan mixed in with them. As he ran toward the danger he saw a bleeding witch pass him scars on her face. He ran the way she had come from the alley behind a shop. When he turned down it he could see as Fred and Verity dug into a screaming wizard. His blood splattered against both but neither seemed to mind as they sunk their teeth into the man's skull.

The familiar sound of one his fireworks being lit drew George's attention and he quickly pointed his wand at it as it moved toward the zombies and shouted, "Stupefy!" The spell connected with the firework and it split and it more fireworks shot off and connected with the zombies which shouted and screamed in non-human way.

"But that man!" He heard Harry shout moving forward.

"It's too late," George stopped him by holding out an arm, but his eyes not leaving the scene in front of him. "If lives he'll become one of them."

None of them spoke, their eyes watching as the zombies' clothes began to burn and them with it.

"They burn," Ron observed.

"Incendio!" Hermione shouted as a burst of flames erupted from her wand engulfing the creatures. The flames didn't stop until the shrieks did.

When they had put them out George slowly moved forward and tears spilled from his eyes as he stared down at the body of his twin. "I'm sorry," he sobbed reaching out to touch Fred, but then stopping. "I'm sorry."

A hand touched his shoulder and gave a light squeeze, "It's over."

He nodded once and stood as more scream pierced the air.

"The woman who ran by us!" Harry shouted taking off down the alley and he others quickly followed behind him. When they came out the followed the sound of screams all the way to the Leaky Cauldron, the only place really open this late at night.

When they opened the door in went inside, George knew it was over. While the woman who has run past them laid on the floor unmoving, around the pub others still screamed and attacked one another as jets of light collided with each other in the air.

"What have I done?" George asked aloud.

"We need to get to the Ministry," Harry told him pulling him out of the doorway, and out of sight of the zombies. "This is out of hand. But we- we can't just leave them, can we?"

"We have to," Ron disagreed.

Harry opened his mouth to reply, and the two began to argue with one another, Hermione chimed in, but George wasn't listening. He instead stared at the building, wondering how many people could still be alive inside, and how many would die if he set the place ablaze.

"They're going to die regardless," he said quietly more himself than anything. He stepped out into the doorway and raised his wand.

"George," Ron started.

"I have to end this," George told them. "Get back." He didn't wait for a reply as he took a deep breath and pointed his wand inside at the chaos, "Incendio."

Flames burst from his wand inside the pub.

"George!"

"Stop!"

He ignored the shouts of protest and he forced himself to watch what he was doing. To watch the people who he had damned die.

"Expelliarmus!"

George's wand flew from his grip to a spot he didn't know and the flames stopped. George looked to the three as a sob wracked his body, "I had to." They didn't say a word and George looked back inside at the burning building and listening to the heart wrenching screams from inside. "I had to," he repeated. "I had to." He stepped back and moved out of the doorway and grabbed his younger brother by the shoulders, "I had to. I-I-" he broke off unsure of what else to say. He realized he had been digging his fingers into Ron's shoulders and he released him. He turned around moving past the doorway and began searching the ground in the dark for his wand, after a moment's pause he heard the three join him, most likely trying to get wand before he did.

"I've got it," Harry said and George stood up and looked at him. Harry held the wand in his hand tightly and his eyes flickered to George as if he was debating handing it back to him.

George looked away from him and back to the building, "None of you put it out," he observed. When none of the replied, a small smile appeared on his face, their actions had been enough to validate his decision, even though he'd probably be spending the rest of his life in Azkaban.

He heard the sound of wizards apparating toward them and he heard his mother's voice shouting, but George couldn't tear his eyes away from the building. Perhaps because he was the only one who couldn't look away, he was the only one who saw the zombie lunge out toward Ron. George moved before he could think. He shoved Ron out the way and felt as teeth sunk in his neck.

The pain was worse than anything he had ever felt. He felt like he was on fire, and he felt as hands dug into his body making deep wounds he would never heal from. Screaming stabbed his ears and wasn't sure if it was his or his family's.

Suddenly he felt himself yanked back and his eyes landed on his mother standing above him.

"Run," he breathed out.

"I'm not going anywhere," she told him kneeling at his side.

"I'll ki- run Mum."

Tears fell from her eyes, "Never."

George gasped for air and failed to get any. Breathing seemed impossible. He tried to get more, but nothing worked. A sound he couldn't quite describe couldn't escape his lips, again, and again. "Run," he told her in between gasps, and he was vaguely aware of the Aurors who held wands pointed at him. "Run," he sobbed. "Please Mum, run."

Her lips moved and her tears dropped on his face, but he couldn't hear her. Blackness danced at the edge of his vision and in it he could see the dead faces of Verity and Fred, of the creatures they had turned into because of him. As the darkness in his eyes grew both seemed to smile, as if they had been waiting for him to join them.