The Cave - 9

Several of the bolder Inferi pivoted and moved back towards them. Harry began to inch closer to Ginny but slipped as an icy hand grabbed his ankle and began tugging him toward the edge of the rock. He landed hard on his side, dropping the Horcrux in the process. It skidded away from him, landing near the bottom of the chalice. He jerked his foot away and scrambled back from the edge.

"Harry!" Ginny called, grabbing his shoulder. "Incendio," she cried as another Inferius tried to grab him.

He could hear shouts and cries coming from the shore and knew the Inferi must have emerged from the water on that side of the lake, too. Judging from the sound of the screaming, the Inferi were indiscriminate in choosing their victims.

Harry stretched his arm and grabbed the locket just as a bony white hand reached out and grasped it, too. He felt a burst of icy cold energy emanate from the locket, traveling up his arm and momentarily freezing it. He dropped the locket in surprise, watching as the Inferius did the same.

The Inferius' arm hung uselessly by his side, dangling as if it was no longer part of his body. Without another glance towards Harry, he turned and crawled back into the water like a wounded animal.

"Harry, get up," Ginny screeched, her eyes wild. He turned to see her brandishing her wand like some sort of Muggle machine gun. Bursts of flame shot out of it, as she aimed at anything near her that so much as moved. If the situation hadn't been so dire, he would have laughed at her Rambo imitation, knowing she'd have no clue who Rambo was.

"Ginny, start moving back toward the boat," Harry shouted, creating a wall of flame on the other side of the chalice. It at least cut the number of Inferi that could reach them in half.

"What about the locket?" Ginny asked.

"Trust me. We've got to get in the boat," Harry said, urging her back as he kicked away another hand.

"But the boat's made of wood. We won't be able to use fire to keep them away from us," Ginny said, glancing at him as if he'd gone mad.

Harry, who was desperately struggling to keep his limbs out of reach of the grasping Inferi, gritted his teeth. "Can we argue about this later, Ginny? Just get in the boat."

"Fine," Ginny snapped, sounding extremely put out. "Reducto," she said, sending a particularly bold Inferius flying through the air and back into the water with a splash.

Once she'd reached the boat, Harry snuffed the flame wall and bolted back towards her. He leaped over several of the Inferi and scrambled inside next to her.

"What now?" Ginny asked, crouching low as a long white arm reached for her. "Petrificus Totalis."

Once inside the boat, not only couldn't they conjure fire, but they also couldn't use any slicing or bludgeoning spells for fear of destroying the craft. The boat began to shift and rock as the Inferi returned to the water.

Harry could hear hands scraping along the bottom of the boat, and it began to tilt as several of the creatures tried to hoist themselves up on the side.

"Harry!" Ginny shouted, panicked. She grasped the side to try and steady it.

Harry removed the locket from his pocket, grasping the chain and holding it open like a noose. He'd only have one chance, and if he missed the locket would drop to the bottom of the lake. He didn't think he'd ever be able to find it before being drowned by all the Inferi.