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"Speech"

'Thought'

Battle of The Atrium

Samson Whitley member of the Magical Law Enforcement squad was sitting peacefully reading the Prophet. Today was his shift on the security desk at the entrance to the Ministry of Magic it had been a day like any other with many passers by. Samson was suddenly brought out of his silent reading by a sudden sound. As he lowered his paper a dozen cracking noises could be heard and before him stood a dozen people dressed in black wearing masks.

As Samson moved to trigger the alarm the security desk exploded.

The Death Eaters have arrived at the Ministry.

If anyone else was standing in the atrium at that moment they would have witnessed the arrival of the rest of the Death Eaters. As the group of 30 Death Eaters moved towards the end of the atrium they did not expect to find any resistance this night.

As the group of Death Eaters made their way across the atrium they came to a sudden stop as the air in front of them began to shimmer and swirl.

In a flash standing before the approaching Death Eaters was a group of men and women all with wands in their hands ready for the approaching fight.

The Order of the Phoenix had arrived.

And if they had anything to say about it this would not be the day the ministry falls.

Four of the Death Eaters leading the charge all wore detailed elaborate masks indicating them as members of the Dark Lord's inner circle his strongest followers. The four inner circle members looked at the group that just arrived and none of them could stop themselves from feeling at least a bit nervous as they recognised their opponents.

No one other than the Dark Lord would blame them upon seeing the faces of these wizards and witches. All those in the service of the Dark Lord could identify the fearsome group which contained Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, James and Lily Potter, Filius Flitwick, Michael Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived, Lord Greengrass defeater of Ivan Dolohov the Dark Lord's right hand and a couple more members of the Order.

For a moment everyone just stood there facing each other wands at the ready no one daring to move.

One of the inner circle members removed his mask to reveal Antonin Dolohov the son of Ivan he took one look at the opposition and snarled. He rolled up his left sleeve and pressed his wand to his arm in the centre of his Dark Mark, and then he pointed his wand at his father's killer and yelled one simple order.

"Kill them!"

Suddenly the atrium exploded into action as spell fire lit up the area.

The fight has been under way for a few minutes and the Order has made short work of nearly half the Death Eaters. In one area of the atrium a group of five Death Eaters moved to attack a pair of Order members.

As James Potter notices the approaching group he quickly begins to conjure a brick wall to help provide cover.

"Lils incoming!"

Just as the brick wall is completed it is pounded by a round of spells from the Death Eaters. James's wand is a flurry of motions as he tries to reinforce the wall whilst transfiguring the debris to repair it, Lily with great speed and even greater accuracy unleashes a chain of spells immobilizing one Death Eater and animating another's robes to bind him before she stuns him.

The three remaining Death Eaters decide to switch to more normal methods for them and start firing Killing Curses at the wall taking chunks out of it.

Knowing the wall won't last long James casts one more spell to strengthen the conjured bricks before he blasts the wall and banishes it towards the Death Eaters.

The robed wizards are caught off guard by the sudden change of tactics and one of them is buried under a pile of bricks. The remaining two are engaged one on one with the Potters.

Using their enemies surprise both James and Lily finish their foes in a matter of seconds. As Lily turns to move towards another pair of Death Eaters James notices the one under a few bricks raise his wand at Lily's back.

"Lily!"

Lily turns in time so that an orange spell just misses her. James replies by stunning the buried opponent then runs up to Lily.

"Lils you ok? that was close"

"I'm fine Thanks"

They both move off together to find their next opponent.

As the battle rages on around him Antonin is furious he wants revenge against Greengrass but has found himself locked in combat with Flitwick.

Antonin is regarded as the most skilled of the newest generation of Death Eaters he has mastered many spells of both Old Norse and darker origins and is considered to be one of the best duellers of all the Dark Lord's followers since the fall of his father and Bellatrix. But he can't seem to gain any advantage against his short foe.

As he tries to throw another pair of curses at Flitwick the old Duellist spins out of the way again. For the last two minutes he has thrown countless curse and hexes at the teacher and none have reached their target. With a grace and speed thought impossible of someone of his size and age Flitwick has evaded every spell cast at him whereas Antonin has barely managed to dodge or shield any of the Duelling legends return fire.

As Antonin fires another combination of curses Flitwick gracefully dodges whilst summoning a piece of debris from behind Antonin to hit him in the back. As Antonin stumbles he is hit in the chest with a bludgeoner to the chest and is sent flying with at least one broken rib. Only one thought is running through his head.

'Father I failed'

As he hits the ground he can only smile as his left arm starts to burn.

'All is not lost the Dark Lord approaches'

All then fades to black as he is stunned.

As three Death Eaters try to surround him Moody can only smirk as he remembers a recent conversation with a few Order Members where they agreed on one key issue.

"No holding back, the only good Death Eater is one that either can't get up without seeing a healer or a dead one."

'Off course Dumbledore wouldn't approve but he's been too soft'

He fires off a cutter at one that is trying to flank him and is satisfied when the Death Eater loses his wand and the hand that was holding it.

As the other two move to attack he raises his staff and uses his only wandless skill to power the rune on the staff and a barrier of gold magic forms in front of him absorbing the incoming curses. Moody holds the shield for about 30 seconds whilst it is absorbing the near constant bombardment. Each impact on the shield producing a ringing sound and causing the shield colour to deepen.

'NOW'

Moody brings his staff down hard on the ground. The gold magic of then explodes outward and the wave of gold energy hurtles into the two Death Eaters. One of them hits the wall of the atrium with a mighty crack. The other who managed to raise a weak Protego shield flies through the air like a ragdoll and hits the ground hard.

Moody looks towards the Death Eater slumped up against the wall.

'He won't be getting up without a Healer'

He then looks towards the one trying to get up off the floor and without a thought completely on instinct sends a reductor at him. The Death Eater collapses with a hole in his chest.

As Moody looks for his next opponent a loud noise can be heard from the far side of the atrium. Death Eater reinforcements have arrived and they are being led by Voldemort himself.

Voldemort strolls down the atrium lost in a thought as his forces move to aid their fellow Death Eaters.

'With the Old fool incapacitated this should have been easy they are better prepared than I thought'

He is brought out of his musing when a figure steps out in front of him wand raised. He is none other than Michael Potter

"Ah the-boy-who-lived-to-entertain, at least your parents are here to see your end pity your brother isn't"

With an angry scowl Michael shouts "Reducto".

With a flick of his wand Voldemort redirects the blue spell which takes a chunk out of the wall. This begins the next minute where Michael fires off spell after spell one at a time whilst Voldemort stands there and deflects most and shields just one. With a smirk Voldemort replies with a mid-level cutter curse and a dark bludgeoner.

"Protego Duo"

Michael's counter to use a slightly stronger shield isn't enough as the cutter rips a long gash in the barrier of silver magic whist the bludgeoner shatters the barrier and ploughs into the young man's chest winding him and knocking him to the ground.

Voldemort can see James and Lily a little behind Michael engaging a couple of minor Death Eaters and he can only smirk. His smirk last barely a fraction of a second as he feels a wave of air rushing towards him which he sidesteps. Annoyed he looks for the interruption and sees not one but two new arrivals.

Before Voldemort now stands Lord Brodrick Greengrass famous both as a warrior during the war with Grindelwald and for defeating Ivan Dolohov one of his best followers of many years as well as being a formidable member of the Wizengamot. The other new arrival helping Michael stand is Daphne Greengrass Europe's youngest Potions Mistress and Brodrick's granddaughter.

"You should have stayed neutral, it saddens me to see the Ancient and Noble house of Greengrass become Blood Traitors"

"Why would I follow the Half-Blood who kills more ancient blood than anything else, I will have revenge for my son"

Brodrick brings his wand down like an axe and unleashed a thick orange spell which tear a large gash in Voldemort's mid-level shield. Before Voldemort can respond he dodges half a dozen large steel balls that are conjured and banished towards him by Daphne.

Both Brodrick and Daphne try to use this advantage to assault Voldemort with a multitude of offensive spells. This advantage only lasts a minute at most when an angry Voldemort dodges a nasty blood boiler he unleashes a chain of spells with a ferocious speed and deadly accuracy. The Greengrass duo are instantly forced on the defensive with Daphne transfiguring any debris she can find into physical barriers whilst Brodrick uses his strongest magical shields to hold back the onslaught. For 90 seconds they defend themselves from the immensely powerful assault.

Both panting from the effort the amount of magic used had taken its toll on the duo. Brodrick's shields took a lot of his strength after all the previous fighting, while Daphne was one of the most powerful of her generation in terms of raw magical strength her lack of skill in transfiguration meant she used a lot of her power. Both had been fighting since the start of the battle whereas Voldemort had arrived around five minutes ago. Had both them been fully rested with the magic at full strength they would not be able to match Voldemort but could have held out longer in hope of help arriving.

Michael spoke up from behind the duo.

"Together hit him with as much power as we can muster and maybe we can overwhelm him"

With little choice available they nodded in agreement. Brodrick once more rose his wand above his head held in both hands and brought it down like an axe unleashing the orange spell a Greengrass family spell known as 'the great axe'. Daphne let loose a purple spell designed to freeze the blood of its target pouring as much power as she could into it. Michael released one of the few family spells he knew with all he had he cast a powerful bludgeoner.

"Tonitrui Magni Malleo"

Realising the threat Voldemort cast his strongest shield as the orange spell slashed at his shield followed by the purple and white ones pounding it. The Violet barrier of magic was suffering multiple cracks but withheld the strong onslaught. With a snarl Voldemort released a wave of magic which knocked the exhausted trio to the ground where Brodrick fell unconscious.

As Voldemort approached the defeated trio Daphne used the last of her magical strength to send two spears made of ice at him. Voldemort sidestepped the spears though one grazed his arm.

"You're a very powerful young woman of pure-blood you could salvage your family name in the service of one of my faithful or at my side"

"I am happy with my family as it is" she spat back.

"Your suffering and that of your siblings will not be short" he growled.

As Voldemort stepped towards Michael to end his life he began to feel very uneasy, he looked at Michael who's eyes had suddenly widened whilst Daphne started smiling. Voldemort turned to where the rest of the battle was being fought to see his followers struggling against the Order who had received help. But worst of all was the wizard standing before him.

"Hello Tom"

Voldemort couldn't help but snarl as his anger reached new levels staring at the wizard before him. The wizard standing before him was a young man wearing a trench coat made of dragon hide holding a white wand and radiating both danger and an immense level of raw magical power enough to rival Voldemort at full strength. The wizard before him was a warrior an apex predator.

"Potter" spat Voldemort

Harry Potter stood before Lord Voldemort ready for battle.

Before either could think another thought Voldemort struck with the Killing Curse. Harry responded in a fraction of a moment spinning out of the path of the green curse whilst unleashing a chain of spells all meant for one purpose to maim and kill. For the next minute both Daphne and Michael could only watch in awe as the two mages battle with reflexes of lightning attacking, dodging then countering, they could feel the power of the two opponents as they fought.

Harry rolled to the side as Voldemort sent a strong dark curse towards him. Harry then tapped his wand to the ground this made a lump of the ground rise up and strike Voldemort in the back. As Voldemort stumbled Harry used the opportunity to tip the balance, he raised his wand over his head and started waving it in a circular movement all of the debris around the two wizards was transfigured into various animals all predators. With a sweeping motion of his wand Harry sent the various wolves, bears, tigers charging towards Voldemort.

As Voldemort split a wolf in two he quickly had to raise a shield to defend against a pair of cutters from Harry who was still throwing spells whilst his animals charged Voldemort. Voldemort seeing that Harry was showing no signs of exhaustion from the complex and powerful mass transfigurations quickly came to a realisation for the first time in his life he was facing someone stronger than him.

'But I have greater knowledge and experience'

Voldemort apparated behind Harry sending a spell at his back which Harry managed to dodge. With a sharp point of Harry's wand the animals were once again charging Voldemort. Voldemort responds with a wave of his wand sending a wave of intense fire towards the animals burning them to ash. He then directs the fire towards Harry.

With a smirk Harry waved his wand and a gust of air extinguished the fire and gust carried on until it reached Voldemort and ploughed into his chest sending Voldemort flying. As Voldemort picked himself up Harry summoned the water from the nearby fountain and with a swirl of his wand the water formed a wolf and froze. The ice wolf with unfrozen water contained within charged Voldemort who blasted it with an explosive hex, as it exploded the water that was within the wolf froze everything it came into contact with and Voldemort had to conjure a barrier to shield himself.

As Voldemort left his cover Harry unleashed a chain designed specifically for his foe. The first spell a powerful bludgeoner forced Voldemort to raise a strong shield. The second spell was a shield breaking spell that shattered Voldemort's shield. The last two spells in the chain were cutters the first a weak one the second a stronger borderline dark cutter. The first cutter caught Voldemort in the chest opening a shallow wound. As Voldemort tried to dodge the second cutter it cut off Voldemort's non wand arm.

The Chain barely took a few seconds.

Voldemort howled in pain and fled using all his remaining magic to apparate away through any possible wards or defences. Hearing their master's scream the Death Eaters still standing grabbed their portkeys and fled.

The second war has begun its final stages and this time it is Voldemort that's on the losing side.