November 1st, 1981
Shouts, screams and cries of joy could be heard all throughout Diagon Alley. Wizarding Britain's most prominent shopping district was drowned in festivities. Witches and wizards of all ages were celebrating the end of the civil war. After many years they were now free of worry and fear once more. Free to live their lives not hiding or fleeing from the crossfire. For the Dark Lord was now dead and beaten and the war was over. What better reason could there be for them to party?
The alley had been turned into giant, impromptu festival grounds. Street stalls were selling all kinds of things from food to pretty baubles and decorations. Some people had set up game areas; cards, darts, duels, arm wrestling, shooting competition – if it was a game you could name then there was a booth for it. There was even a stage with various bands giving a free-entrance, surprise concert. Needless to say there was alcohol aplenty. Enough booze to have a fortress of dwarves puking their guts out. In other words; the perfect hunting ground.
In their elation caused by the Dark Lord's fall the citizens of Magical Britain seemed to have forgotten that the civil war was not fought by one man alone. The Dark Lord had had followers, lieutenants, soldiers...a whole army. Even though a lot of his Death Eaters either surrendered, fled the country or were captured in the few hours between his fall and the outbreak of festivities there were still some that remained free. Part of those free Death Eater had opted to remain passive in an effort to try and earn their stay outside of Azkaban. The rest however had a different idea on how to act. They weren't willing to give up their ideals and loyalty to their master. That combined with how few of them remained ensured a life in Azkaban as their certain future. Alas, they were not going down without a last bang. A swan song. A last, vicious, as-deadly-as-possible hit to the Light. A last attack. Led by no one else than Voldemort's self titled greatest lieutenant. Bellatrix Lestrange.
The festivities were soon to be interrupted. By blood. Blood and chaos. Chaos and mayhem. Mayhem and death. Death.
In a shadow covered corner of Knockturn Alley stood the hooded figure of one Bellatrix Lestrange. Usually she wouldn't bother to hide her face. After all it was quite some time ago that her identity as a Death Eater had been revealed when a spell from an auror shattered her mask rendering her alias of Miss Mayhem useless. Alas, enemy forces were currently monitoring almost every corner of Magical Britain and on a crowded place like this one had better be careful than sorry. Hence the heavily enchanted cowl and hood she wore. Well, at least most of the auror force was occupied searching the various Death Eater hideouts and safe houses.
She flicked her wrist. A want flowed from its holster to her hand. On her signal the remaining forces of the Death Eaters would unleash an attack on the unsuspecting crowd.
Surprise was probably their greatest advantage in this last attempt at spreading chaos and death. Many Death Eater had been captured. Others defected. Their allies had abandoned them before it was too late and they got caught up in the after math. Of the few that remained even fewer were worthy enough to provide any kind of leadership and guidance. But they had to make due and so the plan was as following.
Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange would both lead a five-man cluster of lower ranking Death Eaters. They would hide in roads and streets nearby Diagon Alley and on her signal storm the place. Meanwhile Augustus Rookwood and his group of sadistic fucks would apparate in the centre of Diagon Alley focusing their fire there. Last but not least Barty Crouch Jr would take advantage of his social position to infiltrate the crowd and release upon them an attack from the inside.
Sadly both the vampires and werewolves would be absent for the attack. The werewolves because Greyback was too arrogant to listen to anyone bar the Dark Lord. The vampires because Marven Fein was an opportunist who only joined their side of the war because of his feud with Arvard, another vampire leader who happened to support the Light side of the civil war.
Bellatrix scoffed upon thinking of those who would dare to not support her master. For sure their time would also come. The time to show those pesky bugs their place. To make them kneel before the might of the Dark Lord. But first things first. Making sure no one was looking her way she quickly moved to the border of Knockturn and Diagon. Why would anyone place the center of commerce right besides the vilest places of Magical Britain always eluded her but she never complained about it. Quickly scanning the area for a suitable target she brought up her wand hand. Eyes steady she aimed. And shot.
"Innfødte: Mørk Fontenen"
She shouted the modified, Norwegian, dark curse as she got ready for all hell to break loose.
The happy atmosphere prevailing in Diagon Alley was interrupted when suddenly a stray bolt of sickly, pale green struck a young girl who looked to be no more than thirteen years of age. On the moment of impact her gut exploded spreading her entrails on the surrounding crowd. The blood from the explosion mixing with residual energy from the spell bolt to rise up and create a morose and surprisingly even more terrifying version of the dark mark.
That's when chaos begun.
Immediately following the macabre spell the alley was stormed from all sides as what could be nothing else than rogue Death Eaters started wrecking havoc firing curses here and there. Among the attackers were the infamous Lestrange brothers.
Screams began to echo around as the people started panicking. Many went for cover as some decided to flee and ask for help while a handful of brave one who knew how to fight picked up their wands. Most however were still puking or trying to recover from the awful sight of watching a thirteen year old girl blow up like a balloon.
Any present aurors went into combat mode the moment they saw the enemies approach. They grouped into teams of three and started fighting back. Hexes, curses and spells of all kinds went flying here and there as Dark and Light fought once more. For a second the aurors seemed to have the upper hand. That's when things went south. With a loud crack no less than ten Death Eaters appeared in admist the civilians striking the aurors in the back. On another part of the alley confusion seemed more prevalent than fear as no one else than Barty Crouch Jr started lashing out with curses and spells on his nearby citizens.
Whereas alcohol was once spilled in this joyous gathering now it was blood that decorated the pavement and road. A Death Eater raised one of their comrades from near death into a zombie-like thrall while someone conjured and shot four handaxes their way. The blades sliced through both heads -necromancer and thrall alike. Only for the young auror to be hit with a killing curse from the newly arrived enemy reinforcements. As his soulless body hit the ground a nearby shopkeeper entered the fray battling the one who fired said killing curse.
Rodolphus had just finished off another auror and had turned his wand towards an old man trying to get away when suddenly something hit him in the back sending him flying forward, taking the air out of him in the process. Picking himself up he turned to look at his assailant. A woman in her mid twenties donning the standard auror robes had her eyes locked on him. Wand in her hand. Faint signs of smoke coming off from her shoulder where someone must have signed her armour piece.
"Well, I'll be damned. If it ain't Alice Briarwood herself" the man grinned. "Such a pleasure." Rodolphus said in his usual, sleazy fashion as he slashed his wand towards her. A dark red arch of arcane energy flying her way.
With the faintest of sounds Alice apparated slightly to her right and conjured a flaming whip which she hurled against him. Knowing he would probably manage to evade a straight strike she flicked he wrist before the whip managed to reach Rodolphus changing the trajectory so as it now went to strike him from the left. Falling for her feint the elder Lestrange managed to step back just in time for the whip not to take his left eye but he now sported a vulgar burn on his cheek.
Wasting no time the young auror jumped forward, slashing her flaming whip in a barrage. Despite being skilled enough himself Rodolphus was simply too slow compared to his opponent. The whip hit him many times over leaving him bloody and burned. Barely hanging onto life.
Shooting a hard glare at the half-dead Death Eater Alice arched her hand backwards. "It's Longbottom now." She said coldly. Her came down in a swift motion. "Marre Ignis" she said as the tip of her whip touched the ground in front of her. No sooner had she spoken those words than a sea of light blue flames started forming around Rodolphus.
The man threw a hasty shield spell around him as he tried to cling to life. Blue flames slowly crouching their way to the shield, corroding it. Eventually they would reach him and burn him to ash. He could tell that Alice was toying around him with. She was strong enough to make the whole ordeal faster. But no. The bitch wanted to play before finishing him off.
"It's no use struggling Lestrange." By the gods. She had the gall to mock and torture him this way and still call herself one of the good guys. Such balls. "I won." She told him in her ever cold voice. "It's ov-".
Alice never got to finish those words as a pitch black javelin pierced straight through skull instantly killing her. With her gone so were the flames threatening Rodolphus who was elated to have made it out alive. Well not that he couldn't take her down with him, but he much preferred being alive.
"Now, now dear husband. It wouldn't do to get yourself killed." came the cruel, high-pitched voice of Bellatrix.
Nearby two men were locked in a sword-fight. One dressed in all black, the other in the azure and gold colours of aurors. It was rare sight to behold in a magical battlefield as usually only hexblades employed such tactics and even then fighting with simple, conjured steel blades was almost unheard of.
Clangs could be heard as steel met steel both opponents seemingly equally matched. When one struck the other blocked or parried. No openings were visible. Sweat was drenching them as they both struggled to overpower and overcome their enemy. Slowly but steadily the fight started shifting to the auror's side who clearly had the slight stamina advantage.
A kick to the black-clad man's knee brought him down. A slice from the auror's sword nicked his cheek as the Death Eater managed to pull back just in time. He swung his sword back at the auror only for it to be blocked. Suddenly the auror caught something terrifying in the corner of his eye.
He turned his head and screamed as he watched a black spear impale the head of the woman he loved. "ALICE! NOOOO!"
Taking advantage of his opponent's moment of weakness and grief the Death Eater swiftly got up. He brandished his sword and forcefully slashed at his opponent. "That's why you should never get distracted in a sword-fight Franky-boi." He said in a sadistic tone as his blade sliced through the auror's neck beheading him and splashing the Death Eater with blood.
Victorious he grabbed his fallen enemy's head by the hair. With a mad glint in his eyes he took it and put in the opening of his pocket, the severed head vanishing inside the heavily enchanted pocket of fabric. "Another trophy for Rabastaaaan." The madman sung to himself.