Hidden in the Shadows
Chapter one
Michael tightened the grip on his weapon. The darkness had finally enveloped him and his team. When he had been a child Michael Grayling had been truly afraid of the darkness and the hidden horrors it contained, now it seemed the only time he felt truly safe was under the cover of darkness. The only outward show of any nervousness was the way with his trigger finger he checked the safety catch of his Thompson SMG and with his left hand he checked the security of the Magazine and most importantly that his wand was still seated in its groove that the armourer had cut into the fore grip of his weapon. He could feel the cold seeping through his jacket from the ground; even so he still didn't dare move an inch. To move now would invite death or capture for the life of him he couldn't decide which was worse but either way it was likely both events would have the same outcome the difference was how much he would suffer first.
Michael had found very quickly after finishing at Hogwarts School that while the Wizarding world was a magnificent place. But he couldn't see a place in it for him. It was while talking to his muggle father about his family tree (for years after he wasn't sure how the subject came up). His dad had spoken about his Great Grandfather and his time in the Sudan and his Grandfather in the trenches in France with immense pride. These stories ringing in his ear he eventually found himself in the British army, peacekeeping in Bosnia. He had enjoyed his time serving but a miss timed Mortar round and a lack of medical care had forced an early retirement. He had since been to see the Healer Wizards and had the problems fixed but as he was still listed as disabled it would raise too many questions to return to the army. Michael had ended up working for a construction Wizard when the war had begun.
He had been walking back from the three broomsticks in Hogsmead when he saw a small man being harassed by two much larger men; he followed at a discrete distance. When he saw them drag the smaller man into an alleyway he decided to act he walked smartly up the scuffling figures. He grabbed the first figure he came to as he pulled his face into the moonlight he saw his was wearing a metal mask. Still holding him by his scalp he had rammed his face into the wall the metal deformed and blood had poured out from under it. He quickly kicked the second Death Eater in between his legs. He grabbed the smaller man by the scuff of his jacket and said "time to leave chum you, alright" when he hadn't immediately responded Michael gave him a cursory check over the Death Eaters had given his a proper going over but he was still breathing.
That had all been only four weeks ago, now he was leading a group of resistance fighters in their first proper operation. It was then that he saw it, a single low pinprick of light; it was the signal that the outer sentries had been dealt with. Michael taped the shoulder of the man next to him as the signal to move this was passed down the line. They soon reached the perimeter where the two curse breakers had removed the security enchantments covering this part of the target. Once the last man was through the gap they moved once again. Michael had chosen this approach as a hedge line ran almost directly towards the main house. This allowed the team to stay in the deepest shadow until the last possible moment. It was a great comfort to think that this team of five was only one of four currently moving in the night from different directions each with their own tasks. Michaels' was to assault the camp commanders' residence while his friend Chris would start the evacuation of the prisoners kept in the old stables and the makeshift sheds doted around the front lawn. Team three lead by Steven Kripps was moving to assault the main house that held the majority of the Death Eaters. The fourth team was a reserve team ready to step up where they were needed.
As they moved forward as quietly as possible they had encountered a Death Eater guard, one of the men grabbed him and Michael whispered "Petfica totalus" the guard instantly froze unable to move. It was at this point several things happened at once. A flair rose slowly over the main house casting a ghostly light over the entire estate, the staccato rattle of several automatic weapons opening fire at once could be heard from the area that Stevens' team were advancing and a barrage of curses started to fly in all directions. Filling his lungs Michael shouted "that's torn it, right let's go". The team broke into a run so as not to present an easy target. A clocked figure stepped out from the shadows a wand raised ready to strike, Michael didn't give him the opportunity cutting him down with a three round burst from his Thompson. Knowing without looking that his team were on his heels Michael opened his pace towards the annex he knew contained the bastard in charge of the camp. Several Death eaters tried to stop them they were cut down by in a blizzard of bullets. Michael was the first to the door. He kicked it open then dived to the floor as he had practiced his number two open fire over his head cutting down another clocked figure he had raised a wand at them. Leaving two men to secure the front door the remaining three continued into the house checking each room in turn they opened a door to one of the rooms and a naked woman in the bed screamed at them. Her face was streaked with dust and blood and tears were streaming down her face she looked at them pleading to be released. Michael noticed that her arms and feet were manacled to the bed. Michael tried to put a friendly look on his face as he asked her "where is he, its ok we will get you out of here I promise but where is the bastard who did this to you". He followed the look in her eyes as she looked towards the en-suite. Gesturing silently to the other fighters with him they moved so they were all stood in front of the door with a grim nod they raised their weapons and fired an entire magazine each through the wooden door. A heavy weight was heard to drop. Still covering the door they reloaded. Nodding again to the door then another fighter know the group as snotty due his being the youngest. They covered him while he opened the door. It was obvious that he was the camp commander and that he had been trying to hold the door closed with his back. Turing from the bloody mess that had been Albutrus Dredge back the woman on the bed he said. "Don't be scared we'll get you out of here detaching his wand he pointed it at each of the manacles in turn. "What's you name" he asked quietly. "Lucy… Lucy Franklin".
"Right Lucy let's get you out of here are there any more prisoners in here".
"No they just come around the huts picking one each" she started sobbing. Michael took hold of her wrist gently "its ok, it's over now we're going to get you out of here I promise". She looked back up at him Michael had to swallow back down the gasp that nearly escaped his mouth, the look of defeat and grief caused anger to boil up inside him.' What had they done to her to cause such a loss of spirit'? Clamping down on his feelings he turned to the rest of his team and saw a similar fury to what he felt. "Right let's see how the others are doing". The team regrouped back at the front door. "James report please".
"Stevens' team have the vast majority of them pinned inside the main house Chris has emptied the sheds over there". The man pointed to some of the outhouses on the other side of the courtyard. "The reserve team is helping with the evacuation of the huts on the front lawn".
"Understood, what state do the prisoners look".
"I would say terrible but that would be an understatement, these bastards have half-starved them, beat them and god only knows what else". Michael looked back to the figure of Lucy, wrapped in a bed sheet cowering in the cover of the door frame. He felt an anger building again that he was losing control of quickly. "Right time to get back into this fight, Snotty I want you take Lucy to the extraction point and wait for us there if we don't come back take the Portkey out of here and regroup with the rest of the cell. I'm relying on you to keep her safe". Looked at the young man scarcely of age, the look of disappointment on his face at the thought of being sent away became a grim determination to take the clearly terrified woman too safely. "The rest of us will provide a blocking force for Chris's team. Full magazines, gentlemen and good luck". He led the group in a stooped run across the courtyard immediately drawing the attention of several Death Eaters trying to surprize the forces empting the prison huts. Curses crisscrossed the open yard; a stunning cruse hit Michael in the chest throwing him on to his back. The breath was knocked from him he laid on his back unable to move, unable to hear he could see the other members of his team shouting at him demanding to know if he was ok, he felt hands grabbing his feet and shoulders and being dragged away from the fighting. "It's...ok… let…me go". Every word was a massive effort to get out. "Bloody hell chief you had us worried there".
"I'll be fine what's going on is it done?"
"Yeah boss that's it they got the last hut cleared while we took on the last few cloaks outside".
"In that case it time to scarper or snotty will be leaving without us"
"No argument from us". Michael took one last look back towards the manor house one half was completely engulfed in flames dozens of the former prisoners were being evacuated via Portkey to a secure area where they could be screened to ensure no Voldimort supporters had snuck in. It may not have been a mortal wound to the dark powers that held sway, it was more of a pinprick but with each pinprick a weakening could be achieved and maybe just maybe when final fight came the dark powers would find themselves too weak to resist.