Rise, my faithful dead, rise! I suppose, if I am going to write something, leaving it on a comp that will be in a container on a ship in the pacific for 5 1/2 months when I am already way overdue for an update isn't exactly a good thing... On the other hand, I discovered that I hate laptops, and confirmed that Windows 10 is devilspawn disguised as software.
Rhys Morgan had left behind being a solicitor, and retired to a small farm where he ran a few sheep and spent his days walking around. He had loved the idea when he first had it, and still loved it, even when he had to deal with one of the stupidest creatures in all the wide earth. Rhys still didn't understand how a sheep could get its head stuck in a solid stone wall... The Morgan farm being rather far from any road, especially any road that had tourists regularly, Rhys was surprised to see a several people in what looked to be tourist druid costumes walking towards him from the front gate of his farm. The old man leading them most definitely fit the stereotype, having long white hair and a beard that reached past his navel, a staff, and a beaming smile.
Rhys walked to meet them, and when they were within talking distance, was much surprised to be asked by the elderly gentleman "Rhys Morgan, yes? You live here with your wife, and no one else?"
Rhys blinked, and answered, "Um, yes, can I help you? You aren't lost are you?"
The old man's smile turned slightly sad, and he said "No, Mr Morgan, I am sorry, but I am indeed not lost." The old man's left hand came up with a stick in it, and there was a flash.
Rhys looked around, wondering why he was standing near the gate, looked up at the sky and decided to lock the sheep away for the next couple of days, and spend the day indoors with Bronwyn. She had been saying that he had some things to take care of around the house, and he didn't like the look of the weather.
=WTWM=
Albus Dumbledore looked around as the last of the warlock-led witches and wizards gathered at one end of beautifully green valley in Wales. Arthur and Kingsley came up to him and both nodded, before Arthur said, "It's confirmed. All the local muggles have been confounded to stay inside, and we have put down wardings that the goblins won't be able to detect to keep other muggles out of the area. We have about one, maybe two, hours before the goblins march through this valley. Still, we will have to assume that they know we are here. They wouldn't turn aside for us, even if they knew that they would lose."
Dumbledore smiled sadly and nodded. "Well, my boys, I think we must prepare the reception for our guests, then. Xeno, Arthur, you two will hold the left, Kingsley, you will hold the centre. I will hold the right. The wand warlocks will be spread out between us, and the aurors and others will form a line behind us in small groups, the same groups they were just in being led by the wand warlocks. They will shield us from harm and destroy any leakers."
Xeno hummed distractedly, and walked off to the left side of the valley, where he sat on the ground and started picking grass and weaving it into a crown, as the other warlocks spread out to move people into position.
=WTWM=
'Delus Diggle stood next to Bill Weasley and stared out over the valley they would be fighting in. He snorted, and Bill looked down and cocked his head, setting his dragon-claw earring swinging. "What do you find funny now? Care to share?"
Delus leaned in close and whispered "Bill, look at us. Now look at the aurors and the hit-wizards. Look at how they are looking at us! A few days ago, most of these people would have looked at me and smiled, if they didn't laugh themselves silly. All they would think of was my rather famous show of shootings stars in Kent, when I was rather drunk. But now, they won't come within five feet of me unless I step close to them. It's all very odd, don't you think?"
Bill shrugged, hummed vaguely, and replied; "Maybe we should talk about it later? Let's get our aurors into position, and maybe cheer them up? They didn't expect to be waiting so long, and look at them, they are getting nervous. Too much time to think. Not too long now, and we will be in it again. At least it won't be like Diagon."
As Diggle summoned his people and walked off, Bill stood there stroking his earring, feeling the runes carved into it, the almost unnoticeable gemstone in the top, and felt the calm of knowing that battle was imminent settle over him.
=WTWM=
It started with the drums. Deep voiced and thundering, the drums were heard before the goblins came into sight, with a shuffling thud thud thud underneath the drums, the sound of the goblin host marching. Then the goblins came into the valley proper, grouped into blocks with carts bearing drums and chanting shamans and priests in between them. They outnumbered the wizards easily fifty to one, and the laughter that went up from the goblins was hideous to hear.
Dumbledore nodded to himself, and whispered a spell, then spoke and all heard him as if he was whispering in their ears. "Well, my boys, it is time to begin. Beware the goblins blades and bolts, and do not hesitate. Be strong my boys."
As the green tide of goblins came down the valley, the four raised their arms and began to chant. Slowly the hair on people's head began to creep up into halos, and the air began to almost tingle.
Less than a mile away the goblin laughter turned to snarls and the horde began to move as fast as they could without calling the charge, as the air throughout the valley began to swirl around them.
Before the wand warlocks, the ground rose and fire gyrated into vaguely humanoid shapes, and behind them the aurors called and cast shields.
When the goblins came to half a mile, every being on the field heard Dumbledore's whisper of "Begin."
=WTWM=
In London, the Prime Minister sat with his liaison to what he thought of as 'those bloody fools', and waited. When the liaison stared into nothingness for a moment, he asked "Well? What's happening?"
The liaison swallowed and stuttered "Um, well, um, the battle has begun, and, um, I uh, need to go back to the, um, ministry. I will come back, um, when there is, um, news."
The Prime Minister waved him out, watched him step through the fireplace, and went back to waiting.
=WTWM=
Destruction lashed out from the wizards and witches, and some was thrown aside by the goblins own magics, while elsewhere the magic rent the earth of the valley or blasted great holes in the tightly packed groups of goblins.
Goblins died by the hundreds, but the mass of goblin warriors steadily closed the gap between the forces.
The goblins horde grew steadily nearer, and as its front passed to within one hundred and fifty metres of their enemies, the raised voices of the chieftains called the charge. As the tightly packed goblins slowly picked up speed to a full charge, a pace that was perhaps jogging speed, they went past the a small rock lying on the ground that none of them even noticed.
Among the warlocks and aurors, Dumbledore whispered into the air, "All warlocks, they just past the point of no return, they can't stop now even if they want to. Do it."
Within moments of him speaking, the earth before the wizards rippled as if it was water and the fiery shapes that had been behind them flew forth. The wave spread forwards at a great speed and smashed into the formation of goblins. The goblins stumbled but kept coming forwards. Then the fire walked flew and swooped at them and those in the front that were caught screamed as they burned. Some goblins even tried to turn and run.
However, once a densely packed group is moving, it does not stop easily, and turning around is impossible, and so the horde kept on coming as the pressure from the back drove them onwards.
=WTWM=
The Dark Lord sat in his chair, and stared into a full length mirror before him. In the mirror there was the image of what looked to be an average Ministry of Magic bureaucrat, sitting in a small office.
"It is confirmed then? The warlocks are, even as we speak, engaged with the beasts in battle?"
The bureaucrat bowed his head and replied, "Yes, Lord. The enchanted object that we are listening to is hearing the reports of one of the aurors who is there, and tasked with reporting to the minister's office."
The Dark Lord nodded sharply. "Well done. Now, back to your place, and remain out of contact with anyone here for a minimum of three weeks." The mirror seemed to darken, before returning to showing nothing but a normal reflection.
The Dark Lord stood and walked from the room, and went to the hall of his residence where he called out, "It seems that the warlocks and the goblins are, in this moment, engaged in battle. I think that it is time for us to repay their foolish attacks upon us"
"Come, my loyal Eaters of Death, let us go and strike down those who would dare to stand against us! Let us find the old fool himself and finally bring him down!
