Two Royal Air Force Tornados were patrolling the no-fly zone around central Scotland. A huge bank of fog had suddenly risen, heavily denting the visibility for the two aircraft, and forcing the two aircrews to switch to instrument flying. Both planes were nearing the end of their shift, and the four crewmembers were looking forward to returning to base. They were now flying to the rendezvous point, where two Jaguars were going to replace them.
Suddenly, the lead aircraft picked up a contact on his radar display. The captain, a Lieutenant Arthur Theobald radioed the unknown aircraft, assuming it was just another light aircraft seeing if it could see the bomb crater. He selected the 'all frequencies' button on his comm. panel, and pulled down the mounted microphone in his helmet.
"This is Tornado RF-BUJJ, please state your aircraft designation and intended course, over." No response. "Unidentified aircraft, this is Tornado RF-BUJJ, please be advised that you are entering restricted airspace, please vacate this area as soon as possible, over." No response. "Unidentified aircraft, this is the Royal Air Force Tornado RF-BUJJ, please turn around and leave immediately, be advised that we have the authority to shoot you down, over." The radio remained silent.
'Damn' he thought, 'is this guy an idiot?' He switched his intercom to the second aircraft. "Hey Mike, over."
"Yeah, here sir, over," replied the other aircraft.
"See if you can get this guy, I might have a problem with my radio, over."
"Will do, sir, over." The second aircraft repeated the warning message, again to no reply.
"Damn, what's this guy doing? Doesn't he realise we are going to shoot him down?"
"Erm sir?" Said the navigator sitting behind Theobald.
"Yes, Thomas?"
"Sir, I've done an identity trace on this aircraft."
"And?"
"Well, sir, the computer can't identify the aircraft. This thing is well over ten metres long, but is only travelling about fifty miles an hour. I would say it's a helicopter, but there are no private helicopters of that size in this country."
"Erm, sir, over?" The other aircraft interrupted.
"Yes, over."
"Phil thinks we better take a holding pattern around the target, other wise we'll take over it in a few seconds. Over."
"Agreed." Theobald turn the control lever to the left for a moment, before dragging over so the aircraft was slowly turning right, making the two planes fly in an anti-clockwise direction around their target.
"So, what the hell is this thing? Over"
"Could be an extraterrestrial spacecraft sir, over"
"Ha ha Mike, seriously, over"
"Sir, it could be an experimental aircraft, sir, they could be using the area as a test site as no one is allowed to watch." Replied Thomas.
"Why aren't they responding though?"
"Could be a foreign plane sir, possibly spying, over"
"Hmm, anyway, we have to stop them. Mike, repeat the last warning message…" He didn't have time to finish his sentence. A massive black shape appeared out the fog in front of them. It flew straight at the two planes. A terrible, grinding noise pierced the thick fog, and Theobald's plane went crashing into the ground below.
Mike's plane flew as fast as it could, calling over the radio for assistance. Then it turned around, and headed for the plane's attacker, which had now disappeared into the fog. It locked on with a Sky Flash, and within a second the missile had left the belly of the aircraft. It sped into the fog, and a few seconds later a dull thud and flash of light indicated that the missile had hit its target.
The Tornado continued flying. Then, a large black shadow fell over the plane, and within a blink of an eye, it was sent flying out of control to join its companion on the mountainous countryside below. Ten minutes later, two Jaguars arrived to search for the Tornados and their attacker, and all they found was two large craters and a body lying next to an unopened parachute.
Harry, Hermione and Ron were sitting down on the remains of what had once been Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were all exhausted by the events of the past twenty-four hours, and there seemed to be something else that was sapping the energy of the few survivors. Lavender had gotten worse, and was now barely conscious. She didn't respond to any attempt to communicate with her, and her breathing was barely audible. Neville had now sunk into an agoraphobic depression, and would scream madly at any one who attempted to get too close.
Then they heard something. It started off as a light groaning noise, and Ron dismissed it as distant thunder. But it grew, steadily, but surely, and soon everyone had noticed it. Some grew anxious and began to walk around, and even Neville seemed to awake from his depressive state.
Then they saw several muggle helicopters appearing from around the mountaintops. The group turned to Harry, waiting for him to give them instructions. Harry looked around, they had to get out of there, but the blast had left them little cover. The only possible cover was the fallen trees in what remained of the forbidden forest. But, with their injured, they could not reach there in time.
"We fight," cried Harry, "get the wounded undercover, and everyone else try and get behind a rock or something."
The group followed his instruction to the letter. Meanwhile several of the helicopters had landed and released troops, wearing heavy anti-radiation suits and a couple of armed jeeps. The rest of the helicopters circled around the survivors, making escape impossible and filling every one of the students with a new fear; they had not survived to merely die in a hopeless battle against much stronger muggle forces.
The muggle soldiers now secured the perimeter around the remains of the castle, and many had already got into a combat posture with a large number of heavy weapons targeted and ready to be used. The students' position was hopeless. Even the few of them who had wands did not know enough magic to seriously stop any assault.
Two soldiers walked up to a small ledge created by a fallen wall. The one leading held a megaphone, whilst the other held a walkie-talkie. They positioned themselves on the ledge and began to talk to the students.
"My name is Corporal Mathew Carrick, and I'm here to ask for your surrender, as you can see, you are hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned. It is not my wish for there to be any more bloodshed. If you surrender in the next five minutes, then you will not be harmed. Please reveal yourself slowly and place your hands upon your head. If you do not surrender, then we will storm your positions and will not be responsible for our actions. The choice is yours. You have five minutes."
Harry looked at the soldiers, then his fellow students, and then at the other soldiers. He spent a moment deciding what to do. He had the fate of other people's lives on his hands, and he had to make that decision, because it would be final, and there would be no going back.
Five minutes passed. Then the soldier spoke again.
"What is your decision?" Harry looked around, closed his eyes.
"We…we surrender." He turned around and stood up. "We have wounded, they need medical attention as soon as possible."
"Very well, they will be looked after. Now, come out with your hands on your head, and no sudden movements."
"Oh well, I'll go first," said Harry to Ron and Draco. "Make sure Neville doesn't do anything stupid, and its been nice..." he looked at Draco, "well, its been an experience, good luck." He hugged and kissed Hermione on her forehead, and shook Ron and Draco by the hand. Then he stood up again, put his hands on his head, and walked slowly down to the soldiers, a dozen guns pointing at his head. At least they weren't dead, he thought, as he was handcuffed and lead into a waiting helicopter, and that provided him with a little comfort.
A/N Thank you all for R/R. Please continue.
Here's another glossary;
Sky Flash: A medium range, radar guided air-to-air missile, similar in size, role and performance to the American sparrow, and like the American missile, will be replaced over the next few years by the AMRAAM.
Tornado: Multi-role Two-seater aircraft, produced by Panavia (an International project paid by and for the air forces of Great Britain, Germany and Italy). It first came into service in 1982 (Ground Attack versions) and newer varieties include Air Superiority Fighter, Tactical Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare versions.
Jaguar: A single seat Ground Attack aircraft, produced by SEPECAT (a joint British/French project), and came into service in 1976.
Don't say FF.Net doesn't teach you anything.
Oh, one more thing. Popular to contrary opinion, Britain has not lost total control over its nuclear weapons.