OLD MAGIC
Chapter 75: Last Stage: Taking out Voldemort's Army
Dawn, Thursday, Elder Headquarters practice field
It was dark in Scotland the ground covered in a few layers of snow, the air quiet and still. But dawn was drawing near as the army gathered and took their places upon the field in readiness for transport. Far off to the left of their position two massive Ukrainian Ironbellies were bellowing but weren't airborne as they were being outfitted for their trip to the alps.
Every group had split into manageable numbers, each with a Dwarf and device. All they were waiting for was the command to go.
At the council table, the last of the information from the field was being disseminated by Aestra to the heads of each group.
"Everything looks calm and quiet, no runners and the town is asleep. Like here the snow be deep but not falling, however it will be foggy and very cold. I will insure all that need it put warming spells on though battle will make them toasty soon enough. Last check was done no more than thirty minutes ago and the scene both in the town and the enemy are still asleep though a few vampires be still up and about since the cold doesn't faze them. We will be alert to the possibility one or two might still be awake and wandering about and take them out quickly so they do not sound the alarm," she assured the listeners.
Jason frowned at that information and Shacklebolt prepared to speak. "Who will you have take them out? They are strong and fast."
She smiled grimly. "Yes that be normally true, however, dawn approaches and by the time we make our appearance they will be seeking their beds and they be weaker as the night wanes. I am certain no old ones be in this rabble as they have more sense then to risk their long life in something like this. If any had been stupid enough to be with the army they would have left by now rather than put up with the remnants of what passes for this army. So I am not seriously concerned about the presence of lower level vampires. Besides, the Dwarves are very equipped to take any that might be awake." She waved off that concern.
"The field for our appearance be shrouded behind a shield of trees between us and the town proper. The heavy snow on the ground will keep our arrival nearly soundless and no homes exist in this area, thankfully. Last night's reconnaissance found the enemy getting restless and some fights broke out, however, its seems that death eater, named Yaxley, is in charge and has, by some miracle, managed to keep things fairly calm and stable. Pity he is on the wrong side as we could use someone with that kind of leadership strength." She shrugged.
Yaxley's name caused a minor ripple of surprise among those that knew who the man was, mostly from members of the Auror's and Order of the Phoenix.
Madam Bones spoke up before Delacour could continue. "For that reason alone, I strongly suggest Yaxley be found and taken out before he possibly manages to escape."
"I can see to that. After all, I have met the man and get spot him quicker since I will be airborne," Snape jumped into the conversation. He was sitting on the bleachers with the next string of leaders. "Do you want him to be sent to join the others in the Dark Tower at Hogwarts?" He asked.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I have no objections." He looked over at Bones.
"Excellent suggestion and yes, that would be perfect," she agreed.
"I concur that be a brilliant solution, Severus and thank you for volunteering and to you, Madam Bones for reminding us that he is dangerous enough to join the rest of the Inner Circle," Jason agreed.
Aestra gave a feral smile of pleasure. "So, that is good that some of you were familiar with him. A danger has just been averted, thanks to your quick observation and solution. Now we wont be presented with a powerful wizard who might have caused us a significant problem. More good news is this Yaxley has shown no sign he knows he's alone and that the Inner Circle be our prisoners." A wicked smile swept briefly across her beautiful but severe face.
"This piece of good fortune is joined by this bit of news. As of forty minutes ago, the giants be still holed up within the chateau courtyard with those foul trolls sleeping noisily within the section of fallen stone below them. This be the perfect moment to strike."
"Brilliant! Then it's time to transport. Let's be off," Jason said briskly as he nearly knocked his heavy chair backward when he pushed to his feet. Striding off, the rest following quickly behind him, headed toward the hall that led to the transport room so they could apparate to the field where their army waited.
Jason was outfitted in heavy armor that covered his entire body thoroughly. On his head was a metal helmet reminiscent of medieval times. But his feet were shod with modern steel toed boots. It looked rather odd but it insured he was well protected. He carried a huge double bladed sword but nothing else.
Shacklebolt opted for the new bullet proof armor that Madame Bones had hurriedly requisitioned for her team. It was comfortable and he felt more protected within it than he had wearing robes and carrying a wand. He still had his wand but carried a Luger with a silencer to contain the noise of weapons fire and had been trained like many of the other humanoid forest people.
Within minutes this formidable group appeared on the field tower, fairy lights bouncing off them as soon as they arrived. The army roared in excitement at the appearance of their leaders and stamped their feet to show their impatience to be off to battle.
Using magic to amplify his voice, Shacklebolt shouted powerfully out to the Army of the Light spread out below him.
"Time to set our world to rights. Keep the violence and noise minimal, watch your allies, and keep everyone safe as we take back our world at last. Prepare to transport and good luck to us all!" A roar of agreement filled the air then it was silent as groups waited the signal for their group to leave.
The dragons were transported first. They were sent very high in the air so their roars were not heard to those below. It was hard keeping the beasties from bolting across the sky in a surfeit of excitement but Charlie and his partner, Ranson were well able to keep them firmly under control. Each had a house elf sitting behind them ready to do their part. The only mild difficulty they had was the heavy fog that hid the enemy below them. Charlie and Ranson would have to rely on the dragons excellent vision to get them to just above the enemy. They were to make they run as soon as Aestra gave the command so they made the dragons circle for a bit.
As soon as the next team were made aware the dragons were in position, the next to appear was Snape in his Blackfeather persona. On his back was Dobby and Firg. He too kept high but moved so that he was hovering over the field of tents, hawk sharp eyes watching for the appearance of Yaxley once the dragons made their run. He had already informed his passengers of the importance of finding this wizard as soon as possible and where he was supposed to be sent.
He could just sense the Thunderbird, who had followed him to here, circling high above the dragons, biding its time.
Next transport group was the first ring of fighters. When they arrived, they were ordered to move forward until they were just behind a wall of trees that hid them from the town just beyond. This group were comprised of the Order of the Phoenix, Aurors, Aestra's army and the flying brigade of crows, hippogriffs, and phoenixes that hovered above them.
"Set the anti-apparition spell!" Aestra ordered. A group that included Dumbledore and Madame Bones raised their wands and summoned the spell and pushed it to include the valley beyond the town where they planned on taking on Voldemort's Army.
"Done!" Dumbledore said a bit breathless. That had been a very large working and he hadn't done anything like that in many, many years.
"Excellent," Aestra murmured as she watched the rest of her army gather behind her. By Annis' crows she gave her last orders for each ring to form up then wait twenty minutes between each so they would be spaced out enough when they got into position.
So in the cold light of a misty dawn in the Alps above northern Italy, an army like no other slowly and silently as ghosts moved forward section by section through the deep snow, moving past the town with none within being aware and breaking apart as they slowly formed three circles around the valley of the enemy.
The last line formed a glamour of a sorts that hid them from any early morning towns people behind them.
When the first circle was complete and in their place, only then did the last two circles signal their own placement. When her army was all in place, Aestra sent word to Jason they were ready.
The crow that returned with the command did so with a very loud caw. Aestra immediately sent a crow to the dragons, the Thunderbird, and Snape and within minutes the huge creatures made their strafing run for their targets.
Multiple roars and screams filled the air as the two giants found themselves suddenly hauled by their brawny arms into the air by dragons who spit fire at their prisoners to keep the dumb creatures from tearing themselves free as they were flown higher and higher, before disappearing into the misty air, their roars cutting off suddenly leaving silence.
That silence lasted for only a few moments before the sound of thunder filled the air from the Thunderbirds wings followed by more loud yells and roars of anger from the trolls awakened suddenly by the giants noisy departure. As the creatures attempted to rise, they too found themselves taken airborne before vanishing as quickly as their larger companions. As planned, none escaped the flying brigade.
As those huge enemies vanished, Aestra had given the screamed command to attack and her army surged forward. More angry screams, curses, and confused surprise filled the air as the rest of the enemy camp fumbled alert, grabbing for weapons and stumbling out of tents to try and find out what was happening only to be met by an invading army they had not known existed much less appear with such sudden stealth.
Further adding to the cacophony of noises was the thunder followed by blasts of lightning flashing around the edges of the camp as the huge Thunderbird circled and watched for any escapees.
A single voice, amplified, shouted orders to attack. It was assumed the leader, Yaxley, was trying without much success to rally his army but they had been effectively routed and scattered by the sudden attack.
His wand out and his face furious and scared, Yaxley tried to see why all his minions were screaming and yelling. The appearance of dragons and the loud thunder that seemed to have no origin he could find, made the chaos around him that much worse.
As he was attempting to make a decision about what to do beyond just yelling at his army, he suddenly felt his wand vanish from his fist then the sensation of being transported. Seconds later, he was blinking in the barely lit confines of a large tower room. The flickering flames of a dying fire showed him he'd been confined within an iron cage and that he was surrounded by more such cages.
As he tried to get his bearings, his ears, once filled with the cries of battle, were now filled with the sounds of snoring, snorts, and sighs of people sleeping. He could barely make out the bodies in each cage but not who they were. Stunned he could only stand there in shocked disbelief.
Meanwhile, back at the battlefield he'd unceremoniously left, Centaurs were barreling through the mists toward the straggled line of enemy forces, house elves on their backs quickly snapping the enemy away before they could really begin to fight back. Aerial assaults by Phoenixes laying down fire and Hippogriffs lifting the enemy into the air then dropping them so they were stunned and captured easily, kept the enemy running instead of fighting. Sheer chaos reigned.
With the swiftness of the wind, the first wave had decimated the enemy so much that by the time the second wave swept over the encampment there was only about hundred of the enemy left which included the weakened vampires which were killed despite their frantic fight to keep their undead life. It had been decided early on that no vampire would be captured as they wouldn't survive in daylight anyway.
The battle was short and barely bloody before it ended within an hour after the first giant had been taken. Fighting was reduced to some hand to hand here and there and some weapons fire against the more wily of the werewolves who gave the hunters a serious chase rather than giving up. But they too were successfully gathered up and taken away.
The end was rather abrupt and anti-climatic leaving the victors a bit disorientated at first. The weak sun was just pushing through the clouds that heralded another possible snowstorm on the horizon when Delacour sent most of the army back to Scotland. The Thunderbird gave a loud call from high above before he left to return home, it's mission done. Snape remained after it and the dragons departed, making a lazy sweep over the farthest edges of the battlefield.
Less than a hundred remained to do cleanup. When the sun was full up, she was smiling broadly over a quiet, empty area without a trace that a large army had been roosting there for months or that a battle had occurred there that very morning.
By the time Delacour was ready to send her people back home, the town was just rising and citizens were going about their business. One more step remained. Glamoured members of Aestra's insertion team went invisibly among the towns people, searching for any remnants of the enemy.
When none were found they too left, finally, for Scotland.
The war was over.