Chapter Six- Attack On The Burrow

Harry jumped up, his wand clenched in a white-knuckle grip. His eyes quickly scanned over the situation as Ron and Hermione followed his example. He knew the Order wouldn't be far away, and idly wondered where the Wylerians were. The Death Eaters moved carefully, fanning out and attempting to block any exit from the surrounding area. Selean whinnied and swooped down over them, her wild magic lashing out in anger and causing several to reel back.

But, as she turned in mid-air, one of them raised his wand and a cry was torn from Harry's throat, his wand acting of its own accord. He didn't know what he said, only that the Death Eater was forced to change his focus and allow the small winged horse to fly back to Harry.

Ron and Hermione looked terrified as the Weasley's stepped out, wands raised and faces set in grim defiance. There were several 'pops' and the Order appeared, immediately closing ranks around them all. The Death Eaters merely raised their wands.

And then all hell broke loose.

Harry was pushed back as the spells flew through the air, but he refused to take a back seat in the midst of a fight. He ducked a spell and shot off another, almost hitting one of the cloaked figures. Selean was great as she weaved around spells, the magic that was so wild within her unleashed in the battle.

No one noticed the way the shadows crept forward. No one noticed the way flames licked at the grass. No one noticed the hissing of snakes or the way beams of light found their way in the darkness. So intent on fighting, no one noticed the newcomers.

A group of four panthers snarled and lashed their tails, swiping dish-sized paws at robes. Several phoenix's burst from the flames and screeched a battle cry, their own tails burning anything they touched. Snakes slid silently through the grass, moving in stealth and cunningly waiting for a Death Eater to step close enough for them to sink in deadly fangs. Shimmering white tigers stalked forward, their roars and flashing eyes freezing the blood and terrifying the enemy.

The Order stared as the group of mismatched creatures easily forced the Death Eater back, several falling and instantly being immobilised by a lunging panther or tiger. The phoenix's sent out soothing melodies when the last robed figure apparated away. The snakes hissed and melted into the grass, glowing silvery-green. The tiger's and panthers who had not claimed a body slunk away, disappearing in moments. Soon, all that was left were five immobile figures and five rather pleased cats.

"That…that was different." Lupin stared as a panther turned and hissed at them, purring loudly when they involuntarily stepped back.

"Different? Obviously our way of dealing with situations is rather odd to a wizard." A soft voice drifted out of the shadows.

"Odd? Wylerian fighting to a wizard? Odd doesn't even touch the tip of the iceberg."

"Really, you guys. Harry's a wizard, he wasn't so bad."

"Yeah but he's faced Voldemort almost as many times as us."

"We expect him to be at least a little abnormal to them. Normal to us anyway."

Harry grinned when he finally managed to catch sight of the four Wylerians. They smiled at him and inclined their heads towards the gaping Order. Hermione was staring in disbelief, a hint of anger in her eyes. Ron was doing the same thing as most of the Weasley's; he was trembling in fear. Only Fred and George seemed to take the situation in their stride, they were both grinning as the four before them began to bicker about Wizards again.

"'Lo, Harry." Alena stepped forward and the shadows immediately receded. "Hope this wasn't so much of an inconvenience to you."

He shook his head, opening his mouth to reply when Molly cut him off. "Inconvenience! You lot said you wouldn't need to come here! You said 'representatives' would come, not you four!"

Impan levelled his burning amber eyes on her. "And what do you think the panthers, tigers, snakes and phoenixes were doing? Playing tiddly-winks?"

"Tiddly-winks? Honestly, Imp, think you could be any less of a bloody muggle?"

"I'm not a muggle!"

"You were raised by 'em." Laeo shrugged.

"So what if he was? Harry's mate is muggle-born, and look at how smart she is? Rather more like one of our students than a witch, but still."

Hermione's mouth fell open at that. "Excuse me?"

Raiye turned to her and shrugged. "You're smart, we value that."

"Maybe we could show them how we teach at Terra Australis? Sure Dumbledore won't mind."

"Humph. Much."

Harry almost laughed at the way the Weasley's and the Order reacted to their bantering. Some stared in disbelief and confusion, others were irritated and a couple were even mad. Something, which Harry couldn't quite fathom. Selean whinnied from where she rested atop a statue of a centaur, her eyes dark in her silvery face. Her wings flared open and she shook her head, stomping her rear hoof at the same time. He smiled fondly at the little horse, she had proven that she could hold her own in a battle. Granted that the fight hadn't been too big, but it could have easily escalated.

There was a faint 'pop' and Dumbledore joined the group, his own wand held tightly and levelled almost immediately upon the four Wylerians. "What are you doing?"

Raiye inclined her head towards Impan and Laeo. Who immediately began to glow faintly. Harry realised, with a start that they were powering up. "We are here to ensure the protection of one Harry Potter. That protection extends to all those near, close and joined to him."

"You were not to swear protection, only to escort him here safely."

Alena's eyes flashed angrily. "The wards you have here are pitiful. Guardian or no, we cannot step back and watch him be put in needless danger."

Dumbledore's blue eyes narrowed before he nodded, conceding that maybe she did have a valid point. "The wards were the best we had."

"Then you have even stronger ones now."

"Representatives of our elements will protect this residence whether we come or not."

"Although it was rather interesting to see the…curious reactions to our appearance."

"Humph. Curious? Half of 'em look like they bloody well want to murder us!"

"Murder? Us? Ha! I'd like to see them--."

Impan broke off as he ducked a spell thrown at him. His eyes flashed gold and he turned to glare at the Order member who still held his wand pointed at him. The Wylerians aura suddenly flared red-hot and the air felt like they were standing at the opening to an active volcano. His hands looked as if they were on fire, small flames licking at his skin. His nostrils flared and he flicked his wrist, sending a stream of fire at the perpetrator.

There was a sudden flash of shadows and a pained growl. Alena had shifted her form into that of a violet-eyed panther. She glared at Impan, who looked as if he was going to faint. The shadows gradually eased themselves from where they had wrapped protectively around the Order member. Smoke rose from where Impan's attack had slammed into the panther's fur. In a flurry of shadows, Alena changed back to her human form, bright eyes switching her focus between Impan and the Order member still pointing his wand at the Wylerians.

"Impan. For future reference, don't mock a wizard when they want to kill us. We learned just how sneaky they could be centuries ago. And don't let your temper get away with you, it's dangerous and not just to them." She waved a hand at the singed hole in her clothes. She then turned to the wizard she had instinctively protected. "What is your name?"

"Why should I tell you?" His voice was gruff and he pointed his wand at her.

Alena raised an eyebrow and lazily flicked her fingers, the wand flying away from him and hovering several feet in the air. "Because I saved your ungrateful arse from being burned alive!"

Shadows shifted and thunder rumbled as lightening streaked across the night sky. A wind whipped up, grabbing at robes and tousling hair in all directions. The dark glow to Alena's purple eyes was dangerous in its complexity and the three Wylerians reacted instinctively.

Impan waved a hand and fierce heat banished the freezing cold, surrounding them with flickering flames; Laeo whispered in a low hissing voice, wisps of green shooting out from his glowing aura, joining with the flames and tinting them a deep green. Raiye stepped forward, a flick of her wrist sent a stream of blinding white light towards Alena, wrapping around her and forcing the shadows to dispel themselves.

Alena gasped and fell to her knees. The storm continued on in its ferocity, held back only by the red and green flames. Her eyes flashed black and a pained cry was ripped from her, causing her to fall onto her hands, shuddering as power tried to find a way through the silvery white streams of magic that encased her. The night suddenly stilled, the shadows changed course and became a lighter hue.

Raiye closed her eyes and let out the breath she had been holding. A click of her fingers and the streams of Light dissipated. The dark grey shadows leapt forward, curling protectively around the gasping form of Alena. She stilled and sagged slightly, but still she was tense, almost as if it was ingrained in her nature to not show all weaknesses.

No one moved, they were all too shocked by what had occurred.

Raiye made to move forward when a bolt of lightening struck the ground near where Alena kneeled. With a cry of danger the Wylerians leapt into action.