Hey everyone! I know things are a bit slow and maybe I'm not doing a great job yet but it will get better I promise! Anyway I do not own the wonderful world that is Harry Potter. Also sorry this is late I had a very sudden death in the family. It was unexpected and details are still pending so my time is not my own for the next week or so. Next week may be late as well as I haven't started typing it yet. My apologies. Read, review, and enjoy!
Chapter 6- Back to Attack… Surprise?!
The first wave was waiting and the backup force hidden further out under disillusionment charms. Ward Breakers were with each group. Working together they began taking them down from all sides. It was a quiet process but it was progressing well, albeit slowly. There had been a few truly nasty wards layered in. It was a true work of art in its complexity and formatting. The head Ward Breaker was actually incredibly impressed as well as thoroughly annoyed. Just separating the layers to dismantle without setting off alarms was incredibly tedious. It was also steadily draining the team after about thirty minutes Sirius noticed that his contingent's warder was swaying on his feet. It was glaringly obvious that the man was exhausted. He only hoped they could successfully finish the job before their assistants had to apparate them out.
Magical exhaustion was a serious issue in the best of circumstances, in a situation like this? It could easily prove fatal. One never knew when the enemy would take notice and attack. Though Ministry employed Ward Breakers were trained in both formal and combat dueling it wouldn't make much of a difference if they couldn't stand or lift their arm. Hell, it looked like too much longer and they wouldn't be able to stay conscious! It truly amazed many just how much control they had on their magic. They were precise, and had a tight rein on the flow of their magic. Whether they needed to be delicate or use their magic as a battering ram they were more than capable of doing so. It was only a few more minutes and their Ward Breaker dropped his wand arm and gave a small nod to Moody. Moody nodded back and the Warder's assistant stepped up before his partner lost his feet and apparated them both out with a crack. A small series of the same cracks sounded as the Ward team left to get treatment and Pepperups at a pre-appointed location where Ministry Healers waited to fuss over them and the Aurors should they need it later.
Moody waited exactly thirty seconds after the last crack sounded before motioning the team forward. Quickly and silently the first wave of the Auror force made their way in. It was only a few moments later and they were in the safe house. It was quiet and seemed abandoned… for about two minutes… then all Hell broke loose.
They had expected a fight. They had intel that reported four around the clock guards after all. What they had not expected however was to feel as the Wards went back up, cutting them off from reinforcements. It also sent a signal to an entire horde of Death Eaters that just popped in as they were the only ones allowed through the wards. Loud cracks alerted the now trapped Aurors to the incoming wave. With a snarl Moody bounded into all out war mode. He wasn't pulling any punches. Well except the Unforgivables… though truly that was more about the inconvenience later then an unwillingness to use at least two of the three. Which two? That was anyone's guess. His officers quickly followed his lead, forming circles to protect each other's backs. They all sent a flurry of spells, jinxes, and hexes. Certainly it was a hailstorm of light and color as curses sailed through the air, volleying back and forth. Sadly the death eaters weren't exactly resting on their laurels. They fought back. Hard and fast. Plus they had their enemy divided and outnumbered. That in addition to their lack of care for fair play and very happy to kill outright and the Aurors were left a bit screwed.
James cursed audioably, Sirius hearing him couldn't help but agree. This was quickly turning into a disaster. They were both quickly coming to regret wanting to rush into this. Aurors were starting to drop. So far no dead thankfully but they weren't sure how much longer that would hold true. Shield charms and portable runes were applied when possible to try to keep everyone alive long enough to win or retreat. At this point many did not care which. No one wanted this to lead to a wiped out Auror contingent. Even still their numbers continued to diminish, and so did the Death Eaters, but none of the officers were terribly upset by that. Granted they were still ridiculously outnumbered.
Eventually the Aurors had held out long enough that there were down to roughly forty or so Death Eaters and held their own numbers at about twenty five. They were dwindling the gap, and were relieved for a moment as they began to feel the wards starting to come done. Sirius and James bounced back into the fight with renewed vigor. Each was now hopeful that back up would make it in soon. This relief was quickly replaced with rage as a particularly nasty slicing hex made its way through Sirius' shield. Blood soaked his uniform spreading over his shoulder. James growled and sent a few nasty hexes of his own.
Though it was a struggle Sirius did his best to help. A tendon and plenty of muscle had been sliced completely through. Switching his wand to the other arm he did his best. He heard a very familiar voice laugh, spinning slightly to face said voice he growled.
"What's the matter you filthy blood traitor? Does it hurt? Pay no never mind, you'll soon be dead anyway." The voice spoke slightly muffled behind his mask but clearly indicating his sneer in his voice.
"I'm feeling just fine, Malfoy. Surprised you care. I'm touched. Truly." Sirius retorted.
"Of course I care Black. It will come as such a relief when I tell my wife and sister in law I've erased your stain from their house." Malfoy drawled, repelling a curse and shooting one of his own back. This time Sirius was not his target, and shot it at James.
He was happy to see his friend dodge it. Sadly though even as it missed it served its true purpose. It was meant to separate the young Lord Potter from what remained of the loose circle formation they had tried to keep up. Noticing his predicament the young man fought valiantly but was caught with a stunner and a spell Sirius didn't recognize before James was also flung back into a nearby wall. Sirius could only watch as half of the wall collapsed on top of him.
"NO!" Sirius screamed. With a howl of rage he caught three Death Eaters with a rapid fire of slicing hexes, stunners, and whatever else popped into his head as he went.
Finally the rest of Auror force had made their way in just seconds after the wards finally failed. Sirius still radiating rage and righteous fury made his way straight to James. Throwing himself onto the floor as close as could he vanished the debris from on top of his brother in all but blood. That sorted he continued his vengeful assault on the remaining Death Eaters he could take a good shot at. All at once Death Eaters were grabbing up their fallen and apparating out.
Once the last were gone Sirius turned his attention back to James. Scrambling the rest of the way to his brother he checked for a pulse. It was with great relief that he found one. Though it was weak, it was there and that is what counted. Quickly he visually assessed James. In a word it was 'bad'. He cast a few diagnostic charms that he knew, and frankly it didn't give him a lot of extra hope. That said injured could be healed. Dead… not so much.
Field Medi-Witches and Wizards were quickly combing over the injured. The worst cases were immediately apparated to hospital, some they tended to onsite before taking them in for observation and any extra non-emergency care, a few were able to apparate back to the office on their own power. Sirius waited none to patiently with James until they had made their way to him. After a set of far more in depth diagnostic charms it was deemed that he'd need portkeyed out as apparating would likely prove fatal.
Once he was officially gone Sirius shook himself and joined the remains of the team searching the safe house for a weapon or basically anything that had been left behind. Eventually the team gave up. Sirius had personally found nothing. Literally nothing. There were no beds, food, or any other evidence anyone had been staying as guard or anything else. Everyone else found just as much as he did. Vibrating with fury Moody called out the order to return to the DMLE. Everyone filed out and with a series of cracks everyone was gone.