Feast of Saint Valentine Ⅴ

The instant shrill alarms began to ring in the Ministry of Magic, the Aurors immediately began to mobilize in a swift and practiced manner without being instructed. The forty-year-old Head of the Department, Elphinstone Urquhart, a dark-haired wizard with slicked back hair in a widow's peak smoothly shouts out orders. "Team one will be led by Senior Commanding Auror Moody," causing the middle-aged scarred Scottish Auror to stand upright.

"Team 2 will be led by Senior Auror Scrimgeour and will set up a perimeter to apparate the hags and goblins to the battle location," Elphinstone announced causing the golden-haired lion-maned Auror Rufus Scrimgeour to nod firmly in acceptance of the order. "Once the perimeter is successfully set up, Team 2 will defend the location as our point of retreat and commence to apperate A.P.D. officers, while providing cover for the healer's team to arrive and commence treating any wounded."

Both Auror Moody and Auror Scrimgeour wordlessly set out the minute their instructions are given. Their teams automatically follow them as they depart from the Ministry of Magic from secure apperation points. Those remaining on standby will await further orders.

"Team Three will be led by Auror Williamson and will be in charge of defenses at the Ministry of Magic. We will not tolerate another attack against the Ministry of Magic to occur!" A scarlet-robed Auror with a long ponytail tilts his head in acceptance of Elphinstone Urquart's command, before moving out to set up preliminary defenses around the Ministry of Magic with his team.

Elphinstone turned towards a witch with an eyepatch over one eye that had been lost in battle against the Death Eaters, (specifically at the hand of Antonin Dolohov). "Auror Fields, I will entrust Team Four with being ready for the second wave of attacks and to provide reinforcements as necessary to the battlefield."

"Understood, sir," Auror Fields crisply replied as she adjusted her eyepatch, before ordering the younger Aurors under her command to move.

Among those are the faces of Kingsley Shackle bolt, Strugis Podmore, Dorcas Meadows, Marlene McKinnon (McKinnon), and even newer members. Those now considered solid in the job like Kingsley Shackle bolt, Strugis Podmore, Dorcas Meadows, and Marlene McKinnon are paired with younger Auror's especially the fledging's much to their dismay. However, it was tradition to pair a more veteran Auror with younger Aurors still considered fledging's, which would occur all over again once the latest Auror batch graduated from the academy come spring.

The Auror quarters become all but devoid of a skeleton staff except for those on desk duty, who are mostly older Auror's and those wounded. Although if asked every single of the Auror's on duty would promptly answer that they were ready for duty. Never mind their wounds and age much to the frustration of Elphinstone, who at times felt as though he were babysitting an entire department of nosey adults that lacked any form of self-preservation!

Privately lamenting his fate, Elphinstone does not return to his desk but rather remains in the midst of the department receiving field reports. Soon whisp-like birds would begin arriving with reports from the battlefield. And he would need to make adjustments as necessary a single second could make all the difference in turning the tide or sending reinforcements to their deaths.

On the battlefield, the first team of Auror's led by Alastor Moody were forced to fight on open ground in order to make their way to the Rowle mansion, whose roof and been ripped open. There were guests still trapped inside and it was their duty to protect civilians. "Dawlish, keep your act together," Auror Moody sternly barked, before casting "Diffindo Maximus" effectively wounding a giant that had nearly crushed Dawlish with his feet.

"Move boy!" Auror Moody sharply barked at the younger Auror.

Dawlish barely pulls himself to his feet when the giant begins howling in pain from the spell. Thick globes of blood ooze out of the location of a former finger as the Giant stamps in anger. Breathless Dawlish rushes forward but in the dark trips in the darkness. A giant foot moves rapidly, before retreating as the giant stumbles back.

Lights abruptly fill the air as Hags drop carefully crafted goblin orbs to light the night sky. "The hags and goblins are here," Dawlish exclaimed in relief as the hags began to perform aerial maneuvers to dodge giant attacks while dropping poisonous vials onto the giants.

"Constant Vigilance, Dawlish!" Auror Moody gruffly said dragging the Auror up from the ground by the collar. "You are going to get yourself killed at this rate, boy!"

"Move!" Auror Moody hissed shoving Dawlish forward, before casting a blasting spell to deflect a thrown wall at them. The wall is blasted into smithereens, but the fragments still hurtling through the air to scratch at their faces.

Auror Moody winces at feeling a bleeding cut just over the brow of his right eye. He already feels something warm dripping down his right eye blinding him. He wipes at his eye to see with his crimson uniform sleeve. And people asked why Auror's only wore scarlet robes, it was so blood would not show!

"Episkey," Alastor Moody growled pointing his wand at his brow to at least stop the bleeding. He didn't have the time nor patience to properly heal the wound being in the middle of battle.

Dawlish is still standing dazed behind him and Alastor Moody remembers Percius Clement's concerns about how Dawlish would freeze up at the most inconvenient of times. "I owe that man a one 'ell of a drink and an apology, when I die," Auror Moody grumbled under his breath.

"Auror Dawlish report to Team 2 to aid in the retention of the perimeter," Auror Alastor Moody roared startling the dazed Auror back to his feet.

"No, sir, I can still fight!" Dawlish protested.

"And you will, Dawlish" Auror Moody snapped, "nor I will not tolerate insubordination on the battlefield!"

The tough-looking John Dawlish with short, wiry hair grimly nodded his head in reluctance acceptance at the command of the veteran Scottish Auror. Every Auror had been assigned a team member on the battlefield and he had been temporarily assigned to Senior Veteran Auror Moody. Auror Moody's partner Auror Scrimgeour was currently managing Team 2 and could not be there to cover the back of Auror Moody.

With a new objective in mind, Auror Dawlish made his way through the raging battlefield. He needed to inform Auror Scrimgeour that Auror Moody had been left without a partner on the battlefield. A replacement Auror needed to be sent out immediately to cover Auror Moody's back!