Death Eaters in Daigon Alley - 3

"Those Aurors aren't using any spells. They're trying to negotiate with them," Harry said, ducking as a stream of purple light was shot near his head.

Moody returned fire, taking out two Death Eaters before lowering his wand again.

"What do you think you're doing?" an Auror asked, crouching low as he ran up to them.

"We're saving your arses," Moody snapped. "Why aren't you trying to stop them? They're using Unforgiveables."

As if to prove his point, the screams of an Auror obviously being subjected to the Cruciatus filled the air.

The Auror eyes flickered before his stony expression returned. "We're following new Ministry guidelines to attempt to achieve a peaceful settlement to the crisis," he said in a monotone.

"Bollocks," Moody replied. "This is more of Umbridge's mess."

The Auror clenched his jaw tightly. "We have our orders. There are strict, Ministry-sanctioned guidelines that must be followed. There is to be no spell-use until we receive the appropriate signal from our commander."

"And who is your commander?" Moody asked, growling. "Can't he see that your people are being devastated?"

"Dawlish," Kingsley Shacklebolt said, approaching them. His eyes briefly glanced at Harry, but he gave no sign of recognition. He turned to the Auror standing with Moody. "Sir, Bradford and Hennessey are down, leaving you the next in command. What do you want to do?"

Kingsley's jaw was tense, as if he were barely restraining himself. His hand clenched his wand tightly, as if forcing himself not to use it. Harry could see reflections of color from various spells reflected in the gold of Kingsley's earring.

"You want to protect yourselves from those Death Eaters," Harry said when the Auror hesitated. "Dolores's decree obviously isn't working."

The man's gaze flickered to Harry, freezing when he noticed the scar. He swore under his breath. "We haven't been given the order to engage from Dawlish," he said through clenched teeth. "The bigwigs at the Ministry were adamant that we follow procedure."

"We don't know that Dawlish is still alive," Kingsley said stiffly. "And our people are dying, sir."

When the Auror still hesitated, Moody swore in disgust. "Look, you do whatever you have to do, and we'll do what we have to do. Harry, get up on that roof and see if you can get a good aim at the Death Eaters on the top step at Gringotts. They appear to be the ones in charge."

Harry nodded. Using his wand to lower the ladder, he took Ginny by the arm and maneuvered her to climb ahead of him. The metal was very cold, and it stung his hands each time he grasped a wrung. As they ascended, he could hear Moody and Shacklebolt still arguing with the Auror. The smoke grew heavier, and he lost sight of them, but he heard the Auror finally agree to Moody's demands.

Harry sighed in relief; at least that was something.

As the Aurors finally began battling the Death Eaters in earnest, the sky burst with a symphony of colors from various spells. Just as Harry and Ginny reached the roof and climbed off the fire escape ladder, a spell was fired into the air. Harry gaped as the Dark Mark filled the sky above Gringotts. A cold thrill of dread ran down his back. That spell hadn't been fired from the ground. Turing around slowly, he stared into cold dark eyes behind a Death Eater mask. The wizard held a wand aimed directly at Harry's chest.

*~*~*

Hermione turned from the fireplace after making the emergency call to headquarters to find Shannon, the clerk at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, standing nearly on top of her. The girl was a few years older than Hermione, but appeared much younger at the moment. Tears leaked from her pretty, bright blue eyes, and she wrung her hands while waiting for Hermione to tell her what to do.