Approach Ⅱ

A dense fog lays over Diagon Alley, the majority of the shops are closed as many owners had retired for the night to enjoy a spiced pint of ale or a glass of wine, sherry, and even Ogden's Finest Firewhiskey. A few shops are still open with late-night shoppers especially Knockturn Alley, it was alive and bustling despite the late hour for Knockturn Alley truly did come alive at night, unlike its counterpart Diagon Alley.

Despite the dense mist, the rough outline of the towering white building in the distance can still be seen, Gringotts Bank. The air is humid causing the burnished bronze bank doors to glisten. The regular goblin guards in uniforms of scarlet and gold with a feathered cap plumage are missing from the front as it is after-hours. Beyond the bronze doors lay a second set of silver goblin forged doors with the cautionary words to every visitor that entered the domain of the goblins.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So, if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware,

Of finding more than treasure here.

The large bank's lobby that is typically filled with goblin clerks sitting on high stools behind goblins is empty. Standing in the large lobby are dozens of hags nervously whispering and clutching their brooms in hand. The very elderly, those pregnant or with young children, or not yet fully grown hags were excluded from the dangerous affair.

Most of the hag's present were members of the Society for the Reformation of Hags, but there were a couple who were foreign hags, who had come to aid their cousins and fellow hag sisters. Gathered at the forefront is the Hag council. The middle-aged witch and head of the society Melanctha Nutcombe wore thick robes for protection, (a descendant of Honoria Nutcombe). At her side, stand the elderly hag named Perpetua Miscercorida, (a descendant of Cordelia Misericordia). And lastly, Indira Grymm, a great beauty with flawless skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as dark as ebony. She was an enchanting witch with a luscious body, (and a descendant of Malodora Grymm, the evil Queen and stepmother ironically on which the tale of Snow White is based on).

"We will lose many of our sisters, if this does not go as planned," Melanchtha quietly hissed under her breath. "I know that you will chide me, Perpetua for my pessimism, but plans rarely ever go as planned."

Perpetua grinned revealing abnormally sharp teeth for the elderly hag's age. "Rarely if ever does life go as planned? It is why the Trolls will be the infantry taking the brunt of the physical attack and the goblins will act as vanguards to guard the trebuchets for long-distance attacks. Furthermore, the Aurors won't let the Ministry of Magic fall without a fight. Valor or insanity, you can call it, but the Auror's will hold their posts even until death, we must credit them for that much at least."

Melanchtha reluctantly nods her head in agreement with the elder hag's words but does not appear to be entirely convinced as the furrow on her brow deepens. Before Melanchtha can speak, Indria Grymm opens her perfect red rose-colored lips. "Have more confidence in our sisters, Melanchtha," Indira said in a musical, seductive voice. "We have survived all these years against the worst that humanity and wizardking have to offer, and we will do so again."

Perpetua grunts in approval of Indira's self-assured statement, while Melanchtha lets out a weary sigh. "I hope that for our sister's sake, your words are true, Indira," Melanchtha drily said, before moving forward to comfort the nervous hags among them accompanied by the Perpetua and Indira.

Many of the hags were restless except for a few of the foreign hags, who were used to battle as they resided in the magical reservoirs filled with dragons and various other dangerous creatures. The only other exception was that of Annis Black. Unlike the rest of her hag's sisters, she looked more like a plain middle-aged woman lacking warts and the rest of the distinguishing features of a hag. She did have a large mole on her pointy chin, but unlike the rest of the hags burning yellow-colored eyes, she had the gray-colored eyes of her Da's side of the family, the Black's.

Ignoring her feelings of excitement, Annis carefully checked her equipment one last time. Her older brother, Eaton had her practicing drills the last few days. He repeatedly reminded her that during the war that the only thing standing between him and certain death was having his gun ready at all times. He made her practice mounting her broom and throwing stones until her upper arms were terribly sore.

To make matter's worse, Eaton wanted her to be able to smoothly ride her broom with one hand as she would be attacking Giants with another. Eaton had called his two grown married sons, Thurman and Harmon over. Her two nephews had lobbed stones at her with their full strength to teach her how to dodge. Needless to say, she was still painfully bruised in some unmentionable places, but she had quickly learned how to efficiently dodge without falling off her broom.

A loud gong causes the Hags to startle and turn to see a goblin warrior dressed in shining armor. "The Giants have crossed the first marker on the outskirts of London," the goblin loudly announced as a solemn and fearful hush fell over the hags. "The infantry will be released through the side door of Gringotts's," the goblin crisply said reminding the hags that a magic vow had been placed to ensure that particular detail of a side door into Gringotts's was released to the public.

"The vanguard will follow immediately after with archers and the trebuchet's," the goblin gravely announced. "However, the hag part will emerge from the front lobby as the calvary to create a three-pronged attack. We have been instructed the giants to enter Diagon Alley and commence attacking the Ministry of Magic before moving."

The three Hag council leaders bow in understanding before the goblin warrior returns to his post next to the gong awaiting further instructions from his superiors. Rustling sounds fill the lobby as each Hag begins to check that they are all wearing their pouches filled with potions. The Hags were talented brewers, but they had been denied a place in the potion guilds for far too long despite their innate talents.

The Hags hoped to show their value to wizardkind and protect their homes from the giant's invasion. Still, they were not to be underestimated. Since they tended to live in cave and forest areas, they were able to much more easily recollect rare herbs that witches and wizards might have a hard time finding. Resulting, in their ability to create rare potions including powerful poisons. They rarely if ever created poisons, but this time around they had brewed the most powerful poisons they could create within the limited time frame that they possessed. If they failed to succeed, they would perish at the hands of the giants. It was a bet against the most dangerous foes of humanity and of magical creatures alike, but it was too late to pull back their chips. They were all in.