Wind-up

In the English village of Godric's Hollow past a little lane that curves left is the heart of the village, a small-town square. There are several shops, a post office, a pub, and even a little church whose stained-glass windows were glowing jewel-bright in the late evening from the lighting found inside. The village pub was mostly empty except for a few drunken stragglers, who had fallen sound asleep having one too many pints that evening.

Despite the frozen darkness, the village streetlamps glow in the main square. The homes of the villagers are dark except for a few who have yet to turn in for the night. Further down the village at the edge of town is a two-story cottage with a small gate and tall hedges that obscure the view of the house from the road from muggles and magical folks alike. The cottage was well warded and further protected from intruders by the Fidelus Oath. The night sky was dark and stormy with the threat of another snowfall before midnight.

Treading up the muddy path is a tall, hooded figure briskly making its way up the path. "Snow's not far off now," grumbled Aberforth with a grimace wrinkling his long nose at the heavy trodden sky. His brilliant blue eyes glinted behind spectacles appearing far too much like his older brother, Albus. Yet unlike his brother, his hair was grizzled gray along with a neatly trimmed beard. So popular in fact that he had more than a few regular witches attempting to flirt with him down at the Hogs Head Inn.

Passing through the gate and initial warding, Aberforth feels a prickle run across his flesh as the wards become progressively stronger the nearer, he approaches the door. He grimly grunts in approval at Albus reinforcing the wards. Not that Albus ever listened to anything he had to say, but just this once his older brother had proven him wrong.

Aberforth suppresses the twitch of a smile on the edge of his lips. He wouldn't give Albus the satisfaction of knowing that he was pleased by his actions. Albus was plenty arrogant enough and did not need his ego to be even more flattered.

A curtain briefly flutters revealing the fact that someone had been peeking through. Aberforth clicks his tongue in annoyance having conveyed the importance to the younger members of the Order of the Phoenix of not revealing one's presence by peeking through the window curtains!

Aberthforth carefully knocks and mutters the current password to permit entry. The door clicks and opens permitting him to easily step inside the clean and better-furnished cottage. Aberforth waits for the door to firmly shut behind him before turning to greet the middle-aged Scottish Auror of average size. Alastor Moody's brown hair had been given a trim, but the scars on his face were still there. One ran the length of his entire cheek, another just under his chin, and another across the tip of his nose where a rogue wizard had attempted to remove his entire face. There was one starting across his brow and reconnecting just under his chin, while the last scar, a thick line that went across his entire neck was a failed beheading attempt.

"Rumor has it that you're courting the widow, Druella Black," Aberforth acerbically said arching his brow at the shorter wizard as he removed the cowl of his hood. "I didn't know you still had it in you, Moody." He paused to rudely gesture at Moody's lower half. "I thought that had stopped working ages ago."

"Aberforth," Alastor Moody warningly growled with a thick Scottish brough causing the handsome red-head Auror Gideon Prewett to cheekily grin in silent confirmation of the courtship of the widow Druella Black by Moody.

"Ye Spirits and little fishes!" Alastor swore under his breath. The Aurors by nature are nosey and an entire department put together of them creates a bunch of nosey gossips'! There was absolutely nothing that could be kept secret for long much less not be spread about!

Gideon bats his eyes at the veteran Auror causing Alastor to darken even more in irritation. Aberforth barely refrains from smirking as he follows the two Aurors into the inner foyer. Sitting in the only two chairs before the hearth is his silverly-haired brother, Albus, and the hunched-up, bald figure of Elphias Doge. An utterly devoted friend of Albus's ever since Hogwarts and someone who had riled Aberforth up since their time at Hogwarts.

Elphias Doge sensing Aberforth's gaze glares at the younger wizard, before nosily couching to cover a mumbled grumble. Aberforth is reluctant to be the first to break their glaring contest, but he had other pressing items to verify. He quickly turns to scan over the two Bones brothers, Edgar and Jacques Bones.

The elder, Edgar Bones was a handsome Auror with a square jaw and dark brown hair. While his younger brother, Jacques worked in the Ministry as a member of the International Magical Cooperation Department. The two men looked similar alike with square jaws except that Jacques had much lighter brown hair. Yet Aberforth noticed a tension on their faces and shoulders. The continued giant raids had begun to take a toll on active Aurors on duty and international relationships with the interest of many magical ministries across the world that were heavily interested in the Magical Brain and Wiz Link. And merlin forgive that a visiting international witch or wizard was hurt in the attacks! The aftermath would simply be unimaginable!

Moving away Aberforth noted that the Auror Prewett brothers were not standing together. Gideon Prewett was standing at the side of Alastor Moody, while the long-nosed Fabian Prewett is standing next to his now-wife, Emmeline (nee Vance). A stately-looking witch with her trademark emerald green shawl wrapped around her. A talented witch and a crucial higher-ranked member of the Animagus Police Department (A.P.D.)

Aberforth did not sense anything wrong with the couple before moving on to the younger Order members standing together. There is Benjy Fetwick, a reserved wizard with light-colored skin and short hair. A valuable presence in the Ministry of Magic at present serving under Barty Crouch as his protégé but had since been promoted as an active barrister.

Then there was Caradoc Dearborn, a timid, wide-eyed, pale young man with chocolate-colored hair. A nervous wretch, but the boy was incredibly useful as he was a talented quill pusher. As a member of the Filing Department in charge of Personnel Files, the boy knew details about the members of the Ministry of Magic that most folk never knew about. Still, the boy did look that much more confident than before which could only be a good thing.

Then there were the younger Aurors. Kingsley Shacklebolt is a tall dark wizard with broad shoulders. The boy's head was shaved clean and was rather neat except for a single hoop earring in a fashion statement. However, his face had begun to have the wear and tear that all Aurors get with the passing of time.

Sturgis Podmore was no different, a square-jawed young man with thick straw-colored hair. The boy had grown and Moody said he was a right solid fighter; someone you would want to defend your back.

The only married one among the bunch is Marlene McKinnon (formerly Stein), a deadly Auror in her own right. The fierce Auror had auburn hair, brown eyes, and fair skin. And currently had one of the highest giant kill counts among the Auror Corps and that itself spoke to her skills and prowess.

Aberforth's roving eyes came to a halt upon Dorcas Meadows. A pretty Auror with tan skin, warm eyes, and curly hair. The attractive witch was a tease that had charmed many around her. Yet he also knew that the chit hid a ruthless, cunning side. Now, he just needed to prove it.