860 Giant’s Rampage Ⅳ

A painful scream of a giant causes Alastor to turn his head only to see that on the outskirts of the village, there was a giant being attacked by creature-like flames. "Fiendfyre, of course!" Alastor said in awe of the brilliance of the attacker before a grim expression flashed across his face. If the Fiendfyre was not controlled appropriately, the flames would grow out of control and eventually consume everything in their path including the spell caster. It was very dark magic but considering the situation, it was perfectly understandable and even acceptable. There were far worse alternatives to consider (such as being torn into pieces while still alive)!

Turning his back on the scene, Alastor hurries forward and raises his wand to aid his Auror's. From the tip of his wand, enchanted flames of immense size and heat emerge destroy everything before them as they seek out the living targets of the giants. Giant lions roared aggressively as they swarmed the giants setting the giants aflame. The giant's scream grows louder causing many of the Auror's including Alastor Moody to stagger and fall onto the wet, melting frozen grounds from the pain of the shriek. A painful pop is heard in one of his ears as the noise abruptly vanishes from that side of his head.

Despite the pain and ringing in his ears, Alastor raised his wand high and covers one ear with one hand, while the other ears began to drip blood. The smell of burning flesh fills the air causing Alastor to want to gag, but he remains stoic as he watches the giants one by one begin to fall to the ground as charged burning flesh. With a wave of his wand, the enchanted fiery lions fade away with loud roars, before nothing but the scent of burning flesh fills the air.

Alastor staggers to his feet deaf in one ear since his eardrum popped. Loud popping sounds can be heard in the distance as the A.P.D. reinforcements arrive with healers' teams in tow. Alastor opens his mouth to speak but finds that his mouth is dry and cracked from the heat of the flames. "There are wounded," he croaked pointing in the direction of severely injured villagers.

"Report," Alastor hoarsely asked as the leader of the current, A.P.D. squad.

Twizzle, one of the first four cured, is a burly man with piercing eyes. "Senior Auror Moody at the time of our departure there were no further attacks, but initial reports are presently coming in from officers on the ground that signs of giant movements have been found elsewhere in the country. I am afraid that your worse fears are coming true that there likely will be another giant attack."

"Be that as that may be, my primary concern is to secure the area," Alastor coughed and grimaced. "During the course of the battle giants fled and may still be in the nearby vicinity, and it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of the nearby villages."

"Understood, sir," Twizzle said in agreement. "I'll have my officers check the surrounding area for any giant stragglers that fled during the course of the battle."

Alastor nods his head at Twizzle, before moving in the direction of the original fiendfyre. Perchance, the caster had already fled, but he would rather check. That and he was a bit intrigued he must confess. It wasn't often that an ordinary civilian would have the guts to enact such a feat.

Despite the ache in his joints, Alastor stomps forward through the snow towards the flaming giant that has yet to perish. The flaming giant in the distance roars and slaps at the ground futilely, before trying to roll in the snow to put out the flames. The magical flames continue to burn as the giant wails and rolls in agony causing the frozen ground to violently tremble. The giant screams one last time, before becoming silent and still.

The magical flames of the fiendfyre continue for some time to burn the still giant. The sickly scent of roasting flesh fills the air as Alastor approaches the still giant with a wand raised. The flames abruptly go out as Alastor says, "Lumos!" Brightening the area to visibly see as the charred flesh of the roasted giant emits puffs of smoke and heat.

Alastor's eyes scan the area and fall upon a beautiful witch with glistening golden hair and icy blue eyes. She bravely still stood with her wand held high in front of a light brown-haired witch with frightened gray eyes and a quietly sobbing curvy witch with bright red hair. "Senior Auror Moody, present. Are there any wounded and who might you all be?" He quickly introduced himself with his eyes lingering upon the older witch with sincere admiration and approval.

Druella Black slowly lowers her wand, but not completely as she remains cautious. "I am Druella Black, and this is my daughter, Andromeda, and my cousin by marriage, Molly Weasley."

Druella pauses and hesitates for a moment before her lips press into a thin line. Her hand visibly shakes, but her fingers still point towards the south past the giant. "We lost another cousin-in-law, Lucretia, and her husband, Ignatius Prewett at the cottage." She drily swallows and points south past the charred giant's corpse.

Druella's hand trembles as she recalls Juliet D'Eath's last moments, who rather than begging for her life had instead pleaded and entrusted the care of her son, Lorcan to them. In fury and desperation, Bilius Weasley attacked the giant and successfully too causing Juliet D'Eath to be dropped to the ground. The two of them had died together with Bilius Weasley futilely attempting to carry her broken body away before a well-placed stomp from the infuriated giant ended their lives together. They would not be together in this life, but perchance in the next.

"Juliet D'Eath and Bilius Weasley were both killed by the giant," Druella's voice broke in lament. "I could not save them in time, gesturing to the barely visible remains hidden in the snow next to the charred corpse of the giant.

Druella's face darkens in self-reproach and regret. Her hand visibly tightens around her wand until her flesh is ghastly white. Trying to gather some measure of control, she summons her pride as a pureblood and pointedly raises her head. "And as for Ronell Weasley-," she paused gaining strength, "I believe he lives, but he was tossed by the giant just yonder over in the snow when he tried to save his brother and Juliet D'Eath. If he still lives, he will require immediate attention…."

Alastor briskly nods and raises his wand in the air. "Periculum," he rasped as bright red sparks spring into the air requesting aid from the healers in the village. In the distance, shouts can be heard as healers and Auror's safely move forward.

"I am sorry for your loss," Alastor quietly murmured causing Druella to stiffly nods her head.

"May we depart now, Auror Moody?" Druella asked not realizing her teeth are chattering loudly from the cold and shock. "I must inform my in-laws of our losses."

"Should we need anything further, we will formally send an inquiry," Alastor truthfully replied as the sound of healers and A.P.D. officers approaching through the snow can be heard.

Druella nods her head at Alastor and moves to turn away, before pausing. "And if I may request that should Ronell Weasley still be alive or dead might word be immediately be sent to us?"

Druella flushed at hearing herself, but it was not as though she did not care. She did care, but it was far more important to ensure that her daughter, Andromeda, and Molly Weasley are able to rest. The current situation had already but severe stress and strain on their bodies and neither witches could afford to have such heavy stress considering their early pregnancies. And she knew that was no healer and thereby could not aid Ronell Weasley beyond offering a comforting hand and attempting to make him comfortable should he still contain a single breath in his body.

"Word will be sent, Mrs. Black," Alastor solemnly promised.

"Widowed actually," Druella automatically replied, before an embarrassed flush crept up her pale, frozen face.

A glint of interest flashes across Alastor's eyes at the revealing tidbit of news. "And I hope if you don't mind, Mrs. Black and would not be averse to a report in person," he tentatively further prodded.

Druella blue eyes blink for a moment startled and slightly intrigued, before slowly replying, "We would be honored if the commanding officer Auror Moody would visit us in person to report the status of our kin."

"Then I shall look forward to our next meeting," Alastor sincerely said, before briskly turning away towards the healers and A.P.D. officers. He had a duty to fulfill and he could always seek out Druella Black afterward. It had been a long time since he had been since a woman had piqued his interest. And how could he not be impressed by the control and power of Druella Black when using the fiendyfyre curse. After all, many a wizard and witch had fallen prey to the spell before.

Alastor Moody wasn't the only one thinking such a thought as Druella Black herself. It had been a long time since any man had looked at her with such interest. Her own husband, Cygnus Black had only viewed her as an object to relieve his lust and continue the pureblood lineage. She had been rather foolish in her youth to fall for his coaxed promises, but she had been always intrigued by Cygnus's power. And Alastor Moody came from a long line of powerful Auror's, and though he was a Gryffindor, he was not one who shied away from power or the dark arts.

Regardless there is a time and place for everything and the two of them put away such thoughts for the time being, before hurrying to each perform their own roles. With a soft popping sound, Druella departed with the exhausted two younger witches in tow. The night would be a long one for the Auror's as it was only the start.