Carrow's rallying cry echoed like the blast of a battle horn. Behind Abernathy, a host of Pureblood Party wizards raised their wands in unison.
On the opposing side, Rufus Scrimgeour swept his arm forward, and the Aurors of the British Ministry of Magic responded in kind, wands drawn and poised.
Carrow, leading the charge, rushed headlong toward the line of Aurors. Several of them immediately pointed their wands at him.
"Expelliarmus!"
Disarming Charms shot toward Carrow in quick succession.
But Carrow didn't flinch. He neither dodged nor raised a defense, as though the spells didn't exist.
"The Pureblood Party? Nothing more than—"
An Auror sneered, cutting off their own words as if dismissing the tension of battle.
But before they could finish, a sharp command rang out:
"Protego!"
A shimmering shield enveloped Carrow, conjured from behind him by a fellow Pureblood Party wizard.
The sudden turn of events caught the Aurors off guard. Although they were experienced in capturing rogue dark wizards, large-scale magical duels were another matter entirely.
In stark contrast, the Pureblood Party had honed their skills in such battles. As Carrow, now shielded by the protective charm, barreled toward the Aurors, confusion spread among the Ministry's ranks.
Carrow wasted no time. He waved his wand with precision and bellowed:
"Sandstorm Surge!"
Instantly, a howling tempest of sand and debris enveloped the Aurors. Visibility plummeted as the winds disoriented them, and several stumbled amidst the chaos.
Carrow's mocking voice cut through the tumult:
"You foolish children! Do you think this is a duel? This is war! Expelliarmus? Even dogs wouldn't use that!"
Just then, a commanding voice rose above the panic:
"Finite Incantatem!"
From a central point, the swirling sandstorm began to dissipate, revealing Rufus Scrimgeour crouched low with his wand pressed into the ground.
"Do not underestimate us, Aurors!" Scrimgeour growled, rising to face Carrow.
Carrow, seeing his spell undone, smirked with unsettling fervor.
"Now this is getting interesting!" he sneered.
Buoyed by Scrimgeour's defiance, the Aurors rallied, clutching their wands with renewed determination.
But as the dust settled, a chilling realization dawned: the ranks of the Pureblood Party seemed thinner, their elder members nowhere to be seen.
"Sir! Look behind us!"
The cry from the rear jolted Scrimgeour. Turning swiftly, he saw the horrifying truth—some of the Pureblood Party wizards had Apparated behind their lines.
The balance of power shifted in an instant. The Aurors, previously holding their ground, now found themselves surrounded.
Though the Ministry's Aurors outnumbered the Pureblood Party members, the latter's superior experience in large-scale combat gave them a decisive edge.
Despite Scrimgeour's quick thinking in countering Carrow's spell, the brief distraction was all the Pureblood Party needed to execute their strategy.
"Kyle, secure the rear! The rest of you, with me! We deal with the ones in front first!" Scrimgeour barked orders with urgency, but the Pureblood Party wasn't about to let the Aurors regroup.
"Stupefy!"
A Stunning Spell shot forth from a Pureblood Party wizard, targeting an Auror at the front.
The Auror reacted swiftly, dodging the spell and retaliating with a Stunning Spell of their own.
"Protego!"
Unfortunately, another Auror, oblivious to the attack from behind, was struck down. Meanwhile, the Pureblood Party wizard's Shield Charm deflected the counterattack effortlessly.
Scenes like this played out across the battlefield. In just one coordinated assault, the Aurors suffered over a dozen casualties.
Scrimgeour's heart sank as he watched his comrades fall. Yet, amidst his despair, he felt a grim relief—at least the Pureblood Party wasn't using Unforgivable Curses, especially the Killing Curse. Otherwise, the losses would have been catastrophic.
Still, it was clear to Scrimgeour that unless something changed, defeat was inevitable.
Grabbing a nearby Auror, he yanked them out of harm's way and whispered urgently:
"Find Minister Fudge immediately! Tell him that if he doesn't act now, the Pureblood Party will overrun us!"
The Auror nodded and, under the cover of their comrades, fled back to the Ministry.
Inside the Ministry's grand hall, Cornelius Fudge stood surrounded by Ministry officials. He was fully aware of the dire situation outside but hesitated to act, paralyzed by indecision.
When the Auror relayed Scrimgeour's message, Fudge realized he could no longer waver.
Summoning every remaining witch and wizard in the Ministry, regardless of department, he rallied them with an impassioned call:
"If you can hold a wand, step forward!"
Soon, an overwhelming number of Ministry personnel assembled, vastly outnumbering the Aurors on the battlefield. Fudge's anxiety ebbed as he gazed upon the reinforcements.
"Follow me!" Fudge declared, raising his wand. "Let's show those Pureblood Party scum the true strength of the British Ministry of Magic!"
With that, Fudge led the charge toward the fray.
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