Harry Potter: The art of divination

Scrimgeour's question hung heavy in his mind as the battle exploded around him. The cobblestone streets of Hogsmeade had become a battleground. Spells ricocheted off walls and shattered windows, filling the air with the pungent scent of smoke and scorched wood.

Aurors and Hit wizards moved with precision, following their pre-arranged tactics to keep the Death Eaters contained. They formed defensive lines, pushing back their attackers with coordinated counterspells. Scrimgeour himself joined the fight, his wand an extension of his will as he deflected curses and fired stunning spells into the fray.

The Death Eaters, however, were no ordinary adversaries. They were well-trained, ruthless, and numerous. They moved in small, tightly coordinated groups, targeting choke points and isolating defenders when they could. 

At the center of the village, a team of Death Eaters began to dismantle the Floo connections. Green sparks erupted from the fireplaces they sabotaged, cutting off potential escape routes for villagers and reinforcements alike.

"Sir!" an Auror shouted, sprinting toward Scrimgeour. His face was streaked with soot, and his voice was tight with urgency. "They've taken out the Floo at the Post Office, and they're moving toward the Three Broomsticks!"

Scrimgeour swore under his breath. "Send a team to intercept them. We can't let them cut us off completely."

The Auror nodded and disappeared into the chaos, rallying others as he went.

Scrimgeour turned his attention back to the fight, just in time to see a bolt of sickly green light narrowly miss an Auror stationed on a nearby rooftop. The Killing Curse struck the stone chimney behind him, reducing it to rubble. Scrimgeour retaliated with a cutting spell, cleanly taking the head of the masked figure responsible.

Then it happened.

A deep, resonant hum filled the air, and a shimmering dome of magic descended over the village. The sensation of being tethered to the ground washed over Scrimgeour, and he realized what the Death Eaters had done.

"Anti-Apparition Ward!" he barked, his voice carrying over the din of battle.

A nearby Auror looked up sharply. "They've blocked us in?"

"And blocked reinforcements out," Scrimgeour growled. His mind raced. The ward was too large to dispel in the heat of battle, which meant any help from Hogwarts—or beyond—would have to come on foot.

The Death Eaters pressed their advantage. With the Floo network crippled and Apparition impossible, they focused their efforts on dividing the village. A concentrated group of them pushed down the main thoroughfare, forcing the Aurors to fall back toward the side closest to Hogwarts.

"Fall back to the eastern quarter!" Scrimgeour shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Protect the path to the school at all costs!"

Aurors moved quickly, retreating in an organized manner to avoid being overrun. The Death Eaters pursued relentlessly, their curses and hexes tearing through the air. A fire ignited in the south, its orange glow casting eerie shadows over the battle.

Near the edge of the village, two young Aurors fought to hold their position. They had taken cover behind an overturned cart, their wands flashing as they cast shield charms and Reductio's hoping to take down as many as they could. 

"Reducto!" shouted one of them, a wiry man with a shock of sandy hair. The blasting curse tore through the air and struck a masked Death Eater, sending him flying backward into a wall with a sickening thud.

His partner, a dark-haired woman barely older than a Hogwarts graduate, gritted her teeth as she cast a fiery Incendio that engulfed another attacker. The man's screams were brief as he crumpled to the ground.

"We're losing ground!" the sandy-haired Auror shouted, his voice tight with panic as he glanced toward the growing tide of black-cloaked figures advancing on their position.

"Hold the line!" his partner snapped back, her voice sharp with determination. She launched a barrage of bone-breaking curses, forcing the Death Eaters to slow their charge.

It wasn't enough. The Death Eaters were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless. They moved in tight formations, their spells coordinated and lethal. Explosions erupted around the Aurors, showering them with debris.

"Move left!" the woman yelled, dragging her partner behind the cart as a Killing Curse streaked past them, close enough to singe her hair.

But just as the Death Eaters closed in, a new volley of spells rained down from above. The sharp crack of a Blasting Curse ripped through the advancing line, sending bodies flying. A Death Eater screamed as he was struck by a piercing curse, collapsing lifeless to the ground.

The two young Aurors looked up to see a group of their comrades stationed on a nearby rooftop, their wands aimed with deadly precision. One Auror, a grim-faced veteran with a scar running down the side of his face, directed the assault.

"Clear the line!" he barked, his voice carrying over the chaos.

The rooftop team unleashed a torrent of lethal spells- Reducto, Confringo, and cutting curses tearing through the Death Eater ranks. The air filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh and the sickening crunch of shattered bones. The remaining attackers broke formation, retreating into the shadows.

"Go! We've got you covered!" the scarred Auror shouted down to the two defenders below.

The young Aurors scrambled to their feet, breathing heavily. "Thanks for the save," one of them muttered, before diving back into the fight.

Scrimgeour watched the skirmish from a distance, his jaw clenched. They were holding—for now. But the village was being carved in two, the Death Eaters seizing control of the western half while the defenders fortified the eastern side.

He turned to an Auror at his side. "Send a messenger to Hogwarts on foot. We need reinforcements. Tell them the Floo is down, and Apparition is impossible."

The Auror nodded and sprinted toward the school's path, weaving through the chaos.

Scrimgeour turned his attention back to the square. The Death Eaters were regrouping, preparing for another push. He raised his wand, signaling to his remaining forces.

"Form up!" he bellowed. "We protect this side at all costs!"

The defenders rallied, creating a tight formation along the main street. They raised shields, deflecting the barrage of curses that came their way. The Death Eaters advanced, their masked faces emotionless as they hurled spell after spell.

The battle dragged on, each side refusing to yield. By the time the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Hogsmeade was a village divided. The western side lay in ruins, controlled by the Death Eaters. The eastern side, closest to the path to Hogwarts, remained under Auror control.

Scrimgeour stood at the edge of the square, his wand still raised, his face grim. The rising sun bathed the village in a pale light, revealing the full extent of the destruction. Smoke rose from several buildings, and the streets were littered with debris.

But the Aurors had held.

For now. 

****

A Auror sprinted through the darkened path leading to Hogwarts, his boots pounding against the uneven ground. His robes, once pristine, were torn and singed, evidence of the battle raging behind him. His face was pale, streaked with soot and blood, and his breathing came in ragged gasps as he pushed himself harder, willing his legs to carry him faster.

The cool night air did little to cool his burning lungs, and his wand trembled in his grip, the tip still glowing faintly from the last spell he had cast. A sharp pain shot through his side, but he ignored it, his focus entirely on the towering gates of Hogwarts that loomed ahead.

"Open the gates!" he shouted hoarsely, his voice cracking as he closed the distance. "They're coming! The village is under attack!"

The Auror stumbled as he reached the entrance, falling to one knee but catching himself on his wand. He dragged himself upright, slamming a fist against the iron bars in desperation. His chest heaved as he tried to force more words out.

"Death Eaters…they've cut the Floo and locked down Apparition! Reinforcements…must come on foot!"

A loud creak echoed as the gates began to open, and the Auror staggered through, clutching his side. His knees buckled, but he refused to fall.

"The eastern quarter's holding…for now," he gasped, his words tumbling out between ragged breaths. "But they're too many. We need…everyone."

A group of professors that came out to see what the commotion was about and Hagrid rushed forward, their faces grim as they took in his disheveled state. One of them caught him as he swayed, helping him stay upright.

"Sound the alarm," the Auror managed to choke out. His eyes, bloodshot and wide with urgency, locked onto the nearest figure. "They're coming."