Lucky

The Attack on West Hackney

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was in chaos. Morgana rushed in and found Hermione as quickly as she could. "Mione, I'm sorry I'm late. Can you fill me in?"

"Morgana!" Hermione threw her arms around her. "There's been an attack, in the outskirts of London. Death Eaters. Several muggles have already been killed, and the Dark Mark was cast. Harry's already out there with a team, and we've got a squad of Unspeakables out helping with memory modification. But the Aurors out there already are struggling, and we need as many wands as we can get. Liz is assembling all the other trainees in there as we speak." Hermione pointed her towards the next room, before grabbing her arm. "Morgana - do you feel ready for this?"

Morgana nodded, eyes clouding with determination. "Absolutely."

All the other trainees glanced up as Morgana hurried in. "You took your time, Black," Auror Kareva said, her voice gentler than usual. "We don't normally do this, but we need you rookies out tonight. And - you're one of the strongest classes we've had in years. So I have complete confidence in all of you."

The entire class beamed proudly, looking around at one another. "Now, you all know the rules," Kareva warned them. "Spells to disarm or demobilise only. None of you trainees are to try and arrest a death eater on your own. Work together, and try not to get cocky. Do as the experienced aurors tell you, and don't pay much mind to the Unspeakables. Remember your main priority is to get displaced muggles to protection."

They all nodded, and Liz sniffed bitterly. "C'mon, let's go and do this."

They all trooped out and towards the nearest fireplace where a portal had been set up to the London suburb which was under attack. One at a time they stepped in and vanished.

Normally at the start of something like this, it was quiet - the calm before the storm, as they say. In West Hackney on that suffocating spring night, the calm had disappeared entirely. This was undoubtedly the storm.

The bleak, grey London street was ablaze, black smoke pouring from windows and doors. Screams punctuated the still, close air as the dark mark loomed overhead. Colourful sparks shot about every direction, bouncing off walls, hitting people, striking the pavement with loud crashing sounds. Morgana quickly ducked a shower of green sparks and slashed back with her wand, sending a masked death eater flying across the street. She whirled around desperately, trying to figure out what to do first, and her gaze fell on a young girl, sitting alone on the edge of the pavement, sobbing into her hands.

Morgana hurried over and crouched beside the girl. "Hi sweetie," she said, as calmly as she could. "Is there somebody here with you?"

The child shook her head, looking up with tears rolling down her face. "I can't find Mummy," she wept, sniffling loudly. "I'm scared."

Morgana bit her lip, and rested a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "I know. I know this is scary. I'm a bit scared too. But we're here to keep you and everybody else safe, ok? What's your name?"

"Lucy," the little girl said in a wobbly voice, rubbing her nose on the back of her hand.

"Lucy," Morgana smiled. "That's a lovely name. My name is Morgana. I know you're frightened, Lucy, but I need you to trust me as much as you can so I can get you somewhere safe. Alright?"

The girl nodded, and Morgana took her by the hand gently, apparating back to the ministry. "Mione, take care of Lucy!" She cried, thrusting the child into Hermione's arms, before disapparating back to the scene. She repeated the process with several other displaced muggles, and took several injured civilians to St Mungo's, as well as putting out fires and lifting rubble. Meanwhile the senior aurors took on the death eaters in duels.