Chapter 142 - Ministry of Magic Ⅱ (1/2)

Later that Christmas evening, five Auror's one by one dropped by Auror Percius Clements's for a mug of spiced eggnog. The last to arrive at the bachelor home was Alastor Moody as he huffed and dusted the snow off his clock. Stomping his feet clean on the doormat, Alastor takes the mug offered and takes a sip letting out an appreciative sound at the kick.

”I suppose that the holidays are good for something,” said the older salt-peppered veteran, Sara Vinovich from her seat at the fireplace.

”Yes, it makes meeting up that much more convenient,” said, the round-faced flat owner, Percius Clements as he brought out another round of food.

”I don't know about all of you, but I quite like this,” mumbled the handsome, Gideon Prewett. ”At least there's drinks and food.”

”You would,” mumbled his large-nosed brother, Fabian Prewett.

”Well, I for one am grateful that at least we didn't have to scurry around in the cold,” said, the worn gaunt Alphard Black as he took a sip of his warm cider to clear his exhausted throat.

”Well, shall we get started?” Alastor said as he cast a non-spying spell over the room.

”So, shall we begin?” Sara suggested as the others nodded their heads in agreement. ”I was first on the scene at the Malfoy Manor and I can confirm that the dead intruders clothing matched those of our Death Eater's.”

An inflection of breaths can be heard as Sara continues, ”As for the identities of the wizards, they have all been found to belong to small wizarding families. No one of great interest was found among them.”

”I suppose that's a bit of relief,” Alphard coughed quite harshly earning puzzled glances.

”What I mean to say, that there is already a schism among the purebloods. If too much of a rift occurs, there's bound to be problems in the end,” Alphard croaked as he reached into his coat pocket for his medicine.

”And what about you, Alphard?” Sara pointedly said. ”You were there for your nieces' betrothal to that of young Malfoy. What did you see?”

Shaking his head, Alphard regretfully replied, ”I did not recognize a single attacker. But I did, however, take note of the Princes.”

”What about the Prince's?” Alastor curiously interrupted.

”Why I do believe that three of us attended Hogwarts with the Princes?” Alphard pointedly said.

”Aye,” Alastor admitted. ”I did attend with that sister of his, but I was in Gryffindor. And as she was fours above me, I did not interact much with her if at all. But from what I could see she was a real spitfire that one.”

”Same here, but I was only three years below her in Ravenclaw,” Percius interjected causing the Auror's to blink at seeing the younger-looking face of Percius in comparison to that of Moody's. After all, there was only a one-year difference between the two men.

Tactfully changing the subject, Alphard turns to the only female Auror in the room. ”And what of you, Vinovich?”

”I was four years below him,” Sara admitted. ”Even then one didn't cross him without expecting retribution.”

Sara paused and quickly did the math in her head. ”I was also with the younger sister, but as she was five years younger than I at the time. I admit that I did not pay her much attention as she was a Slytherin and I was in Hufflepuff.”

”I thought as much,” Alphard sagely said as stared into the fire. ”The Prince family member have always been powerful duelers. But the two Prince's most certainly have earned the right to that title from seeing them in action with my own eyes.

The sister often engaged multiple targets at once, while the elder Prince did the same with far more frightening efficiency There was no hesitation to his actions unlike the members of the ministry present nor any hesitation to maiming in order to clear the floor that much faster. And unlike the rest of us, his spells were quite lethal. I have no doubt that more than half of the dead Death Eaters were at his hands.”