In the forest, the Order of the Phoenix had all drawn their wands, ready to attack at any moment. Yet Kingsley Shacklebolt, who was in command, had yet to give the order.
"Shacklebolt, what are we waiting for?!" Moody asked irritably.
"A signal," Kingsley said, his eyes fixed on the hill opposite them.
Suddenly, a flash lit up on that hill. Moody froze. "We have people over there?"
"Those aren't our people," Kingsley said, gripping his wand. "It's time! Attack!"
With that, he immediately vanished with Apparition. The Order of the Phoenix members behind him followed, Apparating to the hill opposite.
The moment his feet touched the ground, Moody saw a strange priest dressed in black robes and wearing a crown of thorns. Holding a cross-shaped wand, the man chanted under his breath while scattering flames and lightning from his wand, driving back several Aurors.
Moody was certain these people weren't members of the Order of the Phoenix, but from the looks of it, they seemed to be allies.
"Defend! Defend! Don't let them get near the radar!" the Auror captain shouted. They had expected to encounter the Order of the Phoenix, but a group of people dressed like missionaries had appeared instead.
He was about to call for reinforcements through the mind network, but the network, which had been clear until moments ago, was now filled with a rustling white noise. He shouted several times into the network, but only unchanging silence answered him.
He scanned his surroundings and spotted a priest half-kneeling on the ground as if in prayer.
The man held a portrait aloft, and the force blocking the mind network seemed to be coming from it.
He raised his wand. "Stupefy!"
It was the spell he was most proficient with.
Suddenly, a knight clad head to