Back at the Ministry of Magic, the tawny lion-like figure of Rufus Scrimgeour can be seen ordering the second group of reinforcements to depart. "I want the A.P.D. ready in animagus form to attack and scout. We need to collect our wounded as fast as possible and finish evacuations. St. Mungo's is on standby and one of our newly trained A.P.D. medical team will be accompanying you lot! I want every single Auror to travel in pairs, these are giants, we are dealing with and they are not to be underestimated!"
The second group of reinforcements is a mixed group of A.P.D. and Auror's escorting the medical team. The group briskly nods their head in understanding. "Aye, sir!" They chorused together.
"Well, what are you waiting around for? Hop to it!" Rufus loudly growled as the second wave of reinforcements depart for Mould-on-the-Would.
Suppressing a worried frown, Rufus presses lips into a thin line causing the furrow on his forehead to only deepen. He had the sinking feeling that their worst losses would be at Mould-on-the-Would. The Auror that had apparated to headquarters had been severely wounded having lost a limb. The Auror through a haze of agony reported that the Auror's had been ambushed as predicted, but more importantly, they had been forced to hold their ground rather than retreat to evacuate the civilian population.
Rufus's yellow-brown eyes flicker over the Auror cubicles. Those remaining behind were on office duty mostly fledging's. In total, he had less than a third of veteran, and senior Auror's remaining. If a third giant attack should occur, there would not be enough Auror's nor A.P.D. officers to send out to contain the attack. They would have to wait until Moody returned or worse, completely right off the attack. However, in the worst-case scenario, the Ministry of Magic would be attacked, and based on the current staff, Rufus was confident that they would not be able to hold the Ministry of Magic for long.
Rufus's lion-like eyes flicker to the figures of Auror Shacklebolt, Podmore, and Stein. The three Auror's had successfully sent out Ministry missives to any Auror or A.P.D. officer's that were thought to still be residing within the Isles. One or two Auror's and A.P.D. members had begun to apparate to the Ministry of Magic, but more were coming. Even more importantly, the trio had at long last found the ambassador of Lithuania, who was recuperating from Dragon Pox and had elected not to attend the Presentation Ball.
In an excellent turn of news, the ambassador of Lithuania had an active invitation and could relay the message to the Minister of Magic and all other officials at the Presentation Ball. The only complication is that the ambassador of Lithuania would have to procure an international portkey. The three of them were currently working on finding a member from the division of the Department of Magical Transportation specifically from the Portkey Office to issue an international portkey.
Rufus turns his attention away only for his eyes to be unconsciously drawn to the petite, lovely figure of Auror Dorcas Meadows. The tanned witch had warm eyes and full lips. Her curly hair was playfully arranged around her face as she completed her tasks. It was strange to say, but Rufus always felt unsettled around the petite Auror. Moody at times secretly teased him about Auror Meadows, but Rufus had always plainly replied that there was something off about that witch. She was just too perky and nice, clearly, there was something more going on. Ironically, Moody had further teased him that he was now the more paranoid one out of the two of them!
Rufus drags his attention away from Auror Meadows before she can meet his eyes. Everything would be fine as Rufus had sent a pair of Auror's to summon Moody if possible. He tries to convince himself of that, but still, he wouldn't bet all his chips on one poker hand.
Rufus's body turns towards the door and strides out with purposefulness. He arrives at the lift, before stepping inside and pushing the number 4. The lift begins to whirl away towards level four that housed the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The lift is rather quiet and quick as the Ministry of Magic is all but empty.
The lift comes to a rumbling stop before the doors slide open. The corridors are long full of various plants and other day-to-day objects. Past the Beast Division is the Being Division corridor. He stops at the corridor and turns right rather than heading further down towards the Spirit Division, Pest Advisory Board, and Office of Misinformation. Housed in the Being Division corridor are the Goblin and Centaur Liaison offices along with other similar liaison offices including one for the Merfolk.
The head of the Goblin Liaison office is Cuthbert Mockridge, a fair-haired wizard with a bright smile. Unlike his predecessors, Mockridge actively hired goblins to act as the in-betweens for the wizards and goblins relations. He was rather well-liked by the staff and even the goblins couldn't find anything to fault or repute the wizard for. Ironically, the relationship between goblin and wizardkind was the best it had ever been. Then again, the bar was set rather low…
Despite the late hour, there is a flicker of light glimpsed around the crevices of the door. Raising his hand, Rufus knocks once, before his audacity fades away. Faint quick footsteps can be heard, before the door swings open to reveal the wrinkled face of an elderly goblin wearing a pointed little hat. The goblin had a matching pointed white beard with a very pointed nose. The goblin narrowed his dark, slanted eyes at the Auror in recognition.
"Auror Scrimgeour to what do I owe the dubious honor at this late hour?" The elderly goblin grumbled. "I haven't committed any wrongdoing and I was left on duty by the Head of the Department, Mr. Mockridge might I remind you."
"I am not here to instigate anything Nurnaff," Rufus firmly responded. "I am short on time and I would rather be candid to the point."
Nurnaff speculatively eyes the partner and second-in-command of the Senior Auror of the Aurors, Rufus Scrimgeour for a second tad longer, before finally briskly nodding his head. Seeing that the elderly goblin is willing to listen, Rufus straightforwardly begins to speak. "The forces of the Auror and the A.P.D. department is severely depleted at this time dealing with two simultaneous Giant attacks."
"Giant attacks?!" Nurnaff gasped in shock and horror. Goblins hated the Giants just as much as wizardkind. They too had a long memory and recalled the terrible atrocities that the Giants had committed against them.
"I fear that a third attack will occur," Rufus candidly confessed, "but worst of all, I fear that the Ministry of Magic or rather Diagon Alley will be their center point of focus. The Auror and A.P.D. only has a third of forces left at headquarters and of those more than half are fledging's and yearling Auror's. Should the giant's attack, the Ministry of Magic will not hold for long."
Rufus paused to solemn stare the elderly goblin in the eye. "The Ministry of Magic will fall and as well Gringotts."
Nurnaff's face stiffens before narrowing his dark slanted eyes. "And what is that you are desiring of me, Auror Scrimgeour?"
"The goblins and wizardkind have been at peace for hundreds of years," Rufus deliberately declared. "The treatise between us has functioned well enough after all these years, but there is a rare clause that is rarely ever mentioned as it has never been used. It is the clause that declares us as temporary allies in the face of overwhelming peril."
Nurnaff's wrinkled face shakes at the audacity of Auror Scrimgeour. Yet a gleam of respect and awe appears in his dark eyes. If the Auror truly was sincere the effects of the unprecedented request would rock throughout the wizarding world like a wave.
"I humbly request that liaison Nurnaff declare my sincere intentions to the Goblin King," Rufus carefully said. "Should the giants attack the Ministry of Magic and Diagon Alley, I request that the treatise clause be fulfilled."
Nurnaff carefully studies the Auror for any signs of treachery or trickery but finds none. "Very well, Auror Scrimgeour, I will deliver your message to his majesty. However, are you certain of your request? As you have stated before the ripple effects throughout the magical world will be immense."
"You need not concern yourself on my behalf," Rufus said with a smug gleam in his eyes. "My current powers and position were handed to me directly by the senior-most Auror in command, Auror Moody. And I am acting in an appropriate manner considering the extenuating circumstances."
A faint smile of respect and understanding appears on the elderly face of Nurnaff. "Pardon me then Auror Scrimgeour," the elderly goblin rasped as he reached for his cloak. "It would seem I have an urgent errand to run." The elderly goblin subtly reaches into his pocket and clutches the goblin talisman signaling and requesting that the goblin council gather. Typically, only goblin clan leaders or elders, and councilmembers held such talismans, but a representative of the goblin nation within the Ministry of Magic, had also been granted one.
Rufus bows to the elderly goblin with gratitude, before turning away and returning from which way he came. He can only hope that it does not come to that. However, he had learned that sometimes when dealing with complicated problems, an Auror must deal with the problem in unexpected solutions. And he was proud to say, he had learned from the very best, Alastor Moody.