George jogged ahead, joining the remaining stragglers. His feet were heavy, lined with his own hidden fear of mortality. He knew he'd die one day, it was likely to be on the end of a wand; or if his brother had his way, simply with a kiss. George felt his skin crawl, hairs rising across his arms. A quick hand to the back of his neck, he checked the area for Dementors before relaxing. No one was relaxing though. The Auror's stood still, faces plain, stone and emotionless. The rest of George's own team were trying the same, yet untrained hands twitched and nervously spun wands between fingers. Each of them was aware that all efforts over the last seventeen years or so, would have been completely for none. They were all aware they'd know faces ahead, they'd be fighting against forces they'd already fought before. It wasn't going to be easy. Not even in the slightest. 

George moved towards his friends and smiled. George slapped a hand on the back of one of the other men, each trying to provide some form of comforting and supportive notion. They had each other's back but the Minister came first. They stood silent for a brief moment before words escaped, small and vaguely audible. 

"Thickness cast it." Traver's spoke, noticing Nott's eyes glance up. They'd all seen it before. It was preemptive but true. There would be more than one life lost this morning. George passed his eyes along the congregation, McDougal, Horst, Smith, Kevins, Dias-Dougan... He let out a sigh and nervously twisted his wand. 

"Why didn't anyone notice? He's the head of department... The Auror's should have seen." George commented, his voice still low. It was a conversation for himself and a select few only. The various brave souls who were joining them didn't need to know. It was heart breaking enough to know that those on the other side of the door were threatening their entire world. The Ministry was all the British Wizarding World stood for, besides Hogwarts. However, the castle would remain silent until the students returned at the beginning of September. George forced himself to believe it would be all over before then.

More than a few people heard the Minister's comment. You Know Who was coming but despite everything, no one wanted to believe the idea. He was powerful, although George had never witnessed his strength himself, and everyday he counted himself lucky. He knew a few in the room would have, very few who did lived to tell the tale, unless they stood opposite the Ministry. George saw both of the Thursby's hold hands, out of hideous fear. Andries, worked in Quidditch Rulings, wasnt the type to survive, but seeing him stand strong with his girlfriend Emilie, George felt almost protective. They weren't even married and from the various rumours he'd heard, she was expecting. He'd never considered how so many people would be so willing to lay their lives for the Ministry.

George turned his head, watching the rest of his squad tense up as three figures hurried towards them. Inferi? On either side, everyone tensed. They weren't dealt with often, but the idea of an army which had been long speculated concerned him. Fire was the main way of dealing with an inferius, but an army- He knew it would only be so long before someone tried to fix the problem themselves. Fire may have been a charm, something controlled mostly by charm spells and summoning, but it was still uncontrollable. Light also worked, but lacked the real power before flames and fire. 

Without question or consideration, they moved. Shuffling forwards and setting themselves into two lines, the Minister behind them all. They watched as the stragglers wandered around, eventually finding a place to stop. The comforting note was simply to know that the Inferi couldn't hurt them if they never got close, despite how many there was, or would be. They were frightening, and George held them high on his list of reoccurring nightmares but they weren't the first, they never would be. 

Hearing Caroline's voice pulled him from the distance thoughts he had drifting cloaks and icy breath. He glanced down for a second, two eyes pulling themselves back up to watch the entrance once more. They couldn't miss the first movement, the first wave, even if it was only the dead. He listened, waiting quietly, knowing they'd wait until someone lost their cool before engaging the attack. Someone would be watching. George nervously fidgeted with the designs along the handle of his wand, playing a finger on the leaf pattern that traced up the left side. 

"Fire. They hate fire." He spoke shortly after herself, quietly and calmly. "If you see the fire getting out of control, you get out." There was the possibility of someone casting a fiendfyre. They were almost uncontrollable. They didn't need to get dispersed and killed by their own kind. "If the worst comes to worst, the Minister will unlock the fireplaces again. You can apirate from the entrances." He stood still for a moment before someone finally cracked.

She was a tall women, thickly built and a strong arm, Auror too. She launched a burst of flames into the front line of the dead, soon followed by a few more. 
"Incendo."
"Lumos solem."
"Confringo!" George yelled, sending his own spell speeding towards the oncoming hordes of the dead. The spell launched a flicker of orange, leaving it to speed ahead and explode into flames upon contact with the first inferius. As each flame hit and as each burst of sunlight found its way onto the creatures' skin, a revolting, ear-piercing, teeth grinding scream could be heard. It was harsh but high pitched and dangerously loud. 

The line held steady, flames pushing forwards from each wand until the dead fell back down. As each one went down, they could all just how many more there were. It was going to be relentless but they couldn't stop now. Wands sent sparks, flames, and even redundant spells that would not stop the creatures but were shot out of fear. George could see the faces of panicked wizards and witches. He couldn't ease their pain, not without the help of every other wizard in the Ministry. 

George checked on Caroline for the briefest second and felt the uncomfortable pang of guilt. She'd probably die because of him. He could try and protect her but not even a shield charm could protect her from the worst. George turned back and launched another spell, sending it speeding alongside ever more continuous waves of the undead. They would keep up the fight until death took them, but even now people were noticing the line pushing closer and closer towards them. 

"Confringo Expulso." One of the Hit Wizards yelled, sending similar sparks ahead. They reached a closer inferius and exploded, continuing on with each and every spark and flame. The spell took out forty or so inferi but it wasn't enough. They were still closing in. Each wizard carried on casting. Each spell used to hold back the line.