History of Auror's

It had been a missly day as Alastor dragged Rufus down the rocky hillsides past the streams and ponds that crossed the ragged country side toward the coast that had seemed so close from the lighthouse, now seemed so far as he looked across the craggy landscape around him,reminding him rather alot of his Mentor.

It felt as though they had been walking for hours. The drizzle making the unforgiving ground slippery and cumbersome but the closer they got to the coast the deeper the steps became and the smoother, Alastor who obviously knew this place like the back of his hand held back so that he didnt get to lost within the maze of shrubs and high rocks,going from climbing down long sloped so clammering up them higher and higher, until suddenly everything became even and level and they stood on what felt like the window to the world.

Alastor stood firmly before him on the center of a large smooth platform, that stood under a high ledge, cutting into the edge of a cliff that seemed to go on forever in both directions. The back walls seemed to have images and statues hued into the rock.The ocean seemed to stand out before him in every other direction, the roomy ledge lit by large silvery pools of light that seemed to collect in the hands of the statues before him, 12 Knightly figuers stood staring at him, but one large figuer dominated the cavern.

Rufus moved slowly,aware of his sweat drenched face, feeling almost underdressed for the occation...what ever it may be. "Welcome te the Halls of 'Bors the Ganis' Lad." said Alastor with a smile. Rufus not quite catching that as he suddenly noticed that the room was in the shape of a large wedge, the floor's pattern's seemed to be made of quick silver swimming in celtic words and patterns and designs, shimmering like those of the pools of silver in the hands of the 12 knights that seemed to watch the hall.

Rufus finally pulled his way from the celtic carvings on the floor and looked up at Moody, ignoring the magnificent view that he had from the window over looking the ocean. "Bors the Ganis?" he repeated as if testing the name,never having heard it before, and looked around seeing that the statues were not alone but tapestries and fine paintings and even the odd stained glass window with a silver light shining behind it was in view.

"I suppose I'll have te tell you about dis place for you te understand it lad...come over here" he motioned to a large round table that stood under that of the statue that stood out amoung the rest. Walking over he saw that the table too had celtic simbols carved on it,liquid colours ever moving like coloured molten metal under glass wrote on the table. 13 equally comfortable stone seats with large royoul looking white and blue cushions to make the celtic carved seats more comfortable. and under the statue of the man Rufus saw a set of armour that obviously belonged to the man of the statue.

"Sit with me Rufus, I'd like te tell you a story that you must swear te tell no one...its a secret...that only Aurors have a right te know about..." said Moody, not in a bragging tone,but a mystical,compelling and some how extremely pleasing tone that was almost hipnotic. Rufus went to stand infront of the statue where the seats where and Moody motioned him to sit in the one chair and pulled it to face the other next to him,then put down a tea kettle to start to bubble on the table and looked at Rufus pleased to see the pure astonishment of the place set before him. "but managed to nod solemly "I swear to tell no one of what I learn here Alastor" he said softly before looking up at the impossing figuer before them.

A tall figuer stood at the head of the table looking out toward the ocean of its window,wearing armour and chainmail,a long broad-sword in his belt, a spear in his one hand, a wand in his other behind a massive shield of white gold and blue. His face bearing a sad,knowing and wise smile. A long single scar on his forhead that stood out apon the white marble figuers almost perfect face.

Alastor waited for the kettle to boil and poured them both a cup of tea, and got a tin of biscuits,shortbread and cakes out putting them infront of Rufus signaling for him to help himself,before continueing:

"Many many centuries ago when magic was still known te the muggle word, and Hogwarts would still have been considered new,and the Ministry of Magic had not yet come into existance, Brittain was in turmoil. Not just the muggles but the Magic Community aswell. Viking invadors not only Muggle but Wizard aswell,wished to stake there claim on the island, people were starving,sick and dying. Britain was without a king, as the king had died without an heir, leaving it upto debate who would take his place.A great Wizard was called to help with this most important of tasks.For as many have forgotten magic does not solve all problems, but it does solve some...Merlin was called by the people who begged him for assistance..."Upon hearing the name Merlin Rufus let off a small snort thinking he had already heard about this but Moody clouted him on the back of the head and continued...

"O course Merlin descided that he should create some kind of test to find the man who would best serve Brittain and bring it out of the dark ages. So he decided te create a test much like that of the Goblet of fire that the schools use to choose there best Champions...A goblin made sword was driven into a rock that would only be released if a worthy enough person came forth to claim the sword. Be he muggle or Wizard. Decades later a boy...about your age if I am to understand it...came forth, A Muggle-born Wizard by the Name of Arthur Pendragon ...trained at the hand of Merlin himself..." Moody shifted in his seat studying Rufus for a moment before helping himself to some shortbread.

"One man of course could not defend all of Britain...King Arthur had plans and would need help...Through the years he collected knights...wizards and muggles alike...the first and last counsil of its kind...A counsil of Equals...This is where the ledgends of King Arthur and his Knights of the round table comes inte play...However as with everything...we tend to stick to our own...and Arthur had 12 Knights with whom he trusted his life with...wizards of course could defend the country far better than Muggles could...So saying his inner circle and closest friends...became a different Order all together...a secret Order than no muggle knew about though they kept on record the names of the 12 closed knights...they all sat at the same table,under the guises of the Knights of the round table...but these 12 knights were charged with the grave responsibility of looking after the land, protecting it from dark wizards and evil forces and ensuring that their designated lands were kept as safe as possible. Even going as far as to hunt down the Dark Wizards and duel and battle them." Rufus was now listening with great interest to this tale, munching quietly on a piece of honey-cake and drinking tea like it was going out of fashion.

"These 12 Knights were given this responsibility..an as they were a different order of the Round Table, they chose a different name for themselfs. Protectors of from the Dark and Defenders of the weak...something that they knew would mean bringing light to the world,gold...Auror." Said Moody Rufus stared transifixed "Aurors where the knights of the round table?" he asked with a raised eyebrow,disbelief written on his face "Yes and no...they were o the round table,but of a different order!" he said wrapping Rufus over the knuckles with his fingers as he reached for the last piece of honey-cake.

"Now...much like Hogwarts have founders...the Aurors have Founders...12 men dedicated te the cause of protecting this country. These twelve men were named Sir Galahad,Sir Gawain,Sir Lamorak the Galis,Sir Bedivere.Sir Gaheris,Sir Launcelot,Sir Kay,Sir Geraint,Sir Percivale,Sir Gareth,Sir Tristram and Sir Bors the Ganis. Each of these wizard knights had been charged with the responsiblility of looking after a certain part of Britain, Right from London to the most Northern Parts of Scotland and Ireland." He said thoughtfully leaning back and looking up at the statue before him.

"Unlike Hogwarts though each knight only took on a single squire, to train by themselfs,in the ways of being an Auror...usually the squire was their son or daughter in the beginning o the days o the Order of the Aurors. But in the beginning o days it was decided that Each Auror Knight should have a Hall to meet each other in. A place thats location was hidden to all,that were not welcome...So each knight had a hall in some remote location...incase of seige or if they needed te hide...Each Hall was made to the specifications of each knight. Some of the Halls of the Auror's look nothing like this, with only the Patron Auror's image in its Halls...Some are deep inland,underground,one even hidden invisible floating high above the ocean near land, another under the lochs. Each Knight like each Founder of Hogwarts was known for certain traits...but that doesnt really matter though it is often found that the Aurors whom work under their patron usually share the same traits as the founder as over centuries of Auror,each Auror has chosen someone much like themselfs...In this case Bors the Ganis..."

Alastor stopped talking and pointed to the stainglass image of Bors, standing up and leading his student to the image before speaking. "Sir Bors the Ganis is the one of the 12 founders of the Aurors... He had always been portraid to have been one of the Round Table's finest Knights,known for his humility,honesty,unbending loyoulty,and unbreakable values and morals,even willing to die for them..." he said quietly leading him back to the suit of armour before the statue,making certain that Rufus stood before it.

"Bors the Ganis has several muggle tales that translate very well te that of wizard history...Bors was a man who swore his life to that o celibacy...a lady and her maidens swore that they would throw demselfs off the castle battlements if he would not sleep with them,but he refused! An when they did jump off the battlements they revealed themselfs to be demons...or rather that is the muggle version...Wizard version of course is a dark witch wanted him... he was after all a handsome man....another story was that the Daughter of the Kin Brandegoris bewitched him with an enchanted ring te make him pleasure her...from this forced union he had a daugher...Helain Le Blank...she became a member o the next generation Order of Aurors...Even after he broke his vow by force he was known for his virtue...he was trusted amoung his men and gave good counsel." said Moody as he let his fingers drift over the Armour of his Patron Knight...

"But the one Tale that stands out amoung the rest for Bors is a choice he had to make...a choice between his personal life and that of his duty to his kingdom... He had a choice...a hard one...of whether or not he should save his brother Lionel from being abused and tortured...or to rescue a maiden from being raped...He of course saved the maiden as it was his duty to protect her honor...Duty over what you really wish to do is always a hard choice...for choices like that...Just like he had the chance between breaking his vow for the temptress over his honor and duty...the you understand the importance Cub" Rufus nodded looking up at the statue of Bors with a new found likeing.

"What you see lighting these rooms are the memories of the Aurors that were here before us...telling us of great battles and strives, that they had been through...each hand cupped holding history that we can learn from...some of it is history one can not be proud of... like Bors own Brother trying to fight and kill him, and Bors refusing to raise his wand to fight his brother until an innocent was killed...and only then were they stopped...it wasnt said who stopped them...but the muggles think it was god...but I'm inclined to believe another wizard intervened...Probably Merlin himself..." shrugged Moody taking his cub by the shoulder and leading him to a large door he hadn't noticed before, its writing much the same as everything else aside from the fact that the door was made of a heavy redwood engraved with magic symbols.

"This leads to the private chambers and kitchens for the guests. Only the "Heirs" to the halls of Bors the Ganis,may enter and go freely...since you are my cub...and I am Fergus's and Fergus is Daniels and so forth and so forth going down centuries leading all the way to Bor's and his Daughter you are considered my "Heir" ...you aint my son but I name you so an I name you me squire until yer training is complete...Fergus is Lord and Master here...only for the fact that he is alive...when he retires...I take over...an when I retire you take over...in some cases....Auror's are te busy ter take on there own Squire and Cub or might have their own family...when they take on senior status...if dis happens they can ask there own Mentor's te take on that responsibility... for instance Robarts is married...so he cant take on Longbottom Full time ,so he has his own retired master taking Longbottom in..."

By this time Rufus's head was so filled with information it felt as if it where going to explode...at that point in time he had kept quite not wanting to risk Moody's temper but he knew without much doubtthat this was one of the greatest things he had ever heard...He had known that he had wanted to be an Auror for so long, and he had always fantasised that being an Auror was like being a knight but he had no idea how close he was...

He opened his mouth finding he couldnt keep it quite any longer "Does the Ministry know about this?" He blurted out without thinking, Moody stopped and spun on his heal surprised to hear his cub talking... "There was a book written on the events...We suspect that it is being held in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries under lock and key so we cant have it" said Moody with a bitter shrug, opening the door and leading Rufus down into the depth of the cavern passed many splended doors,the floors carved celtic symbols shining light for them as they walked, until they came to the very end of the hall. Moody stopped... and rested his hand on the door.

"We just walked passed the guest Rooms Cub...There are 24 in total...for Squire and knight each...depending on there status...Though it can change...If a Sect of the order is completely wiped out...an we need te find a new master knight ter take over for instance...At the end is the kitchen and storage,main bedroom and on the side of that is the escape tunnels...Once a year we meet here to meet...There are 12 meetings a year one meeting per Hall...However the Hall's of Camelot were destroyed...Sir Lancelot stayed to help his king there...As such There is no meeting in December, and we use that day to celebrate Christmas with family and loved ones...I have non so I come here..."

Moody opened the door to the main room,and pulled Rufus in by his shoulder to reveal a massive room. A large 4 poster bed in the center carved of stone with a large comfortable mattress and fresh sheets and blankets. A large open Window stood to the side of it with a window seat the size of a small double bed on it lay, another double bed lay to the far off corner of the room,sunk lower into the ground forming a pit or hollow, to create a small room all its own, with steps leading into the space, a desk and wardrobe present in that space, further across was another pit this time revealing a bathroom for for a king, A fireplace near the door with chairs for sittng and relaxing infront of stood dominating the room. Rufus held his breath at the site of it all. Moody led him to the couch and sat him down before a fire that was already roaring for them.

"Now we need te talk lad...about how the ministry and the Auror's came tegether...When the Ministry first started it was as it is now...Department of Law was there too...but the men and woman that worked there were not qualified te deal with dark Wizards...and at the time with the fall of the Wizard kings...and the Ministry now run by a minister it was decided that Auror's were to be banned,outlaws...for decades the Order of the Auror hid from the rath of the Ministry...Even loosing a few good men to the dementors kiss for treeson against the ministry when all that they wished to do was protect." Moody was frowning deeper and deeper,Rufus wished he had something stonger to drink...

"After the fall of Camelot, the Auror's went into hiding in there verious Halls...talking through a palanter with one another...until one day the ministry got into trouble..." Moody smirked "A dark wizard from France had tried to invade....they were short of men and sort help from the Order of Auror's they were so desperate..The Auror's unable to decline helping the men of there country,did just that...after that it was decided that the Auror's should become a part of the ministry...the Auror's however disagreed...remembering what the ministry had done to them..." seeing Rufus lick his lips he pulled out his flask offering him a sot of brandy,which he accepted greatfully,the story.

"It was then that the Ministry had had enough, and in a desperate attempt to gain control of us...they kidnapped each Squire from the Order,putting them on Trial for Treason...the Auror's knew that they had no choice and swore allegiance to the Ministry...There headquarters moved from Camelot to the Ministry under the watch of the Minister himself...On the second floor across from the rooms of there ownDepartment of Law...so that we could not rebel...but we wouldnt as we would not ever break an oath of allegiance...as ...punishment for withholding our support we had to give them the history of the Auror's thus far and destroy all evidence of what had come to pass for all other Aurors to come..." Rufus stared disbelief written on his face but he longed so much to be appart of something that he willed himself to believe that his own people would have been betrayed.

"Of course we erased all history of the halls from the books...as the halls have all got built in pensieves for the genral use of all Aurors...the memories flow thick for centuries...near on a 1000 years...we handed them every book and piece of parchement we could,and so the knights of the round table and camalot moved into history...they guard those books and papers from us to this day...fearing we will stab them in the back...But we wait for the day that an Auror takes over as Minister that we can find out what secrets were written on parchement that was not written on stone..." he mopped his brow and suddenly a table appeared with a stew before them each,hot dumplings and coffee served in stone-wear cups and plates.

Moody smiled "Each Hall has a pair o house-elfs working within it...some even have more depending on how many children each elf had...We let them te there purpose...we have 8 working in total..By the look of it Fergus ordered us some food...which means that he'll be coming in later tenight..." said Moody with a smile digging in and signalling him to do so aswell...

As they ate in companiable silence Moody finally asked "Is der anything you want te know lad?" stuffing a dumpling into his mouth. "Yes...does every Auror get treated to this and are the ministry still in control?" He asked trying to keep his eyes off the slithering liquid under their feat, Moody smiled slightly leaning back obviously full...the sun was now gone and the room was lit pleasantly by the memories.

"Aye...but only if dey pass der 3rd year entry exam's like you did...an proven themselfs worthy of the title..." he informed Rufus watching him blush at the thought of the 3rd year exams and swallowed, Moody felt a twang of guilt at what he had subjected the boy to..."An...not as much as they would like to think...the head of department has almost ultimate say in what is going on in the Department...only having to report the goings on...The Auror's run by a strict Military code,accepting corporal punishment... superior and senior officers taking responsibility for the actions of those under them...and also punishing those under them if they need to...If the cock up is great enough...Public punishment will be delt in the hall...but that hasnt happened in over 20 years.."Moody shrugged stretching "Either way the Ministry aint in charge o us...got me? Cub"

Rufus nodded and couldnt think of any other questions he may have wanted to ask Moody Sitting back,with a smile now knowing why he loved the idea of being an Auror so much...it wasnt the fighting evil,or letting off steam or avenging his loved ones...but rather the idea of being part of some big thing,that was even bigger and older than that of the Ministry...and he gathered up all his pride and nodded gladdly "Yes sir...got you loud and clear"