A/N: James and Sirius are young, budding Aurors. Moody aims to put them through their paces. RxR. FxF.

Submission for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): DADA Assignment #5 -Write a scene with one or more people present or mention, during the first Wizarding War. Prompt: "Don't blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast. Faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back. Don't look away. And don't blink. Good Luck."

Greek Mythology Mega Prompt Challenge: Ares – Write about the First Wizarding War

Hogwarts Casino 2014 Challenge/Competition: Roulette - Write about a Marauder having to be rescued by another

The "As Many As You Want" Competition: blue eye, not afraid, fighter

Open Category Competition: Marauder's Era

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

James and Sirius ran through the makeshift obstacle course Moody set up in an open field. They dodged curses and hexes sent by the dummy Death Eaters positioned at the other end of the course.

"This is easy, Prongs," Sirius said a grin as he raised his wand at the dummy who had just stepped out behind a broken wall. Sirius then ran behind a tall wall for protection.

James grinned back as he hid behind a low wall himself. He stuck his head over the top and blocked a stunner sent by the dummy before hitting him with a knockback jinx. The dummy hit the sides of the invisible barrier containing the course and smashed into a pile of splintered wood and busted limbs.

James stood up and walked up to Sirius, "We may actually finish in time for lunch today."

Sirius was about to close the gap between them when a sickly blue spell flew through between them, Sirius able to jump backwards in the nick of time. They turned to see the dummy had reassembled itself and was attacking them with double ferocity.

A loud voice boomed from the sky like thunder, "During the fight, never let your guard down. Don't blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast. Faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back. Don't look away. And don't blink. Good Luck."

James had dove back behind his short wall out of the way of another spell, "Guess Moody has picked up the pace."

Sirius shouted across to him, "We can still do this, Prongs. We've taken out four of the five dummies. It's just this one left."

James was about to shout something back when a green spell smashed into James' wall. The wall exploded, knocking James a few feet away under a pile of rubble.

"James!" Sirius shouted, leaving his own barrier to rush to his friend's side. Another spell shot out in the path and he ran back.

The voice boomed again, "Ensure the enemy has been pushed back before tending to the injured."

Sirius gritted his teeth, inwardly berating himself for acting impulsively. During a real battle, that could have been fatal, but the emotion he felt when James was knocked down was hard to control.

Sirius aimed another spell at the reanimated dummy. He needed to do some damage, if even a little, before he darted towards his friend.

"Impendimentia!" he shouted, but the dummy was quick. He dodged the spell before firing two in succession. They hit his barrier, causing the wall to shudder but luckily, it held. Sirius knew he would have to find another spot soon, but not before bringing James.

There was a strange sound to his right. Sirius leaned forward slightly to get a better look and saw two new dummies, either reanimated from ones he had disposed of earlier or Moody had added two more.

They advanced slowly towards his positions, not firing spells but keeping out of the main area. Sirius cursed under his breath as he realized their intention. The main dummy was a diversion, and still on the offensive. He was outnumbered three to one, with no one to watch his back. But he was not afraid. He could do this. He was a fighter.

He stuck his head out and took aim at the two incoming dummies. "Reducto! Reducto!" Sirius shouted, knocking the two of them back before they could sense him.

The explosions distracted the main dummy for just a moment, but that was all Sirius needed. He ran across towards James, who he was glad to see was slowly getting up.

"What happened?" James asked, pushing himself shakily onto his hands and knees. There was cut across his brow and his right cheek was slightly swollen, but otherwise, he looked fine.

Sirius grinned, "You just got hit in the head with broken stones, but that's alright." He helped his friend off the ground and behind his barrier. "What we need to do now is end this quickly. Moody added two more dummies to fight, and I don't want to see when he adds even more," Sirius explained.

James nodded and said, "Let's do this."

Another spell was fired towards them, but this time they were ready. James cast a Protego over the two of them before Sirius sent out another Reducto. The dummy was knocked back though not as far as the first time.

The other two dummies that had been skulking about had now joined the main fight. Sirius grinned as now all three were in the same place. Though it was a good idea to attack as a whole, it made for larger target for the opponent.

The two men cast levitating charms, hanging the dummies by their legs into the air, then they concentrated their magic to cast them back towards the barrier. The dummies splintered, their pieces slightly twitching, ready to reassemble, but James and Sirius quickly ran up and set the pieces on fire. Soon, only a pile of ashes were left in their place.

James and Sirius grinned before clapping each other on the back and laughing. They had finally beat Moody and could go to lunch.

But then, Moody appeared seemingly out of nowhere and fired two stunners at the unsuspecting men. They fell like two dead weights, sprawled onto their backs and staring up into the bright blue sky. Moody came to stand up beside them, his blue eye rolling around before focusing on them. He knocked his staff twice on the ground before saying, "Don't blink."

He walked away from them and shouted into the open, "Constant Vigilance!"