Upon hearing Wormtail's name, a hot surge of anger rose up inside
of Harry and all he could think of was running out across the dying grass
and cursing him into oblivion. He grabbed his Firebolt and held his wand
at the ready. Moody was sidestepping to the right. Harry mimicked his
actions, fully aware that Moody was the only one who could tell where Lupin
was. Harry desperately wished the grass wasn't so dry; it seemed as though
the sound of his feet creeping across the ground was like a herd of
elephants. Harry saw Dolohov's head snap up and look around. Out of the
opposite end of the wood that they were moving away from, a robed figure
strode, holding his wand in one silver hand. Harry clenched his teeth so
tightly that his ears rang. Peter Pettigrew was talking to Dolohov and
Lestrange, his head jerking around, surveying the scene now and then. His
voice did not carry across the park, but Harry could imagine that whining,
simpering voice even as he watched his head nod to the Death Eaters. They
all drew their wands, and Harry could almost feel the tension mounting.
Something moved in the corner of his eye and he jerked his head to see what
it was.
Somewhere over by the cracked and weedy asphalt parking lot, something was moving with the stealth and ease of a beast of prey, but it disappeared as quickly as Harry had noticed it. Moody's eye was watching it too but seemed completely unconcerned. Harry desperately hoped that it was Kingsley or Tonks.
"They're in position," Moody said out of the side of his mouth to the empty space where Lupin stood. "If we're going to act, it has to be now. There's the signal. I have to respond." There was the slightest rustling sound as Lupin crawled underneath Moody's invisibility cloak, pulling James's old cloak off as soon as he was completely concealed. Wordlessly he threw the cloak over Harry and himself, and Moody sidestepped far enough that his own invisibility cloak slid off of them. He promptly disappeared, but the Death Eaters seemed to have sensed some movement. They all snapped to attention, and Lupin gestured to a sandy area that must have once been for volleyball. He and Harry moved as swiftly as was possible without letting the cloak slide off and making too much noise. Harry wished he had been able to leave his Firebolt somewhere; it was awkward trying to move quickly with a racing broom in one arm and a drawn wand in the other. Dolohov, Pettigrew and Lestrange were now no more than silhouettes against the backdrop of twisted trees. The movement from the tiny parking lot came again, and the Death Eaters all turned. As one entity they moved toward it, and Harry watched as Moody threw off his cloak from behind their turned backs. From the weeds, a huge beast materialized. It was a lion, snarling and muscular, with an unusually dark mane. It caught Dolohov in the chest and sent him flying into Pettigrew. Something huge and bright came flying from Moody's wand and Lestrange was sent spinning into the ground just as he was about to curse the lion. Tonks came running at a sprint from the opposite side of the park, but Pettigrew was already on his feet. Tonks pointed her wand at him and a dull comet of blue caught him in the stomach and pinned him to the ground. Before Harry's eyes, the lion shifted into a human form: it was Kingsley Shacklebolt. He looked at Lupin in amazement, but Lupin was staring openmouthed at the scene. Harry looked back.
Moody was now sprawled on the grass in a way that reminded Harry forcefully of the spread-eagled Cedric lying dead in the graveyard. Tonks was dueling with Dolohov; Kingsley with Lestrange. They were apparently unaware of Pettigrew, who was prying the blue web from his midsection with his wand. There was a small pop: Pettigrew had broken the spell by transforming into a rat. He turned back into himself a few feet off and pointed his wand at the motionless Moody.
"No," whispered Lupin, and before Harry could stop him, he had dashed out from under the invisibility cloak and was running toward Pettigrew with a chilling howl. Pettigrew looked up and even Dolohov and Lestrange froze. Harry saw the flash of green light before he heard the Unforgivable Curse uttered.
"Avada kedavra!"
Somewhere over by the cracked and weedy asphalt parking lot, something was moving with the stealth and ease of a beast of prey, but it disappeared as quickly as Harry had noticed it. Moody's eye was watching it too but seemed completely unconcerned. Harry desperately hoped that it was Kingsley or Tonks.
"They're in position," Moody said out of the side of his mouth to the empty space where Lupin stood. "If we're going to act, it has to be now. There's the signal. I have to respond." There was the slightest rustling sound as Lupin crawled underneath Moody's invisibility cloak, pulling James's old cloak off as soon as he was completely concealed. Wordlessly he threw the cloak over Harry and himself, and Moody sidestepped far enough that his own invisibility cloak slid off of them. He promptly disappeared, but the Death Eaters seemed to have sensed some movement. They all snapped to attention, and Lupin gestured to a sandy area that must have once been for volleyball. He and Harry moved as swiftly as was possible without letting the cloak slide off and making too much noise. Harry wished he had been able to leave his Firebolt somewhere; it was awkward trying to move quickly with a racing broom in one arm and a drawn wand in the other. Dolohov, Pettigrew and Lestrange were now no more than silhouettes against the backdrop of twisted trees. The movement from the tiny parking lot came again, and the Death Eaters all turned. As one entity they moved toward it, and Harry watched as Moody threw off his cloak from behind their turned backs. From the weeds, a huge beast materialized. It was a lion, snarling and muscular, with an unusually dark mane. It caught Dolohov in the chest and sent him flying into Pettigrew. Something huge and bright came flying from Moody's wand and Lestrange was sent spinning into the ground just as he was about to curse the lion. Tonks came running at a sprint from the opposite side of the park, but Pettigrew was already on his feet. Tonks pointed her wand at him and a dull comet of blue caught him in the stomach and pinned him to the ground. Before Harry's eyes, the lion shifted into a human form: it was Kingsley Shacklebolt. He looked at Lupin in amazement, but Lupin was staring openmouthed at the scene. Harry looked back.
Moody was now sprawled on the grass in a way that reminded Harry forcefully of the spread-eagled Cedric lying dead in the graveyard. Tonks was dueling with Dolohov; Kingsley with Lestrange. They were apparently unaware of Pettigrew, who was prying the blue web from his midsection with his wand. There was a small pop: Pettigrew had broken the spell by transforming into a rat. He turned back into himself a few feet off and pointed his wand at the motionless Moody.
"No," whispered Lupin, and before Harry could stop him, he had dashed out from under the invisibility cloak and was running toward Pettigrew with a chilling howl. Pettigrew looked up and even Dolohov and Lestrange froze. Harry saw the flash of green light before he heard the Unforgivable Curse uttered.
"Avada kedavra!"