Wand-Leader & The Spy

37- Foul Play

London, Diagon Alley, September 30th, 1999, 15.30 hours

"Exiles out! Exiles out!"

Ron Weasley heard the shouts of the crowd from far away. And if he was guessing right, it was around where Diggle's house was located - Dumbledore's friend had just taken possession of his ancestral home yesterday.

"Who'd have thought they'd go that quickly from rumours to riots?" Tonks, wearing another disguise, muttered next to him.

"This seems to be happening a bit too quickly," Ron said. He had spent months in Britain, and he thought he understood the population quite well by now. And this was unusual.

"You think this is the Dark Lord's work?" Tonks almost stumbled as she asked that.

"I fear it is. First the rumours, now this." Ron cursed. "And merde alors! The Wands will play right into his hands!" He started running. He didn't know what he could do, but he had to do something.

"What do you mean?" Tonks fell in next to him.

"They will try to disperse the crowd, and..." Screams and explosions cut off his explanation.

The two were about to round the corner when they found themselves facing dozens of people running towards them, fleeing in panic. And behind them, in front of the Diggle House, he saw smoke rising from craters in the street, and bodies on the ground. And Wands exchanging spells with robed but not masked people.

He pulled Tonks to the side before they were trampled, ducking into the entrance to a shoes shop while the crowd rushed past them. "Too late!" he snarled.

"What?" Tonks asked, wand out, and apparently trying to get a clear line of fire to the battle.

"Rumours, a riot, and now a massacre." He shook his head. Ron would bet half his gold that whatever spell had blown up the street and many of the rioters hadn't been cast by the Wands. With those who were able to run gone, he could see the carnage. Screaming, bleeding people on the ground, some crawling over bodies, trying to get away while the Wands in front of Diggle's house finished off the attackers with their usual efficiency.

"Fiendfyre!" Tonks shouted next to him.

He whipped his head around and saw a giant snake made of flames pounce on the Wands. They raised a stone wall that deflected the cursed fire, but one of them was caught outside its protection, and vanished in the flames.

"Merlin!" Tonks muttered.

Ron was conjuring more walls, to shield the others in the area. If they were quick enough they could contain the fire that way...

He heard screams from behind him, and turned in time to see another fire-snake in the street - headed towards him and Tonks. Without thinking about it, he tackled her into the shop, hoping the owner had a fire ward.

They did. The flames clashed against the windows and he felt a heat wave strike them, but neither the front of the shop nor Tonks and himself were burning. The wards wouldn't hold for long though; not against Fiendfyre.

"We need to to flee!" he shouted, trying to apparate while he stood up. Apparition was blocked. He pulled Tonks up and started towards the back of the shop. The metamorphmagus stumbled over a display of waterproof sandals, but Ron caught her and dragged her with him.

They had just left the main show room when the fire ward broke down and the flames rushed in, turning shoes, sandals and even lavaproof boots to cinders. Tonks whipped her wand around and a stone wall shielded them for a bit longer. Long enough for Ron to blow the back door open with a Reductor Curse even though breathing became difficult as the flames consumed the air.