The Marauders: Year Four

Madness, Longbottom

Perhaps waiting for them to catch up? Perhaps Peter had heard them following?

"Pete!" Frank said, arriving at his side, Ali right there, too. "Peter, what in Merlin's name is going on?"

But as Frank stepped in front of Peter, he saw Peter's eyes were funny, sort of unfocused...

"Peter?" Ali called, seeing it, too, nervousness in her voice, "Are you alright?"

Suddenly there was a quiet, breathy laughter... and Frank looked up, squinting into the shadows of the trees... He elbowed Ali... Shuffling forward, using his cane to mind his step over the ruts in the jagged street, came Mopsus. He looked terrible, his face in relief with the moonlight was like a horrible ocean filled with choppy waves of wrinkles. "Professor," said Frank, "Thank Merlin. Something's the matter with Pettigrew."

Mopsus didn't speak, but continued coming forward.

"Professor, did you hear me?" Frank said.

A chill went through Ali, and she grabbed onto Frank's whole arm, clutching him fearfully. "Frank," she whispered, "Something's wrong..."

Mopsus smiled, "Smart girl," he whispered, his voice thick and cracking about the edges with sarcasm. He arrived into the center of the road there, standing just a foot behind Peter.

"What's happening? What's wrong with Pettigrew?" Frank demanded.

Mopsus grabbed hold of Peter's arm roughly, and Frank could tell by the posture and stance that the old man was about to disapparate away -- Frank quickly dove forward to grab onto Peter, meaning to pull him out of the old man's grip, but with a CRACK! and a searing pain -- the old man disapparated, accidentally side-alonging with Frank and Alice as well... a great chain. But they landed in a road before a set of wrought iron gates - a great golden L woven about them...

Frank had been splinched. One of his ears was halved and he was bleeding profusely from it and his eyes were squeezed shut as Ali grappled to see what was the matter as Frank tripped over a dip in the road and fell against the giant stone wall of the mansion. "Oh no - no - no," she gasped and she scrambled for her wand --- and realized she'd left it on the stairs in Hogwarts. Quickly, she reached into Frank's robes and pulled his from his pocket, aiming at his ear, panicked by how much blood was coming out, and announced, "Ferula." The wand sparked a little, resisting her, but it did create the bandages and she quickly wrapped them about his ear. "Are you alright?" she begged, panicking, staring into Frank's eyes, afraid.

Frank grit his teeth against the pain and forced a smile up at her - hating to see that fear in her eyes. "'Tis but a scratch," he murmured.

Ali's eyes widened, "Shut up. Your ear's nearly off you --"

"No it isn't," he said.

"Yes it is - Frank you were splinched and --"

"I've had worse," he muttered... and he smirked. She still looked panicked, "Bloody hell, Potter would've got the joke... was quite funny, really..."

"What joke?" Ali looked ready to cry.

Mopsus' voice carried over to where they were hunkered against the wall, "Get up."

"Frank's been injured," Ali replied, "We need to go back..."

Mopsus waved his wand and Peter suddenly walked forward quite smoothly and he grabbed hold of Ali and yanked her roughly to her feet. She shrieked, his grasp tight around her elbows and not gentle in the least. He squeezed so hard that she was sure to have bruises from his fingers and he jerked her roughly toward the wrought iron gate.