Will and Professor Flitwick slowed their steps.
Professor Flitwick waved his Wand. Without a sound, a spell struck a Dark Wizard climbing onto the teahouse roof. The man slid off and landed on another Dark Wizard who had just finished casting a spell and ducked back behind cover.
Thud! Both men went sprawling, and the one behind cover was knocked unconscious.
A nearby Dark Wizard jumped. He had been about to lean out and attack, but the shock stopped him cold, and he shrank back behind cover.
Several Aurors spotted Will behind the Dark Wizards. None of them said a word, but they attacked with renewed vigor.
Meanwhile, one Dark Wizard crouched behind cover, working a pile of soil.
"Liamusko! Are you done yet?!" a Dark Wizard beside him shouted in Dutch after narrowly dodging a spell.
"Almost, almost!" Liamusko replied in Dutch. Still working the soil, he pulled a small Crystal knife from his pocket and sliced his palm.
Bright red drops of blood fell onto the soil, one fat drop after another.
The soil writhed. Something broke through it as if hatching from an egg—a black Vine!
The Vine grew wildly. Like a giant green python, it coiled around a Dark Wizard stunned by a Stunning Spell and dragged him to the ground. Its tip split open like an alien creature opening its jaws...
Then the Vine fed the trapped Dark Wizard into its "mouth."
"What are you doing?!" someone nearby shouted.
Liamusko looked unconcerned. "My Vine has to eat people before it can fight!" he said in accented English.
Then he saw the Dark Wizard who had fallen from the roof and the unlucky man he had knocked out. The Vine did the same thing again, devouring both of them.
An evil grin spread across Liamusko's face.