The young wizards ducked their heads and ran along the wall toward the nearby podium. Everywhere had become a battlefield, with fighting breaking out on all sides.
When they reached the back, panting for breath, Lucius, Narcissa, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were shielding Petunia and Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
Harry and Hermione let out long sighs of relief. Ron was stunned. After a moment, he suddenly said to Malfoy:
"Your dad doesn't seem so bad after all. I definitely won't bad-mouth him again."
Malfoy: ...
"Aunt Petunia!" Harry hurried over, keeping his voice low. They were hiding beneath a collapsed floor slab that happened to form a small shelter.
Petunia clutched the Fake Wand tightly, still shaken as she said:
"I'm all right, but why did everyone suddenly start fighting?"
Lucius gritted his teeth, the muscles in his face twitching. The pressure weighing on him was immense. If Voldemort really won, he was dead.
Unless he hid in China for the rest of his life.
"The Dark Lord has joined forces with Muggles. Damn it, I knew all his rhetoric was a sham. All that talk of Muggles being the lowliest, most worth-"
"This isn't the time for that, Dad. Mum, we need to get everyone who can't fight out of here first."
Malfoy spoke quickly, then pointed toward Rainwater, who was calling to his companions in the distance:
"The house-elves will take you away in a bit. Right now, they have to get the badly wounded to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries first."
"What about you, Draco? Aren't you coming with us?" Narcissa suddenly caught Malfoy's sleeve. Her eyes had reddened, and her voice choked as she said:
"Draco, you're only a fourth-year wizard. This battle has nothing to do with you. No one would