Had he not stopped to reassure a student, Richard might have gotten a counter attack as well as a shield, but distracted as he was it was all he could do to intercept the incoming curse. He caught it on the tip of his wand, and twirled it over his head, redirecting the curse back into the woods. It flew wild and high, and Richard lost track of the source. 

The night was exploding, and Richard shoved Roze back roughly toward the bulk of students, and lifted his wand. A bulb of light, brighter than the moon shot from it and hung just below the canopy of trees, casting both light and shadow over the forested landscape. 

"Charlie," he called urgently, not taking his eyes off the tree line, his wand raised in a dueling position. "Trouble." He shot another curse of his own back, but refused to move from his defensive position.