There was a LOT going on and Atlas found himself incredibly distracted and lacking any real ability to focus thanks to his mind constantly wandering right back to the thought that they were going to have to kill the rat and then the Gryffindor wondering what story to tell himself to get himself to follow through with the order. Of course, there was the obvious one: killing the rat meant that the Neo Alliance would not kill his dad.
.....for the greater good.........for the greater good.....Atlas would kill the rat...
He was so caught up in this, breath seizing in his chest, that he missed Quinn expanding on the Gryffindor's suggestion and only came to a little after Bernie had put a blindfold on the rodent. Atlas could identify, with the rat. That was exactly how he felt right now. Like a blindfolded rat lost in a maze and no idea how to get out but searching for something that may kill him.
The muggles appearing had made him nauseous, but there was surprising relief when it was revealed they would just be performing the muggle repelling charm. That...that was...okay...maybe...okay than the alternative...
...spoke too soon...
And then there was that SAME green light. The iridescent green light that he had witnessed in the hedge maze and resulted in the death of a jarvey. For the second time this term Atlas had seen that light and for the second time Atlas thought someone, a person, had died. Only this was different from the start of term feast. Kale Trent had not actually been struck by a Killing Curse that night. This...this was different. This he had even heard Rosier utter the words.
Frozen in horror, an expression that mimicked the man laying on the floor, Atlas stared at the man and the murdered muggle's empty gaze stared back. Remember how Quinn had been wanting to hold his hand earlier? The Ravenclaw got his wish now and then some as Atlas reached out and clasped his friend's hand desperately. There were no tears in the Gryffindor's eyes, there was not even the urge to pee, but there was the urge to NOT end up like this muggle had and standing here under Rosier's wand was a sure way to make that happen.
"....we have to move..." he hissed, eyes unfocused and not registering anything but the tracks left by the fleeing group of muggles and their peers.
"...Quinn...we have to move..." We will be next. We have to move. We will be next. We have to move.
And then Atlas took a step forward and fought hard against his knees as they tried to buckle. Moving by Bernie in the next wobbly stride, he grabbed for her robes too to tug.
"...we have to move..." But then there was another Gryffindor, a loud one, latching on to Bernie and Atlas' hand quickly released. Too loud...too much attention being drawn...they had to move.
He tugged on Quinn's hand again, moving forward more, it didn't matter where they went at first...they just had to move. They had to move.