Oh, Kings had made some progress forward to help cut off the attacker when the animals came. Birds were the first to come, but Kingsley cast cutting charms through the flock, sweeping across and sending out more and more hexes that simply killed them. He made progress there before the snakes were truly getting close. James had been a good distraction then.
It was bloody annoying, though, because most his efforts were getting sent toward the animal, though he was strategically moving himself to better location.