Planning for a Better Future

Chapter Eleven

The Crystal Cave

Edward and Severus had confirmed the cave held magic, so they had decided to allow Roy to join them the following day. Neither man was comfortable leaving Roy alone in his weakened condition, especially with that stone. He had been surprised with their return, but pleased that they decided to include him, not comfortable himself with Ed going. the boy was impulsive, Roy did not want to see what happened when Ed decided to take care of it on his own.

Edward, Roy, and Severus arrived near the cave at the bottom of the cliff next to the sea. Fortunately, it was low tide. Unfortunately, they would still need to wade and possibly swim through part of it to get inside. Edward stared pensively at the cave and water around it, thinking about the issue. "You could wait here." Roy suggested quietly. "We could bring it back out to you. I won't let you risk your life on this."

"I have a bad feeling about all of this, but I'm not staying behind. Stand back, I'll make a thin bridge." Ed replied as he finished calculating.

"Will that interfere with the magic? Severus said we couldn't arrive directly in the cave for that reason." Roy asked.

"I don't think so, but I guess we'll find out." Ed replied as he clapped his hands. Before Roy or Severus could offer anymore protests, he had kneeled and pulled a thin stone bridge across the water.

"Well, it didn't set off any traps at least." Roy said with a frown.

"None that we noticed." Severus replied grimly. He went first, stepping lightly along the bridge. Edward followed a few feet behind with Roy coming last to keep an eye on Edward in case he somehow slipped.

It was a grueling few minutes, the icy wind blowing cold water across them. Roy was grateful to finally reach the other side. They were glad to be out of the wind as Severus cast a spell to dry them all quickly before they made their way further into the cave.

They reached the entrance of the inner chamber and Severus frowned at the blockade with a frown. Roy stepped forward to stand beside him as Ed stood back to keep watch in case his alterations had been noticed.

"It requires blood to open." Severus said as he pulled out a small knife and held out his hand to add a shallow cut.

"Why would it require such a thing?" Roy asked even as the door was revealed, and Severus poured from a bottle that seemed to heal his wound instantly.

"Likely to weaken anyone trying to enter." Severus muttered. Inside the inner chamber was a large lake, an island just visible in the center. They stepped closer to the shoreline as they searched for a way to cross since the island was the logical place to search for the horcrux.

"Wait." Edward said with a frown, grabbing Roy's arm before they got too close to the edge. Severus coming to a stop at the same a few paces ahead of them looking back at them with a frown.

"What is it?" Severus asked quietly as the other two men stared at the water.

"Something is in there." Edward said. "It feels strange."

"Indeed." Roy said with a sigh. Severus sighed before cautiously moving to the edge of the lake to investigate, half convinced they were likely picking up ambient magic, not something they would be used to in Amestris.

Severus looked at the water with a frown. Leaning close, he caught sight of a flash of movement. He sucked in a breath before taking a step further back toward the other two. "Keep you gloves ready Roy." Severus said grimly. "Fire stops them, if they react."

"What is it?" Roy asked as he checked his gloves.

"Inferi." Snape replied. "Reanimated corpses. No proper soul, just mindless moving bodies. They are extremely dangerous; these ones are dormant."

"Like the mannequins beneath Central. Only they activated with the addition of a stone." Edward said disgusted.

"Fire stopped them, and fire will stop these things. However, it would be best not to set them off to begin with." Roy answered. Neither of them clarified what they had mentioned to Severus, but he assumed they understood the threat.

"There has to be a way across without disturbing the water. It would be the only way for him to retrieve the horcrux." Severus said instead as he walked down the shore before coming across the chain. He reached down to pull on it and a small boat came to the surface.

Severus realized the problem quickly. The three of them would not be able to cross. The boat was designed to take only a single wizard across. He could possibly get away with taking a second person, provided they didn't contain magic or was still in training.

After a brief debate, it was decided that Edward would remain on the shore. He couldn't swim if anything went wrong, and he had his wand with him, even if Ed had no intention of using it. Roy contained no magical training, and they were fairly certain he contained no magic whatsoever. He could sense trouble almost as well as Edward and had already proven with the ring that he could authenticate a horcrux.

Edward leaned against the wall to wait with his arms crossed to ward off the chill. Roy didn't like leaving him alone but saw no choice in the matter. No matter how well they convinced others, they were out of their element. It was not the rules of logic they were used to using. Edward waved them away with "Go now. The quicker you pick it up the quicker we can get away from here. I swear I can feel my leg rusting as we talk, and I do NOT want to get on Win's bad side."

"If you run into any trouble, get out and meet us up in that village." Roy instructed.

"Fine." Edward said, not expecting trouble.

Severus and Roy made their way slowly across the water in the little boat. Neither was exceptionally comfortable with what was in the water or leaving Edward behind on the shore. If something were to activate them, he would be forced to leave them and still likely be hunted. Not to mention what could happen should they be discovered.

Finally, they reached the island. In the center was a faintly glowing bowl, filled with some sort of potion. Severus looked at the potion. He attempted to touch the surface of the bowl with no reaction. He couldn't touch the thing.

A goblet sat nearby, and Severus groaned as he picked it up to dip into the bowl."We are expected to drink the potion to gain the locket. It is bound more than unpleasant. I suppose we should get on with it."

"Come away from it, we are heading back now." Roy said, grabbing Severus hand before he could drink from the goblet. "Its not real, a decoy perhaps."

"Are you certain?" Severus asked. "Could the potion affect your ability to feel it?"

"I would say maybe, however if that were the case it would alter how I feel you when you dipped into it, and it didn't. No, it's simply not there."

"Why put all this in place to protect nothing." Severus asked, though he had set down the goblet and returned to the boat as well.

"It is possible that he intended to place something after the Potters." Roy said as they made their way slowly to the shore. "I have no idea what that potion would have done however there is no need to injure yourself to pick up a decoy. Dumbledore's information was wrong this time. Perhaps he'll find us something before we return."