* * * Pernicious Trap * * *

As the astute headmaster and his protégé promptly but cautiously advance toward the pensieve, Edward politely retreats with Bella to the far edge of the tiny island platform, offering the anxious wizards as much space as possible. It isn't much.

Studying the phosphorescent liquid keenly, Albus recognizes that the nature of its contents is – at least in part – quite possibly exactly what the vampire… Edward… has described. Voldemort's memories, mixed in with some sort of additional villainous potion, would be very likely to torture one into insanity were they to be consumed… just as surely as the potion would ultimately be the cause of their death. It fits his style. Naturally, the idea of consumption is not at all appealing – even less so now that he's been clued into it – though neither is it unexpected. I did come prepared to see this through, in any case… because the destruction of Voldemort is fundamentally worth the sacrifice of my life, if that's what it takes. Just so long as Harry can come out intact enough to finish what we've started… a long-term guarantee which is uncomfortably uncertain in current company. Sigh. Must it be consumed, then? To be sure, Albus checks through every conceivable alternative.

Between furtive glances directed toward the perilously unfamiliar couple standing across the way, the wizards proceed to interact and converse much as they would have had Edward and Bella not been present… if not a little more quietly and quickly. ("What is it?", "I am not sure...", "Sir, no, don't touch – !", "I cannot touch; see? … You try.", "You think the Horcrux is in there, sir?", "Oh, yes.")

Meanwhile, Edward monitors their effort with alarm as he finally has occasion to identify the source of the strange vampire smell surrounding the grandwizard in particular. It's coming from his wand?! At least, that explains the scent in a less than threatening fashion… though it additionally brings up a lot of unanswered questions. Simultaneously, Bella shivers against him in involuntary response to the cave's cooler temperature (and/or the tragically gruesome environment), causing him to automatically shrug off his jacket in order to wrap her in it.

Quickly resuming their comforting embrace in order to best keep her anxieties at bay, while also breathing deeply and singing silently to keep the voluminous bombardment of voices from overwhelmingly commanding his attention, he hugs her to him, casually holding her back to his front so that she doesn't have to watch him suffer in his distress.

Still, in the process of it all, Bella can't help but notice that he hasn't let himself lose contact with her skin even once since they arrived here. (It's not exactly easy to nonchalantly help someone put on a jacket while maintaining such contact, after all.) "You're afraid," she observes fearfully, trembling against him… and in response he only hugs her all the more tightly. If he's afraid of something, naturally she is going to be. "What do you think would happen… if you were to let go of me?" she gently calls him on it.

He exhales slowly into her neck; a distressed sound. Obviously his efforts at keeping his torment away from her notice are being less effective than usual. He's faltering under the deluge, and can't seem to keep from giving himself away. Already she's hit right on to the most painful truth. "If I can be summoned out of the middle of nowhere, without warning, into a place like this…" his low voice intones, "then I can just as easily be called out of it. But I won't leave you here! I can't!" His voice is tinged with desperation. "As much as this pair of wizards would be likely inclined to help you out, were I to come up missing – there's no guarantee that they would be able to take you safely away. Their boat's only barely big enough to fit the two of them, as it is; it's magically designed for transporting only one. The idea of you… waiting all alone out here, for someone to come back for you… with death lurking around every corner…" he shudders. "I can't imagine it."

She shudders, too. "So… I'm only here, because we were touching?" He nods, and she grasps his hand all the more tightly to her. "Okay. Then I won't let go," she assures him.

He kisses her cheek gratefully. As their conversation momentarily lulls, the play of his breath against her skin indicates he's returned to his silent song – the words coming out too fast and low for human hearing. It's scary that he feels the need to do this just in order to stay sane in this place.

"It's so creepy," Bella remarks with obvious discomfort, struggling to keep putting her usually quiet thoughts into words as she looks out over the ominous scenery… "and gloomy," she continues, eyeing the eerie glow emanating from both the boat and the pedestal in the otherwise pitch-black cavern… "horrible," her face scrunches up as her view skims across more than one body floating deathly still in the lake closely surrounding them, "and…" her breath catches sharply as she notices the ghoulishly empty eyes of the one nearest their position. With a violent shudder, she shuts her eyes tightly and pushes up into Edward's embrace as far as it is possible to get. It seems the last thought goes without saying.

"Yes it is," Edward agrees grimly, gentle arms nevertheless embracing her firmly. He needs her comfort as much as she needs his. "What you see are all long-dead human corpses… zombies, if you will… that have been painstakingly preserved and programmed to become eternal pawns in his wicked game. They will seek to make more of their own, if given a chance. That's why I also cannot let you come into contact with the lake." Every one of the poor souls who has fallen into this pernicious trap, Edward knows, had somehow touched or triggered its liquid surface just prior to being pulled into it.He's glad she is unable to see just how very many there are.

Bella pales, and turns around to look at him in surprised horror. Overprotective of her emotions as he is, this is not the kind of thing he would have willingly divulged to her under normal circumstances. She can see that his eyes are inordinately tense and worried behind the strained facade; haunted almost… he's clearly under a lot more strain than he's even been letting show. Reminded of his request, she hugs him close and tries to keep the conversation moving. "I… can't stand how blank their eyes look…" she whispers, tears brimming behind her eyelids, "especially when they look as pale as you do."

His troubled eyes soften with understanding tenderness, and he strokes her wet cheek comfortingly. "At least, they truly are dead. There is no one out there suffering… anymore," he replies quietly.

She nods tearfully against his chest.

"Undoubtedly," Dumbledore's words not-so-distantly penetrate the brief silence of their little bubble, though they're part of another conversation altogether, "this potion must act in a way that will prevent me taking the Horcrux. It might paralyze me, cause me to forget what I am here for, create so much pain I am distracted, or render me incapable in some other way. This being the case, Harry, it will be your job to make sure I keep drinking, even if you have to tip the potion into my protesting mouth. You understand?"

Feeling Bella suddenly gasp and stiffen with alarmed concern in front of him, it's clear that she just heard the whole thing. Sigh. On top of what he just revealed, and what he has damnably witnessed to be in store for any human that continues along this path – it's not surprising at all to see her expression (and heart rate) suddenly infused with terror for the desperate plight overshadowing these two complete strangers and their mission here. Even as Edward can't help but want to thoroughly shield her from every trauma awaiting them, which ability consistently seems to elude him, he admires her for caring so much.

Consequently, and most definitely wanting to offer Albus whatever feasible alternatives he possibly can before the goodly headmaster pursues this conclusion of last resort, Edward offers a last soothing touch to the back of her head and a kiss to the top of it… before unwinding his arms enough to lead her the few short steps toward the pedestal.

A/N: Thanks for reading and sharing your enjoyment with me!