* * * Devastating Dilemma * * *
Edward does step forward to interfere when Harry moves to give Dumbledore a drink of water from the lake, however, after none of the young wizard's efforts to provide the real thing have been successful. "No; not the lake," he warns the frightened student… extending a hand to stop the cup from touching it. As much as its liquid looks and smells nearly like water, he knows it is not… and the only effect such a discrepancy could portend is insult to injury. In addition, the boy's touching of it would have quickly brought all the inferi upon them. While that event, in and of itself, wouldn't really pose a problem for him… the issue of keeping in contact with Bella as he fought them down would require her to be clinging to his back even as he viciously tore them apart. She shouldn't have to be in the middle of that. It would terrify her.
And now Harry is all the more frantic… because the grandwizard needs the helpthat he has suddenly been restricted from giving. Indeed, the boy's mentor's breathing is far too shallow.
Quickly positioning Bella's hand upon his neck once again, Edward reaches his other hand out to touch Dumbledore's forehead lightly – assessing as a doctor would. He is too warm. Although the less-than-conscious wizard automatically responds to his touch favorably (catching Harry's panicked attention), it is not going to be possible for him to keep the man cooled indefinitely. Once again, a potential benefit of the lake crosses his mind – almost as if everything was sooner or later going to point back to it. Well, he has to admit, so long as the liquid is not ingested, it might be enough to keep him cool safely… and, given the nature of the lake's inhabitants – perhaps it wouldn't be so much of a problem if I were the one who touched it.
He doesn't know this, though… so it's important to get the boy wizard prepared to defend against the yet dormant army. He may have to be able to, in any case, once Bella and I depart, he realizes. As well, he needs to have something helpful he can do, to focus himself here and now. Since all along it seems that 'fire' would have been the elder wizard's first (and sound) advice against any threatening members of the undead, including both he and what lies beneath the surface… "Can you conjure fire?" he asks him.
"W-what?" The young wizard's thoughts are desperately chaotic with alarm and concern and confusion. Panic has overwhelmed his faculties.
"I'm trying to help him," Edward speaks clearly and evenly, though urgently. "I'm going to touch the lake. Can you conjure fire?"
Unsure how to respond to the maelstrom of conflicting signals roiling through his head, which have him desperately afraid for his kindly headmaster, Harry mentally latches on to the vampire's hopeful claim and what question was asked of him – as if they were a life preserver. Struggling to remember if he even knows how to conjure fire without Hermione's help in the moment, he recalls a simpler torch spell that he had at least managed to get the hang of in class.
"That will do," Edward helps to focus him, even as he finally nods in answer. Vaguely remembering that Dumbledore had even suggested something along these lines to him, for their safety on their way in – straightaway Harry casts the spell, causing the tip of his wand to ignite with a non-consuming flame. "Don't let it go out," Edward admonishes, now sparkling dimly in the firelight.
Meanwhile, under the coolness of Edward's touch, the elder wizard has been quickly reviving… enough to have caught the last couple of comments spoken. Suddenly, the cool touch on his forehead is replaced with an icy splash of wetness, and his faculties are his own again – weak with thirst though he remains. However, welcome as the sensation is – that can only mean one thing: the lake has been compromised and the inferi are on their way… just as another previously unfamiliar yet viciously ingrained memory is proceeding to clearly and painfully illustrate. Oh, no. Harry!
His eyes don't snap open to churning waters and lifeless bodies, however. Rather, only the frightened concern and much-relieved encouragements of his faithful young companion, amidst a deceptively peaceful lake. Surprisingly, his most valiant student is holding a torch – Well done, Harry! – and the obviously unthreatened (as well as strangely luminescent) vampire and his girl are standing not far away, calmly watching down on him with vigilance. Though evidently the former seems to be no longer crazed with an unspoken melody, Albus feels as if he should be. Every fiber in his body is aching to deny the long lost memories suddenly regaling his consciousness, and he wishes something as simple as a song would make that possible to do. Yet the gruesome facts remain. And he can't help but feel absolutely responsible for them.
Get Harry to safety, is his only recourse. Having personally brought him into this place – it would appear simply to yet again accomplish this horrendously wicked design – it's the only thing he can do in the now to assuage the immense guilt. Keep him from being a victim, too! he pleads with himself. He cannot fail again. The same goes for their two unexpected visitors. And of course, the horcrux; don't forget the horcrux!… whose necessary retrieval and destruction was the entire point of their dangerous journey in the first place… or so he had convinced himself. Harry must never have to come back here again, he focuses blearily. I can do this much for him.
As urgently as Harry struggles to lift him up, Albus struggles to his feet… scooping out the horcrux from the floored basin as he does so before turning his attention toward the… suddenly far too tiny boat. There are four of us now, he stumbles. Wracking his brain for an option – any option to get them all safely away – even as Harry steadfastly guides him the few steps toward the miniscule conveyance, the only thing he can think of is to actively keep their two companions suspended above the lake via a spell of his own (as if in a boat of their own, naturally)… which magic would nevertheless be inherently subject to the limitations of what their boat will support. If either of them are 17 or older – which both could very well be – the barest hint of magical ability could be enough to tip the balance… making such a spell unstable at best; disastrous, more than likely, in light of what he can do. The mental image of their spell-tethered boat unavoidably disintegrating over the lake as he stepped into it, amidst a vivid recollection of what would surely happen then – at least to her – makes him shudder with internal agony. However, I doubt splitting them up is an option.
In such desperate states of mind, both wizards have already reached the magical conveyance – Harry's wand-hand leaning heavily against its prow as the headmaster leans heavily against him – by the time it conclusively registers to Albus that there simply isn't enough room for the two that were summoned, as well. Harry seems to have realized this at the same time, for he has also stopped as if brought up short. Horrified, both wizards automatically turn their heads towards the couple in question. As much as neither wizard can possibly fathom leaving them (or at the very least, her) behind like this, even for a moment, the fact remains that the only qualified wizard among them – whose presence is necessarily required to make the boat run – will simply have to be in good enough condition to make a return trip. What other choice do we have?!
The unexpectedly shocking event that greets their eyes, however – all at once both surprising and unnerving – causes Harry to momentarily lose his perch against the boat and graze his forearm hard against it. Smoothly, the vampire has voluntarily slipped down into the lake… as if to join its pale inhabitants, who remain as silent and unmoving as they have ever been. Only his recognizable head, shoulders, and outstretched arms autonomously bobbing above the surface… the faintly glowing fingertips of one hand still linked to hers… indicate he hasn't mysteriously become one of them as well.
"Your chariot awaits, my lady."
A/N: Please forgive the long delay in posting. I'm still here; just been very distracted of late by the necessities of real life. Hopefully it won't take so long again. :) Enjoy!