* * * Captive Audience * * *

Inasmuch as it would have been decidedly preferable to have avoided such an undesirable immersion, Edward had immediately determined that the best way to get them all safely back to shore: was going to be for him to swim Bella across the lake. Its black expanse is a bit wide for jumping, though he could have done it; however, neither was the narrow lakeside edge conducive to a gentle stop… certainly not as gentle as she would need. Thus, swimming it had to be.

Thus, following his instruction to "keep your knees tucked," which promptly had her crouching low before him, Edward was easily lifting Bella by the waist and leaning back against the lake – expertly balancing her folded body high above his floating form as he horizontally positioned himself alongside the tiny boat. Hopefully this will put us well enough within the protective range of Harry's torch, since I don't know if they will become a problem once Bella touches down onto my wet form. Regardless, I'm not going to let them touch her. All the whileBella's eyes upon him remain beautifully wide and trusting, her delicate body strangely suspended in his hands above the black abyss, as she valiantly tries to keep from noticing a very different white body suspended in the lake, far too close for comfort from her birds-eye viewpoint.

Meanwhile, Albus smiles slightly at the scene, his suspicions of the vampire's cooperative and even care-filled intent confirmed. Come to think of it, he never requested or even hinted at making use of our boat for her; he must have been planning this all along. I am so very glad of that! Considering how quickly I am feeling my health fading, I seriously wonder if even our best alternative efforts would have worked. What an immeasurable relief! This is no small weight off my shoulders… even while there still remain far too many others…

For Harry, the scene uncomfortably reminds him of a muggle fable he once heard… about some bird – a duck or chicken or whatever – that trusted a fox to swim it across a lake… only to be unceremoniously eaten before it got to the other side. Shudder. Of course, that thought then brings to mind his own newly bloodied arm… which he endeavors to keep hidden in case it could be the sight of blood, rather than the smell or some other sense, that would bring the vampire suddenly upon them. After all, it isn't as if we aren't all (nearly) in the same boat.

Unwillingly but purposefully, the wizards quickly pull their attentions back to the task of boarding their own tiny craft. Just as they promptly finish crowding into the magical conveyance, it sets off toward the far shore – and the vampire turns his passenger securely upright to let her stand on her own two feet again.

From the very moment her feet touch down upon his wet chest, the waters are churning. Shocked by the unexpected tumult, it takes Harry a minute to realize that the crowd of white hands suddenly reaching out of the water for Bella's leg – every one of which abruptly drops away with a muffled crunching sound before making contact, as the vampire holds her steadily upright with only one arm – are not simultaneously reaching up to grab the two of them. Apparently, the torch in his right hand seems to be keeping them at bay – somewhat awkwardly positioned across his body in an effort to keep his bloody arm hidden – because on his left as he faces backward, the waters remain still. However, it's on the wrong side of the boat to do the same for her.

Immediately transferring the wand to his left hand, Harry holds its torch up high and to his right… causing the water to his left to start roiling in shadow, while it only truly calms the lake right between their boat and the vampire. It's not enough to reach Bella's other side.

Thankfully, a sudden burst of light from Dumbledore's wand is enough to make the needed difference – as a whip-like band of orange fire races to surround the four of them, warmly eliminating every hint of nearby shadow. Though the determined effort seems very taxing on the headmaster, the lake is calm again… the inferi apparently unwilling to surface in the face of any flame. And finally, Harry can see what he couldn't tell before: an army of inferi swarming in submerged circles around the floating vampire… many now with oddly misshapen arms trailing rather floppily beside… as if every offending joint in their wrists, elbows, or shoulders had been unceremoniously crushed in the effort of touching her, rendering them useless.

Harry's mouth drops open in wary awe, his eyes riveted on the scene.

As soon as the lake has settled, both of Edward's arms are up supporting her again – shimmering uniquely in the firelight. It had been a shocking thing to watch – each corpse-like body reaching up to grab her, amidst the blur of his free hand rendering every limb ineffective before it did… in perhaps the only way he could while precisely maintaining her posture with the other. Or so I thought I saw; it was hard to tell, standing there shocked into stillness. Numbly in hindsight, Bella supposes that the crushing of bones was a pretty effective approach for nullifying a zombie army… easily making the unstoppably animated force much less effective against anyone, and maybe even a little less scary (if she kept from looking at their eyes) – though the idea presented no less jarring of an image to her memory even knowing that they were all dead. Nevertheless, still reeling from the horror, it was difficult to ignore the mass of animated bodies effortlessly gliding through the lake in a close circle around him. Terrifyingly close. And not all of them sporting crushed limbs. It was a challenge to keep her eyes focused only upon his angelically worried face – which was keenly assessing hers.

Feeling somewhat hysterical, and guessing that he could probably see it all over her face (adding to his other considerable stresses of the moment), abruptly the memory of his earlier request for distraction comes to mind, and she grapples to voice the first unrelated thought that might help relieve the tension. "I feel like I'm surfing," she blurts out helpfully, in an unnaturally high voice.

Features softening at her effort, and clearly choosing to play along, Edward's lips twitch into a hint of a smile. "Do I make a good surfboard?" His voice is surprisingly calm.

Heart still beating frantically from the excitement, it's difficult to keep her voice even with the image of inferi still swirling before her. Waiting to attack. Nevertheless, in response to his improved mood, she manages a weak smile. "Probably the only kind I could keep my… balance on." Though she meant it to come out matter-of-factly, her voice breaks a little.

Edward chuckles lightly with understanding.

The fact that he is not singing anymore, and obviously feels much more like normal again, makes her wonder what caused the difference. Does he still need a distraction? She does. "So," she wavers, "why aren't you singing anymore?"

"That beast has temporarily calmed. Though yours hasn't," he notes. "Would you like me to sing you something?"

"I don't think I could handle anything I like; I don't want to have to remember this place whenever I hear it."

Nod; that sounds sensible. "Alright then, what would you prefer?" his brow furrows.

"Maybe…" she considers, "the Jaws theme song."

Both eyebrows shoot up in concerned surprise. "Man-eating sharks?" he clarifies in growing but well-hidden alarm. Was this finally too much for her? Is this when she'll want to run away? While I can't even let her go in the middle of a lake?! Oh Bella, please don't! "That doesn't sound very calming."

"Well, yeah, but…" she struggles, "that's what they look like circling around you like that." It doesn't even cross her mind that such a characterization would most aptly apply to him, though the wizards and Edward notice this immediately.

Relief! His brows smooth out immediately. "I won't let them touch you, Bella" he assures.

"I know that. But how do you know they won't touch you?"

She's worried about me, more than for herself; I should have known. Fondly, Edward smiles at her with grateful adoration. "They can't hurt me, Bella," he soothes.

"Are you sure?" Not being a species she's familiar with – and she doesn't think he is either – How would he know if they had a supernatural potential that could threaten him? Those horrible, empty eyes…

"Positive," the gentle confidence in his voice is calming. "Even without the fire holding them at bay, I've witnessed them in action – as now have you – and with no more than human strength and none of the intelligence, all of them at once couldn't get past me. Indefinitely. The more they tried, the quicker they wouldn't even be able to get past you. There's nothing to worry about," he comforts.

But she still isn't convinced. Him being physically overpowered by them, isn't the issue.

"Honestly," with a touch of amusement he attempts to cheer her, "what do you imagine they could do to me? Pick my pocket? It's not as if I have anything of interest to them in there," he teases.

She blushes at the silly image, in spite of herself.

His answering smile turns solemn. "They're only interested in living bodies, Bella. I suppose that explains why they have no reaction to me."