Neville shook his head in awe. "You really took that on?" He glanced to Cho, who was gingerly sitting upon the marble floor.
"Yeah, it was fun too." She replied.
Neville glanced at her. The wounds had been healed as much as he could heal them. He suspected they still caused Cho pain, but she wasn't saying anything. She had been a bit quiet as to what had happened to her, only saying she had fought another beast. Cho looked at the creature bobbing in the water and shook his head again.
"It's cold beyond the door." Cho said.
Neville glanced across the pool of hot water, the wooden door stood gaping open. Even with the door directly across from him, he could still feel a cool wind coming in. The steam rising off the pool swirled around, momentarily blocking out the view of the door. Neville sighed. They'd have to walk through the water and then go dripping to where ever the new hall led.
Would every step be met by monsters and creatures that were out to kill them? Neville clenched his hand around his candlestick. Would they be attacked around every corner? Neville glanced toward Cho, she sat with her eyes closed and arms wrapped around her knees. How much more could they take? Gingerly he touched the bruise across his face, which was one wound they still couldn't heal.
If there were monsters around every turn, then the chance that they'd get hurt would keep increasing. Already they had battled two. One had torn up Cho's back and the new one had torn up her legs. Neville didn't know much about healing, but he knew that to repair the wounds it took energy. From the body and from the person casting the spell.
They hadn't had anything for what Neville assumed was several days now. He knew his own stomach was growling and all he could fill it with was water. He didn't know how Cho was doing, or Damon or that matter. How long would they last only on water? Days, weeks?
Neville crouched before Cho, settling a hand upon her shoulder. Cho looked at him questioningly, her eyes red rimmed and not hiding the exhaustion she was obviously feeling. She had only taken a short nap after he had healed her, waking half an hour later gasping in fear. "How are you doing?" Neville asked.
Cho glanced toward the door. "I'm well enough." She responded simply, then she gave a forced smile. "We make a good team, y'know." She suddenly said. "You with your head of steel and me with my hands of iron." She laughed mirthlessly at her joke.
"What about Damon?" Neville asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Well, he's got a spine of jelly." She said, smiling tightly.
"Good. If you had given him a compliment then I would have been worried about you." Neville grinned. He glanced to where Damon was sitting near the pool, bound and gagged, and now hobbled by Cho's suggestion. He saw Neville looking at him and glared back. It seemed he was now reserving his glares and cursing for Neville instead of Cho. "Do you want to rest? The door's not going anywhere and all we have is time."
Cho shook her head. "We'll rest when we're back home." Cho responded. She held out her hand, Neville took it and pulled her to her feet. "Do or die, remember?"
"Do or die." Neville muttered, glancing at the door.
"Come. Let's untie Damon. I don't think he'll be able to swim across the pool and I'm not pulling him up on the other side." Cho said.
"No. we have to be more careful in dealing with him. You go on ahead, I'll untie him. You head for the door, I'll bring up the rear. That way if he tries to make a run for it, we'll both be able to stop him."
Cho thought on that for a moment and then nodded, then glanced at the water. "If not for the monsters and the possibility of being attacked, it would have been a good opportunity to take a bath. A couple of bubble tablets and some soft music, that'd be nice." Neville looked at her questioningly. Cho laughed and shook her head. "Ignore me. I'm rambling." She cleared her throat. "Time to head out?"
Neville nodded. "Lead the way, fearless leader."
Cho gave a snort. "You mean bait." She jumped into the water and began trudging toward the door.
Neville crouched before Damon. "Leave the gag on. I'm going to untie your feet and hands. Once we're across the water, we'll be tying you back up. Try anything stupid, then you'll be left behind." Neville warned. Damon only glared at him. Neville ignored that and began untying Damon's hobble.
"Neville!" Cho suddenly yelled in alarm. Neville jumped to his feet and looked toward Cho and then at the door where she was pointing.
"Great." Neville muttered grabbing his candlestick. "Get out of the water, Cho!"
it was another of the creature Cho had killed. Short legged, pug faced, and sharp clawed and toothed. Neville watched helplessly as Cho plunged frantically back toward him. The creature stood at the door, mouth open and narrow forked tongue flicking out. It let out a shrill cry and looked directly at Cho, then it jumped.
"Get down!" Neville yelled, plunging into the pool and toward Cho.
Cho turned around, wand raised, but the creature was too fast. Cho let out a terrible scream and they both plunged into the water. Neville shouted and moved as fast as he could toward her.
With another yell Neville smashed the candlestick into the exposed back of the monster. It roared and it's wicked jaws snapped at him. Neville smashed the candlestick at it's face. This time the creature let out a yelp and Neville managed to shove it off of Cho. He reached down and pulled Cho out of the water, she gasped and leaned heavily against him.
She shoved her wand into his hand. "I can't." She muttered. Neville looked down and saw the water turning pick around her. Neville grabbed the wand, shoving the candlestick into his pocket and dragging her back toward the other edge. The creature on the other hand shook itself and began after them.
Neville pointed the wand at it. "Petrificus Totalus!" Neville shouted. The creature suddenly went stiff as it leaped. It splashed into the water near the two, sinking like a stone. Neville turned and began pulling Cho.
Neville dragged her upon the marble floor and tore open the robes around her waist. Blood was welling up from several punctures in her abdomen. Neville remember the long claws of the creature. He aimed the wand at her wounds.
"Watch out!" Damon suddenly yelled.
Neville whirled around and saw the creature flying toward him. He grunted in pain as it collided with him. The wand clattered out of his hands. Neville's shoulder viciously smacked against the hard marble, causing him to let out a cry of pain. The creature skidded upon the wet marble floor, trying to gain purchase on the smooth stone. Neville quickly got to his knees and glanced toward Cho. She was curled into a ball, hands clutched around her injured middle. Neville then shot a glance to Damon who was frantically trying to untie the bounds holding his hands. The wand was nowhere to be found.
The candlestick was still in his pocket, Neville pulled it out and faced the creature who had gained control of its skidding and prepared to attack him. Neville let out a frustrated yell. Would the monsters stop? The creature leapt at him and the tow of them crashed along the ground, snarls of anger and hate coming from a ball of robes and claws.
Neville yelled in rage and smashed the candlestick up and down into the creature's face. It wouldn't' stop. T he monsters wouldn't stop coming. There would always be one more behind the next. One more waiting to kill them. There was no escape from this place.
Neville staggered back, panting heavily and staring that the creature that lay motionless before him. It gave a shudder and then lay still, it's dark, almost black blood pooling beneath it. It stood out in stark contrast to the pure with of the marble floor. Neville stared at it and felt nothing but weariness. How many more were coming?
There was the familiar clatter of claws upon marble. Neville sighed and got to his feet, watching as another creature paced along the edge of the pool, looking at Neville and then Damon and the Cho. Neville gripped the candlestick and walked toward it.
"Crucio!" The creature suddenly fell to the floor, letting out an ear splitting scream. Neville watched in horror and it continued to spasm and cry out in pain, after a long and terrible moment it shuddered and lay still.
Death by Cruciatus Curse. Neville shuddered. He turned to see Damon untied and holding Cho's wand. A look of pure satisfaction was pasted on his face. Neville watched him for a moment.
"Give me the wand. I have to heal Cho." Neville said, holding his hand out.
Damon turned to him and then laughed. "Go to hell, kid." He pointed the wand at Neville.
XXX
Until Next Chapter!!!