Hasty decision. Let's go with that one.
In truth, not much thought had been put towards the decision to use a stronger version of Lumos. It was more a practical solution than an intelligent one. Lachlan couldn't see. With Lumos Maxima, there was now nothing he couldn't see. Of course, the reverse of this situation had not been fully considered. He supposed if something were to come after him, there would be no place to hide. Unless he chose to blind whatever it was with his wand light. In his limited experience, that had proven to be an effective method. Sometimes.
With every shrill, terrified shriek, the icy fist encapsulating his heart seemed to squeeze that much tighter. After another pause and some bracing, he aimed his wand around in an arching fashion, trying to get a feel of where the noise was actually coming from. However, the only thing he could do was continue forward. In the name of transparency, Lachlan was impressed with himself for not running at this point. His opinion on what a hero was and what the concept represented wasn't the best. And he'd definitely never considered himself that type of person. Someone who might foolishly risk their own lives for the sake of others, yet... In fact, the frightened sounds had only served to push him into a quick sprint. Urging his limbs to work harder in carrying him towards the distress.
Lachlan should NOT have done that. Chalk another one up for the aforementioned hasty decision making.
From the momentum of his running, he'd propelled himself out fully into a small clearing...where the fog seemed to coagulate around him. Like his mother's French onion. It was so thick that he was sure the lower part of his pants were soaked through from the condensation alone. It only served to add to his increasingly low body temperature. What warming charms? ....But he was not alone. There was a small child, no older than his cousin, Apollo. Putting them at about...Six? Seven? Not that age mattered in this instance, as....
Again, they weren't alone.
Lachlan had been so focused on the small child that he'd missed the hovering mass of darkness looming just overhead. Shifting his wand light to fully land on.....Was THAT a...but no, surely the professors would NOT place one of THOSE within this task. Of course, Lach had never been face to face with one, and for that reason alone, he was completely unprepared to withstand the onslaught of added cold pressing down upon from some unknown source. The pressure took his breath away and he, again, fought against self-preservation telling him to flee. Protect himself, first and foremost. If something awful was about to happen to this child, he didn't think he could handle baring witness to it. NOT that...Lachlan planned to allow that, but the fear was there, all the same.
What to do? WHAT TO DO? In his panic, the American boy had forgotten everything he'd ever been taught about these creatures....but once more, he was only considering the practical solution. Not the intelligent one. Fear had a funny way of shutting a person down in that way.
If the dementor didn't have hands, it couldn't reach for anyone, could it? Rushing forward, so that the spell didn't go wide and actually hurt this kid, he shouted, "DIFFINDO!" Phantom hands and Icy breath on the nape of his neck suggested that he was done with nonverbals for the remainder of this task, as his mind was too all over the place to properly concentrate. So, to him, going with something he knew, backwards and forwards, was the safest option.
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.................................................. ..................Paradise comes at a price that I am not prepared to pay.
.................................................. ..........................................What were we built for? Will someone tell me, please? |