Between Comfort and Chaos

Fire-branded Friendships

Lessie POV

There were no thoughts in my head, only the fervent need to pitch myself into the black unknown of the pit. Sebastian was yelling something in the background, but it was jumbled by the roaring of adrenaline in my veins. My feet were moving. What began as a slow pace picked up and soon, I was sprinting. Lungs filled with the burning sensation of over use. The scene playing over and over. Poppy on the platform, and then suddenly gone.

My hand reached into my pocket, grabbing my broom, and shouting the spell needed to enlarge it. The calluses on my hands clenched the broom handle as I zipped down. The air was thick and unwelcoming, filled with smokey residue and char as I descended. I could make out, just barely, a circular arena with a couple of archways. It has a semblance of familiarity, and I pushed back the thoughts of a different adventure I had gone on with Poppy last year. My eyes adjusted to the darkness between the sting of the polluted air. It was far more caustic than I remembered.

There in the far corner was a pile of jagged wood that had once been the platform. The planks stood up at odd angles. Sharp, splinted edges creating a barricade, but I couldn't make out anything other than that. My need to locate my friend intensifies and I pulled my wand out.

"Revelio"

The room pulsed with a blue light only visible to my eyes and I tensed up at the sight before me. Under the pile was a human form, fainting breathing under the dome of a protection spell. I scanned the rest of the room before the light faded leaving me once again in the darkness. In the tunnel directly to my right were the outlines of not just one, but two adult dragons and what looked like three hatchlings no bigger than a border collie.

I wasn't sure how Poppy would have known but from the brief glimpse I got one of the adults was injured. It was thrashing about as if in pain. I recast the spell once more, trying to gleam more knowledge before I turned back towards the pile of wood. I stared at it for a minute with my wand raised trying to remember the repair spell. There were fuzzy fingers caressing my mind, making it hard to think.

Why did I need to repair the wood?

My throat was dry and suddenly I felt like all the water in the world would not relieve the burning sensation. It was engraved in my throating coating it with a strange tingle, making it itch. My eyes had started to water as well, and everything felt off. My limbs became heavy, and I started to cough. It was hot, too hot. Trying to think, my brain became a hazy muddled mess. I blinked a couple times not being able to focus. My knees gave out and I sank to the ground.

Why was I down here? Was.... was I doing something?

I tried to stand up, but my legs were no longer cooperating. The ground seems nice and welcoming, as if it would make the perfect bed. Heck, this was the most comfortable spot I'd ever found.

I should lay down.

"Protego! Anapneo"

My eyes were closed but I could hear the slap of heavy feet running in my direction. The burning sensation in my throat started to recede and I slowly opened my eyes to see that I was in a protective sphere. The light cast from someone's wand was outside of the bubble.

"You are the most infuriating witch I have ever met! You know that right?!"

Sebastian stepped through the barrier he had created and offered me his hand. I stared at it blankly, my mind must still be a bit hazy because he looked vastly different. It was as if someone had stretched out his features. His current disgruntled expression didn't help with the exaggeration.

Is that a bubble on his head?

He let out a frustrated sigh and yanked me to my feet. Letting out a protesting groan I allowed him to position me in front of him. His wand hand came up and tapped me rather belligerently on the forehead. There was a swooshing sound and then POP!