Hallways like this didn't exist without the purpose of leading to another room, so surely there had to be a pathway through one of the doors. Raphael reached his door and began to pull on it, but like the other one it seemed locked (or at least jammed shut). He swore it had budged on his second attempt, and he'd just shoved his wand back in his sleeve pocket in order to be able to use both hands when the sound of rushing water hit his ears.
And then the actual water hit the rest of his body. Yaxley was thrown up against the wall an armlength away from him, and it was by instinct rather than concern that he reached out and took hold of her upper arm. But then the concerned followed, naturally. The water had obviously been up to the ceiling behind the other door, because even in the large room it was rising steadily, already reaching her waist (and right below his hip) within twenty seconds. He tugged on her arm, helping her to her feet, and then promptly pulled her like a ragdoll against frontside, one arm wrapping around her shoulders. He wasn't thinking about propriety, or even how she felt; he only knew that he wouldn't survive if she disappeared under the water, because he wouldn't in good conscious be able to leave her there even if he did manage to get the door open.
"We don't have time to find your wand," he insisted, the panic rising in his voice. He still had his wand. He reached around her shoulders to pluck it from his coat pocket, but he wasn't sure what he was meant to do with it. He looked around the room—the one door was still open, water rushing through, and the other two doors were closed shut. They could try to get to the kitchen door, but that would mean crossing the oncoming rush of water, and even as tall and sturdy as he was he wasn't sure whether or not he'd be able to walk against it without being tossed to the floor and pushed under. They'd have to open the one he was leaning against.
"We've got to get the door open." And hope there's no more water in there, he thought, but he couldn't voice it aloud. That would jinx it.
And then the actual water hit the rest of his body. Yaxley was thrown up against the wall an armlength away from him, and it was by instinct rather than concern that he reached out and took hold of her upper arm. But then the concerned followed, naturally. The water had obviously been up to the ceiling behind the other door, because even in the large room it was rising steadily, already reaching her waist (and right below his hip) within twenty seconds. He tugged on her arm, helping her to her feet, and then promptly pulled her like a ragdoll against frontside, one arm wrapping around her shoulders. He wasn't thinking about propriety, or even how she felt; he only knew that he wouldn't survive if she disappeared under the water, because he wouldn't in good conscious be able to leave her there even if he did manage to get the door open.
"We don't have time to find your wand," he insisted, the panic rising in his voice. He still had his wand. He reached around her shoulders to pluck it from his coat pocket, but he wasn't sure what he was meant to do with it. He looked around the room—the one door was still open, water rushing through, and the other two doors were closed shut. They could try to get to the kitchen door, but that would mean crossing the oncoming rush of water, and even as tall and sturdy as he was he wasn't sure whether or not he'd be able to walk against it without being tossed to the floor and pushed under. They'd have to open the one he was leaning against.
"We've got to get the door open." And hope there's no more water in there, he thought, but he couldn't voice it aloud. That would jinx it.
set by lady <3