Ford had never stood this close to a fire which was not safely contained inside a fireplace, and he didn't care for the experience at all. The heat was oppressive, nothing like the mild warmth of stepping into the flames after a puff of floo powder, and it was spreading much too quickly. Of all the things he'd expected to deal with tonight, combating fires hadn't made the list. Even when everything in the ballroom had started to fall apart, why would he have supposed anyone might burn to death in the midst of a frightful rain storm? In the abstract it seemed ridiculous, but standing a foot away from the nearest flame it felt like a very real possibility.
He had to find Verity. If the whole place went up in flames presumably the people in the ballroom would be safe, since there were enough of them there that someone would be able to fight it off, but Verity wasn't in the ballroom. If she was out here somewhere and the hallway was engulfed, she'd never make it back to safety. (It did not occur to him that he might not, either).
Fortunately the young woman was pulling him in the right direction for that — not towards the ballroom and the crowd, but down the hallway in the direction of the powder room, where perhaps he might find his sister. He nodded (perhaps needlessly; he wasn't sure she would even be able to see it unless she was specifically looking for his reaction) and used the hand not holding his wand to wrap behind her waist and hurry her along the hallway. Smoke was starting to curl above their heads, making his eyes sting and water. They reached the door to the powder room, where Ford hesitated. He obviously couldn't stay out here in the hallway, twiddling his thumbs and waiting for her to look around the powder room for any signs of other women, but even in an emergency it felt wrong to just plunge headfirst into a room in which he wasn't allowed. "Go ahead," he prompted, intending to follow her in.
He had to find Verity. If the whole place went up in flames presumably the people in the ballroom would be safe, since there were enough of them there that someone would be able to fight it off, but Verity wasn't in the ballroom. If she was out here somewhere and the hallway was engulfed, she'd never make it back to safety. (It did not occur to him that he might not, either).
Fortunately the young woman was pulling him in the right direction for that — not towards the ballroom and the crowd, but down the hallway in the direction of the powder room, where perhaps he might find his sister. He nodded (perhaps needlessly; he wasn't sure she would even be able to see it unless she was specifically looking for his reaction) and used the hand not holding his wand to wrap behind her waist and hurry her along the hallway. Smoke was starting to curl above their heads, making his eyes sting and water. They reached the door to the powder room, where Ford hesitated. He obviously couldn't stay out here in the hallway, twiddling his thumbs and waiting for her to look around the powder room for any signs of other women, but even in an emergency it felt wrong to just plunge headfirst into a room in which he wasn't allowed. "Go ahead," he prompted, intending to follow her in.
Set by Lady!