The Cave
Professor Dumbledore apparates himself and Harry to the foot of a seaside cliff. Dumbledore says this is where the young Tom Riddle led two younger orphans on a horrifying trip. Dumbledore and Harry approach the cliff; Dumbledore illuminates his wand to reveal a fissure in the rocks. He and Harry swim to it, finding a hidden cave.
Dumbledore says this is only an antechamber; the real goal is further. Feeling for an opening in the cave's wall, he finds it, but it does not open. Eventually divining its secret, Dumbledore cuts his arm and sheds blood on the wall. Answering Harry's question, Dumbledore says that Voldemort likely prefers those seeking his artifacts to be weakened. An opening appears; inside is a huge underground lake with a strange green glow in its center. As Dumbledore looks for something, he cautions Harry against touching the lake surface. It occurs to Harry that he could simply Summon the Horcrux; Dumbledore suggests he try and when Harry does, something large, far out in the lake, jumps, intercepting the spell. Dumbledore says that is likely what they will have to face in order to retrieve the Horcrux.
Continuing around the shore, Dumbledore finds an invisible chain; rendering it visible, he reels it in, and a tiny boat surfaces and is pulled to the shore. Harry and Dumbledore climb in, and the boat propels itself smoothly towards the island in the middle of the lake. Harry, peering down from the bow, sees dead bodies floating beneath the water's surface; Dumbledore says that as long the bodies are merely floating, there is nothing to fear.
Finally, the boat reaches the island. On it is a basin filled with greenly glowing liquid. Presumably the Horcrux is submerged within. They are unable to touch the basin or its contents, so Dumbledore determines that he must drink the substance. He makes Harry promise to force him to finish every drop. He produces a goblet and begins drinking. The potion causes intense pain, and, in his delirious agony, he begs Harry to kill him. Harry persists in refilling the goblet and persuading Dumbledore to finish. Dumbledore is very weak and requests water, but when the water that Harry conjures vanishes as it approaches Dumbledore, Harry fills the goblet from the lake that Dumbledore warned him not to touch. He manages to throw the water into Dumbledore's face, but can do nothing else, as Inferi (the corpses that Harry had seen floating beneath the water, now animated) emerge, attempting to drag Harry into the water. Harry tries Jinx after Jinx to fend them off, but they keep coming, dragging him towards the water. Dumbledore recovers enough to fend them off with magical fire. Keeping them surrounded with the ring of flames, Dumbledore collects the locket at the bottom of the now-empty basin, and he and Harry climb back into the boat. The Inferi, dully, lose interest in Harry and Dumbledore, who now return to the shore. Harry leads Dumbledore from the cave, opening the archway to the antechamber with the graze on his arm he got fighting the Inferi; they return to the fissure leading to the sea.
Dumbledore says this is only an antechamber; the real goal is further. Feeling for an opening in the cave's wall, he finds it, but it does not open. Eventually divining its secret, Dumbledore cuts his arm and sheds blood on the wall. Answering Harry's question, Dumbledore says that Voldemort likely prefers those seeking his artifacts to be weakened. An opening appears; inside is a huge underground lake with a strange green glow in its center. As Dumbledore looks for something, he cautions Harry against touching the lake surface. It occurs to Harry that he could simply Summon the Horcrux; Dumbledore suggests he try and when Harry does, something large, far out in the lake, jumps, intercepting the spell. Dumbledore says that is likely what they will have to face in order to retrieve the Horcrux.
Continuing around the shore, Dumbledore finds an invisible chain; rendering it visible, he reels it in, and a tiny boat surfaces and is pulled to the shore. Harry and Dumbledore climb in, and the boat propels itself smoothly towards the island in the middle of the lake. Harry, peering down from the bow, sees dead bodies floating beneath the water's surface; Dumbledore says that as long the bodies are merely floating, there is nothing to fear.
Finally, the boat reaches the island. On it is a basin filled with greenly glowing liquid. Presumably the Horcrux is submerged within. They are unable to touch the basin or its contents, so Dumbledore determines that he must drink the substance. He makes Harry promise to force him to finish every drop. He produces a goblet and begins drinking. The potion causes intense pain, and, in his delirious agony, he begs Harry to kill him. Harry persists in refilling the goblet and persuading Dumbledore to finish. Dumbledore is very weak and requests water, but when the water that Harry conjures vanishes as it approaches Dumbledore, Harry fills the goblet from the lake that Dumbledore warned him not to touch. He manages to throw the water into Dumbledore's face, but can do nothing else, as Inferi (the corpses that Harry had seen floating beneath the water, now animated) emerge, attempting to drag Harry into the water. Harry tries Jinx after Jinx to fend them off, but they keep coming, dragging him towards the water. Dumbledore recovers enough to fend them off with magical fire. Keeping them surrounded with the ring of flames, Dumbledore collects the locket at the bottom of the now-empty basin, and he and Harry climb back into the boat. The Inferi, dully, lose interest in Harry and Dumbledore, who now return to the shore. Harry leads Dumbledore from the cave, opening the archway to the antechamber with the graze on his arm he got fighting the Inferi; they return to the fissure leading to the sea.
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