The-Boy-Who-Lived/Neglected/Lied/Abounded/Betrayed/Fed Up/Left/Tortured /kills

Dumbledore's Dumb mistake

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"Are you sure this is where one of those things is hidden?" Tonks asked Dumbledore skeptically.

"Sure? No, we cannot be sure until we go inside, but I have reason to believe so." Dumbledore took a confident step across the slick rocks that led to the mouth of the island cave.

Dumbledore was of two minds regarding the horcrux hunt he was leading. Thanks to the ministry's unknown source, he was able to continue his research even without his memory collection. His major regret though, was that so many knew of the foul creations. A small group of Order members composed of Tonks, Diggle, and Vance, were accompanying him in his search of the island where he was certain that a very young Tom Riddle had murdered some poor muggle child.

In an effort to take as much of the burden upon himself as he could, Dumbledore paid the blood sacrifice before the others caught up to him, and did not bring it to their attention. Instead, he moved onward into the cave's inner chamber.

The majority of the chamber was filled with a stagnant lake. Illuminated by a faint green light, a small island was visible in the center of the ominous body of water. The dark magic surrounding them felt oppressive, the air itself seemed saturated with ill intent. "Oh dear, this could prove difficult."

"Well, we didn't really expect it to be easy now. What's the problem?" Emmeline asked, while keeping a vigilant eye out for any danger.

Before answering, Dumbledore grasped an invisible chain, removed the invisibility, and by pulling the chain, produced a tiny wooden boat from the lake's murky depths. "It is as I feared. It seems that Voldemort only intended to allow one wizard across this lake. The boat is enchanted to sink itself if more than one attempts to use it, and the lake holds dangers that will most likely activate if we try to cross by any other means."

"That means that whatever protections are on that Island, probably require at least two people to bypass." Tonks guessed, thinking that the boat looked too small to accommodate two of them anyway, let alone all four. "Think we can just take turns getting across?"

"I doubt it." Emmeline shook her head after studying the chain that was now coiled on the ground. "I'll bet anything that the boat will only move with a wizard in it, or by being pulled with this chain, and the chain is only a few yards long."

While the three older members of the order pondered a way around the problem, Tonks simply shook her head. Her dad was right, if an answer was obvious, chances were a pure-blood or a half-blood would spend hours trying to see it. It takes a muggle upbringing to solve simple problems. Thankfully, though she would never admit it, Tonks had been taking her mothers advice, and had making an effort to use her brain more often. "So we make the chain longer. I'll go across first, I'm the auror after all."

Double checking that extending the chain wouldn't set off any traps, Tonks began doubling the chain until it would easily reach the island. "There. I'll go across, then the rest of you can follow once I get there."

"My dear, while I do not doubt your prowess, allow me to take the lead." Dumbledore objected as he made to step into the boat.

Tonks took a handful of Dumbledore's robes, and pulled him back. "I'm going to have to insist sir. The Order answers to the DMLE now, which means that I'll have to answer to Pius if anything goes wrong."

Considering that Tonks' plan worked, the minor power struggle didn't affect anything, and all four made it to the island safely. Unfortunately, at the island an even bigger argument broke out once they learned that the potion protecting Salazar Slytherin's amulet must be drunk.