The Potions Master's Daughter (Book Five)

Chapter 42

"Before we go, you both need to promise me one thing. I will not allow you to come if you not agree to this demand."

"What is it sir?" I asked shortly, still annoyed he had sold my father out to Harry.

"You must promise me that no matter what happens, you will do exactly as I tell you. No argument whatsoever. We are going to go somewhere very dangerous and guarded. I tried to scope it out to the best of my ability but there was only so far I could go without help. I am trusting both of you to listen to me, and help me, but first promise you will follow whatever instructions I tell you."

"Okay," Harry said.

"Sure," I said.

"Then let us go. Take my arm."

With that he apparated us out of Hogwarts. We arrived at Hogsmeade.

"Come, we should go talk to Rosmerta quickly. It is best to try to disguise where we are going by greeting people here."

We walked into Three Broomsticks and Dumbledore walked up to the bar, "Ah yes hello Rosmerta. I wouldn't say no to a quick drink of butterbeer. We are off then after that."

While Dumbledore talked to ROsmerta Harry hissed in my ear, "Send your Patronus to Hermione and ROn. Tell them to watch out for Malfoy in the Room of Requirement, along with your father. I know if he's celebrating it can't be anything good. I would do it, but I have the Trace, you don't do you?"

I shook my head, "No it's still off. I'll send it."

I sent my Patronus quickly before Dumbledore got back to the table nursing a glass of Butterbeer in his hand.

He finished it then said, "Alright, we can go now."

From Hogsmeade we apparated to the edge of a lake. Across the lake there was a cave in a small crevice along the jagged cliff face.

"We are going just over there."

I followed where he was pointing to the cave across the lake. There appeared to be a way to get there by hopping through some rocks, and swimming just a bit.

"Come along then," Dumbledore said starting forward.

With an uncanny youthful agility Dumbledore picked his way across the rocks and swam across to the cave, with Harry and I just a few feet behind him the whole time. SO far, nothing seemed dreadful about this place, save the weather. It hasn't stopped raining since we got here, and the sky was a horrible shade of grey.

Once we were standing in the atrium of the cave Dumbledore looked around and announced, "yes, this is certainly the place."

"How can you tell?" asked Harry.

"It has known magic," Dumbledore responded simply though I immediately knew what he was talking about, "This is merely the entrance I'm afraid. Now we must get past the barrier Voldemort put up for us so as to reach the place we really want to get to."

"How?"

"Let me find the entrance first," he muttered.

To my left there was an outline or a breach in the wall outlined in white light, "It's right here," I told him.

He went over and touched it, "Yes, it would seem you are correct. It's curious that you knew that, how could you tell?"

"I can see it," I informed him, "It looks like there's some light around it. Either way it's not important, how do we get in from here?"

"I believe it wants some sort of payment to get in. Blood, if I'm not mistaken."

"Blood?" asked Harry, his eyes widening.