Heart of Gold

Horcrux Hunting

~Tessa's POV~

I sighed as we walked to the Astronomy tower.

We were going with Dumbledore to find a horcrux. It's no secret that I wasn't looking forward to it.

As we got into the tower, we heard conversation.

"I don't want to do this anymore" Snape whispered

"You've already agreed. It's done" Dumbledore said back.

Snape scoffed and walked past us, pausing a moment to look at us then leave.

I looked at Harry and he shrugged.

We continued up the tower and Dumbledore looked at us.

"Ah. Harry. Tessa. You're here right on time" Dumbledore said with a smile.

He looked at Harry "You need a shave my friend" he said with a twinkle in his eye

I snickered and Harry elbowed me.

"Now. Where we're going is dangerous and you must do exactly what I say. If I say you must leave me behind then do so. But I'm sure it won't come to that" Dumbledore explained. We nodded

"Now. Let's go" Dumbledore said.

"Sir, I thought we couldn't apparate in Hogwarts" I said

"Yes... Well being me, has it's privileges" he replied with a chuckle. I smiled a bit at this.

And so we apparated. When the world stopped spinning, we were on a cliff in front of a large mountain.

"Woah.." I mumbled, looking up at it. Harry nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore approached the wall of the mountain

"Hm... It requires a blood sacrifice" he said softly

He drew a knife from his cloak and sliced his hand.

"Professor!" I said in surprise

"You should've let one of us do it" Harry said

"No Harry... Your blood is much more precious than mine" he said, setting his wounded palm against the stone.

Harry and I watched as the stone crumbled away to reveal a large cave.

"Let's go.." Dumbledore said, leading us inside the cave

I looked around silently.

The cave was dark and eerie. The only light source was from the entrance of the cave and Dumbledore's wand.

I had to walk close to the light to make sure I didn't trip over any of the rocks on the ground.

Most of the cave was filled with a vast lake-like water pool. There was an island barely visible in the center of the lake.

Dumbledore approached the water and held his hand over it.

There was a metal clinking and slowly a chain rose from the depths. Dumbledore grasped it and pulled it as if it were a tug of war. Eventually a small boat came into view.

He pulled it to us and smiled. He looked at me. "Ladies first" he said, gesturing to the boat.

"Oh great... He has manners.." I mumbled to Harry, earning a chuckle from Dumbledore. I stepped into the boat. It rocked beneath my feet.

I sat down on the narrow wooden bench as Harry and Dumbledore climbed into the boat.

The boat seemed to row itself as we glided toward the island in the center of the pool.

"What exactly are we looking for again...?" I asked

"A locket" Dumbledore said

I nodded and mumbled to Harry

"We're risking our life for a necklace? You-Know-Who seems to have a flare for accessories.."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah I bet the locket went with the ring"

I smiled at him. I was glad he was here. After the past year I needed him. He was my moral support, with me since birth

Soon the boat approached the island. We docked and Dumbledore helped us out of the boat.

I looked around. The island seemed to be made of a crystal substance and in the center was a podium that held a dish that looked like a bird bath.

We gathered around the dish. Inside was black water. At the bottom sat a locket.

"Ah... A complication... It seems the only way to get the locket is to drink..." Dumbledore said softly.

"Sir-" Harry started.

"Listen to me. I am going to drink this potion. And it will weaken me. I will beg for you to stop but you mustn't listen. No matter what you must make sure I drink the entire bowl" Dumbledore explained, "do you understand"

Harry and I glanced at each other and sighed. "Yes sir"

Dumbledore took a large shell that was sitting next to the bowl and scooped out a bit of the potion.

He hesitated before drinking it down quickly.

He gagged a little and sat down.

"Harry... What do we.." I said

"We do what he said..." Harry said, taking the shell from Dumbledore.

He scooped more of the potion and force fed it to Dumbledore

Dumbledore seemed to act more and more like a toddler the more he drank the potion. He started to refuse to drink it but Harry had to keep forcing him.

It was difficult to watch.

Soon the potion was gone. I grabbed the locket and knelt beside Dumbledore.

"Look Professor... We did it" I said in a calming voice.

He whimmpered a little. "Water.." he mumbled, "water.."

I nodded and went to the bowl. "Aguameni!" I said and the bowl filled with water.

I scooped the water but it wouldn't stay in the shell. I huffed and tried desperately to scoop it but it didn't work.

I looked around and bit my lip. "Harry!" I hissed, "it won't scoop!"

He walked over and tried to scoop it himself. It still didn't work. He looked around then approached the pool of water around us.

I looked at him silently.

He scooped water from the lake and brought it to Dumbledore. He drank it and mumbled "more.."

Harry nodded and went back to the water. I sat next to Dumbledore.

There was a sudden yelp and a splash.

"Harry!" I yelled, standing up.

Through the murky water I could just barely see him. He was being attacked by what looked like mermaids but could've been grindylows.

Behind me, Dumbledore stood and shouted a spell that Author-Chan doesn't remember.

Suddenly there were great walls of fire all around us. Harry climbed out of the water, gasping for air.

I helped him up and we looked at Dumbledore as he stood tall and powerful, controlling the fire walls

"Wow.." I mumbled, "he really does have style"

Harry nodded in agreement.

The fire died down and Dumbledore collapsed.

We helped him up and to the boat.

We sailed back to the entrance of the cave.

We helped Dumbledore to the cliff and we apparated back to Hogwarts.

But it wasn't the same as we left.