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Chapter 211: The Liquid in the Stone Basin
🕑 Added 2018-08-27 05:36:18 +0000 UTCWhat Evan most cared about was the strange lines on the Locket.
He kept feeling that a secret was hidden within them, although Dumbledore and Voldemort had contacted the Locket and found nothing.
But Evan couldn’t know why he kept having that feeling.
Dumbledore looked at Evan and immediately returned to normal. His face was extremely calm, as if nothing had happened.
He waved his wand and dragged the boat with his own magic. Now, no one but him knows how much magic Evan has.
Sirius, Harry, and Hermione were also a little surprised, but didn't think much.
It seemed to them that it was a miracle that such a small boat could hold so many people. They thought that Evan coming up made the boat reach its maximum load, which explained its rapid sinking.
Under Dumbledore’s tug, the boat set off immediately, and there was no sound other than the silken rustle of the boat’s prow cleaving the water.
The boat was moving automatically, without their help, as though an invisible rope was pulling it onward toward the light in the center. Soon they could no longer see the walls of the cavern; they might have been at sea except that there were no waves.
As the boat progressed, the gold reflections of the wandlights were sparkling and glittering on the black water.
The boat was carving deep ripples upon the glassy surface, grooves in the dark mirror…
Just then, Harry suddenly screamed in horror. "I saw it, those Inferi are not far below the water.”
Evan looked where Harry was pointing. His wandlight slid over a fresh patch of water and showed him, this time, a dead man lying face up inches beneath the surface, his open eyes misted as though with cobwebs, his hair and his robes swirling around him like smoke.
Obviously it was a dead body, but his cobweb-covered eyes followed them in a most bizarre way, and the eyes inside turned quietly.
The Inferius seemed to be able to jump out and attack them at any time, but it didn't move until the boat crossed.
"They didn't discover our identity, but I am sure that once we take the Horcrux, we shall find them less peaceable.” Dumbledore whispered. "We’re nearly there; Voldemort's purpose has been achieved. In order to keep this boat from sinking, a lot of my magic has been consumed. "
Evan turned to Dumbledore, thinking about what he meant. The white mist he used to drag the boat was very magical; it should have drained much of his magical power to be able to life all the magical power on board.
He suddenly had some concerns. What would they do if Dumbledore had no magic power at the end of this?
Besides Dumbledore, no one there was an opponent of thousands of Inferi.
A few minutes later, the greenish light seemed to be growing larger at last, and the boat had come to a halt, bumping gently into something.
Evan could not see it at first, but when Harry raised his illuminated wand he saw that they had reached a small island of smooth rock in the center of the lake.
.
"Here we are, Careful not to touch the water,” said Dumbledore again.
Everyone climbed out of the boat, and Evan was the first. He got off the boat and returned to his usual stance. He quickly pulled out his wand.
Behind him was Hermione, she looked relieved at last.
Then there was Harry, Sirius, and the last one, Dumbledore, who used his wand to retrieve the mist that floated under the boat.
Evan carefully looked at the island. It was no larger than Dumbledore’s office, an expanse of flat dark stone on which stood nothing but the source of that greenish light, which looked much brighter when viewed close to.
Evan squinted and looked at it. He saw that the light was coming from an old circular stone basin, which was set on top of a pedestal.
Dumbledore approached the basin and the others followed.
They came close to the stone basin and stood side by side around it. The basin was full of an emerald liquid emitting that phosphorescent glow.
According to the way Dumbledore had just handed it to him, Evan tried to feel the traces of magic left on the liquid.
The magic power was very strong, but it was not the magic he was familiar with. It was very strange; he couldn’t tell what it felt like.
In addition to this liquid, the stone basin and pedestal used to load the liquid did not seem ordinary, and there was a strong defensive magic.
Evan carefully observed. The more he looked at it, the more frightened he felt.
This green liquid had strong magic hidden in it, and it was very evenly distributed. He didn’t know what kind of potion it was, and what kind of magic had been cast on the stone altar. He felt that none of what he had learned before could be applied here.
If he didn’t already know about it, and tried to figure out what to do on his own, he'd be absolutely clueless.
As for the ones standing on the side, Sirius, Harry, and Hermione, who were confused, they were even less likely to know.
It could be seen that Voldemort's strength and magic theory surpassed them, and exceeded that of ordinary wizards.
"Professor, what is this?" Harry couldn't help but ask.
"I'm not sure" Dumbledore carefully observed the stone basin and the liquid inside, and whispered, “However, it’s something more worrisome than blood and bodies. I am glad that what was hidden in it was taken out.”
Dumbledore observed it for a while, then pushed back the sleeve of his robe over his hand, and stretched out the tips of his fingers toward the surface of the potion.
"No, don't touch it," everyone shouted in unison.
"It's not that simple, I cannot touch,” said Dumbledore, smiling faintly. “See? I cannot approach any nearer than this. You try.”
Sirius, Evan, Harry and Hermione hesitated, and at the same time, their fingers reached the stone basin and tried to touch the potion.
However, they met an invisible barrier that prevented them coming within an inch of it.
No matter how hard they pushed, their fingers encountered nothing but what seemed to be solid and flexible air, and the liquid itself had not changed.
"Out of the way, please, I think I can try a spell, maybe it will work," said Dumbledore. He raised his wand and made complicated movements over the surface of the potion, murmuring soundlessly.
However, nothing happened.
The phosphorescence of the green liquid seemed to be brighter, and they watched Dumbledore silently until he withdrew his wand.
"Professor"
"Great, really great," Dumbledore said with appreciation. "If I’m not mistaken, this should be the potion that Voldemort himself invented. I have to say, he's really the best of all the graduates Hogwarts has ever had."
"But you can definitely get through it, right?" Harry said hopefully.
"No, I can't, Harry." Dumbledore shook his head. "This potion cannot be penetrated by hand, Vanished, parted, scooped up, or siphoned away, nor can it be Transfigured, Charmed, or otherwise made to change its nature. I can only conclude that this potion is supposed to be drunk.”
"Drunk" Besides Evan, everyone looked at him in astonishment.
“Yes, at least I think so: Only by drinking it can I empty the basin and see what lies in its depths.”
Dumbledore said calmly. "Knowing this, I have to admire Regulus, his sacrifice is very meaningful."
