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Chapter 207: Inferi in the Lake
🕑 Added 2018-08-23 03:26:05 +0000 UTCWhen he heard Kreacher, Sirius rushed forward.
It was really clear how much he wanted to rush into the lake to find Regulus’s body.
"No, Sirius!"
Looking at Sirius, Harry and Hermione screamed, fortunately Dumbledore stopped him at the last minute.
"Let me go!" Sirius gasped and said, "I am going to find Regulus."
"I can understand your feelings, Sirius, but we must be careful." Dumbledore whispered, “The Black Lake is very dangerous. You have heard Kreacher’s description and you know what is hidden inside. In addition to the Inferi, this lake also..."
"I am not afraid of danger, I don’t fear the Inferi!" "
“I know, but rushing directly into the lake, that doesn’t help Regulus. What you were about to do is just more of a hindrance than a help."
Sirius was silent and gradually calmed down.
"Very well, let us walk. Kreacher just mentioned the island in the center of the lake, and the stone altar that was originally used to store the Horcrux. I want to go there and have a look." Dumbledore continued, "Be very careful not to step into the water. Stay close to me."
He set off around the edge of the lake, and Evan followed close behind him.
Their footsteps made echoing, slapping sounds on the narrow rim of rock that surrounded the water.
On and on they walked, but the view did not vary: on one side of them, the rough cavern wall, on the other, the boundless expanse of smooth, glassy blackness, in the very middle of which was that mysterious greenish glow…
No one spoke. The place and this silence were oppressive and unnerving.
Evan had been looking into the lake. The dark water was like a black glass. It was bright and smooth. Although nothing could be seen, he knew that under the calm lake, countless ferocious Inferi were watching them quietly.
"How long will we go this way?" Sirius said impatiently, his voice echoed in the silent darkness.
"There is a boat that can carry us to the center of the lake, but Kreacher can't remember where the boat is." Kreacher shuddered and said, licking his ears and punishing himself.
"Don't worry, we will find it." Dumbledore stopped Kreacher.
"I don't understand why we must go to the island in the middle of the lake and not go straight into the lake to find Regulus..."
“Into the lake? Only if we are very unfortunate.” said Dumbledore, " You can try it, Sirius, don't touch the lake with your hands, use magic or throw something into it, and see what happens.”
Sirius picked up a stone from the ground and threw it into the lake.
Along with a loud noise, countless marble white Inferi hands stretched out from the calm surface of the lake.
They came out of nowhere, with no warning or sign, as if they came from hell.
A second later, the lake instantly boiled up, and the hands of the Inferi covered the entire lake.
They struggled and twisted as if they were going to catch something in the air.
Seeing this scene, Hermione screamed and held Evan’s right arm.
Evan also stepped back and looked at the crazy lake with a lingering fear. Although he was ready, his heart was still beating wildly.
Sirius and Harry looked at the lake in dismay, and the number of Inferi in front of them was completely beyond their imagination.
A few seconds later, the dead bodies and ripples disappeared completely, at an extraordinary speed, as if they had never existed. The stone that Sirius had thrown in the lake completely disappeared, not sinking into the bottom of the lake, but being decomposed and dissipated.
"Professor!" Harry yelled, his voice sounding much sharper than usual, hardly like his own.
"You see, this is not the right way to wake them up." Dumbledore said calmly. "There are too many Inferi, and it is impossible to destroy them all. We must find the place where Regulus had been dragged into the water."
“If they rush out, what should we do?"
“Like many creatures living in the cold and the dark, they are afraid of light and warmth. If necessary, we can use fire.” Dumbledore said calmly, “The light and warmth brought by the fire can effectively restrain them!”
“But ... "Harry's face was still full with terror.
"You have to know that there is nothing to be feared from a body, Harry, any more than there is anything to be feared from the darkness.” Dumbledore stared at the dark lake. "Lord Voldemort, who of course secretly fears both, disagrees. But once again he reveals his own lack of wisdom. It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.”
No one said anything, no one wanted to argue.
However, it could be seen from everyone’s expressions that they did not agree with what Dumbledore said. They felt particularly scared when they thought about all the Inferi in the huge lake in front of them.
Perhaps only a powerful wizard like Dumbledore was qualified to say such a thing. He was not afraid of anything, even death.
Evan tried to recall the information related to the Inferi he had just got from the book «Secrets of the Darkest Art": zombies are not part of British folklore, but associated with the myths of Haiti and parts of Africa. The sorcerer turns the "cursed resurrected corpse" into "a horrible servant" which can be manipulated.
In those tribal traditions, the Inferi was considered to be a warrior or a guardian with no regard for its own safety.
They have many uses and are easily recognized and respected by other tribal residents.
Only those bodies that had made great contributions to the Horde while alive are qualified to be made into Inferi, and continue to guard the Horde after death which is the supreme glory.
After this witchcraft came to Europe, after centuries of development and change, it was gradually transformed by the black wizards into what it is now, becoming a pure black magic.
Compared with African witchcraft, these Inferi made by black wizards may have a weaker individual strength, but the method of making them became simpler and less risky, and was considered to be one of the most evil black magic.
The creation of an Inferius requires the use of any dead body. From the huge lake area in front of them, the number of Inferi in should be extremely large.
Evan didn't know how Voldemort found these bodies, and he could only speculate that they had been killed.
The clothes on these dead bodies were all ordinary Muggle styles. They were probably the ones killed by Voldemort and other Death Eaters during Voldemort’s rise.
