Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [6]

⚡️ Chapter 50 ⚡️

"It's all my fault, all my fault," Dumbledore said as he sobbed. "Please make it stop, I know I did wrong, oh please make it stop and I'll never, never again..."

"This will make it stop, Professor," Vega whispered she tipped the seventh glass of potion into Dumbledore's mouth, trying to focus on the task.

Dumbledore began to cower as though invisible torturers surrounded him; his flailing hand almost knocked the refilled goblet from Vega's trembling hands as he moaned, "Don't hurt them, don't hurt them, please, please, it's my fault, hurt me instead..."

"Here, drink this," Vega urged him. "Drink this, you'll be all right,"

And once again Dumbledore obeyed the girl, opening his mouth even as he kept his eyes tight shut and shook from head to foot. And now he fell forward, screaming again, hammering his fists upon the ground, while Vega filled the ninth goblet.

"Please, please, please, no... not that, not that, I'll do anything..." Dumbledore moaned while Harry tried to stop him from falling into water or injuring his hands further.

"Just drink, Professor, just drink..." Vega said.

Dumbledore drank like a child dying of thirst, but when he had finished, he yelled again as though his insides were on fire, groaning "No more, please, no more..."

Vega scooped up a tenth gobletful of potion and felt the crystal scrape the bottom of the basin, "We're nearly there, Professor. Drink this, drink it..."

Harry supported Dumbledore's shoulders and again, Dumbledore drained the glass; then Vega was on her feet once more, refilling the goblet. Now, Dumbledore had begun to scream in more anguish than ever, "I want to die! I want to die! Make it stop, make it stop, I want to die!"

"This – this one will!" gasped Harry as Vega brought over the last goblet of the potion. "Just drink this... it'll be over... all over!"

And Dumbledore gulped at the goblet, drained every last drop, and then, with a great, rattling gasp, rolled over onto his face. Both Vega and Harry froze midway in their actions, their eyes wide as they stared at Dumbledore and then at each other.

"No," Harry whispered, shaking Dumbledore. "No, you're not dead, you said it wasn't poison, wake up, wake up – Rennervate!" His wand pointing at Dumbledores chest; there was a flash of red light but nothing happened. "Rennervate – sir – please –"

"Rennervate!" Vega exclaimed, whipping out her own wand at Dumbledore and trying to use it with all of her attention while Harry held him up.

Finally, Dumbledore's eyelids flickered; Harry's heart leapt and Vega's tense shoulders relaxed as she let out a breath of relief, "Sir, are you –?"

"Water," croaked out Dumbledore.

"Water," Harry panted. "Yes –" He leapt to his feet and seized the goblet Vega had dropped in the basin; he barely registered the golden locket lying curled beneath it.

"We need to get him some water," Vega said, panicked.

"Aguamenti!" Harry shouted, jabbing the goblet with his wand.

The goblet filled with clear water; Harry dropped to his knees beside Dumbledore, raised his head, and brought the glass to his lips – but it was empty. Dumbledore groaned and began to pant.

"But I had some – water – Aguamenti!" said Harry again, pointing his wand at the goblet. Once more, for a second, clear water gleamed within it, but as he approached Dumbledores mouth, the water vanished again.

"Wait," Vega said, leaving Dumbledore's side to scramble to him. "Aguamenti!"

It did not work at all.