𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐇𝐁𝐏 𝟐𝟑

A little way in, the passageway curved to the left, and Emily saw that it extended far into the cliff. She continued to swim in Dumbledore's wake, the tips of her benumbed fingers brushing the rough, wet rock.

Then she saw Dumbledore rising out of the water ahead, his silver hair and dark robes gleaming. When Emily reached the spot she found steps that led into a large cave. She clambered up them, water streaming from her soaking clothes, and emerged, shivering uncontrollably, into the still and freezing air.

Once Harry had climbed up too, he took of his soaking wet jacket and forced Emily into it, "I know it's wet, but it's still more heat for you."

Dumbledore was standing in the middle of the cave, his wand held high as he turned slowly on the spot, examining the walls and ceiling.

"Yes, this is the place," said Dumbledore.

"How can you tell?" Emily spoke in a whisper.

"It has known magic," said Dumbledore simply.

Emily could not tell whether the shivers she was experiencing were due to her spine-deep coldness or to the same awareness of enchantments.

She watched as Dumbledore continued to revolve on the spot, evidently concentrating on things Emily could not see. "This is merely the antechamber, the entrance hall," said Dumbledore after a moment or two. "We need to penetrate the inner place. . . . Now it is Lord Voldemort's obstacles that stand in our
way, rather than those nature made. . . ."

Dumbledore approached the wall of the cave and caressed it with his blackened fingertips, murmuring words in a strange tongue that Emily did not understand. Twice Dumbledore walked right around the cave, touching as much of the rough rock as he could, occasionally pausing, running his fingers backward and forward over a particular spot, until finally he stopped, his hand pressed flat against the wall.

"Here," he said. "We go on through here. The entrance is concealed."

Emily did not ask how Dumbledore knew. She had never seen a wizard work things out like this, simply by looking and touching; but Emily had long since learned that bangs and smoke were more often the marks of ineptitude than expertise.

Dumbledore stepped back from the cave wall and pointed his wand at the rock. For a moment, an arched outline appeared there, blazing white as though there was a powerful light behind the crack.

"You've d-done it!" said Harry through chattering teeth, but before the words had left his lips the outline had gone, leaving the rock as bare and solid as ever. Dumbledore looked around.

"Harry, Emily, I'm so sorry, I forgot," he said; he now pointed his wand at Harry and Emily and at once, their clothes were as warm and dry as if they had been hanging in front of a blazing fire.

"Thank you," said Harry gratefully, but Dumbledore had already turned his attention back to the solid cave wall. He did not try any more magic, but simply stood there staring at it intently, as though something extremely interesting was written on it. Emily and Harry stayed quite still; they did not want to break Dumbledore's concentration. Then, after two solid minutes, Dumbledore said quietly, "Oh, surely not. So crude."

"What is it, Professor?"

"I rather think," said Dumbledore, putting his uninjured hand inside his robes and drawing out a short silver knife of the kind Emily used to chop potion ingredients, "that we are required to make payment to pass."

"Payment?" said Emily. "You've got to give the door something?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "Blood, if I am not much mistaken."