Chapter twenty-one. Lake up!
The following morning Harry woke up early. He had a strong impression that he was being watched. He got up, got dressed and looked around his room. It was absolutely still and silent. Thinking that he was being paranoid, Harry made his way toward the staircase and suddenly stumbled in the twilight. He bumped into Dobby.
- Ouch! Sorry!
- Harry Potter! Such a pleasure it is! - said Dobby.
- Yeah, good morning to you too, Dobby - Harry said, rubbing his foot. - Wait! What are you doing here?
- I have something important to tell to Harry Potter. I've found the room I've been looking for!
- It can't be! Show me, please! Let's go now. I'll just check on Hermione...
And with that he hurried off the North Tower dormitory. Harry paused, panting, on the top landing of the neighboring tower and knocked gently. Nothing. He knocked again, pressed his ear against the door: no one was stirring.
At last, he drew out his wand and prepared to cast a spell, a thought that, perhaps, there was less reason for his intrusion, than he had imagined, fleeting through his mind.
The room he had entered was in a state of total disarray. Bookshelves were half empty, instead, books littered the floor and furniture with various density; long french windows were a little ajar, shutters closed on only one side of one of them; various garments and blankets hang from the wardrobe, armchairs, and bed which had a plate of remains, flying papers, a quill and an empty goblet on it, but no sign of the owner. Directly beside the bedstand, on the thick rug, however, lay Hermione her arms and legs thrust apart at different angles. Harry considered the possibility of a retreat, but the moment his foot touched the floor, it began creaking as an alarm at intimidating intervals.
- Wow! Where is my hat!
- Hermione, it's urgent, Dobby've found the room!
- Right, Harry. I'm... I'mma... grab some food. - She scooped something up from the plate and rushed after Harry.
- It looks like a bottom of the pond or something... Maybe, it is the Lake room?
- You reckon, Hermione?
- Well, it might be. I'd read about hidden castle locations. The Lake room was described as all rocky and greenish, with weeds and mirrors, so...
- In that case, it definitely is one. So, what did your book say about this room?
- It said, that here "lie all the secrets of the Lake".
- Right, very helpful...
- Are you looking for something in particular? Did Dumbledore say what it is?
- No, they told me nothing, hinted at some kind of prophecy about the merpeople rebellion under last Voldemort's reign, though...
- But there's no prophecies in the lake... They are kept by the Ministry_
- I know, I know... I have no idea what it is, then.
They moved around the room scrutinizing it. But with no success. At last, Hermione cried:
- Fetch my hat ! Look at this. It has my name on it!
She was pointing at a yellowish rusty sword, on the sheath of which was, indeed, written "Hermione Granger". Harry stood in front of it and letters suddenly rearranged themselves reading "Harry Potter".
- Fantastic! Now, it's mine!..
- So, it changes its allegiance.
- I'll take it.
- We don't even know what it does!
- It's the only way to find out.
- Is it?
- What do you propose?
- I'll check it on magical traces.
- If it had been jinxed, those would've been concealed too, wouldn't they?
Hermione's examination showed nothing suspicious.
- You know what? Let's take it together! - she said.
The blade shone brightly when it became free, and fiery scribbling appeared on it:
You seek what's been, you know what's done;
You think it's gone, you'll have to be
In depth, to see. And go that far,
So that it all clears up for thee.
The Lake had a transparent crust on one side and a completely glossy part that reflected the sky on the other. Hermione broke the ice, "Come on!" she said. And they plunged in.
- Harry, we need to know what those shadows in the Lake were! You go and fetch Dumbledore, I'm after Snape.
- On my way! - he shouted and ran to the staircase.
Harry proceeded down the corridor on the seventh floor, told a password to a gargoyle and stepped on the bottommost stair which immediately began to glide upwards in small narrow helixes.
He knocked at the oaken door, but no sound had been produced. He suspected that a silencing charm was put on it. He pushed it soundlessly and entered.
The anteroom that usually didn't exist was obviously set up to let people wait. He walked across it, thinking whether or not he should call out for the Headmaster, who, obviously, didn't want to be disturbed.
He kept silent and started looking around for a chair, or something to rest on after his excursion in the Lake, but instead his gaze fell upon an opening into what seemed to be Dumbledore's usual place of residence.
As he drew nearer, more room appeared trough the gap between curtains. Now, he saw the Headmaster themself. They stood by the window, but they were not alone: beside them stood none other than Snape. Harry froze, and watched Dumbledore touch latter's face lightly, turn it toward them, hold on for a second as if to check other's reaction, then, kiss Snape on the lips. He was so dazed by the scene he just observed, that he did not notice how at some point the opening started to expand and drag him in, so that Harry looked around rather foolishly when in a second he found himself in Headmaster's study, two professors looking at him. Snape - with annoyance and nascent irritation, Dumbledore with an expression of mild curiosity. Letting their hand slide from Snape's shoulder to their upper arm, they held it firmly for an instant and let go. Snape showed Harry their profile, turning their head to stare out of the window.
- I..., - Harry began, but Dumbledore, seeing his apologies coming, interrupted politely, you might as well think they had expected him:
- Yes, you wished to see me, Harry. Now, to what do I owe such a great pleasure?
Deciding on the spot to fill them in immediately, Harry gave a brief account of his discoveries, mentioning, at last, strange shadows under the ice, and the definite absence of any people or objects above, that might've caused them.
-... It looked like a prophecy... but it couldn't've been, could it?
- No, - said Dumbledore, they approached one of their intricate silver instruments and gave it a little tap with their wand.
Some kind of vapor rose out of it with a peculiar grinding sound, which made Snape tear their gaze off the scenery and exclaim with astonishment :
- The Dark Memory!
- Yes, indeed. You know the way, then, Severus. But ought we tamper with it now?
- Once seen, the Dark Memory fades away every hour; pray, we'll be in time to retrieve it. There's no denying, of course, that it is exceedingly dangerous, breaking in will unleash a monstrous response.
- I understand. Therefore, I must ask you, Harry, to remain behind.
- But, Professor, I want to help, it is my fault the countdown is on!
- If _I may, Headmaster. - said Snape maliciously - Potter must go. You see, someone is to go under the water, and, as I recall, the first witness is less likely to be killed; others, however, stand almost no chance...
Dumbledore approached the window and looked out for a couple of seconds.
- I see, - they said at last, - but I must impress upon you, Harry, the danger of the matter, and the fact that you have all the rights in the world to refuse to accompany us to this hazardous mission.
- I'm coming! - said Harry almost before Dumbledore finished speaking.
- Harry! There you are! I've been in his study, in the staffroom, Snape's disappeared!
- Hermione, it's alright! I've warned both of them, they're coming after me...
- Professors...
- Miss Granger.
- Miss_Granger_What_were you talking about? You are not suggesting, I hope, that you too have been involved in this matter? We have enough trouble with Potter, as it is...
- Miss Granger, I would very much like to know at which stages of this matter you were involved. Harry already told us, of course, about your timely suggestion of the Elevari spell in the Lake, but I would be most helped to hear whether or not you too witnessed the Dark Memory. - said the Headmaster, ignoring Snape completely.
- No, I've already got ashore and later confirmed that nothing of what Harry saw had really happened above.
- Thank you, it was most illuminating. My apologies, but, I am afraid we are rather be going. Best of the mornings to you!
Fuming shadowy skulls with hanging jaws flew out of nowhere as the last scene of the Memory dissolved in the air. Snape threw Harry in the direction of the castle and shouted at him to run, while doing ample movements with their arm and cutting the wind with their spells. Dumbledore was, by the effects of their actions, using similar incantations, however, they obtained just as powerful results by swooshing wrist motion only. The three of them were coming steadily nearer the Castle. At this moment, Harry was so taken into action that he wasn't paying much attention to where he was running, and, inevitably, tripped over some limestone lying around.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Dumbledore's face closing in on him, and Snape's towering figure glare down at him with ineffable contempt.
- Harry, Harry!_ He has been touched too, - added Dumbledore for Snape's benefit.
- Some Dilezer immediately... - muttered Snape, squatting beside him and forcing some black glistening powder into his mouth.
Their faces suddenly came into sharper focus and Harry took consciousness of the fact that his vision has just been blurred.
- He is not in any danger now.
- Harry, you may retire to your dormitory, I have some important business to attend to...
And Dumbledore swiftly crossed the loan, and disappeared from view.
Harry expected Snape to follow the Headmaster, but to his surprise they did nothing of the sort. Instead, they held out his hand, Harry took it reluctantly, and had been helped to his feet.
- Your wand. - said Snape lazily, picking it up with a spell and thrusting it into his hands. Then, they turned on his heels and walked towards the castle.