Hope Mikaelson Goes to Hogwarts

Chapter 23: Dumbledore Takes Us on a Field Trip

Hope's POV:

The next day, after lunch, Harry and I meet in the Common Room. "Last chance to back out." I tell him, bouncing on my toes slightly in anticipation. He shakes his head. "No backing out." I nod. "Ok then. Let's go." With that the two of us head straight for the Astronomy Tower.

We're walking up the steps when we hear Dumbledore and Snape talking at the top of the stairs. we slow down, but then speed up again as we hear footsteps approaching. Snape stops in front of us. Unlike usual he doesn't have a bored look or glare on his face. It's almost...pity? 

Before I can decipher the emotion he's gone. Harry and I exchange a look before making our way the rest of the way up the stairs. Dumbledore is waiting for us. He turns to us. "Ah, Harry, Hope." He smiles sadly at us. "You need a shave my friend." He jokes. 

Harry runs a hand over his chin. "You know, at times, I forget how much you've frown. At times I still see the small boy from the cupboard. You as well dear Hope. I still remember the day you landed in my office out of no where. Forgive my mawkishness. I'm an old man." I chuckle at this. 

"You still look the same to me sir." Harry tells him. "Just like your mother, you're unfailingly kind. A trait people never fail to undervalue, I'm afraid." He sighs and walks towards the railing. Harry and I follow quickly behind. 

"The place to which we travel tonight is extremely dangerous. I promised the two of you could accompany me, and I stand by that promise. But there is one condition. You must obey every command I give you, without question." "Yes sir." We say in unison. 

"You do understand what I'm saying? Should I tell you to hide, you hide. Should I tell you to run, you run. Should I tell you to abandon me and save yourself, you must do so." There's silence. "Your words Harry, Hope." "My word." Harry mumbles. "I give you my word." He nods.

"Take my arms." "Sir, I thought you couldn't apparate within Hogwarts." Harry says. "Well, being me has its privileges." Harry and I both take an arm. And with that, we're apparating away from the castle I call home. We appear on a giant rock in the middle of the sea, staring at a cave. 

We carefully make our way to the cave and Dumbledore looks around. "This is the place. Oh, yes. This place has known magic." He then takes a knife out and cuts his hand. "Sir." Harry steps forward. 

"In order to enter, payment must be made. Payment made to weaken any intruder." He says, slicing his palm. "You should have let me. I heal quicker." I say. "Oh no Hope. Your blood's much more precious than mine." He the moves his hand over a wall. 

It begins to crumble and break away from the rest of the wall before a hole is formed. We quickly walk through. "Voldemort wouldn't have made it easy to discover his hiding place. He will have put certain defenses in position." 

By this time the three of us all have our wands out, ready to fight and also illuminating our path. There's water. "Careful." Dumbledore warns. He then casts a light into the rest of the cavern. It's long and deep. Finally a bright light illuminates everything in the cavern. 

"There it is. The only question is how do we get there." He steps forward, almost in the water and reaches out his hand, closing his eyes. The water beneath him starts to bubble before a long chain extends out of the water and into his hand. "If you would?" He asks us. 

We both grab the chain and start to pull. The chain is long, but soon a boat appears out of the water. We pull it towards us. Once it's here we pile in and sail to the island in the middle of the cavern, promptly exiting the boat. There's a stand with black liquid inside. 

"Do you think the Horcrux is in there, sir?" Harry asks. "Oh, yes." He goes to stick his hand in, but he can't. Then he notices the shell on the outer part of the basin. "It has to be drunk. All of it has to be drunk You two remember the conditions on which I brought you with me?" He asks. 

We both nod. Fear bubbles inside of me. "This potion may paralyze me. Might make me forget why I'm here. Might cause me so much pain, I beg for relief. You are not to indulge theses requests. It's your job Harry, Hope, to make sure I keep drinking this potion." 

I take a shaky breath. "Even if you have to force it down my throat. Understood?" "Why can't I drink it, sir?" Harry asks. "Because I am much older, much cleverer, and much less valuable." With these words he takes the shell. "Your good health Harry, you as well Hope." 

With that he dips the shell into the potion and takes the first drink. He starts to shake. "Professor." He lets out a pained grunt. "Dumbledore." I call out as he falls to his knees. "Sir, can you hear me. Professor." I spot the shell on the ground. 

"Harry we have to keep going. I'll heal him when this is over, but we have to keep going." I grab the shell and fill it with the potion, forcing it down is that as Harry holds him as he shies away. It pains me to see him in pain, but I promised. I gave him my word. 

I make several more trips back and forth. He's getting worse and worse. He's pleading for us to stop. "KILL ME!" He yells. I'm crying by now. It's almost gone. "Hope." "Almost. We're almost done and then I promise that's it. It's almost over." I assure. 

After I feed him this last bit Harry and I pull away. "Harry. Hope. Water. Water." "Water." I breath. I rush to the top again only to find the potion gone. In it's place is a locket. "You did it." I grin. "Harry. Water." He mutters again. 

I turn, and before I can stop him, Harry rushes to the edge of the makeshift island. "Harry no!" I yell, but it's too late. There's a reason he told us to be careful with the water. Harry is dipping the shell I dropped next to Dumbledore into the water. 

The light that led us here descends into the water. It's dark. "Lumos." "Post tenebras spero lucem." Harry and I chant. A ball of light forms in my hand and Harry's wand lights up. There's eery silence. Then Harry goes to dip the shell again. 

A hand reaches out and latches onto his arm. "NO!" I yell, dropping the ball of light and rushing to his side, wand raised. He got away and I grip his arm tightly. The water is writhing around us. "Lumos maxima!" I cast. A bright light shows us the shit we're in. 

Gollum like creatures start to emerge from the water. "Harry. Hope." We hear Dumbledore whimper. "Stupify." We both cast, sending the creatures back and away from him. Spell by spell we fight them off. 

We're gonna be over run so I take a deep breath and channel everything into my wand. I don't do a lot of big spells with my wand, but if there were ever a good time to try. It's now. That's when I see Harry fall into the water. "NO!" I scream. I raise my wand to the sky. 

"Partis Temporus!" White hot fire swirls around us. I swing my wand in a circle. I flick my hand towards where Harry fell and a shot of water shoots in that direction. A few seconds later he emerges, gasping for breath. My fire grows brighter and more powerful, but it's not me doing it. 

I turn my head. Dumbledore is aiding me. Harry is now on the shore. "Partis Temporus!" Dumbledore and chant together. Finally all the creatures are gone. We're safe. I grip the Horcrux in my hand. We did it.