The Half-Blood Princes {Book 2}

The Emerald Potion

I hope you had an amazing Christmas (if you celebrate it). If not, then I hope you're having a great holiday break.

Here's where it gets interesting...

~~~~~

Harry

Percy arrived five minutes later. He looked like he had just run the entire way. He was wearing the uniform white shirt with the top buttons undone and for the first time in the two years I had known him, I noticed that he had a beaded necklace around his neck. I actually can't believe that I've never seen it. Or noticed it for that matter. It was like a night of revelations.

If only I had known that it was only going to get more complicated.

"What's up?" Percy asked, grinning.

"Um, I'll give you a summary I guess." I said, still quite shaken from what I had seen in the memory. "We learnt that Voldemort has created what is called 'horcruxes' which makes him immortal. We destroy all of them, we destroy him."

"Well that's great! Where are they?"

"I have found two so far and they both have been destroyed," Dumbledore explained. "We need your help to destroy the third one."

"We do?" Percy and I asked at the same time. He gave me a weird look and I shrugged. I just didn't quite understand why we needed him there.

"Percy's skills are very unique and necessary for our quest." He shared a knowing look with Percy which I didn't understand.

"Um, okay. Are we going now? 'Cause I think that maybe the others would want to come-"

"There is no time to gather your friends. We will leave now because of the importance of the timeline. This is a very dangerous mission. You both need to understand, whatever I tell you tonight, whatever I ask you to do: you must obey. You must listen and do as I command without question. Swear on the River Styx, Percy." I had never seen Dumbledore this serious.

"What's that?" I asked. Percy's face had paled.

"It's an oath that is unbreakable. This is some serious stuff." Percy replied. "But okay. I swear sir. I'll do whatever you tell me, I swear on the River Styx." Thunder rumbled above us. Dumbledore turned to me.

"If I tell you to hide, you hide. If I tell you to run, you run. If I tell you to abandon me and save yourselves, you do it." Dumbledore said. A shiver ran up my spine.

"Yes sir." I said.

"Swearing on the River means nothing to you, Harry. It's more important for Percy to do as I wish, but know that he has just signed his life to that oath. You need to take this just as seriously. Give me your word." I didn't like this. Not one bit.

"I give my word," I agreed.

"Alright. Take my arm, both of you."

"I thought you couldn't apparate in Hogwarts," Percy said.

"Well, being me has it's privileges." I almost laughed, but it was too serious a situation to do so. Dumbledore was so solemn, it seemed inappropriate to even smile. I took his arm, and after Percy had reluctantly taken it as well, Dumbledore apparated us out of the school.

------

The sound of crashing waves rumbled below us.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around. We were on a tall rock facing a cliff.

Percy took a deep breath in. "I love the smell of the sea, don't you?"

Dumbledore pointed to the cave. "That's where we want to be, but like Hogwarts, we can't apparate in. That's why, Percy, I want you to part the water."