Dumbledore reached into his robes, then stopped very abruptly.
He turned back to look at the judges, Harry and Sirius Black, with a grave expression. "We still can't be certain the Horcrux is hidden inside the basin. I think we should be more rigorous."
Vincent rolled his eyes. "Professor, the entire cave is this big. I've already burned through the bottom of the lake. If the Horcrux isn't in the basin, where else could it be hiding?"
Dumbledore kept trying to persuade the judges without changing expression. "We cannot make any decision rashly. We must think it through carefully..."
Ptooey. That old bastard Dumbledore had no sense of fair play!
Vincent cursed him continuously in his heart, using every insult he could think of.
Without him, they would have had to spill blood before entering.
Unable to fly and unaware of what lay beyond the green light, they would have had no choice but to take that broken little boat.
The Inferi at the bottom of the lake definitely would not have stayed still, and they would have had to worry about the boat capsizing.
And he had already made it clear they did not need to drink that strange liquid, yet Dumbledore still refused to admit defeat.
Since the old man had abandoned all shame, Vincent would simply stand aside and watch him drink the ghastly stuff in the basin, mouthful by mouthful.
Wouldn't drink it? Then Vincent would force it down his nose!
Vincent gave the goblet on the ground a light hook with his finger, took it into his hand, and passed it to Dumbledore.
"Professor, I wholeheartedly agree with your conclusion just now. Please."
Dumbledore was clearly stunned for a moment. He reached into his robes. "Actually, winning or losing isn't important. What matters is—"
Vincent