The Cave

When Cyberlina arrived at the headmaster's office, Dumbledore had just finished showing Snape two memories—one belonging to Morfin, and one of his own: the first time he met Riddle.

Dumbledore told Cyberlina and Snape that he believed Riddle had a habit of collecting objects. He also guessed that Riddle might place unusual importance on certain locations that held meaning for him. The Gaunt old house and the Gaunt ring were the best proof of that.

Hearing this, Snape instinctively glanced at Dumbledore's hand. The ring he had seen in the memory was now being worn by Dumbledore.

"So, where do we look for the Horcrux?" Snape asked, thinking of the memory from moments ago and the thing the young Voldemort had hidden in the wardrobe. "The orphanage?"

Dumbledore gave him a mysterious smile, then looked toward Cyberlina, who had not spoken since entering the office. "I think Cyberlina can answer that question for you."

Cyberlina raised her head, which had been lowered all this time, glanced at the smiling Dumbledore, and answered briefly, "The cave."

Dumbledore tilted his head toward her, seemingly indicating that she should continue.

Cyberlina smiled. She understood that he had noticed something off about her silence, but she had no intention of explaining it. She simply continued, "I didn't figure it out from Riddle's memories or any sort of deduction. I just saw it earlier. Though I did notice that seaside and that cave in his memories before, I never paid much attention to them." Cyberlina sighed softly. "Even though I learned everything about his childhood from the little Riddle in the diary, I ultimately still don't understand Riddle as well as Albus does."

"After all, I've been studying him for many years." Dumbledore smiled, his tone sounding as if he were discussing an academic subject. "I suppose you won't tell me what you saw, either."

"We'll know once we go there." Cyberlina returned to her usual smile. "Besides, you should know that I only saw fragments. I don't have the whole picture."

Snape could tell that the place Cyberlina mentioned was the picnic spot Mrs. Cole had referred to in Dumbledore's memory, but Dumbledore's memory had not included a specific address.

"I suppose the two of you already know the address?"

Cyberlina smiled without answering.

"Actually, I can only infer the general direction from the orphanage's location." Dumbledore chuckled. "Severus, if you're willing, could you help us look for it?"

"..." Snape had never heard Dumbledore assign a task so politely. He immediately understood what the man meant and said in a deliberately gloomy tone, "I am not willing."

"Oh, all right, then. What a pity. In that case..." Dumbledore raised his brows and looked at Cyberlina. "Perhaps you'd like to go on a two-person picnic, Cyberlina?"

Cyberlina saw the little exchange between the two men and laughed. "I would be delighted, Albus."

The two people who had always been highly efficient acted the very next morning. Meanwhile, Snape remained in his office, realizing that the cat was actually Grindelwald. He also realized that Dumbledore had once again assigned him a task without discussing it with him first—and had chosen someone else instead.

That said, the cat was far too quiet. It was so quiet that Snape began to wonder whether Grindelwald had already escaped.

The temperature in London in December was not particularly pleasant, but it was nothing to the two wizards, who were overflowing with magic. Wearing wizarding robes that were not especially thick and carrying the Confundus Charm, they walked through London's bustling streets while chatting.

"I thought you'd use that magic of yours that resembles Floo Flame magic," Dumbledore said as he arrived with Cyberlina by Apparition. He was also holding three Muggle lollipops—after paying for them, of course. Cyberlina had paid.

"But I've never been here before, so I couldn't." Cyberlina was not at all surprised that Dumbledore had seen through the nature of the magic after only one use.

"I thought you were familiar with it. After all, you understand the modern Muggle world so well." Dumbledore unwrapped a lollipop.

Cyberlina looked at him with an ambiguous smile. "Did you forget that before enrolling this time, I spent some time in the Muggle world?"

Thinking of how Cyberlina had concealed the fact that she had returned to her former home before enrolling, Dumbledore was still somewhat indignant. Now that she had brought it up again, his tone inevitably became strange. "Oh, did I? I really did forget."

Then he put the lollipop into his mouth.

Cyberlina raised her brows slightly. "Besides, not long ago, I used the Muggle world as a transfer point several times while gathering materials. I have to admit, Muggle transportation is becoming more and more convenient, and it isn't slow, either."

"Muggles... really are clever..." Dumbledore said indistinctly.

They continued walking from the outskirts of London. Neither of them had discussed it, but both were walking purposefully toward the same destination. Neither exposed the other. It was only when they reached a small village near a cliff that they looked at each other and smiled knowingly.

At the edge of the cliff, Dumbledore raised his arm toward Cyberlina. She naturally placed her hand on it, and he Apparated her to a black rock below the opposite side of the cliff.

"It seems we've arrived early." Looking at the surrounding seawater, Dumbledore spoke without a trace of regret or frustration.

"Not necessarily." As Cyberlina spoke, she raised her clasped hands from top to bottom. The waves striking the rock gradually grew larger. Then she turned her arm over, and her wand slid from her sleeve into her palm. Just as it was about to fall, she caught it. Following the downward motion of her arm, she gave a sharp slash.

The waves before them suddenly burst apart. The seawater was forcibly cleaved open, revealing pebbles of various sizes below, while the rock beneath their feet rose high above the water.

"Perfect control." Dumbledore floated Cyberlina onto the pebbles with the Levitation Charm. He then looked at the almost-transparent white flames separating the seawater around them and praised her. "Should I award Slytherin ten points while you're still a student, Miss Sekerei?"

"News travels fast, Headmaster," Cyberlina said with a smile.

"After all, my friends can't attend Hogwarts' Christmas feast with me. As it happens, some of them are attending another very lively feast." Dumbledore winked at Cyberlina. "I've already drafted your appointment letter this morning."

"Honestly..." Cyberlina smiled and shook her head. "I haven't said anything."

"But you already hinted at it last night, before I even knew what was going to happen." Dumbledore glanced at the dark-purple wizarding robes Cyberlina wore today. "In any case, welcome back as my colleague, Cyberlina."

"All right. Severus is going to hate me again." Cyberlina spread her hands and looked toward the enormous boulder at the end of the waterway, directly beneath the cliff. A crack foamed with water across it. "It seems we'll still have to wade through the water."

After swimming through the frigid seawater, they reached a vast cave. The aura of magic filled the space around Cyberlina. She secretly dried the seawater on her body, then narrowed her eyes and studied the surrounding rock walls.

"What an impressive talent," Cyberlina exclaimed.

"Magically speaking, it certainly is." Dumbledore dried the seawater from his robes, walked forward, and began circling the cave wall. Finally, he took out his wand and tapped a certain rock. The light of an archway flashed briefly, then vanished, leaving the rock unchanged.

Cyberlina stepped closer and examined it carefully. Then she laughed. "Honestly... what a child's idea."

"It is rather crude." Dumbledore had already seen through the trick as well, and spoke softly.

Cyberlina was certain she heard a hint of disappointment in Dumbledore's voice.

When she saw Dumbledore suddenly take out a short knife, Cyberlina immediately seized his wrist. "You're not planning to bleed yourself, are you?"

"Your body is still young, isn't it?" Dumbledore smiled as if it were only natural.

Cyberlina was silent for a moment. Then she took the knife from Dumbledore's hand with one hand and, with a turn of her wrist, slipped it into a pocket hidden in her sleeve. She then lightly rapped her fist against Dumbledore's forehead.

"Stubborn boy."

Then Dumbledore watched as Cyberlina pulled out a large jar of blood from some pocket on her person that had been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.

"Such a waste..." Cyberlina sounded regretful. "If I'd known, I would have kept some of Severus's things."

"Since you can carry it around..." Dumbledore's expression grew somewhat complicated as he watched Cyberlina open the jar. "That little problem Rubeus mentioned yesterday... You really were responsible for it, weren't you?"

"I obtained Hagrid's permission." Cyberlina's gentle tone was filled with righteous certainty. "Besides, I cleared Aragog's name. Giving me some blood is only fair payment."

Dumbledore did not know whether to laugh or cry. He did not think a jar this large could be measured as "some." No wonder Hagrid had come to him yesterday afternoon with eyes swollen from crying, stammering without explaining what had happened. He had only carefully mentioned Cyberlina's name before clamping his mouth shut.

But what did Cyberlina need to do with so much Acromantula blood? And Dumbledore did not believe that, after being away for so long, she had gathered only the small amount of material meant for Severus.

Dumbledore did not ask. He simply watched as Cyberlina measured out the required amount, then took it out and splashed it over the rock.

The dazzling archway appeared once more. When the light faded this time, a pitch-black opening stood before them.

Cyberlina glanced at the faintly glowing green area in the distance, then lowered her head to look at the dark lake beneath their feet. She narrowed her eyes and uttered a short sentence filled with disgust. "Inferi."

"The thing you hate most." Dumbledore fell silent for several seconds before looking at Cyberlina seriously. "Keep yourself under control later. Muggles live on the cliff above us."

Cyberlina let out a laugh. She did not dwell on whether he meant that sincerely or was merely teasing her. She went straight to one spot, reached into the air from the rock wall, and grabbed.

A green chain shot out of the water into her hand. She pulled hard, and a small boat emerged on the lake along the chain, drifting toward her.

"It's a little small." Cyberlina gave the crude boat an objective assessment.

"It's a reflection of his thinking." Dumbledore chuckled. "He believed that only a very small number of powerful people could see through his trick and seek out what he regarded as a treasure."

Cyberlina looked over the lake once more, then lowered her eyes to the boat. After a few seconds of silence, she waved her wand.

The boat began to shake violently, and the chain clanged along with it. It seemed to resist something, but the resistance lasted only a few seconds. The magic attached to it quickly yielded to a stronger force.

The filthy little boat expanded until it was large enough for four people, complete with two clean cushions.

Cyberlina boarded first. After confirming that there was no problem, she extended a hand toward Dumbledore behind her. "Come."

Dumbledore paused, then gladly took Cyberlina's hand and boarded with the help of her strength.

The dim surroundings, the cool but comfortable temperature, the steady boat, and the soft cushions made the two of them seem almost like they were leisurely boating across a strange but peaceful lake—if one ignored the visible bones and the corpses that no longer resembled human beings.

Dumbledore looked toward Cyberlina. Her back was as straight as ever. She had turned her head away from him to look at the lake, saying nothing, as if she were perfectly calm. Yet white sparks occasionally burst from the wand she was gently twirling with her fingertips.

"Cyberlina..." Dumbledore called helplessly.

"Hmm? What is it?" Cyberlina turned her head and smiled at him.

"At least wait until we get the object before burning everything."

"I wasn't planning to burn anything." Cyberlina laughed. "Don't worry, Albus. I was only wondering where they came from."

Dumbledore froze, then fell silent.

Although it was possible that some of the corpses belonged to people who had simply gotten lost and come here, surely the vast number of bones and bodies could not have already been inside this cave.

"What an impressive talent for dark magic." Cyberlina once again praised Riddle's magic. Then she laughed softly. "Albus, did you know that Sebas found something interesting in a spellbook left behind by Salazar Slytherin? Then he discovered a dark magical object capable of controlling Inferi."

Dumbledore's heart jolted. "So you suspect that Tom—"

"No." Cyberlina looked toward the pitch-black water again. "That object... had already been destroyed long ago. Solomon destroyed it."

Dumbledore remembered clearly that the records he had seen in the Ministry of Magic stated that the place where Solomon Sallow died had been described by Anne Sallow as "a place with many destroyed Inferi." The surrounding villages had indeed suffered incidents of Inferi attacking people around that time.

As Dumbledore carefully chose his words and prepared to speak, Cyberlina casually said, "Albus, you don't seem surprised at all that Sebas would choose to control Inferi."

For an instant, Dumbledore felt the temperature around them drop sharply. He was certain it had absolutely nothing to do with the lake water or the corpses.

"You told me about this person before..." Dumbledore said softly. "Sometimes, it isn't difficult to infer one thing from another based on just one or two incidents."

Cyberlina gave a quiet laugh and turned to look at Dumbledore with a radiant smile. "But I never told you about Sebas, Albus."

Dumbledore stopped. He racked his memory and realized that although Cyberlina often mentioned Anne and occasionally brought up Sebastian's name, she had never directly told him about anything Sebastian had done. Most of what he knew about Sebastian had come from Ominis, with a small amount from the Ministry of Magic. The rest... he had seen by chance.

So Dumbledore said, "All right, Cyberlina. I remembered incorrectly. It was Mr. Ominis who told me... when he was telling me about your school days."

"Did he..." Cyberlina lowered her eyes and asked no more questions.

Dumbledore also fell silent.

When the boat stopped after striking an obstruction, Cyberlina stood first. She turned around and pulled Dumbledore onto the small island with her.

When the basin of green, faintly glowing liquid appeared before them, Dumbledore saw the eager look in Cyberlina's eyes and immediately sensed trouble. That feeling peaked when Cyberlina took out a glass cup carved with a small snake.

He immediately seized her wrist. "You're going to drink it?"

"I'm younger." Cyberlina's voice was filled with the same self-evident certainty Dumbledore had shown when he was about to bleed himself.

But Dumbledore had no desire to tease her in return. He said seriously, "You taught me that anything whose nature is uncertain must not be touched carelessly. Its essence must be understood before taking action. You have no idea what this liquid might do to you. If it follows Tom's methods, it should cause you pain. It might even make you lose yourself—"

"I know." Cyberlina interrupted him, shaking the cup in her hand. Her eyes were filled with eager interest. "And I'm looking forward to seeing what that little Mr. Riddle is capable of."

Dumbledore's hand paused, then loosened slightly. He said firmly, "After Severus and I came here, I was the one who drank it."

"Ten points to Gryffindor." Cyberlina smiled mischievously. Taking advantage of his loosened grip, she pulled her hand free and ladled a cup of green liquid. "You even made Severus force it down your throat, didn't you?"

"Cyberlina..." Dumbledore frowned at the cup of green liquid. He was not sure whether she was telling him that she needed to do the same thing Severus had done.

"Don't worry, Albus." Cyberlina tilted her head at him and elegantly swirled the cup. The little snakes carved into it seemed to move, glowing with a brilliant emerald-green light. It was extraordinarily beautiful. "I have slightly better self-control than you. I won't drink too much."

With that, she drained the liquid in one gulp.