When the headmaster of Hogwarts and the Boy Who Lived appeared again, Harry gulped in the cold night air. It was very damp and carried the scent of the sea.
A few seconds later, Harry came back to himself. He opened his eyes and found that he and Dumbledore were now standing on a tall black rock jutting out of the sea. Beneath their feet, the seawater gleamed with a cold white light in the night, the waves surging and crashing violently against the black reef. The force of it was astonishing; spray whipped up by the rolling breakers soaked his hair and clothes.
Dumbledore's gaze fell on the cliff. In the darkness, the steep cliff looked like some huge beast with its mouth gaping wide. Harry felt icy spray, reeking of brine, splash across his face. The cold made him hunch his shoulders, and he looked toward the cliff as well, goose bumps rising all over him.
"You don't mind getting wet, do you? Apparition can't take us inside."
"It's all right, Professor. I learned pretty well during the Triwizard Cup." After Harry spoke, he cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself.
"I didn't bring Fawkes, but let us take the risk and try." Dumbledore suddenly became as agile as a young man. He slipped lightly from the rock into the seawater and swam toward the black fissure in the face of the cliff. He held his wand between his teeth, using a flawless breaststroke.
Harry hurriedly jumped into the water too and swam after him.
The seawater was bitterly cold. Once Harry's clothes were soaked through, they became swollen and heavy, dragging him straight downward. He took several deep breaths, and even through the Bubble-Head Charm he could smell the sharp stink of salt and seaweed. He struggled to