Harry hesitated as he looked at the boat, which had only enough room for one person to stand.
"Professor... this boat... doesn't seem able to carry all of us..."
"That is true." Dumbledore nodded, bending slightly to examine the little boat.
"And this boat can keep those things in the lake from attacking us?" Harry recalled the menacing Inferi and the boat conjured through Transfiguration that had been forced underwater. His face grew a little pale.
"I think it is safe enough. Riddle needed a way to cross the lake smoothly, should he ever need to visit or retrieve his Horcrux."
Dumbledore straightened. "Clearly, this boat can only carry one wizard."
"What do we do, then?" Harry asked.
"We have a better way." Dumbledore smiled mysteriously and looked at Sirius. "We'll have to trouble our Mr. Black."
Confusion appeared on Sirius's face.
Su Er, however, understood.
"You mean, have Kreacher..."
"Yes. If my guess is correct, this House-elf can take us to the island in the middle of the lake."
Dumbledore smiled faintly. "Originally, I thought I could disregard Riddle's arrangements, but it seems this student of mine has grown beyond my expectations in certain respects."
"Understood." Sirius nodded. As the Black family's only surviving direct male heir, he had naturally inherited his position as Kreacher's master, automatically becoming the Black family's sole male member and its sole head.
Even if this House-elf really was not all that obedient at times...
"Kreacher," he called into the air.
With a pop, Kreacher, who had been far away at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, arrived in an instant while the summons was still echoing through the cavern.
A House-elf's first rule was to obey his master's orders.
The first thing Kreacher did upon arriving was survey his surroundings. He also saw the little