This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter universe, which are trademarked by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim ownership of these characters nor the locations such as Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc. that are Rowling's creations. This work also includes Pokémon, which belong to the Pokémon Company, and I again claim no ownership of these characters.
I thank both Rowling and the Pokémon Company for the universes they have created that allows me to do something like this for my own entertainment and, hopefully, the entertainment of the readers.
They appeared on a large boulder, the stone jutting awkwardly up beneath their feet, and they were greeted in this new location by a strong gust of wind and a roll of thunder. Rain lashed down upon them, soaking them within seconds, and rough, choppy waters crashed into the boulder all around them, spraying up into their faces as they stood, cut off from dry land.
"Unfortunately we cannot venture any further by means of teleportation," Dumbledore spoke from beside him, raising his voice over the crash of the waves as he returned Alakazam. He turned, facing towards land, and the enormous cliff face that stood in their way. "In fact I believe teleportation to be impossible even once we are inside. As a security measure it seems only natural."
Harry agreed, that made a lot of sense. On the other hand he was confused as to where exactly they were supposed to be heading. In the gloomy light he could see nothing but dark stone of the cliff face through the spray of the sea and the lashing rain.
"There," Dumbledore pointed and a helpful crack of lightning briefly illuminated the cliff face. As Dumbledore had said there was an opening, barely visible with the rough conditions around them, but now that Harry knew where it was he could just about make it out.
"How do we get in?" Harry called, wrapping his arms tighter around himself as the wind picked up a notch. The opening didn't appear very large and Harry had no delusions that he could swim up there against the tide.
"We fly," Dumbledore informed him and he released his Dragonite. Harry looked at him doubtfully. "Trust me, it is possible. I have done this before."
And Harry did trust him. He called out his Charizard, the fire type standing resolute even amidst the terrible conditions, and as Harry climbed upon his back they followed Dumbledore and Dragonite as they flew towards the rock face and through the crack that led into the cave beyond.
It was a tight fit but, as Dumbledore had promised, it was large enough for both Charizard and Dragonite to successfully navigate their way through. The two Pokémon alighted gently in the cave beyond, their respective trainers dismounting, and as he did so Harry examined the cave.
It appeared to be completely empty. It was large, stretching further than Harry had initially anticipated, but even then he could still make out every nook and cranny and there was absolutely nothing to suggest that anything, let alone an Arceus Plate, was hidden there.
He turned to Dumbledore. "Are you sure we're in the right place?" He asked. Dumbledore smiled.
"Very sure," he said calmly. "As I said I've been this far before. The Arceus Plate is here, or rather, just beyond here. Hidden in a rather ingenious way."
"Then where is it?" Harry asked. In answer Dumbledore pulled a Pokéball from his belt and opened it.
"Chime!" Chimecho called cheerfully, floating into the air as she appeared. Harry frowned.
"There is a hidden entrance," Dumbledore explained, smiling at Harry's confused look. "Which leads on to an even larger chamber. It is there that the Arceus Plate resides."
"And how do we find this chamber?" Harry asked, eyeing Chimecho curiously.
"Through the power of sound waves," Dumbledore answered. He looked around. "You see, the entrance is very well disguised. You'd be hard pressed to find it. But due to Chimecho's unique physiology she can use sound waves to judge the density of the rock around us, and more significantly find the spot where there is a space behind the rock itself." Dumbledore looked rather pleased as he said this. "Just watch." He nodded to Chimecho.
Harry watched curiously as Chimecho began to float towards a portion of the cave wall, clearly already having a very good idea of where the entrance was. Dumbledore had been here before, after all. And as she reached the wall she began to chime.
The sound was awfully calming, almost like a lullaby as Chimecho steadily moved across the rock face, continuing to emit her soothing call, before eventually she came to a stop, and fell silent.
Chimecho's eyes began to glow and, all of a sudden, a large chunk of rock appeared to light up in the same colour and started to shift out of place. It lifted ever so slightly into the air with a soft rumble and came to settle a few feet away, revealing the space behind it.
It was very dark, Harry couldn't make out much, but it wasn't pitch black. A soft bluish light seemed to be glowing from within and, even though he was aware of the risks involved in their mission, it intrigued him.
"Thank you, Chimecho," said Dumbledore softly, returning the psychic type. Brought back to reality Harry moved to return Charizard.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that, Harry," Dumbledore said quickly, stopping Harry short. "You'll be needing Charizard in just a moment. You'll soon see why." And without another word Dumbledore walked off into the darkness.
Harry and Charizard shared a look. Walking into the unknown seemed a bad idea but Dumbledore had already left. He did not seem even remotely concerned of what lay in the darkness. And so Harry, with Charizard behind him, followed Dumbledore and Dragonite through the tunnel.
Harry's mouth fell open.
Whatever he had expected was hidden behind the rock paled in comparison to what he found. He was standing on the edge of an enormous lake, water lapping gently onto the stones only a few feet away. It spread far in all directions, neither the walls nor ceiling of the cavern fully visible from where they stood as that steady blue light glowed from out on the middle of the lake.
"This is as far as I got last time," Dumbledore announced, gazing out curiously across the lake. "I have flown overhead of course, but I have not landed on the island in the middle of the lake, from where the glow originates, for fear of activating any further defences."
"What is it?" Harry asked. "The glow."
"An Arceus Plate," Dumbledore answered simply. "The Splash Plate, I believe. You see the lake, of course. In fact the lake is precisely the reason I have not ventured further."
"The Pokémon," Harry realised, a short gasp falling from his mouth as he gazed out too, remembering his trip into the Ice Cave. "If they think the Plate is under threat they'll stop us from taking it."
"Quite," Dumbledore agreed. "And while they have done nothing to trouble us so far I am under no illusion that will continue. I do not know whether merely getting too close to the Plate will cause them to act and so I have kept my distance, until I could bring you along to help."
"Now," he said simply. "Let's go."
The two of them mounted their respective Pokémon, Harry mentally preparing himself for a fight, and they took off, soaring towards their destination as the faint glow emanating from the centre of the lake guided them forward.
They landed, Charizard and Dragonite touching down softly, and nothing happened.
"It appears it'll take more for the Pokémon of the lake to get involved," Dumbledore commented, dropping to the ground. Harry did likewise, and looked around.
The island they found themselves on was not large. It was about the size of one of Hogwarts's classrooms, though that may have been misleading as there was little there to make it feel cramped. Water rippled around the jagged edges of the island but the only thing upon it was a simple stone pedestal, much like there had been in the Ice Cave, upon which lay a basin, filled with water, from which the blue light glowed.
"Fascinating," Dumbledore murmured and Harry moved over to join him, gazing down into the bowl. "Absolutely fascinating."
Lying within the confines of the basin was a plate of pure blue.
"Is this it?" Harry breathed, unable to believe he was standing so close. "The Arceus Plate." Dumbledore nodded.
"It is," he said. "And how marvellous it is too. The power of the Arceus Plates is barely understood but as we can see here there is a clear reaction between the Plate and the element it is linked with. Quite brilliant, providing a light that will allow Voldemort to check the Plate without even having to fly to the island." Dumbledore rubbed his beard. "And of course once removed the light will disappear, plunging any potential thief into darkness."
"Charizard can keep the light," Harry assured him. Charizard rumbled in response, the flame on his tail growing brighter as if to prove himself up to the task.
"Agreed," said Dumbledore. "And once we take the Plate we better make haste, ride Charizard and Dragonite out of here, and once beyond the cave have Alakazam teleport us to safety." It all sounded so simple.
"So that's the plan," said Harry, quickly rolling up his sleeve. "Three, two, one." And he reached towards the basin.
Dumbledore's hand shot out of nowhere, grasping ahold of Harry's wrist with a tight grip as his hand was just about to touch the surface of the liquid. Harry looked up, shocked.
"Not so fast, Harry," Dumbledore said gently, although his grip remained strong. "I wouldn't be so keen to touch the liquid in that bowl, if I were you. While some of it is most surely water I do not doubt that Voldemort would have added something extra, something I am sure you do not want to touch." And before Harry could say anything Dumbledore took his dead, blackened hand and dipped his fingers into the substance.
"Ouch," he said, retreating his fingers quickly. Some of the substance seemed to come away with it, sizzling softly against his flesh.
"Professor?" Harry gasped. "Professor, are you alright?"
"Perfectly," Dumbledore said benignly, even as he examined his blackened fingers with morbid curiosity. "It seems my prediction was accurate."
"What is it?" Harry asked, eyeing up the liquid with much more caution. He had almost dunked his whole hand in it.
"Some sort of corrosive substance," Dumbledore replied, not looking overly concerned. "The exact nature is unimportant. All that matters is that no one will be able to touch the Splash Plate without suffering incredible pain."
"So how are we going to get it?" Harry asked. "We could try tipping the bowl. Maybe we can drain the liquid out."
"Which would merely serve to spring the rest of the defences," Dumbledore told him. "See the cracks in the ground beneath our feet. Any liquid poured upon it will immediately funnel into the lake itself. And once water that has been so thoroughly exposed to the Splash Plate enters the lake every Pokémon in this cavern will be well aware that they are under attack."
Harry looked around.
"Why aren't they attacking now?" He asked. "Surely they know we are here?" The lake around them remained eerily still.
Dumbledore looked over at him.
"Because they are not evil, Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "They do not want to hurt us. They will attack us only as a last resort, and they will give us all the opportunity possible to abandon our quest and leave unharmed. But the moment we pull the Plate from this liquid they will have no other choice. And you can understand, we are stealing the very lifeblood of this ecosystem."
Harry swallowed. The danger of the yet unseen Pokémon around them just seemed to escalate in his mind. How many Pokémon even were there? A hundred? A thousand? Who knew how far the lake stretched or how deep it went.
"The takeaway from this," Dumbledore continued softly, "is that we need to be quick. Speed is of the essence." Dumbledore began to roll up his sleeves.
"Professor, what are you doing?" Harry asked worriedly.
"I am going to retrieve the Splash Plate," Dumbledore replied helpfully, the blue glow of the basin illuminating his face as he stood over it. "When I pull it out be ready to run."
"Professor, no," Harry objected. "You can't put your hand in that."
"It will be painful," Dumbledore agreed. "Which is why it may come down to you to ensure the Splash Plate is removed from this chamber. Once I have pulled it out my hand may not function quite as I'd hope it would."
"Professor," Harry continued to complain but Dumbledore held up his hand.
A soft smile crossed his face.
"I appreciate your worry, Harry," he told him gently. "But my life is now measured in minutes rather than days. I soon will be unable to help you, allow me to do so now."
Harry fell silent. He didn't want Dumbledore to put himself through this but he understood. And so he kept his protests to himself as Dumbledore reached out his deadened hand, took a breath, and reached into the basin.
"AHHhhhhhh!" Dumbledore screamed, the sound unlike any Harry had heard before. His eyes were wide, his mouth open, and Harry watched stunned as he seemed to freeze in place, his face showing sheer agony, before suddenly, in a quick burst of movement, he whipped his hand free. He fell backwards, cradling his deadened hand to his chest, while the Splash Plate fell unnoticed from his grip to land on the rock below.
"Professor!" Harry cried in shock, hurrying over and falling to his knees by Dumbledore's side. "Professor, are you alright? Talk to me."
But Dumbledore did not seem capable of talking at all. He desperately clutched at his hand, tears leaking from his eyes and he curled up into a tight ball, flinching against the all consuming agony.
"Professor?!"
"The Plate," Dumbledore's voice rasped from somewhere beneath his coat. "Get the Plate."
Harry looked around. The Splash Plate was lying near the stone plinth and Harry reached out to grab it.
He flinched violently.
"Sir!" He cried, panicked. "Sir, it's still wet! I can't touch it! Sir, help!"
But there was going to be no help coming from Albus Dumbledore. The man was barely visible beneath his coat, whimpering as he tried to make himself as small as physically possible.
It was all down to Harry.
He looked around, panicked. They were still alone, the Pokémon of the lake seemed not to have realised what they were doing, but still they were trapped, unable to transport the Splash Plate away from the island without enduring pure agony, and Harry knew by Dumbledore's reaction that he was not strong enough to carry it. If only he had a water Pokémon to rinse the Plate…
Harry looked out over the water. Of course. It was his only option.
Taking a deep breath Harry prepared himself, doing his best to focus his mind on what mattered, before he grasped on to the Splash Plate.
Pain shot through his hand, tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he screwed his face up against the pain. Forcing his way through, pushing the pain aside, he rushed to the water's edge and dunked his hand into the lake.
Instant relief flowed through his body. His muscles automatically relaxed. His screwed up eyes opened, able to look out on the world freely once more, and he watched in awe as the blue glow emanating from the Splash Plate spread throughout the lake before him.
He pulled back his hand.
An arm stretched from the water, grabbing ahold of Harry's wrist and slamming it down hard into the rock. Harry gasped, the air knocked from his lungs as he was pulled downwards, and he looked out into the lake to the menacing eyes of a Swampert.
"Drago!" Dragonite roared. A twister shot forward over Harry's shoulder, slamming into Swampert who was knocked back, disappearing underwater as it was forced to release its grip. Harry back-pedalled sharply, only stopping when his back hit the stone plinth, his heart pounding.
Shakily, Harry stood up and looked around the cavern with wide eyes.
The lake was churning. All around their small spot of land there was movement on the surface of the water as the denizens of the lake came alive. Harry watched in terror as the first of them - Golduck, Octillery, Kabutops, Crawdaunt, Walrein, Carracosta - began to climb aboard the island.
"Char!" Charizard roared, burning flames at the approaching Pokémon as Dragonite did the same on Harry's other side. The Pokémon were brought short by the attacks, at least for the moment, but there were just too many of them, more and more joining those that already began to creep across the island.
They needed to leave.
"Dragonite!" Harry called, getting the dragon type's attention as he finished blasting a Thunderbolt along the water's edge. "Dragonite, get Dumbledore out of here!"
Dumbledore remained curled up in a ball, unresponsive but for his body's quivering and his own pained whimpers. Dragonite needed only to glance at his trainer for him to be convinced. He turned immediately, scooping the elderly man into his arms, and he shot across the cavern.
Watching Dragonite go Harry worried as jets of water shot up after him, joined by the occasional ice type attack, launched by Pokémon in the lake still obscured from Harry's view. Harry could only hope he would get away.
The situation back on the island was only getting worse.
"Pikachu, go!" Harry shouted, releasing the electric type into battle in the place Dragonite had just vacated. The Pokémon that had been held back before had taken the opportunity to draw closer and Pikachu quickly let loose several short blasts of electricity to push them back.
On the other side Charizard continued to fight, but it was quickly proving to be an impossible struggle. Charizard was strong, throwing everything at the Pokémon who dared to get too close, fire burning across the island's edge, but that didn't stop the range attacks from flying in and Charizard, unable to dodge lest the attacks hit Harry, was doused again and again.
Harry knew he was in a desperate situation. He grappled in his pockets, panicked, searching for anything that might help, but his hands came up with nothing.
Think. Think. What could he do?
And then it hit him.
"Pikachu, use Light Screen!" Harry instructed. A moment later the three of them, Harry, Pikachu and Charizard, became surrounded by a large golden cube. It encompassed most of the island, Harry in the centre as it stretched to cover both of the Pokémon, and all of a sudden the ranged attacks fired Charizard's way splashed uselessly against this new shield.
Charizard roared.
"Let's go!" Harry shouted, rushing over to Charizard. The fire type let out a tremendous blast, forcing the attacking Pokémon back, and Harry jumped up between his wings, ready to leave.
"Pikachu, clear them out with Thunder!" He instructed, turning back to where his electric type continued to hold back the Pokémon opposite.
Pikachu stood by the very edge of the Light Screen, facing up against the many hulking water types that leered down on him, ready to take him out. His cheeks crackled, electricity snapping around his form, and as the Pokémon advanced Pikachu let loose his attack.
An enormous bolt of lightning thundered through the rock at his feet, breaking off large portions of the island where the advancing Pokémon stood and engulfing them in the attack. He put everything he had into the blast, his body straining to release every last bit of stored up electricity he had to direct it at the Pokémon in front of him.
For a moment everything seemed to fall still, the electric attack dazzling the whole cavern, before a dark figure moved through it. The figure struck Pikachu, sending the electric mouse flying to land at Charizard's feet, and shook sharply to rid itself of the sparks that surrounded it.
It was Swampert again, the part ground type unaffected by Pikachu's attacks, and as Pokémon began to rise up beside it once more and Pikachu dragged himself to his feet Swampert leapt forward.
For a moment Swampert hung in midair, looking destined to crash into them, before it seemed to collide hard with something unseen. An invisible barrier.
Swampert fell to the ground, shaking itself violently to clear its head, and it glared forward.
"What…?" Harry glanced around in shock. Mere feet from him, standing in a spot Harry had been quite sure had simply been empty just a moment ago, was a Mr Mime, hands held before it as it stared down Swampert.
Though thoroughly confused Harry's head started to clear.
"Pikachu," he said, catching the electric type's attention and gesturing him to climb aboard Charizard's back as Mr Mime went about erecting more barriers, surrounding their small portion of land completely. The various Pokémon pressing towards them banged on the barriers angrily, trying to break them down by force, as Charizard prepared to take off.
"Mr Mime!" Harry called, not understanding where the Pokémon had come from or what it was doing here but knowing it had come to his aide nevertheless. "Come with me! Take my hand!" Mr Mime looked hesitant, for reasons Harry couldn't even begin to comprehend, but slowly he extended his hand to Harry's.
There was a loud clatter, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Swampert was beginning to break through.
"Quick!" Harry yelled, feeling Charizard crouching beneath him ready to take off. In front of them Swampert roared, his Brick Break attack decimating the barrier. "Now, Mr Mime!"
Mr Mime reached out, panic forcing him into action, and Harry took a hold of his hand.
Charizard took off.
"NO!" Harry cried as suddenly Mr Mime's hand was wrenched from his grasp. Swampert stood over him, flattening him to the ground as it glared up at Harry, preparing to leap on after them, and Charizard roared as he sped off, not willing to risk staying there another moment.
All around bodies leapt after them, desperately trying to pull Charizard back and drag him down into the water, and Charizard was forced to kick out, swiping his tail furiously and firing blasts of flame back at his pursuers as he broke through and soared across the cavern.
"Light Screen!" Harry shouted as jets of water followed their progress, trying to shoot Charizard down as he crossed the great lake, but the golden cube, destroyed by Swampert's Brick Break, sprang into being once more, deflecting the attacks as Charizard continued to fly unimpeded to the exit.
Down below various water types were following their movements, chasing them across the cavern. An enormous Gyarados broke the water, snapping at Charizard only to be put off as Pikachu blasted a bolt of lightning at it, before a Milotic popped it's head up, a Hydro Pump forcing Charizard to swerve as it shot past him, causing rocks in the ceiling above to start falling across their path.
"There!" Harry cried, pointing as the exit came into view, and without needing to be told Charizard swooped towards it, swiping a Huntail aside with ease as Pikachu countered the blast of a nearby Tentacruel. With the tunnel mere feet away Charizard thundered through it, his feet briefly slamming into the ground, threatening to dislodge Harry, before he kicked off, into the cave beyond, and out into the open air once more.
They flew to the rock on which they'd arrived, the rain continuing to lash down on them as the storm had not abated, and as Charizard landed heavily Harry jumped from his back.
"Professor!" He cried, hurrying over to where the old man lay, Dragonite standing worriedly over him.
"Harry," Dumbledore gasped and immediately Harry felt himself breath a sigh of relief.
"You're okay!" Harry shouted. Dumbledore gave a tired nod.
"Harry," he said again, his voice still weak. "Alakazam."
"Oh, right," said Harry, understanding quickly and hurrying to the Pokéballs on Dumbledore's belt.
"Second on the left," Dumbledore wheezed and Harry grabbed it, releasing the Pokémon within.
Alakazam appeared with a silent calm, so out of place in the ongoing storm. He looked over the scene, seeming to understand immediately what had happened, and a moment later the people and Pokémon disappeared.
A/N: That's it for this chapter, sorry for the slight delay. If you enjoyed please leave a Review and follow me on Twitter for more updates.