Bloom and Harry have just finished telling Hermione and Ron everything about Bloom's vision - and then they have to go up to the Astronomy Tower to meet Professor Dumbledore.
Bloom and Hermione hug, Harry and Ron shake hands - and then Harry hugs Hermione and Bloom hugs Ron before he can react.
Ron was staring at Harry until Bloom hugged him, and Hermione nearly glares at Bloom.
Bloom cracks up at the looks on both their faces, and says "Oh, relax you two. We've been watching you two dance around each other all year, ever since year four actually, do you honestly think we're blind?"
Hermione and Ron stare at her, and Harry says "Seriously, we've noticed. And, seeing as we're best friends with you two, you know we're not trying to get in the way of anything. Also, the fact that we're bloody well dating should be a deterrent for anybody thinking one of us is trying to get between a couple."
Hermione says "Don't die on us, both of you."
"We won't." Harry pulls Bloom away by the wrist, and they walk up the astronomy tower steps.
They hear Snape and Professor Dumbledore arguing, and stop so they won't interrupt.
Snape asks "Has it ever occurred to you that you ask too much? That you take too much for granted? Has it ever crossed your mind that I don't want to do this anymore?"
Dumbledore calmly says "Whether it has or hasn't is irrelevant. I will not negotiate this with you Severus. You agreed. There is nothing more to discuss."
Bloom looks up and sees Dumbledore staring at the setting sun while Snape glares at his back.
Finally, Snape gives up and goes to the stairs.
He falters briefly at the sight of Harry and Bloom, but then continues down - muttering something about Dumbledore being infuriatingly stubborn.
They walk up to the top after a moment spent staring at one another in shock, and then they find Dumbledore looking at them.
"Bloom, Harry. You need a shave, my friend."
Bloom holds back a laugh as Harry runs his hands over his face, and Dumbledore says "Forgive my sentimentality. I still see you sometimes as the little kid from the cupboard. I forget how much you've grown; how much you've done. I'm an old man."
Bloom says "You look the same as always, sir."
Dumbledore smiles, and says "Ah, like Lily, you are unfailingly kind. A trait most people never fail to undervalue, I'm afraid."
Harry puts his arm around her shoulders, and then Dumbledore says "But, not all people. Now, the place we are going to be travelling to is exceedingly dangerous. I promised you could accompany me, and I stand by the promise, but there is one condition: you must obey any command I give you, without question."
Bloom and Harry immediately agree, but Dumbledore says "Understand what I'm saying. Should I say to hide, you must hide. Should I say to run, you will run. And, should I say to abandon me and save yourselves…" Harry and Bloom stare at him in shock at this, "you will do so."
Bloom and Harry share a worried look, and Dumbledore says "Your words, Harry, Bloom."
After a minute, they do - Bloom, very nervously about the whole abandon-me-to-save-yourselves comment.
Dumbledore nods, knowing something like that would be near-impossible for Bloom to do. "Good. Now, take my arm."
Bloom says "I thought you couldn't Apparate inside Hogwarts grounds."
Dumbledore smiles and says "Being me has its privileges. As does being you, Bloom."
They take his arm, and Bloom says "I'm teleporting us back here when this is over."
Harry grins, and then they Apparate.
They appear outside a familiar cave - the one from the picture in Tom Riddle's orphanage, the one he drew, the one that was a postcard on Professor Dumbledore's desk.
Bloom doesn't barf this time, seems she's finally getting used to Apparating.
It's too quiet, eerily quiet, even the waves are distant thunder.
Dumbledore finds a large stone dome, and starts probing it with his lighted wand. "Where you two stand, Tom Riddle once stood when he was but a poor orphan boy with a penchant for cruelty. He lured two of his younger classmates here once. What exactly happened is a mystery, but this much is clear: the two kids were damaged."
He suddenly stops, and then takes a knife out of his robe and cuts his arm with it.
Bloom says "Sir, maybe I should do that! I can heal myself, after all."
Dumbledore says "In order to gain passage, payment must be made - payment intended to weaken any intruder."
Dumbledore lets his blood hit the dome, and it sizzles like acid before crumbling the stone into a narrow opening in an archway.
They walk along, Bloom glowing bright orange and healing Dumbledore - and trying to heal his hand.
It doesn't really work on his hand, but Dumbledore shakes her hand off after a minute. "Thank you, Bloom, but that is enough for now."
They emerge on the rim of a lake covered in mist.
The water is black as ink, and they immediately get the feeling going for a dip would be a bad idea.
Dumbledore reveals a thick chain, copper maybe, but green and slimy, hidden.
Bloom grabs onto the chain, and her magic spread down to the boat in the water.
It comes up to the surface on its own, and Harry says "Bet Voldemort never thought he'd have to defend against magic like yours, Bloom."
She grins, and says "Bet he's going to get a nasty surprise when he discovers I can destroy his Horcruxes."
Dumbledore says "Yes, I imagine he won't be at all pleased to hear that."
The boat floats over the water in eerie silence, not even making any waves.
Harry looks down, and sees a face skin the surface of the water. "Professor, there are dead people in the water."
Bloom goes pale at that, and shuts her eyes.
"Yes, one of Tom's traps. The Inferi will drag you down to your grave."
The boat hits a small island in the dead center of the lake, completely hidden by the magical mist.
There's a basin in the middle, and there's a sickly green glow coming from it.
When they look inside, they see a glowing green liquid inside, and there's a crystal goblet sitting next to it.
Dumbledore smiles ruefully, and says "It has to be drunk."
Bloom reaches for the Goblet, but Dumbledore stays her hand. "Bloom, Harry, remember what I promised you before taking you here?"
They nod, and he says "This potion might paralyze me, it might make me forget why I'm here, it might cause me so much pain I beg to stop. You are not to indulge these requests, you must make me keep drinking. Force it down my throat if you must. Understood?"
Bloom asks "Why can't either of us drink it? The Dragon Flame might-"
"No, Bloom. I understand it is your nature to offer such a thing, but no. I am much wiser, much cleverer, and much less important. Harry, you are the Chosen One, destined to face Voldemort. Bloom, you are the Holder of the Dragon Flame. I happen to have researched it quite extensively, and I know exactly how important it is that your power not be tainted or damaged. No, I must be the one to drink it."
Bloom reluctantly moves back to where Harry's standing, as Dumbledore dips the goblet in the basin.
He gets three full cups down, then stops - his hands are trembling and he grips the side of the basin.
Bloom takes a step forward, asking "Professor? Can you hear me?"
Dumbledore's hand shake violently this time, so Harry steadies Dumbledore's hand while Bloom supports him.
Dumbledore begs "Don't make me…"
Bloom looks over at Harry, then sees his determined expression and nods. She says "Professor, you can't stop. You've got to keep drinking, like you said. Remember?"
"Noooo!" Dumbledore's cry is so forced and primal that Harry takes a step back - the goblet hits the basin, but Bloom lifts his hand back up with her own.
"Make it stop…please…make it stop…"
Bloom says "It will sir, but only if you keep drinking."
He's halfway there, and then it gets even lower when the goblet is filled again.
She gets him to drink it twice more, and then he yells at them to kill him.
Bloom and Harry are shocked, but then Dumbledore collapses into Bloom.
She sets him on the ground and tosses the goblet to Harry, healing Dumbledore and saying "Once more, professor. Then it's over. We'll do what you say after that."
Dumbledore eyes Bloom, and then Harry. Harry says "We promise."
Dumbledore relaxes his jaw, and Harry pries it open and pours the liquid in.
Pain ripples on his face, and after what seems like forever, his eyes open and he says "Water."
Bloom could nearly faint from relief, and instantly waves her hand. A bottle of the stuff appears in her hand, and Harry snatches up a golden locket from the basin.
Dumbledore greedily drinks the water, and Bloom makes three more bottles appear.
When he finally stops, Bloom tiredly says "Sir? I'd like your word on something."
He stares at her, and she says "Swear you won't ever ask me to kill you again."
He smiles, and says "A fair request, especially given the circumstances."
Harry chuckles, and says "We've got the Horcrux, let's go!"
Bloom freezes when she sees the locket, and says "That's not it…"
Harry and Dumbledore stare at her for a minute, then Harry asks "What?"
"It's got no dark magic coming from it! It's not a Horcrux!"
Bloom opens the locket, and finds a note that says the real Horcrux was taken long ago and replaced with the fake. It's signed R.A.B. - but they don't have any idea who it could be.
Harry smacks his hand to his face, and says "Great, at least someone else is on a hunt for these things. You think it's been destroyed?"
Dumbledore shakes his head, and says "No, a Horcrux is exceedingly difficult to destroy. It can only be done with a destructive enough substance. Basilisk's venom, for instance. Or, as we found out four years ago, Bloom's fire. Most other methods would be in vain."
AN: Yeah, not good. The Horcrux is a fake and they just went through all that for nothing. Fantastic. Now they have to find the real Locket, which can't be easy, it never is. Also, for everyone guessing about how I'm going to end it - relax, it's coming shortly.