Log date 13 February, 1979
After two (and-a-bit) wildly unsuccessful attempts, I have now become aware that retrieving this thing is going to be much less straightforward and much more strenuous than I had hoped. Honestly, I didn’t go in with a plan. I should have started with an actual plan. I just wanted to go in and poke around in case He missed anything when he was setting up the whole thing. So far, no luck. That’s what I get for doubting Him, I guess.
But no matter! This is an opportunity to do this much more systematically. Act with more forethought. Efficiency! It is great!
Attempt 0 (supposed to be Attempt 1, but I’m not really counting it because it was horrible) 28 January, midday. Were all set to go, but poor Kreacher had a bit of a panic mid-disapparation. We missed our mark by about 20 meters and landed straight in the ocean, robes and all. Could have apparated again, but the water was ruddy freezing and after all that bobbing around and gasping for air and yelling out words that Mum would not be proud of!, neither of us were up to the task at the end. Went home and had tea instead.
Attempt 1, 3 February, morning. Made it to the outside. Kreacher had informed me of how to enter the cave door, so I brought along sample vials of animal blood from the Potions closet to try. The gorilla sample seemed to make the door budge a little; no results from the samples of pig, salamander, acromantula, niffler, hare, or crow. I’d really prefer not to use human blood in case the door has some sort of tracking magic. Went home and had tea instead.
Attempt 2, 9 February, late evening. Managed to enter the doorway using a sample nicked from the infirmary (will have to properly thank Barty for that one!). Initial goal was to access the locket without crossing the water. Attempted to apparate to the island in the cave center; unsuccessful. Attempted “Accio {locket; locket of Salazar Slytherin; locket of Slytherin; Salazar Slytherin’s locket; Slytherin’s locket}” from across the shore; unsuccessful. Attempted Gemino Curse on locket, casting Accio on original and leaving duplicate in its place; unsuccessful, although I have not yet managed to reach the island and I don’t know if the Gemino Curse actually worked. It seems I will have to reach the island somehow without touching the water. The easiest option is to use Kreacher, as the anti-Apparation charms don’t affect house elf apparation. I’m sort of afraid to ask more of him than simply apparating us in and out, but I might have to in the future and give him some calming draught to offset the extra mental effort. No tea this time since I had to sneak in.
As if the actual cave weren’t hard enough, it’s pretty much next to impossible to find a free moment to investigate. NEWTs year is unbelievably busy, and I need to make sure I get all O’s if I’m to land a full time job at the MLE after graduating. Plus Olivia and Trevor notice if I miss rounds or Prefect meetings. Slughorn notices if I don’t drop by his office hours every week. I can only lie to Barty for so long. I can sneak out for an hour here or there, but people have already started to ask questions. Evan told me he thought I looked ill; I can’t have him worrying; I know how he gets when he’s worried.
I know it’s silly to still be thinking about any of that, any of my real life things, when I have an Actual Problem to work out. Most days it’s easy enough just to ignore what I have to do and go on doing normal life. It just... it sort of doesn’t seem real. It’s hard to fit the pieces together, the weight of it all. But I have to. I don’t know if I’m the only one who knows about this, but I have to assume that I am, or else I’m not going to get anywhere.
Planning Attempt 3 for next Friday. Can’t go this weekend; we’re playing Ravenclaw, and I’m pretty sure people would notice if the Seeker were missing or soaking wet. Will need to make another run to the Potions closet before then and brush up on my water-based charms from Year 5.
