[video][locked from Harry and Draco]
[The video is incredibly dark; save for a small glow in the center of the screen, there would seem to be no light. What little light is provided illuminates a basin in the center of a small circle of land, an island in a body of water that seems to have no end. And, standing near the basin is Dumbledore, with an older Harry Potter accompanying him. In Dumbledore's hand, he holds a crystal goblet.]
"-warned you, did I not, that there would be danger?"
"Yes, but-"
"Well, then" [Dumbledore begins to roll back his sleeves] "You have my orders."
"Why can't I drink the potion instead?"
"Because I am much older, much cleverer, and much less valuable. Once and for all, Harry, do I have your word that you will do all in your power to keep me drinking?"
"Couldn't-"
"Do I have it?"
"But-"
"Your word, Harry."
"I - all right, but - "
[Without waiting any longer, Dumbledore plunges the goblet into the basin; bringing it up, it is filled with a murky potion. Dumbledore nods at Harry before lifting it to his lips.]
"Your good health, Harry."
[And he swallows the gobletful of potion, his eyes shut tight. When Harry asks if he feels alright, he stays silent, instead dipping the goblet in again and again, drinking each as quickly as possible.
At the fourth goblet's worth, he pitches forward, his eyes still screwed shut. He clings to the basin, breathing heavily.]
"Professor Dumbledore? Can you hear me...?"
[Dumbledore's face is twisted tight, like he is experiencing a terrible nightmare. He pants, and then speaks -- but his voice is childlike, frightened, small.]
"...I don't want...don't make me..."
[Harry stares, helpless.]
"...don't like...want to stop..."
[The voice is Dumbledore's, but the tone is all wrong -- the words sound childish and terrified. Harry looks frightened as well, but he tells Dumbledore that he has to keep drinking; looking repulsed, Harry tips another goblet's worth of potion into Dumbledore's mouth, making the older wizard groan painfully.]
"No...I don't want to...I don't want to...let me go..."
"It's all right, Professor, it's all right, I'm here-"
"Make it stop, make it stop..."
"Yes...yes, this'll make it stop..."
[Harry tips more potion into his mouth and Dumbledore screams, the sound growing as it echos off the walls.]
"No no no no I can't, I can't, don't make me I don't want to..."
"It's all right, Professor, nothing's happening to you, you're safe, it isn't real -- take this, now, take this-"
[Dumbledore keeps drinking but he is quickly reduced to being unable to stand; he falls to his knees, shaking, his voice sobbing.]
"It's all my fault, it's all my fault, please make it stop, I know I did wrong, oh please make it stop and I'll never never again..."
[Harry tries to reassure him, but after another gobletful, Dumbledore is laying on the ground, shaking, his fists hammering against the rock underneath him.]
"Don't hurt them, don't hurt them -- please, please, it's all my fault, hurt me instead-"
[There are thuds of hand hitting rock, someone flailing against stone.]
"Don't hurt them don't hurt them, please please it's my fault, hurt me instead..."
"Here, here drink this, you'll be alright-"
"Please please please no...not that, not that, I'll do anything..."
[He drinks again as Harry tips the potion into his mouth, but he soon lets out another raw scream that reverberates throughout the cave.]
"No more please please no more..."
[As he goes on his screams grow more anguished and desperate, nearly drowning out all other sound.]
"I want to die, I want to die, make it stop make it stop, I want to die!"
[Harry is panicked and pale and still holding the goblet, swearing it's almost over when Dumbledore grips his arm.]
"KILL ME!"
"This - this one will! Just drink this and it will be all over!"
[Dumbledore drinks the last bit of potion...and then falls forward, face-down against the rock, unmoving.
Harry begins screaming, shaking him, begging him to wake up just as the video ends, the feed cutting out.]
((This is Dumbledore's last post before the tower. He will reply but only briefly (2-3 replies at most) because he is only stopping briefly before returning to Hogwarts because the Dark Mark is over the castle. The scene at the tower will probably be posted Tuesday.))