The group portkeyed to the cliff top above the sea, Harry spoke to Remus and Sirius, "Ok guys we're here at this time because it's low tide and we hope to get no more than our feet wet. When we get in there we three have only one task, protect Hermione."
Both Sirius and Remus cringed while waiting on the explosion from the witch about Harry's protective attitude but she just smiled and kissed her betrothed's cheek, what the hell was going on here?
"Hermione has a task to carry out and a couple of hundred inferi are going to do their very best to make sure she doesn't manage it, our job is to ensure none of those disgusting things gets anywhere near the very beautiful and soon to be Mrs Potter."
Remus and Sirius weren't sure if Harry was joking or not, neither had ever seen an inferius but then again very few people had. "Are you serious," asked Sirius.
"That joke gets old pretty quick Sirius and the answer is yes, Harry's serious though I'm beginning to wonder if mum and dad with their guns would have been a better option," the smile on Hermione's face took any sting out of her words. They all knew you couldn't kill something that was already dead with a bullet.
"Time and tide wait for no one people, we need to move now," Harry and Hermione had their brooms and took Remus and Sirius as passengers as they dove off the cliff.
They swooped down to sea level and began dodging in and out of the rock formations; the last one was so tight that their shoulders actually brushed rock on both sides and their feet dipped in the water. They were now in a large cave where they flew onto a ledge to dismount.
"Shit, you two are scary on those bloody things," Sirius thought he was a fair flier but these two were in a different league.
"Just be thankful he wasn't on his Firebolt, that's even faster."
"Hermione you know we need matched brooms to do this, I'll just have to buy another Firebolt!"
"Two Firebolts and we walk!" Remus was adamant.
Hermione took a flask out of her bag and splashed the contents all over the facing wall as a door appeared. "It required a blood sacrifice so we had Poppy draw some off us the other day and place it in flasks with stasis charms on them, we then drank a blood replenishing potion."
Harry was handing out large bandoliers full of tubes and soon the three males had them crisscrossed over their chests, Hermione wore hers round her waist and it also had a large holster. He then distributed goggles that had a slight tint to them, "as soon as any magic is detected in this cavern the inferi are going to come after us." Harry removed a tube from his bandolier and hit the bottom of it; they were immediately basking in the brilliant white light being thrown out by the flare. "These should last for a good ten minutes but don't wait till they go out before lighting another one, lets light up and mount up."
Two people and more importantly two flares to a broom as they flew over the water that was teaming with inferi to the island in the centre, the three guys took protective positions around Hermione who was beside a pedestal mounted stone basin. There was a green glow being emitted from the liquid contained within and an extremely strong shield across the basin's top to prevented access.
Hermione sat down her flare to provide working light and removed the cordless hammer drill from its holster on her belt, she then began drilling into the bottom of the basin.
Sirius though he'd seen some sights in his time but these things were terrifying, how do you fight something that's already been killed, he glanced round to his godson who was standing there with a flare in one hand and his wand in the other. One of the creatures tried to rush past and get towards Hermione only to be met with a flame curse from her betrothed; Sirius would swear the boy was glowing with power. All that was left of the thing was a pile of ash, Harry had instantly incinerated it and Sirius felt a lot better.
Harry and Hermione never took their eyes of their allocated tasks but both were communicating all the time so he was aware his betrothed was almost through the basin while Hermione knew that she was safe in the protective bubble they were providing.
Remus thought Hermione must be nearly done because the inferi were getting desperate, one got too close and he had to defend himself, he waved the flare into it's face and as it screamed Remus shoved the flare down it's throat. He danced back and followed Harry's example of the flame curse, this gave him the few seconds he needed to light another flare and push them back again. He dreaded to think the trouble they would be in if they were standing here with just their wands.
The drill kicked in Hermione's hands as the bit broke through into the basin; she withdrew it and stood aside as liquid from the basin drained onto the floor. When the last of the liquid emptied from the basin its shield collapsed, allowing her to reach in and take the locket.
"Got it!" was all she said but it was enough.
Harry dropped the flare he was holding right in front of him, he ignited another and placed it to his left before repeating the process to his right. Remus and Sirius had carried out the same procedure and they now retreated back into the circle of light, ignited another flare and remounted the brooms.
It was up and away as they headed towards the exit, another flask of blood and it was negotiate the rocks time. The sea had risen slightly and they barely kept the brooms dry but negotiating the last obstacle was met with screams of joy and almost vertical climbs on the brooms.