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"Immediately a thick copper green chain appeared out of thin air, extending from the depths of the water into Dumbledore's clenched hand. Dumbledore tapped the chain, which began to slide through his fist like a snake, coiling itself on the ground with a clinking sound that echoed noisily off the rocky walls, pulling something from the depths of the black water. Harry gasped as the ghostly prow of a tiny boat broke the surface, glowing green as the chain, and floated, with barely a ripple, towards the place on the bank where Dumbledore and Harry stood"
Albus Dumbledore summoning the boat from the depths of the lake[src]

This boat was used to get to the island in the middle of the lake in the Horcrux cave, where the locket Horcrux was hidden.[1]

History[]

Harry Potter: "How did you know that was there?"
Albus Dumbledore: "Magic always leaves traces, sometimes very distinctive traces. I taught Tom Riddle. I know his style."
— Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter in The Cave[src]

Dumbledore suspected in his arrogance, Voldemort crafted the boat so that it was limited to only one adult wizard, but an underage wizard or magical creature could also come. The boat was hidden under the lake, and those wishing to ride it must locate the invisible chain in midair using exceptionally powerful magic to bring it out of the waters; the chain's position could be discovered by the lingering magical traces.[1]

"Voldemort will not have cared about the weight, but about the amount of magical power that crossed his lake. I rather think an enchantment will have been placed upon this boat so that only one wizard at a time will be able to sail in it."
— Dumbledore explaining the boat to Harry Potter in The Cave[src]

As Dumbledore and Harry were escaping the cave with the Horcrux, Dumbledore caused the ring of fire he conjured to ward off the Inferi to travel in a circle around them as they sailed the boat back from the island to the toward the bank of the lake.[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Horcrux cave boat

The boat, as depicted in the film

  • In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the boat is merely a tiny boat with a greenish glow. In the film adaptation, the boat is larger (but very shallow), has a pole with a skull engraved on it, and does not glow. Dumbledore caused the boat's chain to fly out of the water and into his waiting hand to give it to Harry and have him pull the boat from under the water.

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

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