Hogwarts Legacy: An Ancient Secret

Next chapter of my Hogwarts Legacy chapter, enjoy.

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Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hogwarts Legacy or their characters.

Unexpected Detour

With a loud noise that startled a nearby squirrel we suddenly appeared inside a strange cave in an unknown location, Professor Fig was on his feet while I ended up falling in a heap.

"Are you alright?" He gasped out.

I grimaced and tried to get to their feet. But I then fell back down and gave a pained cry as I fell back down, clutching at my left leg.

"You're hurt." Professor Fig grimaced as he hurried over and knelt by me.

"Perhaps a little." I hissed through gritted teeth, embarrassed to admit it.

It was a reflex, I always had to take care of myself at the orphanage and hated asking for help. Professor Fig straightened up however and pulled a vial out of his pocket, filled with a green coloured potion which he passed to me.

"Here, it's Wiggenweld Potion, that stuff will right you in a second." He explained while handing spare vials to both me too which I pocketed.

I glanced at the potion and then drank the first vial I was given and let out a sigh of relief as the pain began to ebb. Meanwhile Professor Fig, who was now pacing the cave, began muttering to himself.

"Professor?"

"Poor George, I can't believe he…" Professor Fig muttered, before getting angry. "What the hell got into that dammed thing? Attacking a carriage, mid-air, a typical dragon would never-"

I looked around, concerned, and spoke up. "Sir...where are we?"

"I'm not sure. But that key you found was likely a Portkey." He replied.

"Portkey?" I asked

"An item enchanted to bring whoever touches it to a specific place."

By the time he finished this explanation I had got to my feet, feeling relieved, the pain was gone.

"I'm feeling better sir." I explained. "If you'd like to look around a bit."

I had to admit, I was rather curious about things too.

Professor Fig also nodded.

"I would, but stay close, we still don't know who made this Portkey, or why."

With that he led the way as we made for the exit of the cave and out onto the wild cliff side, buffeted by high winds while far down below, the sea boomed against the rocks. We looked around in shock and wonder.

"Where are we?" I queried. "How far did that Portkey take us?"

Professor Fig looked awed as he replied. "Farther from London than the carriage travelled. We're somewhere in the Scottish Highlands."

"Sir, those ruins over there." I pointed to a large ruin on a rocky outcrop in the distance. "Do you think-?"

"That the Portkey was meant to lead us there. I do." Professor Fig confirmed. "This has not been the day either of us expected. But Miriam sent that Portkey to George for a reason and I believe that she, and now George, died in pursuit of whatever it was meant to lead to."

He glanced at me worriedly.

"If you're sure you're alright and wouldn't mind indulging me?"

I nodded quickly and confirmed I was okay and soon we began making our way down the path, looking for one that lead to said ruins, no matter how faded it might be. As we ran I was curious and as such I had to ask the questions buzzing in my mind.

I asked the first thing that came into my mind.

"Where do you suppose your wife got the Portkey that brought us here?"

"A good question." Fig replied. "Miriam spent years searching for evidence of a long forgotten form of ancient magic."

"Ancient Magic?" I queried.

"Yes. A powerful magic wielded by a rare few, that seems to have been lost to time." Fig explained.

Throughout all this we followed the path, climbing up small outcrops and dropping down others.

Fig continued to explain. "Hogwarts castle was built by, and is itself a stronghold of, that ancient magic. I don't know where Miriam came into possession of that Portkey, but I'm certain it was to do with that search."

We had stopped and were looking around, the path seemed to end, but then Fig spotted another route and began to lead the way, I followed quickly.

"But sir, why was your wife looking for ancient magic?" I asked.

"Miriam wanted to know why such magic disappeared from the world. Spoke of the good it could do." Fig told them. "But magic is no different from any other power, what really matters is the one who wields it."

That was when we stopped, our path blocked by a large black sheet of some kind of reflective surface.

"Is...that ice?" I wondered aloud.

Fig shook his head. "It's not cold enough. Now's a chance to practice that wand work we spoke about, basic cast both of you, aim for the centre."

I nodded and drew my borrowed wand.

I focused and took aim before making a few simple basic casts and soon took down the barrier which shattered and faded away. Impressed, Fig congratulated me and we moved on, sliding down an unexpected slope before reaching what appeared to be the end of the path, leaving an insurmountable gap between us and the ruins.

"Reparo!" Fig called out as he waved his wand.

I stared in amazement as broken rubble raised up and began to form a bridge, a bridge that had been there before it was destroyed, now it was back to normal. We moved over, shielding ourselves against the high winds until we reached the ruins, it looked like someone used to live here although the only things that seemed intact were a mural against the far wall and, to the left, a statue of a wizard holding a book and a crystal ball.

"Why would someone have built this?" I mused.

"I suspect they valued their privacy." Professor Fig replied. "That Portkey led us here for a reason, let us look around. Let's have a look around for anything that seems...out of place."

So I did and while Fig examined the mural I took in the statue, discussing the nature of the man who owned this place, possibly a Seer, I then found a path around the back of the ruins and followed it until I reached a wall, a wall that had that same symbol from the Portkey container on it and as I approached the solid wall seemed to peel back to show the enchanted stone again and as I stepped right up to it in surprise, I was shocked to see a cavernous room reflected behind it.

"Professor Fig!" She cried.

It did not take long for him to hurry around and join me, he matched my awed expression while he examined the wall.

Finally Fig wondered.

"How odd?" Why would someone conjure that enchanted stone here?"

"And why is there a room behind it?" I asked.

Fig looked back, confused. "What room, I don't see a room?"

I explained. "There's a room behind the wall...and that symbol again."

I reached out, confused and worried but when I touched the symbol I felt a lurch of magic and before I knew it we were within the very room we had seen.

"What in Merlin's name?" Professor Fig gasped. "Godric's heart."

"Where are we?" I asked as we turned and walked across the hallway.

"I don't believe it."

We approached the desk upon which a Goblin was sleeping. Approaching the Goblin, Fig cleared his throat, twice and only on the second time did the Goblin jerk awake and then notice them.

"It can't be." He mumbled. "Just a moment."

He mumbled to himself as he slowly made his way down from the desk and around it to stand before them and bowed.

"Welcome to Gringotts Wizarding Bank." He announced. "Vault Number Twelve I assume?"

There was a surprised pause but then Fig quickly spoke up.

"Precisely."

There was a pause but then, when nothing happened, the Goblin quirked an eyebrow.

"The key?"

Realizing I leaned in and whispered. "Your wife's Portkey."

"Oh, yes, of course." Fig said, realising.

He handed the key over and the Goblin examined it before nodding.

"This way then."

With that he led us to one of Gringotts infamous carts onto which we boarded and the cart moved off, beginning our descent into the depths of Gringotts. Along the way we were stopped by a guard who asked where we were going and let us go on after hearing it was vault 12, but I was worried and shared my worry with Fig, the Goblin's armband was glowing, much like the collar the dragon was wearing. It was something that put me on guard, even as the cart finally stopped and the banker announced.

"Here we are, Vault 12."

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.