Just as the weight of the discovery settled in, the sound of footsteps echoed through the Undercoft.

Rez's instincts kicked in immediately. He turned sharply, his hand drifting toward his wand—until the figure emerged from the shadows.

Professor Snape.

The potions master stood in the doorway, his black robes flowing like a wraith. His cold, calculating eyes swept across the room, lingering on the four boys before settling on Rez.

"So," Snape said, his voice a low drawl, "you found it."

The air in the room tensed.

Cecil, never one for subtlety, took a step forward. "You knew about this place?"

Snape gave him a withering look. "Knew about it? I built it."

Silence.

Jake adjusted his glasses. "You built an Assassin safehouse inside Hogwarts?"

Michael smirked. "That explains a lot, actually."

Rez narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Snape studied him for a long moment before stepping further into the room, his gaze flickering briefly to the portraits. "Because the Brotherhood has always needed a foothold in this castle. Hogwarts is not as safe as people like to believe."

Rez clenched his fists. He had spent years keeping his Assassin ties a secret. But now, Snape had just confirmed that he was part of it, too.

Michael, still piecing it together, finally spoke. "Wait—you're an Assassin?"

Snape turned to his, his expression unreadable. "A long time ago."

Rez took a step closer. "And you never told me?"

Snape's gaze met his, sharp as a dagger. "You were not ready."

The words stung. But they also made sense.

Jake cleared his throat. "So… what happens now?"

Snape's expression darkened. "Now? Now you keep your mouths shut." His eyes swept over them all, lingering on Rez. "And if you're wise, you'll forget you ever found this place."

Cecil scoffed. "Yeah, that's not happening."

Snape sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course not."

Rez crossed his arms. "If this place was meant for Assassins, then we have a right to use it."

Snape's lips curled slightly—almost a smirk. "You sound like your ancestors."

Rez held his ground. "That's not a bad thing."

Snape studied him for another long moment, then turned toward the desk. He pulled out an old book, its leather cover worn with age.

"If you insist on playing Assassin," he said, handing it to Rez, "you should at least know what you're getting yourself into."

Rez took the book, feeling the weight of it.

The tension in the Undercoft was thick as Snape folded his arms, his dark eyes sweeping over Rez and his friends. The weight of their discovery still hung in the air, but Snape showed no surprise—only resignation.

"You were never meant to find this place," he said coolly. "But now that you have, I suppose there is no turning back."

Rez held up the old book Snape had handed him. "Then start talking. What is this place really? And what does this have to do with Hogwarts?"

Snape studied him for a long moment before sighing. "This castle has always been a battleground—one hidden beneath the illusion of safety. A secret war has been waged here for centuries. A war between the Assassins and the Templars."

Jake adjusted his glasses. "Templars? As in, the old religious order?"

Snape scoffed. "Hardly. The Templars you speak of are not merely some long-forgotten faction of the past. They still exist, working in the shadows, seeking to impose their control over the world." He gestured to the room. "And the Assassins have always stood against them."

Cecil crossed his arms. "So, you're saying that while everyone at Hogwarts is worrying about Quidditch and exams, there's been an actual war happening under their noses?"

Snape nodded. "Correct."

Michael leaned against a table, intrigued. "And let me guess—this war didn't stop just because we showed up."

"No," Snape confirmed. "If anything, it has only grown more dangerous."

Rez frowned. "Are there Templars in Hogwarts now?"

Snape's expression darkened. "There always have been. The Templars infiltrate where they can—governments, institutions… even this school."

A chill ran down Rez's spine. He had always felt that Hogwarts held its share of secrets, but this was bigger than he expected.

Jake, ever the strategist, spoke up. "If Templars are here, then that means we're at risk."

"You were at risk the moment you stepped into this school," Snape said bluntly.

Michael smirked. "Well, that just makes things more exciting."

Cecil cracked his knuckles. "If these Templars are running around trying to control things, why haven't the Assassins wiped them out?"

Snape's gaze flickered toward the portraits of past Assassins. "Because war is never that simple."

Rez tightened his grip on the book. "And what about you, Snape? You were an Assassin once. Why did you stop?"

For a moment, Snape didn't answer. Then, in a rare moment of openness, he simply said, "Because war comes with a cost."

Silence filled the room.

Snape turned away. "You have a choice. Walk away and pretend you never saw this place…" He looked back at the four boys. "Or accept that this war is now part of your life."

Rez didn't hesitate. "I'm not walking away never have never will."

Jake, Cecil, and Michael shared a look before nodding.

Snape sighed, his expression unreadable. "Then you must be prepared. Because sooner or later, the Templars will know you exist. And when they do… they will come for you." After their conversation with Snape. Rez, Jake, Cecil, and Michael left the Undercoft with a new purpose. The knowledge of the hidden war between Assassins and Templars weighed on them, but it also fueled their curiosity. If Templars were truly operating within Hogwarts, they needed to find proof.

For the next few days, they paid closer attention to their surroundings. They observed professors, students, and even the castle itself in ways they never had before.

And then, they noticed something.

It started with Cassius Warrington, a Ravenclaw prefect.

Rez had seen him before—he was an arrogant, pureblood-obsessed upperclassman. But now that Rez was looking closer, something felt… off about him. Cassius would often disappear for long stretches of time. When he returned, he always seemed tense, his sharp eyes scanning the corridors as if expecting to be followed. One night, Rez spotted him slipping into a forbidden section of the library—not the Restricted Section, but a deeper, forgotten wing that most students never paid attention to. Rez motioned for his friends to follow. Moving with quiet footsteps, they trailed Cassius at a distance, sticking to the shadows. Jake adjusted his glasses, his analytical mind already working.

"He's not just sneaking around for fun," Jake whispered. "He's looking for something."

Cecil narrowed his eyes. "Think he's one of them?"

Michael smirked. "Only one way to find out."

Rez, ever cautious, held up a hand. "No. We watch first. If we move too soon, we could tip him off."

They waited as Cassius disappeared through a hidden door behind a bookshelf.

The four exchanged glances.

The Templars were here.

And now, they had their first lead.

Rez, Jake, Cecil, and Michael stood in the dimly lit corridor, staring at the hidden door Cassius Warrington had just disappeared through. The ancient bookshelf that concealed it seemed untouched, but now they knew better.

"Alright," Cecil whispered. "What's the plan?" Rez crouched beside the bookshelf, running his fingers along its edges. "We follow, but we stay unseen." He glanced at Jake. "Think you can figure out how to open it?"

Jake adjusted his glasses, examining the shelf. "There's always a mechanism." His fingers danced across the wood until he pressed a worn-out spine. With a soft click, the bookshelf shifted open, revealing a narrow passageway.

Michael smirked. "How very mysterious."

Rez motioned for silence and led the way. They slipped inside, moving cautiously through the dimly lit corridor. The passage smelled of dust and parchment, its stone walls lined with forgotten shelves. At the end, flickering candlelight illuminated a small study chamber.

Cassius Warrington stood at a desk, flipping through an old book. He muttered to himself, occasionally scribbling something down.

The four Assassins-in-training remained hidden behind a row of shelves, listening.

"Orders are clear… the old tunnels must remain hidden…" Cassius murmured. He tapped his quill against the parchment. "They cannot be allowed to interfere."

Jake's brow furrowed. "He's hiding something."

Rez's eyes narrowed. "Tunnels…" He exchanged glances with his friends. If Hogwarts had secret tunnels, the Templars could be using them for their own agenda.

Cassius suddenly snapped the book shut, stuffing the parchment into his robes. He turned sharply, scanning the room as if sensing something.

The four barely had time to retreat further into the shadows as Cassius strode past them and exited through another hidden door.

They waited in silence before Michael finally grinned. "Well, that was interesting."

Rez stood up, his mind racing. "We need to find out what he meant about those tunnels."

Jake adjusted his glasses. "And where they lead."

Cecil cracked his knuckles. "And if we have to, shut down whatever they're planning."

Rez nodded. This was only the beginning.