The Renegades

Chapter 5 : The key

In the weeks following the tryouts, Penelope's life became a strict routine of waking up, attending classes, Quidditch training, and doing homework. With Imelda as the team captain, the practices were intense and demanding, leaving Penelope with little time to focus on translating Ancient Runes. However, Sebastian had decided to keep going and he would show his translation for her to check while she was studying in the common room every night. He had gotten much better.

She was so busy that the dream she had had completely slipped her mind. The trio's friendship had more or less gone back to normal. She could tell Sebastian and Ominis were slowly building back the trust they had for each other. While they couldn't escape the weight of their responsibilities, they cherished the time they spent together as friends. One night as Penelope was writing her dissertation on aquatic plants, she heard Sebastian gasp and looked up at him.

"Penelope, look at this!" he exclaimed, sliding the book and his parchment across the table towards her.

Penelope quickly scanned the passage he had found and her heart skipped a beat. The runes spoke of a hidden key. She read it again to make sure he had translated everything properly, but it was right.

"Where could it be?" he asked.

"I don't know... Perhaps we can start with Hogwarts. The castle is full of Ancient Magic."

"What about Professor Carrow's office?"

"What?" she frowned.

"Are you telling me you're not up for sneaking into a place you're not supposed to be?"

"Okay, fine. But where does that key lead to?"

"That's for me to figure out. I might be able to sort of read Ancient Runes now, but I can't see Ancient Magic. If the key is there you'll know it, right?"

"Yes," she answered confidently.

"We should wait for the right moment to sneak into her office," Sebastian suggested. "Perhaps this weekend? Everyone is going to Hogsmeade."

Penelope agreed but suddenly remembered something. She was in the mood for a bit of teasing.

"Don't you owe me a Butterbeer?"

"I do. What about Sunday? At the Three Broomsticks?"

Her cheeks turned red as she realized he was taking her seriously. It's what she wanted after all, so why did it suddenly feel so humiliating?

"Sunday?"

"I think we should be able to get into her office on Saturday."

Penelope nodded.

"Yes. Okay. Perfect."

It was too much and she knew it but Sebastian didn't seem to notice. They spent the rest of the week preparing for Saturday but Penelope was far more concerned about Sunday. As the weekend began most students were eagerly heading to the village, but Penelope and Sebastian discreetly made their way to the sixth floor of the castle. They had carefully observed Professor Carrow all week and knew that she would be in Hogsmeade with other professors.

As Penelope and Sebastian made their way to Professor Carrow's office, they tried to appear as casual as possible. The castle was eerily quiet, and their footsteps echoed softly in the empty corridors. They knew they had to be silent and swift to avoid detection. Sebastian positioned himself outside the office door, his wand at the ready, while Penelope took a deep breath.

"Alohomora," he whispered. "Go in, I'll keep watch."

The lock flipped open and Penelope slipped inside. The room was dimly lit by a few flickering candles, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The shelves were lined with ancient tomes and artifacts, making it difficult to discern the exact location of the hidden drawer.