A Match Into Water || Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 12 - The Map Chamber

The next day I was eating my breakfast at the Slytherin table, haven't seen Professor Fig yet but I'm waiting for him to return so he can tell me all about the book. A grew owl flew above the table and dropped onto it. I grabbed the letter as it says;

Meet me in my office. I got something important to talk about.

-  Professor Fig

I was so relieved that he was finally back from London. I got up from the table and started heading to Professor Fig's office and fixed my robes as I speed walked through the halls. I was very eager to know what he found from the book.

I arrived at his office and he was looking at some papers from his desk. "You're back!"

Professor Fig chuckled. "Minister Spavin really talks more than he listened, ranting on and on about rouge dragons..."

"What did you find in the book?" I asked eagerly. Professor Fig took out the book and flipped through the pages.

"There was a location of a map here..." His eyes scanned on a certain page. I took a peak at the map.

Holy shit...

"That's the map chamber!" I exclaimed. "I know where it is... and bring the book with us. There's probably going to be something useful with that book."

He nodded and closed the book holding it under his arm. I gestured him to follow out of his office and began to walk down to the library. We went down the spiral steps below Hogwarts and reached the entrance of the chamber. When we in, the room was a bit more cold than the last time and it was a lot bigger than I remembered. The floors seemed to be a bit more marbled and there were four huge portraits right across us far away. A weird looking pedestal in front of us blast a dashing light like it was signaling us to place the book there.

"Told ya we need the book," I smirked. Professor Fig laughed and placed the book on the pedestal. As it was placed down, bunch of traces of ancient magic swarmed around the center of the room creating a boom around. We walked down the steps and walked on some watered dark glass floor where the light of explosion was. Below the glass, we start to see a map of Hogwarts. Not only Hogwarts but Hogsmeade, the forbidden forest, and other regions too.

A person appeared on one of the portraits that seems to be Percival Rackham. "Hello Professor Rackham," my voice shuddered as I approached the portrait. "This is my mentor, Professor Fig." I gestured to him.

"How do you do, Professor Fig," He glanced at Fig. "And you my friend, see now why you needed to return the book?"

I clenched my jaw. "Sorry it took me a while to get here."

Professor Rackham didn't seem to bother about me taking a few days of getting in this map chamber.

"But I see why you called this a map chamber," I added.

"That you've came this far to prove you possess extraordinary magic ability. The potential and power of which'll unlock, should you prove yourself worthy," Professor Rackham explained.

So I can conquer this ability...

I let out a sharp exhale. 

"The location of each four trials will in time, appear on the map. Trials that'll test you and give you access to invaluable knowledge."

In order to conquer this ability, I have to complete four trials...

"Trials that you have to complete, on your own." He then started asking me about the pensive memory back at Gringotts.

"From what I heard, you and your friend Charles, talked about the portkey and the trials you created for the ones who can see traces of ancient magic," I answered.

"Charles is another of the keepers, a designation we gave ourselves centuries ago, in light of the knowledge that we've been bound to keep..." Professor Rackham took a deep breath. "Until now."

"So you're saying, the passage from your ruins to Gringotts, everything in the vault, the restricted section of the library, finding this area... none of them were trials?" I had to process everything.

"They were an important part of the journey, they weren't trials themselves." Professor Rackham shook his head. "They will test your abilities, both innate and learned."

From what he's saying, I had to go through those trials to prove myself worthy to conquer this ability. Although, I'm not sure if I even have time for this but it should be worth a try.

He continued the explanations. "You do need patience, the trials have so much to teach you. It will take time." His voice became a little more calm.

Professor Fig sighed in disbelief and nodded. "I'm afraid we don't have the luxury of time."

"We have waited this long, Professor Fig. Surely a few more-"

"Respectfully sir, while I do not know those secrets you keep but I do know that our young friend here, Angela has seen traces..." Professor Fig looked at me and looked back at him "... traces of a powerful Dark magic being wielded by goblinkind. And we have encountered an rare powerful goblin holding such magic as we were about to leave your vault at Gringotts. We might be already too late." He shrugged.

Professor Rackham exhaled sharply. "This sure is graves news indeed." He looked down at me. "Angela, do you trust Professor Fig?"

"I do," I nodded.

"Then in light of your substantial and all you have already accomplished. We will begin." He instructed us to find the location of the first trial marked on the map below. We looked below the glass floor up until we spotted a tower shining in an ocean blue light.

"Could that be...?" My voice hoarse.

Professor Fig pointed at the marked tower. "Hey I know that tower. It's not far from here though."

"That doesn't look very familiar to me."

"Well as your mentor, the least I could do is make sure it stays safe," He chuckled. "But in the meantime, I think it's best for you to be prepared for maybe a week or two until you're ready."

I looked at the ground for a moment, still trying to process if I should just go along with these trials. This wasn't really what I expected my year to be in Hogwarts, being associated with ancient magic and all, but I should do it for Professor Fig and his wife's sake.

Fig looked at me in concern. "I'm sure it'll be alright."

"Will it be...?"

"I'm sure."