The Unlikely Hero of Hogwarts

Prologue Part 2

Imelda lifted her head from the Pensieve, scowling at the water. "Now I have to do some sort of scavenger hunt?" She demanded. After dealing with killer statues and everything else in Vault 12, she was not in the mood to do more of this insanity.

"It seems that those two in the memory want to make sure the one that can see ancient magic is trustworthy," Miriam thoughtfully mused, putting her hand to her chin in thought.

Imelda huffed and crossed her arms. Those two, Rackham and Rookwood... She wished she could talk to them. She didn't want to go through hoops to learn more about this magic that she apparently could wield. Imelda lifted her wand, eyeing it curiously. Would the tip of it glow like she saw Rackham's glow in the memory? Would she be able to create pillars and other things like those two wizards did?

All she wanted was to play Quidditch. Why did she have to do more?

Fig hummed as he held the locket that was floating above the Pensieve before they saw the memory. "I imagine this is the next piece to the puzzle, so to speak." He gestured to Imelda with the locket. "I shall look more into it, and when I find something, I'll let you know promptly."

Imelda nearly jumped when Miriam put her hand on Imelda's back. "And I shall look more into my ancient magic research," the woman added. She smiled more. "I was onto something, but then I found that container and wanted to bring it to you and my husband as quickly as I could."

"I am certain we'll figure this out, Ms. Reyes," Fig reassured her with a smile of his own. "You needn't have to shoulder all of this alone."

Imelda breathed shakily and nodded. She had to admit: she was terrified that there would be far more than she could take from this endeavor. She had just finished her first year at Hogwarts. Surely she didn't have to do much, right?

~~~

Imelda had gotten back to her dorm after Fig walked her to the Slytherin entrance. It was after curfew, but having a professor escort kept her from getting in trouble.

She put her broom and polish supplies into her trunk, and she turned to Nerida's bed that was beside hers. The curtains were pulled all around the four-poster bed, and Imelda's heart panged with regret. Her pride could reason her responses all she wanted, but she knew she was out of line.

She sighed and went to bed, but she couldn't fall asleep for the longest time. She might have lost her only friend in Hogwarts.

Maybe it was for the best...

Especially since she had a massive secret she couldn't tell anyone about.

~~~

Imelda's summer was uneventful. Her family asked her how school was, she told them all about her Quidditch playing (even though she already wrote to them about it) for the most part. She didn't tell them about the ancient magic as she didn't seem like it was important to discuss. It wasn't like they could stop her from looking more into it. They couldn't watch her every move at Hogwarts. Besides, it wasn't like the fate of the world was in her hands. It just seemed like these wizards wanted to make sure she wasn't psychotic when she wielded this magic.

When she returned to Hogwarts, though, there was a note addressed to her that a Slytherin prefect gave her after the feast.

Once she was in her bed with the curtains drawn, she read the note with Lumos on the tip of her wand.

I hope you had a good summer, Ms. Reyes. I had rather quickly figured out the next part from the locket, but I did not wish to ruin your summer. When you see what's next, you will understand as well.