Chapter 65 "Ravenclaw's Secret Room"

The entire Gryffindor Academy was fixated on the upcoming game, and the atmosphere was charged with anticipation, unlike any other match in memory.

The tension between the two teams and academies had reached a boiling point following the Easter Holiday, leading to minor scuffles and even a hospital visit for a Gryffindor fourth-year and a Slytherin sixth-year student, both with leeks in their ears.

Harry's life had taken a particularly unfortunate turn. Under the leadership of Marcus Flint, all Gryffindor players were marked as targets.

Harry, being the youngest and the possessor of the Firebolt, was the primary focus.

His exceptional flying skills and the fact that he owned the only Firebolt in both academies made him a priority for protection, especially in the eyes of Oliver Wood, who was adamant about safeguarding Harry.

"We need to be vigilant, especially when it comes to Harry. He needs someone to watch over him!" Wood's determination was unwavering.

Harry weakly protested, "I'm fine, Wood. Don't make a big deal out of it," but the majority rejected his protests.

"Don't worry, Oliver. Harry's safety is our responsibility," the Weasley twins reassured, patting their chests.

It was evident that any Slytherin students who dared to cross their path would likely receive a warm welcome in the form of dung bombs, fang frisbees, and more.

In the coming days, Slytherin students experienced a series of unfortunate events.

Dung bombs would mysteriously appear on their dining tables, fireworks would disrupt their potion cauldrons, and fang frisbees would swoop down and nibble at their hair in the hallways.

Stairs seemed to trip them with a mischievous cord, causing a rash of unfortunate accidents. After a few days, the Slytherins appeared worn out, lacking energy and living in perpetual fear.

Skyler remained uninvolved, as his reputation at Hogwarts was enough to deter the younger Gryffindors from targeting him.

Meanwhile, Draco maintained a low profile, rarely appearing in public and always accompanied by Goyle and Crabbe for protection.

However, an incident during an attack on a senior Slytherin student inadvertently involved Astoria, who happened to be passing by innocently.

She ended up covered in dung, reeking, and in tears, fleeing back to the dormitory.

Daphne, who cared deeply for her sister, confronted Skyler, saying, "Gryffindor has gone too far! We didn't want to get involved in this mess as you suggested, but even Vincent and Gregory couldn't bear it. I may have taken it, but being targeted is unacceptable!"

Skyler, originally inclined to avoid such tedious disputes, realized that he couldn't stand by while those close to him were bullied.

His plan was initially to settle matters on the Quidditch pitch, with Draco securing a victory for Slytherin. But seeing his allies being harassed prompted him to take action.

With a determined glint in his eyes, Skyler responded, "Don't worry! We'll use Draco's Firebolt to secure victory. This will show our strength, and then we'll avenge Tori," Astoria's nickname.

Feeling reassured, Daphne kissed Skyler on the cheek before setting off to comfort her sister.

The semester was drawing to a close, and Skyler remembered his agreement with Luna.

He decided to visit the Ravenclaw common room to meet her, all the while pondering the mysterious eagle-shaped bronze door knocker.

Ravenclaw's common room entrance was atop a spiral staircase to the west of the castle. There, an old wooden door with only an eagle-shaped bronze knocker stood.

Skyler gently raised the knocker and knocked twice. The eagle's beak on the bronze knocker creaked open, and it spoke in a gentle, rhythmic voice, "Where do people go after they die?"

Skyler found the question quite challenging. It wasn't a matter of capability but rather a question with few known answers.

Life and Death remained among the highest mysteries in the wizarding world, understood by only a handful of individuals, with the Department of Mysteries in the British Ministry of Magic handling such enigmatic matters.

Skyler quickly responded, "The Netherworld, or Limbo." However, the door remained shut.

After a brief pause, the eagle knocker posed another question, "Where can one go from the Netherworld?"

"Is it one question per answer?" Skyler recalled Luna's description of this bronze eagle door knocker. It was known to grant one question per visitor.

Puzzled, he inquired, "Are we limited to answering just one question?"

The eagle knocker remained silent, and Skyler continued, "Choosing 'Forward' leads to the realm of the dead while choosing 'Return' results in returning as a ghost. There are exceptions, such as individuals with incomplete souls or those whose souls are anchored to reality through specific connections."

(Note: The incomplete soul is Voldemort, forever trapped in the spectral afterlife; the soul anchored to reality refers to Harry, who successfully returned from the realm of the dead through the unique bond with Voldemort.)

A third question followed after a brief pause, "What is the true meaning of life?"

These questions were clearly philosophical and profound, far from typical student queries.

For the first time, Skyler felt the challenge of these questions. After some contemplation, he responded, "Life emerges from nothingness, exists in the tangible world, and ultimately fades in reality, moving towards the realm of the dead. Life is more than mere existence; it involves exploring the truth of oneself and the universe. Everyone has their unique perceptions and understandings of Life, so I believe that Life's essence comprises body, mind, and spirit."

(In simpler terms, it refers to the body, consciousness, and emotions. Life is a harmonious combination of these aspects. Without any of them, one cannot be considered complete, as in the case of Voldemort and ghosts.)

The bronze eagle's eyes began to gleam, and it ceased asking questions, returning to its original form as a weathered bronze door knocker.

Realizing that he had passed the test, Skyler glanced at it and pushed the door open, revealing a simple yet elegant room. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with books, sky-blue curtains were drawn, and an array of magical objects floated on the ceiling, emitting a soft glow. A desk cluttered with books stood before him.

Although Skyler had never been to Ravenclaw's common room, he could tell this wasn't a student lounge. The room was far too austere, with no doors or passageways leading to the dormitories. It felt more like an office belonging to a certain professor.

A translucent eagle-shaped phantom, resembling the miniature eagle on the bronze door knocker, materialized mid-air. "Welcome to Ravenclaw's secret room, chosen one."

Ah, Slytherin isn't the only house with secret chambers and legacies to leave behind, thought Skyler. He needed to understand why he was selected. "Dear senior, may I ask why I was chosen? I'm a Slytherin."

The translucent eagle knocker chuckled. "You're cautious, indeed. Do you have Ravenclaw's relics with you? They serve as the key to access this room. To be a chosen candidate, one must possess the key and successfully pass my test of truth. Both conditions are necessary."

Skyler presented Ravenclaw's diadem, which emitted a faint silver glow with visible and active magical fluctuations. "Is this what you referred to, senior?"

The eagle-shaped phantom, now named Aquila, responded, "Don't call me 'senior'; it makes me feel old. Call me Aquila. Yes, what you're holding is indeed the Crown of Wisdom, the key to entering this place. But why does this crown look different from what I remember?"

Skyler swiftly explained that the crown had been stolen by Helena Ravenclaw, the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, and had been transformed into a Horcrux by Voldemort.

Aquila displayed a complex expression, remarking, "Horcrux, that's dark magic. I didn't expect Hogwarts to teach such wizardry..."

Anticipating that Aquila was about to delve into this topic, Skyler redirected the conversation back to the secret room, inquiring, "What is the purpose of this secret room? What benefits will I gain as a candidate, and what tasks are required of me?"

Aquila wore a knowing smile, "It seems you've explored the secret chamber of another old guy, haven't you? Let me guess: it was Slytherin's secret room, right? His secret room is the most conspicuous, especially for someone like you, a pure-blood wizard..."

Skyler was taken aback. "You guessed correctly! But how did you know about Slytherin's secret room? He didn't want the other founders to know, and he intended it to be used only by his descendants to deal with Muggle-born wizards in the future."

Aquila chuckled, "The old man thought he was being secretive, but he was rather careless. In the year he departed, Lord Ravenclaw employed profound spatial magic to discover the secret room. Don't forget that the school's location was chosen by Lord Ravenclaw."

This revelation intrigued Skyler. He had never heard of this before; he assumed Hogwarts was founded by the four creators, and his expression grew more curious.

Aquila continued to elucidate, "Lord Ravenclaw was guided by a dream to select the current site of Hogwarts. This place conceals numerous secrets that not even the four founders fully comprehended. Lord Ravenclaw, however, had the deepest exploration and understanding of this location. Nonetheless, considering Slytherin's contribution to the school's foundation and the possibility that his ideas were not entirely incorrect, the three founders decided to preserve the secret room. In the event that a Muggle-born wizard truly betrays us and endangers the wizarding world, this secret room could serve as a contingency."

(Note: In the dream, a warthog guided Ravenclaw to a cliff overlooking the Black Lake. Hogwarts was named in memory of the warthog. The English word for "warthog" is "Warthog," and "Hog Woz" is an anagram of "Hogwarts.")

Aquila continued, "Now, let's discuss your current status. You're merely a candidate, not a fully recognized heir to Ravenclaw. You have permission to enter this secret room at any time, but you cannot bring anyone else inside. You are also permitted to read and take any of the books and tomes here. These books constitute the magical knowledge that Lord Ravenclaw acquired throughout her Life, containing her vast wisdom and dedication..."

"As you know, Ravenclaw is renowned for her wisdom. The magical legacy she left behind is the most extensive and abundant among the four founders. The books within this chamber are part of her private collection and have never been circulated. I trust that someone as intelligent as yourself recognizes the value of these books."

Skyler indeed understood the worth of these books. The four founders of Hogwarts were the most exceptional wizards of their era, and their selfless establishment of a magical school, as well as the sharing and dissemination of their magical knowledge, was already a remarkable legacy.

It's understandable that these founders kept their unique secret skills privately, like a hidden ace up their sleeves.

This wasn't due to selfishness but rather a necessity in the dark ages of the Middle Ages. During that era, revealing all of one's strengths as a wizard could be a sure way to meet an untimely end.

Aquila continued, "If you wish to become the true heir, you only need to complete two tasks: first, read all the magical books within this chamber and inherit the knowledge of Ravenclaw, then seek out the next candidate for this secret room. Second, discover the true purpose of the Crown of Wisdom. But I believe that, before that, you may need to cleanse the crown of the contamination from the Horcrux... You need to accomplish just one of these two tasks to be officially recognized as Ravenclaw's heir, and you'll earn my loyalty."

Skyler pondered for a moment and asked, "Aquila, I'm curious about your existence. What could I possibly need your loyalty for?"

"Aquila, I am Lord Ravenclaw's proudest magical creation from thousands of years ago. I accompanied her through countless magical studies and participated in numerous magical battles alongside her. Ravenclaw valued me even more than the Crown of Wisdom. What do you say?" Aquila responded.

It indeed sounded like a combination of a research assistant and a battle summoner, and Skyler found this to be a valuable asset.

The first task seemed manageable. With Skyler's intelligence and the Time-Turner, he believed he would eventually finish reading the entire collection.

As for the second task, he had a plan in mind.

He would attempt to destroy the Horcrux using a pure silver dagger without harming the crown, possibly with the assistance of soul magic.

Then, he could seek information about the crown's true purpose from history books or consult Professor Binns directly, which appeared to be a reasonable course of action.