Chapter 623: The Intruder
Wade stood concealed in the shadows of the Horn, gazing at the figure pacing back and forth before the Room of Requirement. Ryan Smith—once a champion of Ilvermorny, now eliminated—had, if Wade remembered correctly, performed reasonably well in the Chamber of Secrets. But his lack of coordination with teammates had cost him dearly, ultimately resulting in a stunning blow from Wade’s Stun Spell before he could even show his true strength.
Now, Ryan clutched a Dragonhide Satchel tightly in one hand, the other pressed to his ear as he whispered urgently into a Communication Pea.
"...Don’t push me!" Ryan gritted his teeth, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. His eyes darted nervously toward the nearby Tapestry. "I’ve tried three times already—this cursed door won’t open! Are you sure you didn’t misremember the location?"
A cold voice echoed in his ear:
【I didn’t. You probably came here when someone was already inside.】
"This Chamber of Secrets only allows one person in at a time?" Ryan glanced at the empty stretch of wall, his voice rising in frustration. "You said no one else knew about this place but you!"
Silence followed from the other end.
The voice didn’t deny it. When he was still a student, he’d been the only one who could access the Room of Requirement. He’d been certain even Dumbledore didn’t know the secret.
But so much time had passed. He wasn’t deluded enough to believe Hogwarts had remained untouched by discovery.
His tone hardened.
【Are you questioning me? Questioning the one who’s helping you without asking for anything in return?】
"No... no, I didn’t mean—!" Ryan realized his tone had been too sharp. He hurried to explain: "I just... I’m worried we’re missing another chance."
【Then stop wasting time.】
The voice snapped.
【You’ve delayed too long.】
"I know! But this place is too risky," Ryan protested, scanning the corridor over his shoulder. "The Headmaster’s Office is right nearby. Dumbledore could show up any second."
【Relax. Dumbledore won’t abandon the guests at the Ball to return to his office tonight. This is your best chance.】
The voice remained patient, then turned stern.
【Focus. Or the Chamber will never open for you.】
"I know!" Ryan forced himself to calm. He paced back and forth, muttering to himself:
"I need a place to hide something... I need a place to hide something... I need a place to hide something..."
After three passes, a tall door suddenly appeared in the blank wall.
Ryan’s eyes lit up. "It’s here!"
【Keep your voice down!】 The voice hissed. 【Do you want to bring everyone inside here?】
Ryan glanced frantically at both sides of the corridor—empty. Then he turned back. The Tapestry showed Sibbald being pounded on the head by a Giant’s club, the creature turning its head to stare directly at him.
He couldn’t help laughing. "So it’s you, you big fool, watching me."
The voice:
【...?】
He didn’t bother asking. The voice simply pressed him to act.
Ryan yanked open the door and stepped into the Room of Requirement—then froze.
"I thought you said this place was filled with old furniture and years of accumulated trash, like a little town?"
He shut the Chamber of Secrets door behind him, a chill crawling up his spine.
【Yes.】
The voice replied.
【Now follow my instructions. Find a Giant Specimen first—】
Ryan swallowed hard.
But this place... was nothing like the description. It was far emptier than expected. The space wasn’t even as large as he’d been told.
The supposed mountains of clutter? Scattered debris, barely enough to fill an ordinary classroom.
And no Giant Specimen in sight.
Such a massive object—had it really been here—it would’ve been visible from the entrance. The castle was so empty now, any large thing would stand out.
But there was nothing.
Oh... wait.
Ryan slowly recalled: he had seen a Giant Specimen. But not here. In the Maze.
The Maze was Hogwarts’ most popular large-scale live-action game. No visiting student could resist it. Professor Egilbert even said he’d bring a similar arena to Ilvermorny after returning. After all, Ilvermorny was modeled after Hogwarts—imitating its methods of training students in magical ability was hardly shameful.
Back then, Ryan had once been startled by a stinking, enormous Giant during a Maze run—thought he was dead for sure. Only later did he learn it was just a magically animated specimen, unnaturally agile.
He relayed this to the voice on the other end.
Silence stretched for half a minute.
Then—
【How dare they? Those fools at Hogwarts—did they really empty out the Chamber of Secrets? Even my Crown?】
Ryan corrected him: "Technically, it’s the Crown of Ravenclaw. And you promised me I’d get it."
—How did it become “yours” in the first place?
Even in anger, the voice caught the implication. He didn’t bother reacting with rage. Instead, a quiet sense of disbelief crept in—why had he chosen this one?
...Because he was the only one who fell for my influence, wasn’t he?
The figure known as the Guide—whose true identity was Voldemort—inhaled deeply, suppressing his fury. He forced his voice back to its usual calm tone:
【Yes. You will get it. But first, you must find it.】
"Yeah... right..." Ryan stared at the chaotic mess of trash. His vision blurred. For a moment, his body froze—then he dropped to his knees, beginning to search through the debris.
Hidden nearby, Wade remained silent.
...So he’s really just going to dig through the trash? No Accio Charm?
Of course not. Accio wouldn’t work—people assumed such ancient, powerful artifacts resisted being summoned.
Seeing Ryan follow the instructions, moving in a specific direction, Wade quietly slipped to another corner of the Horn. He raised his wand and tapped an old, tattered cauldron.
The cauldron shimmered—then transformed into a weathered, ancient crown.
Now all that remained was to wait.
Watching Ryan struggle through a wooden box, searching with desperation, Wade leaned back against the wall, arms crossed.
(Slowly, he smiled.)
(End of Chapter)
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