After his tense little run-in with Cassandra, Cael pressed on, determined to finish the system's quest. The Room of Requirement — that legendary, elusive place hidden somewhere on the seventh or eighth floor of Hogwarts — wasn't going to find itself.
Simple enough… if you ignored the fact that Hogwarts had an unhealthy obsession with keeping its best secrets buried behind riddle doors, shifting staircases, and portraits that had too much personality.
But Cael knew it was up there — seventh or eighth floor — so off he went, weaving past students, ghosts, and the occasional cursed tapestry.
Like any properly unsupervised first-year with a magical system whispering in his ear, he resorted to the oldest, most effective method known to mankind:
Wandering aimlessly.
The eighth floor seemed promising… at first.
Ten minutes of pacing endless stone corridors later, all he'd found was a talking tapestry that insulted him in Latin, calling him "a disgrace to magical lineage" and "a broomstick-hugger" — whatever that meant. 😒
"Seventh floor it is," Cael muttered, shoulders squaring as he backtracked.
The corridor was quiet now. Most students were at dinner, the faint hum of chatter echoing from distant halls. Cael padded along worn stone floors, eyes scanning the suits of armor and dusty portraits.
And that's when he spotted it.
A massive painting stretched across the wall — a troll, awkwardly trying to perform ballet, its heavy limbs flailing like overcooked spaghetti. In front of it, a furious little wizard in purple robes waved his wand, clearly regretting every life choice that led him here.
"Barnabas the Barmy…" Cael smirked, recognition sparking from one of the castle's endless gossip sessions. "The bloke who thought teaching trolls ballet would earn him an Order of Merlin."
Right on cue, the troll tripped over its own foot, swung wildly, and flattened poor Barnabas into the painted floor with a resounding splat.
Graceful, Cael thought, shaking his head.
A soft ping from his system chimed.
[ This guy thought making a troll dance would get him famous… instead, he got squashed like pumpkin juice at breakfast. And you humans immortalized the whole embarrassing thing with a painting! Fascinating species. 😂 ]
Cael rolled his eyes. "Alright, philosopher of bad ideas, which wall is it? Left or right?"
The system chuckled but didn't answer.
No matter. Cael knew the ritual — three times pacing back and forth, thinking hard about what you needed. It was practically folklore at this point. He'd read enough books and watched enough movies before his rebirth to know how this worked.
Steadying his breath, he began walking past the blank wall opposite Barnabas's painting.
Once.
Twice.
Third time…
I need a room to practice spells. A safe space. My own little dueling arena.
The wall rippled, stone shifting like liquid. A door appeared, ancient and seamless, as if it had always been there.
Cael grinned. "Magic castle, you sure know how to make a guy feel special." 💫
He pushed it open — and there it was: a wide, spacious chamber with padded floors, spell dummies lining the walls, floating targets bobbing gently in the air. Shelves of cushions stacked neatly in the corner — perfect for when you inevitably fell flat on your face.
Perfect… but first: spells.
Cael ducked out, slipping quietly through the halls, making his way to the library.
Unfortunately, Madam Pince was there, watching him like he'd just dragged in a Blast-Ended Skrewt.
Which, to be fair, after that Quidditch prank… his reputation wasn't exactly Cedric Diggory material anymore. 😬
The system snorted in his head.
[ You can't have the honest golden-boy persona if you want to actually have fun. Sacrifice some face, some dignity — besides, you were never the good kid. Remember tormenting your big brother? Your sister? You were the youngest; they never stood a chance with your pranks. Mom and Dad never batted an eye. ]
Cael's smirk faltered as those memories hit — sharp, warm, and achingly distant. His family… His sister's annoyed face every time he teased her about her girlfriend. His older brother's shiny, bald head that made for the perfect slap target when he slept. His parents, exasperated but laughing behind their coffee mugs.
A bittersweet lump formed in his throat, his eyes stinging before he shook it off.
"Oi, boy!" Madam Pince's sharp voice cut through his haze. "You standing there to do something bad, are you? You so much as breathe wrong in here, I'll ban you for your entire school life."
Cael blinked, plastering on his most harmless grin. "Me? Nooo, just here for some charming charm books. Totally innocent." 😇
Pince squinted. "Left section. Charms. Don't test me."
"Thank you, ma'am."
The system snickered as Cael shuffled off.
[ Getting sentimental now? Didn't know spoiled brats had feelings. ]
Cael fought the grin tugging at his lips. "They liked it," he whispered under his breath, voice steady despite the sting behind his eyes.
No more dwelling.
Madam Pince shadowed him like a hawk, but thankfully, Spells for Beginners, Essential Defensive Charms, and The Standard Book of Spells — Grades One and Two — were all fair game.
Hours later, after copying notes into his battered notebook, Cael approached the front desk, trying not to look too mischievous.
"Hey… if I, hypothetically, got banned for seven years… would that apply after I become a teacher here?"
Pince's face blanked with what could only be described as spiritual suffering.
"Out. Now," she hissed, waving him off like an irritating pixie. "Out before I hex you into next year."
Cael bolted, grinning like a kid chasing an ice cream truck — completely missing the amused smile curling on Madam Pince's lips as he fled.
Back at the hidden corridor, the door appeared again after the familiar three-step routine.
Inside, the spell chamber hummed softly, recognizing his intent.
"Alright, quest," Cael cracked his knuckles, eyes gleaming with determination. "Time to knock a few spells off the list."
First up — a classic.
"Lumos."
A faint glow sparked at the tip of his wand. Flickering. Wobbly. Barely enough to light a birthday cake — but it counted.
Cael grinned, proud despite himself. ✨
And so the hours ticked by. Spells fizzled, some misfired, frustration simmered, but little victories glowed bright — one charm at a time — as the castle kept its secrets… and Cael carved out his own quiet power in the hidden heart of Hogwarts.