Under the Astronomy Tower Lies a Secret

The afternoon History of Magic class felt exceptionally long.

Professor Binns floated on the podium, repeating the dates and casualty figures of the 15th-century Goblin Rebellion in a flat voice.

Avery couldn't help but look out the window several times, his eyes filled with anxiety.

Regulus listened attentively, occasionally jotting down a few notes in his notebook. He appeared focused, but in reality, he was organizing the relevant information about the Astronomy Tower in his mind.

The Astronomy Tower is one of the oldest buildings at Hogwarts, dating back to the school's early days, and it holds many ancient secrets.

Many professors have set up protective Magic there in the past to prevent students from accidentally entering dangerous areas.

The Dismissal Bell.

Avery immediately stood up and urged, "Quick, let's go."

Regulus nodded, and the three of them followed the crowd out of the classroom, avoiding the public areas, and walked along the path on the west side of the Castle towards the Astronomy Tower.

The Astronomy Tower stands in the cool light of a winter afternoon.

The tower is built of gray boulders, each stone polished by time, with rounded edges and surfaces covered with etched marks of varying depths.

Most of the vines had withered and died; the rest clung to the stone wall, trembling slightly in the wind.

Below the tower was a snow-covered meadow, where several House-elf were flitting about.

Regulus led the two around to the back of the Astronomy Tower, where there was a narrow path hidden by dense bushes that was almost invisible unless you looked closely.

Behind the bushes is a wooden door that blends almost seamlessly into the stone wall.

The door panel was dark brown, and the wood grain was twisted like a pained human face.

The door handle was a rusty iron ring with a brass lock hanging on it. The lock cylinder had been melted down, and the molten copper had solidified around the keyhole, forming an ugly nodule.

Regulus reached out and pushed open the door, dust falling in a flurry, forming swirling columns of mist in the slanting sunlight.

The room was empty, filled with discarded Astronomy instruments.

The Brass Sextant had rusted green, the markings on the Astrolabe were blurred, the Telescope tube was broken in two, and glass shards were scattered all over the ground.

The dust on the ground was thick, but several fresh footprints were clearly visible, with clear lines, indicating they were left in the last few days.

Regulus walked to the far end of the room, where there was a stone wall, with vines entwined around it, covering most of the wall.

He reached out and pushed aside the vines, revealing a hidden entrance in the stone wall. The entrance had irregular edges, as if it had been carved out of the stone wall, and was only wide enough for one person to pass through.

He ran his fingertips along the inner wall of the cave, sensing traces of Magic —it was still quite novel.

That was to gradually dismantle the Protective Charm with incantations; it wasn't particularly clever, but it was precise enough.

Hermes ' Magic abilities did not reach that level.

Either he had other people with him exploring this place together.

Either the Mulciber family gave him a special Magic item to help him break the Protective Charm.

Regulus made his decision, raised his hand, and the vines fell down, completely revealing the entrance.

"Go in." He bent down and went through the entrance first, followed closely by Avery and Alex.

Inside the entrance is a long passageway that slopes downwards at an angle of about fifteen degrees.

The walls were made of rough stone bricks, with Luminescent Moss growing in the cracks, casting a faint green light.

The air was cold and damp, carrying a mixed smell of earth and mold.

The tip of Regulus's wand glowed with a silvery light, just bright enough to see his feet without causing glare in the confined space.

Ancient Rune were carved on the walls, their colors faded and some blurred, yet they still emanated a faint Magic Power, appearing to be at least several hundred years old.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of dust, and two clear lines of footprints stretched along the path.

One line was smaller, and the pattern perfectly matched Hermes ' boots; Regulus recognized it at a glance.

The other row was larger, with steady steps and evenly deep footprints.

He crouched down, his fingertips brushing over the larger footprints, his Magic Power reaching out to catch a faint trace of residual Magic Power.

Judging from the size of the footprints and the intensity of the Magic Power, the other person should be a fourth or fifth grader, definitely not a sixth grader or above.

The Magic Power of older students is more substantial in texture, their steps are more steady, and the depth of their footprints is noticeably different.

"Two people came," Regulus stood up, his tone steady. "Besides Hermes, there was another senior accomplice, or rival."

Avery bent down to examine the Lord of the Starry Sky more closely. Hogwarts Regulus furrowed. "Could it be that accomplice who killed him?" he wondered.

Regulus nodded and continued walking forward, "Possibly."

Alex followed behind the two, pressed close to the wall, afraid to touch the surrounding stone, his voice trembling. "This place... it feels so ancient, could there be some traps?"

"The Magic in the passage is mainly for protection and confusion, not offensive." Regulus's Magic Perception extended, covering a radius of ten meters around him.

The person who set up these Magic didn't want to hurt anyone; they just didn't want anyone else to come in.

However, it has been around for too long and has been cracked, so it can no longer prevent people from using it.

The deeper they went into the passage, the dimmer the light became, and the cold, eerie atmosphere in the air grew stronger.

The number of forks in the road gradually increased, and each fork was filled with faint Magic fluctuations—confusing spells that could make people wander around in circles, unable to find the right direction.

With his keen Magic Perception, Regulus repeatedly avoided side paths and continued along the main passage.

Avery looked at the forks in the road, almost all of them covered in footprints, and couldn't help but ask, "How do you know which way to go? They all look the same."

"The Magic Power is freshest here." Regulus said without turning his head.

"Magic Power fresh? What a ridiculous description."

Avery nodded perfunctorily and didn't ask any more questions.

Ahead was a massive Stone Gate, engraved with even more complex Rune, resembling ancient Runic script variants with twisted strokes.

There were obvious Magic marks on the Stone Gate, indicating that someone had tried to break the Protective Charm on it, but only partially, and the core remained intact.

Regulus walked to the Stone Gate, reached out and touched it, feeling resistance at his fingertips. There was an invisible barrier that repelled his hand.

He carefully examined the Rune and discovered that the Protective Charm composed of these Rune was extremely profound, even carrying a hint of the Fidelius Charm.

Only those who know the secret can enter; those who don't will find it very difficult to open the gate, even with brute force.

Moreover, he could sense an ominous Magic Power emanating from the space behind the Stone Gate.

Through the Stone Gate, the Magic Power was faint yet familiar, faintly connected to the cursed aura emanating from Hermes.

Regulus guessed that what lay behind the Stone Gate was the source of Hermes's injury.

That thing is dangerous, imbued with a dark and eerie aura; it should not be touched lightly.

Avery walked up to the Stone Gate, reached out to touch it, and tried to push Stone Gate open, but found that the Stone Gate did not budge.

He said unwillingly, "How can this door be so sturdy? Let's try using Magic!"

"It's useless." Regulus shook his head. "The Protective Charm is still there, and it's very powerful."

Avery stared at the Rune on the Stone Gate, his fingers unconsciously stroking his wand as he pondered a way to break the spell.

Alex huddled in a corner, arms crossed, his body trembling slightly, his eyes glancing every now and then toward the entrance to the passage, wishing he could leave this cold, gloomy place immediately.

The differences in their personalities are vividly displayed here.

When Avery encounters the unknown, his first reaction is to fight, and even knowing there is danger, he is unwilling to give up easily.

Alex is timid and cowardly; when faced with danger, his first reaction is to run away, seeking only to protect himself.

Regulus glanced at the two men, his tone calm. "Let's go back."

Avery said urgently, "Why? We've come this far; maybe if we just hold on a little longer, we can open this door."

"What's behind the Stone Gate is dangerous," Regulus, looking at him.

"Moreover, there were two sets of footprints in the passage. Besides Hermes, there was another person. Hermes caught in the trap, and we cannot rule out the possibility that he was framed by an accomplice."

"Let's go back now, observe the situation, and hopefully lure out the mastermind behind it all."

"Lure out the mastermind?" Avery's eyes lit up. "You mean, we set a trap?"

"No need to set a trap." Regulus shook his head. "The news of Hermes' hospitalization can't be kept secret. The mastermind behind it will definitely be watching."

"If we go back now without revealing that we were here, they'll act again sooner or later, and then we'll be able to catch them."

Alex immediately breathed a sigh of relief, his face beaming with obvious joy. "Great, let's go back quickly."

Regulus nodded and turned to walk out of the passage.

Avery and Alex immediately followed.