After more than a year, Matthew spoke with Merlin's Portrait again.
Since returning to the past and dealing with the basilisk last year, Matthew had not sought Merlin out again.
Merlin had told him that he needed to obtain the Philosopher's Stone before he could travel further through time.
However, by the time Matthew created the Philosopher's Stone in the Alchemy Workshop, he had already acquired the Advanced Meditation Method through his identity as Alsha. His desire to return to the past and investigate the lost traditions of ancient Runic Magic had faded considerably. After all, time travel was extremely dangerous. One careless mistake, and he might never return to this timeline.
"Long time no see, Matthew," Merlin said with a smile.
"What brings you out to the corridor?" Matthew asked. His instincts told him Merlin had come specifically to find him.
Merlin's expression grew serious. "A goblin has infiltrated Hogwarts Castle—the tremor just now was his doing. None of the professors are inside the castle, so I could only come to you, Matthew."
Matthew had been able to deal with the basilisk alone last year, and his abilities had earned Merlin's recognition.
Matthew frowned and looked out the window. The barrier outside the castle flickered, seemingly under attack, but it was still holding. "Didn't the professors stop the goblins outside? How did another goblin get in and cause such a commotion inside the castle?"
Merlin shrugged in his portrait. "That I cannot say. Perhaps he slipped in before the defensive barrier was activated."
"That goblin is now beneath Hogwarts Castle, where the Castle Core lies. My guess is that he went there to seize it."
"Hogwarts is a magical castle. It is the Castle Core underground that keeps all the magic within it running."
"The Castle Core can also