Deep beneath the Ministry of Magic, inside the Department of Mysteries, the dim circular chamber felt colder than death itself.
Blue candle flames flickered along the black walls like ghostly will-o'-the-wisps, illuminating the grim expressions of the gathered figures.
The chamber itself was enormous.
Everything was black.
Black marble floors.
Black ceilings.
Black walls.
Twelve identical doorways without handles surrounded the circular room like silent mouths leading into endless darkness.
The polished floor reflected the cold blue firelight so perfectly that it resembled a pool of still black water.
As the chamber sealed itself shut, the walls began rotating rapidly.
Anyone unfamiliar with the room would instantly lose all sense of direction.
It became impossible to tell which doorway anyone had originally entered through.
The silence lasted only moments before it shattered.
"How could the guardians be this careless?!"
A tall wizard slammed his fist against the wall.
"Allowing Old to escape is completely unforgivable!"
His face had gone crimson with rage.
Veins bulged visibly across his forehead.
Nearby blue flames flickered violently in response to his emotions, casting monstrous shadows across the floor.
Another figure immediately responded.
"The guardians stationed there never even managed to send a warning."
His voice carried a defensive edge.
"I only learned what happened after the emergency notices activated."
Although calmer than the first wizard, worry remained obvious in his eyes.
A witch spoke anxiously.
"What do we do now?"
Her voice echoed through the chamber.
"We don't even know which Old escaped. If we make one mistake, the entire magical world could collapse into disaster."
The room instantly grew heavier.
Everyone present understood exactly how terrifying that possibility was.
"We must locate it immediately and reseal it," another witch said sharply.
"At the same time, the Aurors need to increase patrols everywhere."
Her eyes swept across the room.
"Any magical abnormalities or unexplained incidents must be reported immediately."
The discussion erupted again.
Arguments.
Accusations.
Defences.
Fear.
The Department of Mysteries had become a storm of barely controlled panic hidden beneath a veneer of professionalism.
As the meeting continued, more figures emerged from the surrounding black doors.
Some joined the arguments immediately.
Others remained silent while listening with grim expressions.
Several late arrivals whispered questions after hearing fragments of the situation.
Each looked increasingly disturbed as the truth became clear.
At the same time—
far from the Ministry—
inside a narrow alley drenched in shadows, two cloaked figures spoke quietly.
The air smelled of moss and damp stone.
Water dripped steadily from cracked walls.
Occasional magical lights flickered in the darkness before vanishing again.
"It escaped."
One wizard's voice was barely a whisper.
His hood concealed most of his face, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes.
Even as he spoke, he repeatedly scanned the alley.
"The werewolf who reached Hogwarts was already corrupted," the second wizard muttered.
His grip tightened around his wand.
"It even fought Dumbledore."
Fear lingered in his voice.
"We need to notify every remaining guardian immediately," the first wizard continued.
"We need to determine how it escaped and where it went."
The two exchanged grim looks.
Then they vanished.
Only faint magical ripples remained behind.
.....
Meanwhile, after leaving his residence earlier, Nicolas Flamel arrived at a secluded cabin hidden deep within a mist-covered forest.
Ancient trees towered overhead.
Soft fog drifted lazily between the trunks.
Birdsong echoed peacefully through the woods.
Normally, the scenery would have been beautiful.
Today, Nicolas barely noticed it.
His expression remained troubled as he approached the cabin.
Even before opening the door, he could hear heated arguments inside.
The moment he entered—
everything stopped.
Every eye turned toward him.
The cabin contained numerous strange magical artifacts glowing with faint light.
Ancient maps covered the walls.
Many bore crimson markings scattered across different regions of the world.
Books and scrolls cluttered nearly every surface.
The fireplace burned brightly.
The warmth did nothing to ease the tension.
Nicolas' expression darkened immediately.
"What happened?"
His voice cut through the silence.
"Didn't I personally repair the seal?"
No one answered immediately.
Then a wizard stepped forward.
"Not there."
His reply came quickly.
"I checked the original location myself today. The seal remains intact."
Another wizard added grimly,
"We're currently investigating every other possible site."
The atmosphere became even heavier.
A younger wizard stepped forward anxiously.
"What do we do now?"
Nicolas closed his eyes briefly.
Then he spoke.
"One group gathers every clue connected to Old's reappearance."
His voice remained calm.
"The second group prepares containment measures in case another manifestation occurs."
His gaze swept across the room.
"We locate Old."
"And we seal it again."
Nobody spoke.
The room remained tense.
Finally, one wizard hesitated before asking quietly,
"But... can we really stop it?"
The fear in his eyes was unmistakable.
Nicolas' expression hardened instantly.
"We are Guardians."
The words carried immense weight.
"For world peace."
"For the blood our ancestors shed."
His eyes sharpened.
"Whether we succeed or fail no longer matters."
The room became silent.
"We fulfill our duty regardless."
No one argued.
Everyone present understood exactly what those words meant.
This was no longer merely another magical crisis.
This was war.
After a moment, Nicolas continued.
"I'll visit Hogwarts personally and speak with Albus regarding the werewolf."
Then he looked around the room.
"Move immediately."
One by one, the gathered wizards lowered their heads in acknowledgement.
Then they dispersed.
The Guardians had begun to move.
.....
Back at the Flamels' residence, Leo sat alone inside the study.
An open rune manuscript rested before him.
Yet he hadn't turned a page in nearly ten minutes.
His thoughts remained fixed on everything that had happened.
Carlo.
The werewolf.
The corruption.
Old.
And the strange reaction both Nicolas and Dumbledore had shown.
A feeling lingered in his chest.
The feeling that he was standing at the edge of something enormous.
Something ancient.
Something that had existed long before he entered the wizarding world.
For the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, Leo sensed that he was no longer dealing with school mysteries, rival students, or hidden rooms.
The forces now moving beneath the surface were capable of shaking the entire magical world.
And somehow—
whether by coincidence or fate—
he had already become involved.
Outside the window, evening slowly descended across the countryside.
The last rays of sunlight vanished beyond the horizon.
Darkness spread across the land.
And somewhere within that growing darkness, something ancient had awakened.
....
Join my P@treon and get 60+ advanced chapters.
Link: p*atreon.com/0LordSilvere0 (Remove the *)
Free members get 2 chapters free.
Join Right Now