In the Shadow of Seventh year

Chapter 14: New power, New questions

As much of a shock it was to you to finally hear a little about your family, it didn't take long for you to get back to your senses after MacMillan left.

But how could you possible get out of this cage? 
   "I even made a lock for you to help you along." Those final words must mean that MacMillan thought you could get out of it without Ancient Magic. It was obvious to him that you didn't have your wand and he didn't use his to create it.
   A lock... looking down, there was indeed a lock hanging onto the cage. It didn't really seem to actually lock anything though, since it was only around one of the bars. 
Then again, it wasn't like there was a door to the cage. No real opening to be found. 

If there was a lock, there should be a key, and the lock definitely had a key-shaped hole. 
   Which meant that...you had to use your powers to...shape a key?
As ridiculous as it sounded, you did just see him make a cage with his Ancient Magic, so it must be the solution. 
   The problem was how would you be able to do that? Visualize it? 

Sitting down, you figured it couldn't hurt to try. After all, it wasn't like you could do anything else. 

You closed your eyes, tapping into your Ancient Magic. It was always stronger if you were in the height of an emotion, so now that you were relatively calm, it was harder to do that. 
   You could definitely feel it, but it felt more like it was tucked away. 
Slowly you began to try and reach that Ancient Magic at your core and tried to visualize tugging on it like it was a knotted ball of yarn that you needed to untangle. 
   Professor Fig had taught you that little trick back when you had finished the first trial. He said it would help to unleash the power you had if you ever needed it, but since your emotions were the natural trigger and that year had been one emotional turmoil, you never had a need to try it.

Now you did and you were grateful for his lesson when you got a hold of it. 
   A headache was forming as you tried to untangle the knot and let the energy flow through your veins, but you didn't falter. 
By the time you could feel the power spread out to your fingertips, you'd become light-headed. You still didn't waver and now began to visualize a key while putting your hands together, eyes still closed. 

It was a strange feeling when the power seemed to seep out of your hands as you thought of a bronze key that had a rounded edge and a simple design. It reminded you of the key Madam Price had used to lock the front door of the orphanage at night. 
   The throbbing in your head got worse and a dizzy spell threatened to pull you out of your trance, but you fought against it when you swore you felt the magic in your hands taking form. 

Something solid fell against your skin as it was trapped between your palms.
   You slowly dared to open your eyes. The headache had turned into a migraine and you had to blink away the black spots blurring your vision. The light of the room hurt your eyes, but you looked down at your hands in shock. 
   Opening them, you looked at the key resting on your palms in disbelief. The key you had visualized had been bronze, but the one in your hands was the same pearlescent, semi-translucent color as the cage. Other than that it looked exactly the same as the key Madam Price always used. 

Those memories left a lump in your throat, but you swallowed it down. There was no time for emotions right now. 
   Getting up, you quickly tried to fit the key in the lock and were ecstatic to find out that it fit. When you turned it the satisfying click let you know that it worked. 
The lock was open and it fell down on the ground, disintegrating on impact. 

The cage didn't open though. As expected, the lock hadn't been locking the cage and the bars were still as sturdy and impenetrable as before. 
   It was hard to think with the throbbing in your head, the dizziness and the harsh light, but you forced yourself to think of what else you could do. 
Maybe the cage - just as the force field in the forest - could only be broken by Ancient Magic? 
   You cursed MacMillan as your migraine made it even harder to focus back on your magic. He might've been the cause for you to find out about this power, but he had made sure it wouldn't be easy for you. 
   It was a good thing that most things in your life didn't come easy. You wouldn't give up so quickly.