𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Nineteen: The High Keep

Chapter Nineteen: 

The next day, Matty received an owl from Natty, asking her to meet her far outside of the castle in secret and alone. She had no idea why Natty wanted her out there for but she trusted that it was important since Natty had mentioned wanting to take down men like Rookwood and Harlow.

So late into the night, Matty snuck out of the castle and to the designated location Natty instructed her to.

She arrived and saw Natty. "I am glad that you received my owl. We need to stay low and remain quiet." Natty said to her.

"Natty, what's going on? Why are we all the way out here?" Matty asked, hoping there wasn't anything bad going on with Natty.

"As promised, I did some investigating to find out what Harlow is up to. I followed him to the Hog's Head." Natty answered, recounting what happened. "I noticed him reading a letter. All I could see was that it was signed by and bore the seal of Victor Rookwood. And—one other thing. Harlow mentioned you to his colleagues, by name and everything. I fear they did not mistake you for another as we had hoped."

Matty sighed, shaking her head. "They surely didn't. Rookwood and Harlow are both after me." She confirmed with a subtle nod.

Natty furrowed her brows. "Why did you lie to me?" Referring to how Matty had told her that they must've mistaken her for a different student when they had first spoken about this. "And what would they want with a Hogwarts student?" She added on.

Matty sighed, shaking her head. "Professor Fig told me to keep things quiet—but I know I can trust you now, Natty. I never meant any harm." She reassured. "Rookwood and Harlow want something that Professor Fig and I found at Gringotts. We were there just before I came to Hogwarts. That's why I was late to the Sorting Ceremony. A Portkey brought us there after the dragon attacked our carriage."

Matty recounted the story to Natty, making her even more confused. "What on earth?" Natty asked, in pure disbelief.

Realizing that the story wouldn't be complete without mentioning her connection to ancient magic. "There's one more thing. It's a bit odd, to be honest." Matty spoke. "Professor Fig says I have a rare connection to a powerful form of ancient magic.

Natty furrowed her brows. "I—What does that even mean?" She questioned.

"I'm still learning. I can see traces of it, and I've cast magic I can't explain otherwise." Matty explained. She thought back to when Sebastian asked her if she could harness said magic and honestly she was wondering the same thing. "I know that's a lot to take."

"It is. And I will have more questions." Natty stated. "For now, it's safe to say that Rookwood and Harlow are a threat to both of us—to all of us. And we can help to take them down—for good. That letter is the tangible proof that Officer Singer needs. It is why I followed Harlow here and why I wrote to you. I need your help to retrieve it."

Matty nodded her head. "I'm in." She said.

After confirmation was given, Natty instructed that Matty would need to find a way in so that she could get in through the front gate. Harlow and his Ashwinder's were just inside, doing Merlin knows what. Matty went to the side of the rundown castle, inspecting a way she could get up. It seemed climbable. And if it seemed climbable to Matty, she could do it.

So, after scurrying up the battlements, she made her way up onto the wall and opened a smaller gate to enter the castle. She inspected the area for a while, going through many different things to try and get into the area where she would be able to open up the front gate from the inside and finally, she could.