The Life of Amelia Potter (WTM)

14

(Hogwarts Legacy Map Chamber)

Severus had been through to a room that he had never seen before. He noticed the symbol from the memories and wand were branded into the room.

"I'm glad you were able to join us, Professor." Niamh Fitzgerald had interrupted his thoughts.

When he looked for her, he saw her very large portrait along with 4 others. 3 men and the other was empty.

"I thank you for agreeing to speak to me. May I ask who the other are?" He asked.

A man with a long beard spoke up. "I am Percival Rackham. Pleased to meet you."

"I am Augustus Rookwood, Professor." He bows is head.

Severus eyebrows raise. "Your a Rookwood? Well I know that name all to well."

"Ahh, you know of my descendents? I bet they have amazing things, am I right?"

Severus looked away from the portrait. "Well, the last time I heard he was in Azkaban."

"Another one of my descendents is a dark wizard? Why did I even reproduce!?"

A man with a turban had interrupted him. "And I am San Bakar." He lightly bowed his head.

"We apologize on the delay Professor Snape. We need to discuss and do our own research before we could speak freely." Niamh said.

"Does this have to do with Penelope Lancaster?" He asked.

Rackham responded to him. "It does. I know are looking for Mr. Sallow and Mr. Gaunt as well. They would be with her, wherever they are."

"Are they not dead? It just seems that they would be by now with their age." Severus said.

Niamh nodded. "You are correct in thinking that. However, we know for certain the Penelope is NOT dead."

"My mom....she's alive? Where is she then? Why didn't she come for me?" Tom asked.

"Forgive me, but how are you certain she isn't dead?"

Niamh pointed to the empty canvas beside her. "This canvas you see has yet to be activated. This is Penelope Gaunt née Lancaster's portrait. She would be here if she were deceased."

"Why does she have a portrait here and what is this place. I noticed these symbols in some memories I have seen."

The 4 portraits look at each other. "What we are about to disclose must be kept from your current headmaster and anyone you think may be power hungry." Rackham said.

Severus nodded his head. "I understand."

"We are called 'The Keepers'. We along with Penelope were able to see traces of ancient magic. We became Keppers after one of our students, Isidora, had tried to use this magic to remove people's pain. It started off with good intentions but, she wasn't just removing pain. She was removing all emotion and inhaling it to increase her power. We had found that she had made a hidden chamber where this magic was stored and we vowed to keep it hidden." Rackham explained.

Severus was blown away. "How did Penelope become involved in this?"

Niamh decided to take over. "Around the time Ranrock came into power was the same time Penny started school here. We came to find that Isidora left journals of her findings and Ranrock found them. He began searching for her chamber. We began to think that Ranrock would get to this source of power but Penny fought him and sealed the chamber shut. Vowing to keep it hidden. Of course she told her husband, Mr. Gaunt and their best friend, Mr. Sallow. Everything was fine until Dumbledore started sticking his nose into things. It seems Ranrock keep notes as well and he got his hand on those and began looking for the chamber. He even confronted Penny about it but she refused."

"Do you know what he asked her? When did he confront her?" Severus asked.

"He went to the Gaunt residence about 2 weeks before their disappearance. As to what fully happened, I do not know. Penny did however leave her own set of memories in a vault. I urge you to try to see them. They were left in her Gringotts vault. I must warn though, she was a very smart girl. She will not have made it easy to access."