KEEP IT, LOSE IT (HOGWARTS LEGACY FANFICTION)

Chapter Thirty-six

As they reached solid ground, Mary tilted her head, genuinely curious. "What did you mean by 'sharing,' Sebastian?"

Sebastian, caught off guard, quickly glanced at her and then looked away, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh, nothing important," he replied evasively, waving his hand dismissively as he stepped ahead of the group. "Just thinking out loud, that's all."

Mary watched him for a moment, puzzled by his sudden retreat, but she shrugged it off and followed. The trio continued through the cave, facing more waves of spiders and a few particularly persistent insects. They pressed on, weaving through puzzles similar to the floating platform's challenge, though this time without the terrifying drop into the abyss.

After what felt like hours of navigating traps and dispatching creatures, they finally emerged into a cavernous chamber where the magical bridge waited to be completed. The sight of it, half-formed and suspended over a dark void, filled them with a renewed sense of purpose.

"This is it," Sebastian breathed, his eyes narrowing in determination. "The last step."

Ominis nodded, his expression serious. "Once the bridge is fully formed, we'll be able to cross. This has to be the end of the challenge."

Mary felt a thrill of excitement. "It's all led to this moment," she agreed, her voice filled with quiet anticipation.

They each moved into position, noting the familiar metallic orbs along the edges of the bridge. With a silent understanding, they raised their wands in unison, casting their spells. The orbs glowed brightly, responding to the magic, and with a deep rumble, the bridge began to shift. What had once been a chaotic jumble of rocks now reformed into a grand, solid structure.

The bridge was no longer just a precarious collection of stones; it had become a majestic, intricately designed path, gleaming under the soft light that filled the chamber. It looked ancient, yet sturdy, as if it had been waiting centuries for someone to complete it.

Sebastian grinned, clearly impressed. "Now that's a bridge. I'd say we've more than earned our way across."

Ominis, though still uneasy with the height, couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. "It's incredible to think we did this together. All that effort... it's finally paid off."

Mary looked at the bridge with a mix of awe and relief. "It's beautiful. And sturdy. Let's hope it stays that way."

As they began to cross the newly completed bridge, the trio's thoughts naturally turned to Richard Jackdaw. "Do you think we'll finally find him?" Mary asked, her voice echoing slightly in the vast chamber.

Sebastian chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll bet the spiders got to him first. His bones are probably decorating some web by now."

Ominis smirked, his tone laced with dry humor. "I'd wager he's just at the end of this path, probably collapsed in some forgotten corner."

Mary smiled softly but didn't join in the betting. "I'm not sure where he is, but I think he died in the most challenging place he could find. It would suit him, don't you think?"

As they stepped off the bridge, the trio found themselves in an entirely different environment. Gone were the rough, damp cave walls; instead, they entered what appeared to be a grand terrace. The floor beneath their feet was polished stone, and the walls were adorned with intricate carvings of swirling patterns and vines in gold. Several tall, empty doorways lined the walls, each framed in the same golden hue, giving the impression of a regal castle hall rather than the depths of a dark cave.

"This place is incredible," Sebastian murmured, his voice filled with wonder as he took in the opulent surroundings. "It's like we've stepped into another world."

Ominis ran his fingers along the smooth stone of one of the doorframes, his expression thoughtful. "It feels so out of place, yet... somehow, it fits. Like this was always meant to be here."

Mary couldn't help but admire the beauty of the room, but her gaze quickly fell on something else. At the far end of the terrace, the doors opened into a vast chamber filled with statues of armored knights, each holding a weapon, as if they were waiting for a command to come to life. The room was eerily quiet, and a sense of foreboding hung in the air. But what truly caught their attention was the sight of a skeleton lying in a few steps into the room, its remains twisted and still clutching a wand.

Richard Jackdaw.

"There he is..." Mary whispered, her voice tinged with sadness. The reality of it struck her harder than she expected. They had spent so much time searching for him, guided by his spirit, and now they were faced with the grim truth of how he had met his end.

The skeleton was decapitated, the skull lying really close from the rest of the body. Two long swords were still embedded in his neck, the swords were still in perfect condition, even after the time that had passed. The sight was gruesome, but there was a strange serenity in the way the remains rested.

Sebastian crouched down beside the skeleton, his expression unusually somber. 

"So this is how he died... trapped and struck down by those statues, no doubt. Poor fool never stood a chance." He reached out and gently took the wand and pages from the skeleton's grasp. "It's strange. We followed him all this way, and now that we've found him... I can't help but feel sorry for him."

Ominis, standing a little farther back, nodded quietly. "He was reckless, but it's clear he didn't deserve this. There's something tragic about it... chasing treasure, only to meet such a violent end."

Mary knelt beside the skeleton, her expression tinged with a soft sadness as she gently retrieved the map from Richard Jackdaw's remains. 

"All of this... over a girl and his love for her," she murmured, her voice carrying a hint of melancholy. "It's sad to think that they never saw each other again."

Sebastian, who had been quietly observing, glanced at Mary with a newfound understanding. He recalled the way Richard had looked at her, the wistfulness in his ghostly eyes. 

"I suppose it makes sense now," he said thoughtfully. "Why he acted the way he did when he saw you. You reminded him of the one he lost."

Ominis, always perceptive, nodded slightly. "Love can drive people to do extraordinary things, even if it leads to their downfall. It's tragic, really."

The three of them fell into a brief silence, the weight of the past settling over them. Finally, Mary broke it, looking at her friends with a determined expression. 

"We'll tell Richard what we've discovered when we return. He deserves to know what we found... and maybe, in a way, it'll bring him some peace."

With the map and wand now in hand, the trio rose from where they had knelt beside Richard Jackdaw's remains. There was a somber respect in their movements as they turned away, 

 But as they did, the room began to stir with an ominous creaking noise. The statues, once frozen in place, suddenly sprang to life. The metal-armored figures, encrusted with centuries of dust and rust, rose from their knees, their joints groaning and cracking as if awakening from a long slumber. Without any warning, they started marching forward, their eyes glowing with an eerie, cold light as they lifted their swords and spears with deadly intent.

Sebastian, Ominis, and Mary immediately fell into a defensive stance, their wands drawn and ready. The air was thick with tension as the statues advanced, their movements slow but deliberate.

"This is bad," Sebastian muttered.