KEEP IT, LOSE IT (HOGWARTS LEGACY FANFICTION)

Chapter Thirty-eight

As the dust settled from the battle, the trio stood still, catching their breath. The eerie silence of the chamber was a stark contrast to the chaos they had just endured. Slowly, they began to move toward the far end of the room, where a massive statue loomed in the shadows. It was the same symbol they had encountered before, the unmistakable mark of ancient magic—a symbol that had guided them through every step of their journey.

Mary's pace slowed as they approached the statue. Something was different. The air around her felt charged, vibrating with a familiar yet unplaceable energy. Her senses sharpened, and the world around her seemed to shift slightly, colors deepening, and the ambient light dimming.

Sebastian and Ominis noticed her hesitation. Sebastian furrowed his brow, concern flashing across his features. "Mary, what's wrong?"

Ominis reached out, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. "What are you feeling, Mary?"

Mary took a moment to steady herself before responding. "It's... the same as before," she said quietly, her voice reverberating in the still air. "In Gringotts and the Restricted Section, I felt this. I'm seeing it again... ancient magic."

Sebastian glanced around, scanning the chamber with narrowed eyes. "I don't see anything," he said, frustration creeping into his voice. "What exactly are you seeing?"

Mary's eyes remained fixed on the statue as she continued forward. "It's hard to explain. It's like the world changes around me."

Just as she spoke, the massive statue began to transform before their eyes. Stone cracked and shifted, revealing a door—a portal covered in twisting roots and moss, pulsing with the same ancient energy that Mary felt. To Sebastian and Ominis, it was an imposing but solid door, hiding whatever lay beyond. But Mary saw it clearly, the magic within drawing her forward like a beacon.

"Stay close to me," Mary said, her voice firm but tinged with the wonder of what she was witnessing. "The portal seems to lead somewhere... and we must go through it"

Sebastian's curiosity flared, but it was tempered by his unease. "What's behind it?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light, though he was clearly on edge.

Mary turned to face them, her expression serious. "I don't know. But when I passed through a portal like this before with Professor Fig, he could only follow if he held onto me. So, just in case... stay close, and be ready to hold on."

Ominis, usually so composed, nodded more vigorously than usual. "Noted," he said, moving closer to Mary, his trust in her overriding his discomfort.

Sebastian, ever protective, stepped up on her other side. "Well, let's see where this takes us."

With both boys flanking her, Mary raised her wand and aimed it at the door. A soft, resonating hum filled the air as she activated the portal, and the ancient magic responded in kind. The roots and moss twisted and parted, creating an opening that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

As the portal fully opened, Mary felt the pull of the unknown once more. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, the warmth of both sebastian and ominis holding on to her as they pass through the portal.