Harry Potter and the Deep Freeze

The Language of the Dungeons

The sanctuary buzzed with its usual activity, but in the corners of Hogwarts, a group of Muggles and Squibs was forming a quiet coalition. Among them were linguists, historians, and curious minds who had spent their lives studying dead languages or piecing together puzzles from ancient texts.

They had heard about the glyphs found in the dungeons and the importance of deciphering them. Now, those without regular duties had decided they wanted to contribute.

The Proposal

Harry was sitting in his office, flipping through the latest reports, when there was a knock at the door. Percy entered first, followed by a dozen Muggles and Squibs.

"Harry," Percy began, "this group has something they'd like to discuss with you."

Harry set down his quill and gestured for them to step forward. "What's on your mind?"

A tall Squib named Edwin Thorne, who had once worked in the Ministry's archives, cleared his throat. "We've been hearing about the glyphs you've found in the dungeons. They sound... familiar. Not in specifics, but in concept. They resemble ancient languages I've studied."

A Muggle woman named Margaret Wells, a former archaeologist, nodded. "Some of us have experience working with hieroglyphs, runes, and cuneiform scripts. We want to help analyze the glyphs. If these symbols are part of a larger language, we might be able to make sense of them."

Harry's Reaction

Harry leaned back in his chair, impressed by their initiative. "That's an intriguing idea. But these glyphs aren't just ancient—they're magical. Do you think you'll be able to understand them without using magic?"

Margaret smiled. "We might surprise you. Magic or not, language has patterns, and those patterns can be decoded. Besides, we have Squibs here who've grown up around magic. They might bridge the gap."

Edwin added, "We don't want to sit idle, Harry. If there's even a chance we can help, let us try."

Harry exchanged a glance with Percy, who shrugged. "They're motivated," Percy said. "And we could use all the help we can get."

Setting Up the Team

Later that day, Harry and Percy led the group to one of the unused classrooms in Hogwarts, now repurposed as the Glyph Analysis Lab.

The room was lined with tables and enchanted boards displaying the sketches and photographs of glyphs from each dungeon. There were also copies of books from the Hogwarts library, including tomes on magical languages, ancient scripts, and runic theory.

"This will be your base," Harry said, gesturing to the room. "Your job is to catalog each glyph, look for patterns, and compare them to any ancient languages you know."

Margaret walked over to one of the boards, her eyes lighting up as she studied the symbols. "These are incredible. It'll take time, but I think we can make progress."

Edwin nodded. "We'll organize the glyphs by dungeon and see if there's any overlap. If we find something, you'll be the first to know."

First Discoveries

Over the next few days, the team threw themselves into their work.

Edwin and Margaret worked on cataloging the glyphs, using enchanted quills to trace the symbols onto parchment.A Squib named Lila Greaves compared the glyphs to runes used in wand-making, noting similarities in shape and energy flow.A Muggle linguist named Tom Carter began mapping out recurring patterns, theorizing that the glyphs might represent both sounds and ideas, like ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

One evening, Edwin rushed to Harry's office with a piece of parchment in hand.

"We've found something," he said, out of breath.

Harry took the parchment, studying the glyphs and their translations. "What am I looking at?"

Margaret appeared behind Edwin, her face flushed with excitement. "It's not much, but we think this symbol here means 'barrier' or 'seal.' It shows up near dungeon entrances and on walls blocking deeper levels."

Harry's eyes widened. "You're saying the glyphs are explaining the dungeons' structure?"

Edwin nodded. "Exactly. If we keep going, we might be able to map out which glyphs correspond to traps, treasures, or safe paths."

A Growing Collaboration

Word of the Glyph Analysis Team's progress spread quickly through the sanctuary. Wizards, witches, and other Muggles began stopping by the lab to offer insights or resources.

Luna visited one afternoon, bringing a collection of magical creature texts. "Some of these symbols look like they could be tied to specific creatures," she said, pointing to a cluster of glyphs. "It's worth a look."

Neville dropped off a batch of herbs found near one of the dungeons. "These might be linked to the plants growing inside. If the glyphs are connected to the environment, this could help.

As the Glyph Analysis Team continued their work, the sanctuary's understanding of the dungeons grew deeper. The collaboration between Muggles, Squibs, and magical folk was a testament to what they could achieve together.

And as Harry looked over their latest findings, he felt a spark of hope. The dungeons might still hold many mysteries, but with this team's determination, those mysteries wouldn't remain unsolved for long.