Harry stood motionless in the chamber, his thoughts racing. The shadows had receded, but the sensation of unseen chains still lingered on his skin. He clenched his fists, forcing his magic to settle.
"What was that memory?" He knew his past—or at least, he thought he did. The vision had been foreign, yet hauntingly familiar. And the voice… it knew something he didn't.
He needed answers.
With a steady breath, Harry turned away from the ancient chamber. The runes had stopped pulsing, the air no longer thick with arcane energy. Whatever trial he had faced was over, but the real battle—the one against his own past—had only just begun.
As he stepped out into the corridor, the oppressive weight of the chamber lifted slightly. The castle felt normal again, though normal had become a relative term.
A familiar voice called his name.
"Harry!"
He turned to see Hermione hurrying toward him, her expression a mix of relief and concern. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Where did you—" She stopped abruptly, eyes narrowing as she took in his disheveled state. "What happened?"
"Something… unexpected," Harry admitted. He wasn't ready to share everything—not yet. Not until he understood it himself.
Hermione crossed her arms. "That's not an answer."
He smirked faintly. "It's the only one I have right now."
She frowned but didn't push further. Instead, she gestured down the hall. "Come on. There's something you need to see."
Harry hesitated. After everything that had just happened, did he really want to dive into another mystery? But her tone was serious, and if she was this insistent, it had to be important.
"Lead the way," he said.
—
They made their way through the dimly lit corridors, the torches flickering as they passed. Hermione didn't speak, and Harry didn't press. He could tell she was unsettled.
Finally, they arrived at an old study tucked away in one of the castle's forgotten wings. The door was already open, candlelight spilling out into the hall.
Inside, an older man stood waiting. His sharp eyes flicked up the moment Harry entered.
"Ah," the man murmured. "So you've returned."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "You were expecting me?"
"In a way," the man said, gesturing to an aged parchment spread out on the table. "We've uncovered something. Something that might explain… certain anomalies about you."
Harry's pulse quickened. Was this it? The answers he had been seeking?
He stepped forward, scanning the parchment. Ancient symbols, names—his name—linked in a web of connections. But there, at the center of it all, was something that made his breath hitch.
A sigil.
The same one that had flashed in his vision.
The unseen chains… the voice… everything was tied to this.
Harry met the man's gaze, his determination solidifying.
"Tell me everything."