As Douglas Holmes explained, Severus Snape swept a keen gaze around the cavern.
They stood upon a rocky platform inside a sea cave. One wall held a flight of steps descending into the shadows; the other two walls were flanked by stone statues, their features rough and unfinished—hardly the work of master artisans or the remains of some ancient, hallowed ruin.
Snape turned back to Douglas with a look of undisguised disdain. Was this boy really expecting them to set up a training ground in such a barren, uninspired place?
Douglas led the group toward the side with the stairs. At this hour, the tide was high, and seawater had already flooded halfway up the steps through a submerged passage.
With a snap of his fingers, Douglas conjured a glowing orb that plunged into the water, illuminating a narrow entrance—barely three feet wide—at the base of the stairs.
"The entire cave," he began, "is warded with Anti-Apparition Charms. This passage was once the only way in, but now I've filled it with magical traps and mechanisms.
Most of the time, it looks harmless—seawater flows in and out as usual. But if a wizard tries to enter from outside, every trap inside will spring to life.
Especially at the midpoint, I've placed a sizable chunk of Magic-Suppressing Stone… Er, Professor, I'll need you to reimburse me for that later."
Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles quivered on his nose. If the other Heads of House weren't present, he might have asked what happened to the mountain of materials he'd already given Douglas—had they all vanished so quickly?
Douglas just blinked innocently and went on, "The traps in the first half of the passage are only meant to block ordinary wizards and Muggles—partly to prevent accidental intrusions, partly to lull Voldemort into a false sense of security…"
The others all frowned at the name.
Professor Flitwick quickly interjected, "Wait—why would You-Know-Who ever come here?"
Professor McGonagall's sharp gaze flicked between Dumbledore and Douglas. "Are you suggesting this so-called secret realm is intended for children to confront Voldemort?"
Professor Sprout's tone grew grave. "Douglas, I can't support you on this. If it's just a training course set by the professors, that's one thing, but You-Know-Who… Still, Minerva, don't get ahead of yourself. The Dark Lord may not be dead, but it's not certain he'll come here. This place seems well hidden…"
Douglas glanced at the group, feeling a sting from Snape's cold, mocking smirk. He looked hopefully to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore only smiled, then tilted his head back, studying the ceiling as if some arcane secret might be hidden there.
"In fact, this is Voldemort's treasure vault. He will return here, but you needn't worry about the students' safety.
The magical trap I mentioned has a second function: once the Magic-Suppressing Stone is triggered, two slabs of Dragon Severing Stone will drop, sealing off both ends of the passage.
These stones may look ordinary, but I've inscribed them with suppression runes. They can't match true Magic-Suppressing Stone, but they sever all connections—physical and magical, even mental.
While the effect isn't as strong as the real thing, a Voldemort already weakened by the suppression field will have a hard time escaping for a while.
Meanwhile, the rings on the students' wrists will automatically activate their Portkey function, whisking everyone safely back to Hogwarts.
The only downside is that the portal array will need time to recharge before it can be used again, since the process consumes a huge amount of magical energy."
Seeing Snape's lips part, Douglas guessed his objection and quickly added, "Don't expect these traps to actually kill Voldemort… The stronger the wizard, the less effective the suppression."
Professor McGonagall was unimpressed, "Then why not just seal the entrance? Wouldn't that keep the students safe?"
Douglas shook his head. "This place is too important to Voldemort. If he wants in, even with the entrance sealed and Anti-Apparition Charms in place, he might just blast the entire mountain apart. Better to leave him a controlled way in."
At that, everyone's thoughts turned to the idea of Voldemort's treasure vault. What kind of treasures might he have left—ancient magic, dark artifacts, priceless magical heirlooms? For students, the chance to explore a powerful wizard's secret hoard was the ultimate temptation.
Douglas quickly turned to Professor Sprout, "Professor, could you set up some marine magical plants at the cave entrance? I've put wards here to make it one-way, but let's be honest—students never follow the rules. A few magical plants might slow them down."
Professor Sprout eagerly rubbed her hands together, eyeing the silty seabed with professional interest, and nodded.
At last, Dumbledore spoke, "Our purpose today isn't to debate this particular point…"
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