Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

The Fifth Keeper

Dracaena fell to her knees, staring up at the portrait of Professor Fig, her eyes spilling with tears of joy. He smiled down at her, raising his hands to the canvas as if he was trying to push through and reach her. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come, and all she could do was cry.

All this time, he'd been down here. All this time, he'd been only a few steps from her. All this time, she could have had his help, his wisdom, his kindness, were it not for her own fears, her own refusal to use the magic she'd been cursed with, her determination to stay away from everything that had hurt her so.

All this time.

"I-I'm s-sorry," she wept, rubbing her knuckles into her eyes like a child. "I s-should have come sooner."

"It's alright," Professor Fig said, gently. "I understand, Dracaena. I can't imagine what you went through after the battle, I'm just sorry I wasn't there for you."

"You could have been," she sniffled, dragging her sleeve across her face. "If only I'd have come down, I never should have stayed away, it's all my fault!"

"There's no fault," he said softly. She looked up again, fresh tears welling in her eyes again as she took in his kindly smile, and she could have sworn she smelled the gentleness of an autumn hearth, the softness of old parchment, the way his robes always seemed to smell. The other portraits glanced at each other, then with a jerk of Percival Rackham's head, they made their exit, sidling out of their frames, leaving Dracaena and Professor Fig alone.

His eyes seemed to twinkle. "Dracaena, you were thrown into a situation no teenager ever should have been, and you handled it all admirably. I have never been so impressed with a student before. You coped with horrendous events the only way you could, and if that was to remove yourself from all of this..." he waved a hand at the Map Chamber. "I don't blame you, my girl. I couldn't."

She sniffed again, shifting to sit on the cool floor, the old image of the map glowing under her.

"I still should have come," she said, hanging her head. "I just ran away, pretended it hadn't happened like a coward. There was so much... losing you, losing Sebastian, still having to do my exams after it all... then coming back for sixth year and pretending like everything was normal."

Professor Fig nodded. "Yes, it was a terrible shame about Mr Sallow. I understand he's returned, now?"

She looked up. "How...?"

He smiled, leaning against the painted desk behind him. "Nimah has a second portrait in the Headmaster's study, as I'm sure you remember. The portraits all talk to each other, and she's been kept abreast of some of your adventures." His smile grew as Dracaena's jaw dropped. "A word to the wise, my girl, if you have any nefarious activities planned, I'd avoid discussing them where portraits can hear."

"So that's how the professors always know about things that are supposed to be secret..." she gasped. She should have known. She thanked her lucky stars she'd not bothered putting any up in the Room of Requirement. Sebastian and Ominis would be floored.

"Indeed," Professor Fig chuckled. "It means I've been able to learn a little about what you've been up to, even if it's something so simple as sharing a jape with your friends." His eyes softened. "It gladdens me to know they've stayed by your side, that you had support in the aftermath, and from what I understand your sixth year was somewhat calmer than your fifth."

"It was," Dracaena said, smiling back at him, her shoulders relaxing as his voice washed over her. For just a moment, it was like nothing had changed, and she was standing before his desk in his old office, two people, student and mentor, friends, just talking like old times.