"How is this even down here? It's huge." remarked Sebastian, his voice echoing off the domed space as he stood beside you at the entrance of the ruins.
"We must be really far down—it looks ancient." you replied, moving around the raised level to make for the stone staircase leading to the archway.
"So this is what you were looking for, Bash?" asked Sebastian, craning his neck to try and see the ceiling to the room.
"I think so. It feels a bit like the ruins at Gringotts—which I warn you, may not be a good thing."
Your mind flashed with images of the violent armored soldiers from the bank.
You walked around the crumbling rotunda, flickers of cold light leading you forward, a swirl of ancient magic appearing on the ground. There had been something similar at the Gringotts—and stepping into it had guided you to release an entrance to the cathedral-like chamber.
"Alright, stand back, Seb."
Sebastian had his wand out, watching you carefully from a few feet away.
You took a breath and walked into the well of metallic magic.
The familiar feeling of crackling power rose from your feet, filling your body. You opened your eyes as you felt yourself syncing with the rhythm of the power.
Your body twisted as you arc your wand around you, finally pulling upwards with a gasp as you felt your own magic burst from your chest.
You saw Sebastian shudder as the room filled with cool light, braisers igniting around the room. You turned and sure enough, just as at the coast, you saw a space beyond the archway standing in the center.
"Do you see that long staircase beyond the door?" and you pointed at the archway.
"Stairs? No—I don't see anything." he squinted around. "I felt that you did something—like a wave of energy."
Your lip twitched with irritation, frustrated that you would need to keep explaining what you saw like a child describing an imaginary world.
Maybe if he were closer he could see—something.
You stepped forward and grabbed his hand.
Sebastian yelped as his eyes went wide, head whipping around as his hand clamped hard on yours.
"What the hell—what is this?" he gasped, eyes darting around before stilling at the stone archway.
You looked at him and then at your joined hands.
"You can see it?"
"What are those fires? It's like metal burning—and yes, I see the staircase now—are you doing this, Bash?"
Your mind buzzed as you thought about what this meant. You bit your lip before furrowing your brow.
You dropped his hand.
"—and it's gone." he huffed, his head on a swivel as things went dark for him.
"Skin contact allows people to see ancient magic? Did the Ravenclaw know this?" you wonder. "Miriam is going to daffy when I show her." you smiled with disbelief.
"It's like a form of legilimens." and he gently caught your hand again, marveling at the world you could see. "Also, side point—I'm quite glad you're not insane." he added with a wink.
"Was that a possibility?" you smiled as he started to pull you towards the stairs leading to the archway.
"It was always a risk. Mad girl with strange powers claiming to see ancient magic? Warnings from a dark future? Fairly suspect—but I can see it now. This is incredible, Bash."
"Yes, well, it looks pretty—until it tries to kill you." you warned quietly, biting your lip as you peer into the archway.
You stood with Sebastian, staring into the rippling, glowing chamber beyond.
You felt him adjust his grip to lace his warm fingers with yours. You looked up at him. He was frowning at the wavering image before him before looking down at you with a serious look.
"Nothing will be killing you today, love—not while I'm here."
Your cheeks tinted as you nodded, your eyes shining a little. He squeezed your fingers.
"So, what are your feelings telling you to do?" he asked, looking forward once more.
You let out a controlled sigh.
"To keep going."
He nodded appreciatively.
"Then we keep going."
You held tight as he looked down to you for direction. Steeling yourself, you stepped through the veil—your trusted friend beside you.
***
"Language, Sebastian." you tutted after the loud expletive escaped the brunette as he took in the towering ethereal architecture.
"Where are we?"
"The Ravenclaw mentioned trials in the memory—as did the wizards in the memory from Gringotts—I think they set them up to test me? Or users of ancient magic?"
Sebastian nodded as you walked down the jewel-like bridge towards another door.
"So what happens if I let go?" Sebastian worried as he looked at your hands.
Cautiously you released his hand, ready to snatch it agin if needed—but Sebastian just looked around, sighing with a smile.
"Looks like I don't need the contact in here—maybe the archway is a type of ward? Lots of wards have clauses that allow 'daisy-chain' access—popular with secret lovers, according to Hecat." he smirked.
You smiled as you stretched your now free fingers.
"Well that's good news, I suppose. I don't know what's ahead—but I think we will need to be nimble to survive."
...
You hated being right.
You and Sebastian moved through a series of rooms, some with terrifying floating platforms and frustrating puzzle mechanisms.
You wondered how your Ravenclaw alter did this alone—as you suspected she had. Sebastian had already saved you twice from a bad jump to a ledge, snatching your wrist to steady your grip.
The first suspiciously empty looking chamber had you slowing your steps as you clocked armor lining the room.
"This isn't good." you muttered as Sebastian closed in to your side.
"What is going to happen—" but he was cut off by the sound of clanging metal.
Five shining statues adjusted their stances and raised their weapons.
"So—the 'no kill' rule?" Sebastian breathed as he took a step back, watching the approaching guard.
"It's an enchantment—no souls in those suits." and you caught his eye out of your peripheral. "Put them down."
Sebastian's face split in a grin as he rolled his shoulders.
"Brilliant."
***
Sebastian back pressed against yours as you cast another Flipendo, setting the attacking armor up to be blasted by one of your partners impressive fire spells as you turned in sync.
You and your friend were breathing hard as you divide your time between pushing back the faceless guards and protecting each other.
You learned quickly that Sebastian was built to fight this way—as a pair. He stayed close to your side as you played off each other's moves—setting up devastating combinations with nothing more than a look and a nod between you.
You rolled to dodge another brutal swing, skidding hard off the slick steel surface before scrambling to your feet.
You caught the movement of a guard advancing quickly to your left—its mace poised to strike.
"Glacius!" you cast, freezing it mid-swing.
"Diffindo!" and Sebastian's spells exploded the armor in a shower of brittle steel.
After a few more well placed spells and charms, you watched the last guard fall to its knees and collapse in a pile of smoking ash.
After catching your breath—your emotions still keyed up as you remained on alert, you looked up at your friend and winced.
Sebastian's freckles were hidden beneath soot that was stuck to the sweat on his cheeks and forehead. A few scrapes and cuts oozed crimson, a bruise beginning to blossom on his right brow. From the look he was giving you—you had not fared much better.
"Potions." and you quickly dig out a green phial for each of you.
***
Another few chambers had you both feeling exhausted as you finally reached the grandest room yet, your heart stuttering as you saw the half dozen statutes knelt in the center—surely awaiting your approach.
You looked at your friend who was clutching his arm where he was caught with a mace spike in the last room. You reached in and felt your fingers close on the last Wiggenweld in your bag. Without hesitation you handed it to him.
"Here—heal up."
He nodded and accepted the potion—the cuts on his face closing—though still leaving trails of dried blood.
"I think this is it—I can feel us getting close to something."
"You go, I follow, Bash." and he nodded for you to lead.
This wave of enchanted suits put up more of a fight than you were expecting, your leg killing you as you ran to dodge another shockwave, a cut on your knee seeping into your stockings.
Sebastian scrambled to your side as you froze the guard pursuing him in place. The pair of you backed up towards the edge of the platform, an endless abyss stretching down below you. Your chests shuddering as you try to catch breaths between spells to push back the advancing row of suits.
You had mere moments before you either fell to your certain deaths or were impaled on a shining broadsword. You looked to the side to see your companion fiercely casting spells in an attempt to change your fates.
Your heart burned as the energy you felt growing through the fight finally came to a boil.
There it is.
Your arm raised as you felt the crackling energy careen through your veins. Your wand began to gather droplets of ancient magic as you felt a buzzing behind your eyes, the hairs on your arms raising.
You heard Sebastian gasp beside you as sparking fractals of electricity began to arc and snap above the line of soldiers.
With a desperate and fierce cry you brought your arm down—and with it a powerful bolt of metallic lighting struck the center guard, shooting out a chain-reaction through the flanking suits, steel twisting and sparking as the electricity melted through the chest pieces.
You were breathing hard as you watched the suits collapse into dust—your eyes wild as you tried to temper the remaining energy in your limbs. You jumped when you felt a hand on your shoulder.
"Easy, Bash. You got 'em."
You turned to see Sebastian watching you with an unreadable look, his eyes flicking to the pile of ash before coming back to your face. You blinked a few times as your senses returned.
"Are you hurt?" you blurted out, pulling him from the platform edge as you began to worry over his marred skin, your hands gently catching his face as you winced at an angry burn along his jaw.
Meeting your eye, he brought his hands up to softly take your wrists, pulling your fingers from his face.
"I'm alright. You need healing though."
You bit your lip as you nervously wiggled yourself from his grip, not meeting his gaze.
"Bash." he asked with a warning tone.
"The Wiggenweld I gave you was the last one." you admitted.
His face flickered with fury.
"Why would you do that?!? I was fine!"
"Your arm looked like it was going to fall off."
"What if you had been seriously injured? You shouldn't have wasted it on me."
"It wasn't a waste! You were hurt, Sebastian."
"You are too important!"
"Not more than you!"
"I promised the Figs I would protect you!"
"and I promised Anne I would protect you!" your voice breaking slightly as it echoed off the columns surrounding you.
Sebastian's face blanked, his mouth falling slightly open as you stared at each other.
"You did?"
You wiped your dirty cheek with the heel of your palm, catching a stray tear as you tried to steady your emotions.
"In the letter I sent yesterday. She is worried about you, Sebastian—and as I recall, you didn't want her doing that. So I swore to keep her brother safe until she was well enough to do so herself." you shot back with a defiant look. "—and I will not apologize for giving you that potion."
You waited for another angry retort, another self-deprecating accusation—but you were surprised instead to find yourself quickly pulled into a warm, dusty embrace, a slightly damp face burrowing into your neck as you instinctively brought your own arms around his back to hold him tight.
"I'm so, so sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I just—I get these blinders on when it comes to people I care for—and I saw red at the idea of you suffering—for my sake." he muttered into your hair as he held you tighter.
After another hard squeeze, you pulled back a little, bringing a hand to the side of his face–the one with the least damage, that is. Your eyes searched his with a hopeful half-smile. He sighed and rested his forehead on yours, eyes closing.
"—and thank you for what you told Anne—knowing I have someone as capable as you looking out for me, it will certainly ease her mind. I am grateful."
He opened his misty eyes to catch yours, his sincerity evident in his boyish smile.
You sighed.
"Alright then, so no more hierarchy of priority. We protect each other equally." you stated, standing on your tiptoes to push against his forehead a little to emphasize your meaning.
"It's a deal, my guardian angel." he added with a teasing grin.
You gave him a tired expression which finally had him chuckling. He backed away, moving to your side to pull your arm around his shoulders, holding your wrist before wrapping his other arm around your waist to support your injured leg as he started to guide you to the now open door at the far end of the chamber.
***
Another Pensive. Great.
You entered the smaller, darker chamber which held the imposing stone bowl at its center, with an object hovering over it.
Sebastian's strong arm kept you upright as your leg had started to protest your injuries, pain shooting up your thigh with each hobbled step. As you got closer you saw that the hovering object was a bejeweled, leather book. Sebastian looked at you warily as he helped bring you to the lip of the pensive.
You reached for the book but pulled your hand back as it snapped open, pages ruffling as a steam of shining liquid filled the bowl from the book's spine. When it was finished the book snapped shut. You reached out once more to pull the book from the air.
"So it was a book." you muttered as you reclaimed your arm from Sebastian's shoulder, him caging your waist slightly to support you as you flipped through the book. You paused as you found a set of tears near the spine. "There are pages missing..." and you tilted your head to look at the torn edges.
"We should bring it back to the Figs—maybe they will know what it means?" offered Sebastin as he craned his neck to look into the bowl. You nodded and stored the book in your satchel before placing your hands on the rim of the Pensive.
You took a deep breath—your nerves spiking at the thought of the last time you dunked your face into a memory—what you had seen. You looked over your shoulder to catch Sebastian watching you expectantly. He gave a small head tilt towards the Pensive.
"So—you are just going to put your face in, right? That's how these work?" he asked with a raised brow. "I've never seen one," he added.
You nodded.
"Yes, we put our faces in the potion and we will see—whatever memory has been left here for someone to find—sights, sounds, smells—like we're really there."
Sebastian nodded before his mind seemed to catch your meaning.
"Wait—we? You want me to view it too?"
"Only if you feel comfortable—but yes, it would be helpful for another person to see the memory. I don't know if we can get back here, so we might only get one look. We need to remember as much as we can to tell the Figs."
Sebastian nodded solemnly, though you saw a glint of excitement as he moved to the other side of the pensive. You used the bowl to support yourself as you both leaned over the glassy surface. You looked up and caught his eyes.
"You ready?"
"You jump, I jump, Bash." he grinned. You gave a curt nod and with a deep breath, pushed your face onto the cool smokey surface.
~~~
It was not one memory, but two—seemingly stitched together.
One was of a small village plagued by drought. Children could be seen suffering until a quartet of wizards brought rain using magic.
The second memory was of a teenage girl about your age meeting with the same wizards about her joining Hogwarts. The girl's face gave you a familiar feeling—but not a pull, rather a push—a revulsion like Ranrok.
You heart felt danger and fear as you took in her seemingly sweet features. You learned that she was the Isidora your alter spoke of—who she claimed you were both nothing like.
You tried to focus on the memory—only the facts as you struggled to temper your emotions.
Professors.
Rackham.
Rookwood? Oh god...
Ancient Magic.
Fifth-Year.
Secrets.
Hogwarts.
As you watched Isidora leave you felt you knew that this story—however it played out for you—did not end well for her.
~~~
You gasped as the Pensive expelled you from the memory. Sebastian coughed as he fell back a few steps, shaking his head wildly—before staring unblinking at the bowl.
"Sebastian—are you alright?" you breathed, unable to let go of the bowl supporting you.
"That—that was a memory? That happened?" he clarified, alarm in his features as he flicked between your face and the Pensive.
"Yes—hundreds of years ago, but it happened." you replied cautiously, narrowing your eyes at the frantic looking boy. "What is it?"
"The first memory...that hill—" he rambled, his eyes darting in his head.
"Sebastian?"
"The house–that well—that was where Anne was cursed—that village was Feldcroft."
***
Knock knock knock.
The door creaked open as Miriam's voice came filtering through with the warm light.
"—there you are—you two have been gone so—" but her voice died in her throat as she took in the bloodied and bruised faces of yourself and your friend, the latter of whom was currently supporting most of your weight.
"ELEAZAR!"