Soren nodded and slowly backed away…
Then he stopped.
"Mr. Filch… have you heard of Peeves?"
Filch frowned, "Course I've heard of Peeves. Filthy little poltergeist has caused me more trouble than every student put together. Why?"
Soren lowered his voice. "I heard him talking about sabotaging your office."
Filch stiffened. "How?"
Soren answered calmly, "He said he'd set all the prank items you confiscated to go off the next time you open the door. I only hope Mrs. Norris doesn't get hurt."
Filch's face turned red with fury.
"That wretched poltergeist—!" He stomped away at full speed, muttering curses under his breath.
The moment Filch vanished, Soren looked back at Penny, Cassie, and Jacqueline.
"Go. Now."
They sprinted into the corridor.
They reached the sealed door guarded by Mrs. Norris.
The cat hissed softly but looked tired.
Penny quickly pulled out a vial. "Sleeping Draught… mixed with milk works best."
She poured a few drops onto the stone floor.
Mrs. Norris sniffed it, drank it, and collapsed gently, asleep.
Jacqueline exhaled. "That was close."
"Your turn, Penny," Soren said.
Penny nodded, pulled out her wand, and whispered, "Alohomora."
The lock clicked open.
But the moment they pushed the door, Merula barged in from behind.
Cassie jumped in fright. "When did she get here?!"
"I don't know!" Soren hissed.
They followed her inside, but seeing the scene, they all froze.
The entire room was covered in frost. Icy spikes grew along the walls. Cold breath shimmered in the air.
And Merula was already trapped, frozen in a spreading sheet of ice.
"SOREEEN! HELP ME!" she shrieked.
Ice began crawling across the floor toward them as well.
Soren shouted, "Everyone — FLIPENDO!"
Four wands raised. "Flipendo!"
The force knocked the ice away from Merula and shattered the creeping frost around their feet.
Merula collapsed, shivering and humiliated.
But everyone's eyes were drawn to the far end of the chamber, a second door, completely sealed in thick, jagged ice. Ancient runes were carved across its surface.
Cassie whispered, "We need to get into that door too?"
"Not now." Soren shook his head. "If we stay, we'll get caught."
Jacqueline stepped closer, studying the runes. "Don't worry. I already memorized every symbol."
Soren nodded. "Good. Then let's get out of here."
Without wasting a second, they ran back toward the corridor, leaving the frozen chamber behind.
---
The next morning, the Great Hall buzzed with loud chatter.
Students whispered from table to table.
"Did you hear? Ice in the upstairs corridor!"
"Someone said it nearly froze a first-year!"
"Cursed Vaults… it has to be!"
The news had spread everywhere.
Even though the professors sealed the door before the ice escaped, the rumour was unstoppable.
Soren, Jacqueline, Penny, and Cassie sat together, speaking quietly while pretending to eat.
Jacqueline leaned closer. "I decoded the message we saw on the frozen door."
Three pairs of eyes immediately focused on her.
"What does it mean?" Penny asked.
Jacqueline lowered her voice.
"It translates to: 'The Ice Knight stands guard past the Vanished Stairs.'"
Soren froze. "I saw stairs and a suit of armor in my vision…"
Cassie nodded. "That sounds ominous. And since we found it during the cursed ice incident, it has to be related to the Cursed Vaults."
Penny's eyes sparkled with determination. "So this is our next clue."
Jacqueline tapped her parchment. "We'll need more information. There must be something in Hogwarts' history about Ice Knights… or vanished staircases."
Cassie agreed. "We'll spend the summer holidays gathering everything we can find, books, stories, archives."
Penny smiled. "And when we return for Second Year…"
Soren completed the sentence, "…we'll be ready to continue the search for the next Cursed Vault."
The four of them exchanged a firm nod.
While Soren and the others talked quietly about the Cursed Vaults, the Great Hall was alive with excitement for other reasons.
Nearly Headless Nick floated past the Gryffindor table, muttering proudly, "I must begin preparations for my Five-Hundredth Deathday Party. It must be unforgettable."
At the teachers' table, Snape sneered at the decorations. "The only thing I loathe more than holidays," he said coldly, "and parties."
Nearby, Hagrid stared fondly at the enchanted pumpkins glowing with lightning-shaped cracks. "I grew those pumpkins meself," he said proudly. "Finest batch yet."
Just then, Ben rushed over to Soren and the others, grinning widely.
"Happy Halloween!" he said. "Can you believe this place? It looks amazing!"
Soren was about to reply, when Merula appeared beside them.
"It's nothing special," she scoffed. "Just childish decorations and pointless noise."
Penny shot her an angry look.
Before she could say anything, Soren gently raised his hand. "Let it go, Penny."
Then he looked around the hall. "It's almost the end of the feast. When does the entertainment start?"
Jacqueline glanced toward the staff table. "Dumbledore usually introduces it… but he isn't here."
Cassie frowned slightly. "Maybe we should go find him."
Soren nodded. "Alright. Let's check."
Cassie added quickly, "But we need to hurry back. I'm not missing out on the sweets."
"Yeah," they all replied, laughing.
And together, they slipped away from the Great Hall.
They reached the Training Ground. But they were shocked by seeing the things in front of them.
A white-haired girl lay on the ground, completely still. No one could tell if she was alive… or dead.
Standing beside her was a large bearded man, wearing a heavy coat.
On either side of him stood two wolves, they weren't normal. They were standing on two legs.
The man smiled slowly.
"Nothing to be afraid of, love," he said calmly. "We're here to free you from your little lives. To show you what true power tastes like…"
Soren stepped forward despite the fear rising in his chest.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
The man's smile widened.
"Fenrir Greyback। I'll be takin' care of you from now on… after I get a bite or two."
Soren's heart pounded.
He turned sharply to the others.
"Everyone—run."
Penny shook her head, trembling. "We can't leave you here… with them."
"Please," Soren shouted again, louder this time.
"Everyone… RUN!"
"No," Jacqueline said firmly. "We're not running away."
Soren faced Greyback again.
"You don't belong here," he said.
Greyback laughed softly. "That's where you're wrong, little wizard. Everything belongs to us."
His eyes flicked toward the fallen girl.
"You'll see the truth soon enough… or you'll be dead."
"We'll stop you," Soren replied, raising his wand.
Greyback tilted his head. "That's what the girl said too." He pointed at the white-haired girl. "Now look at her. Lying there like a pretty slab of meat…"
One of the wolves growled deeply.
"Graaaawrrr."
Greyback chuckled.
"You're right, friend. What sort of leader would I be if I didn't let my pack have a bite too…"
He took a step forward.
"I won't let you hurt anyone at Hogwarts," Soren said, pulling out his wand.
Fenrir Greyback smiled darkly.
"Then I'll hurt you first."
He lifted his hand and pointed.
"Go."
One of the werewolves charged forward, its claws scraping the ground as it leapt toward them.
Penny stepped back in fear. "It's coming straight at us!"
"Stay close," Soren ordered.
The werewolf swiped at Soren, forcing him to jump aside.
"Flipendo!" Soren shouted.
The spell hit the creature and knocked it back several steps, but it quickly regained its footing and snarled louder.
Jacqueline raised her wand. "Rictusempra!"
The tickling charm struck the werewolf. It staggered, laughing uncontrollably, movements becoming clumsy.
"Now!" Soren yelled.
Cassie didn't hesitate. "Flipendo!"
The combined force sent the werewolf crashing into the stone ground. It tried to stand again, growling, but its legs buckled.
The creature lunged one last time, toward Penny.
Soren moved fast. "Flipendo!"
The spell struck cleanly.
The werewolf slammed into a nearby pillar and collapsed, completely unconscious.
Silence fell over the Training Ground. The battle was over.
Soren lowered his wand, breathing hard.
Penny stared at the fallen creature. "We… we did it."
Jacqueline nodded, gripping her wand tightly. "It's down."
Cassie glanced toward Fenrir, who had been watching the entire fight.
Fenrir's smile widened slowly. "You're strong for a little one…"
His eyes gleamed as he looked Soren up and down.
"You might just make a valuable addition to my pack. If not," he smiled cruelly, "at least a decent meal."
That was enough.
"Flipendo!" Soren shouted.
"Flipendo!" Penny and Cassie followed instantly.
"Flipendo!" Jacqueline added.
All four spells flew toward Fenrir at once.
Fenrir moved faster than expected, stepping aside effortlessly as the spells blasted the ground behind him.
He laughed.
"That wasn't smart at all," he said calmly. "Now I'm going to have to do this the slow way…"
He took a step forward.
"You can scream if you want," he added. "It makes the taste better."
Suddenly, Fenrir stopped. He tilted his head. Sniffed the air. His expression changed.
"…Dumbledore."
Without another word, Fenrir whistled sharply.
The two remaining werewolves immediately turned and fled with him into the darkness.
The night went quiet.
A moment later, footsteps echoed behind them.
Professor Dumbledore appeared, his robes moving gently as he approached.
"Are you little ones alright?" he asked calmly.
Soren lowered his wand. "We're fine… they were,"
"Werewolves," Dumbledore finished. "I am aware. I have just removed five of them from Hagrid's hut."
The students exchanged shocked looks.
Dumbledore then turned his attention to the white-haired girl lying on the ground.
He knelt beside her, examining her carefully.
"What happened to Miss Lobosca?" he asked.
"We… don't know," Jacqueline replied quietly. "She was already lying there when we arrived."
Dumbledore nodded after a moment. "She does not appear to have been bitten."
Relief washed over them.
He stood and looked at Soren and the others, "Return to your dormitories, little ones. You've done enough for one night."
"Can we do anything to help?" Soren asked.
Dumbledore smiled faintly. "No. I will bring in an expert from the Werewolf Capture Unit. This matter is no longer for students."
Reluctantly, they returned to their dormitories.