Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Chapter 404 Holiday

Henry took the dark green book out of the inner pocket and turned to the page with the main structure.

The main branch starts from the castle's underground, passes through the stone slab area on the east side of the maze, and extends southward. However, on this map, there is also a very thin branch extending northward from the castle's center, ending on the east side of the eighth-floor corridor.

"The east side of the eighth-floor corridor," Henry said, "the wall opposite the tapestry, further east, past the gargoyle entrance, that section of the corridor."

"Under the stone platform in the Headmaster's office." Dumbledore nodded.

"Is the seventh seal beneath the stone platform?" Henry asked.

"It's been there for a long time," Dumbledore said. "Older than Hogwarts itself. The stone was already there when I moved into this office. Later I slowly discovered that it wasn't just any ordinary stone. There was something pressing down on it."

"Have you opened it?"

"No," said Dumbledore. "The stone platform cannot be moved. I tried once with seven different movement spells, and it didn't budge an inch. It's as if it's grown into the foundation of the castle."

Henry closed the dark green book: "The letter says the door to the seventh floor will open during the next full moon, which is three days from now."

Dumbledore folded the map and put it back in the wooden box.

"Three days, what are you planning to do?"

"Investigate first," Henry said. "But before we investigate, I want to confirm one thing."

"What?"

"The person who wrote this letter," Henry pulled the smaller parchment from the bottom of the box, "said he was waiting for me at the Seventh Path. But the Seventh Path is sealed beneath the stone platform, and the platform cannot be moved. How could he be waiting for me at the Seventh Path?"

Dumbledore walked to the stone platform and placed his hand on the stone.

A faint green light shone through the extremely thin crack on the side of the stone platform, almost invisible in the morning light.

"Perhaps he's not waiting for you under the stone," Dumbledore said. "Perhaps he's in this office."

"What did you say?" Henry asked, frowning.

"The stone platform cannot be moved, but what lies beneath it can be sensed," Dumbledore said. "I have lived here for many years. Sometimes, in the dead of night, I can feel something moving beneath the stone platform. It is very faint, like breathing."

"You mean, the person who wrote this letter is what's under the seal?" Henry asked, frowning.

"I don't know," Dumbledore said, "but the conditions for opening the seventh seal may be different from the first. The first seal requires blood as a catalyst and is called a key. The seventh seal may require someone to open it from the outside, or it may require the thing inside to come out on its own."

Henry put the parchment back into the inner bag.

"I need to confirm the location of the seventh seal," he said. "I need to use the positioning stone to locate the energy channel beneath the stone platform."

Dumbledore stepped back, making room for the stone platform.

Henry crouched down and placed his left palm against the side of the stone platform. The pulse from the positioning stone glove instantly intensified.

The energy beneath the stone platform was several times stronger and more complex than that beneath the gravel beach.

More than one energy was surging; he could sense at least three different energy flows converging and separating beneath the stone platform.

Then they converge again.

One of the energy characteristics was exactly the same as the one he had sensed under the gravel beach, while the other had a sharp texture, similar to the cold and sharp energy fluctuation when the key was activated.

The third one is the weakest, but the most stable, like a heart beating slowly.

“Three streams of energy.” Henry stood up. “There are three energy streams beneath the stone platform. One is the main vein, coming from the direction of the gravel beach. One is cold, similar to the energy characteristics of the door key. The third is the weakest, but the most stable, like a heartbeat.”

Dumbledore looked at him and asked, "The third energy, can you determine its source?"

Henry pressed his palms back against the stone surface, focusing his senses.

The third energy source had a very low frequency, almost blending into the castle's magical background. But it had one distinctive feature—a very faint resonance existed between it and the pulse frequency of the positioning stone glove.

"It's related to ancient magic." Henry withdrew his hand. "The frequency of the third energy resonates with the pulse of the positioning stone glove. It's like they come from the same source."

"The Entrance Weavers' League?" Dumbledore exclaimed in realization.

"Or it could be something from before the alliance," Henry said. "The first seal is on the gravel beach. The seventh seal is beneath the stone platform. The entire castle separates the two seals. But their energy signatures resonate, indicating they share a common origin."

He stood up and carefully put away the dark green book.

"This matter needs further investigation. But before that, I need to confirm one thing—is Barty still alive?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Snape extracted memories again yesterday. He's still holding on, but his mind is nearing its limit. If you want to ask him about the Seventh Seal, it's best to do so today."

"I'll go this afternoon," Henry said. "Now I'll go back to the cellar. I need to lock up the map and the letter."

He walked out of the principal's office and down the stairs.

There were more students in the corridor than before, moving around in groups of three or five in the stairwell.

Henry made his way through the crowd and back to the cellar.

Draco was already awake in the common room, sitting by the fireplace flipping through a Quidditch magazine.

Seeing him come in, Draco put down his magazine.

"You're back?"

"Hmm." Henry sat down in the armchair, placing the wooden box and dark green book on the coffee table. "The first seal has been awakened. Something is moving beneath the pebble beach. Dumbledore said the seventh seal is beneath the stone platform in the Headmaster's office. The door to the seventh level will open at the full moon in three days."

Draco's expression darkened.

"Three days?"

"Three days." Henry opened the wooden box, took out the map and parchment. "The person who wrote this letter said he was waiting for me in the Seventh Way. Dumbledore said there was something breathing beneath the stone platform. Three streams of energy converged. One of them was related to ancient magic."

Draco leaned closer to look at the map: "The seventh route is in the castle, but what about the others?"

"We haven't found the second to sixth routes yet." Henry put the map away. "But there's a resonance between the first and seventh routes."

This means the seals are interconnected. If one breaks, the others will also break.

Draco leaned back in his chair: "What are you planning to do?"

"Investigate first." Henry stood up. "But before that, the semester is ending. I need to finish what's in front of me first."

The school hospital was quieter than usual in the afternoon. Moody's bed was by the window. His left eye was still covered with gauze, but the color in his face had mostly returned.

Mrs. Pomfrey said he was recovering faster than expected and that the bandages might be removed in a few days.

As Henry sat down on the edge of the bed, Moody's right hand moved.

"The Duke of Cambridge." Moody's voice was hoarse, but much clearer than before.

"Professor Moody," Henry said, "I have a question for you about the Seventh Seal."

Moody frowned slightly: "Seventh Path? How do you know about the Seventh Path?"

"Old Barty Crouch sent word before he died. The first seal, along the shore of Black Lake, has been awakened. The seventh seal is beneath the stone platform in the Headmaster's office. The person who wrote this letter said he's waiting for me in the seventh seal."

Moody sighed. "When I was an Auror at the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore had me check that office. There was something under the stone table. I used several detection charms, and they all bounced back. There was a kind of spell-rebounding force—like someone had pushed it from inside."

"Have you seen anything?"

“No,” Moody said, “but I’ve sensed it. Once, I listened intently to the stone for a while. There were sounds inside, very faint, like someone talking.”

"What did you say?"

"I couldn't hear clearly," Moody said, "but I heard one word—'back in place'."

"Thank you, Professor Moody." Henry stood up. "The information you provided was very useful."

Moody's lips twitched. "You plan to open the seventh seal?"

"The full moon is in three days," Henry said. "Before that, I'll do my research."

When he walked out of the school hospital, the sunlight in the corridor was warmer than before.

The semester is coming to an end, and a relaxed, languid atmosphere permeates the air.

Henry walked through the corridor and back into the cellar.

In the common room, Pansy and Daphne were packing their luggage.

With the holidays approaching, the common room was filled with boxes, books, and various odds and ends.

As Pansy stuffed a stack of books into the box, she saw Henry come in and looked up.

"When are you leaving?"

"The day after tomorrow." Henry sat down in the armchair. "The train is the day after tomorrow morning."

Pansy nodded and continued tidying up.

Daphne was folding robes slowly beside her, as if she was stalling for time.

"Regarding the Duel Club next semester," Daphne said without looking up, "Hermione has already scheduled training times."

It starts in the first week of school.

"Okay," Henry said.

He sat in the armchair for a while, then stood up: "I'm going for a walk."

He walked up the cellar corridor, where students were coming and going in the castle, and the atmosphere before the holidays was getting stronger.

Some people were chasing and playing in the corridor, some were carrying large and small bags and running towards the owl's hut, and some were sitting on the stairs writing the last batch of letters.

On the morning of the last day of the semester, a restless excitement filled the castle.

Students got up earlier than usual, and the corridors were crowded with people dragging suitcases, carrying books, and saying goodbye to each other.

Breakfast in the Great Hall lasted longer than usual, and no one was in a hurry to leave—everyone was waiting for Dumbledore's end-of-term address.

When Henry entered the Great Hall, the Slytherin table was already full of people.

Draco took a seat next to him, while Pansy and Daphne sat opposite him.

As Dumbledore stood up, the Great Hall gradually quieted down.

His voice wasn't loud, but every word clearly reached everyone's ears.

"This school year is over," he said. "Some of you will graduate and leave Hogwarts. Others will come back. But wherever you go, the things that happened this year—the Triwizard Tournament, the Dueling Club, the friends you learned in class and made outside of class—will stay with you."

His gaze swept across the Great Hall: "A lot has happened this semester. Some things you know, some things you don't. But I want to tell you one thing—Hogwarts is a safe place. It was, it is, and it will be."

A round of applause rang out in the Great Hall. Henry put down his teacup and glanced at the Gryffindor table.

Harry was sitting between Ron and Hermione, talking to them.

Ron was laughing, and Hermione was spreading jam on bread.

Everything seems normal.

Dumbledore continued, "Before you leave, please make sure your luggage is packed. The Hogwarts Express will depart from Hogsmeade Station at 10:00 AM tomorrow. The Heads of House will distribute report cards this afternoon."

"Finally, I want you to remember one thing—wherever you go, Hogwarts will always be your home."

After breakfast, the students poured out of the auditorium to begin their final packing and farewells.

Henry and Draco returned to the cellar and packed their belongings.

Henry didn't have much stuff; he wrapped the dark green and murky green books in waterproof cloth and put them in a compartment of the box.

The positioning stone gloves and beacon pendant were worn close to the body, while the small stone with the fourth arc engraved was tucked away in a hidden compartment in the belt.

The map and letter were locked in the dormitory drawer and sealed with magic.

Draco was packing his suitcase nearby, moving more slowly than usual.

"What are your plans?" he asked.

"Back to Kensington Palace," Henry said, closing the suitcase. "Then I'll go to Sandringham. Grandmother says she has something to discuss."

"About the seal?"

"Perhaps," Henry said. "And you?"

"Malfoy Manor." There was a hint of resistance in Draco's voice. "Father said that important guests are coming this holiday and that I need to make preparations."

Henry glanced at him: "What guest?"

"I don't know." Draco folded a robe and stuffed it into the box. "But Father has been very busy lately, with owls flying around and sometimes spending the whole night in his study writing letters."

Henry fastened the box: "If anything happens, write to me."

Draco nodded.

Henry received his report card in the Slytherin common room when it was handed out in the afternoon.

The final exam report was all zeros, except for one A on Daphne's report. She glanced at it and stuffed it into the box.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Daphne said. "What Moody taught was too difficult. I almost failed."

"Professor Moody is still at the university hospital," Pansy said. "I heard they'll be replacing him next semester."

"Who should we switch to?" Draco asked.

"I don't know," Pansy said. "Maybe Dumbledore taught him himself."

On the day I left school, the Hogwarts Express was waiting at Hogsmeade Station.

The platform was packed with students, suitcases were piled up everywhere, owls were flapping their wings in their cages, and cats were darting around at our feet.

As Henry dragged his suitcase onto the platform, Cedric squeezed through the crowd.

"Henry," Cedric said, clutching a small box, "this is for you."

Henry took the box, inside which was a silver bookmark shaped like an oak leaf, with four very fine arcs engraved on its veins.

"I bought it in Hogsmeade," Cedric said. "It's nothing expensive. But I think you'll like it."

Henry put the bookmark into his inner pocket: "Thank you."