Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Evan scrutinized the ghost for a moment, then looked up at the massive castle before him.

“When I received the diadem, Lady Ravenclaw didn’t tell me I inherited a land and a castle,” Evan said. “She didn’t even mention this place. If this is my territory and castle, then who are you?”

“You can call me Marcus, my lord!” the ghost replied. “I am your most loyal steward.”

“Steward?” Evan asked, jumping down from the carriage.

“Yes. During the years of your absence, it was I who managed the castle,” said Marcus, stepping forward to close the carriage door for Evan.

“Well, you’ve managed it terribly. There doesn’t seem to be anything left here,” said Evan. The illusion created by magic could be ignored; after all, it wasn’t real. In truth, there was nothing left in the castle but stones.

“As you can see, my lord, we died. Before your return, we existed only as incorporeal spirits, unable to stop the greedy thieves and robbers from plundering the castle. Over the long centuries, waves of raiders came, looting the castle’s decorations, treasures, and everything of value. We could not stop them. We could only watch from the shadows, raging in silence, cursing their despicable acts to vent our hatred. But the Ravenclaw family’s most precious treasure remains here, undiscovered,” said Marcus. “It has stayed within this castle, waiting for the Ravenclaw family’s heir to return and claim it.”

“What’s the Ravenclaw family’s most precious treasure?”

“Knowledge, my lord!” Marcus replied.

“Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure. Compared to gold, knowledge is far more precious. This is very much in line with Ravenclaw’s style.” Evan paused, then continued, “So how do you intend to pass this knowledge on to me?”

“The Ravenclaw family’s library houses the largest collection of magic books in the world. You can find anything you need in them,” said Marcus. “This precious knowledge is now all yours. It will help you obtain everything — wisdom, wealth, power, renown — anything you can imagine. The secret to acquiring them lies within those books.”

“That does sound appealing,” said Evan after a moment’s thought. “But I don’t quite understand — How it comes those books are still here?”

Leaving aside the countless thieves who had come here over a thousand years, Evan knew that the Ministry of Magic itself had conducted multiple official excavations of the site. This had once been Ravenclaw land; surely they would have taken away everything of value.

“Only a true Ravenclaw heir can enter that chamber,” the ghost answered, gazing at the diadem upon Evan’s head. “The key to the library is the crown you wear. I remained here to guide you inside, to help you claim the Ravenclaw family’s most precious treasure, and to bear witness as you use this knowledge to restore Ravenclaw’s former glory.”

Only the Diadem of Ravenclaw could open the library?

That was the most crucial point, wasn’t it? In other words, the diadem was extraordinarily important. It was not merely a symbol of Rowena Ravenclaw’s recognition; it was one of the keys to a hidden treasure — and also the key to the Ravenclaw family’s library.

Anyone, whether a ghost or a person, who wanted to enter the library needed that key.

Evan held the key. That was why he could see these ghosts, and why, at this moment, he was the most important figure here.

To be honest, Evan did not entirely trust these suddenly appearing ghosts. There were still far too many uncertainties.

Rowena Ravenclaw could be trusted because Evan knew her well, but that did not mean the rest of the Ravenclaw family was equally trustworthy. The Song of the Dead had made it very clear: the Ravenclaw family had committed a grave error; they had invited evil and a curse upon themselves.

Look at the ghostly state of this place! Who had done this — and for what purpose?!

How much credibility did a Ravenclaw family reduced to this possibly have?!

Not to mention that they were now all lifeless ghosts, lingering here for a thousand years after death, solely to await the return of a Ravenclaw heir and pass on those precious magic books — truly loyal.

But did such unwavering loyalty truly exist — among wizards, or even among ghosts?

Evan certainly did not possess such lofty ideals. He turned his head and glanced toward the structure in the center of the lake, where a pillar of green light shot straight into the sky. He had no idea how far the Dark Witch’s magic had progressed. The ghosts, however, seemed utterly oblivious to it, which was strange.

There were far too many unanswered questions here. The ghost called Marcus had not explained things clearly at all.

“Master, would you like me to guide you to the library?” Marcus asked.

“Yes, I’d love to go there, but now is not the time for reading, Marcus. You should be able to see that Dark magical glow in the distance. My friends are there, and I must go save them,” said Evan directly.

“Your friends…” Marcus looked up at the green light in the distance, a hint of surprise flashing across his face, as if he had just noticed it. “I will order the soldiers to deal with those intruders, my lord. They will bring your friends back. However, I do not advise you to go there yourself. That place is where the Veil of Death lies, the source of evil that shrouds this land.”

“The Veil of Death, the source of evil? What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“This is a very ancient story. I heard it from others, and many of the details have long since faded from memory,” said Marcus. “It is said that long, long ago, wizards discovered a door on this land. That door possessed powerful magic, allowing them to connect directly with the dead, speak to them, and access the world ruled by Death. The wizards called it the Veil of Death.

“Because the Veil was so powerful and deeply corrupting, there were even rumors that it could grant immortality… Many Dark wizards came here hoping to obtain the power of the Veil of Death. To prevent its misuse, wizards appointed powerful guardians to remain here and watch over it.

“And as the descendants of those guardians, the Ravenclaw family lived on this land. Every Ravenclaw patriarch was a wizard of exceptional intellect and strength. They knew the most ancient magical incantations, held dominion over the secrets of the Veil of Death, and prevented all those with ulterior motives from approaching it.”

“Hmm, and then?”

“The glory of Ravenclaw lasted for a thousand years, the family grew ever more prosperous, even becoming synonymous with the most intelligent wizards, but after Lady Rowena Ravenclaw passed away, everything changed,” Marcus said, gazing at the diadem upon Evan’s head. “After her death, we could no longer find the Diadem of Ravenclaw; we lost the most important symbol of the Ravenclaw family…”