Like at other Muggle schools, weekends at Hogwarts were holidays.
Harry decided to go out late at night, partly to avoid his roommates and partly so he could sleep in the next day.
The Chamber of Secrets, located beneath the castle, was protected by powerful ancient magic. If Harry and Veratia hadn't helped Richard Jack Doyle fulfill his last wish, they might never have discovered it.
This unique place had become the meeting point where they exchanged ideas about ancient magic — something that Professor Lukewood, portrayed in a portrait, always complained about.
In the words of Professor Lukewood: "This sacred chamber reeks of sourness!"
Harry easily cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself, but felt slightly strange. Looking down, his body was invisible, but his feet were still visible.
"Damn… this cursed age," he muttered. Being young meant his magic wasn't yet strong enough to sustain certain spells. Just like the Apparition spell, the minimum age for a license was seventeen years.
Harry didn't know when this rule had been established, but a hundred years ago, one had to pass the Apparition test administered by the Department of Magical Transportation. Many witches and wizards suffered accidents due to lack of proficiency: some lost only eyebrows or hair; others, arms or legs; and some were even separated between upper and lower body.
Fortunately, Harry was using the Disillusionment Charm. Even if his magical power wasn't enough for full performance, he didn't have to worry about losing limbs.
It was past midnight, so there was no risk of being discovered.
Then, a bizarre scene unfolded: a pair of feet walking alone along the corridor. Any nighttime student witnessing that would surely faint in fright.
Harry was not bad with directions. He had visited the Chamber of Secrets countless times, and returning felt like going home.
Following the spiral staircase to the base of the castle, he looked up, hopeful — only to find a wall where the familiar door should have been.
"Damn!" Harry muttered. He remembered that he and Veratia had reinforced the place with ancient magic. Unless someone could use ancient magic, the door remained invisible. And the age to awaken ancient magic was fifteen, meaning Harry would have to wait until at least his fifth year to open the Maps Chamber.
Harry had asked Veratia why they had reinforced the Chamber with ancient magic. She said it was to avoid being discovered by people like Lanlock, who coveted ancient magic. But Harry felt the real reason wasn't that — although he had no proof.
He wandered around the wall for a while, finding no way to break through, and eventually gave up, frustrated.
Besides the Maps Chamber, there were two other locations: the crypt beneath the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, which Sebastian had told him about, and the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor, discovered by Veratia after she transferred in fifth grade.
He didn't want to go to the crypt in the middle of the night; it always reminded him of a prison. But since he was thinking about the crypt, he wondered if he could use the place where they had practiced magic together. He decided it would be better to check the Room of Requirement; he could go to the crypt another time.
Having made his decision, Harry walked to the eighth floor and stopped in front of the portrait of the troll beating Barnaby.
"I want a secret meeting of the Order of the Phoenix," Harry thought, pacing three times.
Something magical happened: a soft creak came from the wall, and a magnificent door appeared before him.
"Success!" Harry exclaimed, delighted, pushing the door open and entering the Room of Requirement.
Everything was exactly as he remembered. On the four walls were decorations representing all four houses, from Gryffindor to Slytherin. During Phineas Black's time as headmaster, the unity of all four houses would have been unimaginable.
The furniture remained the same, but the friends who had once shared laughter and joy there had now vanished.
"Dick?" Harry called for the house-elf, but there was no answer. The elf had been assigned by Professor Weasley and cared for the daily needs of Veratia and Harry.
Receiving no reply, Harry dispelled the Disillusionment Charm and sat in his usual spot, just as he had done a hundred years ago.
"I think our organization should have a name," Veratia said gently, cleaning Fiona's beak with her fingers. "Harry, you're the link that unites us; you should choose the name."
Harry, who always struggled to name things, suddenly had an idea when he saw the phoenix.
"How about the Order of the Phoenix?" he suggested. "After all, we have a phoenix."
"What a random name, Poot," said Cassandra, her gray eyes showing clear disgust. "Order of the Phoenix? I'm almost nauseous…"
"I think it's great, don't you?" Sebastian said, putting his arm around Orminus' shoulder and laughing softly.
Orminus lowered his head, murmuring softly in agreement — not to Harry, but to the completely uninhibited Sebastian.
"Five to one," Papi Sweeting of Hufflepuff raised her hand.
"Seven to one," said Gareth and Amit Sakahar of Ravenclaw, raising their hands together.
However, Cassandra said slowly, "Voting? How childish. I already said I disagree with that stupid name Poot came up with — unanimous approval."
"Friends, I…" Harry looked at the long table in front of him, now empty.
"I've missed all of you so much," he said sincerely.
/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
Read more chapters on my Patreon: https://patreon.com/SailorTranslations?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink