In a corner of the Room of Requirement, Albert stood quietly in a daze. Anyone familiar with him knew this was how he looked when deep in thought, and he himself admitted it.
In truth, Albert was immersed in his own panel.
Snapping back to reality, he shifted his gaze from the Troll specimen. Having finally found time to explore, he wasn't about to waste the opportunity. He still intended to search for other curiosities—and most importantly, Ravenclaw's diadem.
His memory was hazy, but he vaguely recalled that the Horcrux rested on the head of a plaster bust. That was his only clue. Finding Ravenclaw's diadem often depended on luck.
As he moved forward, Albert's attention was caught by a large mirror with a golden frame, supported by claw-shaped stands.
He approached, raised his wand, and cast a Scouring Charm, clearing away the dust.
"Mirror of Erised…" he murmured, reading the inscription.
It was indeed the legendary mirror, said to reveal the deepest desires of the heart.
"What do I desire most?" Albert wondered aloud, gazing into its surface.
The reflection showed him holding an eagle-shaped diadem.
"That's… the diadem."
Albert frowned. "I do want to find Ravenclaw's diadem, but surely that isn't my greatest desire?" He had expected to see himself surrounded by riches, admired by beauties, or triumphantly standing over Voldemort with the Elder Wand.
Instead, the mirror showed him clutching the diadem. Was his greatest desire knowledge? Wisdom?
"Is this truly my deepest desire—or simply my desire at the moment?"
Disappointed, Albert looked up at the inscription carved across the top: erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt woshi.
He read it backward: I show not your face but your heart's desire.
"Desire? I'm no saint—I have plenty of desires," Albert chuckled. "But the mirror can't reflect panel experience and skill points!"
Yes, what he truly craved were quests, experience, and skill points. Searching for Horcruxes was all for those ethereal rewards.
Laughing to himself, he admitted, "In a way, the diadem isn't wrong. Finding a Horcrux means tasks, experience, and skill points. That's what I want most."
He continued along the rubbish-strewn path until a winged slingshot zipped past. Casting a Freezing Charm, he brought it down.
"What a strange thing," Albert muttered, examining it. He tested it with a conjured projectile and discovered its enchantment: the shots tracked their target, bypassing obstacles.
"A magical slingshot—likely from Zonko's Joke Shop. Good for pranks." His imagination raced. Could the enchantment be applied to arrows, making any archer a marksman? Or even firearms, striking from a thousand meters away?
Smiling, he cleaned the slingshot with a Scouring Charm, polished it with a handkerchief, and tucked it into his robe.
Further exploration revealed a dilapidated Quidditch trunk. Inside, the equipment was ruined: bludger bats reduced to handles, broken bludgers, and a worn quaffle.
Albert's eyes fell on a rusty golden snitch missing one wing.
A damaged snitch fascinated him. Its craftsmanship was intricate; snitches were said to possess flesh memory, recognizing who had caught them. If that ability were applied to a vault, one could create a secure treasure chamber. Dumbledore had done just that.
Albert shook his head. "Why does this feel like rummaging through junk?"
But it wasn't junk. Voldemort had hidden a Horcrux here. This was no trash heap—it was a treasure vault, filled with centuries of Hogwarts relics.
Perhaps worthless junk, perhaps priceless artifacts, perhaps deadly Horcruxes.
Albert pressed on, smiling lightly, searching for a bust crowned with a diadem.
Then he froze. A faint whisper echoed in the distance. His soul trembled. The whisper vanished, replaced by his own heavy breathing.
Closer… closer. The Horcrux was near, luring him.
Albert laughed. Voldemort's Horcrux was delivering itself to him, saving him the trouble of searching.
But he dared not be careless. Quirrell's fate was a warning. Wand in hand, Albert advanced cautiously.
The whispers grew louder.
There—on top of an old cabinet sat a pockmarked wizard bust, wearing a dusty wig and an ancient, faded diadem.
Ravenclaw's diadem. Voldemort's Horcrux.
Albert's face lit with excitement.
The whispers urged him to wear it, promising wisdom. His hand twitched toward it, but he stopped, lowering his arm. He laughed wildly, tears nearly spilling.
"Interesting! An ordinary student would never resist. Who wouldn't want the diadem's intellect? But under the Horcrux's temptation, they'd be lost."
Instead, Albert raised his camera and snapped a photo of the bust and diadem. He retreated, taking more photos from different angles, marking landmarks, until he reached the entrance.
New tasks appeared on his panel:
Evil Whispers
You hear whispers tempting you to fall. The source is likely an evil Dark Arts object.
Though you don't know what it is, you realize it may be dangerous. Investigate.
Reward: 10,000 experience, randomly gain an unmastered magic.
"Excellent," Albert whispered. "That's Voldemort's Horcrux."
The task completed automatically. More appeared:
Return Relic
Return Ravenclaw's diadem to Hogwarts.
Reward: 30,000 experience, 3 skill points, Dumbledore's Favor +10, Grey Lady's Favor +30.
The Dark Lord's Secret
Share or conceal Voldemort's secret to immortality.
Reward: 1,000 experience, target's Favor ±20.
The Grey Lady's Regret
Purify the Dark Arts from the diadem.
Reward: 10,000 experience, 2 skill points, Grey Lady's Favor +30.
Destroy Horcrux
Eliminate Voldemort's weakness.
Reward: 30,000 experience, 3 skill points, assisting party's Favor +10.
The Dark Lord's Demise
Strike first and destroy Voldemort.
Reward: 10,000–100,000 experience, 1–10 skill points, Wizarding World Reputation +100–10,000, Bounty 100,000 Galleons.
Albert swallowed hard. "Fantastic. Truly worthy of a final boss—such rich rewards."
His efforts had not been in vain.
As for completing the tasks—wasn't that Potter's job? The hotheaded savior could clash head-on, draw fire, and fight Voldemort. Harry always did an excellent job. And the tasks didn't say Albert had to do it himself. Completing quests while lying down was perfectly fine.
Patting his cheek, Albert composed himself, pushed open the door, and left the Room of Requirement. After checking the corridor, he walked happily through the castle, even greeting Peeves, who was left bewildered.
After snapping a few more photos, Albert returned to the common room. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were still bent over their homework.
"Albert seems in a very good mood," George remarked, watching him disappear into the dormitory.
"He probably found something good," Fred said without looking up.
"Honestly, I've never seen him like this," George muttered, curiosity piqued. He tidied his things and hurried after Albert.
"Aren't you going to check? Maybe something really happened," Lee Jordan said, following.
Fred glanced up, saw both his roommates gone, and quickly packed his homework to chase after them.
The three soon learned Albert had indeed encountered something extraordinary. But he didn't tell them directly.