K9Leo

“I suspect we will need to earn our way out of here.” Prof. Fig said as he looked around.

“What do you mean, ‘earn’ our way out?” You sighed as you looked up. Why is my weird luck starting again? And before the school year even begins…that must be some sort of record. You thought as you looked at Prof. Fig. “Do you think this is some sort of test Doc?”

“I do. But to what end, I can’t say.” He frowned. “Say close. There will be no Disapparating if things go poorly – not out of Gringotts.”

You nodded and followed Prof. Fig’s lead.

Wherever you were, it made you wonder if this is what it felt like to walk in Roman ruins at night by the ancient ruins. The gray marble Tuscan columns stood over you like skyscrapers. But at least skyscrapers had people, had life. This enormous vault felt dead – no – make that dormant. There was something here. It wasn’t alive, but you felt it filled with magic up ahead.

A magic that felt very similar to your own.

Then your eyes noted something glowing on the ground.

“I see something, up head!” You whispered, afraid of what might come next. But something compelled you to more towards it, like a moth to a flame.

“What is it?” Prof. Fig said as he followed next to you.

“There’s that same glow – but this time, its on the floor.” You stated with a frown, unable to ignore the magic’s siren-like call to you as Prof. Fig asked,

“What glow?”

You stepped above it and felt something guide you as you felt for your own magic – the weird one that got you into strange situations like this one. Your odd magic hummed like the buzz of an electric guitar rather than an acoustic in your magical core, spreading out to your limbs as it searched for its exit through your hand and wand.

Then it met the odd magic outside of you.

Then that same magic in the air cancelled the Lumos spell on Prof. Fig’s wand. Darkness surrounded you. You felt the ground shift underneath you, causing you to lose your balance and you fell on your knees and hands once more.

“Lumos!” Prof Fig said again as you looked up to him. “What happened?”

“When I stood over the glow and did that magic thing, it felt like the ground moved.” You frowned as you stared at the ground as you got up.

“Are you alright?” Prof. Fig said with a frown as he looked at you and then at the ground.

“I’m good Doc.” You said as you looked at the spot Prof. Fig’s eyes seemed to focus on.

“You seem to have caused the floor to change.” He said as he looked at the rest of the floor.

“I’ll say. Why is there a statue under the floor?” You frowned.

“What statue?” He said as Prof. Fig looked at you. His eyes narrowed. “And why are your eyes glowing blue?”

“What? They are?” You said as you pulled your iPod Touch out of your pocket to see your own reflection. With the screen off, it was easy to use its black screen as a mirror. And to your surprise, your eyes weren’t the same dark brown color that you saw that morning in the bathroom. They glowed blue like lighting, giving you an ethereal appearance that would have made you shivered if you saw it on someone else. You pocketed your iPod Touch and looked at Prof. Fig. “Do you think this has anything to do with my oddball magic?” You frowned.

“It must be. They weren’t like that before we entered here.” He nodded.

You stared at the ground. Your reflection started back with that preternatural lightening blue glow in your eyes. The very same color that surrounded the fire spiral symbol on the Portkey canister that had jump-started this entire journey. It made you think of when Aang or the other Avatars went into the avatar state…is that what this oddball magic is? Some deity-like magical powers?

Great, now I’m even more of a weirdo… You sighed as you looked back to where you saw the statue.

“I see some sort of statue over there, but only as a reflection in the floor.” You pouted, wondering what everything meant. The statue itself was of a knight kneeling down with his sword pointed downwards. You narrowed your eyes.

What if I used Revelio like I did on the door? Would that do something?

So, you did that.

With a flick of the wand, you felt that odd magic of yours spread over the area above the image of the knight on the floor, as if washing away a charm. A moment later, a real knight statue appeared above it. It too was kneeling like the floor image.

Only it wasn’t mirroring the reflection on the floor. It faced the opposite direction.

“I presume this is what you saw reflected in the floor.” Prof. Fig said as he pointed to it as you walked up closer to the new object.

The knight statue had the same lightening blue glow as the fire spiral symbol from earlier. So did its reflection. Its medieval sword was almost as tall as you. You could feel it radiate magic, stronger than a person, but it didn’t have a magical ‘scent’ that you recognized on the living. If anything, it reminded you of your own odd magic.

“It is. The reflection’s still there. But the statues’ positions don’t match.” You frowned as you stood in front of it. Then Prof. Fig started walking around towards your side when you noticed something.

“WAIT!”

“Did something happen?” Prof. Fig froze in fright.

“Yeah! When you moved, the reflection turned in the direction of the light…It’s following your light! That’s why the room is so dark!” You grinned as you looked at him. You loved solving puzzles.

“Hm…Perhaps you should cast Lumos.” Prof. Fig said with a smile towards you. He canceled the spell, and the room went dark except for the statue in front of you and its achiral reflection in the floor.

I wonder…

“Hey Doc, just wanted to check, do you see the statue? Or it’s reflection?” You said as you looked at where Prof. Fig stood. While you couldn’t see Prof. Fig with your normal vision, that odd magical sonar that you concluded came with your odd magic was enough to give you an image of where he stood.

“No MC. Actually, the only thing that I see are your eyes glowing blue. It would be rather unsettling if I didn’t know that it was you looking at me.” You could imagine him frowning with that tone.

“Let me fix that. Lumos!” You flicked your wrist and watched the statue’s reflection move. “Now the reflection is turning towards me.” You grinned. “It’s following the light!”

The moment the reflection and statue match, the statue got up from its kneeling position.

“It’s worked Doc!” You laughed as you and Prof. Fig looked at each other with wide grins.

Once the statue finally got up, it tapped the point of its sword against the ground, sending ripples of magical waves throughout the floor and through the room, lighting it up as it stuck the torches you didn’t see before with a magical white flame.

Then another statue came crashing down like Iron Man. It had one knee on the ground, but unlike the previous statue, this one had its sword up, like it was about to fight.

You felt your grin drop. Then it became a frown when another statue crashed down like the first one in the same position.

You grimaced when a third came down.

“Shit.” You cursed. You weren't one to curse. Especially in front of an adult as three more fell down.

“Shite indeed.” Prof. Fig gasped.

Then all the statues stood up, with their sword ready to fight.

You felt your magical Spidey Sense kick in and looked towards the one in front of you about to swing.

“LOOK OUT!” Prof. Fig yelled.

“PROTEGO!” You yelled just as the sword struck your magical bubble-shield.

Then you saw it being levitated before a well-aimed DEPULSO stuck it, dissolving it as flew and struck the column behind it.

Soon all the statues were after the two of you.

The two of you began to fight.

Every time a DEPULSO, STUPEFY, BOMBARDA MAXIMA, CONFRINGO, DIFFINDO, INCENDIO, EXPELLIARMUS and would destroy one statue, another one would fall from the sky and take its place. It came to the point that you would use PETRIFICUS TOTALUS, LOCOMOTOR MORTIS, INCARCEROUS and GLACIUS to buy you time to freeze or bind one statue. While the freeze or bondage wouldn’t last long against the statues, it gave you enough time to move away from it and attack it from afar.

Your Spidey Senses were working overtime, giving you seconds to sense an incoming attack and dodge it. And even your dodges felt quicker; like you were zooming OVER the ground. It didn’t mean you didn’t get hit with the debris as the statues were destroyed though.

At some point you found yourself using wandless nonverbal magic as well with your left hand. You were quick to command your odd magic to levitate the statues and toss them away like ragdolls as if you were using telekinesis.

However, something that you noticed through the fight was how the statues would ignore Prof. Fig unless he attacked it. All of the statues would be aiming for you if he hadn’t stuck them once at least. Then they would attack whoever was the closest.

Soon all the statues were destroyed and there were no more new ones falling from the sky.

“STAY CLOSE!”Prof. Fig huffed as you ran up to him. He looked over you with wild concern eyes as you looked at him too. As far as you could tell, he wasn’t worse for wear.

Then, just as the magic rippled out of the knight statue with a tap earlier, you felt it all ripple inwards, towards you before the place became dark again.

And quiet.

You couldn’t even hear Prof. Fig breath. Nor see anything. Not even your magic helped you sense something.

It was pitch black.

“Professor?” You yelled.

Nothing.

“Professor Fig!”

Nada.

“HEY DOC WHERE ARE YOU?” You shouted, not caring what would come after you as you felt your heart beat a million times per minute.

When the only response you got back was silence, you cursed.

A language one, not magical one.

“Okay, chill MC, just focus on what you can do…I can…I can light up this place!” You huffed, holding on to that “fake it till you make it” energy as you flicked your wrist and yelled out, “LUMOS!”

The marble carven lit up. But you were alone.

“Where do I go now?” You took in a deep breath in, holding it before releasing it. “Right. Now is not the time to panic. It’s like those adventures you accidentally faced before Kiki.” You said, using your childhood nickname your bestie gave to you to comfort you as you took a step back.

Then sparkler-like lights flew out from your feet and jumped toward one direction before fading into darkness.

“Huh.”

You took another step. The same thing.

You took another step. Then another, following where the sparklers wisps were leading you to.

“They have to take me to something important.” You thought, never thinking about how you followed them without thought earlier. Until you arrived to another spot where there was that glow in the floor again.

“So, you took me here again to that same glow sparkler wisps.” You frowned, remembering what happened the last time you saw it. “While I don’t want to fight statues again…this has got to be the only way to get out of here.” You frowned as you stood over the glow and it was just like before. You felt that same guidance as you threw your odd magic over the place. Soon two kneeling statues appeared in the floor. A quick REVELIO and you were back to the beginning of the statues problem, but with two achiral reflections of the statues.

“Okay Kiki, you’re on your own this time, but you got this!” You cheer prepped for yourself. You quickly figured out the puzzle before frowning when you realized there were more statues. A total of six statues to be accurate. Six statues that needed to be match with their reflection, not two this time.

Six statues that you knew were going to activate and fight you when you got their reflections to match.

And no Prof. Fig to back you up.

“Okay, you just have to fight your way out…no biggie.” You nervously chuckled as the last of the statues matched their reflections.

Then the fight began.

…

No matter how many statues were destroyed, more would pop in to replace them like a stone hydra. And the fight was worse than last time. You had no Prof. Fig to back you up and you got injured more than you’ve liked.

Soon, there was no statues left as you gasped, trying to catch your breath. Then the magic rippled in, and it was all dark once more.

“Lumos!” You flicked your wrist with a huff. You took one step and saw those sparkler wisp. “Looks like I’m following wherever you’re taking me.” You grumbled with a frown as you started sprinting, following wherever the sparkler wisps took you, running past the gray Tuscan columns. It was definitely better than staying put. You knew no one was gonna come in and save you from this empty Roman inspired vault.

It's a good thing you were used to saving yourself.

It wasn’t long until you found another statue, but thankfully, it was of the fire spiral symbol you've seen since the start of this journey. And right next to it, was the same similar blue glow that brought the statues.

Feeling like you had no choice, not when that same magic compelled you, you stepped on it and call out your oddball magic.

The foreign oddball magic and your own met, as if greeting each other with a magical handshake.

Instead of this union producing more statues for you to fight, thankfully the fire spiral dissolved, leaving behind a magical arch door. Your felt your Spidey senses tingling, your odd magic inside wanting to burst out as you walked through the magical arch door that showed another room.

You went in, letting the room's oddball magic, wash over you, as if greeting you again..

In the center of the room was a marbled basin, the kind any bird would be happy to have.

While this time you felt no compulsion, you did feel its magic wanting to greet you. So, you walked towards it.

And in your surprise, the was a silver-glass vial floating above it.

Take it. Learn of your magic young one. You heard in your mind.

You flicked your head left and right, but you were alone.

With a deep breath, you took out your hand and puck the vial out of the air and into your hand.

“All this trouble for a flask? What are you even?” You frowned. Then you heard a door open from behind you. On the other side of the room, back in the room where you originally started the journey in the vault, stood Prof. Fig.

“There you are!” He said in relief as he sprinted towards you. “How did you– What is this place?” as he stopped to look around him before he walked towards you.

“I don’t know Doc. But I found this flask vial thing floating above that –” You said as you pointed to the marbled basin, “birdbath.” Prof Fig frowned as he walked toward the basin.

“That’s no mere birdbath. That basin, it’s a Pensieve, used to view memories.” He said as he touched the marble before looking back at you and then your flask-vial.

“I wonder.” He hmm. “May I?” He asked, pointing to the flask-vial. You handed it to him. He took off the top and pour what looked like silver smoke-liquid down into the magical birdbath basin.

To your surprise, the birdbath became full of the smoke-liquid, only now, it acted like water.

“Follow my lead.” Prof. Fig said. You walked to the other side of the birdbath, opposite of Prof. Fig and waited to see what he would do. He dipped his head into the liquid that now wanted to act like smoke.

“First time for everything.” You frowned as you copied him and did the same. When you dipped your head into the basin, you found that that silver liquid moved around your head like smoke. Then you inhaled it in. You felt you senses activate, like you were downloading something with every breathe you took.

Smells, sounds, sensations, and sights ran through your mind.

Then you were somewhere else.

…

You were in the same place as before but in front of you, you saw a Renaissance man, one who could be a twin to Leonardo Da Vinci, waving his wand, constructing the place that you were in with that blue glowing magic. And there was another Renaissance man there too with a cap that reminded you of a hat a newsboy would wear from the front.

“All is in place.” Said the Newsboy Cap Man.

“The Portkey is well hidden?” Said the Leonardo Twin as he walked to the Newsboy.

“Perhaps too well.” Newsboy said. “I wonder if the path we’ve created-”

“Maybe be impossible to follow? It will only be impossible for one who cannot see traces of ancient magic – as we can.” Leonardo Twin said as he stood next to Newsboy. It was then you noticed the Leonardo Twin had those same glowing blue eyes as you did. So did the Newsboy.

That explains why I saw that glow…or why my eyes are glowing blue like theirs right now. It is ancient magic. You thought with a frown.

“Your ability to see what others cannot will not be enough Percival.” Said Newsboy as he looked at Leonardo – No, his name is Percival . Newsboy looked at Percival with concern. “We are entrusting the one who embarks on this path with powerful secrets – with knowledge others will do anything to obtain.” He frowned.

“Yes, and if we are correct Charles…” said Percival.

And Newsboy’s name is Charles. You thought.

“…the witch or wizard who completes the trials will have proven themselves worthy of that knowledge and the responsibility that accompanies it.” Percival finished.

“We’ve done all that we can.” Newsboy – No, Charles – said.

Then Percival pointed the wand to his temple and pulled out a string of that same silver smoke liquid you saw in the flask-vial.

That’s when everything turned into silver smoke once more and you felt yourself pull your head out of the birdbath basin, gasping as if you were underwater and ran out of air…but you weren’t air-starved, you were shocked.

“That’s what you’re seeing? The blue glow that surrounded them?” Prof. Fig said as he looked at you with awe.

“Yeah. That’s same glow Doc.” You smiled, happy for once to know you weren’t the only one who saw it. That you weren’t alone.

“Astonishing.” He said as he started back at the birdbath pensive, as if, if he tried enough, he could see it here as well and not just in the memories.

“All that time…I was seeing magic. Ancient magic!” You grinned. “That explains so much why I can also see, well sense people really! Or even know who was magical!” You laughed. “I was seeing, feeling their magic! All this time, I felt like the black sheep, no one understood me…I have a name for it!” you chuckled as you looked at Prof. Fig who smiled back.

“You can sense other people’s magic?” He asked surprised.

“Oh, it’s more than that! But there are also limits! But I can only see ancient magic like you saw there, but I can also see people’s magic within them! I can even recognize them; everyone has their magical identity, sort of like how we all have a different identity scent to a dog if that makes sense.” You laughed.

“Incredible…all this time you, my charge, have this magic! The same magic that Miriam had always believed existed but could never prove its existence!” He smiled with a sadness in his eyes as he looked at you like he discovered gold. “Oh, how I wish Miriam was here. She spent her life studying this…she could’ve helped you by far more than I could…oh, you got some dirt on your face ” Prof. Fig frowned as he took out a handkerchief and cleaned the dirt off your face.

“And now to know it lies in you, my charge…that you might even be the key to understanding this, the link that Miriam was looking for…oh…oh, I’m so sorry Iñaki…” His voice cracked as said your name as he continued wiping your face with a sad smile. “I’m afraid this gift will bring you much trouble ahead. It took Miriam’s life and George’s, all because they gathered and possessed some knowledge of an ancient power that has been dormant for centuries…I worry about what that means for you but know that I will do my best to protect and guide you. Just know that this must be kept a secret between us. There are many who would wish to take advantage of your power…huh, that wasn't dirt on your face.” He said as he finished cleaning your face before he pointed his wand at your face, mummer ing a spell. You felt your face tingle, as if there were bugs crawling on it, but towards each other.

“I did the best I could, hopefully that slight scar can be treated with an ointment at Hogwarts.” He frowned as you looked at his hand with the handkerchief. It was no longer white, but the red and brown coated it like a tie-dye shirt. “Now if only we can do something about your lightening blue eyes. Eyes that change color like that show powerful innate magic like a metamorphmagus. Do you think you can change them back to your original eye color?” He asked with worry in his eyes.

“I don’t know how.” You frowned. “I don’t even know how I did it in the first plac-”

There was a bang at the door.

The two of you froze and stared at the same door Prof. Fig came from earlier as you heard a familiar voice say,

“It all looks rather different than it did a moment ago.”

It was the goblin banker.

“Someone’s coming.” Prof. Fig said as he walked in front of you with his wand out. You took your wand out as well.

“I don’t know!” The goblin banker yelled loudly - you realized the noise for what it was. A warning for you and Prof. Fig. “But, sir – you shouldn’t be in here.”

The door glowed red and split open with a force that a preteen would use to slam the door to their against their parents. In came in four goblins. The banker at the back with a worried look as he looked at you before quietly gasping. In front of the banker goblin stood the same guard you saw earlier on the cart ride, giving you and Prof. Fig a menacing look. Behind the guard goblin was a different goblin dressed up in some soldier uniform coat you swore they could have wore in 1800s. At point, there was the big bad goblin who took his fashion looks out of a Viking’s closet.

“I was right.” The Viking goblin said.

“Ranrok.” Prof. Fig growled as he marched towards the Viking goblin. You followed behind him, trying to mimic his hostile stand and Ranrok marched up to the two of you, with only a few feet separating you from the Viking goblin.

“Seems my reputation precedes me. I was beginning to think no one was ever going to visit Rackham’s vault.” Ranrok grinned.

You seen friendlier smiles on sharks.

“Then why are you here?” Prof. Fig said as he pointed his wand to Ranrok. You mimicked him a millisecond later, hoping your glare had that ‘Don’t mess with me’ look your older cousins seem to have perfected when they grew up in NYC in the 80s. You were more docile than them, growing up most of your youth in the suburbs after moving out of the city when you were little.

“No need for that. Just give me whatever it is you found here, and we can let bygones be bygones.” Ranrok said as he lifted his hand up in annoyance. It was then that you noticed his eyes glowed red like blood, nothing like the dark black eyes you've seen in any goblin.

“Si-sir, they had the key to the vault.” The banker goblin said, as if trying to diffuse Ranrok’s attention.

“Choose your next words wisely.” He glared back.

“I…I only meant that the instructions for vault twelve were quite clear!” He shook. “Sir, I must insist. I was to grant access only to one with the key. And you didn’t have-”

With a flick of his hand, red glowing magic flew out of his hand and struck the banker globin, levitating him into the air before smacking his hand down. The banker globin slammed down into the ground.

He didn’t move.

“I have no patience for traitors. Now, where were we?” Ranrok growled.

“I’m not giving you anything.” Prof. Fig hissed as he walked in front of you.

“Mmh, well – perhaps your young friend here will be more helpful.” Ranrok looked at you. With how blood red those eyes were as they stared into your soul…you couldn’t help but take a step back.

Then Prof. Fig flick his wand with a grunt towards the goblin and a beam of red light struck out to the goblin. Ranrok moved his hand in front of it, letting the gloved hand take the magical hit. Then his other hand pushed out and you felt a magical heat wave stuck you, sending you flying.

You landed on your side, rolling back till you stopped.

You felt the ground shake and the room had darkened as you opened your eyes and found yourself facing the wall.

The ground shook followed by blast of magic and explosions.

GET UP! You yelled as yourself as you pushed yourself onto your hands and knees and gasped.

WHERE’S DOC?!? You thought before his cough next to you answered your question.

You quickly got up, winching at the pain before going towards the Professor. You kept watch at the center of the atrium where the largest knight statue stood glowing as it fought off the goblins.

We need to get out of here. You thought as you looked around for another exit as Prof. Fig slowly pushed himself back onto his hands and knees on your right side. You started scanning for exits. You looked to your right.

No exit.

You looked to your left.

There was another arch door with a reflective-glass like image. Inside the arch, looked like a forest.

You had no idea where it was but anywhere was better than here.

“Follow me Doc!” You yelled as you ran to the arch door, hoping to use your weird magic to transport the two of you out of here in the same way the wall at the castle ruins transported the two of you into the bank. You looked back to Prof. Fig, yelling, “I know a way out!”

Unfortunately, Prof. Fig didn’t seem to follow you and was still in the area where the two of you got up. And walking backwards towards him was the giant knight statue. Prof Fig stood there, frozen in shock as the statue got its balance again and then notice the older man underneath it.

“PROFESSOR!” You yelled. “LOOK OUT!”

The giant knight statue took out its sword and swung towards him.

Prof. Fig duck, the statue missing the hit. In fact, it swung around until it stuck the column behind it, and it went through it, breaking the marble stone as Prof. Fig broke into a run towards you.

It was like being in an action movie as you saw him racing against the fall of the stone column behind him, only this was real life. This wasn't no movie scene.

The two of you had a high chance of dying if you didn't run fast enough.

If you are Latino/Hispanic, you are bound to have listen to this song once before in your life. And honestly when I re-stumbled upon it in my Spotify around the same time I got into Hogwarts Legacy, I though this was the perfect song to describe Sebastian Sallow. While I don't agree with the exact translation the Youtube video I posted here has, it is close enough.

I always imagined, that when I would have time, I would make some animatic with Sebastian's life paired with this song.

Anyhow, the real reason why I even made this drawing of Sebastian is because I had a rough day at work yesterday and essentially due to budget mismanaged/corruption by the heads of my workplace, my hours got axed and I will need to look for a new job. While I knew I was gonna leave my workplace within a year, I thought I would have more time, that I was gonna leave on my terms since my superiors originally thought we would have more money in our department for the following year but the rug was pulled on all of us and within my workplace, all of our hours got cut where essentially I would be better off job hunting right now 😢.

To put salt in the wound, after I left work and I was scrolling through Instagram to de-stressed, I found out that my friend had graduated from her residency. While I am happy for her, I'm also sad for myself because even if you and your friend had the same dream and started college at the same time, sometimes the circumstances aren't in your favor for you follow the same path you and your friend both wanted to go.

And it sucks.

It doesn't matter that it doesn't mean it will not happen and like how my IRL friends say that I will get my chance to go to medical school, it just hurts that the time isn't now, because while I am happy for my friend, it just also hurts that it's not my turn in life for that yet.

Sometimes no matter how much effort you put into going after your dream, its as if life likes to make it much harder than it had to be. And it doesn't help that this past month just felt like I was getting kick after kick, moreso when I'm trying to get back up again after getting sick three times, finding out my Tio was close to dying and flying abroad to see him and then coming back home waiting for the call and now this, getting my hours axed. I kid you not, the few things making me happy has been the Knicks winning, the World Cup and its shenanigans I find on insta and the few moments I spend with my irl friends because honestly, me and my household have been looking for happiness where we can because it's been rough emotionally.

And I know things will get better - I just needed a moment to desahogar and let the bad energy out. It's why I drew Sebastian here because I he's one of the most memorable characters I can relate to getting kicked by life when you're trying getting up and it feels good putting these hurt feelings in art and letting it out.

Today is a new day and I know it will go better. I know I will find a better job. It just sucks to deal with those negative feelings and I'm glad art and music exist as a medium to express these sucky feelings I had yesterday. And I also better understand the emotional meaning behind Lavoe's song as well.

To anyone who I haven't replied yet but had messaged me these past few days, I want to thank you for reaching out to me because it means a lot to me and I promise I will get to reply back sometime this week. For now, I'm just gonna trying to enjoy my day off outside with my sibling and later with my friend and watch the world cup games and hopefully see if I get lucky if I can find the Tartan army and have my own love story like I've seen with other people during the world cup 😂

Reference Picture vv