Helga didn't pay any attention to Cedric's thoughts and instead, like an old lady fond of rambling, began to speak at length. "Only the children who are acknowledged may enter this place. They are what the Founders call 'Heirs'…"
She glanced at Cedric. "Diggory, you are one who has been acknowledged."
Cedric felt his mouth go dry, and his heart thumped so hard it nearly leapt out of his chest. It took him a while before he managed to respond, "Choosing me as an heir just because of a pinball game—don't you think that's a bit rash?"
Helga Hufflepuff laughed happily.
"Aren't you afraid," she teased, "that after thinking it over seriously, I might decide it really was too rash, erase your memory, and revoke your qualification as an heir?"
Cedric froze for a moment, then quickly let out a breath of relief. "That would actually be great. Something this important should definitely be considered carefully."
He truly felt a weight lift off his shoulders. When he first learned that he might become the heir of Hufflepuff House, his first reaction had indeed been excitement. But he quickly calmed down and realized the heavy responsibility hidden behind that seemingly glorious title.
The word "Heir" sounded impressive—bearing such a name almost made it feel like one had become the master of Hogwarts itself. But what was the cost? He would be bound to his House, and if he ever failed to live up to that name, it would tarnish Hufflepuff's reputation along with his own.
Cedric loved his House deeply. He would never allow himself, out of vanity, to become someone who brought shame to the name of Hufflepuff.
Of course, the main reason was that Professor White's method of choosing people seemed far too hasty in Cedric's eyes—although he was the only one in the entire house who cleared the game, being good at pinball didn't exactly feel like something to be proud of.
If the selection had been done through a more rigorous, complex, and authoritative test, and he had still managed to stand out, then he would never have refused the responsibility placed upon his shoulders.
Cedric had now figured it out—he had essentially stumbled upon this "heaven-sent fortune" purely by luck. Professor White was an ancient witch preserved through time, perhaps one who had even lived during the Founders' era.
Judging from her attitude toward this place and her mastery of magic, Cedric believed she was most likely the heir personally chosen by Helga Hufflepuff.
That made him all the more determined to keep her calm! Thinking of Dumbledore, Cedric couldn't help but wonder privately—why were all these legendary wizards so unreliable?
Cedric's response genuinely surprised Hufflepuff. It was the first time she had ever met someone who, after being chosen as an heir, actually urged her to think it over carefully.
She wasn't sure if the other three founders had ever encountered such a thing, but for her, it was definitely a first.
She took a moment to sort out her thoughts and realized that, in Cedric's eyes, she truly did seem a bit impulsive. So she began to explain.
"That wasn't just an ordinary pinball game! It's an alchemical device meant to measure a student's magical talent. Don't be fooled by its simple wooden box appearance—I'd bet there's not a single person in the entire wizarding world today who could recreate it!" Helga declared with absolute confidence.
And she wasn't exaggerating. That wooden box truly was something only she could make. It was her area of expertise—neither Salazar nor Rowena could necessarily craft one, and even if they tried, it would demand tremendous effort.
However, Helga felt genuinely comforted by Cedric's response. This child hadn't been blinded by the glory that came with being named an heir—excellent!
Salazar, Rowena, do either of you have such fine successors?
"All right then," Cedric murmured, pressing his lips together. He didn't really understand what magical talent had to do with that wooden box, but since his performance had indeed been quite good, perhaps Professor White's method of judgment was accurate… right?
Suppressing the unease in his heart, Cedric followed Professor White deeper underground.
After about five minutes of walking, a thick mass of white mist appeared before them. The fog was so dense it looked like a solid wall of cotton, completely obscuring whatever lay beyond.
"Don't be nervous. Just walk straight in, quickly," Helga said to Cedric before stepping into the mist herself.
Cedric stopped before the fog. His heart tightened a little, but the allure of "Hufflepuff's underground chamber" and the title of "Heir" was enough to suppress all hesitation. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward into the mist.
The moment he entered, he realized it wasn't real fog at all—there was no dampness to it. Holding his breath, Cedric continued walking, and after a few steps, the scene before him suddenly brightened. He found himself standing in an incredibly vast open space.
Before him stretched an endless field, lush with crops. Far in the distance, along the horizon, a few small rises could be seen—perhaps houses.
"Professor White, is this Hufflepuff's underground chamber?" Cedric asked in confusion. Hadn't they just been beneath Hogwarts Castle? How had they suddenly ended up in a place like this? Was it some kind of Portkey-like magic?
He lifted his head and saw a sky so real it left no doubt—it even had a shining sun at its zenith.
"Yes," Helga replied. With a snap of her fingers, Cedric's vision blurred for an instant, and the endless field before him transformed into a quaint, old-fashioned village. People dressed as if they had stepped straight out of an oil painting passed by, chatting and laughing. Their presence went completely unnoticed—almost as though Cedric and Helga were invisible.
Helga looked around with joy, her heart swelling with satisfaction. Seems my magic is still as reliable as ever. This system has been running independently for a thousand years without a single malfunction!
She clapped her hands lightly, and the entire scene froze. Time itself seemed to halt—everyone stopped mid-step, suspended in place like lifeless machines that had just been powered down.
Cedric's eyes widened in astonishment. Is this some kind of time magic?!
As if reading his thoughts, Helga explained beside him, "It's not time magic. All these 'people' you see—they're actually dolls. Just like the ones I demonstrated in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Though, most of these don't know any magic at all."
Cedric: "?!!"
He recalled hearing his father mention that the Ministry of Magic once tried to purchase some of Professor White's dolls. At the time, she had claimed that her creations could last a hundred years without any sign of damage.
It seemed now that she had truly been modest—these dolls had likely been running for several centuries!
Cedric's first thought was that the Ministry of Magic had missed a fortune. Although the starting price for these dolls had sounded astronomical, their ability to function for centuries practically made them priceless.
But wait—wasn't this supposed to be Hufflepuff's underground chamber? Why was it filled entirely with Professor White's dolls?
At that moment, a mysterious smile appeared on Helga's face.
"Cedric," she said gently, "allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Helga Hufflepuff."
_______
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
Patreon: HornyFBI