Max crouched behind a large boulder, catching his breath as he scanned the moonlit landscape. The silhouette of Hogwarts loomed in the distance, its many towers standing tall against the night sky. The train had long since disappeared toward the castle, carrying the students to the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony and feast. Now, he had to find a way in—without getting caught.
Echo hovered beside him, arms crossed. "Alright, genius. You dragged us off a moving train. Now tell me you actually have a plan."
Max smirked. "Of course, I do. We're heading to Honeydukes."
Echo raised an eyebrow. "You want to buy some chocolate before sneaking into Hogwarts? Really?"
Max rolled his eyes. "No. There's a secret tunnel beneath Honeydukes that leads straight to Hogwarts. Harry used it in his third year to sneak into Hogsmeade without permission. If it worked for him, it can work for us."
Echo nodded, considering. "Alright, fair enough. But we're still in the middle of nowhere. How do you plan on getting there?"
Max glanced at the rolling hills and dense trees separating them from the village. "Simple. We walk."
They moved quickly, keeping to the shadows as they made their way toward Hogsmeade. The journey took longer than expected—Max had to avoid the occasional patrols of Aurors and Dementors floating over the area. It made sense. With Sirius Black on the loose, security around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade was tighter than ever.
More than once, Max had to press himself against the cold ground as dark figures passed overhead. The sensation of a Dementor's presence still made his skin crawl, but he steeled himself and pressed on.
After nearly an hour, they reached the outskirts of Hogsmeade. The village was lively, with the warm glow of lanterns spilling onto the cobbled streets. Students were still wandering about, enjoying their last moments of freedom before heading back to the castle.
Max ducked into an alleyway, peering around the corner toward Honeydukes.
"Alright," he whispered to Echo. "We need to get inside without being seen."
Echo floated beside him, his form flickering slightly in the dim light. "Got a plan for that too?"
Max smirked. "Of course. Follow my lead."
Waiting for the right moment, Max watched as the last of the customers exited the shop. The owners were busy cleaning up, preparing to close for the night. He had to be quick.
Using a small distraction spell, he sent a faint noise toward the back of the store. One of the shopkeepers frowned and walked toward the source of the sound, leaving the front momentarily unattended.
That was all Max needed.
He slipped through the door, moving as silently as possible. The scent of chocolate and caramel filled the air, momentarily distracting him, but he shook it off and focused. He knew the entrance to the tunnel was hidden beneath a trapdoor in the storage room.
Carefully, he navigated through the shelves of sweets, reaching the back of the shop. He found the trapdoor exactly where he remembered and quickly pried it open.
"Hurry," he whispered to Echo before lowering himself inside.
Max landed softly in the narrow passageway beneath the shop. The tunnel was dark and slightly damp, but he wasn't about to complain. It was the perfect way in.
Echo appeared beside him, looking around. "Well, this is cozy."
Max pulled out his wand and muttered,
[Lumos]
The tunnel illuminated, revealing a long passageway stretching toward Hogwarts.
"Let's move. We don't have much time."
They pressed forward, the tunnel twisting and turning beneath the earth. Despite its age, it was surprisingly stable. Max couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement—he was using the same path Harry had taken years ago.
But things never went that smoothly.
Halfway through the tunnel, Max suddenly stopped. Something feels off.
Echo floated ahead, then froze. "Uh… Max? We have a problem."
Max stepped forward and saw what Echo meant. A section of the tunnel had collapsed. Large chunks of rock and debris blocked their path completely.
Max cursed under his breath. "Of course. Of course, something had to go wrong."
Echo sighed. "So, what now? Turn back?"
Max shook his head. "No. We clear the way."
Taking a deep breath, he focused his mana. He had been training his magic, and now was the time to put it to use. Channeling his energy, he directed it toward the rocks, reinforcing his arms as he pushed against the blockage.
"[Expluso]!"
The stones shifted slightly but didn't budge completely.
"Looks like you still need a lot of training. If this was a real battle we would be in a lot of trouble right now. Lets go and find a new way to sneak into Hogwarts."
"Wait, not yet !!" Max said, brimming with confidence. He adjusted his stance and tried again. This time, he combined his strength with a controlled burst of magic, sending a wave of energy through the rubble.
"[Expluso]"
A burst of energy shot out of Max's energy from his wand and a ball of fire shot straight to the boulders. With a loud *crack*, the rocks crumbled, clearing just enough space for them to squeeze through.
"Remind me never to doubt you again," Echo muttered as they continued forward.
Finally, after what felt like forever, they reached the end of the tunnel. A wooden hatch loomed above them—just as Max remembered. He reached up, pushing it open slightly, peeking inside.
The room above was dimly lit, lined with wooden shelves filled with barrels and crates. But this was inside Hogwarts. Max recognized the One-Eyed Witch statue a few feet away, confirming he had successfully made it.
He climbed up carefully, ensuring no one was around before stepping inside. Echo followed, hovering silently beside him.
Max closed the hatch behind them, exhaling in relief. "We made it."
Echo grinned. "And no one even saw us."
Max dusted himself off and adjusted his cloak. "Alright. Now comes the hard part. We have to stay out of sight and find a way to blend in."
Echo smirked. "Good thing you planned for that too, right?"
Max chuckled. "Naturally. Let's get moving."
With that, they slipped out of the secret passage, one step closer to infiltrating Hogwarts unnoticed.