The autumn wind rattled the castle windows, and the dungeons beneath Hogwarts seemed colder than ever. Sagar moved through the stone corridors with practiced ease, his senses attuned to the secrets that clung to the shadows. He had always been drawn to the hidden places—where stories waited to be discovered and danger was just another form of invitation.
Whispers and Rumors
By now, Sagar's name was on every student's lips. Some said he was a prince from a distant land, sent to Hogwarts to forge alliances. Others whispered that he was cursed, that the spectral white tiger sometimes seen near the Slytherin common room was his familiar—or his jailer. The older students were divided: some admired his skill and poise, others resented the attention he drew. Draco Malfoy, in particular, vacillated between trying to befriend Sagar and plotting to outshine him.
Even the professors were intrigued. Snape watched him with a hawk's intensity, testing him with increasingly difficult potions and questions. Professor Flitwick praised his charmwork, while Professor McGonagall seemed to expect him to break the rules—though she never quite caught him at it.
Secrets Beneath the Castle
One evening, after a particularly challenging Potions lesson, Sagar lingered in the dungeons while the other students filed out. He traced his fingers along the damp stone, feeling the pulse of old magic. A faint, almost imperceptible draft tugged at his robes. Trusting his instincts, he followed it down a narrow side passage, deeper than he'd ever gone before.
The torches flickered as he passed, and the air grew colder. At the end of the corridor, he discovered a door so old it was nearly fused to the wall. Whispering a spell in a forgotten tongue, Sagar coaxed it open. Beyond was a small, circular chamber lined with ancient runes. In the center stood a pedestal, upon which rested a black, glassy stone.
As Sagar approached, the runes glowed faintly, and the air hummed with power. He recognized the language—an ancient script from the East, one he'd seen only in the oldest magical texts. The stone was a focus, a relic of the castle's earliest days, meant to amplify and conceal powerful magic. Sagar ran his fingers over the runes, feeling a surge of energy and a whisper of warning.
He pocketed the discovery for later, knowing that Hogwarts was full of such secrets—some meant to protect, others to tempt.
The Slytherin Common Room
Later that night, Sagar returned to the Slytherin common room, where the fire cast green shadows on the walls and students lounged in leather chairs, plotting their next moves. Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass peppered him with questions about his family's magical history, but he answered with riddles and half-truths, enjoying the game.
Draco Malfoy, unable to resist, finally cornered him. "You're not like the rest of us, Jadhav. Where did you really learn magic?"
Sagar smiled, his eyes glinting in the firelight. "Magic is everywhere, Draco. You just have to know where to look."
Draco huffed, but Sagar could see the respect in his eyes—a grudging acknowledgment that the new Slytherin was a force to be reckoned with.
Nighttime Wanderings
As the castle settled into silence, Sagar slipped out again, this time exploring a hidden staircase he'd discovered behind a tapestry. It led to a forgotten room filled with enchanted mirrors, each reflecting not just one's image, but one's secrets. Sagar studied his own reflection, watching as it shifted—sometimes showing his current form, other times flickering with glimpses of his past lives and faces.
He realized that Hogwarts itself was testing him, offering mysteries to those bold enough to seek them. And Sagar, ever the seeker, was determined to uncover them all.
A Stirring Darkness
But not all shadows were harmless. As Sagar wandered back to the dungeons, he felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cold. Something old and restless stirred beneath the castle—a darkness that watched, waited, and remembered. Sagar paused, sensing the presence, and whispered a quiet promise to the stones: "I see you. I'm not afraid."
The darkness retreated, but the warning lingered.
Sagar returned to his bed, mind racing with possibilities. The castle was alive with secrets, and he was ready to chase every shadow.