Harry Potter : Cael Vale’s journey to Hogwarts

Over the course of several quiet days, Cael Vale immersed himself in the study of the runes. The books he'd snuck from the Restricted Section were leagues beyond anything intended for a third-year—dense, sprawling volumes with brittle parchment and ink that shimmered faintly when touched by candlelight. But Cael didn't struggle.

He had long since surpassed the curriculum's expectations. Since last year, he had memorized over 1,200 runes, and now the number had become meaningless. He stopped counting. What mattered was that he could remember and replicate any rune with perfect memory that he got from system . His mother's notes—what little survived from her hidden research—were etched deep into his mind, her knowledge a foundation he kept building on. Runes, to Cael, were more than symbols. They were language, history, power.

He'd devoted his evenings to the texts, hunting for a pattern—anything to help decipher the remaining 131 runes engraved into the relic: the Door Key. The artifact pulsed with old magic, secrets buried beneath centuries of dust and silence. Yet every book he found spoke only of the modern runes—safe, revised scripts adapted by the Ministry for school instruction. The symbols on the Door Key didn't match any known structure. They were older. Wilder.

When he glanced toward the Restricted Section, he knew: if there were answers, they weren't in the stacks everyone could see.

Now, at last, came the day of his first Ancient Runes class. The classroom smelled of parchment and stone dust, dimly lit and sparsely decorated—just the way he liked it. The class was shared with Ravenclaws, whose love of precision would complement his own drive for mastery.

He slipped into a seat, and a soft voice greeted him.

"Hello," said Cho Chang, sliding into the desk beside him. "Cael, right?"

He turned, mildly surprised. "Close. Cael Vale," he said, offering a small smile. "I don't think we've properly met."

Cho shook his hand, smiling brightly. "Maybe not formally. But everyone knows you. The pranks, the Train duels, the prefect arguments—your reputation precedes you."

Cael raised an eyebrow, amused. "I hope it's a good one."

Cho grinned. "It's… entertaining. You're famous in Ravenclaw for being a menace with style."

They both laughed. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm trying out for Seeker this year, by the way. First time."

"You'll get it," Cael said. "Tryouts are next month, yeah? Just make sure you don't fly like a Hufflepuff. Bit too polite mid-air."

Cho giggled. "I'm flattered. And what about you? Going for the Gryffindor team?"

"Not this year. Got a few… secret projects."

At that moment, the door creaked open and in walked Professor Bathsheda Babbling, robed in dark mauve with silver runic embroidery along the hems. Her presence was sharp but quiet, like a blade hidden under silk.

"Welcome," she said, her voice echoing. "Today we begin your first formal study of the runic language. Some of you may think of runes as mere symbols—but they are far more than that. Runes are the breath of the ancient world. From Atlantis to Babylon, Maya to Kemet, they shaped thought, magic, and memory."

She flicked her wand. Chalk skittered across the board, drawing a strange, angular character. "This," she said, turning to face the class, "is one of the oldest runes we still use today. Can anyone tell me what it represents?"

Silence.

Then Cael raised his hand.

Professor Babbling's eyes sparkled. "Yes? Name?"

"Cael Vale, Professor."

"Ah," she said, smiling faintly. "The infamous Vale. Please, enlighten us."

"This rune," Cael said, "is the foundation of elemental theory. It represents water. It's typically the first rune taught in introductory texts. Flow, adaptability, intuition."

Babbling nodded, impressed. "Correct. Five points to Gryffindor."

She continued, inscribing four more runes across the board. "These represent the classical elements: fire, air, earth, and—" she paused, marking a dark symbol "—shadow. A concept modern texts often shy away from."

The students scribbled furiously as she explained. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she conjured scrolls and passed them down. "Your assignment: write a thirty-inch essay explaining the properties of each rune and their relevance in historical spellcraft. Due next class."

As the students filed out, Cho gathered her things.

"Coming?" she asked Cael.

He smiled politely. "I've got a question for the professor. I'll catch up later."

"Alright then," she said, grinning. "Nice meeting you, Cael."

"Likewise, Cho."

When the room was nearly empty, Cael approached Babbling's desk. She was already stacking her notes, but looked up when he spoke.

"Professor, I… found something unusual. I was wondering if you could help me identify it."

She tilted her head. "Go on."

He produced a slip of parchment where he'd carefully copied three runes from the Door Key—symbols that defied categorization, ancient and strange.

Babbling took the parchment and studied it with narrowed eyes.

"Where did you find this?" she asked, her tone suddenly cautious.

"In a very old book," Cael said quickly. "While traveling. I didn't understand them, but they looked like runes."

Babbling's brow furrowed. "They resemble runes… but I've never seen these. Not in any lexicon. Not even in Goblin variants."

"So they are… real?"

"They're something," she murmured. "Leave this with me. I'll see if I can find anything, but don't get your hopes up. Where you got these… that's not school-level material."

Cael nodded. "Thank you. I'm just curious, is all. And from last year I self taught myself Runes "

Babbling studied him, then turned and chalked a full line of obscure runes across the board. "Translate this."

Cael squinted. The structure was poetic, lyrical. Symbols unfolded in his mind like blooming vines. He read it aloud:

"Where stone meets sea and cloud-kissed peaks,

The place of memory walks and speaks.

By shadowed gate and fire's breath,

The castle guards the dreaming death."

Cael stared, stunned. "Hogwarts," he said softly. "In the old tongue."

She nodded. "It's beautiful. Hidden, but clear."

The professor let out a breath. "Mr. Vale… I've taught this class for over a decade. I've met Ministry codebreakers who couldn't manage that verse. You are… extraordinary."

Cael shrugged, smiling faintly. "I just read a lot."

Babbling chuckled. "I'll give you a few reference books from my private shelf. Use them well—and don't tell the Ministry. They'll try to hire you before your OWLs."

Cael grinned. "Thank you, Professor."

As he turned to leave, her voice followed him.

"Cael… keep chasing the unknown. But tread carefully. Some knowledge waits to be found. Some… hides for a reason."

He nodded silently, the Door Key pressing like a weight against his chest from inside his robe.

He made his way to the Great Hall for a hearty lunch, as the buzz of students washing over him.