Secrets unfold
The Room of Requirement shimmered into being, the heavy door creaking open to reveal a dimly lit space that seemed to breathe with magic. A circular table stood at the center, surrounded by plush, high-backed chairs. Torches flickered on the walls, casting long, dancing shadows that only added to the air of mystery.
Hermione stepped in first, the Book of Shadows clutched tightly against her chest. Behind her, Ginny and Pansy followed, their expressions a mix of determination and unease.
Ginny glanced around nervously. “This place always knows what we need, but it’s still creepy sometimes.”
Pansy smirked. “Creepy suits the occasion, don’t you think? We’re about to summon a dead professor who now acts as our celestial babysitter.”
Hermione rolled her eyes, placing the book on the table with a deliberate thud. “Focus, Pansy. We need answers, and we’re not leaving here until we get them.”
Ginny took her seat, drumming her fingers against the table. “And what if he just gives us more cryptic riddles? You know how he is.”
Pansy flopped into her chair with an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, I’ll make sure he talks. Snarky or not, Snape’s not wiggling out of this one.”
Hermione didn’t respond. Instead, she began flipping through the Book of Shadows, searching for the summoning spell. Her fingers hesitated over the familiar incantation, the words practically glowing on the aged parchment.
“Ready?” she asked, looking at the others.
“As we’ll ever be,” Ginny replied.
The three girls joined hands, their voices harmonizing as they chanted the spell. A faint golden light began to shimmer in the air before them, growing brighter and brighter until, with a rush of wind, Severus Snape materialized.
Snape stood before them, his dark robes billowing as if the room carried its own wind. His expression was as severe as ever, his eyes narrowing at the trio.
“Miss Granger. Miss Weasley. Miss Parkinson,” he greeted, his tone as dry as parchment. “I assume this meeting is not for pleasantries.”
Ginny crossed her arms. “You could say that.”
Pansy leaned back in her chair, smirking. “We’ve had it up to here with the cryptic nonsense, Professor. Time to spill.”
Snape’s lips curled into a faint, sardonic smile. “Ah, yes. Demands. My favorite way to begin a conversation.”
Hermione stepped forward, her expression fierce. “This isn’t a joke, Professor. We want the truth. Why us? Why are we the Charmed Ones? And what is this ancient power I’ve been dreaming about?”
Snape sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Dreams, Miss Granger? I must admit, I had higher hopes for your intellect.”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Could you, just once, not insult us before answering the question?”
“Unlikely,” Pansy muttered, earning a faint smirk from Ginny.
Snape crossed his arms. “Very well. Sit down, all of you.”
Once the girls were seated, Snape began to speak. “The Power of Three is an ancient force, tied to the balance of good and evil. It manifests only when the world faces a grave threat, and it chooses its wielders based on destiny, not coincidence.”
Hermione frowned. “But why us? What makes us so special?”
Snape hesitated, his gaze shifting briefly to the flickering torches. “Because you are soul-bound.”
The room fell silent.
“Soul-bound?” Pansy repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief.
“Yes,” Snape said, his tone clipped. “Each of you is bound to a soulmate—your respective partners. It is a connection forged by magic itself, and it is essential to the manifestation of the Power of Three.”
Ginny blinked, her cheeks flushing. “Wait. Are you saying… that Harry and I are soulmates?”
Snape raised an eyebrow. “Were you under the impression that your relationship was mere teenage infatuation?”
Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but Pansy cut in, pointing a finger at herself. “Hold on. Are you seriously telling me that Weasley is my soulmate?”
“Which Weasley?” Ginny muttered, smirking.
“Ron,” Snape clarified, his lips curling into a faint sneer. “Though I’ll admit, I find it as mystifying as you do, Miss Parkinson.”
Pansy groaned, slumping back in her chair. “This has to be some kind of cosmic joke.”
Hermione, meanwhile, looked as though she were trying to solve a particularly difficult equation. “And Draco? He’s… my soulmate?”
“Correct,” Snape said.
Hermione flushed a deep red. “But we’re not even—he doesn’t even—”
“Yes, Miss Granger, I’m aware that your relationship has yet to reach fruition,” Snape interrupted. “But the bond exists, regardless of your current feelings—or lack thereof.”
Ginny raised an eyebrow at Pansy. “Well, this explains the bickering.”
“Shut it, Weasley,” Pansy snapped, though there was no real heat in her voice.
Hermione cleared her throat, trying to steer the conversation back on track. “So these soulmate bonds… they amplify our powers?”
“Precisely,” Snape said. “The bonds serve as a foundation for the Power of Three, grounding it in love, trust, and loyalty. Without them, your magic would be unstable at best—and destructive at worst.”
Ginny frowned. “But why now? Why did this happen to us?”
Snape’s expression darkened at this question. “Hogwarts is built upon a convergence of magical ley lines—powerful currents of magic that flow beneath the surface of the earth. These ley lines have been disturbed, likely by the events of the Battle of Hogwarts. The ancient power you’ve been sensing, Miss Granger, is tied to these ley lines.”
Hermione’s brow furrowed. “But what is this power? And why does it feel so… alive?”
Snape hesitated. “The ancient power is not a single entity, but a force—one that predates even the founders of Hogwarts. It is tied to emotions: love, fear, anger, hope. When the ley lines were disturbed, this power began to awaken, drawing dark forces to it. The demon attack was only the beginning.”
Ginny shivered. “So we’re fighting something we can’t even see?”
“Not necessarily,” Snape said. “The power may eventually take physical form—or it may remain a presence that influences events. Either way, it is your duty as the Charmed Ones to contain it.”
As Snape finished his explanation , the tension in the room was palpable.
“Great,” Pansy said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. “So not only do we have to fight demons, but we’re also magically tied to the boys. Fantastic.”
“Don’t sound too thrilled, Parkinson,” Hermione muttered.
“Oh, I’m thrilled,” Pansy shot back. “Can’t wait to see how Weasley reacts to this.”
Ginny smirked. “Probably better than Draco will when he finds out he’s soul-bound to Hermione.”
“Quiet, Ginny,” Hermione said, though her cheeks turned pink.
Snape sighed, clearly exasperated. “If you’re finished squabbling, I suggest you focus on the task at hand. The Power of Three is not a game.”
“We know that,” Hermione said firmly. “We’ll figure this out. We have to.”
Snape’s gaze softened, just slightly. “Indeed. And you are stronger than you realize, Miss Granger. All of you are.”
With that, he disappeared in a swirl of golden light, leaving the girls to process the revelations in stunned silence.
Finally, Ginny broke the silence with a wry smile. “Well, that was a lot.”
“Understatement of the year,” Pansy muttered, running a hand through her hair. “Soulmates. Really?”
Hermione let out a long breath, her mind already racing with possibilities. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
“And with plenty of tea and sarcasm,” Ginny added, earning a faint laugh from the other two.
Whatever lay ahead, they knew one thing for certain: their lives would never be the same.