The castle slept.
Hogwarts at night was quieter than most imagined—not silent, but watchful.
And Keith Argus Runcandel moved through it like a shadow that belonged.
The Room of Requirement — Storage Configuration
The corridor shifted as Keith passed the seventh floor.
He stopped, turned, and walked back three times.
"I need the place where lost knowledge is hidden," he said calmly.
The wall shimmered.
A door appeared.
Keith stepped inside.
Shelves stretched endlessly—artifacts, cursed relics, forgotten heirlooms.
The air was thick with old magic and regret.
Keith's eyes sharpened.
"Raphael."
"Raphael, Lord of Wisdom — Activated"
Target detected.
Object: Ravenclaw's Diadem (Replica).
Location: Aisle 7, Shelf 43.
Keith moved without hesitation.
There it was.
A delicate silver tiara—beautiful, clever, wrong.
Two Souls, One Relic
The moment Keith touched it—
A cold ripple passed through him.
Raphael spoke again.
Analysis complete.
Two soul signatures detected.
One corrupted (black).
One stabilized but weakening (white).
Keith frowned.
"…Two?"
Affirmative.
Keith's jaw tightened.
"So that idiot really stuffed himself into someone else's legacy."
Raphael continued calmly.
The black soul may be consumed to significantly boost magic power viaGluttony, King of Consumption.
Keith recoiled slightly.
"No."
Disgust flickered across his face.
"I don't want that thing's mana inside me."
He paused.
"…Can it be purified and stored instead?"
Possible.
Purification will remove will, memory, and corruption.
Resulting mana will be neutral.
Keith nodded once.
"Do it."
Gluttony Awakens
"Ultimate Skill — Gluttony, King of Consumption"
The tiara screamed.
Black mist tore free—writhing, shrieking, resisting.
Keith's eyes glowed faintly gold.
The mist was swallowed whole.
No struggle.
No mercy.
Raphael spoke:
Black soul fully consumed.
Corrupted essence purified.
Raw mana stored.
The tiara fell silent.
Then—
The air shifted.
A Woman Appears
Soft white light gathered.
A figure stepped forward.
Keith froze.
Before him stood a woman with long pale-blonde hair, refined posture, and eyes sharp with intelligence—yet gentle with relief.
She looked—
Unmistakably.
"…Excel Walter?" Keith muttered under his breath.
He shook his head.
"No. That's impossible."
The woman blinked—then stared at Keith.
Her breath caught.
For a moment, she forgot to speak.
"…You're…"
Her cheeks flushed pink.
Keith cleared his throat.
"…Who are you?"
She jolted, embarrassed.
"I—I'm sorry."
She straightened, placing a hand over her chest.
"My name is Rowena Ravenclaw."
Keith's eyes widened slightly.
"…Ah."
That explained everything.
He inclined his head politely.
"Keith Argus Runcandel."
Rowena's eyes lit up.
"…Runcandel?"
She stared.
"Then you are Cedric's descendant."
Keith nodded.
"Yes."
Rowena smiled warmly.
"Cedric was my finest student," she said proudly.
"Even though he insisted on being a Hufflepuff."
Keith smirked.
"Clearly a wise man."
Rowena huffed.
"Cheeky."
She crossed her arms—and pouted.
Keith paused.
Then said honestly:
"…You look beautiful when you pout."
Rowena froze.
Her face turned red instantly.
"…W-what?"
A Fading Soul
As they spoke, Keith's gaze sharpened.
He could see it now.
Her soul flickered—thin, unstable.
"…You're fading," Keith said quietly.
Rowena hesitated.
"…Yes."
She looked away.
"My anchor was damaged. I didn't realize how badly until now."
Keith's expression softened.
"…Do you want help?"
Rowena looked at him.
Really looked.
And nodded.
"Yes."
A Gift of Purified Mana
"Raphael," Keith said gently,
"transfer the purified mana."
Acknowledged.
White light poured forth—clean, warm, alive.
It wrapped around Rowena like dawn breaking.
Her form stabilized.
Her breath steadied.
Her eyes shone.
"…I feel…"
"…whole."
She smiled.
Keith forgot to breathe.
The smile was radiant—gentle brilliance mixed with ancient wisdom.
"…Is something wrong?" Rowena asked shyly.
Keith blinked.
Then smiled faintly.
"…You look beautiful when you smile too."
Rowena's face turned tomato red.
"…You—!"
She covered her face.
A Promise Made
Keith removed a small, elegant necklace—one designed for soul anchoring.
"For now," he said softly,
"you can stay here. With me."
Rowena hesitated only a second before nodding.
"…Thank you, Keith."
Her voice was warm.
"And…" she added quietly,
"I believe you will keep your word."
Keith met her gaze.
"I always do."
She smiled once more—
And gently dissolved into light, settling within the necklace.
The room fell silent.
Keith exhaled slowly.
"…Another responsibility."
But there was no regret in his eyes.
Only resolve.