Lando sat in the library, his notes spread out before him. The serpent constellation diagram hovered above the table, softly glowing as if encouraging him to think harder. He'd spent hours trying to piece together the significance of the clues: the full moon, the frozen runes, the lake, and the cryptic line about the Chamber testing truth.

The full moon had revealed the frozen runes carved into the cliff face, but what were they pointing to? The lake had cursed Carlos when he tried to retrieve something from its depths- why? And how does the serpent constellation fit into all of this?

His eyes drifted to the runes he had copied. They glimmered faintly on the parchment, like tiny stars. It reminded him of the constellation.

"Wait a second," he muttered.

He grabbed his quill and began sketching the constellation over the runes. As he aligned the two, a pattern emerged. The runes formed a map, pointing to a specific location on the grounds.

His heart raced. The lake wasn't the Chamber itself- it was part of the journey, a trial. The real Chamber had to be near the cliffs.

Lando bolted out of the library, clutching his notes. He found Carlos in the Great Hall, picking at his breakfast.

"Carlos!" Lando exclaimed, sliding into the seat across from him.

He looked up, startled. "You're in a rush. What's going on?"

"I've figured it out," Lando said, barely able to contain his excitement. "The Chamber. I know where it is."

Carlos frowned, lowering his fork. "What? How?"

Lando laid out his notes and explained. "The full moon wasn't about accessing the Chamber- it was about revealing the clues. The serpent constellation and the frozen runes work together to form a map. They point to the cliffs near the Forbidden Forest, but slightly inland. It's not in the lake like we thought; the lake was just one of the trials."

Carlos leaned forward, his expression guarded. "The cliffs... that makes sense. The runes were binding something there. But why would it be inland?"

Lando shrugged. "Maybe it's a protective measure, to keep people from stumbling on it by accident. But look at this!" He pointed to his sketch. "When you overlay the constellation on the runes, it forms a path. I think it leads to an entrance hidden in the cliffs."

Carlos stared at the diagram, his jaw tightening.

"Well?" Lando prompted. "Aren't you excited? This is huge!"

Carlos forced a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah. It's... great work, Lando. Really."

Lando sat back, puzzled. "You don't seem thrilled. What's wrong?"

Carlos shook his head, looking down at his hands. "Nothing. I'm just... processing, I guess. It's a lot to take in."

Lando frowned, watching his friend closely. "If something's bothering you, you can tell me. You're not acting like yourself."

Carlos sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm fine, Lando. Just tired."

Lando didn't believe him, but he decided not to push. Instead, he gathered his notes and stood. "We need to check this out as soon as possible. Are you in?"

Carlos hesitated, then nodded. "Sí. Of course."

As Lando walked away, buzzing with excitement, Carlos remained seated, staring at the table. His heart was heavy with dread. The Chamber of Shadows was testing their truth- and his truth was something he wasn't ready to face.

He thought about Oscar's words from the night before, about the pros and cons of telling Lando the truth. Maybe Oscar was right. Maybe it was time to stop running.

But not yet.

First, they had to face the Chamber, and Carlos had a feeling that whatever lay within would force his hand, whether he was ready or not.

The wind whipped around them as Lando and Carlos made their way through the Forbidden Forest toward the cliffs. The map Lando had deciphered burned bright in his mind, as he practically buzzed with anticipation.

"This is it," Lando said, his voice cutting through the rustle of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. "We're finally going to see what's inside."

Carlos trudged behind him, his shoulders hunched. "Sí."

Lando glanced back, frowning. "You've been acting weird since breakfast. Are you sure you're okay?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," Carlos snapped, harsher than he intended. He softened his tone, sighing. "Just tired. Long week."

Lando hesitated but nodded. "Okay. But if something is wrong, please tell me."

Carlos mumbled, looking away, "I know."

As they neared the cliffs, the air grew colder, and a faint shimmer appeared in the distance. It was as if the cliffs were cloaked in a thin veil of frost, even though the weather wasn't nearly cold enough for ice.

Lando stopped, pulling out his notes. "This is it. The path should start somewhere around here." He scanned the area, his eyes lighting up when he spotted a faint glimmer in the rock face.

"Over there!" he exclaimed, rushing forward.

Carlos followed more slowly, his stomach twisting. Every step closer felt like a step toward inevitable disaster.

Lando ran his hand along the shimmering rock, murmuring an incantation he'd found in one of Professor Alonso's books. The ice-like veil melted away, revealing an archway carved into the cliff face.

"We did it!" Lando grinned at Carlos. "This is definitely it."

He forced a smile, his heart pounding. The entrance was dark and foreboding, the shadows inside seeming to twist and writhe as if alive.

"Looks promising."

Lando stepped closer, peering inside. "Do you think we should go in now or come back later? I mean, we should probably tell Professor Alonso..."

"Later," Carlos said quickly. "We're not ready. We don't know what's in there yet."

Lando frowned but nodded. "You're probably right. We'll come back tomorrow, better prepared."

The soft bubbling of cauldrons and the faint scent of herbs and sulfur filled the potions classroom. It was a rare moment of quiet, with the class working individually on their assignments. Professor Horner had stepped out briefly, leaving the students to their own devices, and most were taking the opportunity to whisper or pass notes.

Carlos, however, was focused on his cauldron. Or at least, he was pretending to be.

He stirred the shimmering silver liquid before him with precise, practiced movements, but his mind was far from the potion. His thoughts kept circling back to the Chamber, to the constellation, and to Lando.

Oscar sat at the workstation beside him, his cauldron emitting faint wisps of purple steam. He glanced at Carlos, his expression unreadable. "It's never been so quiet here. Trouble in paradise?"

Carlos shot him a glare but didn't rise to the bait. "I'm trying to concentrate."

"You mean you're trying to avoid whatever's eating at you," Oscar replied, leaning back against his stool.

Carlos sighed, setting down his stirring rod. "Don't you have your own problems to worry about?"

Oscar smirked. "Not really. Watching you wrestle with your inner demons is far more entertaining."

Carlos gave him a flat look, but the corner of his mouth twitched. It was an almost involuntary reaction at this point; Oscar's deadpan humor had a way of sneaking past his defences.

After a pause, his tone softened. "Seriously, though. What's going on with you, really? You've been weird ever since Lando dragged you into his little treasure hunt."

"No es nada," Carlos muttered, focusing on his potion again.

"Right," Oscar said, clearly unconvinced. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Then why do you look like you haven't slept in a week? Did Lando finally push you too far?"

Carlos' hand faltered for a moment, and the liquid in his cauldron rippled. He set the stirring rod down carefully before turning to face Oscar. "It's not him. It's... complicated."

"It's always complicated with you," Oscar said, rolling his eyes. "But fine. Don't tell me. Just keep brooding until you implode."

Carlos hesitated, then sighed. "Look, I just... I don't know how to handle this. Lando's putting everything together so quickly, and it's not just about our 'little treasure hunt' anymore. There are things he doesn't know- things he can't know, that I don't want him discovering, but he will. Soon."

Oscar studied him for a moment, his usual smirk fading. "So tell him."

"I can't," Carlos said sharply, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't understand what's at stake."

"Then make me understand," Oscar said, leaning forward. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're tearing yourself apart for no good reason."

Carlos shook his head. "It's not that simple."

Oscar leaned back again, crossing his arms. "Fine, keep your secrets. Just don't expect me to sit here and watch you self-destruct without saying anything."

They sat in silence for a moment, the bubbling of their potions filling the space between them.

Finally, Carlos spoke, his voice low. "Do you think people can handle the truth, even if it's ugly?"

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "Depends on the person. Some people can. Some people can't. But you'll never know unless you give them the chance. I managed, didn't I? I'm still here."

Carlos didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the shimmering surface of his potion.

After a moment, Oscar sighed. "Whatever's going on with you, just... don't shut everyone out. Lando cares about you. And as much as it pains me to admit it, so do I- at least a little."

Carlos glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Gracias. That's... surprisingly decent of you."

"Don't get used to it," Oscar said, smirking. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a potion to perfect before Horner comes back and fails us both for talking."

Carlos chuckled softly and turned back to his own cauldron.

Meanwhile, Lando had decided to visit Professor Alonso. Something about Carlos' demeanor had been bothering him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on than he was letting on, as per usual.

Professor Alonso looked up from his desk as he entered, his face softening into a small smile. "Ah, Mr Norris. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Carlos," Lando said, sitting down across from him. He felt as though he was all him and Alonso talked about these days.

Alonso raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure," Lando admitted. "He's been... off. Ever since we found the entrance to the Chamber. He doesn't seem excited at all, which is weird for him."

Alonso leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. "Carlos is carrying more weight than you realise. He doesn't always show it, but that doesn't mean it's not there."

"I know he's been through a lot, but- that's just the thing, what is 'a lot'? He won't tell me," Lando said, frowning. "I don't understand why he won't talk to me about it. We're supposed to be best friends. I think even Oscar knows more about it than me at this point, and two months ago they hated each other."

Alonso's gaze softened. "Sometimes, people keep secrets not because they don't trust you, but because they're afraid of what those secrets might change. Carlos values your friendship more than you know. That's why he's scared."

Lando looked down at his hands, guilt gnawing at his chest. "Is there something I can do to help him?"

"Be there for him," Alonso said simply. "And when the time comes, trust him. Whatever happens, remember that Carlos' truth doesn't define who he is- it's just a part of him."

Lando nodded slowly. "I will."

Alonso smiled faintly. "And one more thing: keep an eye on him when you go to the Chamber. He'll need you more than he knows."