In this walkthrough of the Main Story quest “Niamh Fitzgerald’s Trial”, we’ll help you sneak, fight, and mourn(!) your way through the Third Keeper’s Trial. It’s a unique one, and loosely follows a tale that should be familiar to fans of Harry Potter.
Quest Type: Main Story
Location: The Headmaster’s Office, The Grand Staircase, Hogwarts Castle (map)
To start this trial, you’ll have to get to the Headmaster’s Office. The Trophy Room is the closest Floo Flame, but as always you can just pick whichever unlocked flame you have that’s the closest. After getting as close as possible, tapto be guided up the many flights of stairs to the Headmaster’s office.
Once there, you’ll need to stand in front of the gargoyle (1) and press / to recite the password you learned in the previous quest. Wait for the stairs to finish appearing, then make your way up them into the office. Once you walk close enough to the desk (2), a cutscene will start and you’ll speak with Professor Fitzgerald’s portrait.
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Find the book in the Headmaster’s office
Go up either set of stairs behind the desk (1), and approach pedestal (2). A book will appear, and you can press / to enter it, Pensieve style!
Make your way through the town without being seen
You’ll find yourself in what appears to be a hand-drawn scene — Niamh will talk to you, and soon a bridge will appear. Head across it (1) and into the town. Keep moving forwards until the cutscene plays, and when it ends, get behind the boxes on the right side of the path (2). Make sure all of Death’s minions are looking away, then head through the small passage beneath a fallen beam (3).
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Continue following the path, and you’ll pass some villagers on your right. Around the corner on the right you can find a Wiggenweld Potion, then drop down to head towards the objective marker (1). Continue straight (west), and then you’ll be forced to turn left. Wait near the boxes by the road until the two patrolling enemies cross in front of you (2) — at this point, quickly make your way across the road and continue following the path south.
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In the next area, wait behind the barrel (1) for the nearby enemy to move to the right. When it does, head straight into the water and go right around the corner (2). Death will come peek around for you, and once he leaves you can continue forward through the water.
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You’ll come to an open area with a ladder to the southeast (1) — approach it and a brief cutscene will play. Once you can move again, go up the ladder, then go around the left side of the roof, and drop down onto the stacks of hay, then from the hay to the ground. Head southwest towards the stone wall, and wait for the patrolling enemy to be out of the way before crossing the road (2) and hiding between the carts/boxes and the wall.
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Continue forward, but stop at the end of your cover. Wait for the nearby enemy to look away from you, then move to the next bit of cover (1). Wait there for the next enemy to face away, then move again, continuing west down the street. Don’t worry about Death peeking down at you — just keep going forward towards the objective marker until a brief cutscene plays and more enemies show up. Once they do, immediately go back the way you came and turn left into the door that busts open (2).
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Grab the potion hiding on the chair behind the overturned table to your left, then go up the stairs in the northwest corner of the room. Upstairs, go carefully around the corner, as there are enemies ahead. Once the enemy in the hall goes into the next room, go forwards and hide next to the doorway. You’ll have to wait for quite a few seconds, until the left-hand enemy starts walking away from you. Once he does, follow him, then go to the far left corner of the room (1) and walk across the wooden planks.
Make your way forward, dropping down to the first floor and then going left to leave the ruined building. Just ahead you’ll see a cloak — approach it and hold / to use it. With the cloak on, head through the gate straight ahead (east) and go left, then take another left to head through the street full of Death’s minions. You don’t have to be particularly careful here, just avoid touching the enemies as you walk through them towards Death (2).
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At the end of the street, you’ll be able to turn left again — do so and continue south to the low stone platform (1). Stand on the circle in the middle of the platform, and the scene will change. After Niamh tells you to wield the wand, you’ll see a platform with the wand (2). Head over to it and hold / to pick it up.
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Another scene will be drawn in, and you’ll be able to cast spells again. Take a look at the spells you have available, then walk up to the stone’s piled in the archway and cast Bombarda (/) on them (1). Continue forward through the hole you’ve created, and turn right at the tree to head towards the large gate (2). Get close enough, and some enemies will spawn. Your powerful new wand has very low cooldowns, so cast your spells often and defeat the foes.
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Defeating all the enemies will remove the black smoke blocking the gate. Go west through the now-open gate, and follow the path into the next area. Another, larger group of enemies will spawn — take them out as well. Try to cast Bombarda on large groups of enemies, and use Depulso to prevent the Dark Mongrels from getting close to you. Again, defeating all the enemies that spawn will open the next gate, which is up some stairs to the south. The way forward is to the right after going through the gate, but first go through the small opening ahead to find a potion.
Make your way up the stairs, climb up the ledge, and continue up the next set of stairs and forward into a large open area. Death will appear and summon more enemies — this battle is much tougher than the last one, as a Troll shows up. Use your Ancient Magic on the Troll, and one-shot the other enemies with Bombarda and Diffindo. An even harder battle will start after you defeat the first wave, with two Trolls appearing — don’t be shy about using potions and plants if you’re having trouble with this fight.
Once you defeat the final enemy in the second wave, head through the now open gate to the west, and continue forward onto the stone platform the objective marker indicates. You’ll again be transported to nothingness, and after a delay you’ll see a platform with a Mysterious Stone floating in its center. Walk up to it and hold / to pick it up (1).
Complete the Trial of the Stone
You’ll be transported to a graveyard. Follow the path forward towards the objective marker, and — after Death shows up one more time — approach the body on the platform ahead. Walk up to Niamh’s body lying there and press / when prompted to Interact.
Witness Niamh Fitzgerald’s Memory
She’ll get up, and you can follow her to the Pensieve. Approach it and hold / to view Niamh’s memories.
Return to the Map Chamber & Speak with the newly arrived Keeper
When the cutscene ends, you can head through the nearby magic portal (1) by walking up to it and holding /. Back in the Map Chamber, walk towards the portraits and stand where indicated (2) to speak with San Bakar.
When the conversation ends, you’ll be done with the trial, and therefore this quest! The next main story quest is In the Shadow of the Mountain, but you’ll have to make sure you’ve learned Bombarda and reached level 24 before taking it on.
Unabashed FromSoftware fanboy still learning to take his time with games (and everything else, really). The time he doesn't spend on games is spent on music, books, or occasionally going outside.
to be guided up the many flights of stairs to the Headmaster’s office.
/
to recite the password you learned in the previous quest. Wait for the stairs to finish appearing, then make your way up them into the office. Once you walk close enough to the desk (2), a cutscene will start and you’ll speak with Professor Fitzgerald’s portrait.
/
) on them (1). Continue forward through the hole you’ve created, and turn right at the tree to head towards the large gate (2). Get close enough, and some enemies will spawn. Your powerful new wand has very low cooldowns, so cast your spells often and defeat the foes.
