If you have heard a faint jingle in a Hogwarts corridor and spotted something small and golden fluttering past, that was a Daedalian Key. There are 16 of them loose in the castle, each one flying back to its own cabinet, and catching them all opens the House Chest in your common room.
This is one of those side quests worth slowing down for. Here is how to start it, how the catching works, and where every key sits.
How to Start The Daedalian Keys
- Quest giver: Nellie Oggspire in the Transfiguration Courtyard, in the Astronomy Wing.
- Fast travel: Use the Transfiguration Classroom Floo Flame and walk out to the courtyard.
- Total keys: 16, all inside Hogwarts Castle.
- Spell needed: Alohomora for the last three keys.
Nellie explains that the keys have reappeared around the castle and admits she has never managed to catch one herself. Agree to have a look and the quest sends you up to the Astronomy Tower for your first key.
How to Catch a Daedalian Key
Every key works the same way, and the first one is a guided tutorial.
- Find the key. Listen for the jingle and look for a small golden key with wings. Casting Revelio highlights nearby keys and makes them much easier to spot.
- Follow it. When you get close, the key flies off and leaves a faint golden trail. Follow it to its cabinet.
- Open the cabinet. Interact with the cabinet to start a short timing game. Press the prompt when the key lines up with the keyhole. Time it so they overlap; early or late presses miss.
- Collect the House Token. Each cabinet holds one token for your House Chest.
After the tutorial key, the game stops marking keys on your map. From here on, it is up to your ears and Revelio.
All 16 Daedalian Key Locations
Checklist: The keys are spread across six parts of the castle. Here they are grouped by the castle map areas, with the nearest landmark for each.
| # | Map area | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Astronomy Tower | Tutorial key, guided by the quest |
| 2 | Astronomy Tower | Floor below the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom; up the stairs and to the left |
| 3 | Great Hall | Through the doors right of the Great Hall Floo Flame, down the stairs on the right, near a statue |
| 4 | Great Hall | Out through the first doors into the entrance hall |
| 5 | Great Hall | By the fireplace left of the Floo Flame; follow the key up the stairs behind it |
| 6 | Bell Tower Wing | From the Bell Tower Courtyard, first stairs on the left, all the way up |
| 7 | Bell Tower Wing | Downstairs from the Bell Tower Courtyard, in front of the large dragon statue |
| 8 | Bell Tower Wing | Down the hall from key 7, around the bend |
| 9 | Library Annex | Hallway outside the Potions classroom, down the stairs |
| 10 | Library Annex | Central Hall, across from the Potions classroom; the cabinet is beside a puzzle door |
| 11 | Library Annex | By the fireplace on the left side of the Library |
| 12 | Library Annex | Left from the Central Hall Floo Flame and up the stairs; check behind the second staircase |
| 13 | Grand Staircase | Near the top of the Grand Staircase tower |
| 14 | South Wing | From the Faculty Tower Floo Flame, through the hall and the door on the right, up the stairs, then left toward the portrait hall (Alohomora) |
| 15 | South Wing | Past the prefects’ bathroom and farther down the Hospital Wing steps (Alohomora) |
| 16 | South Wing | Next to the dueling area, reached from the Clock Tower Courtyard Floo Flame (Alohomora) |
Most cabinets sit close to where their key was hovering, so once you spot a key you rarely have to chase it far.
Good to know: no key is missable, but the three South Wing keys are locked away until you learn Alohomora. Mr. Moon teaches it in the quest The Caretaker’s Lunar Lament. Leave those three for later and do not worry about it.
House Chest Reward
Insert all 16 House Tokens into the chest in your common room and it opens to reveal the Relic House Uniform for your house. It is a cosmetic robe with no stats, so you can wear it over whatever gear you already use.
The real bonus is the tour. Chasing keys takes you through towers, halls, the Library and the South Wing, and you pick up Floo Flames along the way, which makes every later trip through the castle faster.
Key Hunting Tips
- Turn the sound up: The jingle is your best tracker. Headphones help a lot.
- Use the Audio Visualiser: If you play with low volume, the accessibility setting shows the key’s sound cue on screen.
- Revelio on entry: Cast it whenever you walk into a new hall or room.
- Move the camera slowly: The golden trail is thin and easy to lose.
- Do not rush the lock: The key keeps circling, so wait for a clean pass over the keyhole.
The Hogwarts Legacy interactive map is handy for lining up Floo Flames with the areas in the table. Plenty of witches and wizards are still exploring the castle years after launch; see the live Hogwarts Legacy player count on Steam. If you are coming back to the game, our take on whether Hogwarts Legacy is worth playing in 2026 and the latest on Hogwarts Legacy 2 are good reads too.
Daedalian Keys FAQ
How many Daedalian Keys are in Hogwarts Legacy?
Sixteen, all inside Hogwarts Castle. Each one unlocks a House Token for the chest in your common room.
Who starts the Daedalian Keys quest?
Nellie Oggspire in the Transfiguration Courtyard in the Astronomy Wing.
Which Daedalian Keys need Alohomora?
The three in the South Wing. Learn Alohomora from Mr. Moon during The Caretaker’s Lunar Lament, then come back for them.
What do you get for all 16 Daedalian Keys?
The House Chest opens and gives you the Relic House Uniform for your house, a cosmetic robe.
Take Your Time: Sixteen keys sounds like a lot, but most of them sit right next to Floo Flames. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and the castle is a lovely place to wander.
