You’ve probably walked past at least one of the Hogwarts Secrets without noticing: a row of cold braziers on a bridge, a pendulum swinging in the clock tower, a door near the Headmaster’s Office that just won’t open. These three puzzles make up the Solve Hogwarts Secrets challenge in Hogwarts Legacy, and each one hides chests worth opening.
This is one of those moments worth slowing down for. Here’s your checklist, with the full solution for each secret.
The Three Hogwarts Secrets at a Glance
| Secret | Spells needed | Story gate |
|---|---|---|
| Viaduct Bridge | Incendio or Confringo | None beyond learning a fire spell |
| Clock Tower | Arresto Momentum (or Glacius), Alohomora | The Caretaker’s Lunar Lament, which teaches Alohomora I |
| Key of Admittance | Alohomora Level 3 | Finish The Polyjuice Plot to open the Headmaster’s Office |
Missable! Not at all. All three are still there after the story ends, so take it at your own pace.
Secret 1: The Viaduct Bridge Puzzle
The Viaduct Bridge runs from the Viaduct Courtyard toward the castle. It has four big braziers, each with a symbol and a Roman numeral dial at its base, and only one of them starts lit.
- Learn a fire spell. Incendio or Confringo. You can’t change a brazier’s numeral until it’s lit.
- Find the floor plate. At the start of the bridge there’s a plate on the ground showing each brazier’s symbol next to a numeral. That’s your answer key.
- Light all four braziers with your fire spell.
- Set each numeral by interacting with the brazier until it matches the plate.
| Brazier | Numeral |
|---|---|
| Left front | IV |
| Left back | I |
| Right front | II |
| Right back | III |
Get them right and a hatch opens just in front of you, leading to a hidden area under the viaduct with chests to loot.
(If a brazier refuses to change, check it’s actually lit. Cold braziers ignore you completely.)
Secret 2: The Clock Tower Pendulum Puzzle
- Get there. Fast travel to the Clock Tower Courtyard Floo Flame in the South Wing. From where you arrive, open the second door on your left and go up to the second floor, where the pendulum swings.
- Spot the symbols. Look up while facing the pendulum. Four symbols sit along its arc. Revelio highlights the puzzle if you can’t see them.
- Freeze it on a symbol. Cast Arresto Momentum (Glacius also works) as the pendulum passes a symbol. Each symbol unlocks one door.
- Repeat for all four. It takes a little trial and error to freeze it in the right spot; recast if it starts swinging again.
- Visit all four rooms. There’s one door per floor: the ground floor door is by the Floo Flame, and the other three are inside the clock tower on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. Step into each one to finish.
Some of the doors have locks too, so bring Alohomora.
Secret 3: The Key of Admittance
This is the late one. You need two things: access to the Headmaster’s Office, which opens after the main quest The Polyjuice Plot, and Alohomora at Level 3. That means 9 Demiguise Moons for Level 2, then 13 more for Level 3, so 22 in total turned in to Gladwin Moon. You’ll also pass a Level 2 lock on the way.
- Reach the office. Fast travel to the Grand Staircase Trophy Room Floo Flame, turn right, go through the gate and follow the path upstairs to the Headmaster’s Office.
- Head outside and up. Open the office doors onto the balcony and climb the stairs outside.
- Open the Level 3 lock. It leads to a secret room above the office at the very top of the castle. Cast Revelio if you can’t spot the key; the Key of Admittance is in this room.
- Use the key. Go back down the stairs to the phoenix statue. Open the door directly opposite it across the corridor.
Behind that door is a Legendary Chest plus two Collection Chests, and the room also holds a Revelio Field Guide Page, so cast Revelio before you leave. Lore Connection: a phoenix guarding the way to the headmaster’s treasure is a lovely nod to the wider Wizarding World.
Rewards
- Hidden Chests: each secret opens a hidden area with chests, including the Legendary Chest behind the Key of Admittance door.
- Challenge: solving all three completes the Solve Hogwarts Secrets challenge, which awards gear Appearances.
- Claim It: open the Challenges menu and select the completed challenge icon. Rewards don’t always arrive on their own.
Pro Tips
- Start With the Viaduct: it only needs a fire spell, so you can do it early.
- Hunt Demiguise Moons: Alohomora levels gate the Key of Admittance and plenty of other loot. Moons only appear at night, so plan your searches.
- Slot Your Spells: put Incendio, Arresto Momentum and Revelio on the same spell set before you start.
- Use the Map: the Hogwarts Legacy interactive map helps you find the right Floo Flames fast, and the Hogwarts Castle guide covers the castle’s side quests and collectibles wing by wing.
Puzzles like these are a big reason the castle still feels worth exploring; our Hogwarts Legacy newcomer’s guide explains what else is waiting. You can see how many players are still exploring with the live Hogwarts Legacy player count, and the Hogwarts Legacy hub has more guides.
Hogwarts Secrets FAQ
How many Hogwarts Secrets are there?
Three: the Viaduct Bridge braziers, the Clock Tower pendulum and the Key of Admittance.
What is the Viaduct Bridge solution?
Standing on the floor plate facing the bridge: left front IV, left back I, right front II, right back III.
Where is the Key of Admittance?
In a secret room above the Headmaster’s Office, behind a Level 3 lock. Use it on the door opposite the phoenix statue.
Can you miss the Hogwarts Secrets?
No. All three can be completed after the main story.
Take Your Time: fire for the bridge, a well timed freeze for the clock tower, and a key from the top of the castle. Three secrets, three hidden rooms, and a challenge ticked off. There’s no wrong way to approach this.
