You're running through the Transfiguration Courtyard, probably late for a class you don't actually have to attend, when you see Nellie Wagstaff. She's standing there, looking a bit frantic, talking about these flying keys. Most people just sprint past her. Don't. If you want that sweet House Relic Uniform—which, honestly, is one of the only capes in the game that doesn't look like a bathrobe—you need to start the daedalian keys hogwarts legacy quest immediately. It’s a scavenger hunt. It’s annoying. It’s rewarding. It’s basically the ultimate "tour of the castle" that the developers forced on us so we’d actually look at the architecture.
How the Daedalian Keys Quest Actually Works
The premise is simple enough: find a key, follow its golden trail, and slap it into a cabinet. Sounds easy. It isn't always. The keys are fast, and if you lose line of sight, you're stuck wandering around the Astronomy Wing like a first-year who lost their glasses. Nellie gives you the first one as a tutorial. It’s up near the Astronomy Tower. You find the key, it zips away, and you follow the sound of fluttering wings.
When you reach the House Cabinet, you enter a mini-game. You have to time a slap to knock the key into the keyhole. If you mess up, the key gets flattened against the wood and resets. Just wait for it to pass over the center. Don't overthink it. Seriously, if you spam the button, you’ll just get frustrated. Wait for that specific moment it crosses the lock. One successful slap gets you a House Token. You need 16 of these.
Sixteen.
That’s a lot of running.
Tracking Down the Sneakiest Daedalian Keys Hogwarts Legacy Locations
The castle is a vertical nightmare. You’ll find most keys by listening. They make a very distinct, metallic fluttering sound. If you're playing with headphones, this quest becomes 50% easier because you can actually spatialize where the little buggers are hiding.
The Astronomy Wing and Grand Staircase
The first few are easy. You've got the one Nellie points you toward in the Astronomy Tower. Then there’s the one near the Rhino Skeleton. You know the one—everybody stops to look at it. The key is usually hovering right near the bones. Follow it down to the Transfiguration Courtyard cabinet.
The Grand Staircase is where things get messy. There’s a key that hangs out near the moving stairs. If you aren't careful, the stairs will shift right as you’re following it, and you’ll be left standing there while the key disappears into a different floor. Pro tip: wait for the stairs to settle before you engage the key. There is another one tucked away near the Quad Courtyard entrance. It’s easy to miss because the lighting in that hallway is garbage.
The Library Annex and Great Hall
The Library key is a classic. It’s behind some bookshelves. Most people find the cabinet first and then spend ten minutes circling the desks. Check the corners. Once you find it, it leads you right back to the cabinet near the entrance.
The Great Hall has three keys in its general vicinity. One is in the entrance hall, near the big double doors. Another is actually inside the Great Hall, tucked off to the side by the fireplaces. The third is down the stairs toward the Viaduct entrance. This area is a high-traffic zone, so it’s easy to get distracted by other side quests or the literal hundreds of Revelio pages floating around. Stay focused on the wings.
The Dungeons and Secret Spots
This is where the daedalian keys hogwarts legacy hunt gets genuinely tricky. You have to go down. Way down. Near the Potions classroom, there’s a key near some barrels. It feels like you’re breaking rules just being down there.
Then there’s the Sleeping Dragon statue. If you haven't found the dragon yet, you haven't explored enough. The key is hovering right near the dragon’s nose. It leads you up a flight of stairs to a cabinet in a dark hallway. If you’re struggling to find the path to the dungeons, look for the Map Chamber entrance and then head back up the stairs. The "Map Chamber" fast travel point is your best friend for the final few tokens.
Why the Reward is Better Than You Think
Is it just a skin? Technically, yes. But the House Relic Uniform is special. It glows when you cast spells. If you’re a Gryffindor, it glows gold. Slytherins get a green pulse. It’s the ultimate "I finished the game" flex. Plus, you get a significant amount of XP for every key you slap into place. If you're trying to hit level 40, you can't afford to skip these.
There’s also the lore aspect. The Daedalian keys were apparently a prank or a challenge set up by a former professor. It adds a layer of "lived-in" history to the school that isn't just about ancient magic or goblin rebellions. It’s just Hogwarts being weird.
Common Glitches and Annoyances
Sometimes a key just... won't appear. It’s rare, but it happens. If you’re at a location where a guide says a key should be and it’s not there, fast travel to Hogsmeade and back. It resets the cell. Also, make sure you haven't already grabbed it. Check your quest log; it tells you how many tokens you’ve turned into the chest in your common room.
Another tip: don't try to do this all at once. You'll lose your mind. Grab them as you unlock new areas of the castle. The quest is gated by your progression anyway, as some keys are behind Alohomora locks or in areas like the Faculty Tower that you can't access until Gladwin Moon gives you the quest to find Demiguise statues.
Actionable Steps for Your Hunt
If you want to wrap this up quickly, follow this specific order to save your legs:
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- Unlock Alohomora first. Don't even bother hunting all 16 keys until you can at least open Level 1 locks. A few keys are stuck behind doors in the Faculty Tower and the Clock Tower.
- Use Revelio constantly. The keys don't highlight in blue like chests do, but the cabinets do. If you find a cabinet, the key is usually within 30 or 40 feet of it. Find the destination, then find the key.
- Listen for the "Zing." The sound effect is louder than the visual. If you hear a high-pitched fluttering, stop moving. Rotate your camera until the sound is centered.
- Visit your Common Room. You have to physically deposit the tokens into the House Chest. Do it in batches of four so you can see the progress on the lock.
- Check the Clock Tower. One of the most missed keys is at the very top of the Clock Tower, near the gears. It’s a hike to get there, but the view is decent.
Once the 16th key is slapped into its hole and the final token is in the chest, the lid pops open. Put on your new robe, head to the Great Hall, and stand there looking significantly cooler than every other student who was too lazy to follow a few flying pieces of metal. You've earned it.