So, you’ve found a random scrap of paper with some floating candles and a bridge on it, and now you’re wondering if you’ve missed something major. You haven't. Honestly, the Ghost of Our Love Hogwarts Legacy quest is one of those weirdly charming side missions that makes you feel like a detective, even if the "clues" are just some vague ink drawings. It’s also one of the few quests that changes its starting location based on which house you picked back at the Sorting Ceremony.
Most players stumble onto this by accident. You’re doing your main story stuff—looking for Richard Jackdaw’s head, usually—and suddenly there’s a map in your inventory. It looks simple. A bridge, a forest entrance, and some candles. But if you don't know that the quest is time-sensitive, you’ll be running around that bridge for twenty minutes like a headless ghost yourself.
The Mystery of the Starting Location
The weirdest thing about the Ghost of Our Love Hogwarts Legacy mission is how it hides depending on your house. If you’re a Gryffindor, you’ll find the map in Hogsmeade near some graves. Ravenclaws find it at the top of the Owlery. Slytherins? You’re looking in a chest in the Grotto under the castle. Hufflepaws—sorry, Hufflepuffs—get it from a chest behind a house in Upper Hogsfield.
It’s a cool touch by the developers at Avalanche Software. It makes your house choice feel like it actually matters for something other than the color of your scarf. But once you have that map, the path converges. Everyone ends up at the same spot, regardless of whether they’re a brave lion or a cunning snake.
The map shows a stone bridge. That bridge is the Forbidden Forest entrance. If you’ve been playing for more than an hour, you’ve probably walked over it five times already without thinking twice.
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Cracking the Code of the Floating Candles
Here is where people usually get stuck. You go to the bridge, you look around, and... nothing. The map clearly shows candles. Where are they?
The sun has to be down. If it’s daytime, the quest simply won't trigger. You can stand on that bridge until the next school year starts and those candles won't show up. Use the "Wait" function in your map menu to skip to nighttime. Once the moon is up, stand at the very start of the stone bridge—the side furthest from the forest—and cast Lumos.
Three enchanted candles will suddenly flare into existence.
They don't wait for you. They start drifting toward the Forbidden Forest immediately. It’s a bit of a stroll. You’ll follow them past the initial gate, through a few trees, and up a small hill. Don't worry about the spiders for once; the path the candles take is generally safe as long as you stay on the trail. Eventually, they lead you to a romantic little dinner setup with two chairs and a chest.
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Why This Quest Actually Matters for Your Gear
You aren't just doing this for the vibes or the romantic backstory of two lovers who clearly had a very stressful date night. The reward is the Treasure-Seeker’s Scarf.
In the grand scheme of Hogwarts Legacy, gear appearances are everything. If you're trying to complete the "Treasure-Seeker" set, this is a mandatory stop. Plus, you get some XP and a bit of gold. It’s a low-effort, high-flavor mission that pads out the world-building. We don't get a lot of "ghostly romance" content in the game, so this little nod to the title's name is actually quite sweet in a melancholy way.
I’ve seen some players complain that the map is too vague. To be fair, the drawing of the bridge looks like every other bridge in the Scottish Highlands. But the key is that specific Forbidden Forest floo flame. If you fast travel there, turn around, and see the stone arches, you’re in the right place.
Common Glitches and How to Fix Them
Sometimes the candles just won't spawn. Even at night. Even with Lumos active.
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If this happens, it’s usually because the game thinks you’re still in "combat" mode or a different quest is overriding the script. Try walking away from the bridge, fast traveling to Hogsmeade, and coming back. Also, make sure you actually interacted with the map in your inventory. Just picking it up isn't always enough; sometimes the quest log needs a nudge to realize you've "read" the clue.
Another tip: don't fly. If you try to follow the candles on a broom, you might move too fast and "lose" the trail, causing the candles to despawn. Just walk. It’s a short hike, and the atmosphere of the forest at night is half the fun anyway.
Mapping Out Your Next Steps
Once you’ve opened that chest and grabbed your scarf, you’re basically done with the tragic tale of the floating candles. But this is usually just the tip of the iceberg for treasure hunting in the game.
- Check your collections: See how many pieces of the Treasure-Seeker set you’re missing. Most come from similar "map-based" side quests like the one in Henrietta’s Hideaway.
- Clear your inventory: These side quests give you unique appearances, but they also clog up your gear slots with lower-level items. Sell the old stuff at Gladrags in Hogsmeade to keep your gold reserves high.
- Advance the season: If you’re still in Autumn, keep pushing the main story. Some of the coolest visual elements of the Forbidden Forest only really pop once the snow starts falling in the Winter chapters.
- Look for the landmarks: Now that you know how to read these hand-drawn maps, keep an eye out for well-known landmarks like the Giant Squid’s toast or the windmills near Irondale. They almost always lead to a hidden chest.
The Ghost of Our Love Hogwarts Legacy quest isn't the longest or hardest, but it's a perfect example of why exploration pays off. You're rewarded for paying attention to the environment rather than just following a golden line on the ground. Grab your wand, wait for the moon, and keep your light bright.