Finding every single one of the south wing collection chests in Hogwarts Legacy is honestly a bit of a headache. You’ve probably spent twenty minutes running in circles near the Faculty Tower, spamming Revelio until the chime starts ringing in your ears, yet that counter on the map stays stuck at 0/5 or 1/5. It's frustrating. The game doesn't exactly hold your hand here, and the verticality of the South Wing makes the mini-map almost useless for pinpointing whether a chest is above you, below you, or hidden behind a literal wall of stone.
Most people think these chests are just sitting out in the open near the Gryffindor common room. They aren't. To get them all, you basically need to have progressed far enough in the main story to unlock Alohomora, specifically Level 3, or you're going to hit a dead end fast.
Why the South Wing Collection Chests are Tricky
The South Wing isn't just one big room. It’s a labyrinth of narrow staircases, hidden clockwork rooms, and staff quarters that are strictly off-limits early on. If you're looking for the Collection Chests, you’re likely hunting for those specific cosmetic unlocks—wand handles and conjuration recipes for the Room of Requirement. Unlike standard treasure chests that just give you a pair of mediocre goggles, these are the ones that actually matter for that 100% completion badge.
One thing you've got to realize is that the "South Wing" designation on your map includes the Faculty Tower, the Hospital Wing, and the Clock Tower.
The Clock Tower Duel and the Pendulum Puzzle
Let’s talk about the Clock Tower. You probably remember it from the Crossed Wands dueling club. There are actually two collection chests hidden right here, but you can’t just walk up to them. See those four massive bronze symbols hanging near the giant swinging pendulum? Those aren't just for decoration.
To get these chests, you need Glacius or Arresto Momentum.
As the pendulum swings, it passes in front of four icons that match symbols on locked doors throughout the tower. When the pendulum aligns with a specific icon, you have to freeze it. If you time it right, the corresponding door clicks open. It’s a bit finicky. You'll find one chest behind the door associated with the "unicorn" symbol (the third one from the left) and another behind the "owl" symbol. If you're struggling with the timing, stand on the balcony levels rather than the ground floor; it gives you a much better angle for the cast.
The Faculty Tower Sneak
Most of the south wing collection chests are tucked away in the Faculty Tower. This is the area Gladwin Moon sends you into during the "The Caretaker’s Lunar Lament" quest. If you haven't finished that quest, don't even bother looking yet.
Once you have the run of the place, head to the top. There’s a chest in the Hospital Wing, specifically in the bathroom area. It’s tucked away in a corner that’s very easy to run right past if you’re just looking for Demiguise statues.
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Another one—and this is the one people usually miss—requires you to head down the stairs from the Faculty Tower toward the base of the grand staircase area. There’s a door with a Level 3 lock. Inside, you’ll find a small room that looks like a storage closet. It’s not. There’s a collection chest sitting right there. Level 3 locks are a grind to unlock because you have to find so many Demiguise moons, but for the South Wing, it’s mandatory.
The Secret Staircase and the Map Chamber
Actually, let's clear something up. A lot of players get confused about the transition between the South Wing and the Library Annex. If your map says you’re missing a chest in the South Wing but you’ve cleared the Clock Tower and the Faculty Tower, check the Prefects' Bathroom.
The Prefects' Bathroom is iconic, with the mermaid mural and the massive pool. While there’s plenty of loot there, the actual Collection Chest is often hidden in the side chambers connected to the hallway leading to the bathroom.
- Start at the Faculty Tower Floo Flame.
- Head straight through the door (if it's unlocked).
- Go down the spiral staircase.
- Look for the door with the Level 2 lock on your left.
Inside that room, there is a chest behind a screen. It’s simple, but because the South Wing is so vertical, Revelio often highlights it from three floors away, making you think it’s inside a wall or under the floorboards.
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Don't Forget the Frog Choirs
There is a very specific chest that technically counts toward the area's exploration that involves a bit of a trek. If you head toward the Gryffindor Tower (still part of the South Wing block), look for the musical room or the areas with the frog statues. These "Frog Teleporters" are a classic Hogwarts Legacy mechanic. You jump into the mouth of a stone frog, and it spits you out in a secret balcony or a locked room.
One of these teleporters in the South Wing leads directly to a wooden platform with—you guessed it—a collection chest. Most players skip the frog statues because they think they’re just world building. They aren't. They are elevators for wizards.
Common Mistakes and Missing Chests
If you are stuck at 4/5, it is almost certainly the Clock Tower Pendulum puzzle.
I've seen so many people think they've finished that room because they got the "main" treasure. But there are four doors. Only two contain the specific square "Collection" chests. The others just have standard gear. You have to check every single door.
Also, check your map. If you hover over the individual sections of the castle, it breaks down the chests by wing. If the South Wing says 5/5 but your overall Hogwarts count is low, you’re looking in the wrong place. The Great Hall and the Astronomy Wing have their own counts.
Actionable Next Steps for Completionists
To wrap this up and get those last few items for your Room of Requirement, follow this specific order. First, make sure you have gathered at least 13 Demiguise moons to get Alohomora Level 2, though Level 3 is safer. Second, teleport to the Clock Tower Courtyard and solve the pendulum puzzle immediately using Glacius; it's the easiest to forget. Third, run through the Faculty Tower from top to bottom, hitting every locked door on the way down.
If the chest doesn't appear on Revelio, try changing the time of day from day to night in the map menu. Sometimes the lighting change makes the gold glow of the chest much easier to spot through the thick stone walls of the Gryffindor stairwell. Once you’ve snagged the one in the Hospital Wing and the two in the Clock Tower, the remaining ones in the Faculty Tower corridors should fall into place.
Double-check the small office spaces. Teachers in this game love hiding wand handles in their private quarters. If a door has a lock, there’s a 90% chance something important is behind it.