Follow the Trail of Coins — Hogwarts Legacy Guide
Hogwarts Legacy isn’t always gloom and doom, killing dark wizards and mastering spells—sometimes, it’s just good old-fashioned fun. “A Thief in the Night” is one of those side quests. Your task? Assist Padraic Haggarty in uncovering the mystery of someone scheming and robbing folks in Irondale village. Even though he’s suspecting his sister, it’s up to you to crack this case and retrieve Patric’s pilfered family heirloom.
If you want a complete guide on how to solve the Thief in the Night quest and the quickest ways to do so, just follow the trail of coins. And read on.
Quest Requirements & Preparation
Before you head out to Irondale, let’s make sure you’re properly prepared for this quest. “A Thief in the Night” becomes available after you’ve progressed far enough in the main storyline to unlock the Feldcroft Region. There’s no strict level requirement here, but I’d recommend being at least around level 15 to comfortably handle any enemies you might run into along the way.
Now, here’s the important part — you absolutely need to have the Nab-Sack before attempting this quest. If you don’t have it yet, you’ll need to complete the main quest “The Elf, the Nab-Sack, and the Loom” first. That’s the quest where Deek introduces you to beast rescue, and trust me, without the Nab-Sack, you literally cannot finish “A Thief in the Night.”
You’ll also want to have either Glacius or Arresto Momentum equipped — ideally both. These spells are your best friends when it comes to slowing down fast-moving beasts, and Nifflers are annoyingly quick little creatures. Glacius freezes them in place while Arresto Momentum slows them to a crawl, giving you plenty of time to use the Nab-Sack. Make sure you’ve got at least one of these slotted in your spell diamond before heading out. Also, having Revelio ready is basically a must for this quest since you’ll need it to spot the coin trail and track down the Niffler once you reach the den.
Irondale Quest Guide
The quest is located in Irondale, a little hamlet tucked away in the Feldcroft Region, south of Hogwarts. You need to find the local vendor, Padraic Haggarty, who’ll share his suspicions about the thief and why catching them matters. Padraic’s got a useful tip too: the thief strikes at night, meaning, in order to catch them, you will need to finish the quest at night time. In case you find yourself in Irondale during the day, simply navigate to the Map section, open it, and press the R3 button (right stick). That’ll adjust the time to fit your mission.
TIP: To solve this quest, you’ll need to be equipped with a Nab-Sack, a magical bag to catch beasts, and a spell to help you slow down your enemies. My preferred spells to do so are Glacius and Arresto Momentum, but you can also use the ones you prefer.
Game name: Hogwarts Legacy
Release Date: 10, February 2023 – 14 November 2023 (Switch)
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series, PC, Nintendo Switch
Follow the Trail of Coins
Once you decide to assist Padric, there are two ways to wrap up this quest, depending on how fast you want to finish it.
The quickest method involves opening your Map, zooming in, and finding the Niffler Den situated left of Irondale. Set a waypoint to the den and use Floo Flames to travel to the nearest location, the Feldcroft Catacomb. From there, hop on your broom or mount Highwing and follow the trail that guides you to where the thief is hiding.
If you want to take it easy, cast your Revelio spell in front of the shop to spot a trail of blue-marked coins. Follow this trail either by walking or flying along the coins. You can fight your way through a small bandit camp or just avoid it altogether, whatever rocks your boat. Remember, if you lose sight of the coins, use Revelio again or check your Map to locate the Niffler Den.
If you want to take it easy, cast your Revelio spell in front of the shop to spot a trail of blue-marked coins. Follow this trail either by walking or flying along the coins. You can fight your way through a small bandit camp or just avoid it altogether, whatever rocks your boat. Remember, if you lose sight of the coins, use Revelio again or check your Map to locate the Niffler Den.
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Coin Trail Walkthrough — Step by Step
If you decided to follow the coin trail the scenic way, here’s exactly what to expect. After casting Revelio outside Padraic’s shop, the first batch of coins will lead you south-east, past the small cluster of houses in Irondale. Keep casting Revelio every few seconds because the coins only stay visible for a short time before fading out.
The trail will take you down a winding dirt path through some grassy hills. About halfway through, you’ll stumble upon a small bandit camp with a handful of Ashwinder enemies — usually two or three of them. If you’re feeling brave, take them out for some extra XP. They’re not particularly tough, and you can use Accio to pull them in and follow up with basic attacks. But honestly? You can just fly right over them on your broom. No shame in that, you do you boo!
Past the bandit camp, the coins will veer slightly to the left and lead you toward a rocky hillside. Look for a distinctive rock formation with some greenery around it — that’s the entrance to the Niffler Den. There’s a small opening in the rocks that you can walk right into. If you’re having trouble spotting it, open your map and look for the beast den icon just west-southwest of Irondale. Once you see the cave entrance with scattered coins around it, you know you’re in the right place. Head on inside and get ready for the fun part.
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Niffler Capture Guide
You’ve arrived at the Niffler Den only to find out that the culprit isn’t Padraic’s sister—it’s actually a Niffler! These little buggers are not only cute, but excellent and savvy thiefs. You can use Revelio again to track down the Irondale Pilferer, or just scout the cave and the surrounding areas and try to catch it. Here is where you can whip out your Arresto Momentum and slow him down enough to use the Nab sack to secure it.
While you’re there, you could also try rescuing other Nifflers around, but remember Padraic’s main concern: finding the missing Haggarty family heirloom! It’s hidden behind and up the cave, easy to spot. Or just tell old Haggarty that you didn’t find it.
Rewards & What Happens Next
Once you’ve nabbed the pilfering Niffler (pun absolutely intended), Floo Flame yourself back to Irondale and report to Padraic. He’ll be relieved that the mystery is solved, and you’ll pocket a nice 180 XP reward along with a Niffler mask cosmetic item for your troubles. Not bad for a quick side quest!
Now here’s where it gets interesting — you actually get a choice. You can either keep the Niffler for your Vivarium or return it to Padraic. Personally, I’d recommend keeping the little guy. Having a Niffler in your Vivarium is adorable, and let’s be real, Padraic doesn’t need a Niffler running around his shop causing more chaos. Plus, if you found the Haggarty family heirloom in the cave, you can return it separately.
Speaking of being sly — if you’re feeling like a true Slytherin, you can always ask Padraic for a few extra coins on top of your reward. He’ll actually agree to it! The man’s just happy someone solved his problem. After completing this quest, keep an eye out for more side quests in the Feldcroft Region. There are several other beast-related missions that tie into the game’s wider storyline around magical creatures and poaching.
Tips for Catching Nifflers
Nifflers are some of the trickiest beasts to catch in Hogwarts Legacy, so here are a few tips that’ll save you some headaches. First off, the Arresto Momentum + Nab-Sack combo is your bread and butter. Cast Arresto Momentum on the Niffler first to slow it down, then immediately switch to your Nab-Sack and start the capture mini-game. Without slowing them down first, these little buggers will dart away before you can even get the sack open.
If Arresto Momentum is on cooldown, Glacius works as a solid backup — it freezes the Niffler in place entirely, giving you even more time. Some players also swear by using Levioso to float them in the air, but I find the timing a bit trickier with that one.
Inside and around the Niffler Den, you can actually find multiple Nifflers — usually three or four in total. The Irondale Pilferer is the specific one you need for the quest (it’ll be highlighted with Revelio), but the others are fair game too. Catching extra Nifflers is a great way to stock up your Vivarium, and if your Vivarium is full, you can always sell beasts to the Brood and Peck shop in Hogsmeade for some extra galleons. One more thing — approach Nifflers from behind when possible. They have a shorter detection range from the back, which gives you a precious extra second to line up your spell before they bolt.
Congratulations, you’ve finished the quest and added an adorable little beast to your Vivarium. We expect you’ve enjoyed the Thief in the Night as much as we did, and hope this walkthrough helped to locate and catch the Irondale Pilferer. With over one hundred side quests in Hogwarts Legacy, it’s easy to get stuck, but check in every once in a while with FinalBoss. We will guide you and provide you with the best tips and tricks on Hogwarts Legacy, Legend of Zelda, Elden Ring and many, many more!
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