During this time, it was gradually revealed that a secret dark organisation known as R existed and had also been trying to find the Cursed Vaults for the supposed treasures. At the start of Jacob's sibling's fourth year, the 1987–1988 school year, Patricia Rakepick arrived at Hogwarts apparently to help Albus Dumbledore deal with the Cursed Vaults, while in fact being a Dark Witch from R who sought to continue her unfinished business with the Vaults. She became the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor the next year and trained several students, including Jacob's sibling, to be her curse-breaking assistants. Arriving again outside the Buried Vault, she revealed her true nature to the students and attempted to go in before them, but was magically choked by Jacob's sibling and fled.

Rakepick's ability to teach students to defend against the Dark Arts, ironically, turned out to have been a lot more competent than the professor who succeeded her in the next school year. With Dumbledore's permission, the fresh graduate Bill Weasley returned to the school to teach this subject after regular classes. During the school year, yet another curse spread around Hogwarts, continuing to Petrify students, indicating the activity of the final Cursed Vault. While working towards investigating R, the students encountered Rakepick in the Forest Grove, who attempted to kill Ben Copper, leading to the sacrifice of Rowan Khanna. The school staff held a memorial service and suspended the lessons, and the tragedy prompted the vengeful Jacob's sibling, Ben Copper and Merula Snyde to form a secret organisation of their own, the Circle of Khanna, to fight R and race them in locating the final Cursed Vault. It was found to be under the Great Lake, and they had a final showdown with Rakepick outside. She was once again defeated before Jacob's sibling decided to seal the Vault for good to prevent the ancient statue curse from being unleashed again.