Dumbledore's eyes held a subtle depth, but Moriarty ignored the elder wizard. The relationship between him and Grindelwald remained uncertain, cloaked in ambiguity that neither had clarified.
Leaving the headmaster's office, Moriarty made his way to the corridor on the second floor. His destination was Professor McGonagall's office to complete his make-up exams.
Her office was modest, resembling a small study. A cozy fireplace burned steadily, and two single armchairs sat positioned in front of it. Professor McGonagall was nestled in one of them, tending to the flames.
She looked up as Moriarty entered, her expression brightening with genuine warmth. "Sit down, Moriarty."
The moment he settled into the opposite chair, McGonagall couldn't contain her excitement and launched into a discussion about the Quidditch World Cup. It was apparent that she was thrilled to have one of her own students now recognized as a professional player.
Just then, the system issued a new random task:
Task: Ride the Nimbus 1990S and take Professor McGonagall for a flight.
Objective: Let her experience the full speed of a top-tier Seeker's broomstick.
Reward: 300 points.
Penalty for failure: None.
"Only 300 points? That's hardly worth it," Moriarty scoffed to the system. "The mall prices for magic have risen tenfold. Your random task rewards should reflect that."
Indeed, under such steep costs, a few hundred points seemed laughable. Moriarty wasn't interested at first, but when he looked up and saw Professor McGonagall's animated expression while recounting the match, he reconsidered.
He stood and gave a formal bow, offering her a charming smile and impeccable etiquette.
"Dear Professor Minerva McGonagall, may I have the honor of inviting you on a flight with me? I'd love to show you what it's like soaring at top speed."
"Oh!" Professor McGonagall rose from her seat, covering her mouth in surprise, a blush on her cheeks. "Are you serious, Moriarty? That kind of speed…"
"I assure you, it will be the same velocity I used during the World Cup matches," Moriarty said with an easy grin.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" she exclaimed, peering out of the window toward the empty Quidditch pitch. "Let's go!"
With all the students gone home for the holidays, the pitch lay abandoned—an ideal setting. Moriarty flew Professor McGonagall several loops around the sky, the enchanted broom slicing through the air like a thunderbolt.
Every time he executed a dive or loop, McGonagall let out a shriek—one of delight—like an excited schoolgirl experiencing her first broom ride. Her laughter echoed across the empty stands.
One by one, the professors who had remained on campus emerged from their offices and made their way to the stadium, curious about the commotion.
After Moriarty landed with McGonagall, he was immediately surrounded by the group of professors, all eager to take a turn. They, too, wanted a taste of the speed that had brought the British team to the Quidditch finals.
Everyone except, perhaps, Professor Snape.
Snape did not appear. He remained hidden away in his subterranean office. Unknown to him, however, he had accepted an invitation from Mrs. Malfoy to attend the Quidditch final in Hyprosae.
Moriarty, of course, complied with the professors' requests. Flying each one in turn was an easy feat for someone of his skill, and in return, he earned the admiration—and camaraderie—of the Hogwarts faculty.
Percy, no doubt, would have burst with pride at such attention. Moriarty, however, took it all in stride. These small gestures meant little to him—at least on the surface.
But sometimes, it was the most minor acts that had the largest impact. During one of the flights, Professor Flitwick had casually suggested Moriarty consider enhancing the cushioning charm in future broomstick designs.
Moriarty made a mental note. Details mattered.
To every professor who thanked him afterward, he replied with a refined smile, "No thanks are needed, Professors. It's my honor to share the skies with you."
At some point, Dumbledore arrived silently at the pitch, watching with twinkling eyes.
"You don't sound much like a pure-blood," he said as he approached Moriarty. "Self-interest is a nobleman's most essential trait."
Moriarty shook his head. "I've never claimed nobility. I don't think Slytherins are inherently superior. All beings are born equal—and die equal."
"Including Muggles?" Dumbledore asked, his tone light but probing.
Moriarty paused. He considered his response carefully, then said, "I once knew a vampire who wanted to become human. As you know, vampires are fundamentally different from humans."
He looked at Dumbledore meaningfully. "So why would he choose to become human?"
"Ah," Dumbledore breathed. "There are always reasons—love, ambition, survival, perhaps even guilt…"
"Exactly," Moriarty nodded. "So tell me—when faced with genuine reasons, doesn't the idea of equality seem... secondary? Otherwise, why would a vampire desire humanity?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "Maybe he was just tired of blood and had a sweet tooth. Decided he'd rather eat chocolate frogs."
Moriarty cracked a rare smile. "In that case, next time I meet a sweet-loving old man, I'll ask if he used to be a vampire."
"By all means. Please do."
They continued to converse as they returned to the castle. Soon after, Moriarty was whisked away by the professors to complete his make-up exams.
Unsurprisingly, he achieved full marks in every subject.
Professor Binns, unusually animated, declared that Moriarty was the second student in Hogwarts history to earn perfect scores in back-to-back History of Magic exams.
"Who was the first?" Moriarty inquired.
"Merlin, my dear Mr. Slytherin," Binns replied proudly. "He was a legend."
Merlin…
That name conjured strange images in Moriarty's mind—of black dragons and towering giantesses.
But such thoughts were fleeting.
Once again, Moriarty had taken first place in his year. When Professor McGonagall showed him the ranked parchment, he saw the standings clearly.
Among second-years, Lilith followed closely behind him. Penelope Clearwater came in third, Percy Weasley in fourth.
Jericho lagged due to struggles in alchemy. Marcus showed improvement—perhaps with a little encouragement from the staff.
In other years, Tonks ranked first among fifth-years, followed by Charlie Weasley. In seventh year, the top student was the Ravenclaw chairwoman, with Leon narrowly behind. Moriarty could already picture Leon's disgruntled expression.
First-year competition was the fiercest. Soldaya had narrowly beaten Cedric Diggory to take the top spot. The difference? Alchemy.
Soldaya possessed an almost instinctive understanding of the subject, completing both practical and theoretical tasks ahead of his peers.
The Weasley twins fared well. Lee Jordan, less so, likely distracted by his social escapades.
As Moriarty closed the grade sheet and bid farewell, the professors gave him unexpected news: they had all accepted Mrs. Malfoy's invitation to attend the Quidditch final!
Even Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel, ancient and reclusive as they were, had agreed.
Moriarty shook his head with mild amusement. Under the professors' knowing gazes, he knew he had to visit Mrs. Malfoy. She was clearly maneuvering—again.
He used the fireplace in the professors' office to travel to Hogsmeade.
The spring sun shone warmly. The wizarding village bustled with life, and there were customers milling about the Magic Revival Props shop.
Inside, Mrs. Malfoy moved gracefully between shelves. Despite the store only selling one alchemy item, she worked with precise dedication, polishing wand holsters with enchantments, ensuring every surface gleamed.
Even in her absence, she sent trusted employees to clean and maintain the store. The Malfoy name demanded elegance and order. Their shop, naturally, could not resemble some chaotic knockoff in Knockturn Alley.
But beyond pride, Mrs. Malfoy had another motive—Moriarty.
By maintaining such excellence, she demonstrated the importance of their shared venture. She wanted Moriarty and Nicolas Flamel to continue producing new alchemical creations, which she could then market and sell.
Currently, two items dominated the magical consumer scene: the wand holster, and the Nimbus 1990S.
Thinking about the profit the Nimbus 1990S had brought to Nimbus Racing Brooms, Mrs. Malfoy clenched her fists unconsciously. Moriarty had chosen to collaborate with Whitehorn, a notorious profiteer, over the Malfoys.
But she wouldn't give up. Just as she had stood out as the most impressive daughter of the Black family, she would now prove the value of House Malfoy.
Conveniently, Moriarty had led the British Quidditch team to crush France, blow away Bulgaria, and force Poland to forfeit—earning their place in the final.
In response, Mrs. Malfoy had swiftly invited every Hogwarts professor and key supporters to the event, ensuring the spotlight shone directly on Moriarty.
Would this finally make him recognize the Malfoy family's potential?
As she handed a gleaming wand holster to an admiring foreign wizard, she looked up—and saw Moriarty step through the door.