The mastermind behind Hogwarts

Chapter 35 Minister of Magic

Moriarty's journey to the Forbidden Forest ended after Hagrid gave the sage and mallow to the centaur Bane, but he received a hint from Ferenze, and Marcus also got closer to Hagrid, so overall he gained a lot.

The next morning, Moriarty began his new day, and unlike before, whenever he met a student, professor, or even a ghost, he would ask them more questions about Peeves.

Soon, the entire school's teachers and students knew that Moriarty was interested in Peeves and that Peeves hadn't appeared for a long time. At that moment, Peeves appeared as if he could read minds.

But Moriarty discovered that Peeves would avoid him and try to avoid meeting him.

November arrived, and the weather turned extremely cold. The mountains surrounding the school were shrouded in a gray haze, covered with ice and snow, and the lake was as cold and hard as quenched steel.

Every morning or evening, the ground is covered in frost. Moriarty would go out at this time to let his water elemental magic get close to the cold air. This gift from nature made his magic level, which had not been able to break through for a long time, start to loosen up a bit.

Moriarty has many things to do every day: fight Tonks at dawn, and occasionally brew potions.

If I have class in the morning, I go to class; if I don't, I go to the frozen lake to practice a few spells.

He always carried the potion recipe with him at noon.

If I have class in the afternoon, I go to class. If I don't have class, I usually study Old Runes and Old Latin in the library, and I occasionally run into Gemma.

That evening, he applied what he had learned to the spells left by Salazar. According to Moriarty's prediction, the flight spell would be usable in a few days.

Moriarty's busy schedule filled all his time with studying, which made Jericho, who had been eager to discuss Quidditch tactics with him, very anxious.

"We're going to have to play Gryffindor soon! But Prefect William and Prefect Leon are busy preparing for their exams, and Moriarty is always unreachable!" Jericho slammed his fist on the table in the common room. "Are we going to lose to Gryffindor? Percy will definitely brag about it!"

Suddenly, the stone door to the common room burst open, and Marcus stormed in: "Where's the master? Professor McGonagall wants him in the principal's office!"

"Why?" Jericho asked.

“I don’t know,” Marcus said in a hoarse voice, “but I saw Minister of Magic Millison Bagnore, and a reporter, Rita Stear?

"It's Rita Skeeter!" Lilith stood up from the sofa next to her, where there were several other girls.

"She's a third-rate reporter who'd sell anyone out for a story, but she's still fairly respectful to Moriarty," she said confidently, arms crossed. "As for Milison Bagno? She hasn't been doing so well lately! So don't worry, she definitely won't do anything to Moriarty this time she's at the school."

And then you ask me where Moriarty is? Hmph, at this point in time he's either with Tonks or Gemma, or maybe he's out exploring the hills of Hogwarts again. Hopefully you can find him.

After speaking, Lilith tidied her long hair that was hanging down her forehead and walked out of the lounge with graceful demeanor.

Marcus's mouth dropped open: "What's wrong with her?"

Jericho spread his hands: "Do you think I would know? Ever since Mr. Moriarty started disappearing from our sight so often, she's become elusive too. Oh, Merlin, I feel abandoned!"

"Where should I go to find Mr. Jericho?" Marcus asked, looking at Jericho expectantly.

"Didn't Pilivik say he'd rather be with Tonks and Gemma than play with me?" Jericho said sadly, clutching his painstakingly prepared tactics notebook as he left.

"So where should I go to find Tonks or Gemma?" Marcus looked around blankly, hoping the other snakes could give him some advice.

Just when everyone was worried about not being able to find Moriarty, Moriarty returned to the castle, and it was the Blood Man Barrow who found him.

"Go, go to the principal's office. The password is 'Sizzling Honeybee'," Barrow said in his distinctive voice. "We'll talk about our business later."

"Alright, Barrow, I hope you can be honest with me." Moriarty stepped onto a floating staircase, and with a gentle tap of his staff, a staircase leading to the headmaster's office on the eighth floor appeared automatically.

As Barrow watched Moriarty leave, a look of fear appeared on his face for the first time.

Upon reaching the principal's office, Moriarty said to a gargoyle-shaped stone beast, "Sizzling Bee Candy."

"Hey~ Hello, Slytherin! Your ever-loyal Guard of the Headmaster's Office, Paro, salutes you~"

The dripping stone beast seemed to be shouting at the top of its lungs, and at the same time it jumped to the side, revealing a spiral staircase that was slowly moving upwards hidden behind it.

Moriarty glanced at the stone beast, said nothing, and went up the stairs into the principal's office.

It was a spacious, beautiful circular room filled with whispers and murmurs.

On the table with its long, slender legs, various silverwares were placed, spinning and emitting wisps of smoke.

The walls were covered with portraits of former headmasters, both men and women, all staring intently at Moriarty.

"Hello, Mr. Slytherin, I can't wait for you to put me on your head," the Sorting Hat said happily from a huge table.

His words drew the attention of the others in the room, and a large group of people turned to look at Moriarty.

There was Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and a woman Moriarty didn't recognize, with a burly wizard standing behind her.

"Oh, young Moriarty, you've arrived," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "This is Minister for Magic Millison Bagnore, who brings good news. And Cornelius Fudge from the Minister's Office of Advisors."

Is this burly wizard Fudge? The Minister of Magic during Voldemort's Return?

Moriarty couldn't help but glance at Fudge a few more times; sure enough, he had gained weight since becoming a minister.

"Good morning, Minister, Mr. Fudge," Moriarty greeted politely.

The minister glanced at Fudge, who immediately took out a roll of parchment and a silver badge from his bag.

He read aloud what was written on the paper: "Given the groundbreaking significance of Moriarty Slytherin's three papers—'On Transfiguration Ancient and Modern,' 'The Five Exceptions to the Five Fundamental Laws of Transfiguration,' and 'Animagus and Essential Transfiguration, Essential Transfiguration and Elemental Transfiguration'—the members of *Transfiguration Today* unanimously agree that Moriarty Slytherin has won the Most Promising Newcomer Award!"

Applause erupted in the room. Dumbledore smiled, Professor McGonagall clapped vigorously, and even Professor Stalin nodded.

Fudge handed the badge and parchment to Moriarty, waved toward the door, and Rita Skeeter walked in with the magic camera.

"Quick, Mr. Slytherin," Fudge said eagerly, "Let's take a picture with the Minister; it'll definitely make the front page."

Moriarty narrowed his eyes: "I refuse."

The atmosphere froze instantly; no one had time to react.

"What? You mean—uh, haha..." Fudge chuckled and winked at Dumbledore.

The Minister of Magic's face turned pale, even though she had always looked unwell.

Moriarty glanced at the two politicians and said calmly, "I don't like having my picture taken and people looking at me, nor do I like fame or the limelight. I think Ms. Rita understood this when Mr. Lockhart asked me to help him embellish his novel."

Rita, holding the camera, gave an awkward smile.

"As for the benefits that taking a photo with the minister might bring me, I don't care at all. I dare say that all of you here combined are not as rich as me."

After Moriarty finished speaking, the principal's office fell silent.

"Haha," Dumbledore shook his head and laughed, breaking the silence: "Alright, Fudge, don't make things difficult for this old man. What if I anger Mr. Moriarty and he fires me? You know, the surname of the Four Great Leaders, oh, that's not something an old man can afford to offend."

"Uh, um, I see." Fukichi, covered in sweat, looked at his minister.

The minister gave Dumbledore a stiff nod: "Farewell, Albus."

Then he gave Moriarty a cold glance, strode out, and Fudge bowed and nodded to everyone in the room before following closely behind with Rita.

"She's about to step down, isn't she?" Moriarty walked up to Dumbledore.

(End of this chapter)