CHAPTER 35

Moriarty took the Daily Prophet from Lucius's hand, and the headline was bold, filled with magical words: "Moriarty vs. Nicole Lemay! Which will win, the British magic world or the French magic world?"

Under the watchful eyes of both the public and the Ministry of Magic, the Daily Prophet sent professional reporters to compile this report, subtly hinting at a message: our British Slytherin descendants are far superior, hundreds, if not thousands, of times better than the old immortals in France!

Moriarty folded the paper and addressed the reporters, "I am giving you an exclusive interview."

Everyone froze in surprise. It was widely known that Moriarty never agreed to interviews!

Soon, the gravity of the situation became clear. The reporters were elated, Dumbledore appeared thoughtful, and Lucius, along with other Hogwarts professors, looked grim.

"He won't stir up more trouble, will he?" Lucius silently worried. He had profited immensely from the bet between Moriarty and Nicole Lemay, and he didn't want this incident to spiral out of control.

The reporters swarmed towards Moriarty, eager to usher him to an empty classroom. But Moriarty refused, leaving them with a cryptic statement: "In an effort to better integrate alchemy into the daily life of wizards, we have successfully developed a wand set. I'll be unveiling this alchemical technology soon!"

After speaking, Moriarty turned and left. Lucius quickly trotted after him, putting on a fake, placating smile. "Mr. Moriarty, it seems that revealing such technology contradicts our agreement..."

"Don't think I haven't noticed that you've made a fortune off my bet with Nicole Lemay," Moriarty shot him a warning look. "You've pushed me to the top, yet now you're questioning my decisions? I don't want to fall from this height and crash into pieces!"

Lucius halted in his tracks, his eyes flickering as he comprehended Moriarty's words. People live for their own benefit—there was nothing wrong with this. He and Moriarty, both being exceptional Slytherins, were simply engaging in a bit of calculated rivalry.

"Mr. Moriarty, I wholeheartedly agree with your point of view!" Lucius quickly adjusted his demeanor, making a decision.

With a look of excitement and admiration, he caught up with Moriarty, eager to continue their conversation. "Tell me more! I'm eager to hear your thoughts on integrating alchemy into wizarding life!"

The reporters quickly caught up, realizing that the technology Moriarty was hinting at was far more intriguing than the bet itself. They too sought to learn more about his alchemical discoveries.

Moriarty locked himself in his dormitory shortly after, evading the eager reporters. They felt disappointed, as they had no chance to take a picture or further question him.

Yet, in less than an hour, diligent reporters had penned a new article, and the Daily Prophet was published again, this time announcing Moriarty's willingness to disclose his wand-set technology.

Nicole Lemay, not to be outdone, also expressed his intention to reveal his alchemical wand technology!

With both parties making similar declarations, Moriarty's enthusiasm began to wane. The wizards were left speculating about how alchemy might revolutionize their lives, imagining a future where alchemical wonders were commonplace.

Later that afternoon, at 2:00 p.m., Lockhart arrived in Hogsmeade to deliver a lecture at Honeydukes, titled "The First Change Is Coming." The response was overwhelming, with eager listeners packing the store.

At 3:00 p.m., Horace Slughorn, former head of Slytherin House and renowned potions master, entered Hogsmeade. Slughorn, accompanied by members of his Slug Club, was met with a great deal of attention.

The Ministry of Magic had sent Aurors to ensure safety, as numerous shipments of magical materials from Pureblood families were arriving.

Horace set up his makeshift laboratory, and the shopkeepers around him eagerly offered their stores to help set up the potions space.

Just then, Professor Snape appeared, his face unusually somber, and he informed everyone that some materials required exposure to fresh air to maintain their magical properties.

"Sev, I'm glad you're here to help. It seems my letter reached you." Horace greeted Snape, who didn't offer much enthusiasm. Snape's voice remained icy: "It's only because I don't have a class in the afternoon. Nothing more."

He didn't stop his work, donning dragon-hide gloves to begin sorting the active, dangerous materials.

At 3:30 p.m., Mr. Ollivander arrived at the Three Broomsticks alone.

Ten minutes later, Madame Rosmerta, the bar's owner, made a special announcement: "Every guest who shows Ollivander their wand for a minute will receive a free Butterbeer!" (The Malfoy family generously sponsored this.)

The bar was quickly filled, and people marveled at how Ollivander remembered every wand sale's details, including the time and purchaser.

At 4:00 p.m., Lilith and Leon, accompanied by a large group of students, arrived in Hogsmeade via a secret passage from Hogwarts. Charlie Weasley led the way.

The students delivered the wand information they'd gathered to Ollivander, and then took the sorted magical materials back to the Slytherin dungeons. They would be used for Moriarty's experiments at a later time.

However, this activity didn't go unnoticed by a new professor. Diana, who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, angrily dismissed her class upon discovering that several students had skipped. She instructed a second-year Gryffindor to note down the names of the absentees.

Reluctantly, the Gryffindor student ran out to notify the others. Diana was enraged, flipping through the roster to check who had not attended.

"Moriarty, you're at the top of my list!"

At 4:30 p.m., a group of esteemed theoretical wizards entered Hogsmeade. Among them was Bathilda Bagshot, the author of History of Magic. They discussed alchemy in great detail, often engaging in heated debates over minor distinctions.

"Children of the Pilivik family!" an elderly wizard, among the most senior of the masters, greeted Lilith and handed her a large stack of parchment, filled with dense writing. "Give this to Moriarty. It might spark some inspiration. Maybe he can outdo that old fool, Nico!"

Lilith, her hands shaking, felt the weight of the knowledge she was entrusted with.

Old Flynn, a well-known wizard, quickly offered his support, announcing he would provide parchment for everyone present. It seemed that this gesture wasn't enough to satisfy the esteemed wizards, as Old Foley stepped in, announcing a free dinner for everyone.

At 5:00 p.m., Old Flint arrived in Hogsmeade, leading a group of twenty Romanian wizards who were dragging a fire dragon behind them.

No one knew how they had brought the dragon all the way from Romania, but it was clear Old Flint had spared no expense.

"If Moriarty needs dragon material for his experiments, feel free to kill it on the spot!" Old Flint boldly declared.

Lucius, who had been in the Three Broomsticks, paled at these words. He knew the Malfoy family's dragon farm had been overshadowed by Flint's extravagant gesture.

Lockhart, oblivious to the tension, appeared in Horace's makeshift laboratory, greeting Snape with his usual enthusiasm. "Hey, Professor Snape! Remember me?"

Snape gave him a cold, distant response: "Just give me the bark. Don't ruin it like you did last time."

Lockhart waved his wand, and two pieces of bark floated toward Snape. Snape's frustration was palpable as he shouted, "Your mind is so full of slugs that you can't even tell one piece of bark from another!"

Lockhart quickly attempted to explain the properties of the bark, but Snape was already seething. "You've ruined it again!" Snape snapped.

At 5:30 p.m., James Blanche, Jericho's father, arrived in Hogsmeade, accompanied by Ludo Bagman, to cheer on Moriarty on behalf of the U.S. Ministry of Magic.

Ludo announced that the French Minister of Magic had arrived at the British Ministry of Magic's headquarters, and that the Ministers of Magic from both countries were soon to meet.

This news made the wizards realize that the French were beginning to make their move, and the situation had just gotten a lot more complicated.

As the wizards continued to go about their business, students streamed through the streets, energized by the magic that filled the air. If any foreign wizards were to visit Hogsmeade now, they would undoubtedly think they had arrived at the Quidditch World Cup.

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