Moriarty walked out of the castle, followed by a large group of Slytherin students. On his left were the senior snakes, headed by William and Leon, and on his right were Lilith, Marcus, and Jericho, all Grade A Slytherins.
Behind them, the shining fan group led by Tonks and Gemma, comprised of girls from the four major academies, trailed behind. Following them were the boys from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
Hundreds of students crowded around Moriarty as they made their way to the lawn outside the castle, where Moriarty stopped.
"Snapped!"
A small patch of grass directly in front of him suddenly dented, forming a small square hole. Moriarty inserted the Slytherin staff into the hole.
Moriarty gazed up at the sun; it was not yet noon. He leaned on his staff, waiting in silence, his expression serious and intense.
The students weren't sure of what was happening but followed Moriarty's lead, their faces tightening. A solemn atmosphere settled over them.
At this moment, Bill appeared with Dumbledore. The headmaster was dressed unusually today, wearing a dark red knight's suit adorned with rubies and embroidered gold thread, a stark contrast to his usual attire. Behind him walked the Hogwarts staff, Professor McGonagall and the rest of the professors, all donned in their finest robes, resembling guests at a grand event.
Bill quietly joined the Gryffindor group. Upon entering the principal's office earlier, he had found the professors in discussion over their attire for the event.
The students applauded Dumbledore and the professors as they emerged, and some couldn't help but wonder: What day was it today?
Some sharp-eyed students noticed Dumbledore and the professors holding silver cards, leading them to speculate that Moriarty had invited not just students but also the headmaster and the professors.
Dumbledore approached Moriarty with a cheerful smile. "Good afternoon, Moriarty."
He held up the card in his hand. "Congratulations on solving the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. I'm also thrilled that you could invite us into the chamber."
Moriarty's expression remained serious. "Headmaster Dumbledore, while the Chamber of Secrets was built by Salazar Slytherin, since it was constructed at Hogwarts, all students and professors at Hogwarts have the right to enter it."
Dumbledore nodded, a smile playing on his lips, but then Professor Snape stepped forward, his tone measured but sharp. "The Slytherin Chamber of Secrets belongs to the Slytherin heir. The monsters are meant to purify the school!"
"Did Mr. Slytherin think we were all Parseltongue like you?" Snape continued. "Or do you believe that the thousand-year-old basilisk can eat enough every day without posing a threat to the students?"
Moriarty responded, his tone unwavering: "You also spoke of legends. That's precisely why I want to clarify the truth for Salazar Slytherin."
His eyes locked on Snape. "As for the Slytherin heir you speak of, that's correct. The last heir of Slytherin was utterly misguided. He misinterpreted the true purpose of the Chamber of Secrets!"
Moriarty's voice grew firmer. "Under the guise of Slytherin, he unleashed the basilisk to clear the way for his dark ambitions. Yes, he released the basilisk and killed Myrtle! And framed Rubeus Hagrid for it!"
As Moriarty spoke, the sky to his right darkened slightly, and Peeves swooped by with a large group of ghosts, Myrtle among them. However, Myrtle was not crying today. Instead, she seemed to affirm Moriarty's words, adding weight to his statement.
Moriarty glanced to his left. Hagrid had arrived, holding a pink fan. "Mr. Moriarty speaks the truth," Hagrid said. "I was framed by that man. Aragog's never harmed anyone. He's just a sweet little guy..."
Moriarty cut in, urging him, "Please stick to the point! This is crucial for your right to use your wand again."
"Oh, right, right..." Hagrid began. "That man framed me. I was almost sentenced to Azkaban. They broke my wand... I was wronged…"
At that moment, Dumbledore intervened. "Alright, Hagrid. Who is this 'man' you're referring to? What's his name?"
Hagrid exchanged a glance with Myrtle before responding. "Let Mr. Moriarty speak."
Moriarty took over: "I'll now tell you the story of the Slytherin heir who, despite not framing Hagrid and winning the special contribution award from the school, is still remembered today."
The Gryffindor students, notorious for their mischievous behavior, gasped. Many of them had been punished for rubbing the school trophy and had seen a name inscribed on it.
"Tom Riddle?" Charlie asked cautiously.
"Tom Riddle!" Moriarty exclaimed, waving his cedar wood wand. A series of dark green letters appeared in mid-air, their forms shifting and rearranging until they finally spelled: "I am Voldemort."
Gasps filled the air, and many students screamed in shock. Moriarty, however, noticed a faint glimmer of satisfaction in Dumbledore's eyes.
Ignoring the reactions of the students, Moriarty said firmly: "Yes, Tom Riddle is the future Voldemort! As Slytherin's heir, he mutilated and framed his classmates. This is not the original intention of Salazar Slytherin! A true heir of Slytherin would never harm wizards – no matter whether they're half-blood or Muggle-born!"
Dumbledore asked calmly, "So, what was the true reason for Salazar Slytherin to leave the Chamber of Secrets? Who is the real Slytherin heir?"
"Good question," Moriarty replied. "I will keep the answer to the first question a secret for now. But I can tell you the second question's answer immediately!" Moriarty paused, surveying the crowd. "We are both Slytherin heirs!"
The crowd erupted into noisy chatter, as different remarks swirled through the air like an uncontrolled storm. Among them, the voices of the Slytherins were the loudest.
William and Leon exchanged uneasy glances, their trust in Moriarty wavering. They took a subtle step back, unsure of what to make of his declaration.
Only Lilith, Jericho, and Marcus remained firmly by Moriarty's side.
"Quiet!" Moriarty commanded, his voice amplified. He raised his cedar wand above his head, transforming into a large snake. "Look at the Slytherin house symbol—it's a snake! Now look at the Hogwarts school badge. What is it? It's a classic crest, symbolizing the four houses: the lion, the eagle, the badger, and the snake, all encircling the 'H' for Hogwarts!"
He gazed at the students, who were beginning to process the significance of his words. "Slytherin is an inseparable part of Hogwarts. Why can't the heir of Slytherin be from another house?"
Moriarty continued, "We all know Salazar Slytherin was a great wizard! As the founder of Hogwarts, do you believe he would harm the students of the school? No! Even the professors here, with all their quirks, would never wish harm on their students! And Salazar, one of the Big Four, would never want that either."
Moriarty's voice became resolute. "Believe me, if all the students were true Slytherin heirs, Salazar Slytherin would surely be proud of us!"
A heavy silence fell over the crowd as they began to consider his words. If the Chamber of Secrets truly worked as the legends said, purifying the school, why didn't Salazar do it himself? After all, Salazar was more powerful than a basilisk, even if he was old.
Some students wondered if Salazar had been stopped by the other founders. But could they really have stopped him from acting on his own?
As Moriarty finished speaking, the time neared noon. He placed his hands on the top of his staff and began speaking in Parseltongue, "Glory to Slytherin, the lion roars in the valley, the young eagle accepts a thousand-year inheritance, and good Hedge Patch is the foundation of everything."
Everyone stared at him in confusion, the hiss of his words causing panic among some students, who feared the basilisk would emerge at any moment.
But instead of danger, a trophy flew overhead.
Moriarty raised his staff and blasted the trophy into pieces with a simple ice blast.
"Three days from now, as a descendant of Slytherin, I will clarify to the British magical world the tragedy of the Chamber of Secrets from fifty years ago and restore your reputation," Moriarty declared. He turned to Hagrid and Myrtle before fixing his gaze on Professor Randy.
"Professor Randy," he said with a smile, "When I inspected the castle, I discovered that Voldemort passed down a curse from the Slytherin family, placing a strange curse on the position of professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. As long as Voldemort is alive, the curse will endure. If you wish to survive, contact me before the summer break."