When Marcus walked into the secret chamber alongside the other students, he noticed it had undergone a complete transformation.
What was once a dimly lit and sinister room now radiated a subtle, soothing brightness. The high, vaulted ceiling shimmered with a soft white glow, clearly enchanted. Upon closer inspection, Marcus saw that hundreds of emeralds were embedded in the stone above, arranged in a vast, intricate magic circle. The enchantment served not only to illuminate the room but also to purify the air—banishing the musty, oppressive odor that had previously filled the chamber, replacing it with fresh air from the outside world.
There was no doubt in Marcus's mind—this was the handiwork of Moriarty, aided by the professors. A satisfied grin formed on his face as he continued further into the chamber.
At the center stood a massive stone pillar encircled by sculpted serpents. Affixed to the pillar was the Hogwarts crest, as Moriarty had mentioned earlier. However, the Slytherin segment protruded more prominently than the others.
The students, awed by the dramatic transformation, began to spread out, each eager to take in every detail. As some passed under the central stone pillar, the silver serpent coiled around the badge twitched and hissed, spitting out words in Parseltongue.
Initially, the space felt a bit cramped with the influx of students, but the Chamber's vastness ensured that everyone eventually had room to breathe. As William and the other younger Slytherins moved deeper into the room, they discovered a quieter, more open area.
The deeper portion of the Chamber looked familiar to Marcus—it resembled the layout from his earlier visit—but everything felt warmer and more alive now.
The massive statue of Salazar Slytherin still towered over the chamber. Beneath it stood Moriarty, flanked by the professors, with Dumbledore at the forefront. Yet it was the statue that held everyone's attention. Dozens of students gazed upward, visibly shocked.
Lilith turned to Moriarty, then back at the statue, her eyes flicking between the two so rapidly it seemed her head might spin off. Whatever thought had come to her, she quickly buried her face in her hands and laughed silently, her shoulders shaking.
Gemma, Tonks, Penelope, and several others burst into similar fits of laughter soon after.
As more and more students streamed in, Dumbledore's smile bloomed like a spring flower. "Back to our discussion," he said warmly, "Moriarty, are you truly willing to offer the Chamber of Secrets to Hogwarts—to transform it into a classroom?"
Every professor turned their eyes to Moriarty. The Chamber, once the exclusive domain of Salazar Slytherin, could not be appropriated without Moriarty's consent. If he chose to keep it private, there would be no argument.
Moriarty gave a resolute nod. "From this day forward, the Chamber will stand as a symbol—a testament that the British wizarding world will no longer stigmatize Slytherin House. The qualities of Salazar Slytherin deserve to be honored and passed on. And I've noticed that Hogwarts lacks a proper course in alchemy. I propose we establish one here—in this Chamber."
Both Dumbledore and Moriarty exchanged a knowing glance. The name Nicole Flamel surfaced in their minds—one of the few living alchemists who could do the subject justice.
"If you truly succeed in mending Slytherin's reputation," Dumbledore said, "I shall personally travel to France to convince an old friend of mine to join us as the professor of alchemy."
Dumbledore now regarded Moriarty as an equal, at least in ambition. While he doubted even Moriarty could erase centuries of prejudice, he could not deny that the young man had already begun to bridge the divide between the four Houses.
Still, bias rooted in centuries of fear is a formidable foe. Adult wizards had long regarded Slytherin as a breeding ground for dark wizards. Even someone of Dumbledore's influence couldn't easily overturn that belief.
And yet, if Moriarty could… Dumbledore would not let such an opportunity slip by.
They made a quiet wager—an unspoken challenge between the two. Moriarty accepted with a confident smile.
Looking around at the gathering crowd, he spoke, "They are the seeds of a new future. I may not change the hearts of the current generation, but I can shape the minds of the next."
The professors' expressions shifted. They were reminded, involuntarily, of Tom Riddle—of the early days when a brilliant young boy stood where Moriarty stood now, speaking grand ideals to his followers.
Dumbledore said nothing but observed Moriarty closely. He would not make the same mistake twice.
"Let us begin," Moriarty addressed the students. "Professor Dumbledore once asked me what purpose Salazar Slytherin had in mind when creating this chamber. Today, I shall answer that."
His voice was calm, yet it resonated with authority. As he lifted his cedar wand and pointed at the statue, the mouth of Salazar Slytherin transformed into a dark tunnel. From its depths, the basilisk Shiva emerged, her massive form coiling gracefully near the entrance.
A collective gasp rippled through the students. But seeing the calm expressions of Dumbledore and the professors, they relaxed.
"Look! Her eyes are closed!" William shouted.
"Well spotted," Moriarty said. "Shiva has told me that Salazar Slytherin kept her here to protect Hogwarts—not to purge it, as the legends claim. For generations, this chamber has been shrouded in fear and lies. And Tom Riddle... he brought those lies to life."
Lilith stood, her eyes wide. "Will Shiva remain here, guarding the school?"
"An excellent question," Moriarty replied, stepping closer to the students. "She will, if I command it. But seeing all of you—your bravery, your curiosity, your heart—I realized something. Hogwarts doesn't need a serpent to guard it. It needs us."
He raised his voice. "That's why I say—we are all Slytherin heirs!"
Charlie jumped up. "So all Slytherin left behind was protection?"
"Not quite," Moriarty responded. "Each of the Founders intended to leave a guardian. Salazar simply acted first. I believe he sensed an approaching threat—one the others may not have seen yet."
Murmurs erupted among the students. The origins of the Founders had always intrigued them.
"I'm going to search the castle," Charlie whispered to Percy. "Maybe I'll find Gryffindor's secret chamber and become an heir too!"
"Use your brain for once," Snape growled, his voice laced with irritation. "Don't treat this like a fairy tale. And Mr. Slytherin," he added coldly to Moriarty, "I may accept your theory, but I will not allow my students to share a classroom with a basilisk."
"I anticipated this concern," Moriarty said smoothly.
Tonks stepped forward, joined by Jericho and Marcus. Tonks summoned glowing runes into the air. Jericho measured the area beneath the statue while Marcus conjured a small mountain of magical materials.
Moriarty waved his wand. Water-element magic filled the space, shimmering like mist. A magic circle formed on the floor, rippling like disturbed water.
Then, in Parseltongue, Moriarty spoke: "In the name of the Four Founders, summon Slytherin's goblin artisan—Ingo!"
With a resonant boom, the goblin Ingo appeared from the air above. Despite the anti-Apparition wards around Hogwarts, he stepped into the chamber with ease. No one questioned it—they all assumed it was Moriarty's doing.
Ingo silently began work, combining Tonks's runes with the space magic circle. The materials Marcus prepared rose into the air, crumbling into enchanted powder and descending upon the spell matrix.
Moriarty added his own touch—a memory charm and a permanent enchantment—his wand moving with precision.
Dumbledore's eyes widened. He recognized the spell. It was one he and GG—Grindelwald—had once crafted together. How did Moriarty know this?
Within ten minutes, Ingo completed his work and departed without ceremony.
Shiva slithered into the newly forged circle. Moriarty placed a hand on her head gently, then stepped back, lifting his wand once more.
"Speak with me—Slytherin!"
"Open your eyes to see death. Close them to see the future!"
"Every angel has a past. Every demon has a future!"
As the final incantation left Moriarty's lips, a surge of silver light shot into the circle. A hiss echoed in the chamber, and the Basilisk Shiva vanished.
"Ding-dong~ Task completed: Bring the Serpent Home~ Reward: 5,000 points!"
In his mind, Moriarty grinned. With this reward, skills like Legilimency and Occlumency were now within his grasp.
"Did it work?" Tonks asked.
Moriarty nodded. She, Jericho, Marcus, and the others cheered.
Curious students crowded around them, asking what had happened.
Snape sighed in disappointment. A thousand-year-old basilisk was a treasure trove to a Potions Master.
Dumbledore examined the circle. "A fusion of ancient runes and goblin craftsmanship. Impressive—but likely unrepeatable."
"True," Moriarty agreed. "But perhaps enough to earn Nicole Flamel's attention."
Dumbledore blushed faintly. Their earlier bet had been a trick to gauge Moriarty's commitment—but the boy had surpassed all expectations.
He clapped to gather the students' attention. "With Moriarty's generous consent, this Chamber will become our new alchemy classroom. And the school will invite Alchemy Master Nicole Flamel to teach at Hogwarts!"
He raised his voice proudly. "Now I too can say—I am a Slytherin heir!"
Moriarty grinned. "You forgot the best part."
And together with the students, they declared in unison:
"We are all Slytherin heirs!"