Slytherin Castle

Life aboard the Isabella was pleasant for Lockhart; he could always find someone in the noisy crowd willing to listen to his stories.

Not long after boarding, the entire ship was captivated by Lockhart, while Moriarty asked the crew for a pen and a large stack of old newspapers, then holed up in an inner cabin.

Except for when Lockhart brought him meals three times a day, he saw no one and didn't come out.

Five days later, Moriarty summoned Lockhart: "For you!"

He tossed a thick pile of old newspapers to Lockhart.

Lockhart opened them and saw beautiful black cursive headlines. He read the title seriously: "With Slytherin in Eastern Tibet!"

"Master!" Lockhart's neck flushed red with excitement: "I thought you were just talking, but I didn't expect you to actually want to publish a book for me!"

"From now on, you need to elevate your mindset, Lockhart," Moriarty said. "No matter where you are or what happens, you must remain composed. Take this book, for example..."

Moriarty looked at Lockhart sternly: "You know the kind of shockwave this book will cause once it's published, don't you?

From Britain to France, to Germany... you'll become a household name across the entire European magical world, and then the Americas, Africa!"

And I, the last direct blood relative of Salazar, will also step into the public eye.

Lockhart was lost in the future Moriarty painted, grinning foolishly.

"Oh, Master, that really would be something. I can already see us waving to wizards under the flashbulbs. We'll definitely make the front page of the Daily Prophet!"

"Wrong. Only you will be waving to the wizards! Only you will make the front page! People will discover you've transformed from a writer into an explorer!"

Moriarty's eagle-sharp eyes locked onto Lockhart: "This is crucial, Lockhart.

Look into my eyes. You need to make people think you have keen insight—that you discovered me! That you brought back the last heir of Slytherin to Britain!"

Lockhart swallowed hard. He understood the meaning behind those words. Frowning, he said: "Master, I understand, but there's one thing I must tell you. I'm not sure if it will affect your plans."

He explained: "The Fli Family, one of the twenty-eight pure-blood families, is my partner. Or rather, my works are operated, promoted, and sold by the Fli Family."

Lockhart spread his hands and shook his head helplessly: "We split the profits sixty-forty. I get forty, the Fli Family gets sixty. There's no way around it—any business involving books can't escape the Fli Family. And my forty percent was something I had to fight tooth and nail for..."

Moriarty pondered for a moment, then patted Lockhart on the shoulder.

"We'll talk about the Fli Family when we get home. What you need to do now is polish your persona and elevate your image! Think about how to shape yourself into the wizard everyone loves."

Moriarty had to return to the castle first, to see what good things Salazar had left behind, before he could formulate a plan for dealing with the pure-blood families.

Another five days passed. The ship crossed the English Channel and arrived in Britain.

Without a moment's pause, Moriarty took Lockhart straight to Bristol.

"Merlin's beard! Salazar Slytherin left Hogwarts and came to Bristol! Right here in Britain! Everyone thought he'd left Europe!"

Lockhart carried himself like a victorious general the whole way, and that attitude lasted until they reached their destination.

"Master?" Lockhart looked out at the endless plains, with no sign of a castle. He didn't understand why Moriarty had stopped.

"There must be an incredibly powerful concealment charm here, on top of the Muggle-repelling charm. But that won't stop me. Lockhart, step back."

Moriarty searched through the relevant memories in his mind. He aimed his wand straight ahead and spoke in Serpent Tongue: "Speak to me—Slytherin!"

Even though it wasn't the first time he'd heard it, Lockhart still felt a chill of fear.

Moriarty seemed to be truly speaking to Salazar's spirit: "Open your eyes to see death, close them to see the future! Every angel has a past, every demon has a future!"

A dazzling silver light shot from the tip of the wand into the space ahead. In an instant, Moriarty and Lockhart were swept away by a tremendous force, a hissing sound filling their ears—like ten thousand snakes screeching at once.

"Oh, this is just dreadful," Lockhart muttered, picking himself up off the ground and rubbing his backside. He felt like he'd taken a hard fall. "Master, are you alright?"

Lockhart moved to help Moriarty up, but heard him say: "We've arrived. Without a doubt, this is Slytherin Castle."

Lockhart caught a hint of excitement in his voice—rare for Moriarty. He quickly looked up at the castle.

"Oh! Oh—" Lockhart covered his mouth, wanting to say something but unable to get the words out.

The castle's main structure was made of granite, inlaid with purple agate that gleamed like countless demon eyes staring into the distance.

The exterior was enchanted, shimmering in silver and green. By day, under the sunlight, it rose like a magical palace ascending into the sky. By night, it coiled like a giant serpent.

Though built in Gothic style, it had everything: towers, fortresses, stone bridges, walls, and outer keeps.

More than a noble's manor, it resembled a battle fortress.

Of course, Salazar Slytherin's style was everywhere. The walls built from gold ore were polished to a pure, mirror-like shine.

A silver stone road, wide enough for four carriages to travel side by side, ran straight from Moriarty's feet to the main gate.

Flanking the road were vast lawns, and beyond them, a lush oak forest surrounded the grounds and walls like a knightly order.

Behind the castle was a large lake, from which came the faint sound of flowing water.

Slytherin's emblem was stamped on the gate, the walls, the rooftops... lending the castle an air of solemn majesty.

"Alright, Lockhart, look at yourself. We're going in." Moriarty said with a smile. He was pleased with the castle.

Suddenly, a sharp crack rang out in the air. A goblin appeared out of nowhere before the main gate.

He wore a black robe, had long, pointed ears and a sharply protruding nose, his sallow skin covered in wrinkles, and hair so long it dragged on the ground.

What caught Moriarty's particular attention was the pair of golden shackles the goblin wore.

"Esteemed Heir of Slytherin—cough, cough." The goblin broke into a violent cough as soon as he spoke. When he mentioned "Slytherin," Moriarty caught a glint of malice in his black eyes.

"I haven't spoken with anyone in at least nine hundred years!" the goblin rasped, his eyes fixed on Moriarty. "So, you are Salazar Slytherin's heir... No one could find this place except through the spell Salazar left for his descendants."

The goblin knelt reluctantly: "In obedience to Salazar's command, the goblin Ingo shall serve you, from beginning to end!"

"Take me inside." Moriarty knew that behind Ingo lay another strange tale, but his first priority was to receive Salazar's legacy of knowledge.

"Please give me the key." Ingo extended both hands.

Moriarty placed the Golden Key in Ingo's hands. The goblin stood up and used the key to open the great door.

The moment the door opened, Moriarty received a system prompt: "Detected Host acquiring ownership of Slytherin Castle. Reward: ten Exploration Draws."

A large group of House-elves rushed out from the castle. They eagerly came before Moriarty and clapped vigorously: "This day has finally come! Welcome, Heir of Slytherin!"

Ingo explained at the right moment: "They are responsible for the care, cleaning, and meals of the entire castle. Salazar placed a permanent spell on them, forbidding them from ever leaving the castle grounds."

"You are not permitted to speak the master's name directly!" A leading House-elf pointed at Ingo, his long nose trembling with anger. He said to Moriarty: "Ingo is a wicked fellow. Ever since the master left, he has done nothing but speak ill of him."

Ingo was clearly accustomed to the House-elves' complaints—they had been like this for over nine hundred years—but he could not ignore Moriarty's opinion.

"I do not wish to hide this from you, but I was captured and brought here by Salazar." Ingo rattled his shackles. "I witnessed Salazar build this castle, and therefore I too cannot leave it."

"My name is Moriarty Slytherin. From now on, you will call me Young Master. I have no interest in your past at present," Moriarty's tone brooked no argument. "What interests me is the legacy left by Ancestor Salazar."

"I will show you, Young Master! My name is Luke. Let us first go to the master's bedchamber."

The House-elf Luke led the way, eager to curry favor. Moriarty, flanked by Lockhart and Ingo, walked into the castle.

The exterior of the castle was not overly ornate, but the great hall was resplendent. Twelve massive silver-white pillars supported the first floor, while milky white walls and white carpets covering the floor made the hall appear bright and airy.

Portraits, banners, sculptures, and runic diagrams hung on the walls—simple, unadorned, and ancient.

On either side of each ancient piece, a gem or emerald was embedded.

Curiously, depending on the color of the gem, the position where it was set into the wall also differed.

On the wall directly opposite the main entrance hung a large golden clock. Moriarty checked the time—it was a quarter to twelve.

The carpet was embroidered with the Slytherin crest. Lockhart immediately threw himself onto it: "Oh Merlin, this must be elven craftsmanship! Only they could produce such handmade work."

"Compared to the exquisite carpets, ancient carvings, and precious furniture..." Moriarty swept his gaze across the hall, finally fixing it on two rows of candles.

"These candles, as thick as a man's arm, have a magical connection with the gems in their respective positions. I believe Ancestor must have arranged them deliberately. This should be a magic array."

Ingo watched Moriarty, wary of his talent and sharp perception. He muttered: "Another Slytherin Monster!"

He sighed: "Very well, Young Master. You are entirely correct, but I must add one point—this is a Space Magic Array. Its existence provides light for the entire castle."

Lockhart, as if struck by inspiration, quickly jotted all of this down.

A hint of showing off crept into Ingo's demeanor. He lifted his chin: "In fact, the castle makes extensive use of Space Magic Arrays. The Young Master's spell activated the array that opened the way into the castle's domain, and the space teleportation brought you here.

Don't worry about the Serpent Tongue emitted by the teleportation array—that is a sign of first-time unsealing. No one has been here for nearly a thousand years."

Lockhart clapped his hands happily: "Aha~ The heritage of a thousand-year Pure-blood family! Richer and more luxurious than any Pure-blood in Britain. I daresay even all the families in Europe combined cannot compare to the Young Master's castle!"

Ingo's face fell: "All of this is goblin wealth!"

Moriarty looked at Ingo with amusement: "It seems your status among the goblins is not low."

Ingo turned his head away, unwilling to respond.

Luke, as if to spite Ingo, declared loudly: "My esteemed Young Master, let us go. The master's bedchamber has been kept exactly as it was!"

Moriarty nodded. He followed Luke for a long while before finally reaching Salazar's bedchamber. It was still exquisitely luxurious, but Moriarty did not linger on it. Instead, his eyes immediately fixed on a notebook lying on the desk.