Moriarty stepped out of the fireplace in St. John's office and returned to Diagon Alley via Floo Powder. The price for using the fireplace? Merely providing St. John with a soothing potion once term resumed.
Moriarty agreed without hesitation, amused that the typically cold-hearted Sri Lankan wizard was slyly assigning him summer homework.
He emerged from a hearth nestled within a modest bookshop on the far end of Diagon Alley. Dusting soot from his robes, he stepped into the bustling street and was instantly greeted by a familiar sight—Luke, his devoted house-elf, waiting patiently at the curb.
Luke had been stationed in Diagon Alley for days, tasked with guiding Moriarty's invited classmates to Slytherin Castle. Whenever a guest arrived, Luke would ensure their safe transport to the ancient estate.
When Moriarty inquired, Luke reported that William had been the first to visit the castle. Following his graduation, the elder student had thrown caution to the wind and taken to wandering. He had embarked on a European tour shortly after attending Moriarty's post-term celebration.
Moriarty chuckled at the thought. He only hoped William wouldn't cross paths with anything... unusual. He could already picture some obscure dark entity attaching itself to the back of William's head.
Penelope Clearwater, on the other hand, had been promptly whisked away by her parents the moment she returned to London, unable to attend the party at all.
As for Bill Weasley, ever the eccentric, he vanished the moment he graduated. Not even his brother Charlie could say where he had gone.
After purchasing an assortment of ice cream from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, Moriarty gave Luke the nod to return them both to Slytherin Castle. Two days later, as twilight fell, the party commenced.
The castle's grand auditorium was transformed. Ingo and Luke had re-decorated it splendidly. Enormous Lemurian crystal chandeliers bathed the space in radiant light, casting shimmering hues over carefully arranged golden antiques, exquisite artwork, and rich mahogany and maroon furnishings. The top-tier goblets and crystalware alone made the younger guests restless with anticipation. But the crown jewel was the enchanted mural on the ceiling.
The ceiling mural played like a living memory, depicting scenes from the ancient Wizarding Wars as recorded by the Slytherin family.
William and Leon stood together, wine glasses raised. Though underage drinking was prohibited in the wizarding world, Slytherin Castle operated by its own rules. As they sipped their drinks and watched the unfolding magical battles, Leon, a pureblood by lineage and ideology, spoke passionately of pureblood supremacy, subtly nudging William toward the same beliefs.
On the opposite side of the hall, a quartet had formed—Jericho, Marcus, Charlie, and Percy—engrossed in their own brand of mischief.
With Moriarty's permission to lift some house-elf restrictions, the grounds now boasted an assortment of creatures—geese, swans, peacocks—all wandering the lawns. The boys repeatedly mounted brooms, swooping low to scatter the animals, only to erupt in laughter.
Eventually, Tonks and Gemma—mounted on a unicorn—would swoop in and shoo the boys away. The unicorn, imported by Professor Lockhart at a laughably steep price, was a gift that delighted Moriarty regardless.
Lilith, however, chose not to partake in the revelry. She wandered the lakeside with a house-elf. The basilisk had been returned to the castle grounds and now resided deep within the lake.
Lost in thought, Lilith's steps were slow, her gaze distant. She made several quiet laps around the water until a brilliant firework burst overhead from the tallest tower of the castle.
The house-elf at her side tugged gently at her sleeve. "Miss, we must return. The master has arrived."
When Lilith re-entered the grand hall, Moriarty had just emerged in formal attire. The moment he appeared, all the guests turned to him and gathered around.
"It's an honor to share this thousand-year-old castle with each of you," Moriarty announced, lifting a hand-gilded red enamel wine glass that Luke passed to him. He sipped Lockhart's imported Hennessy Red from Château Bordeaux and smiled.
"We know life brings both joy and sorrow—just as the sun must rise in the east and set in the west.
But no matter where life takes us, or what fate awaits us—what matters most is this moment, here and now.
Remember the promises we've yet to fulfill, the golden twilight, the crisp air, the breathtaking magic we've only begun to touch, the thrill of discovery, the wind in our hair during a Quidditch match!
Isn't that enough to make us love this world and live freely?
Everyone, raise your glass and drink with me! A toast—to magic, and to us!"
"To us!" the young witches and wizards shouted, glasses clinking. Jericho and Charlie—the castle's notorious pranksters—leapt onto the table and whistled wildly.
Moriarty laughed and clapped his hands. "Luke! Bring out the menu! Tonight, this castle belongs to all of you. Eat, drink, and enjoy!"
Menus materialized at every seat. Tonks, a frequent flier in Hufflepuff's dining hall, studied hers with a nod of approval. "This is top-class! Salad to start, then… stewed rabbit and roasted carp…"
She named each dish aloud, and as she did, the food appeared before her.
The others followed her lead. Lilith took her time, eyes scanning the menu before ordering a variety of Chinese dishes. Luke beamed, praising her refined taste.
But it was Jericho who took culinary experimentation to extremes. He dumped every flavor of Moriarty's ice cream into one giant goblet until it resembled a frozen mountain. Then, to everyone's horror, he ordered a pork chop—only to have Luke squeeze it into a thick gravy and pour it over the ice cream.
Marcus screamed and dove behind his chair. "Gravy over ice cream?! That's forbidden magic!"
"Drink up!" Jericho grinned, placing the monstrosity before Charlie. "Come on, you're a Gryffindor. Prove it!"
Flushed from strong brandy, Charlie was already red as his hair. He scooped a bite of the mess and gulped it down. "Gryffindor fears no Slytherin! Lions don't fear snakes!"
"That's the spirit!" Jericho roared, clapping Charlie on the back. The two clinked their mugs of butterbeer, devouring the meal with no restraint.
The girls across the hall giggled at the sight. Lilith, ever prepared, pulled out a magical camera and captured the chaotic moment.
Percy, seated nearby, shrank into his chair, trying to blend into the background. He was one of only two Gryffindors present and was desperate not to be roped into Jericho's culinary madness.
Percy's caution wasn't unfounded. None of the other guests had Jericho's appetite. Leon joked that if they ever dropped Jericho into the wilds of India, he'd eat the entire forest into a wasteland.
William and Leon laughed heartily at the thought. Moriarty approached, swirling wine in his glass.
Lilith noticed and casually strolled past them, pretending to be in search of fruit.
She overheard Leon clink glasses with Moriarty and whisper, "Bill's trail is truly elusive. I've reached out through family connections—Lucius Malfoy, of all people. He does some dealings in the Muggle world, and he told me that Bill traveled to Greece—on a Muggle vehicle. A boat? A flying carpet? An airplane? He spent the entire last year there…"
Leon's voice dropped too low for Lilith to catch the rest. Rolling her eyes, she drifted away silently.
Moriarty took in the information silently. He realized there was something he had forgotten to mention to Dumbledore—Leon's candidacy for Student Council President.
But remembering the cooperative relationship he had established with Dumbledore, Moriarty was confident the old Headmaster would ensure Leon's appointment. After all, there was no more suitable seventh-year for the position.
After some more words with Leon, Moriarty excused himself. The night was still young, but soon it would end—and once his guests departed, he had his own journey to begin.
Greece awaited.