THE MASTERMIND OF HOGWARTS

Lockhart had to run around for this, searching for someone to ask.

Until the early morning of December 4, 1987, Lockhart knocked on the castle gate.

After being picked up by Luke, he went straight to the dining room, where Moriarty was having breakfast.

"Master, I know the reason why the Daily Prophet did not report on the Mutual Aid Foundation."

Lockhart's voice was dry, and Moriarty noticed that his appearance looked terrible.

He must not have slept well for several days because of this; two dark circles hung under his eyes, and the hem of his embroidered coat was caked with mud. Clearly, he had exhausted himself running around over the past few days.

Moriarty poured Lockhart a glass of milk. "Come on, Lockhart, drink and speak slowly. Calm your heart—if I'm here, any problem ceases to be a problem."

Lockhart gulped down the glass of milk, his face flushing slightly, and then he took out a letter.

"Look, Master! Old Foley wrote to me early this morning saying that the Mutual Aid Foundation is being boycotted!" Lockhart gritted his teeth. "It's Lucius Malfoy! He's joined several pure-blood families to oppose the Mutual Aid Fund. That cunning Death Eater! If you ask me, he should be in Azkaban! He's evil!"

"Haha, don't say that." Moriarty was amused by Lockhart's indignant expression.

The pure-blood families didn't concern him much. He didn't even bother reading Old Foley's letter. The moment he heard Lucius Malfoy's name, he already knew the reason.

"It's important to determine who's standing against us. You've done a great job, Lockhart!" Moriarty praised him before his gaze sharpened. "I have already prepared for the worst—if the goblins are behind this, I may just have to dismantle Gringotts first."

Lockhart blinked in surprise and said thoughtfully, "So… maybe this move by the pure-blood families isn't necessarily a bad thing? Could we cooperate with them instead?"

"I'm pleased with the way you're thinking about this."

Moriarty poured Lockhart another glass of milk and even clinked glasses with him.

After finishing his drink, Moriarty cleared his throat. "Regarding pure-bloods, you must remember that most of them are stuck in the glory of the past.

Haven't you been talking about a new era of revival? When times abandon them, they won't even get a farewell.

Unless the pure-blood families change, my relationship with them will remain strictly cooperative."

"I understand, young master," Lockhart said seriously. "So what should we do this time?"

"Even in cooperation, I won't be the one to suffer," Moriarty said slowly. "I had you establish the Mutual Aid Foundation with the intent of digging a hole for the goblins. Now that the pure-blood families have stepped forward… let's make them lose everything, down to Merlin's underpants!"

Moriarty left the dining room, retrieved Salazar's diary from his quarters, and pointed at some notes on one of the pages.

"Look, go check Knockturn Alley for these potion ingredients."

"Wow," Lockhart exclaimed in surprise. "You're going to brew potions?"

"Yes, I plan to create the first of the seventeen potions left behind by Salazar Slytherin himself—a completely unheard-of potion in the wizarding world. A Neutralizing Potion."

Moriarty, having memorized the diary's contents, explained confidently, "This potion acts as a stabilizer, balancing unstable potions. It reduces the harmful properties of ingredients while enhancing a potion's effects.

Salazar even claimed it could neutralize the side effects of excessive Felix Felicis consumption. However, brewing it won't be easy. Some of its ingredients have vanished from the world, though I believe some still exist in the vault on the first floor."

After Moriarty finished speaking, he noticed Lockhart standing there in a daze.

"What are you waiting for?"

Lockhart shook his head and stumbled away.

"He's acting strangely today," Moriarty muttered. "Don't you think so, Luke?"

The house-elf pretended to comment wisely but was quickly sent off to prepare the cauldrons.

"Ingo!" Moriarty called to the goblin who was shuffling slowly by. "Head to Knockturn Alley and purchase vampire eyeballs, werewolf fingernails, dew from a dryad's first bloom, and a discolored ghoul's buckteeth…"

Since many of these ingredients were only available in Knockturn Alley, Moriarty decided Ingo was the best candidate to fetch them—he dared not send Lockhart there.

After dispatching his three assistants, Moriarty descended to the underground vault and retrieved the most crucial ingredients listed in Salazar's notes.

Luke arranged the cauldrons, balances, vials, and other brewing tools in Salazar's old potion lab—a chamber untouched for centuries.

More than ten cauldrons of various materials, large and small, were lined up neatly. Luke numbered them carefully.

Overcome with emotion, the house-elf wiped away tears. "Young master truly resembles the old master…"

Moriarty repeated the brewing steps in his mind, determined to avoid mistakes. This would be his first attempt at brewing a potion.

According to his academic plan, he originally intended to brew the Neutralizing Potion and two others only after entering Hogwarts. However, the pure-blood families' interference had pushed this plan forward by nine months!

An hour later, Lockhart returned, bursting into the room with excitement.

"Master! Master! Please, give me just one minute! I have an idea!"

Lockhart rushed into the potion lab, panting. "Back when I was a student at Hogwarts, I dreamed of making my own shampoo!

I even succeeded—I created a shampoo using bird-snake egg yolks as the main ingredient! I called it Bird-Snake Egg Yolk Shampoo!

It locks in shine and enhances hair texture. I tested it myself, and it really works!

However… there's a minor flaw. Occasionally, users' hair grows uncontrollably long, then falls out completely, only to regrow moments later!

I suspect this is due to the bird-snake's ability to expand and contract at will…"

Lockhart rambled excitedly. The room fell silent as he eagerly awaited Moriarty's response.

Moriarty suddenly saw Lockhart in a new light—so this was why he'd been acting strangely.

He recalled Lockhart's words in class: "My greatest ambition is to rid the world of evil… and sell my own line of hair care products."

At that moment, Moriarty received a system notification:

Mission Issued: Brew a safe version of Bird-Snake Egg Yolk Shampoo and gift it to Professor Snape.

Mission Deadline: One year.

Reward: Achievement Lottery.

Failure: Host obliteration.

Moriarty frowned. This mission had two layers.

First, brewing a safe shampoo.

Even without the system's task, Moriarty would have done this. He intended for Lockhart to use the product to break the Potter family's shampoo monopoly and seize the market with the pure-blood families.

Second… giving it to Snape?!

Moriarty was speechless. With Snape's personality, the only way he'd accept shampoo was if Lily Potter gave it to him! Even Voldemort himself wouldn't be able to force him to wash his hair!

This would have to wait until Hogwarts started.

Moriarty sighed, turning back to Lockhart.

The man looked like a student awaiting exam results, filled with anxious anticipation.

"You never disappoint when it comes to style!" Moriarty praised. "No one else could have thought of such a genius idea! A Bird-Snake Egg Yolk Shampoo enhanced with a Neutralizing Potion—it will revolutionize the wizarding world!"

"Oh, Master! Thank you!" Lockhart teared up, overwhelmed with emotion.

The first person he thought of was Severus Snape.

"I'm writing to Professor Snape right now to introduce my shampoo—"

"Absolutely not." Moriarty cut him off sternly.

If Lockhart sent that letter, Moriarty's mission would fail before it even started!

Instead, he handed Lockhart a cauldron. "Get to work. We need plenty of shampoo samples to perfect the formula!"

Lockhart obeyed at once, and the potion room bustled with activity.