THE MASTERMIND OF HOGWARTS

Moriarty ordered Lockhart, Ingo, and Luke to leave the room and wait in the hall.

Then, he picked up the notebook.

Ding Dong~ The system has detected that the host has found Salazar Slytherin's diary. Five exploration lottery prizes have been awarded.

Moriarty was slightly surprised. The entire castle had only provided ten lottery draws so far, yet this single diary had given him five. That alone made him eager to explore its contents.

Opening the first page, he found a line of elegant handwriting.

"Open your eyes to see death, and close your eyes to the future."

Moriarty read it softly. This was the incantation to unlock the castle's secrets.

Turning to the second page, another phrase was written in dark ink.

"Death is eternal life."

"Interesting," Moriarty murmured, running his fingers over the aged parchment. Despite being over nine centuries old, the paper remained as soft as if it had been preserved by magic. The words themselves were simple, yet they carried an eerie weight, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Death has always been a mystery beyond the grasp of wizards. Immortality, on the other hand, has been the pursuit of many dark wizards," Moriarty mused aloud, reclining in a noble chair adorned with golden trim and plush goose-down armrests. "But in the Middle Ages, when Salazar Slytherin lived, the concept of dark wizards hadn't yet solidified. Every legendary mage sought immortality in some form."

The cryptic notes piqued Moriarty's curiosity. Eagerly, he turned to the third page, only to find words written in deep crimson—perhaps blood.

"Never trust goblins."

Frowning, Moriarty flipped through the remaining pages. The diary contained no further mention of death or immortality. Instead, it was filled with notes on potions, spells, and rune magic—detailed research and experimentation conducted by Salazar himself.

Closing the book, Moriarty placed it on his desk. While the diary hadn't unveiled the secrets of death, it documented seventeen potions and thirty-four spells, all personally created by Slytherin.

"This knowledge will make my school life far more interesting," Moriarty thought with satisfaction. He retrieved his personal checklist and wrote:

"First year goals: Successfully refine three potions. Master five spells."

After jotting down his plan, Moriarty's gaze fell on a rectangular sandalwood box resting on the table. Time had not dulled its vibrant golden-red hue.

This color is unusual in Slytherin spaces. It's more akin to something Godric Gryffindor would favor...

Curious, Moriarty opened the box. Inside, he found a set of keys. The largest of them—a deep crimson key—was labeled Underground Chamber.

"Luke!" Moriarty called out, snatching up the red key as he strode out of the bedroom. "Take me to the basement—quickly!"

Luke promptly stepped forward. "As you wish, Young Master. The basement is divided into two levels. The first floor is the treasury, where Master Salazar stored wealth obtained from the goblins. The second floor holds materials he stockpiled for magical research."

Unsure which floor contained the Underground Chamber, Moriarty decided to begin his search from the first level.

As they passed through the hall, Moriarty overheard Lockhart questioning Ingo.

"There's something I've been wondering for a while. You and the house-elves cannot leave the castle, correct? So how did you survive for nine hundred years? Where did your food come from?"

Ingo smirked, his expression unreadable. "There is a great lake behind the castle," he answered vaguely.

Lockhart hesitated before nodding. "I see... But about the castle's wealth—Salazar truly got it from goblins? I don't recall any record of a conflict between Salazar and goblins in A History of Magic."

Ingo's expression darkened. His lips moved silently as if he were cursing Salazar but dared not speak aloud, likely due to the golden shackles binding him.

Moriarty smirked knowingly. "Come with me, Lockhart. Let's see the vault. As long as you're willing to pay, even a troll will buy your next book."

Lockhart's eyes lit up, and he hurried after Moriarty, muttering to himself, as if mentally rehearsing his next book's promotion event.

"Master, we have arrived," Luke announced, unlocking the vault door with a simple touch.

The dark chamber was suddenly bathed in dazzling light. The sheer brilliance of gold and precious gems made Moriarty and Lockhart squint, their vision momentarily overwhelmed.

Luke panicked. "Master, forgive me! I didn't realize the treasury would be so bright!"

"Aha! This is heaven!" Lockhart gasped, covering his eyes as tears streamed down his face. Yet, his expression was one of unrestrained joy.

Once Moriarty's vision adjusted, he examined the vault's structure.

The room was the size of a Quidditch pitch. Walls of pure gold bricks enclosed the space, forming an airtight fortress of wealth. The ceiling gleamed with embedded gems—emeralds, diamonds, pearls—each reflecting light in a mesmerizing dance. Countless treasures lay in neatly organized piles.

Purple crystal partitions separated gold and silver hoards. Green crystal barriers divided enchanted artifacts from magical materials.

In the farthest corners, stacks of gold coins—issued from various wizarding nations and different historical periods—sat untouched. Ironically, they were the least valuable objects in this room.

Moriarty whistled in admiration. He had no personal obsession with wealth, but possessing such riches meant he could focus on more important pursuits without financial worries.

"Lockhart, take a few gold bricks for your book promotion campaign," Moriarty instructed.

"Oh, Young Master..." Lockhart knelt on the golden floor, openly weeping, his mouth quivering as if trying to express gratitude but failing.

Moriarty wasn't sure what to make of his reaction, but it was clear his tears were from sheer happiness.

"Luke, let's proceed to the second floor." Moriarty exited the vault. Gold was useful, but it was knowledge he truly sought.

The second basement level was better illuminated than the first, with polished suits of armor reflecting the ambient light.

Moriarty paced carefully, searching for the Underground Chamber. In addition to the armor, goblin-crafted weapons lined the walls—massive swords, hammers, spears, shields, and scepters.

"I've found it," Moriarty declared, spotting a sculpture of a coiled serpent. "Ancestor Salazar was nothing if not predictable. Any place he hid something important was bound to feature a snake."

Inserting the red key into the serpent's mouth, he heard a crisp click. A hidden door materialized in the stone wall.

Examining the narrow passageway, Moriarty gripped his wand tightly and stepped inside.

No danger awaited him. The passage led to a dimly lit chamber. In the center, resting atop a simple stone altar, was an egg.

Approaching cautiously, Moriarty sensed a faint magical pulse emanating from within. He placed a hand on the shell, feeling a rhythmic thump-thump—as if a small heart was beating inside.

Just then, the system's voice echoed in his mind.

"The host has discovered an Undying Phoenix Egg—a rare magical creature containing powerful fire-elemental magic. Unlike ordinary phoenixes, it cannot be killed, nor can it undergo rebirth through fire, making it incredibly difficult to hatch."

For the first time, the system provided a detailed explanation, making Moriarty realize the extraordinary nature of this egg.

"It has been detected that the host has discovered, touched, and claimed the Undying Phoenix Egg. Three exploration draws have been awarded."

"Additionally, due to the strong fire-elemental magic within the egg, the host has now unlocked the path of Elemental Magic Advancement. Would the host like to proceed?"

Moriarty's eyes gleamed with interest. "The path to elemental magic? What are the benefits?"