"What a stubborn elf," Moriarty murmured as he closed the box door. "But the more obstinate she acts, the more obvious it becomes—she's hiding something. Unless, of course, she's simply wild by nature."
He strolled down the corridor, puzzled by the emptiness. Strangely, the younger students had vanished. Had those hormone-fueled boys really left Diana behind?
BANG—
The door to Box No. 2 flew open from the inside—no, it was kicked open.
A petite, white boot appeared in the doorway before swiftly withdrawing.
That foot shape, that size…
Moriarty paused thoughtfully. "Lilith?"
Laughter tinkled from inside the compartment, Gemma Farley's being the loudest. "Mr. Moriarty can recognize Lilith's foot after just one summer break? That's not a normal friendship. No wonder Lilith got jealous hearing he was in the 'nice' box."
"Sister Gemma, stop it!!" Lilith squealed. She pounced on Gemma, fingers seeking her weak spots. She knew Gemma was most ticklish under her arms.
At that moment, Moriarty stepped into Box 2, catching Lilith mid-motion, half-straddling Gemma, her hand slipping under Gemma's robes.
Everything froze like a still frame. Lilith blinked at Moriarty and immediately flushed from cheeks to ears. Embarrassed, she scurried back into her seat.
Moriarty didn't comment on the awkward scene. Instead, his eyes roamed the compartment with interest. With Tonks, Gemma, Lilith, and Penelope Clearwater present, Box 2 was indeed something special.
Tonks was entering her fifth year, Gemma was in fourth, and Lilith, Penelope, and Moriarty were all second-years.
In short, the most captivating witches from years five, four, and two were all packed into one small space.
"Mr. Moriarty?" Gemma tilted her head with a sly grin. "Aren't you curious why we're all in Box 2?"
Before Moriarty could answer, Lilith pointed threateningly at Gemma. "If you say one word, I swear you'll have nothing but bad luck for the rest of the year!"
Though she had returned to her usual bold self, Moriarty detected something more beneath Lilith's aggressive demeanor. Her earlier teasing, this sudden gathering—it seemed she had arranged for everyone to be here. But for what reason?
"Because Lilith thinks the one in Box 1 might seduce you. So, she dragged us here to keep an eye on things," Penelope whispered into Moriarty's ear before pulling back with a wink, her blue eyes glinting with amusement.
Though whispered, she made no effort to hide her voice. The others heard her loud and clear.
Lilith spun toward Penelope and mock-choked her. What a betrayal! This had to be social suicide.
Gemma and Tonks burst into unrestrained laughter, making Lilith feel she couldn't bear to face Moriarty again.
Fortunately, Moriarty gently tugged her arm in understanding, calming her down before taking a seat. Penelope took the opportunity to nudge Lilith aside and sit next to Moriarty. She shook her head regretfully. "Mr. Moriarty, I'm sorry I couldn't attend your party. My parents didn't allow me out—typical Muggles, you know."
"It's alright. It's not my loss anyway." Moriarty shrugged. A year immersed in the magical world had changed Penelope, but she still had a long way to go before becoming a proper witch.
Penelope's smile stiffened, and she pouted. "So it's all my fault?"
Tonks and Gemma cracked up again. It seemed they enjoyed seeing their peers flustered.
"Hey, Moriarty," Tonks said suddenly. Her hair shimmered into golden curls—an exact replica of Diana's. She posed with exaggerated femininity and said lightly, "How do you think I compare to the woman in Box 1?"
"Uh... Nymphadora?" Moriarty gave her a strange look. "Are you seriously comparing yourself to her? You do know she's an elf, right?"
"So what if she's an elf?" Tonks said with a shrug. "I say men don't care about status—they care about looks."
"And figure," Gemma added smugly.
Tonks glanced down at herself reflexively, grateful not to see her feet. Still, thoughts of Diana's regal bearing made her expression falter. Gemma continued: "And personality. A woman's background is also important."
"You're going too far!" Tonks grumbled and shoved Gemma playfully. But after that push, she no longer had the courage to look Moriarty in the eye.
Now Lilith and Penelope joined in the laughter, and Tonks sighed dramatically. "Look at all those boys on the train. They're acting like the one in Box 1 is a Snidget! Snidgets hunt gold; they chase beauty! Same thing!"
"Alright," Gemma said, tossing Tonks a glance. "I don't even know what you're jealous about. You're the only girl in school with Mr. Moriarty's personal nickname. We're all just envious."
"Exactly," Lilith chimed in, mimicking Moriarty's voice with dramatic flair. "Nymph? Nymph! Oh Nymph~"
Seeing Tonks ready to lunge at them, Moriarty tapped the floor with his wand. "Ladies, I heard that loud and clear. Professor Diana's arrival has definitely shaken your confidence."
All four witches nodded sheepishly. Then Lilith raised her head abruptly. "Wait—how do you know the elf in Box 1 is named Diana? She's actually our professor?!"
"Ah, you spotted the detail," Moriarty smirked. "Dumbledore will introduce her soon. For now, what I will say is—there's no need to compare yourselves to Diana. It's pointless. Just be yourselves. There's only one Diana, yes—but also only one Lilith, one Tonks, one Penelope, and one Gemma Farley."
The girls smiled, visibly delighted by the affirmation.
Gemma pouted. "Moriarty, you always use my full name. That's not fair!"
The other three jumped at the chance to tease her for once. Gemma's usual mischievousness had come back to bite her.
Moriarty smiled thoughtfully. The atmosphere in Box 1 and Box 2 couldn't be more different. Hogwarts was becoming more eventful by the day.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
There was a rhythmic knock at the door, followed by Marcus Flint's low voice. "Sir, I thought you might be interested in this—Soldaya Selwyn is in the last compartment. He's a first-year."
Moriarty remembered the boy who had dared to use the Unforgivable Curse. The corners of his lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Let's pay him a visit."
With that, he stood, nodded politely to the four girls, and exited.
Marcus and Jericho flanked Moriarty as they made their way to the final box. Inside sat a lone figure—Soldaya Selwyn.
Today, Soldaya wore a deep purple robe, his hair tied into a ponytail, giving him a roguish, unrestrained air. The moment Jericho stepped into the compartment, their eyes locked.
"He's a wild one," Jericho muttered.
Marcus nodded in agreement. "Only a thorn dares challenge Mr. Moriarty."
Soldaya extended his right hand from beneath his robe, wand gripped tightly.
"Sir," he said firmly, "if I defeat them both, will you let me follow you?"
He flicked his wand between Marcus and Jericho, but his eyes were fixed solely on Moriarty.
"Expelliarmus!"
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