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At this time, the auditorium was like the explosion of a cannonball.
The young wizards applauded furiously, and though their palms turned red from the effort, their excitement did not wane.
The clapping went on for quite a while before Moriarty finally sat down, pulling various dishes from the table onto his plate.
With that signal, the teachers and students calmed down and began to eat.
Lilith and Jericho flanked MoriartyâLilith immediately scooping a large spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"Ahhh⊠Fragrant!" she sighed.
Jericho, ever the glutton, clutched a chicken leg in one hand and a pork chop in the other, alternately stuffing them into his mouth, his cheeks greasy with delight.
"Mmm, delicious! So delicious!" he mumbled through a mouthful of meat, tears of joy welling in his eyes.
He didn't forget to recommend his favorites. "Sir, try this!"
He slid a heaping plate of roast beef in front of Moriarty.
Without hesitation, Moriarty stabbed a piece with his fork and chewed it slowly.
Soon, more bowls and platters found their way to him, all dishes the students eagerly insisted he try.
He didn't refuse anyone.
After dueling Dumbledore, traveling to Avalon, conversing with Merlin, killing Dracula, and battling Diana for over ten hours, he had certainly earned his meal.
Ravenous, Moriarty devoured the dishes placed before him, stacking plate upon plate in front of him.
Jericho and Lilith's spots looked similarly chaoticâbut no one thought them rude.
Even Leon remained silent.
Everyone had been starving.
If the famously composed Moriarty could eat openly, why couldn't they?
The boys bent forward and ate with abandon!
And the girls?
They could indulge a little more too.
Scratch thatâmuch more.
The young witches and wizards focused on the feast with warrior-like determination.
In no time, piles of empty plates and bowls rose before each student.
It was like a storm had blown through.
Only scraps and crumbs remained on the four long tables.
Dumbledore's eye twitched subtly, and he quietly instructed the house-elves to bring another round of identical food.
But a lead house-elf rushed over in a panic.
"Mr. Headmaster, I'm sorry, terribly sorryâŠ"
He bowed repeatedly, nearly collapsing in guilt.
Dumbledore had to hold him back from punishing himself before the elf whispered tremulously:
"The kitchens⊠the kitchens are out of ingredients! No more food can be made!"
The hall fell into a dead silence.
Every young wizard turned to the house-elf, wide-eyed.
The professors turned their stares to the students.
"He said⊠they ran out of ingredients?" Jericho mumbled with pudding still stuffed in his cheeks.
"They can't cook more?" Charlie asked in disbelief as a chunk of chocolate cauldron cake tumbled from his mouth.
A collective realization hit the students: this was the final serving.
Without warning, chaos erupted againâthis time a battle for whatever food remained.
Moriarty had just finished his last bite of Cornish pie when he spotted a plate of Welsh rabbit meat nearby.
The spicy aroma lingered in the air, teasing his senses.
Gulp.
He reached for the plate, only to find another hand reaching at the same time.
Two hands crossedâgrabbing the same dish.
"Huh?" Moriarty glanced up.
Lilith met his eyes with a bright grin.
"Oh! You wanted this too, Moriarty?"
"Rabbit isn't rare, but roast rabbit is a delicacy at Hogwarts," Moriarty said calmly, glancing at the Hufflepuff table.
There, the Badgers had practically mobbed their share of rabbit dishes.
Among them, Moriarty spotted Tonks, her blue hair unmistakable.
It was well known that Tonks loved rabbit meat.
One could only wonder what her Patronus, Michelle, thought of that irony.
Maybe that's why she mastered the Patronus Charm in the first place?
Regardless, Tonks' enthusiasm had infected Hufflepuff house.
The Badgers had consumed more than their share, creating a shortage at the other tables.
Moriarty stared pointedly at the plate sitting at the Slytherin table.
No way he was giving it up.
Lilith's eyes glinted mischievously.
"You know rabbit is good for beauty and skincare. You wouldn't fight a girl over that, right?"
"Beauty?" Moriarty rolled his eyes.
"That's a sham."
"Oh, it's true!" Lilith pouted.
"Share it with me, and I'll trade roast duck with you."
"Roast duck?" Moriarty raised an eyebrow and turned to see Jericho and Marcus locked in a silent face-off over slices of roast duck.
They glared at each other without blinking.
It was only the duck platter keeping them from lunging.
Lilith giggled, but before she could say anything, Leon interjected while brandishing a fork:
"You two! The boy's chairman has to step inâwhere's your humility? Just share it!"
Moriarty spun toward him, eyes sharp.
"One plate isn't enough for two!"
Lilith mirrored his reaction.
"How can two people share one dish? Either there are two dishes, or only one person eats!"
"Lilith!"
"Moriarty!"
They stared at each other like dueling champions, but the sparkle in their eyes gave away the playful tension.
Leon sighed, turning back to his steak-and-kidney pudding.
Just as he lifted his fork, a girl's voice chimed in:
"Leon, could I have some pudding?"
The Ravenclaw seventh-year girl, who served as the girls' chair, approached with a hopeful look.
Ravenclaw's table had run out of pudding entirely.
Leon's answer came sharp:
"Absolutely not!"
He stood firm.
"Pudding isn't good for girls. Keep your health intactâstay away from mine."
The girl stood there stunned, one word written all over her expression: Humble.
Suddenly, Tonks' cheerful voice echoed from the Hufflepuff table.
"Moriarty! Don't fight LilithâI saved a plate of rabbit for you!"
Today her hair was blue, standing out even more than usual.
Moriarty looked up just in time to see his senior sister smiling as she approached with a full plate.
"Nymph~ At this moment, you are my fairy!" he said, taking the dish and inhaling the rich aroma.
Tonks beamed.
"You're all smooth-talking since coming back. Too much fatty meat?"
"Nope. Just speaking the truth."
That answer clearly pleased her.
Lilith huffed and turned away.
She sought out Gemma Farley and offered to split the rabbit meat with her, then the two walked back toward Moriarty and Tonks.
"Moriarty," Gemma said, putting on a stern face, "when can we enjoy rabbit freedom like Hufflepuff?"
"That's easy," Moriarty answered mid-bite.
"Just ask the house-elves to make more tomorrow."
Hunger had hit the castle hardâeveryone, including elves and teachers, had been drained by the recent chaos.
Their strength, like their ingredients, had limits.
"I'm not going to ask. I don't want people thinking I'm a glutton," Gemma frowned, then added with feigned sincerity, "I'm just deeply concerned about everyone's future meals."
"What's there to worry about?" Tonks said with a smirk.
She could tell Gemma was targeting her, but had no proof.
"I worry Hogwarts will descend into internal chaos thanks to Hufflepuff."
Tonks sneered and sat closer to Moriarty, almost leaning into him on purpose.
"So you like rabbit meat, huh? You should've said so earlier! I'll cook it for you every day until you're full!"
She was so blatant it was impossible to miss the deeper meaning.
Across the hall, girls turned to look, some narrowing their eyes seriously.
"Enough teasing, Nymph," Moriarty chuckled.
Tonks grinned and returned to her usual self.
She stared at the rabbit plate, eyes sparkling.
"Can I have some?"
"Go ahead. I'm nearly full," Moriarty said as he wiped his mouth.
Tonks eagerly took Moriarty's fork and dug inâbut she couldn't help noticing how many eyes were on her now.
The other girls wore thoughtful expressions.
Could the way to Moriarty's heart really be through his stomach?
âââââââââ-
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