Master Druid at Hogwarts

Chapter 697 Horace Slughorn
Dumbledore led the two of them past an empty tavern and several houses, then turned a corner and passed a telephone box and a bus shelter.

Then they walked up a steep, narrow street lined with rows of houses.

"Professor, why can't we Apparate directly to your old colleague's house?" Harry couldn't help asking when he realized that they hadn't arrived after walking for so long.

"Because that would be as rude as kicking open the door of someone's house," Dumbledore explained. "Politeness requires us to offer other wizards the opportunity to refuse us. However, most wizarding houses have magic to ward off unwanted The Apparition. Like, at Hogwarts..."

"... Apparation is not allowed in the castle or on the grounds," Harry snapped, "Hermione told me."

"She's right. Let's turn left again."

Harry was still wondering: why didn't Dumbledore think it was rude to visit an old colleague so late?
But he didn't continue to ask, but followed Dumbledore and turned into another straight street.

After crossing the street they stopped at the gate of a neat little stone house set in a garden.

"Here it is," said Dumbledore.

Then they followed the well-kept path behind the gate to the front door of the house.

Dumbledore stepped forward and knocked on the door, which opened in response.

Behind the door is a long and narrow porch. Exquisite candlesticks are hung on the walls on both sides, and the white candles on the candlesticks are emitting warm light.On the left side of the porch, a door was open, and a brighter light shone through it.

Dumbledore shook his robe, then strode into the living room, followed by Fish and Harry.

It was a cramped and untidy living room, strewn with ottomans, ottomans, drinks and books, boxes of chocolates and bulging cushions.

There’s also an expensive-looking grandfather clock and a piano, a gleaming chandelier similar to the one in Blake’s home hangs from the ceiling, and the walls are covered with beautiful wallpaper.

At the other end of the living room, there is a writing desk with some silver photo frames on it. In the photo frames are photos of a bald, fat old man and other people.

And the fat old man was sitting in an armchair with a glass of red wine and looked at them comfortably.

"Long time no see, Albus, my friend." The fat old man with a walrus-like silver-white beard raised his glass of wine and signaled to Dumbledore, but he still sat on the chair and did not stand up, looking slightly Somewhat rude.

But Dumbledore didn't care about such a small problem, he greeted affectionately: "How is it, Horace, how are you doing recently?"

Slughorn's eyes kept going back and forth between Fish and Harry, and he didn't answer his question immediately, but instead showed a struggling expression.

This puzzled Harry, why did he take so long to think about such a simple question?
But Dumbledore seemed to have expected it long ago. Before he could answer, he took Fish and Harry to the sofa covered with cushions and sat down, and introduced: "This is my An old friend and colleague, Horace Slughorn. I suppose you are familiar with the two of them?"

"Of course, of course..." Slughorn looked at the two of them in a daze, and said like a raving: "The famous 'Natural Animagus' Fish McGonagall, and the 'Boy Who Lived' Harry Potter..."

"You are so meow!"

(ΦωΦ)

Fish greeted politely.

"Hello." Harry nodded to him kindly.

"Well, you win, Albus." Slughorn sighed resignedly and conceded, "I agree."

These endless words confused Fish and Harry, but Dumbledore smiled happily, and he confirmed, "Are you willing to come back to work?"

"Yeah, yeah," Slughorn said impatiently, and then hesitantly asked, "That thing...that person...is true, isn't it?"

Although he was vague, Harry guessed what he meant.

And Dumbledore is the same, he nodded, "I think you should know me, Horace. And...you should know him too." He said pointedly.

Slughorn's face changed slightly, then he fiddled with two fat thumbs uneasily, and lowered his head, avoiding Dumbledore's sight.

"I, I don't understand what you're talking about..." He tried to change the subject incoherently, "Oh, by the way, do you want something to drink? To commemorate my tenure, oh no, to celebrate the past ..."

The more he said the more wrong he simply stood up and walked towards the sideboard in a slightly embarrassed manner.

"Professor?" Harry cast a questioning look at Dumbledore.

However, Dumbledore just waved his hand lightly and didn't explain much.

Soon, Slughorn returned with a silver tray, and regained his composure.

While distributing the drinks on the tray to the three, he said: "Come and taste it, this is a good wine given to me by Suzeta Galina, you should know how big her wine business is...You guys You two should be underage, let's have a cup of butter beer!"

"No!" ×2
Dumbledore and Harry stopped talking together.

"You wouldn't want to see Fish drinking, Horace," said Dumbledore meaningfully.

And Harry also nodded his head violently, "Hey Fei... a glass of milk is fine, or water is also fine!"

Fish: "..."

(ω)
Although Maomao also knows that he can't drink alcohol, but...

Why do you suddenly want to try again?

He stared at the wine glass in front of Dumbledore with bad eyes, and his heart was about to move.

Fortunately, Slughorn had brought over two glasses of milk at this time, and the sweet scent successfully diverted Maomao's attention.

"Okay, Albus," Slughorn clinked glasses with Dumbledore lightly, and said after taking a sip of his drink, "I promised to teach at Hogwarts, but you have to promise me, It doesn't put me in danger."

"Why do you think so, Horace?" Dumbledore tasted the wine in the glass, smacked his lips with satisfaction, and said, "It doesn't mean that you are part of the Order of the Phoenix if you accept my invitation." member, but rejected Voldemort's invitation, he will definitely not let you go..."

He looked at Slughorn with a half-smile, and said: "If my information is correct, you have been erratic for the past year, never staying in one place for more than a week, and rarely interacting with you." Those 'Favorites' contacts from ... this doesn't look like you. Let me guess ... you've been approached by a Death Eater?"

"I don't know if he is a Death Eater!" Slughorn said angrily, and slammed the wine glass in his hand on the table, splashing a lot of wine, "But the man's tone, It is almost the same as the Death Eaters back then, otherwise why do you think I would believe your statement so easily?"

"You are still as cautious as ever." Dumbledore said sarcastically, shaking the wine glass in his hand.

"In these days, only prudent wizards can live more comfortably." Slughorn didn't take it seriously, he had this kind of pleasure-seeking character, and he never shy away from it.

"If you want to live comfortably, I don't think Hogwarts will let you down." Dumbledore smiled and said, "At least it's much more comfortable than your current life where you have to move house once a week. It’s also much more secure.”

"I hope..." Slughorn drank the wine in his glass, then looked at Fish and Harry with complicated expressions, "Anyway, I already promised you, didn't I?"

If he hadn't been fascinated by these two people (mainly Fish), how could he have agreed to Dumbledore so easily!
Unwilling, Slughorn decided to make up for it in other ways.

So he started a new round of dialogue with Dumbledore about his own treatment.It's just that Dumbledore, who had already received his affirmative answer, resolutely rejected his unreasonable request.

"Then, Horace, I'll see you on September [-]st." After arguing, Dumbledore put down his glass, stood up and said goodbye.

"Okay, no problem." Slughorn muttered, "But...can't the salary be discussed anymore?"

"Of course not. The salary of professors in the school is regulated." Dumbledore refused again gently but firmly: "I have already given you the highest salary within the allowed range."

"Oh... well... I should talk to you about the salary before agreeing." Slughorn was obviously still not very satisfied with his current salary.

"Albus, the price of having a vacation as a professor at Hogwarts is that you'll make less money... Meow?"

(ˇˇ)
When Dumbledore left Slughorn's house with Fish and Harry, Maomao raised his head and asked seriously.

Dumbledore: "..."

broken!Forget about abducting Fish to work in the school!
……

Recommended monthly ticket

　The idea of ​​changing the residence every week for one year was said by Rees Lughorn himself in the original book, and it was less than a month after Voldemort was exposed at that time, so he should have been in contact with the Death Eaters very early.

　　It's just that Voldemort hasn't been officially exposed here, so he won't pretend to be attacked by Death Eaters like in the original book.

　　……

　　Suzeta Galina is from WOW, the best wine merchant in Stormwind City, and has an errand task to exchange a bottle of Dalaran black wine with her for a wine ticket.

　　I originally wanted to use Steven Lohan, the owner of the Blue Hermit in the Mage District. His son Eric Lohan wandered around Stormwind City every day and advertised for the Blue Hermit, saying that he could get free drinks……

　　It's all deceptive!
　　……

　　The new month is the beginning of the scourge.

　　I went for a walk last night, and it rained suddenly, and it rained especially when I was waiting for the traffic lights and there was no shelter around me...

　　Then I found a Starbucks on the side of the road to shelter from the rain. Just after I placed my order, the rain stopped. When my order was ready, the rain came again...

　　After finally waiting for the rain to lighten up a bit, I rushed home, and then God seemed to be targeting me on purpose. As soon as I walked to a place with no shelter nearby, the rain suddenly increased, and there was a place to hide from the rain, and it immediately became smaller .

　　Moreover, our road administration has a serious problem. The floor tiles of the sidewalk have to be placed with a piece of marble every short section. When it rains, walking on it is like stepping on a landmine. If you are not careful, you will be slipped. Dare to go fast...

　　I was soaked when I got home anyway...and I just took a shower yesterday...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)