Chapter 697 Horace Slughorn

Dumbledore led the two men past an empty pub and several houses, then turned a corner, past a telephone booth and a bus shelter.

Then they walked onto a steep, narrow street with rows of houses on both sides.

"Professor, why can't we Apparate directly to your old colleague's house?" Harry asked when he found that they had walked for so long and still hadn't arrived.

"Because that would be as rude as kicking down someone else's door." Dumbledore explained: "Courtesy requires us to give other wizards the opportunity to refuse us. However, most wizard homes have magic to resist unwanted Apparitions. For example, at Hogwarts..."

"...Apparition is not allowed in the castle and grounds," Harry said quickly: "Hermione told me."

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

Harry was still a little puzzled: Why didn't Dumbledore think it was rude to visit an old colleague so late?

But he didn't ask any more questions, but followed Dumbledore and turned into another straight street.

Crossing the street, they stopped at the gate of a neat little stone house in a garden.

"This is it," Dumbledore said.

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

Dumbledore went up and knocked on the door, which opened.

Behind the door was a long, narrow porch, with beautiful candlesticks hanging on both walls, and white candles on the candlesticks were emitting a warm glow. On the left side of the porch, a door was open, and brighter light came from inside.

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

It was a crowded and messy living room, with soft chairs, footstools, drinks and books everywhere, as well as boxes of chocolates and piles of bulging cushions.

There was also an expensive-looking grandfather clock and a piano, a glittering chandelier similar to the one in Black's house hanging from the ceiling, and beautiful wallpaper on the walls.

At the other end of the living room, there was a desk with some silver photo frames on it. In each of the photo frames, there was a bald fat old man with other people.

The fat old man was holding a glass of red wine, sitting in an armchair and looking at them comfortably.

"Long time no see, Albus, my friend." The fat old man with a silver-white beard like a walrus raised the wine glass in his hand and gestured to Dumbledore, but he still sat on the chair without standing up, which seemed a little rude.

However, Dumbledore did not care about such a small problem. He greeted him warmly: "How is it, Horace, how are you doing recently?"

Slughorn's eyes kept moving back and forth between Fish and Harry. He did not answer his question immediately, but his expression seemed a little struggling.

This made Harry puzzled. Why did he have to think about such a simple question for so long?

As if Dumbledore had expected this, he took Fish and Harry to the cushioned sofa without waiting for his answer, and introduced them: "This is an old friend and colleague of mine, Horace Slughorn. I think you should be familiar with them, right?"

"Of course, of course..." Slughorn looked at the two of them in a trance, and said in a daze: "The famous 'natural animagus' Fish McGonagall, and the 'boy who lived' Harry Potter..."

"Hello, meow!"

(ΦωΦ)

Fish greeted politely.

"Hello." Harry nodded to him in a friendly manner.

"Well, you win, Albus." Slughorn sighed helplessly and admitted defeat: "I agree."

This incoherent statement confused both Fish and Harry, but Dumbledore smiled happily and confirmed: "Are you willing to come out and work again?"

"Yes, yes," Slughorn seemed a little impatient, and then he asked hesitantly: "That thing...that person...is true, right?"

Although he said it vaguely, Harry guessed what he meant.

And Dumbledore was the same, he nodded, "I think you should know me, Horace. And...you should also know him." He said meaningfully.

Slughorn's face changed slightly, and then he fiddled with his two fat thumbs uneasily, and lowered his head to avoid 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 appointment, oh no, to celebrate the past..."

He was getting more and more wrong, so 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 gently without explaining much.

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

While distributing the drinks on the tray to the three people, he said, "Come and try it. This is a good wine given to me by Suzetta Gallina. You should know how big her wine business is... You two should not be adults yet, so have a glass of butter beer!"

"No!" ×2

Dumbledore and Harry both stopped.

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

And Harry nodded his head fiercely at the side, "Give Fei...just give us a glass of milk, or water!"

Feixu: "..."

(ω)

Although Maomao also knows that he cannot drink, but...

Why do you suddenly want to try it again?

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

Fortunately, Slughorn had already brought two glasses of milk, and the sweet smell successfully diverted the cat's attention.

"Okay, Albus," Slughorn gently clinked glasses with Dumbledore, took a sip of wine and said, "I promised to go back to Hogwarts to teach, but you have to promise me, This 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, "Accepting my invitation does not mean that you are a member of the Order of the Phoenix. A member of Voldemort rejected Voldemort's invitation, so he will definitely not let you go..."

He looked at Slughorn with a half-smile and said: "If my information is not wrong, you have been elusive in the past year, never staying in one place for more than a week, and rarely spending time with you. Those 'collection' contacts...it doesn't look like you. Let me guess...some Death Eaters have already approached you?"

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

"You are still as cautious as ever." Dumbledore shook the wine glass in his hand and said slightly sarcastically.

"These days, only prudent wizards can live more comfortably." Slughorn didn't take it seriously. He had such a pleasure-seeking character and never shied away from this.

"If you want to live comfortably, I think Hogwarts will not let you down." Dumbledore smiled: "At least it is much more comfortable than your current life of having to move once a week. It’s much more stable.”

"I hope..." Slughorn drank all the wine in his glass, and then looked at Fish and Harry with a complex expression, "I have promised you anyway, haven't I?"

If he hadn't been obsessed by these two people (mainly Fish), how could he have agreed to Dumbledore so easily!

The unwilling Slughorn decided to make amends in other ways.

So he started a new round of dialogue with Dumbledore about his treatment. However, Dumbledore, who had already received his affirmative answer, decisively rejected his unreasonable request.

"Well, Horace, we'll see you on September 1st." After some debate, Dumbledore put down his glass, stood up and said goodbye.

"Okay, no problem." Slughorn muttered: "But...can't we discuss the salary anymore?"

"Of course not. There are regulations on the salary of school professors." Dumbledore gently but firmly refused again: "I have already given you the highest salary within the allowable range."

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

"Albus, the price of enjoying your vacation as a professor at Hogwarts is that you will make less money...right?"

(ˇˇ)

After Dumbledore left Slughorn's home with Fish and Harry, Cat raised his head and asked seriously.

Dumbledore: "..."

broken! I forgot about abducting Feixu to work in the school!

…

Recommended ticket monthly ticket

The idea of ​​changing residences every week for a year was said by the original author Rise Lughorn himself. At that time, Voldemort was exposed less than a month ago, so he should have been in contact with 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.

…

Suzetta Galina comes from WOW, the best wine merchant in Stormwind City. One of her errands is to exchange a wine ticket with her for a bottle of Dalaran black wine.

I originally wanted to use Steven Lohan, the owner of Blue Hermit in the Mage District. His son Eric Lohan wanders around Stormwind City every day, advertising Blue Hermit, saying that he can get free tickets at Blue Hermit. drinks……

It's all a lie!

…

The new month begins with another scourge.

I was going for a walk last night when it rained suddenly, and it rained heavily when I was waiting for a traffic light and there was no shelter around me...

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

I finally waited until the rain subsided a little, and I hurried home. Then, as if God was deliberately targeting me, as soon as I walked to a nearby place with no shelter, the rain suddenly intensified. Once I found a place to take shelter from the rain, it immediately became lighter. .

Moreover, our road management is also seriously ill. A piece of marble must be placed every short section on the sidewalk floor tiles. On rainy days, walking on it is like stepping on a land mine. If I am not careful, I will be slipped. It makes me unable to Dare to walk fast...

Anyway, I was soaking wet when I got home... and I just took a shower yesterday...