Archaeologists at Hogwarts

Chapter 363 Slughorn

"Yeah yeah yeah!"

"Slow down, Al, tell me slowly, what did you overhear?"

"Yeah yeah yeah!"

"Did he really say that? How could Moody know how to deal with the devil? Toby, has he been to Loch Ness too?"

Facing Angela's question, Toby, who was standing by the window, analyzed: "It can't be from Loch Ness, otherwise I would have found traces at the bottom of the lake. Traveling is just an excuse. I guess these are all Dumbledore's

Lido accidentally discovered it when he sent him out to do things last semester. No wonder he is so hostile to me. No one will have a good impression of me after seeing so much ancient magic."

Toby's words basically guessed Moody's motives. However, in comparison, he was still more concerned about another thing Moody said - the person who failed to transform.

"Let's ask Aberforth when we have the opportunity." Toby murmured: "These two people are on a mission together, he must know something."

However, Moody's matter is not completely over yet.

His remarks in class quickly spread throughout the school, and now everyone knew that he and Professor Heimer were not getting along. The students were working on their homework while silently waiting to see what Professor Heimo would do.

In response, will he start a fight with him like he did against Snape?

But unexpectedly, what no one expected was that the first person to jump out was another new professor.

"Toby was my student."

Slughorn said sadly: "He is one of my best students - now maybe I have to remove 'one'. I will never allow anyone to slander him like this."

Principal McGonagall, who was sitting opposite him, raised his head from a stack of documents.

"Huh? Slander?" She said with a weird look: "It's hard to say whether this is really slander. The content of Toby's courses has always been very controversial, and it didn't get better until this year. In addition, have you ever seen the devil?

?”

"Isn't it just ancient magic?" Slughorn's tone was completely as if it was no big deal: "I know very well that this student of mine is a little weird, and occasionally he is keen on dangerous types of magic. But who doesn't?

?I think that's completely understandable."

"So you haven't seen the devil?" Mag rubbed his eyebrows and said, "How long has it been since we last contacted each other? Toby is different from before, very different."

"This is prejudice." Slughorn's beard was trembling with anger: "I really can't imagine that there is still such prejudice in Hogwarts today. Minerva, I have to say that you are really not as good as me in this regard.

Albus is excellent."

"Then it's up to you." Mag said angrily: "Whether it's mediating conflicts or anything else, it's up to you to do it - but remember, I don't want to see any professor

Sudden poisoning."

"It sounds so easy." Slughorn hummed.

Soon, Slughorn found Toby and told him that he would help solve this problem.

"Huh? Dean, what are you going to do?" Toby asked in confusion: "Do you want to duel with Moody?"

"Duel?" Slughorn looked down at his big belly: "Do you think I can defeat a legendary Auror? No, Toby, this method is too rough."

His real plan was to find a time to invite Toby and Moody to have a drink together, and then solve their problems over the wine table.

Of course, Slughorn's preferred method was to hold a party, but the entire school was preparing for the Triwizard Tournament this semester, so this method was not feasible.

"Okay, I'm fine."

Toby pushed Al away who was eager to try, and at the same time glared at Angela who wanted to take the scepter and prepared a black hand. He reluctantly said, "If you can invite Moody, I will go too."

"Just leave it to me." Slughorn's tone sounded very confident.

It didn't take long for Toby to get a note from the old dean.

[Things have been settled, the banquet is set for eight o'clock in the evening, and the venue is the Pig's Head Bar - this is Moody's own request, so you may need to bring your own glass.]

Al and Angela curiously leaned their heads to watch together.

"ah."

"It's really strange. That person doesn't know how to drink anything other than his own bottle. How could he agree to go to the bar? Do you need us to go with you?"

"No need." Toby put away the note and said, "Give me the scepter and take the magic ball with you. You two just stay in the office - keep an eye on Al and don't let it have the opportunity to drink secretly.

correct--"

Facing Al's angry gaze, Toby waved his hand up and down and said, "Just give me one more thing - the locket. By the way, it can also explain its origin. Let's just say it is a relic of Slytherin that I found."

.”

"It's time to ask the dean about the Horcrux."

Toby didn't intend to delay this matter for too long, and he happened to know a habit of Slughorn - he liked drinking mead very much, and he often got drunk easily.

Sometimes, it's even more effective than a dose of Veritaserum.

——

That night.

Pig's Head Bar.

"I want the best mead! Don't be reluctant to take it out, I'll pay for it later!"

Toby said proudly to Aberforth, and Slughorn on the side laughed: "I know you won't treat people who have helped you badly - by the way, tell me about the World Cup again,

I heard you did a very special pre-match show? How did you do that?"

The two chatted for a while, and Toby briefly picked out the topics that could be discussed. By the way, he mentioned the Pharaoh's Mask, which was convenient for him to bring out the Slytherin Locket.

After a while, another person finally arrived.

The first thing that sounded was the sound of the cane hitting the ground. Moody walked into the bar silently, with the magic eye still staring everywhere. The other guests stood up uneasily and walked out one by one without saying a word.

Aberforth was very dissatisfied with this.

"I think you don't need to order anything."

"No, give me some of their mead too."

Slughorn looked at Moody in surprise. He didn't know that the two of them had gone out together to perform tasks assigned by Dumbledore, and thought that Moody had suddenly changed his temper.

"This is a good start." He said with satisfaction, feeling that the meeting was really a success.

After Aberforth placed the wine glass heavily on the table, Moody sniffed the glass out of habit, then raised his head and asked: "So, gentlemen, do you have anything to say to me?"

"That's what happened." Slughorn began to talk, trying his best to help his students solve the problem of unfriendly relationships between colleagues.

Toby just kept listening silently, but the number of times he poured wine seemed a bit frequent. Whenever Slughorn's glass was a little short, it would be filled immediately.

"No, no need."

After Slughorn finished speaking, his tone had become a little dazed. He covered the mouth of his wine glass and said, "Drink later. You guys have to talk first. I may need to rest for a while."

.”

"No problem, Dean." Toby said, filling the wine glass without leaving any trace, and then turned to look at Moody.

Moody was also watching him silently.

"Harry Potter, that young man who was fooled by you - he came to me after today's class and stammered that he agreed to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. Don't tell me that you made him change his mind."

"I knew it wasn't hard to guess. Harry is not a good liar."

"What are you talking about? Maybe I drank too much - eh, why is the glass full again?"

Toby filled up the Dean's wine glass again very naturally, and then asked Moody: "Did Dumbledore tell you anything else before you came to Hogwarts? For example, against me? This

Is that what he ordered you to do?"

"On the contrary." Moody said gruffly: "He only said not to let me provoke you, and he never thought of using me to go against you. It can be seen that he knows you very well and knows that doing so will not

any good."

"But you don't think so?" Toby said, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes, I don't think so." Moody's eyes were staring at Toby: "I have my own way of doing things, and I have never been one of Dumbledore's subordinates - especially when I saw it myself

After seeing some ancient magic ruins, I think I have a better idea of ​​what kind of threat you pose."

"devil?"

"That's the devil."

The conversation paused briefly for a while.

With a look of disdain on Toby's lips, he waved to Aberforth, who had been silently watching the scene behind the bar, and said, "It seems I have to order a refresher. Someone here is not very well--could it be

Have you never thought that the two of you were deliberately lured there? I’m not sure how much you know—”

"That's enough to understand what you said." Moody replied calmly: "Dumbledore revealed many shocking facts to me. He told me who the enemies I should be cautious about - except Green.

In addition to Devo, there is also Haierbo. I heard that his behavior is completely different from what is recorded in the records, and he has nothing to do with sinisterness, right?"

"At least that's what it looks like from the outside." Toby said with a strange look in his eyes: "Then you plan to provoke another enemy for no reason?"

Moody slowly put down his rather empty wine glass.

"I'd better ask you this."

He stared directly at Toby and said: "Triwizard Tournament, what is your purpose of holding the Triwizard Tournament? Even if you don't say it, I can probably guess that you have made different promises to many people.

But which one is true? I think it would be difficult for the Goblet of Fire to grant multiple wishes at the same time."

Toby stared at Moody silently for a while, then looked back at Aberforth, who looked calm.

"I asked why the principal was so calm when he heard the news. (Chapter 347) It turns out that he already knew the purpose of the Goblet of Fire from you, and he also knew that I would definitely find a way to hold another competition. This is

Your question? Or Dumbledore's?"

"I think this is not the key." Moody did not answer Toby's question, but asked: "The key is, what exactly do you plan to use the Goblet of Fire to do this time? You became half the last time

Queen, I think anyone who knows that fact would have a hard time not worrying about the threat you pose."

"A greater threat than Herbo?" Toby sneered: "Or do you already think that I am more dangerous than Grindelwald?"

At this time, Aberforth behind the bar suddenly said: "Grindelwald has never succeeded in driving Albus out of Hogwarts."

"It seems that's it." Toby stood up and finally asked: "Then do you still plan to let Harry participate in the competition?"

"No." Moody said, sitting motionless in his seat, "I think we are all aware of your threat."

"Threat?" Toby sneered: "If you know me as well as Dumbledore, you should know that I never care about what others think. I have never been afraid of any opponent."

"You can't scare someone who's cursed by death."

He lifted Slughorn up with one hand.

"Huh?" Slughorn woke up from his sleep: "What time is it now? Is it already so late?"

"Yeah, it's time to go, Dean." Toby led him outside the bar.

"How has your problem been resolved? Have you reconciled? Don't let such good mead go to waste."

"Don't worry, Dean."

Toby's voice echoed in the silent bar.

"You're always great at this, and I don't think I could have had a more successful reception."

"That's good, that's good, Toby."

——

By the time they returned to Hogwarts, it was already midnight.

Toby helped the old headmaster to the potions office - of course not the one in the basement where Snape was. Slughorn would never treat himself poorly in terms of quality of life.

Unfortunately, the largest office was already occupied by Toby, so Slughorn had no choice but to reluctantly choose the second largest one.

Fortunately, the principal's office is smaller than their rooms, otherwise I don't know how much trouble it would cause.

"Thank you for your hard work, Toby."

The drunkenness was gradually rising, and it was obvious that Slughorn was so sleepy that he would fall asleep as long as he lay on the pillow.

He said drowsily: "Well, good night."

"Don't worry, Dean."

Only then did Toby take out the locket.

"I have something I want you to identify. This is probably a relic of Slytherin - yes, I am talking about one of the founders of Hogwarts - Salazar Slytherin."

No matter how sleepy he was, Slughorn had to cheer up at times like this.

"Show me where the things are. This is really embarrassing. I can't accept such an expensive gift——"

"It's not a gift, it's just for you to see. I have to take it away later."

Slughorn seemed briefly awake for a moment.

"Okay, let's take a look." He said with regret, his tone clearly showing that he was very drunk.

When Slytherin's locket was placed in his hand, Slughorn obviously couldn't put it down, and he didn't notice anything strange about it at the first time - if it was just from the appearance, this

Things are pretty normal.

"It looks like the real thing." Slughorn praised dizzily: "You are going to make a lot of money. This is worth at least several thousand galleons. It may even be priceless. If you want to buy it,

If you want to go home, you can contact me."

"No, Dean."

Toby slowly took the locket back from Slughorn's hand, and he said to Slughorn's extremely reluctant eyes.

"If you really do this, it will harm other people, because I have another discovery. If I read it correctly-"

"This appears to be a Horcrux."

"Do you know about Horcruxes, Dean?"