Hogwarts Homecoming

"Thank you for your compliments, Professor Slughorn--"

Amosta chuckled, then looked around,

"I see, there is no need for us to chat in the dark, right? If you allow me, I can help clean up."

"Oh, much more polite than Dumbledore."

Slughorn grunted and raised his hand towards Amosta.

"Please--"

Amosta waved his magic wand, and then, the scattered furniture jumped back to its original position one by one, the decorations returned to their original shape in the air, the feathers re-buried into the cushions, and the damaged books were automatically repaired and arranged neatly. On summer vacation.

The damaged areas were restored to their original state. Amosta grabbed a glass bottle that flew up from the ground and let the thick red liquid from the ceiling fly into the bottle.

Looking at the dragon's blood under the relit light, Amosta shook his head and casually placed it on the wooden table next to the sofa.

A bottle containing at least twenty ounces of dragon's blood and candied fruits was pushed to Professor Slughorn, who sat back on the sofa in front of the fireplace.

"Oh, it's in really good condition. I guess the collector who took the dragon's blood must have done it before the poor fire dragon died!"

Professor Slughorn blinked his eyes and marveled.

"That's right——"

Amosta said. It had been a long time, and he didn't remember whether the fire dragon died at that time.

"But if it's just to compensate me for the loss of this bottle of dragon's blood, I shouldn't need so much. This bottle is worth at least a hundred galleons--"

But after admiring him, Slughorn's eyes became somewhat alert.

"Whatever is extra, just consider it as compensation for my late night visit disturbing your rest."

Amosta said with a smile, which made the long-retired Head of Slytherin look even more appreciative.

"Then thank you for the compensation--"

Slughorn laughed twice in a rough voice,

"Would you like some whiskey?"

"Oh, that's great, I've come a long way."

Amosta smiled and nodded.

So, Slughorn stood up with difficulty, walked to the wine rack, and said while hesitating among several bottles of old whiskey,

"I guess Dumbledore must have thought that he had no chance, so he sent you here to try his luck, right? To be honest, young man, you are completely asking for trouble. There is no need!"

Having made his choice, Slughorn walked back slowly with whiskey in one hand and two crystal glasses in the other.

"Do you understand what I mean? It's because you are from Slytherin House that I am willing to remind you that there is no one here that Dumbledore wants. He is completely mistaken. His efforts on me are completely in vain!"

"Oh, I agree with some of your points -"

Taking the glass of wine, Amosta smiled and looked at the old dean who was panting on the sofa again.

"We all agree that Dumbledore acted like a wise old fogy at times--"

"Wise old fogy, oh. Brilliant review!"

Slughorn said very talkatively, but then asked in confusion,

"Then I really don't understand. Since you know you can't get anything from me, why do you bother to find out where I live and come all the way to come to me-"

"That's because--"

Amosta raised his cup and said very gracefully,

"As the former Head of Slytherin House, the Tarzan Beidou of the potions world, and a wizard well-known in the British wizarding world, it seems there is no harm in me coming to visit you, right?"

"Ho!"

Slughorn looked at Amosta intelligently,

"Don't try to get me drunk, young man!"

But his alertness and vigilance only lasted for a second before they collapsed. Slughorn held the wine glass and carefully looked at the young hero in front of him. He really couldn't hide his surprise.

"When I left Hogwarts, Albus did try to convince me to serve Slytherin for a while longer. But I didn't agree. I'm old and it's time to enjoy a comfortable retirement life."

Amosta did not interrupt, but remained interested in the topic, quietly waiting for the second half of the old dean's words.

The atmosphere between the two people is very harmonious, but this is what is abnormal.

In fact, the two had never met each other before, nor had they exchanged letters, so they were completely strangers.

However, Amosta had heard many stories about the old dean from Dumbledore, and the old dean probably paid attention to him from various channels.

Amosta even heard from Dumbledore that Professor Slughorn sent Dumbledore a cryptic letter after he pushed Amelia to take the ministerial position.

The general idea is to be careful and learn from past mistakes.

"--There are not many people who can be as conscientious as him, dedicating their lives to Hogwarts without caring about their own lives, so I refused at the time-"

Slughorn still looked at Amosta with appraising eyes.

"But I have to admit, you made me regret my decision a little bit-"

"Haha, what do you mean?"

Slughorn opened the box of preserved fruits Amosta had brought, picked up a piece and put it into his mouth to chew.

The expression of enjoyment with his narrowed eyes proved that he was very satisfied with this gift.

Holding out a finger covered in frosting, the old dean looked at Amosta with regret.

"If I had known that a wizard like you would come in from Slytherin, I wouldn't have let it go. As a result, Severus got a big advantage!"

There was a hint of sincerity in Amosta's chuckle.

Just as Dumbledore described to him, the old dean looked at himself as if he had missed a treasure.

"You are exaggerating. There are quite a few outstanding young wizards who have come out of Hogwarts in recent years. They are not inferior to me. It's just that I may be better at catching people's attention-"

Amosta said modestly.

"Not 'over-the-top' at all--"

Professor Slughorn twirled his chubby fingers disapprovingly.

"If someone asked me to pick a wizard from Slytherin House who is better than you, then I can only give him an example of the great Salazar Slytherin-"

The old dean looked at Amosta, who was smiling and saying nothing, with a bitter look on his face.

"None of the students I have brought out in my life can compare to you, that boy. Of course I am referring to Severus. Your luck is really enviable!"

"There are many of your students who later became senior officials of the Ministry of Magic or leaders in various industries, right?"

Amosta did not use Voldemort as an example. He did not want to ruin the harmonious chat atmosphere between the two.

"Don't comfort me, I know I will never have the chance to surpass Severus in this life -"

Slughorn said gloomily. He picked another piece from the preserve box and threw it into his mouth. He suddenly became interested when he thought of something.

"Speaking of which, the Daily Prophet said that you were born a Muggle?

Is this true, or is it for..."

Slughorn fidgeted with his hands, searching for the right words.

"In order to gain public favor more easily?"

Amosta asked for him.

"That's it-"

Slughorn looked determined,

"I guess you're packaging yourself, right?

It is easier for a Muggle-born wizard to achieve such an achievement, so you tell people that your parents are both Muggles, but in fact, you have a decent family background. Let me guess, you His father is Herafel Brain? "

"Ah, the editor-in-chief of "Magic Innovation"?"

Amosta laughed,

"I don't have that luck, Professor Slughorn. In fact, my parents are both Muggles—"