A bald old wizard as fat as a walrus lay in a hospital bed covered with a white linen sheet, and his silver beard, which was as thick as a walrus, matched the color of the sheets.

There was no blood on the old man's face, he seemed to have been badly injured not long ago, and he looked like he had been lying in this hospital bed for some time......

Gradually, the old wizard opened his eyes with some reluctance.

The moment he regained consciousness, his face changed suddenly, and he tried to scan the surroundings in a bit of a panic...... Even though his frail body could not support him in doing so.

"Professor Slughorn?" a somewhat surprised woman's voice came from the side of the bed, "This is amazing, you've finally woken up...... Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, they can finally relax......"

It was the voice of Lady Poppy-Pomfrey, the school physician at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"I ...... How long have I been unconscious......" Horace-Slughorn said with considerable difficulty.

His voice was very small and somewhat indistinct.

At the same time, I didn't get any response -

Only a scattered sound of footsteps could be heard, and Madam Pomfrey seemed to trot out of the confines of the ward.

Only a few dozen seconds later, Madam Pomfrey's footsteps were heard again.

Slughorn felt only a broad, warm arm lift him up from the bed...... Then, a warm potion was poured into his mouth, and the taste of the potion was quite strange, as if he was drinking natto juice.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Professor Slughorn asked again, his voice clearer this time.

"You've been unconscious for nearly a day and a half, Horace!" a gentle voice came from the side of the ward door, "1 day, 11 hours, and 25 minutes, to be exact......"

Horace-Slughorn blinked vigorously, and the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore appeared in front of him.

......

"So it's a pity!" said Dumbledore, "you've completely missed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year...... Luckily, you're still alive......"

Slughorn stared at him blankly, then suddenly remembered, and shouted, "It's Vance, Albus, it's Vance of Durmstrang......"

"Don't get excited, my friend...... These words are almost a bit outdated!" Dumbledore shook his head, "Professor Vance of Durmstrang is trying to destroy Hogwarts Castle; if it weren't for you, he would have almost succeeded...... Please calm down, or Madam Pomfrey will kick me out!"

Slughorn nodded slightly.

He glanced around him, and the table next to him was piled up like a hill, filled with flowers, fruits, and sweets.

"This is a gift from some insiders, and I have prepared that carton of milk toffee for it, and I suggest you try it later, it tastes great!" Dumbledore continued, "In addition, I have contacted the Swedish Ministry of Magic and Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but they regretfully tell me that Headmaster Winston Vance spent the entire Christmas Eve in the castle of Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with his students, and there are nearly a hundred students to testify...... So the man they insisted on attacking Hogwarts, in disguise!"

"So what the hell is ......" Slughorn muttered after a pause.

"For a wizard of Vance's level, it's easy to trick a few students with a subtle transfiguration......" Dumbledore's voice suddenly became low, "And Winston Vance was once one of Gellert Grindelwald's most loyal followers, we can confirm that......"

"Is the Dark Lord really back?" said Slughorn, shuddering.

"I don't want to admit it, but it's true!" Dumbledore nodded silently, "Horace, can you tell me the whole process of what happened?"

"Of course......" Horace-Slughorn nodded quickly, and then he began to tell Headmaster Albus Dumbledore everything that had happened that night, little by little.

After listening carefully for ten minutes, Dumbledore, who had been silent, suddenly spoke:

"You mean, Vance has an inseparable companion by his side, a very strange young man?"

"That's right, his name...... Seems to be ......'Christopher Patrick'!"

"Can you tell me all the details of him......

"Of course, Albus!"

......

Amid Madam Pomfrey's loud grumbling ("Headmaster, Professor Slughorn he needs a break"), Professor Dumbledore had to choose to leave.

"We didn't make this attack public, Horace, and whoever really knows the truth will keep it a secret!" he told before leaving, "so in a few days, when you get a little better, you will be transferred to St. Mungo...... Over there, you insist that you were injured by a spell mistake, and that's it!"

"I understand, Albus ......"

"And don't tell your students ...... For example, Barnabas Gufe, who works for the Daily Prophet, reveals anything ......," Dumbledore added, "I believe they must have been very interested in what was going on!"

"Understood, Albus...... I understand the seriousness of the matter!" Professor Horace-Slughorn nodded solemnly.

......

Leaving the school hospital, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore walked down the hallway.

A short figure walked by.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Professor Filius Flitwick said, shrried, "I heard that Professor Slughorn woke up?"

"That's right!" Albus Dumbledore nodded, "He's still weak...... In the meantime, I advise you to be quiet when you enter the ward, Poppy seems to be getting a little angry right now!"

Professor Flitwick apparently didn't put the Headmaster's words on the ground, and as he put the flowers in his hand on the ground, he pulled out a large piece of parchment from his pocket: "By the way, Professor, I'm about to take this to your office, so I'll drop by now!"

"Oh?" Albus Dumbledore casually took the heavy piece of parchment.

"I need to apply for Professor Wicky Tecros, a faculty member of the Ministry of Magic, to teach the 'Apparition Class' next semester to students who are at least seventeen years old, or who are about to turn seventeen in the current school year......" Dumbledore read the parchment, "Okay, Filius, I'll hand it over to the Department of Magical Education!"