Slughorn said. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Severus is a descendant of the famous Potions family, the Prince family, but when it comes to potions, I have to be fair, he's worse than Lily, not as spiritual as she is, a bit of a decent. Seeing Phoenix's puzzled expression, he added, "She's Harry Potter's mother, you know. Lily Evans, one of the smartest students I've ever taught, is lively and cute. A charming girl. ”

"She's Muggle-born. I couldn't believe it when I found out. I originally thought that she was so good, she must be purebred. She's there—"

Slughorn gestured to the first row of photographs in the cabinet. Phoenix saw the girl standing next to the younger Slughorn, her eyes exactly like Harry's. On the right, there is also a photo of the Slytherin Quidditch team, standing in the Seeker's position by Sirius's brother Regulus Black.

"I can't find Severus, he's always out of the frame. Slughorn thought he was looking for Snape.

"It seems so. He said in a long voice.

"My girlfriend is also Muggle-born," Phoenix said, "and she's very good. ”

"It's weird sometimes, isn't it?" Slughorn said.

"It's no surprise that Muggle-born people always work harder than others. They have to work far harder than others to fit in with us," Phoenix said, "and in the invisible discrimination next to the wizarding world, they will undoubtedly be tempered, and they have to do better than everyone else to be noticed." ”

Slughorn looked down at him in surprise.

"It's a novel," he said, pulling Phoenix over to the cabinet, "and maybe you're right." Now that I think about it, Lily's first few years in school, while excellent, weren't yet obvious. After I taught her for a few years, probably by the beginning of the fourth grade, she had become so good that it was hard to imagine. It was a genius for someone her age to be able to make some novel changes to potions. ”

"This is Dirk Chryswell, who is one level below her - now the head of the Elven Liaison Office - and a Muggle-born, a highly qualified student, who still regularly reveals to me valuable inside information about Gringotts!"

With a smug smile on his face, he jumped up and pointed to the many shiny frames on the cabinet, each with a moving little figure.

"These are all signed photos of my former students. You'll meet Barnabas Guffey, editor of the Daily Prophet, who is always interested in hearing my views on the situation. And Ambrosieu Froome of Duke Bee's Confectionery - he gives me a gift basket every year on my birthday, because I introduced him to Cicelon Harkis and got him his first job! And then there's - you can see it with your neck - it's Gwenog Jones, captain of the Holyhead Harpy - people often wonder why I have such a good relationship with the Harpys, and I can get tickets for free if I want to!"

Speaking of which, he seemed to be in high spirits.

"Do these people know where to find you, and can they give you something?" asked Phoenix, knowingly. The effect was immediate, and the smile on Slughorn's face suddenly disappeared.

"Of course not," he said, looking down at Phoenix, "I haven't spoken to anyone in a year. But—these days, cautious wizards try not to show their heads. ”

"But it's not dangerous to come to teach at Hogwarts, it's safer, isn't it?" said Phoenix, mildly, with a hint of hesitation, as if he were asking a question. "After Professor Dumbledore's death, Hogwarts ceased to be the banner of the Order of the Phoenix. And I personally don't think that the mystery man should be too intrusive about education, at least in an important subject like Potions, an experienced professor is really rare. The children of the Death Eaters are also in school, and parents want their children to have a good education, don't they?"

Slughorn was stunned for a moment, as if he was carefully considering Phoenix's words. It's certain that he doesn't like Death Eaters, but it doesn't mean that he has the idea of forgetting his life, and being a Hogwarts professor can add an insurance to him, as long as Slughorn teaches properly, no one will do anything to him.

Slytherin's style of being slick and cunning is how to do things, and the connections that this old fox has accumulated over the years are a priceless fortune, and if you want to kill him, I am afraid that there will be many people within the Death Eaters who will disapprove of it.

Snape walked into the house just in time, and Slughorn was startled, as if he had forgotten that Snape had not left the house.

"Oh, you're back, Severus," he said, "and you've been there for a long time, haven't you?"

"No, I just happened to see the potion you were brewing, and I couldn't help but take a few looks. Snape said, "Your elixir is as perfect as ever. Okay, Phoenix, I think we should go. ”

He immediately stood up. Slughorn seemed taken aback.

"You're leaving?"

"yes. I hope you all the best and good night. ”

"Goodbye, sir"

Slughorn looked uneasy. Fiddling with two chubby thumbs, he watched anxiously as the two of them wrapped up in their cloaks and left the living room.

"Will he say yes?"

"He's going to be defeated, old slippery. As soon as Phoenix reached the front door, he heard a shout from behind him.

"Alright, alright, I'll do it!"

Snape turned to see Slughorn standing panting in the doorway of the living room.

"You accepted the position of Potions teacher?"

"yes, yes," said Slughorn impatiently, "I must be crazy, but yes, I do." ”

"Great," Snape smiled, "then, Professor, we'll see you on the first of September." ”

"Well, no problem. Slughorn muttered.

As they walked down the garden path, Slughorn's voice came from behind them.

"I'm going to ask for a raise!"

The door to the garden closed behind them, and they walked down the hill through the thick fog that swirled in the black.

"How did you convince him? Snape asked.

"It showed him how much he could get from coming back to Hogwarts. But I'm more interested," Phoenix quipped, "that you weren't number one in Potions class." ”

In his opinion, Snape's level of potions was, modestly, the highest in Europe. It's hard to imagine that when he was a teenager, his potions grades weren't the best.

Snape paused in his footsteps.

"Yes. He said coldly.

He didn't want to talk about the past, and Phoenix didn't ask.

It wasn't until they walked past the parallel place of the church they had passed that Phoenix spoke once.

"I'm going to Weasley's house for another trip, so I'm not going to see Scrimgeour with you. See you later!" (To be continued.) )