I only mentioned Christmas to Harry and Ron last night, and this morning, there were snowflakes fluttering outside.

The first snow of the year seems to have fallen a little late, but perhaps because it has been gathering momentum for a long time, the snow looks amazing.

It had only been morning, and the little wizards were ready to get up, and the grass outside was already covered with snow thick on the soles of their shoes. And it doesn't seem like it can be stopped for a while.

Standing by the window and looking out, it was all white, and I really couldn't see far.

The spider carcasses that almost covered the school yard yesterday have now been cleaned up.

Believe me, Professor McGonagall won't let the cleanup delay too long, as the valuable materials will be stored as extra Hogwarts activity funds.

Maca thought that was good, and he only wanted Professor McGonagall to remember that only the venom needed to be collected as soon as possible. Because if you don't leave it alone after death, they will quickly dry up on their own.

Just as Maca stretched out, intending to check the class schedule and fulfill her duties as a professor, she noticed that someone was coming to him in the hallway outside the door.

There must have been quite a few people coming to the floor where his office was located, because just around the corner from here was the library. However, there would never be many people passing by in front of his office.

“…… It seems that I am not destined to be a good teacher. At the same time as the knock on the door sounded, Maca couldn't help but shrug her shoulders and whispered to herself.

"Please come in!"

As he answered, the door to his office opened with a wave of his hand, and Professor McGonagall walked in through the hallway outside.

"McLean, I think you should tidy up your office." She glanced left and right, and realized that she couldn't even find where Maca was, so she couldn't help but remind.

"Oh—of course, I will." From behind her desk, Maca walked around the pile of materials and walked up to Professor McGonagall, "I'm sorry, I'm going to give them a lesson today!" Well, that's right, that's it. ”

"No, no—"

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and made a "I don't expect you" look.

"There's something else I need your help with today...... "The acting headmaster, who has always been serious, didn't change much today, "although it may be a little early, but since the Ministry of Magic documents have come down, we should also prepare early......

“…… Dolores Umbridge's professorship ends this academic year, and we need to prepare for next semester, as you know. ”

Umbridge was reclaimed, and Maca had expected it. Rather, it was him, who controlled Umbridge with the Imperius Curse, that was the only trigger for this.

"A new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor?" Maka was a little surprised, "It's a little early, is that really a bit early?" ”

"No, it's time to get ready," Professor McGonagall said with a slight sigh, "It's not easy to find a wizard who is both capable enough and willing to take on the position!" Formerly Albus ...... Alas, Albus has a lot of connections and can always find the right person quickly, but I don't know that many great people. ”

"Really?" Maka wondered, "Isn't it okay to have Professor Snape in this position soon?" I remember that he always remembered this class! ”

"Severus is best at Potions," Professor McGonagall shook her head, "and these days, it's harder to find a Potions Master to be our Potions professor than it is to find a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor." ”

"Hmm...... I remember, wasn't the former Professor Slughorn at Hogwarts also a very good Potions scholar? Maca thought for a moment.

"Oh—don't mention him!" Professor McGonagall decisively dismissed this bad idea, "Ever since Voldemort came to power, he immediately made excuses to resign, and Albus himself tried to persuade him at that time, but it didn't work!" ”

“…… Is that so? Maca nodded thoughtfully.

Dumbledore's early death made "Horace Slughorn", an important figure, unable to appear?

No, maybe getting Slughorn back to Hogwarts isn't that difficult!

"Professor," Maca thought for a moment, "do you know where he lives?" Maybe I can visit him for a while...... In fact, if you came to me this time to ask if I had any good candidates...... All I can say is that it's a pity. ”

"Uh-huh......" Professor McGonagall muttered for a moment before relenting, "Alright! When it comes to Potions, Slughorn is no less than Severus—he should still be living in the village of Badley Barberton, Devon......"

After reluctantly informing Maca of the exact location, she shook her head again, as if she was not optimistic about Maca's trip.

As a former colleague, she knew exactly what Slughorn was like...... Well, what a "oily and slippery" old man who loves vanity.

Of course, not to mention his slightly frivolous behavior when he was young, as he got older, his attention basically shifted to creating an excellent social circle.

Although the act of "always talking about your students' achievements and showing them off to others" is a teacher's confidence, if you show off too much, the nature changes a little.

“…… Anyway, come back as soon as you don't have any hope! Professor McGonagall finally admonished, "You still have classes scheduled in the afternoon!" Don't forget your duty as a teacher! ”

After Maca nodded her head repeatedly, she turned around and left in a hurry.

"I think the old professor seems to be a funny guy," Marka pondered as she gathered her things and prepared to leave for a visit, "Hogwarts should be a little more lively with him." ”

……

It's actually quite early, and the snow hasn't stopped, and a thick layer of snow has accumulated on the road.

Maca walked down a straight, narrow street, with houses lined up neatly on either side, and it was not very clear to see through the snow curtains.

In the distance, the silhouette of a towering building can be faintly seen, which looks like a church with a bell tower. It's just that the vision is really a little blurry, and people can't tell whether their guess is right or wrong.

Maca passed by a closed tavern, and there were still a few shallow footprints in front of the tavern, which had not been covered by the snow, and stretched all the way forward, as if someone had just come out.

After looking at it for a while, Maca turned the corner in front of her, passed a phone booth and a bus stop, and found herself in another residential area.

As he continued on his way for a moment, it wasn't long before he stopped in front of an iron gate of a garden covered in snow. In the middle of this garden, a neat and shiny house sits in the center.

Maca glanced at the iron door and saw that Slughorn didn't seem to be in the habit of locking the courtyard door, so she simply pushed open the iron door with a "squeak" and walked in.

The lawn in the front yard garden is covered with snow, making it a little difficult to tell where the road is and where the grass is. He's here to invite people today, so he can't recklessly trample on someone's lawn, right?

After looking left and right, Maca stretched out her hand, and a whirlwind immediately swept up, piling up the snow in the front garden on the edge of the road outside the garden.

When the front yard was cleaned, he walked straight to the gate along the path he saw in the garden.

"Tuk Tuk Tuk...... Tuk Tuk ......"

Maca stood in front of the door, knocked the first time and no one answered, and when he knocked on the door the second time, he had a slightly amused expression on his face.

He did sense that there was someone in the house, but they didn't seem to want to open the door to welcome his temporary visit. And that's not all, the most interesting thing is......

With a movement of her feet, Maca scurried unusually quickly across the garden, around the side of the house, to the back door of the house. And the moment he stopped in front of the back door, the door was hurriedly opened from the inside.

"The Anti-Apparition Shifter Charm is basically meaningless if it is not permanent; But if it's permanent, sometimes it's not so convenient! He looked at the bald fat old man who appeared at the door, smiled, and said, "...... Am I right, Mr. Slughorn? ”

“…… That's right! The fat old man muttered.

"Good morning, Professor Slughorn," Marca said politely, with a formal salute, "I'm currently Professor of Ancient Magical Literature at Hogwarts—"

"—Marca McLean." Slughorn opened his mouth to pick up his words, "Yes, I know you! Or, who wouldn't know you if you were involved in potions in the British wizarding world? The youngest genius in history, Mr. Pharmacist? ”

"Oh—that's too much," said Maca humbly, "my accomplishments are nothing to mention in the presence of a Potions master like you—you're the elite who taught many great wizards!" ”

"Uh-huh...... Do you know that too? It seems that although I have been in seclusion for a long time, my fame is still widely spread in the British wizarding world! ”

Are you still "in seclusion"?

After Voldemort's defeat in the first place, the fat old man immediately wandered around the wizarding world again. Aside from refusing to return to Hogwarts all the time, what else is there to do?

Not to mention participating in various political and economic events, even private banquets held by various celebrities have never been there, and they have been working tirelessly to expand their "excellent" social circle.

"Of course, of course!" Maca smiled and said, "It is precisely because your reputation is 'widely spread' in the world that I took the initiative to invite Ying to visit you!" You know, as a junior who loves Potions, I've admired you for a long time—"

“…… I wonder if I'm lucky enough to be able to come to your home? He gestured towards the back door and smiled calmly.