After the hug, the two parted. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

"Dark mark," Horace muttered, geesking his head, "and knows what's wrong...... But I didn't have time to conjure that. I just made one last bit of disguise before you came in. He sighed heavily, blowing the end of his beard to move.

"Do you want me to clean up for you?" Dumbledore said politely.

"Please," he said.

Then they stood back to back, a tall and lanky wizard and a stocky wizard, waving their wands in the same motion.

The furniture flew back to its original place; The ornament was restored in mid-air; Feathers scurried into their mats; The torn book was restored when it was returned to the shelf; The oil lamp flew high to the table next to it and lit it again; A large mass of fragments of silver frames flew through the room with a glitter, and then fell intact to the table, where they were gray again; Cracks and gaps were missing everywhere in the house; The blood stains on the walls were also swept away.

"By the way, what kind of blood is that?" Dumbledore said loudly, drowning out the chiming of the resurrected old clock.

"On the wall? It's dragon's blood," Horace cried out, and with a deafening grinding sound and a crisp thud, the chandelier returned to the ceiling on its own and tightened the screws.

The piano slammed at the end, and then everything went silent.

"Yes, dragon's blood," Horace repeated to himself, "my last bottle is now sky-high. However, this one can be used again. He staggered over and removed a small crystal bottle from the top of the tryboard, then held it up to the light to inspect the viscous liquid inside.

"Hmm. Yet. He put the bottle back in the cupboard and sighed. Then his gaze fell on Harry, and his eyes widened slightly.

"This," Dumbledore stepped forward to introduce, "it's Harry Potter." Harry, this is my old friend and colleague, Horace Slahorn. ”

Horace turned to Dumbledore, his expression shrewd.

"You think that's going to convince me, don't you? Well, my answer is no, Albus. He squeezed past Harry, the expression on his face resolute, as if he was resisting some temptation.

"I guess at least we can have a drink?" Dumbledore asked. "For the sake of old friends."

Slavhorn hesitated.

"Well, then, just have a drink," he said rudely after a few moments.

Dumbledore smiled at Harry and Duten, led him to the freshly lit fireplace and oil lamp, and sat down on a chair that looked no different from the one Slavhorn had just pretended. Harry sat down, clearly sensing that Dumbledore wanted to make him as visible as possible for some reason.

Duten, on the other hand, was so much worse that Horace's attention was not on him at all, and he didn't even look at him more. He was like a ball of air, ignored by everyone.

Du Teng didn't mind, and found a place to sit down.

So when Slavhorn turned his face back to the room after finishing the jars, his eyes immediately fell on Harry.

"Hmph," he quickly looked away, as if he was afraid that he would hurt his eyes. "And then—"

He handed Dumbledore a glass that was already seated, then pushed the plate to Harry, and sat himself on the cushion of the newly restored couch, sullenly without saying a word.

"So, how have you been, Horace?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not well," Horace replied at once. "Chest pain. Often wheezing. There is also rheumatism. Not as flexible as I used to be. Alas, this is also to be expected. Old! Tired! ”

"But judging from the welcome you prepared for us just now, you were quite agile," Dumbledore said. "You only have less than three minutes, don't you?"

Horace said half-grumpy, half-proud, "It's only two minutes." I was taking a shower and didn't notice the Invasion Charm alarm. And," he added firmly, as if he were going to pull himself back, "the situation now is that I am already an old man, Albus, a tired old man has the right to live a life of peace and security. ”

"You're not as old as I am, Horace," Dumbledore said.

"Well, maybe it's time for you to think about retirement." Slavhorn said stiffly. His dull chestnut eyes spotted Dumbledore's injured hand. "I've noticed that you're not reacting as well as you used to."

"You're right," Dumbledore said calmly, rolling up his sleeves to reveal the tips of his blackened fingers; The sight sent an uncomfortable sting in the back of Harry's neck.

"I have no denying that I'm slower than I used to be. But on the other hand......" He shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands, as if to say that time could make up for it, and Harry noticed that his uninjured hand was wearing a ring that he had never seen before: it looked large, as if it had been crudely made of something like gold, with a deep black stone inlaid in the middle.

Slahhorn's eyes wandered over the ring for a moment, and Harry frowned slightly at the moment he noticed it.

"Well, these precautions against intruders, Horace...... Is it against the Death Eaters, or is it against me? Dumbledore asked.

"What do the Death Eaters want a poor, old and frail inflatable mattress?" Horace asked.

"I think they may be trying to use your talent for coercion, torture and murder," Dumbledore said. "Are you really going to tell me they haven't come to recruit you yet?"

Slahhorn stared at Dumbledore viciously for a moment, then muttered, "I didn't give them a chance. I've been adrift for a year. Never spent a full week in the same place. Moving from one Muggle house to another - the owner of this place was on vacation in the Canary Islands. It was very comfortable and sad at the thought of leaving. As long as you know what to do, it's as simple as you cast a Freeze Spell on the automatic alarm bells they use to keep night thieves out and make sure the neighbors don't notice you're bringing the piano in.

"Very original," Dumbledore said. But the quest for a quiet life sounds like a hard job, especially for a poor, old and frail inflatable mattress. And if you go back to Hogwarts—"

"If you're going to tell me that my life can be more peaceful in that plague-stricken school, you can save your effort, Albus! I've been in hiding all along, but since Dolores Umbridge left, some interesting rumors have been heard! If that's how you treat your teachers right now—"

"Professor Umbridge has clashed with our centaur tribe," Dumbledore said. "I don't think you, Horace, are going to stride into the forest and yell 'dirty bastards' at a horde of angry centaurs."

"That's what she did, didn't she?" Slavhorn said. "Stupid woman. I've never liked her. ”

Harry chuckled, and both Dumbledore and Slavhorn turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry," Harry said immediately. "It's just—I don't like her either."

Dumbledore stood up suddenly.

"Are you leaving?" Horace said immediately, looking expectant.

"No, I was just wondering if I could use your bathroom," Dumbledore said.

"Oh," Slavhorn was visibly disappointed. "The second to the left of the hall is." Dumbledore walked out of the room.

When the door closed behind him, there was silence in the room. After a few moments, Slavhorn stood up, but didn't even seem to know what to do. He sneaked a sneak glance at Harry, then walked over to the fire and leaned his back over to warm up.

"Don't think I don't know why he brought you," he said abruptly.

Harry just looked at Slahhorn.

Slahhorn's watery eyes swept over Harry's scars, and this time, he saw the rest of Harry's face.

"You look like your father."

"yes, someone told me," Harry said.

"Besides your eyes, you have a pair—"

"My mother's eyes, yes." Harry had heard it enough times to get him bored.

"Hmph. yes, good. Of course, as a teacher, there shouldn't be a preference for students, but she is still one of my favorite students. Your mother," Slahhorn added, answering Harry's inquiring look. "That is, Lily Evans. One of the smartest students I've ever taught, very lively, you know. A lovely girl. I kept telling her that she should come to my academy. But every time she was knocked back. ”

"Which is your academy?"

"I was the dean of Slytherin House at the time," Slahhorn said. "Don't resist me for that! I'm guessing you're in Gryffindor like her. In general, it runs in families, although this is not always the case. Ever heard of Sirius Black? As you surely know, he's been in the newspapers for the past two years...... Either way, he was a good brother to your father when he was in school. The entire Black family is from my house, and only Sirius graduated from Gryffindor! It's a pity - he's a brilliant boy. I had taught his brother Regulus, but I would rather have a complete set. ”

He sounds like an enthusiastic collector who is participating in an auction.

"Of course, your mother was from a Muggle family. I couldn't believe it when I found out, I thought a wizard as good as her must be pureblood. ”

"I have a best friend who also comes from a Muggle family," Harry said, "and she's the best one in our grade. ”

"It's funny, it happens every now and then, right?" Horace said.

"I don't think so." Harry said coldly.

Horace looked down at him in surprise.

"Don't think I'm biased!" He said. "No, no, no! Didn't I just say that your mother was one of my favorite students in my life? There's also Dirk Cresswell, a grade below her, who is now the head of the Elven Liaison Office, and of course, a very gifted student from a Muggle family, and who is still providing me with excellent inside information on every move in Gringotts! He shifted up and down slightly, smiled contentedly, and then pointed to the glittering photo frames on the cupboard, each with a slightly moving head.

"All my former students, they signed me. This is Barnabas Kufi, editor of the Daily Prophet. Ambrosius Froome, working for Duke Honey. Behind them is Gevennow Jones, the captain of the Holyhead Harpys! "He was unusually excited.

"All these people know where to find you and give you something?" Harry asked, having said that he could be found even with baskets full of candy, Quidditch tickets, and visitors who wanted his opinion, and it was unbelievable why the Death Eaters hadn't hunted down Slavhorn so far.

"Of course not," he said, looking down at Harry. "I haven't been in touch with anyone for a year. Prudent wizards will keep their heads down at this time, Dumbledore said lightly, but now going to Hogwarts is the same as publicly declaring my allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix! As much as I'm sure the people of their Order of the Phoenix are very admirable and brave, I personally don't favor its mortality rate—"

"You don't need to be a member of the Order of the Phoenix to teach at Hogwarts," Harry struggled to hide the mockery in his voice, "Most of the teachers weren't from the Order of the Phoenix, and no one was killed - except for Professor Quirrell, but he deserved it, because he was working for Voldemort." I think if Dumbledore had been the Headmaster, the teachers would have been safer than most; Isn't he the only person Voldemort fears? ”

"Well, yes, the Adversary who can't even name himself has never tried to fight Dumbledore," he muttered reluctantly. "Since I didn't join the Death Eaters, there's no way the Adversary can't even mention my name counts me as a friend...... In this case, it's safer for me to stay closer to Albus...... I can't pretend that Amelia Bones' death didn't shock me...... If even she had so many connections and protections with the Ministry of Magic, ......" Dumbledore entered the room again, and Horace jumped up, as if forgetting that he was in the house.

"Oh, here you are, Albus," he said. "You went in for a long time. Have diarrhea? ”

"No, I was just reading Muggle magazines," Dumbledore said. "I really like those weave patterns. Alright, Harry, it's been long enough for us to invade Horace's home; I think it's time to take my leave. ”

"You're leaving?"

"Yes, it does. The moment I saw you, I knew I was doomed. ”

"Doomed ......?" Slavhorn looked uneasy. He fidgeted at the two of them as he fiddled with his fat thumb, Dumbledore fastening his travel cloak and Harry zipping up his jacket.

"Well, I'm really sorry you don't want this job, Horace," Dumbledore said, holding up his uninjured hand in a farewell gesture. "Hogwarts will be happy to see you back to work. Even though we've greatly increased the level of security, you're always welcome, whenever you want to come. ”

"Yes...... Good...... What a humble...... As I said......"

"Goodbye, then."

"Goodbye." Harry said.

The group of three left, and Du Teng returned to the palace, and he did not speak the whole time, and Horace's eyes widened a little as if he had noticed him for the first time.

The three of them walked out, and the back was quiet, and it seemed that they had failed?

However, when they reached the front door, a roar was finally heard behind them.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it!"

Horace's stocky figure appeared in the doorway, a look of exasperation on his face.