Eventually, Matthew gave up on visiting Draco Malfoy.

Because, it was very close to the start of Professor Horace Slughorn's dinner.

Matthew hadn't forgotten that it was Sunday, and Professor Slughorn had reminded him repeatedly that he was going to attend the Slug Club dinner tonight.

If it doesn't pass on time, it will be a shame to dismiss him.

Leaving the auditorium, he simply returned to the common room to take a shower before heading to Professor Horace Slughorn's office.

However, when Matthew passed by the staircase on the second floor, he suddenly saw a familiar cat.

Ginger hair, a flattened face, and a fat, brush-like tail.

It's Hermione's pet Crookshan, and Matthew won't be mistaken.

Because of its physical features, it is too distinct.

Unexpectedly, it actually ran out of the Ravenclaw Tower (except for the owl, other pets generally do not leave the common rooms of the various colleges easily).

"Crook Hill!" shouted Matthew.

As if he hadn't heard Matthew's voice, the ginger cat swooped forward, and then disappeared.

......

A few minutes later, Matthew arrived at his destination.

This was the second time he had come to Professor Horace Slughorn's office for a meeting of the Slug Club.

Although the last time we had a meeting, something was not too pleasant.

Slughorn's office was still the same as before, looking much larger than the average teacher's room, and was ornately decorated.

The walls were covered with emerald green, crimson and gold draperies, while the room was lit red by a golden lamp hanging in the centre of the ceiling, and in a distant corner there was a loud singing voice that sounded like a mandolin......

"Oh, Matthew!" the Slytherin dean himself, who came out to greet Matthew, "I knew you would come!"

He patted Matthew on the shoulder very enthusiastically.

Then, only to realize something, "Oh, by the way, what about Draco? isn't he with you?"

"I don't think Draco will be able to attend your banquet, Professor Slughorn. Matthew pondered his tone and replied in a low voice, "Just a few hours ago, when we were practicing in the Dueling Club in the Great Hall, Draco had a little accident...... He was knocked to the wall by a disarming charm, knocked his head bleeding, and was taken to the school hospital......"

"Oh, that's it," Slughorn sighed, "what a shame!"

"yes!" Matthew nodded hurriedly, glad Slughorn hadn't asked who had injured Draco Malfoy.

Slughorn could only lead Matthew into the room alone.

The number of students was a little smaller than at the banquet last semester, after all, the seventh grade students graduated last semester.

Slughorn soon ran off to receive the other students, and Matthew looked around the ornate office—

"Matthew, come over here!" Neville Longbottom waved eagerly at him.

Matthew hurried over and sat down beside him.

"I heard you wounded Malfoy?" asked Neville excitedly.

"Yes!" Matthew nodded helplessly, it seemed that the news was spreading faster than he expected, and even Neville of Gryffindor knew about it.

"Well done," Neville laughed, "I've always hated that guy, and I always thought he wasn't well!"

"The Slug Club seems to have a lot fewer members than last semester?" Matthew quickly diverted the subject.

"yes!" Neville nodded, "It is said that there are almost no first-year freshmen who have entered Professor Slughorn's eyes...... Originally, Professor Slughorn wanted to invite the Aurors who were stationed in the castle, namely my father, but they were stopped by Headmaster Rozier......"

......

The crowd soon arrived, and Professor Horace Slughorn returned to his office.

He wore a velvet robe with a big belly, and the golden buttons on the robe were shining.

"Finally, after almost a year, the members of our club are able to get back together!" Slughorn looked quite excited: "It's worth celebrating!"

He held up a glass of mead: "Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Matthew also raised his glass symbolically.

"I'm very happy...... Slughorn continued, "In addition to bringing everyone back together, we're welcoming two new members—"

"First of all, we welcome Miss Hermione Granger from Second Grade Ravenclaw!"

"Hermione?" Matthew couldn't help but be stunned.

But if you think about it, it's not surprising that with Hermione's talent and hard work, it's normal for Slughorn to be favored by Slughorn after spending a year at Hogwarts.

Hermione Granger in the original book is also Slughorn's "protégé".

Hermione poked her head out from behind Slughorn a little shyly, but she didn't look quite like Matthew's impression of Hermione.

She seemed to have taken care of her hair, no longer unkempt, but slightly supple and shiny, and tied it in a ponytail at the back of her head.

The temperament has also become a little different, perhaps because he no longer carries a heavy school bag.

All in all, it's a lot more durable than usual.

The old members of the slug club in the room began to applaud.

Matthew and Neville, apparently clapped the hardest.

Hermione looked down in embarrassment.

"Sit at that table, Miss Granger!" said Slughorn enthusiastically.

At the same time, he pointed to the long table where Matthew and Neville were in the lower class.

"Hermione, come over here!" Neville whispered, waving his hand.

He then moved his stool away from Matthew so that Hermione was enough to sit between them.

Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly, and she sat in happily.

"How's it going?" she glanced at Matthew with some smugness.

"It's pretty!" replied Matthew casually.

Miss Granger was stunned, and her cheeks turned redder.

She stumbled, "I...... I mean...... I finally got into Slughorn's private club...... I didn't fall behind you......"

"Oh. Matthew replied lightly.

In fact, his eyes weren't on Hermione.

Because he noticed another figure behind Horace Slughorn.

......

It was a familiar face.

Slughorn continued to say very eagerly:

"In the meantime, let's welcome Slytherin Year 1, Miss Elaine Shafiq!"