bookbashuk Chapter 417 Past Events! Caring for Retired Professors, Don't Let Waiting Become Regret
Chapter 417 Past Events! Caring for Retired Professors, Don't Let Waiting Become Regret
Chapter 417 Past Events! Caring for Retired Professors, Don't Let Waiting Become Regret (Mist)
In the messy mansion, a soft blue striped sofa sits quietly in the corner.
It was covered in dust and blended into the chaotic surroundings, making it inconspicuous.
If there's anything amiss, it's that its surface is perfectly intact.
It seems that when the rioters came in and wreaked havoc, they completely ignored this soft, plush sofa.
Horace Slughorn was disguised inside.
Two small eyes, squeezed by fat, stared wide-eyed, barely daring to breathe.
Since Voldemort's resurrection last year.
Death Eaters kept trying to kidnap him.
Adding to his past misdeeds, Slughorn was forced into exile.
He had become quite adept at disguising himself, moving from house to house with various Muggles.
"Dumbledore wrote to me wanting me to go back... I absolutely cannot agree to that, no matter what he says!"
Slughorn muttered, sweating profusely from the stuffiness.
"Joining Hogwarts now would be like getting caught up in this mess... I'm not doing it! Not even if you try to lure me with Harry or Ethan!"
...But then again, Ethan is truly a once-in-a-millennium genius... If I could take him under my wing... No, no, no! I absolutely cannot associate with evil!
Slughorn shook his head violently, trying to banish the tempting idea.
The thought of what he had read in the newspaper made him feel that the world was a bit too surreal.
What does it mean that Ethan is the "Mr. Lamp" who will destroy the world? What does it mean that Dumbledore had affairs with the Dark Lord twice?
Do you know Grindelwald?
"
"...Yes. No matter what Dumbledore promises, I will not agree."
Slughorn made up his mind.
I mentally rehearsed several different lines of dialogue, convinced that I would never soften my heart!
He held his breath and concentrated.
Quietly wait for this "visitor" to leave.
One second, two seconds, three seconds... one minute, three minutes.
A long time passed, but there was still no response from outside.
There was only a faint, almost imperceptible smell of rust, which grew stronger and stronger.
Finally, the blood became so thick that, in a daze, Slughorn felt as if he were soaking in blood!
"Could it be that too much dragon blood was added?"
Slughorn thought to himself.
Even though reason tells him he should wait longer.
However, as the taste intensified, an unbearable sense of unease almost seized his mind!
It made him unable to resist taking a look outside.
...It's been so long, they should have left by now, right?
...just one glance.
I glanced at it and then pulled back.
Nothing will happen.
As if hypnotized, Slughorn was bewitched by this idea.
It cautiously peeked out from under the sofa cover.
Open your eyes and look outside.
I saw a dark, smiling face right in front of me!
It was enormous, taking up most of the space.
Crimson liquid dripped continuously from the corners of its mouth, which stretched to its ears, and fell to the ground, pooling into a puddle of blood.
As if they were just waiting for him to peek out, and when they saw his blank face, their smiles widened with delight.
His crooked eyes, with their dark pupils devoid of any light, gazed down at him like mirrors.
A strange halo appeared above their heads.
Like an "angel".
【Hehe, hehe@%￥...? Hehe】
A mocking and incomprehensible laugh came from those bared fangs.
Crimson liquid dripped onto Slughorn's head.
"Ah, ah ah..."
'
Slughorn opened his mouth but only uttered meaningless syllables, and he and the sofa cover trembled violently!
Eyes wide open, fear instantly surpassing the threshold of what one could bear!
My mind went blank, and I couldn't move at all.
They could only watch helplessly as the dark, ghostly face slowly opened its gaping mouth.
[Gulp.]
Like vomiting, twisted arms stretched out of its mouth and reached out to grab at itself!
"6
Aaaaaaahh ...
Slughorn suddenly screamed.
He fell to the ground, the misshapen sofa cover wrapped around his body, and struggled frantically!
It was as if I were haunted by a nightmare.
Just when he was in extreme fear.
A gentle hand rested on his shoulder.
"Don't be afraid, it was just a nightmare."
The gentle yet powerful voice gradually calmed Slughorn's panic and fear.
"Huff, huff, huff!"
Slughorn was breathing heavily, his heart pounding like a drum.
After calming down a bit, I realized that the strong smell of blood had disappeared.
The eerie ghostly figure vanished without a trace.
Is it illusion magic?
Damn it, I'm getting old and I'm actually scared by such a low-class trick.
Slughorn took a deep breath, looked up, and said gratefully, "Thank you for your help."
His words abruptly stopped!
What came into view was a pure white mask without any facial features!
More terrifying than the ethereal ghostly figure was the ruthless third-generation Dark Lord, "Mr. Lamp," featured in the newspaper, standing right beside him.
"We cordially invite you to join the Hogwarts family and contribute to a brighter future for the Beacon of Light."
In a daze, all I heard was "Mr. Lamp" speaking sincerely.
He pressed one hand firmly on the old man's shoulder, and with the other hand, he took out a business card from his pocket.
"You certainly won't refuse, will you? My dear Mr. Slughorn~"
Behind them, a pitch-black ghost face floated.
Hehe, hehehe...
The ghost face looked down at him, a mocking smile playing on its lips.
66
""
Under the silent gaze of the pure white mask.
Slughorn raised his hand, trembling, and took the business card.
Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer and burst into tears: "I accept it, I accept it, okay?!"
"Please, just do something sensible!!"
If they fall into the hands of Death Eaters, they may only suffer physical torture.
But in the hands of "Mr. Lamp," it's a double torment of mind and body!
"how."
Ethan removed his mask, turned his head, and looked at Dumbledore, who seemed hesitant to speak.
With a slight upturn of his lips, he smiled innocently and said, "Professor Slughorn is very easy to talk to, not as stubborn as you say."
"Waaaaah" 7
Listening to the background noise as chaotic as a walrus, Dumbledore fell silent.
After a moment, Oki gave a thumbs up.
The two looked at each other and smiled: "Hehehe~"
Anyway, it's not like he's the one suffering; isn't it good enough that the goal is achieved?
What? You're talking about the mental health issues of faculty and staff?
cough.
Anyway, soon this part will no longer be under his jurisdiction.
In the room that has been restored to its clean state.
Slughorn, Ethan, and Dumbledore sat on opposite sofas and chairs, forming a three-way standoff.
The old professor, who had just boarded the pirate ship, was limp all over and looked as if he had grown into the sofa.
Holding a steaming hot cocoa in both hands.
His eyes were glazed over, and he was breathing heavily, hissing.
Just then.
Ethan suddenly reached into his clothes.
The old professor's heart skipped a beat, and he cried out, "Ah!" With a wave of his hand, the entire cup of hot cocoa flew into the air!
Just before it was poured down, it was lifted up by a magical force.
They gathered back into the cup and slowly fell back into the frightened old professor's hand.
Ethan cast a spell with one hand and took out an exquisite iron box from his pocket with the other.
As if nothing had happened, he casually said, "I almost forgot to give you a gift, Professor Slughorn. I heard you like jackfruit?"
"Oh! Yes..."
"..." Slughorn took the gift box in surprise, stammered a few times, and said in a complicated manner, "Thank you, Mr. Vincent..."
"9
"That was a truly excellent levitation spell. At your age, very few students can control their magic with such precision and skill."
talking.
A hint of longing couldn't help but rise in the eyes of this "walrus" professor.
Just like encountering a shiny Pokémon.
"You flatter me." Ethan smiled. "Once I enroll, you will be able to mentor me personally, and I look forward to discussing academic matters with you."
Upon hearing the words "discussing academic matters,"
Slughorn's heart skipped a beat.
A familiar memory flooded my mind, and even the pineapple preserves in my hand didn't smell good.
.No.
Ethan and Voldemort should not be grouped together.
If Dumbledore trusts Ethan, then Ethan must be a good person.
At least they wouldn't seek his outrageous help like Voldemort did.
Thinking this way.
The anxious old professor, slightly relieved, picked up his cup and nervously took a sip.
Ethan: "By the way. I need your help to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic, Professor Slughorn."
"puff--!"
Slughorn spat out the hot cocoa in his mouth!
Seeing Ethan's disapproving expression, he exclaimed in shock, "Invading the Ministry of Magic?! What are you trying to do?!"
So you're not even going to act anymore?!
He suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion, and even had a feeling that "it would be better to be Voldemort."
At least Voldemort would at least disguise himself.
"Sigh, I want to explore a place at the Ministry of Magic, but they won't let me in. I have to think of another way."
Ethan sighed, "It's so innocent."
That's because you recently blew up the Ministry of Magic!
Slughorn screamed inwardly, suddenly feeling a sense of powerlessness in the face of the fake man.
Is this guy really not some kind of magical creature in disguise?
Slughorn: "I...I can't help you. What if you infiltrate the Ministry of Magic and do something wrong..."
"7
Just like telling Voldemort the secret of the Horcruxes in person.
Instantly.
A sense of guilt and suffocation, like a snake, spread upwards and gripped his throat.
This made it difficult for him to breathe.
"—Professor Slughorn."
Suddenly, a clear, melodious voice, like a spring, rang out, bringing him back to his senses.
The poor old professor looked up and met Ethan's diamond-blue eyes.
Ethan: "Did you know that Voldemort had already completed his first Horcrux when he came looking for you?"
In the original work.
Tom Riddle, a bright student at the time, had murdered his father's family and made Horcruxes from the Gaunt family ring.
Slughorn's eyes widened: "What? You already—wait, how did you know?!"
He stared in shock at the black-haired boy in front of him.
In a daze, the figure overlapped with the one from my past memories.
...that calm and strategic demeanor, those cold eyes that seemed to see right through one's soul.
The only difference.
It might be this young man in front of me who never hides his purpose.
Ethan: "Therefore, you have absolutely no need to blame yourself. Voldemort just came to make a final confirmation with you."
1
He leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the old professor's sweat-drenched face, and slowly said, "And your assistance is the right thing to do. Think about it, is the Ministry of Magic really worth following now?"
"6
'
have to say.
Decades later, I heard these seductive words again.
Slughorn still feels a bit nostalgic.
It was as if a soul-stealing spell had been cast, making people's minds hazy and unconsciously wanting to nod in agreement.
Ethan suddenly smiled: "Or perhaps you'd like a Imperius Curse?"
Slughorn:
'
""
Do you have to be so honest?!
He shakily took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He glanced at the smiling Dumbledore beside him, finally took a deep breath, and said in a hoarse voice:
5
Okay, I promise you.
""
"However, I have one condition."
Ethan nodded: "Go ahead."
The old professor hesitated, rubbing his hands together, a look of embarrassment on his face. "I hope you can help me... research a new magic potion that no one has ever succeeded at before."
"A potion to cure blood cursed orcs."
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