Eight hundred and fourteenth chapter three years after three years
"Professor...of Potions?"
Just when Snape was about to respond to Slughorn's question, another voice interrupted.
"I believe I may have misunderstood you, Professor Dumbledore."
Damocles Bebier frowned and interjected coldly, "Perhaps I am so far away from today's young people that I have such an illusion. You seem to be implying that we must listen to this Sneijian in the future.
Professor Pu’s arrangement?”
The old wizard glanced at Severus Snape casually, grinned and said.
"Oh, you know, this child may be a few years younger than my grandson - maybe he has a thorough understanding of the teaching materials, but potions, history of magic, and transfiguration are not the same. In addition to talent, the more important thing is
It’s skills and knowledge. If you plan to expand your teaching team, I think you should probably take into account the shortcomings and immaturity of young people in terms of time..."
Damocles chuckled and shook his head, the contempt in his tone not concealed at all.
As the inventor of Wolfsbane potion, he is naturally qualified to comment like this. If he chooses to stay in school when he graduates, then there may not be anything about Slughorn in the future - and as far as he knows, Silver
Les Snape was not even Slughorn's most satisfactory student. The most eye-catching label about this young professor was simply his youth.
You know, in Damocles' long life, there were not many new stars with outstanding potion talents.
But most of them only stay in the imitation stage in the end. It is difficult to even optimize potions, let alone invent new advanced potions. Such people are usually called "advanced potions".
Potions Apprentice".
"Don't say that, Damocles, you really don't need to be that advanced to teach potions..."
Horace Slughorn looked at Snape, twitching the corners of his mouth in a familiar manner.
Compared to the old senior who was immersed in research, Slughorn had learned some of the rumors about Severus Snape from his own intelligence channels - as a man who could make many former death-eaters
A person that all disciples are afraid of, this young man may not have any outstanding achievements in potions yet, but if the two of them draw their sticks at each other...
"It really doesn't require such advanced knowledge, which is why I refused to be the potions professor in the first place."
Damocles Bebier replied with an arrogant expression, "Now the whole magic world is learning about the potion I invented, and you have just gone from a potion star with some talent to a person who still needs to look at other people's faces.
Retired professor.”
After being touched by ashes several times in a row, the smile on Slughorn's face became a little unbearable.
Oh, yes - but you're back now, aren't you? Forced to make a living?"
He glanced at the parchment in Damocles' hand and asked in a joking tone.
Horace Slughorn's eyes wandered over Damocles for a few times, and intentionally or unintentionally, he paused for a while at the edge of the old wizard's old-fashioned black wizard robe, and raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
——There are several patches of different colors there——
Obviously, the legendary potion master's situation over the years has not been too prosperous, at least it is far worse than him.
"At least many of the students I have taught are still active in various fields of magical society. And your wolfsbane potion, well, I guess the werewolves will like you very much? Maybe on your birthday, they
Will I send you some prey as a birthday gift? I heard that you disclosed the formula of wolfsbane potion for free. I wonder if anyone will give you patent compensation..."
"Don't compare me to you, slug-"
Damocles Bebil narrowed his eyes and glared at the short, fat old man in front of him with a cold expression.
"The reason why I came back is just because Mr. Flamel restarted alchemy here. If you put the energy of maintaining the little slugs in the field of potions, you will not be reduced to the pitiful position of being replaced by your own students.
…”
"Take over? You——"
"Okay, that's it for now, you two!"
Dumbledore's azure eyes flashed under his lenses and he raised his voice.
"Damocles, regarding the issue led by Severus, this will not change in the short term. Not only the Potions class, but all Hogwarts courses will temporarily change from the original ones after the enrollment expansion.
The professor serves as the main professor of the course.”
"As for the course content, you can discuss and resolve it yourself later..."
The old man looked around at the wizards in the office and said firmly.
"No matter what the reason is for you to come to Hogwarts, new associate professors who want to participate in classroom teaching must obtain the consent of the subject leader. This is a rule jointly decided by the Ministry of Magic, the Board of Directors, and Hogwarts——
At least until the standards for professional titles in colleges and universities in the wizarding world are completely finalized, we will continue to use this set of teaching standards."
"Oh, okay, okay, since this is a unified standard..."
Seeing Dumbledore's firm attitude, Damocles raised his eyebrows and turned his head to look at Snape.
"So, Professor Snape, what are you going to test me for? Is it still Felixir? Very good - I will write you an answer that satisfies you, although I don't think you can fully understand it.
, but I can teach you..."
"So, I also have to take the exam? The students taught by me will be tested on the content I taught?"
Horace Slughorn looked at Dumbledore with a strange expression, waved the "Associate Professor of Potions" examination paper he had just received from his student, and sighed as the old man nodded.
He said in a helpless tone.
"You know why I'm here, Albus - I'm going to see it tonight, otherwise... I didn't expect that the reason I returned to school after teaching all my life was to answer the students' questions. It's really -
-well--"
Without finishing the rest of his words, Slughorn rolled up the parchment with a frown and sighed heavily again.
Ever since he saw the news in the newspaper and learned that Voldemort was not really dead, he had been afraid that the nightmare that had haunted him for decades would become a reality - because of a moment of negligence, he created an unkillable creature with his own hands.
Scary monster.
However, as time passed, he began to fantasize and expect:
Perhaps Tom Riddle, later Voldemort, did not choose to make Horcruxes, but used some dangerous black magic that he didn't know about to survive. But Dumbledore's letter shattered Slughorn's final decision.
of luck.
Although it is not known how Dumbledore knew about that conversation - after all, in Slughorn's impression, when he and Tom Riddle were talking about Horcruxes, only the two of them should know - but
After Dumbledore restored those scenes and dialogues almost completely in his letter, Horace Slughorn breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, he also encountered the most difficult offer to refuse in recent years——
An opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with the Tom Riddle of that year, and...a chance to atone for his sins.
As for the price, he would return to Hogwarts Castle, return to his position as Potions Professor, and contribute his wisdom to the future educational reform of Hogwarts. This was what he had been doing every time he woke up alone in the middle of the night over the years.
dream.
"Show me what you've learned over the years, Severus..."
Horace Slughorn murmured, took a deep breath and began to answer the questions on the parchment.
If he guessed correctly, perhaps Dumbledore invited him back to Hogwarts not just because of the matter of Tom Riddle's diary - spying on the current Potions Professor Severus Snape
, this potions master who he trained with his own hands and who was once active in the Death Eater camp in the past may also be one of his tasks.
As the top potions master, Horace Slughorn is very aware of the dangers of potions in places like Hogwarts Castle. If Voldemort really comes back, Snape is very likely to
He held all the students in the school hostage in an instant.
In the magical world, there is only one other Potions Master who can fight against the Potions Master. This is the simplest truth.
Having worked together at Hogwarts for so many years, he really understands Albus Dumbledore's character - he is the countermeasure just in case, while Damocles is the one on the surface.
That hook is used to attract attention.
…………
Unfortunately, the headmaster seemed not to notice Slughorn's rich inner fluctuations.
It is true that Dumbledore really wanted Horace Slughorn to return to Hogwarts out of personal emotion.
But for Dumbledore, this is not an indispensable thing. After all, there is no shortage of outstanding wizards in the school. The more reason is just that the little girl Elena insists on "releasing the recruitment task"
That’s all.
Strictly speaking, he just reviewed the content of the letter a little, and then with the idea of giving it a try, he let the white-haired dumpling do whatever he wanted - after all, no matter how you looked at it, this was very important to Hogg.
It's not a bad thing for Watts, and it's time for Horace Slughorn to move on from the shadows of the past.
As for what he is more concerned about now, it is...
"I'm sorry, Severus."
Dumbledore looked apologetically at the Potions Professor in front of him who was hesitant to speak.
"Perhaps I will consider it later, but in this special period now, in the entire Hogwarts, I really can't find another Potions Master who can compete with those two gentlemen, but when we get along with them, maybe...
…”
"I don't mind, and I believe they will soon understand that age doesn't mean anything."
Snape shrugged. He didn't think he needed to worry about the two wizards who had been away from the school for too long.
Even if they may be more than twice his age, or once were his Potions professor, or once occupied the cover of "Potions Frontier" for several months - Potions pays more attention to talent, creativity, and
Standardized approach.
"Of course, I never doubted that, Severus."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded, "Whether it is the Potions Professor or the Dean of Slytherin, as the youngest faculty member in the history of Hogwarts, in the past ten years, you have given practical actions.
An impeccable answer.”
"Three years, this is the last time! I remember what you said."
Facing Albus Dumbledore's warm smile, Snape raised his eyebrows and said expressionlessly.
"I just hope you won't find any new reasons next time. With your current physical condition, I don't think you should retire so early - when Miss Kaslana enters fifth grade, this will
It’s the deadline.”
When they first entered Hogwarts, the two had clearly agreed that he would only take over the Potions class for three years. After Dumbledore found a new Potions professor, and at the same time there was a vacancy in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the school
He will be given priority.
But three years later, another three years, and three years later, another three years, and now it has been ten years.
"Ah this——"
Hearing the little witch's name unexpectedly, Dumbledore's heart twitched reflexively.
Dumbledore almost forgot, or he rarely faced this cruel thing, that Elena Kaslana had just spent her first school year at Hogwarts, and after that she still
There were six full years to torment him.
The smile on the old wizard's face gradually disappeared, and he nodded with a heavy heart.
"Don't worry, I will try my best to persevere until then. However, Horace Slughorn said it right. I should really start thinking about retirement - Hogwarts needs one more deputy
You become the principal, and by that time, maybe you can arrange the courses you want to serve on your own, I don’t know.”
"I hope so……"
Snape curled his lips in disbelief. He had heard Dumbledore's verbal promises so many times.
"Then I'll go to the next classroom to check on the candidates. Let me tell you in advance, if you fail such a simple and basic written test, even Professor Horace Slughorn, I can't do anything special.
treat."
As the subject leader of Potions and the head of Slytherin House, Snape had a lot to do today.
In addition to Damocles and Slughorn, there are also several well-known wizards who have submitted applications for "Associate Professor of Potions Class" to Hogwarts, and Snape needs to select the most suitable ones before three o'clock in the afternoon.
The choice was given to Dumbledore.
"Go ahead, you'll have to work hard on Potions. I want to tell you something more here."
Dumbledore nodded and waved his hand to signal Snape to go ahead.
And just when Severus Snape left the door of the principal's office, he heard Dumbledore's voice ringing in the room again, "Well, gentlemen and ladies, please refer to the form of Potions to find the corresponding
The formal professors will conduct the entrance examination. During this period, I will be waiting for you in the office. If you have any unresolved problems, you can come to me."
"The assessment ends at three o'clock in the afternoon. You can apply for more than one subject. Well, that's it..."