Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard

Chapter 782: Chapter 696: Horace Slughorn (2)

It’s really just a little, probably just past the bottom of the cup. It’s obvious he wants Dumbledore to finish quickly and leave.

Kael and Harry also got a cup, but of course, not much, maybe just a sip.

”Thank you.” Dumbledore took the cup, seemingly not minding at all, instead taking a sip with great delight, ”It tastes really good, doesn’t seem like a Leaky Cauldron product.”

”Of course, this is a treasure from the Oak Barrel Bar, made with Three-Tailed Bee honey,” Slughorn said proudly, ”I stopped by there when I was in Romania, spent a hefty sum to buy it from the owner.”

Oak Barrel Bar?

Kael always thought the name sounded familiar, and then after hearing Romania, he suddenly remembered.

The bar gathered next to the Fire Dragon Reserve, it seems to be called that... Strange, didn’t Charlie say their signature was brandy?

Kael took the cup in confusion, took a sip, then put it back down.

Great, now we can confirm that Slughorn got conned like a fat sheep.

He had Three-Tailed Bee honey at Newt’s place, let’s put it this way, that unique sweet fragrance is completely absent from this wine.

Not surprising, typical of the Oak Barrel Bar... Chris was also conned before, bought two bottles of fake brandy, but later Charlie took them back and exchanged for two real ones.

Kael silently put the cup down, not bothering to point it out.

Maybe because of the constant tension these past few days, after taking a sip of wine, Kael suddenly felt a bit sleepy, sitting there in a daze.

Unsure how much time passed, he suddenly heard someone calling his name.

”Kael... Kael...”

”Ah, what’s up?” Kael jolted awake, turning to look at Harry who was nudging him.

Dumbledore had disappeared somewhere, leaving only one person beside him.

”Nothing much,” Harry said, ”Mr. Slughorn just asked you which house you’re in.”

”Sorry, I didn’t hear,” Kael said to Slughorn, ”It’s Hufflepuff.”

”Oh, the same house as your father,” Slughorn said without much notice, ”But I prefer your mother, smart, sensible, confident... She was the pride of Slytherin at that time.”

He took a sip of honey wine, seemingly lost in some memory, ”Of course, as a teacher, I shouldn’t favor students, but I just did her.

”I still remember her seeking justice for your father, putting a fifth-year student in the hospital wing for a week, then even blocking him in the common room, scaring him so much that he didn’t dare leave his dorm.

”Such outrageous behavior should have warranted detention, but I didn’t do that, only docked her ten points.”

”Ah, don’t misunderstand.”

Slughorn quickly added, ”I’m not encouraging you to break school rules, it was mainly because of the circumstances at the time. That student said a very vile word in front of her to her friend, and that word is absolutely not allowed in the school.

”Your father wanted to reason it out, but he was unjustly mocked, honestly, I still maintain that he brought his subsequent outcome upon himself.”

”Of course, like I said, I don’t encourage you to violate school rules.”

Harry noticed that while Slughorn was speaking, he kept glancing at him intentionally or unintentionally, as if the matter was related to him as well.

But just as he was about to inquire, Slughorn abruptly changed the topic.

Probably finding it inappropriate to discuss this topic with students, Slughorn stood up and said, ”Come, let me show you my students.”

He led them to a cabinet, pointing to some frames above:

”These are all, you’ll see Barnabas, editor of the Daily Prophet, who always enjoys hearing my views on current affairs... And your father, Kael, was one of my favorite students at the time, I always thought he embodied all the virtues a Hufflepuff should have... Oh, here he is.”

Slughorn pointed to a frame, ”Your mother was also there originally, but for some reasons, she disappeared from the picture... You must understand why.”

Kael nodded.

It should be because Diana joined the Department of Mysteries, but the more specific reason, he didn’t know.

Slughorn introduced a few more names, mostly people who were quite famous in the Magic Realm.

Kael looked at the photos, while Harry chatted with Slughorn.

”I believe as long as Dumbledore is headmaster, the staff will be safer than most people, it’s said that Voldemort only fears him...”

Harry suddenly shouted, startling Kael.

Slughorn was a bit distracted, seemingly weighing his words.

”Speaking of safety...” Kael stepped closer, quietly asked, ”Harry, do you know what happened with Umbridge?”

”I don’t care what happens to her...” Harry said with a stiff neck, then sighed, ”Alright, I didn’t expect someone like her to stand against the Death Eaters either, but the paper only says she was attacked, I don’t know what happened afterward.

”But I heard from Ron that St Mungo’s is now surrounded by Aurors, especially the ward she’s in.”

Slughorn fell silent once again.