THE SECRET CHOSEN ONE Draco x Y/n Potter Black (Slytherin) Book 2

Chapter 60: Horace Slughorn

Y/n Pov:

"Hello professor" Harry and I said walking up to Professor Dumbledore. "So they finally let you out Y/n" he replied. I nodded. "There is someone I have to visit, I think it most helpful if you both come along" Professor Dumbledore stated. "Of course sir" Harry replied. "Sure professor" I replied.

Professor Dumbledore apparated us to an extremely dark house, with a lawn that hasn't been moved in weeks or even months and a chaotic interior.

The three of us stepped inside, making sure not to break anything. We walked into what seemed to be the living room. A drop of blood fell onto Harry's nose. On the ceiling was a almost gallon of blood, just dripping down slowly.

Professor Dumbledore touched the blood from Harry's nose, and licked it. I looked in front of us, and a suspicious pair of slippers lay below a recliner chair. It seemed as if someone was somehow inside the chair, or should I say, was the chair itself.

Professor Dumbledore pointed his wand at the chair and zapped it. In a fraction of a second the chair began to disfigure into a person.

"Merlins beard!"the person exclaimed. "You don't need to disfigure me Albus" he added. "I must say you make a very convincing armchair Horace" Professor Dumbledore replied.

"It's all in the upholstery, I come by the stuffing naturally. What gave me away?"  he asked. "Dragon's blood" Professor Dumbledore said pointing at the blood stain on the ceiling.

"Oh yes, introductions" Professor Dumbledore stated. "Y/n, Harry, I'd like you to meet an old friend and colleague of mine, Horace Slughorn" he added. Harry and I waved at him. He waved back eagerly, but his hand hadn't disfigured completely yet, so the arm of an armchair waved at us.

"Well you know who they are" Professor Dumbledore said to Horace Slughorn. "Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and Y/n Black, the girl who brought back someone from the dead" Horace Slughorn replied looking at us keenly.

"What's with all the theatrics Horace? You weren't by any chance waiting for someone else were you?" Professor Dumbledore asked. "Someone else, what do you mean?" Horace Slughorn replied.

"Oh alright. The death eaters have been trying to recruit me for over a year. Do you know what that's like?! You can only say no to these people so many times, I never stay anywhere more than a week. The muggles who own this place are in the Canary Islands" he ranted.

"Well I think we should put it back in order for them, don't you?" Professor Dumbledore asked. "Yes" Horace Slughorn replied. Professor Dumbledore waved his wand around and everything flew back into it's original place. The lights came back on too.

"That was fun" Professor Dumbledore stated.

"Do you mind if I use to loo?" He asked. "Yes of course" Horace Slughorn replied.

"Don't think I don't know why you're here Albus. The answer is still no. Absolutely and unequivocally no" he added.

We smiled at each other awkwardly as Professor Dumbledore left. "You are very much like your father. Except your eyes of course. You have your-" "My mother's eyes" Harry interrupted, tired of hearing this phrase over and over.

"And you look like someone I've met before, just can't put my finger on it" He said turning to me. Thankfully, my resemblance to my parents weren't as great as Harry's, keeping my secret a secret.

"Lily, lovely Lily. She was exceedingly bright. Even more impressive when one would consider she was a muggle-born" he stated.

"One of our best friends is a muggle born and she is the brightest witch we've ever known" Harry replied. 

"Oh no no, please don't think I'm prejudiced, your mother was one of my absolute favourites. There she is, right at the front" Horace Slughorn stated pointing at the wall of pictures.

It was always weird for me, to hear everyone talking about mum as if she was only Harry's mother. It was hard for me not tell them she was my mum too.

"I always keep pictures of my students. Ex students I mean" He stated as we looked into the picture with mum. She looked so happy, all her troubles hadn't started just yet.

"You recognize Barnabas Cuff" he said pointing to a picture on one of the higher shelves. "Editor of the daily prophet. Always takes my Owl should I wish to register an opinion on the news of the day." He continued. He talked about another student of his.

"Ah yes, Regulus Black" He said picking up a picture. "I believe he is your uncle" he said turning to me. "He died before I was born, I've heard a few stories about him, although I would love to know more" I replied. "I shall take you up on that offer sometime. It's a pity I never got his older brother Sirius, an extremely bright student as well. " He said. "He still is extremely bright" I replied. "You can speak of him in the present tense because you brought him back, with great power and skill, might I add." he said.

"Horace, do you mind if I take this?" Professor Dumbledore asked walking into the room, holding up a magazine. Harry and I walked up to him. "I do love knitting patterns" he added.

"Yes of course, but you're not leaving are you" Slughorn replied. "Oh, I think I know a lost cause when I see one. Regrettable, I would have considered a great personal if you consented to return to Hogwarts. Oh, you're like my friends Mr Potter and Y/n Black here, each one of a kind" Professor Dumbledore replied.

"Well,bye bye Horace" he added. "Goodbye" I said walking out with Harry and the professor. I knew what the professor was doing. Guilt-tripping and complimenting is always the way to fool someone into doing what you'd like.

"Alright I'll do it" Slughorn said as we walked outside. "But I want Professor Merrythought's old office, not the water closet I had before. And I expect a raise, these are mad times we live in, mad" he added.

"They are indeed" Professor Dumbledore mumbled.

"So exactly what was all that about?" Harry asked. "And why him" I asked. "You both are talented, famous and powerful, everything Horace values. Not to mention Y/n's control over her dark magic. Professor Slughorn is going to try and collect you both, you'll be his crowing jewels. That's why he's returning to Hogwarts. And it's crucial he should return" Professor Dumbledore replied.

"He's a Slytherin, isn't he" I said. Professor Dumbledore nodded. "How do you know?" Harry asked. "Something he said" I replied.

"I fear I may have stolen a wonderous night from you Harry, and happy one from you Y/n. She was a real beauty" Professor Dumbledore stated as we stopped in the town square. "It's alright sir. I'll go back tommorrow, make some excuse. Y/n's going to help me anyways" Harry replied.

"Oh you'll not be returning to little whinging tonight Harry" Professor Dumbledore stated. "But what about Hedwig, and my trunk?" Harry asked. "Both are waiting for you" Professor Dumbledore replied, putting out his arm. We apparated away.