Archaeologists at Hogwarts

Chapter 14 Gifts
As soon as he entered Slughorn's house, Toby felt as if he had returned to the former dean's office. It was full of gorgeous decorations, velvet sofas were indispensable, and emerald green was hung on the ceiling and walls. , crimson and golden curtains, with a golden lantern hanging in the center, illuminating the surroundings bright red.Toby also noticed a piano on the left side of the living room, and beside it stood handsome pine bookshelves full of books.

"My dear great writer."

Slughorn picked up "Ancient Magic" on the coffee table, and he joked: "I don't know when I can read your next book."

"Forget it, Dean."

Toby waved his hand and said, "That book was a mistake, I might as well publish it in several articles - first look at the gift I gave you, I brought Severus's copy too. "

He let the package fly to the coffee table, and the layers of wrapping paper fell slowly and gracefully, revealing the valuable gift inside.

"Mead, there are two full bottles, both of which are of good vintage, enough for you to drink for a long time."

"These are amulets brought back from Egypt, no, no, dean, don't look at me like that, these amulets are genuine, not deceptive gadgets, as long as you wear them on your body, you can avoid some small things. Trouble, things like banging your toes against a door frame."

"This is the feathered crest worn by African priests. There are ball-stalking birds, Jueyin birds, and even a phoenix feather. I took a lot of effort to snatch it—oh, no, I bought it from the local area. People are very enthusiastic.”

"Of course, candied pineapple is also essential. The ingredients are the freshest. I specially ordered them early, and I just got them this morning."

Slughorn looked at the dazzling array of gifts on the coffee table, and he only felt that Toby had made up for all the gifts that hadn't been delivered over the years.

"It's really worthy of you." Slughorn praised: "I knew that no matter where you go, you will not suffer. Even if you really die, you will enjoy it in advance before then."

"Okay." Toby said helplessly: "It seems that even looking at the astrology map is useless. Almost everyone I know thinks that I died outside."

Slughorn chuckled twice, and the buttons of his vest quivered.

"What's this?" he asked, pointing to the last unopened gift.

"Oh, this one."

Toby showed a smirk, and he unwrapped the wrapping paper by himself: "This is the gift from Severus, and you know he is a shy person, so he is only willing to let me deliver it—from Bo It’s not important that the shampoo company changed hands later, this set of shampoo is the latest model, and it is said that it also has the function of hair growth.”

Slughorn took the bottles of shampoo as if he saw a baby, and he smiled with satisfaction: "This is really precious, Toby."

"It's nothing." Toby said indifferently: "At worst, I'll help you turn your gratitude into a gift, and just thank Severus as an extra. We are colleagues now, and we haven't seen each other for many years. We just need to improve During emotional time."

Slughorn took the gifts to the room one by one and put them away. At the same time, he was still rambling: "Toby, you really surprised me. I know you are very good, but I really didn't expect you to be able to The development is so good. I thought you left England because of an awkward situation with Albus. At the time, this incident was spread among the teachers, so I said how could it be possible? Toby is not this kind of person, you are like me The most obedient student I have ever met, is often interested in the banned books in the library. At first, I was worried, afraid that you would go astray. I didn’t understand you until now. Look at these two bottles of honey bar—— —”

He held the honey in his hand, looked at the stickers on it carefully, and made a click in his mouth: "I will definitely wait until the next party to take it out, as for the other bottle, I will save it for myself to drink at Christmas." Well, I can’t distribute the kindness of the students to everyone, and I have to keep a bottle for myself to experience it.”

Toby was helping Slughorn carry the big bucket of candied pineapple, and he seemed to be lost in memory: "Yes, Dean. I still remember that you were the only professor who was willing to sign the approval note for us back then. Lily, and Severus, and occasionally others, if it weren't for your help, I would have died in Loch Ness."

"Lily." This name evoked the nostalgia in Slughorn's heart: "Oh, Lily, it's a pity that she is no longer here. You three little guys really caused me troubles back then, but Lily is my favorite. Student, even if she is a Gryffindor, I cannot refuse her request."

The atmosphere became low for a while.

Toby said with emotion: "I saw her child."

"Oh?" Slughorn turned his head immediately: "You mean Harry Potter?"

"Yes, Dean." Toby nodded, and put the barrel in the dry storage room: "I took a look at it from a distance, and the child's life is very bad, he is dressed in tatters, and he looks like a child." James is exactly the same, but his eyes are like Lily's - they're both amazingly green."

Slughorn didn't speak. He was silent for a while.

The two walked back into the living room and sat down on the sofa facing each other.Al was fiddling with the glass at the bottom of the lampshade, which could also be a transparent gem.

"It seems like in the blink of an eye."

Slughorn sighed tearfully: "In the blink of an eye, the students have grown up, and some of them are not even there anymore."

"I know you like teaching." Toby asked sincerely, "But why did you leave Hogwarts?"

Slughorn shook his head, and suddenly he asked, "Did Albus send you here?"

"The principal just told me your address." Toby said, reaching out to pull Al back beside the lampshade: "This time I decided to come here on my own initiative, and he didn't say anything. I thought you guys had a fight , you have known each other for so many years, maybe I can help to clear it up."

"Forget it, Toby." Slughorn's expression became complicated: "It's hard to say, and I won't be able to explain it for a while. Is there anything else you want? Maybe we can have dinner together."

"I'm sorry, Dean." Toby comforted the struggling Al: "I'm a professor in the school now, and I need to make a lot of preparations, and I'm running out of time—however, I really want to ask you to help me. busy."

"I knew it." Slughorn smiled and pointed at Toby with his fat finger, but he didn't mean to blame him at all: "Tell me, what do you need me to do for you."

Toby coughed twice in embarrassment, and he said solemnly: "You may not be clear, I am an archaeologist now, and I specialize in exploring those ancient magical relics, which are often accompanied by various unexpected dangers. So—Felix Felicia, will you, Dean?"

Also known as the Potion of Fortune, it is a potion that is extremely difficult to prepare. It is very complicated to brew, and if you make a mistake, the consequences will be disastrous.Only a few potion masters can make it successfully.

"You're really going to give me a problem." Slughorn's beard twitched. "But if it's just Felicia, why don't you go to Severus? He's also an excellent master of potions."

"It's hard to say." Toby said with a complicated tone: "There are some small misunderstandings between Severus and me. These misunderstandings have existed since we were in school, and you should know some of them later."

Slughorn thought about it carefully: "I vaguely remember that the three of you did fall out later, and you didn't get together anymore. Why, haven't you reconciled until now?"

Toby smacked his mouth twice: "I said it, Dean."

"Severus is a shy man, he doesn't admit his mistakes so easily."

At the same time, in the basement of Hogwarts, an owl with a package flew into the Potions professor's office.

The cauldron was bubbling and bubbling, Snape frowned and took off the package, he casually passed the owl some water, the owl wanted to peck his finger hard with such a mean treatment.

"Get out! Get out!"

Snape shouted angrily, and he raised his witch robe, forcing the owl to fly away indignantly.

There is a card on the package, there is no signature on it, only a short sentence: [It's time to face up to your heart. 】

Snape's frown deepened.

He opened the package with his wand, and he saw the quick-smoothing hair lotion set inside.

"Damn Toby."

He said with dark eyes, and threw the shampoo against the wall.

Dumbledore, who just walked outside the door, stopped, and he heard the sound of things being thrown from the office.

"It's Toby again, he's really going to get me in trouble."

Dumbledore shook his head and walked away silently.

"I hope Severus' bad mood won't last too long. By the way, ancient magic is a formal course. Unfortunately, maybe Toby should be the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

(End of this chapter)