Chapter 820 The Irresistible Whisper of the Witch
"Okay, okay, I roughly understand..."
Slughorn pinched his eyebrows gently, trying hard to suppress the idea of going out immediately to complain to Dumbledore. His eyes flickered on the greedy young faces in the classroom, and he slowly considered it. said.
"I'm very sorry. It seems that there is some communication problem between me and Professor Snape. Compared to cooking in the crucible, I think maybe we should focus on some more important learning content. Potions is not the same as cooking. At least in my Potions class, we should be exploring the potions themselves, not the work that can be left to house elves."
In the magical world, culinary magic is indeed a big branch.
For example, Hufflepuff House is a leader in this field, but this does not mean that Slughorn will admit its connection with potions. Moreover, he does not think that cooking magic and cooking learning are mutually exclusive. Same thing.
"Unfortunately, Potions is Potions. I don't intend for you to confuse brewing potions with stewing fish soup."
Slughorn cleared his throat, raised his voice slightly, and spoke seriously.
"Perhaps in your eyes, both seem to be accomplished with the help of crucibles and flames, but this is only the most superficial understanding and presentation - if a Muggle picks up a potion textbook, follow the steps above Execution, all he ends up with is a pot of strange, inedible paste - the magic potion."
After hearing Slughorn's words, many young wizards had disappointed looks on their faces.
"Oh, a magic potion is just a magic potion..."
"Professor Slughorn, you are right, got it."
"No wonder you retired so early. It turns out you can't cook - let me tell you, Professor McGonagall has been teaching for so many years."
"Bear with me, Professor Snape will be back in the next class anyway."
"I wish I had eaten more this morning...Oh, it was so difficult..."
There was a murmur in the classroom, and the little wizards were whispering to each other.
Even though Snape has always been strict and likes to criticize, the cooking skills of the cold Potions professor are so good. Even the dishes provided by the Hogwarts kitchen are inferior to Professor Snape's cooking skills. Slightly inferior.
On the other hand, Elena, as the chef and assistant teacher of Potions class, will not participate in the after-class evaluation, and her cooking results will also be included in the final reward distribution. As long as she works a little harder, a person will be rewarded. At the end of the semester, most students will have the opportunity to eat one or two "Top Chef" level "Special Potions Class Food".
For the little wizards, the twice-weekly potions lesson bonus sessions almost bear most of their expectations.
But they didn't protest. Anyway, Slughorn was only a temporary substitute.
After all, apart from Severus Snape, there may not be another professor in Hogwarts Castle who would take them to catch snails at the edge of the Forbidden Forest during class time—— As an old-school Potions professor from the previous era, Horace Slughorn's old-fashioned style was in line with the previous speculations of many young wizards.
Perhaps in the eyes of many students, they have lowered their voices as much as possible.
But these whispers in front of a senior Potions professor are almost as good as talking in his ears - the strengthening of magic power in wizards is not limited to simple magnitude. Perception conditions are not low.
this--
This is so funny!
"..."
The corners of Slughorn's eyes twitched slightly, and he glanced at the muttering students with an angry smile.
Having taught in Hogwarts Castle for decades, this was the first time in his life that he was disliked by the students because he couldn't cook. If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't blame these children, he almost couldn't bear it. Points will be deducted from the whole class.
Forget it, don’t be angry, they are just a bunch of kids...
I am dozens of years old, do I still have to fight with a group of eleven or twelve year olds?
Slughorn took a deep breath, lowered his head and sorted out the lesson plan for a few seconds. He was about to ignore the increasingly wild discussions of the little guys and start telling some advanced potion knowledge according to the emergency plan he had just prepared. .
At this moment, a series of fluttering words reached his ears inadvertently.
"No, no, this is the former Potions Professor?"
"Hehe, I knew it would be like this. I've seen it a long time ago. If you have some real ability, you would retire so early? Even if you don't know it, you can still find a reason to explain it with confidence? That's really awesome."
"Anyway, everything Professor Slughorn said is right. He said it doesn't matter if cooking and potions have nothing to do with each other. If he said it doesn't matter, then what's the use of Professor Snape teaching him well? Potions doesn't all depend on Slughorn. Professor En is holding up his mouth..."
Um? !
Which guy is being weird? !
The smile on Slughorn's face collapsed, and he suddenly raised his head, looking forward hatefully.
However, what caught his eyes were still the same childish little faces that made people angry and had nowhere to vent.
Except for the two well-behaved and obedient little girls sitting right in front of him, most of the other students in the classroom had evasive and questioning looks in their eyes - in a classroom with so many people, Slughorn couldn't tell what was going on. Who is speaking.
Hmm... It should be a boy.
Horace Slughorn narrowed his eyes and recalled the sound he had just heard.
Because the student who spoke deliberately lowered his voice, it sounded slightly high-pitched, but after being a professor at Hogwarts for so many years, Slughorn could still easily distinguish the voices of girls and boys.
In addition, judging from the size and source of the sound transmitted to the ears, it was at least coming from the middle and rear of the classroom.
The smile on Slughorn's face gradually faded, and he looked past the two well-behaved little witches in the front row, whom he had immediately ruled out as suspects, and took a few cold glances in the smoke-filled underground classroom. .
It seemed he had been away from Hogwarts for so long that no one remembered that he had been Head of Slytherin for so many years.
Let’s put aside what happened just now. Anyway, if nothing unexpected happens, he will probably stay for a long, long time after returning to Hogwarts this time. He will have at least five or six years to slowly get to know these little guys. .
As for now...
"Well, it seems like if you don't answer these questions, you little minds will come up with random thoughts."
Slughorn puffed up his chest, took out his wand and tapped on the blackboard.
"Then let me take the swelling potion you are brewing as an example. Let me tell you the huge difference between potions and the non-magical world, and even cooking food in a pot. First of all...Miss Kaslana -"
"Huh? Here!"
The little fur on Elena's head trembled, and she looked at the Potions professor with a little vigilance.
"Excuse me...um, what's the problem? Professor Slughorn."
Although Grindelwald, Scamander and Dumbledore did not show precise locking ability when they encountered her "sound transmission magic", she could not guarantee whether this relatively unfamiliar old wizard would be able to What kind of black technology is there?
Even though she had just deliberately adjusted her voice to that of Zachary Smith and moved the sound source farther back in the classroom.
"Oh, don't be nervous, just answer a few simple questions."
Slughorn said softly with a smile, his eyes particularly gentle and kind.
Since the commotion just now, Slughorn has always noticed that compared to other students with unstable temperament, Miss Kaslana can be said to be impeccable in classroom discipline without any complaints.
In other words, is he really worthy of being an outstanding student who can serve as a "potions class assistant"?
Looking at Elena, Slughorn seemed to see a similar figure and continued gently.
"Miss Kaslana, can you tell us what the materials used in the swelling potion are?"
"Eh? Is it the ingredients for the swelling potion, um..."
Elena breathed a sigh of relief, it turned out that she was not looking for trouble or revenge, so it would be fine.
Although I don’t know why Slughorn asked such an extremely low-level question, I don’t want to give up this kind of scoring question in vain. As the new semester begins, the "new season of points" between her and Hermione will begin. "Also started again.
You know, the hundred-time bet last semester gave her a good addiction.
"In Magic Potions and Potions, there are three in total."
Elena smiled slightly, looked at Slughorn, and answered quickly in a calm voice.
"Nettles, pufferfish eyes, bat livers."
"Exactly, so how much do you know about the dangers of the above three potion materials?"
"Huh? How...dangerous are these potion materials?"
Elena blinked and glanced at Slughorn in confusion.
The old Potions professor looked thoughtfully at the little witch in front of him and said with a rather expectant smile.
"Yes, as a teaching assistant in Potions class, I believe that Miss Kaslana, you will be more experienced in identifying potion materials than most of the students here. After all, you will also help Professor Snape in the senior class. Handing out potion ingredients, right?”
Potions assistant? Professor Snape? Handing out potions?
Elena raised her eyebrows slightly and couldn't help but chuckle in her heart.
So that’s it. Is this Professor Slughorn secretly gathering information? This kind of probing question can inadvertently reveal too much information. No wonder it was easily exposed decades ago. Set it out.
It seems that the spicy old carrot has not exposed her bottom, which means - the stage can be lit up!
"But, but I...you may not understand it very well. It's not because of my knowledge..."
Under Slughorn's gaze, Elena lowered her eyes in embarrassment and rubbed her fingertips nervously.
"The reason why Professor Snape made an exception and made me a teaching assistant is mainly because my magical healing ability can help everyone in time when emergencies occur in the classroom... I just obtained the title of Junior Therapist some time ago. His qualifications, attainments and depth of knowledge in potions may not be as outstanding as Professor Slughorn thinks."
"Wait, what are the qualifications of a junior therapist?!"
Slughorn was stunned for a moment and repeated softly in disbelief.
"Well, this is the special assessment that grandpa applied for for me -"
Elena nodded her head proudly and stopped abruptly in the middle of her words, waving her hands with a horrified expression.
"Ah! Oops, I promised Professor Dumbledore not to tell anyone else for the time being. This involves an agreement between Grandpa and Professor Dumbledore. In short, if you ask Professor Dumbledore directly later, he should probably... …”
"Grandpa? Therapist?"
Horace Slughorn pondered all his thoughts for a few seconds. Suddenly, several strange hints that Albus Dumbledore had hesitated to say flashed through his mind, as well as some strange hints from his "club members". of gossip.
etc! Could it be that the grandfather this girl is talking about is that——
Slughorn suddenly remembered the two old men sitting next to Dumbledore at the Hogwarts welcome dinner yesterday.
The identity of one of them is now known to everyone, the legendary great alchemist, Nico Flamel; and so on, the identity of the other old wizard who is temporarily aliased as Otto Apokalis It's definitely not ordinary.
Slughorn, who likes to observe human beings, keenly noticed that Flamel and Professor Apokalis occasionally talked.
This also means that there must be the possibility of communication between the two in some fields...
Horace Slughorn was not one of those mediocre and ignorant officials from the Ministry of Magic. As a potions master who had been immersed in the field of potions for most of his life, so much information was intertwined that the figure appeared almost instantly. Answer.
If he guessed correctly, the unfamiliar Professor Otto Apokalis was probably a legendary healer who was active in a similar era to Flamel, and another owner of the Philosopher's Stone in the literature recorded in the magic world today. Paracelsus - There were indeed rumors that this wizard had reappeared and that a descendant had entered Hogwarts.
There is no doubt that Elena Kaslana is most likely the "little princess".
In this way, everything can be explained, and Elena Kaslana's excellence in the field of healing magic, the girl's many privileges, and Dumbledore's previous additional reminders are also natural.
"Oh, Miss Kaslana, I understand...I understand!"
Slughorn's attitude became a little more enthusiastic, looking at the super potential stock kindly.
Of course, he would not fool around to expose Paracelsus' disguise. At least in today's Potions class, it is obviously not that appropriate, but this does not mean that Slughorn has no way to express his friendliness. .
"Miss Kaslana, it doesn't matter. Just say as much as you know..."
Slughorn smiled and said, "A friend of mine once said that the elder in your family has quite good knowledge in diseases and toxins. If you are willing to take this opportunity to share a little bit with everyone? As a reward... …”
He paused, as if thinking about what kind of gift he should give so that it wouldn't look so out of place.
"If possible, could you let me join that club?"
At this moment, Elena suddenly raised her head, looked at Slughorn nervously, and asked cautiously.
"I have always wanted to get to know more outstanding seniors and seniors who have graduated from Hogwarts before. I heard that Professor, you have a small group of outstanding students. I wonder if you can help me write a letter and make an appointment with them. …”
"Of course! That's of course - very good!"
Horace Slughorn's eyes lit up and he nodded quickly in agreement.
After hesitating for a few seconds, the chubby Potions Professor glanced at the other students in the classroom, cleared his throat unnaturally, frowned and thought for a while, and added another sentence seriously.
"However, the premise is that your analysis of those potion materials must still be valuable. On the one hand, it can be recognized by me, and more importantly, it can allow other students to learn something. Otherwise, you still have to write the letter. do it yourself."
"Then, let me briefly introduce these potion ingredients-"
Elena smiled sweetly, stood up very naturally, and walked to the blackboard at the front of the classroom.
"If it's possible, Professor Slughorn, can you cooperate with me later and provide a little assistance? It's mainly to handle and demonstrate some of the processes of potion materials. It's not a troublesome matter-"
"Of course." Slughorn stroked his beard confidently and said with a smile.
"Thank you, Professor Slughorn."
Elena's lake-blue eyes flickered, the corners of her mouth raised slightly, and the little Daimao swayed from side to side proudly.
Compared to the time when she tricked Severus Snape a year ago, in the past more than a year of practicing Potions class, Elena has been in the process of transforming the Potions Master into a star chef. But I have quite a lot of experience and practical information.
And now, it's finally time to test whether the methodology is feasible...
————
————
Okay, another big chapter~