Chapter 835: Chapter 714: Conna’s Transfer
Harry had never sat through such an excruciating lunch; for the entire afternoon, Slughorn spent half the time rambling on about topics he thought were fascinating, and the other half droning nostalgically about the past.
He told all sorts of amusing anecdotes about famous Wizards, and said that back when they were at Hogwarts, they had all joined an organization called the Slug Club.
And this illustrious club had been founded by him; its name was taken from the first half of his surname.
It had started out as a joke, but Slughorn thought it was amusing, so he kept it.
It wasn’t until the sky gradually darkened that this so‑called lunch party finally ended.
"I didn’t even notice they’d lit the lamps," Slughorn said in surprise, as if only just realizing how much time had passed.
"Well, much as I hate to break this up, you really must hurry off and change into your school robes now... Kael, Harry, you’re welcome to drop in on me anytime—of course, that goes for the rest of you as well."
A few Slytherin students stood up and dawdled over their things; they did not leave the compartment until Kael, who was sitting nearest the door, stepped out.
"It’s finally over," Neville said with obvious relief outside the compartment.
"Yeah," came a voice in agreement beside him.
It was Belby; he glanced back into the compartment, then winked at Kael and Harry and said quietly, "I’ll let you in on a secret—my uncle and I actually get on pretty well."
"Then why did you talk like that just now?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"My uncle taught me that," Belby lowered his voice. "He’s not very fond of Professor Slughorn’s way of doing things. Once he heard Slughorn was coming back to teach at Hogwarts, he knew something like this was bound to happen.
"So he specifically told me that as long as I pretended not to be close to him, I could easily wriggle out of these boring gatherings. And isn’t that exactly how it turned out?"
"You’re really lucky," Harry said, smacking his lips.
"Ha." Belby gave a smug little laugh. "But that trick won’t work for you two. I’d bet anything he’s not done with you yet."
"Don’t remind me," Harry sighed.
He’d already thought of that, but there wasn’t much he could do.
"Good luck, then." Belby waved and turned into the compartment next door.
"Kael," Harry asked at that moment, "I thought you looked like you were really listening just now—how did you manage that?"
"Oh, that." Kael rubbed his forehead. "Easy. Remember the Patented Daydream Charm? I was actually asleep just now."
"Patented Daydream Charm... isn’t that one of the products from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes?" Harry rummaged through his memory.
"But that’s not right—I remember that when you use the Patented Daydream Charm, you’re supposed to go slack‑faced and start drooling."
Because it was one of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes’s signature products, displayed in the most prominent spot, Harry remembered it very clearly.
But Kael hadn’t looked the least bit like he was asleep just now.
"That’s where you’re missing something," Kael explained with a grin. "The original intent behind inventing the Patented Daydream Charm was the same as the Skiving Snackbox. If it were that obvious, what good would it be?"
"But I distinctly remember..."
"That bit was added on purpose—to mislead any professors who might go into the shop," Kael said, still smiling.
Harry’s face instantly twisted into a look of vexation. How could Fred and George not have told him something that important!
"All right, we’d better get back quickly!" Kael glanced at the darkening sky outside. "The train should be arriving soon."
They picked up their pace and headed back to the last carriage, Harry going along with them.
With Hermione and Ron busy doing Prefect duty to keep order, he was on his own again; it didn’t much matter where he went.
Meanwhile, in the Slytherin sixth‑year carriage—
"Well, Zabini?" Draco Malfoy asked. "What’s Slughorn playing at?"
"He just wants to ingratiate himself with anyone who’s related to the great and the good," Zabini said contemptuously.
"Who’d he pick?" Pansy asked from the side.
"McLeod from Gryffindor," said Zabini.
"His uncle’s some big shot at the Ministry of Magic..." Malfoy said carelessly.
"Belby from Ravenclaw."
"He’s an idiot," Pansy snickered.
Zabini reeled off a few more names, and without exception, each was mocked in turn. When Neville came up, Pansy laid into Slughorn’s taste without restraint, saying he must be senile to invite such a universally acknowledged thick‑headed fool.
"Oh, and there was Potter and that Kael from Hufflepuff." Zabini shrugged. "You should’ve seen how enthusiastic Slughorn was; if you didn’t know better, you’d think he and Kael were bosom friends."
This time Malfoy said nothing, and even the sharp‑tongued Pansy fell silent.
The atmosphere turned subtly strained. Pansy unwrapped a piece of chocolate, intending to feed it to Malfoy, but he dodged her hand.
"Don’t sulk, Draco," Pansy said. "That Slughorn must not have realized you were on the train, that’s the only reason he didn’t invite you."
"I’m afraid it’s not that simple," Zabini cut across her. "I noticed Slughorn didn’t invite a single person whose family has Death Eaters in it... Mr. Malfoy’s been wanted by the Aurors for, what, two months now?"
"Why should I care what he thinks?" Malfoy gave a warped little laugh. "I might not even be at Hogwarts next year. Whether some washed‑up old idiot likes me or not—what’s that got to do with me?
