Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard

Chapter 921: Chapter 743: Two Bottles of Love Potion

"Kael, you must come to the party tomorrow."

After Potion Class ended, Slughorn stopped Kael, who was about to leave, and said, "This time, it’s for celebrating Mister Zabini Blaise’s seventeenth birthday. You’re definitely coming, right?"

He looked like he was swaying his head, looking quite happy, as if it was he who was about to celebrate his birthday.

Kael, who was stopped by him, just nodded and said, "Of course, Professor Slughorn, I’ll be there."

"I knew it." Slughorn smiled even more, "Coming of age for a wizard is a big day. Many people will join the event, and you certainly don’t want to miss it.

"I’ll go prepare the drinks for the party now. I hope Three Broomsticks still has some good vintage..."

Slughorn fastened the golden buckle on his Fire Dragon Hide Briefcase and was about to head out.

"Wait a moment, Professor, I have a question." Kael suddenly called out to him.

"Then ask quickly, child, ask quickly..." Slughorn turned his head and said warmly.

"Professor, do you know about... Soul Artifacts."

Slughorn froze, his hand stopped mid-air, and his round face seemed to sink.

It was strange, he was so spirited just now, but now he seemed to have become haggard in an instant, like he hadn’t slept for several days.

He licked his lips and hoarsely asked, "W-what did you just say?"

"Soul Artifacts, Professor," Kael repeated, "I read about them in a book and found them intriguing."

"Dumbledore sent you?" Slughorn asked quietly, but there was certainty in his voice. "Dumbledore showed you that memory... didn’t he? He sent you to ask me!"

Slughorn’s eyes were full of shock and fear, and his forehead started sweating.

"What memory? Did Professor Dumbledore know about this too?" Kael asked curiously.

"You don’t know?" Slughorn hesitated and then took out a handkerchief from his breast pocket to wipe his forehead.

"Should I know something?" Kael said, "Like I said, I saw it in a book."

"What book!" Slughorn pursued, "I can assure you that there is no record of such things in the Hogwarts Library, you can’t trick me, it must be Dumbledore..."

"No, Professor, I saw it from Nicolas Flamel," Kael interrupted. "I found it in his private collection room in the book ’Advanced Black Magic Unveiled’, and the contents were fascinating.

"But some questions are too general for me to understand, especially about Soul Artifacts."

"I have nothing to say!" Slughorn whispered, wiping his sweating forehead again, "You’ve asked the wrong person, Kael, I know nothing about Soul Artifacts... nothing!"

Slughorn forcefully repeated the last sentence, seemingly wanting to emphasize something.

Then he grabbed his Fire Dragon Hide Briefcase, shoved the handkerchief into his pocket haphazardly, and was about to walk out.

But when he reached the door, Slughorn suddenly stopped again.

He seemed to have thought of something, took a deep breath, and turned to look at Kael.

It was just, too similar...

At that moment, Slughorn seemed to see the overlapping of two figures.

Equally talented, radiating a glow so dazzling it makes it hard to open one’s eyes, seeming out of place with everyone else at Hogwarts.

And like that person, he too noticed the Soul Edifice...

"I advise you not to waste your time on this, Kael, it’s not something you should know."

Slughorn said seriously, "You should focus your energy on other matters, for example... hmm, Quidditch is quite good. I remember you’re a good Chaser.

"If you’re willing, I can recommend you to the Holyhead Harpies, there you’re sure to become a famous Professional Quidditch Player."

Slughorn didn’t give Kael a chance to speak.

He didn’t even care about Kael’s answer, and after finishing, he directly slammed the door and left the classroom.

The room was left with just Kael and Conna.

"What did you ask him?" Conna asked, puzzled.

She had never seen anyone’s face change so quickly; Slughorn’s terror seemed to spill over.

"Nothing, just some past events he doesn’t want to mention." Kael shrugged and walked with Conna toward the underground classroom exit.

"You wouldn’t have done that on purpose." Conna looked at Kael skeptically, "To avoid going to the party?"

"The effect is quite noticeable, isn’t it?" Kael said with a smile, "For a long time, I shouldn’t have to worry about him inviting me to any parties... he likely wouldn’t even want to see me."

...

The facts turned out just as Kael predicted. For the next two weeks, Slughorn hadn’t said a word to him. Even during Potion Class, he tried to keep his distance from Kael, purposely overlooking him when checking his work, as if Kael were invisible.

Even Conna, who sat beside Kael, enjoyed a few peaceful days; Slughorn seemed determined to draw a clear line between himself and Kael and those around him.

But this was exactly what Kael wanted, and Conna felt the same.

For two weeks without going to "detention," Conna told Kael more than once that he should have done this sooner.