Fail Demon King

Walk beside in silence.Occasionally he raised his eyes to look, but he didn't seem to be surprised at all. On the contrary, he looked more like a child who grew up in a wizard's family since he was a child, but his black eyes shone faintly, and even his delicate facial features seemed to shine out. A frantic glow, as if he had finally returned to where he belonged.

They went to buy wands first as required. These two picky customers kept Mr. Ollivander busy for a long time.Tom's wand was thirteen and one-half inches long, yew, and phoenix feather; — Billy stroked it lovingly, feeling more at ease than ever — his wand was back.

Then they bought other items such as crucibles and crystal vials.It took them a little longer in the robe shop, because even the second-hand robes, young Mrs. Malkin insisted-"It would be better to measure, gentlemen." She said with a friendly smile, "I Guaranteed they will fit like new."

So they stood on the low stools, and stood there with their arms outstretched, while a witch drew robes on them, with pins fastened up and down.Billy glanced sideways at Tom, who raised his jaw and looked at him with a relaxed look. It didn't look like he was remaking second-hand robes, but like an aristocrat who made haute couture.

By the time they walked out of the gown store with their packages and stood at the door of Lihen Bookstore, it was already past noon.

"Would you like something to eat?" Tom, who was in charge of finance, took out a leather purse, which contained all their belongings, and it had been significantly reduced. "We can buy other things alone, and the other Go get something to eat."

But Billy asked a question: "What if we each come back and can't find each other?"

"I suppose," Tom said slowly, "I can understand that you're worried about not being able to find your way back, can you?"

Billy didn't answer. He touched his sweaty nose, and then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he grabbed Tom's sleeve and said, "Give me twenty Sickles."

Tom narrowed his eyes and looked at him. He didn't ask anything, but slowly took out two Galleons from his purse and put them in Billy's palm: "There's no need for change."

"..."

Billy watched as Tom pushed open the door of Lichen Bookstore, walked in, turned to the bookshelf on the right, and disappeared behind a pile of huge books that looked like tombstones.As soon as Billy was sure that Tom couldn't see him, he turned around and strode into the crowd of Diagon Alley familiarly.He walked through the alleys, the cobblestones were a little white under the August sun, and soon he found what he wanted.

For seventeen Sickles he bought two Mischief Badges.Pin one of them to the chest of the person you want to scare, and the other will suddenly scream or spout water when you give orders to your badge elsewhere.

Such gadgets are rudimentary in this day and age, without any sort of stereotyped magic that prevents transformation and modification.Billy found a corner and sat down, took out his wand, quickly dismantled the two little things, and then cast a very effective little spell (that was taught to him by William, and it is said that the originator was Hermione Mrs. Weasley), reworked them.

When Billy finally finished his work and rushed back to the door of Lihen Bookstore, Tom was obviously getting impatient.He stood with arms folded in the shade, two large stacks of second-hand books at his feet, and other miscellaneous things, plus two pewter cauldrons, made him look like a grocer.The other two freshmen who were obviously going to Hogwarts came up to him, seemed to ask him if the cauldron was for sale, and then retreated under his cold gaze.

Billy swallowed subconsciously, and walked towards Tom bravely.

Tom squinted, stood there indifferently, watched Billy get closer, and suddenly handed him a box of things condescendingly, as if conjured out of thin air-of course, this is impossible.

There was a hot, sweet smell of pumpkin pie, and Billy paused for a moment before hearing Tom say dryly, "They say it tastes good."

Billy reacted for a while, and suddenly couldn't help smiling: "Great! How do you know this is my favorite food?"

Tom gave him a steady look, then snorted, and turned away from him.

Billy, however, stubbornly insists on sharing the pumpkin pie with Tom, who ends up sitting with him on the steps, somewhat awkwardly, after a dismissive gesture. Ten minutes later, they enjoyed a small slice of raspberry pie, two pralines of blackberry ice cream, and munched (sorry, that's an inelegant word, but it's what it is) a bag of Bibi's multi-flavored beans.The light and shadow slanted down from the corner of the wall, the cobblestones were warmed by the sun, and even the ants that were busy crawling among the cracks in the rough stones looked so beautiful.

Now their fortunes seem to be dwindling so much that even the best Chancellor of the Exchequer can't afford it.

But then it occurred to Billy—they might need an owl too.

Tom was noncommittal about it, but he was no longer willing to stay put and make a shelf.They went to the Yila Owl Shop together, but the owls there were too expensive, so Billy decided to drag Tom and try his luck at the Magic Zoo.

Billy had just pushed open the gaudy store door when suddenly a chirping furball rushed towards his head from the ceiling at high speed.Billy took two quick steps back and grabbed Tom's sleeve violently.

The thing flopped noisily onto the counter, and this time Billy saw clearly that it was a little owl!The guy wasn't very pleasant to look at, though, and those ragged feathers made him look like a shuttlecock played by the kids in the orphanage, only slightly bigger.

The next second, a distraught clerk appeared, and he grabbed the little guy: "Merlin! You can stop for a minute—" Then he noticed Billy and Tom standing at the door, "Hey, Good afternoon, boys, and welcome to Wonder Zoo. We have toads, cats, badgers, and moles, animal potions of all kinds, and good animal food—ah!" he yelped, as his fingers were Pecked, "... Huan... welcome to buy."

"Hello. I want to know this little owl—" Billy looked anxiously at the little guy who was not being honest in the hands of the clerk, and kept holding his finger in his beak. ?”

The clerk looked a little unsure. He paused for a moment, then shifted the little owl to the other hand, and lowered his voice: "You really want—him?"

Billy nodded.

"I think he might have some other blood or something, who knows..." The clerk, oddly enough, looked as disturbed as Billy, "but I can, uh, give him to you if you really If you really want an owl, he's more or less—you're going to use him as a messenger?"

Billy nodded again.

The clerk looked almost relieved: "Okay. But—look, I don't promise he'll be obedient. Honestly, he's like a howler letter himself. Ugh—!"

After the clerk was pecked and screamed again, Tom and Billy managed to get the little owl.Holding him carefully, Billy left Wonder Zoo with Tom, while the hapless clerk began cursing Merlin and casting healing spells on his scarred fingers.

Unfortunately, Tom doesn't seem to like the little thing very much.On the subway back to the orphanage, he poked the little guy's furry head all the way, making him keep squawking.

Billy tried every means to stop him to no avail, so he could only look at Tom helplessly—the latter twisted his thin lips triumphantly, and his black eyes flashed with mischievous light.

9 A bright red steam locomotive

September 1938, 9 - For most people, it was just an ordinary day in September in London.The only thing that is special is probably that this day is exceptionally sunny.And yet it made a big difference to some, the children who crossed King's Cross platform nine and three-quarters and stepped onto a red express train for the first time with particular glee.When the train was about to leave, almost half of them leaned out of the window, waved goodbye to the parents who were seeing them off, whistled and made faces at the younger siblings.

The gates of Hogwarts opened to them.

Amidst all the hooting of owls and the screeching of sirens, Billy was sweating profusely carrying his and Tom's luggage into an empty compartment, but he tried twice in vain, and the box weighed heavily. Hit his feet.

Tom's voice came slowly behind him: "If you don't mind getting out of the way, can I give you a hand?"

This lazy and contemptuous attitude made Billy's teeth itch with hatred. He opened the box silently and quickly, pulled out his wand, and whispered through his teeth: "Wingardium-Leviosa!" The box followed his wrist. The lifting motion floated up in the air lightly, and then fell on the luggage rack of the compartment, making a loud "bang".

Tom glanced at him, walked past him into the cubicle as if indifferent, and sat down in front of the window indifferently.

Billy exhaled.Suddenly, a sharp voice sounded beside him: "He can cast spells! Mom, look!"

It was a round-faced girl with glasses, and she turned to Billy, her voice raised: "You're going to Ho--Hogwarts, too? You're a first-year, too?"

Billy didn't like her fuss very much, and replied dryly, "Yes."

"Oh!" The girl took a deep breath and twisted her fingers nervously, "You already know how to cast spells, don't you? But I can't do anything... What should I do? I will definitely be cursed." It's ridiculous..." Unbelievably, she started to sob.

Billy couldn't take it anymore, but fortunately the train had already started to move, so he jumped into the compartment quickly and closed the door of the compartment.

Tom was sitting by the window, chin resting on one hand, looking at him with a smirk, as if mocking him for showing off.

Billy coughed twice in embarrassment: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Tom lazily turned his head and looked out the window. The scenery gradually became blurred due to the speeding up of the train. He smiled disdainfully, "I thought the girl who can magic would be different."

"Not all of them are like that." Billy paused, then quickly added, "Probably." He knew in his heart that there were plenty of things that were much more abnormal than this, but—it wasn't a good idea to ask a witch to be normal. Are you kidding me about Merlin?

The train drove through the wilderness and green fields, and Tom tried a few small spells with great interest.Victor - the crazy little owl - was released and was chattering and fighting with Nagini.It was a feather-flying and annoyed hissing farce, and Victor could neither peck Nagini's head nor Nagini bite his wings.

Billy got dizzy from their quarrel, so he simply waved his wand at Nagini. The little snake was unwillingly raising its head and spitting out a message, but after the sound of his incantation disappeared, it suddenly turned into a cowhide rope, It hung limply on the table.

Tom frowned, waved his wand, and cast a Transfiguration Charm at the triumphant Victor. The little owl immediately turned into a bouncy ball and bounced against the window, then rolled to the ground.

It's amazing, Tom's talent is like Merlin's gift.Billy secretly observed his movements and found that he was even doing better than some of the second and third graders, and he had only read the second-hand textbooks of the first grade.Wizards are born with magical powers, but not everyone has free control over their abilities, and in childhood, most manifestations of magical powers are nothing more than stress reactions.But Tom is different, he uses his outstanding talent so freely, calmly like a seasoned wizard.

Tom put down his wand and squinted at Billy. "What do you mean by looking at me like that?"

Before Billy could speak, there was a sudden knock on the compartment door.Tom glanced at him, walked slowly over and opened the door.

At the door stood the round-faced girl Billy had just met on the platform.She was holding a big box, and looked inside: "Huh? Are there only two of you here? Then can I—"

"No," said Tom very curtly, and shut the door with a bang without hesitation.

Billy rubbed his nose, not knowing what to say.Tom walked back slowly, and there was a loud cry from outside the cubicle, and he didn't seem to hear it.He cast two spells, the first unsuccessful, but the second turned Nagini and Victor back.A new war broke out immediately.

"It's great!" Billy was stunned for three seconds, and suddenly said sincerely, he waved away Victor's scattered feathers, almost jealous, "I bet you will become the most outstanding student at Hogwarts .”

"Okay then," said Tom, seemingly nonchalantly, but he looked away, and then he couldn't help laughing quickly, "What's the bet?"

— Really bet?Billy was stunned for a moment, then casually replied, "A chocolate frog."

I don't know how long it took, but the sky gradually darkened.Billy was slapped awake from a long sleep, and he found that Victor and Nagini were already panting from exhaustion, and Tom had already taken out their robes.

They are almost there.

So two boys in second-hand robes came to Hogwarts.After going through a series of activities such as crossing the lake, waiting, sorting, dinner and singing the school song, most of them are already delirious from sleepiness and hunger.

Gryffindors were most conspicuous as they left the Great Hall, as they made no secret of their stumbling.The Ravenclaws went to the west tower, and they had disappeared completely.While Billy and Tom followed the Slytherin team, they stopped in a corridor not far from the hall, and the front seemed to be blocked.

The Slytherin prefect who was walking in front was of medium height with dazzling blond hair. He frowned and asked loudly, "Worceter, what's going on with you Hufflepuffs?"

Only a hustle and bustle and constant whispers answered him.

"Someone was crying, fell down or something else happened." After a moment, the prefect turned around resignedly, and without hesitation pushed the first-year Slytherins back, "Back back , let's change our way."

The familiar sobbing sound was so penetrating that Billy felt his head buzzing and his head grew louder for no reason.And Tom gloated at him and whispered to him, "Your old acquaintance."

Billy gritted his teeth: "I don't know her."

They kept going down the stairs, turning into one passage, and soon into another, going deeper and deeper, as if they had gone underground.

"No one but Slytherins knows where our common room is." The prefect who walked in front whispered, but the echo against the stone wall was enough for everyone to understand, "It is strictly forbidden to lead non-Slytherins student of yours, even if he is your brother or sister."

"I want to know," a girl walking in the middle asked softly, "is our Slytherin the best house in Hogwarts?"

The question made half the team chuckle.

The prefect didn't smile, and without turning his head, he continued to stride forward: "After you have copied the rules fifty times, you will be able to answer yourself. Everyone, be careful where you step."

Billy was very familiar with this road, how many times he had hurried back and forth here alone with a book in his arms—with no one around him, including William.

However, William yearned for this place very much (probably because of the adventurous spirit that Gryffindor is proud of), and he mentioned to Billy more than once that his father once described to him that he got into Slytherin The experience in the lounge (and for the Potions master he always called "Father" to make a difference), but at the end, he would add a sentence quite proudly: "He said that the Gryffindor Tower is better .”

"I don't think your father will comment on that other than a sneer." Billy remembers answering him at the time, "As for my personal opinion: appropriate jealousy, understandable."

So William finally came to a conclusion on this matter: "The Sorting Hat should have one more criterion when choosing your college in the future-meanness."

This type of conversation that could hurt their friendship almost never came up after fourth grade, as they each got used to it.In fact, even after a Quidditch match or Christmas celebration, it's rare to see a large group of Slytherins flocking to the lake lounge.

"We're here." The prefect's voice sounded abruptly, "This is the entrance, remember the password, you can only enter with it—power."

The unremarkable stone wall cracked slowly, and everyone lined up to enter.It was the same to Billy, the thick chains and the green lights, the silver Slytherin rules on the velvet, the crackling flames under the carved mantelpiece looked so familiar.But for some reason, Billy felt his heart beating so fast. He looked sideways at Tom beside him, and saw that frenzied look flashing in those black eyes again, and the red tide was flowing from Tom's pale cheeks. down spread.

Inexplicably excited, it seemed that there were only the two of them, and everyone else seemed exhausted.

"Girls go to the left, boys go to the right. There are two people in one room, the name plate is on the door, and the luggage has been moved in for you." The prefect finally said, "Freshmen, please recite the ten rules before going to bed every day. Alright—everyone, Good night."

Billy walked behind Tom, and the dark-haired boy was striding so fast that he could barely keep up.Soon they found their room, opened the door and walked in.

Although located at the bottom of the lake, the walls of the dormitory are shady but not damp. A warm green fire burns in the small fireplace. Through a window, you can see the aquatic animals cruising in the green lake water.Nagini was going crazy with joy, hunched over and watching the fish swimming, hissing and spitting.Of course, these were not as shocking as the enchanted ceiling they saw as soon as they entered the door tonight. Billy watched Tom's expression anxiously, but couldn't see anything.

"So—" he cleared his throat, "so what do you think of... Slytherins?"

It felt like asking a guest if he was satisfied with the way he was treated, but Billy wondered, Tom had never been a guest.He was familiarly lifting the green curtain beside the bed, and he only raised his eyebrows when he heard the words: "Of course the college I'm in is the best. If it's not, I'll make it the best."

Tom got down to unpacking, and Billy touched his nose and started rummaging through his suitcases.Halfway through the flip, he suddenly remembered something, and took out two small badges from the interlayer—the two he had tampered with in Diagon Alley.

"Here you are." He put one on Tom's bed. "I bought it. We'll be apart in class or something, but you can use it to find me anytime."

To be honest, Billy was a little afraid that Tom would just throw it back.Fortunately, he didn't, he just picked up the badge and looked at it quite carefully for a while, as if he wanted to break it down again with his eyes.

"Is this a school gift?" Tom asked suddenly with a smile.

Billy was sorting out his few pairs of socks: "Well."

"--thanks."

This startled Billy, and after two seconds, he felt his ears burn: "No...it's nothing."

They said goodnight to each other, and went to bed.Billy had to admit the fact that he was tired, and he thought he'd be falling asleep soon, but for some reason he didn't—and neither did Tom.

Until the early hours of the morning, Billy could still hear Tom turning gently on the bed, and the sound of even and relaxed breathing after a deep sleep never came from the adjacent bed.

10 Potions Lessons for an Old Slug

It took Bill a week to fully return to life at Hogwarts, and as for Tom—Tom ​​showed no resistance to the new environment at all.Of course, this is not to say that he has been outstanding among the freshmen, but at least he is much better than a Gryffindor who "curiously stepped on the stairs that disappeared on Friday and ended up in the school hospital".

I have to say that most of the courses are different from Billy's impression, especially Transfiguration and Potions.

There is no doubt that Dumbledore is an excellent professor, both in terms of the level and popularity of Transfiguration.Gryffindors are celebrating their prefect - and Head Girls - Minerva McGonagall as a qualified registered Animagus in her final year before graduating, earning a contemporary Transfiguration Most Promising Newcomer Award.And McGonagall humbly attributed everything to Dumbledore's careful teaching.

To be honest, when Billy saw McGonagall, he wanted to bow his head and walk around. This came from his awe of the principal (the principal of his era) in his heart.But occasionally her demonstration in Transfiguration class is impossible to escape, it seems that McGonagall has almost become half of Dumbledore's teaching assistant, her braids are tightly braided, and her bright and stern eyes look through the lens , always glance at those absent-minded students.

Turning matches into needles - that's what their first class was about.

"I hope you don't turn the noses of the needles into needlepoints," said Dumbledore with a wink, "or I'll have a hard time sewing something with them after recycling."

The students had no time to laugh, they frantically tossed the poor match, and soon became profusely sweating.What's wrong is that Tom has only slightly changed the matches, but as far as Billy knows, this extremely talented guy can completely turn mice into snuffboxes-and that's not supposed to be achieved by the end of their first year. Degree.Of course, Billy pretty much understood his intentions, and being good was a good thing, but there was no need to be too noticeable at the beginning of the term, especially not in Dumbledore's class.

However, things turned out to be contrary to expectations, and under absent-mindedness, by the time Billy realized it, there was already a match needle lying in front of him.The reason why it is called a match needle is because there is a round match head left abruptly where the nose of the needle should have been.

"Aha, I see someone is close to success." Unfortunately, the sharp-eyed Dumbledore had already noticed Billy, and started walking this way, "Nice job, Billy."

Billy forced himself to smile.

"Well—" Dumbledore said rather kindly, holding up the "needle" with his blue eyes gleaming slyly, "I don't think it matters. After all, sometimes more seeing does the trick." What, it's much better than just seeing what's worse. What's more, we only need to burn this match head, and it will completely become a needle." Dumbledore flicked his wand lightly, and the match head gave a "chick" There was a burst of flames, and he pushed the half-moon lens, "It's so dangerous, it almost burned my beard."

——Billy dared to bet on another chocolate frog. Although Tom standing beside him showed the same kind smile as the other students, he was actually gloating.

Dumbledore glanced at them slowly.

"He's kind of crazy, that's right," Billy whispered to Tom on the way to Potions class, "but no one can deny that he's a great wizard."

"He's not very prudish," said Tom somewhat darkly, "but shrewd anyway."

They were going down a staircase, looking for the Potions classroom in the basement.When they walked into the classroom, they found that the students of Slytherin and Gryffindor were sitting on two sides, as if their swords were on the verge of breaking out——Billy remembered that the students of these two colleges had a long history of hatred for each other. The situation continued until after the Battle of the Century before being somewhat relieved.

A Gryffindor boy muttered: "...Potions class must be a nightmare."

Billy and Tom looked at each other, then went straight to the two seats behind and sat down.

"Isn't it?" A light-haired Slytherin girl retorted, "No wonder you always look like you haven't woken up, so that's what happened."

The Gryffindors didn't seem to be sitting still, but before they had time to jump up, the classroom door reopened - Slughorn puffed out his stomach (not as much as Billy remembered) Big, at least the buttons of his vest are not in danger of collapsing), and walked in with a smile.

"Okay, Harold," he said kindly, turning to a tall Slytherin boy, "put away your wand and don't hold it up, we won't need it for this lesson, and the utensils on your desk are enough gone."

Slughorn didn't seem to notice at all that Harold was holding his wand not to stir in the cauldron, but to confront Gryffindor on the opposite side. He walked briskly to the podium: "Now, take out your " Beginner Potion-Making" textbook, don't forget to wipe the scales and the knife - I repeat," he shook his walrus-like mustache, "put away the wand, Stirland, boy, point it at Ha Rhodes is not good for the scabies potion you are about to make, and you got along pretty well in my box on the train."

He paused for a while, seeing the two boys, Slytherin and Gryffindor, turned their heads unwillingly and angrily, and became happy again: "Okay, okay, where did I go? This is your first Potions class, isn't it?"

Only about a third of the students answered him with a somber yes, but Slughorn still looked so cheerful that Billy wondered if he must have taken some kind of pink booster today.

"The first . The two highest forms of the arts are cooking and potion making. Of course, this does not mean that a wizard who can perfectly pickle a pineapple can make a first-rate potion of living hell. The latter I can teach you, as for the former, we can only pray to Merlin, who can be found in the Hogwarts kitchen."

In the cold basement classroom, half the students were shivering and the other half looked listless. Even Billy began to miss the warm pumpkin pie for breakfast. A cursed impulse.And Tom - damn Merlin - sat beside Billy as impassive as a statue in the Muggle world.

Billy approached Tom and whispered in a low voice: "Look, there are at least five people in front of us with their heads tilted and motionless, as if they were falling asleep."

Tom gave him a condescending look. "I think they're just frozen."

Presumably Slughorn finally noticed this too, and he started having cauldrons of water boiled for the tentacled slugs.Everyone couldn't wait to carry out this order, including the few Slytherins who were always on airs - because, predictably, when the flames were lit and the steam was rising, the classroom would become somewhat warmer.

"Well," said Slughorn, puffing out his stomach, "well, there's something else we can do before the water boils. I suppose you've read your textbooks a little bit, haven't you? "

No one seemed willing to answer him, and everyone was busy huddling together in front of their cauldrons to keep warm.

"Of course, there are several very practical reference books in our book list. If you read them carefully, you will expect that some of the knowledge set in the first grade is enough for you to study until graduation... Now, which one? Anyone who has turned over a few pages of textbooks can tell me—" He took out a plant from behind the podium like a joke, "What is this? Oh, okay—" He pointed to a man who raised his hand high Gryffindor boys.

The boy stood up, straightened his back, and said loudly: "This is foxglove, sir. It is also called fox gloves and dead man's bell. It is poisonous, but it can be used as a powerful cardiotonic."

"Excellent!" Slughorn nodded approvingly, and then he took out another plant, this one looking slender and covered with tiny bristles on the stems and leaves. "And this one?" ?”

"Dragon sprout grass is a necessary formula in some time-effective invisibility potions." The same boy just now said quickly and eagerly, "Its collection requirements are very strict, and iron tools must be used. And picking when Sirius rises..."

"Great!" Slughorn touched a shiny, galleon-sized bald spot on the top of his head with great pleasure, and pointed to the podium. "Then the last two—"

"The one on the left is mistletoe, and the one on the right is the stems and leaves of mandrakes." It was still the same boy, he stood up suddenly and almost knocked over the cauldron beside him, "Mistletoe can be left on the flying sky in rainy weather. The tail of the broom wards off lightning and drives away nightmares. The mandrake is a powerful restorative, and its roots are an important ingredient in most antidotes."

Someone in Gryffindor had already begun to whistle softly.

"Not bad! Ten points for Gryffindor. I dare say that even among the third and fourth graders, there are not many people who can identify the types of drugs so proficiently." Slughorn blinked, "Unfortunately What's more, you have missed a function of each of these two drugs." He looked at the whole class quite proudly, and deliberately dragged out his tone, "I know this may be a little difficult, but can anyone tell me—— "

There was a disappointing silence.The Gryffindor boy just sat there frowning, staring anxiously at his boiling cauldron, seemingly deep in thought.

Finally, a black-haired girl sitting in the middle of Slytherin snorted softly: "Mistletoe is also known as a panacea, and it is one of the main ingredients in the preparation of Felicia."

"Mandrake," said a plain voice beside Billy, "also known as the magic apple. Its function as a powerful restorative was only discovered in modern times, and it has been used since the Middle Ages. It is mainly used for aphrodisiac and psychedelic anesthesia. However, this point is not written in "Thousands of Magical Herbs and Kinds" and "Magic Potion and Potion", but is recorded in "History of Magic-European Medieval Conversations" Herbal Obsessions and Misunderstandings."

—It's Tom.

Startled by the sudden speech of the quiet statue beside him, Billy almost threw the silver knife he was polishing into the cauldron.

Slughorn seemed to twitch the tip of his beard in a little surprise, and he looked at the girl who had just spoken: "Of course, good girl, I know you - Lucretia Black, that It is not surprising, I know your father Arcturus, he himself has a very high talent for potions... and these two gentlemen - tell me your names?"

"Hurtock Granger, sir," said the Gryffindor boy first.

Slughorn nodded, and he turned to Tom. "What about you, boy?"

"Tom Riddle." Tom looked neither haughty nor humble. He smiled, and even showed a little shyness just right. "Sir, please allow me to say: you are too fair to your college."

Slughorn froze for a moment, then he laughed