Chapter 393: Memory Bottle
Chapter 393: Memory Bottle
He rummaged through a nearby cabinet and found a transparent glass bottle, into which he placed the silver thread he had extracted from his mind.
"Take it back to Dumbledore." Slughorn, as if completely relieved, casually tossed the bottle to Sherlock.
"Tell him that if he wants to hold me responsible, he should write me a letter instead of sending you here to do all this nonsense. I'll go to Hogwarts to see him myself."
Sherlock, somewhat stunned, took the glass bottle containing the memory from the Fat Walrus's hand.
He, of course, knew that Slughorn's earlier claims of not knowing Tom Riddle were lies. However, before coming here, he had already made up his mind.
If Slughorn truly refused to speak or recall the past and chose to avoid it, Sherlock would not force or press him, nor would he use any underhanded methods to steal his memories.
He had only met this fat old man twice, and each time, Slughorn had helped him without expecting anything in return. Sherlock could not betray such kindness.
The words spoken after the drink had no hidden meaning; he was just feeling a bit reflective.
These thoughts were ones he usually couldn't share with anyone, except for Silke, and now, with Slughorn, an elder figure.
Perhaps it was a shared mindset that moved the Fat Walrus, who wanted to hide in a secluded cave, or perhaps Sherlock's words changed his mind.
In the end, he chose to hand over the memory, placing it in Sherlock's hands.
Looking at the glass bottle in his hand, Sherlock was stunned for a moment before raising his head. He looked at the old man, who had already sat down and was pouring wine into a glass, and blinked.
"Professor, have you really thought it through?"
Slughorn raised his glass and waved a hand at him.
"What have I thought through? You're just being stubborn and refusing to leave. What can I do? Now that you have what you came for, go back quickly. Don't keep Dumbledore waiting; don't think I'm a coward."
His dismissive attitude was as if he was afraid that if Sherlock stayed any longer, he might change his mind.
Sherlock couldn't help but laugh at his expression. He didn't say much in thanks but spoke very seriously.
"No, Professor, you have never been a coward, not in the past, not now, and not in the future."
"No matter how many nice things you say, that's it for today. I have nothing else to give you."
Slughorn's tone was dismissive, but his face showed a smile like a walrus patting its belly after a good meal.
"Go now, don't disturb my rest. An old man can't stay up late after drinking."
Sherlock didn't insist on staying any longer. He bowed respectfully to Slughorn and said goodbye, then left the room with Silke.
The sky was completely dark, and there were no stars tonight. Dark clouds obscured everything, as if a rainstorm was about to break.
But the bad weather didn't affect Sherlock's mood. He happily placed the bottle containing Slughorn's memory in his pocket, and Silke looked at him with some curiosity.
"You came here just for this?"
Before, when he had sent Silke away and not let her hear about the Horcrux, it wasn't because he didn't trust her or wanted to hide anything.
It was simply that the fewer people who knew about the Horcrux, the better. Not everyone was skilled in Occlumency. If Voldemort discovered from someone's mind that someone knew his secret and was planning to destroy the Horcruxes, it would cause significant changes to Dumbledore and Sherlock's plans.
However, the matter of the Horcrux needed to be kept secret for now. There were some things that Sherlock would never hide from Silke.
"Yes, this memory is very important. It relates to our ultimate goal of defeating Voldemort."
They didn't leave immediately using Apparition. Silke didn't often venture out, and the scenery in this small village was quite pleasant. It wasn't too late, and Sherlock was in the mood to take her for a walk.
"Professor Slughorn is a very good person", Silke concluded, her intuition always spot-on when it came to judging character.
Sherlock nodded in agreement.
"He is a wonderful elder."
"It seems that his resignation from Hogwarts was forced. Perhaps in the future, we can persuade him to return to the castle and continue teaching."
"What subject did Mr. Slughorn teach before?"
"He was Severus's predecessor, the Potions professor and Head of Slytherin. However, he is much older than Severus, having entered Hogwarts at the same time as Dumbledore. He left the school in the 1980s."
"If he returns, what will happen to Severus?"
Silke tilted her head, seemingly concerned about Snape's future.
Sherlock, however, found something amusing and said with a cunning smile.
"Hasn't he always wanted to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? I could show some mercy and let him be my assistant, helping me with various tasks."
"Severus is unlikely to agree", Silke said diplomatically, though Snape would almost certainly refuse.
Just as Sherlock was about to suggest that if Snape didn't agree, he wouldn't repay the stack of Ious he owed, several distinct sonic booms reached their ears.
The sound, like a whip cracking through the air, was familiar to any wizard. It was the sound of Apparition.
Sherlock and Silke exchanged a glance. They both put aside their lighthearted mood, sensing something was amiss.
Budleigh Babberton Village was one of many ordinary Muggle villages in England, with nothing particularly interesting to attract wizards. According to the information Sherlock had gathered, no wizards had lived there until Slughorn's recent move.
So, what were these apparating wizards doing here?
Just a casual midnight stroll?
Even a slightly intelligent person would know that this was highly unlikely. The more probable scenario was that their purpose was also to find Slughorn.
Without making a sound, they could tell from the Apparition sounds that the wizards, whose exact number was unknown, were just a wall away.
The night sky was pitch black, and the village had few entertainment options. At this hour, there was virtually no one out, making the night eerily quiet.
This environment allowed Sherlock and Silke to clearly hear the wizards' conversation.
(End of Chapter)
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