Horace Slughorn (HBP)
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Horace Slughorn is the fourth chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Contents |
Apparition
Harry feels somewhat awkward: he's never had much contact with Dumbledore outside Hogwarts. The headmaster gives him express permission to use magic should they be attacked—but Albus thinks it unlikely for such an event to occur, due to his presence.
Dumbledore instructs Harry to hold on to his left arm (the right one is injured), and they Apparate to a small square in Budleigh Babberton, in the middle of which is an old war memorial. Not used to the peculiar feeling of Apparition, the boy notes that he prefers broomsticks.
It is almost midnight. The headmaster leads the way, and they leave the square through a side street. The two talk about Harry's scar, which hasn't been hurting much recently—Dumbledore says that Voldemort is now employing Occlumency against Harry.
Budleigh Babberton
Albus informs Harry that the reason they are there is to convince an old colleague of Dumbledore's to come out of retirement and return to Hogwarts.
Harry asks why they couldn't have Apparated straight into the wizard's house, and Albus replies that it is a matter of courtesy—and also, most wizarding homes are protected against unwanted Apparition. So is Hogwarts, naturally, as Hermione always points out.
The church clock chimed midnight behind them. Harry wondered why Dumbledore did not consider it rude to call on his old colleague so late, but now that conversation had been established, he had more pressing questions to ask.
Harry asks Dumbledore about Rufus Scrimgeour and the headmaster replies that the new Minister for Magic is certainly able, and "a more decisive and forceful personality than Cornelius"; having fought dark wizards for most of his life, Scrimgeour will not underestimate Voldemort.
News
It is now midnight. Dumbledore deplores the loss of Amelia Bones. When Harry mentions the old wizard's clearly injured hand, Albus promises to tell him the tale some other time (HBP23).
The pair discuss the Ministry's leaflets regarding security measures against Death Eaters, most of which were, in Harry's opinion, quite useless. For future reference, Albus informs the student that his favourite jam flavour is raspberry—but he is of the opinion that a Death Eater would research jam preferences before impersonating anyone.
Harry asks Albus what Inferi are, to which the headmaster replies that they are corpses reanimated and bewitched to do a dark wizard's bidding. They have not been seen since the First War, when the mounting death toll allowed for an entire army to be built effortlessly.
Horace Slughorn
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| Will and Won't | Horace Slughorn | An Excess of Phlegm |
