A stone statue?
No!
A golden statue!
When they arrived at the entrance to the headmaster's office, the most eye-catching thing was not the grand door studded with all kinds of gemstones.
It was the two pure gold statues crouching on either side of it.
Even knowing that Headmaster Slughorn was someone who loved showing off and craved vanity,
Cypher was still a little stunned.
Luna was usually very gentle, except when it came to Slughorn.
Normally, she would quietly stay by Cypher's side, but now she had actually taken the lead, humming a tune as she guided them forward.
While Cypher's attention was drawn to the two golden statues, Luna skipped up to the door, cleared her throat, and loudly called out the password.
"Felix Felicis!"
Slughorn liked using potions as passwords, while the future headmaster, Dumbledore, preferred desserts and drinks.
There was no limit on how many times one could call out the password, nor was there any punishment for getting it wrong.
After enough guesses, someone would eventually get it right. This password was practically just for show!
It might be useless, but it had to exist!
Sure enough, Luna's password was correct, and a passage leading to the headmaster's office appeared between the golden statues.
Was this... an expensive Persian carpet?
Perhaps because of its price, Cypher felt that it was somehow more solid beneath his feet.
"Horace! We've come to see you!"
With no outsiders around, Luna had no intention of politely calling Horace Slughorn Professor or Headmaster.
Of course, she was not coldly addressing him by his surname either. In Luna's eyes, this middle-aged greasy man shaped like a seal counted as one of her friends.
Once Luna's voice fell silent,
only then did Cypher and the others enter the headmaster's office.
Ah... this...