"No need," Snape said casually.
"Clothing and appearance may win you temporary popularity, but true talent and ability are your lifelong asset," Snape said arrogantly. "Once you become Potions Master, just showing your face at a banquet like this will be a great honor."
Silan had to admit that these extremely arrogant words, coupled with his freshly washed, smooth long hair, did indeed give Snape the air of Potions Master.
Uh... it's mainly because my hair was just washed.
None of the three were well-prepared; they each grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, threw it into the fireplace, and stepped into the flickering green flames.
A luxurious carriage, adorned with gold and silver, slowly drove into the Malfoy Manor, circled the enormous fountain in front of the Entrance Hall, and then came to a stop.
House-elf wearing a simple pillowcase jumped down from the coachman's seat, brought over a small ladder, and placed it at the carriage door.
The elderly Pelar Selwyn, leaning on his cane, stepped shakily from the carriage, muttering grumbling, "What a hassle..."
A middle-aged, stout wizard wearing gold-rimmed glasses stepped out of a carriage next to him.
"Oh, Mr. Selwyn, it's been a long time."
Upon seeing Pelar, the middle-aged, portly wizard hurried over to greet him, his smile so wide it almost closed his eyes.
"Ah... who are you?" Pelar looked at him and thought for a long time, but still couldn't remember who he was.
The middle-aged, portly wizard immediately and tactfully introduced himself, "Mangi Taylor. You've bought clothes from our store before."
"Mr. Taylor, I remember." Pelar nodded.
Those invited by Malfoy, whether they remembered or not, all said they did.
Mangi, however, didn't seem to care at all.
Selwyn is one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, while the Taylor family is just a small Pure-blood families that runs a clothing store.
It's normal that Pelar doesn't remember him.
"I heard Professor Snape might also be at the banquet. It would be quite prestigious to be able to buy one of his Potions." Mangi humbly extended her hand, helping Pelar towards the Entrance Hall.
"That's hard to say," Pelar muttered, his white beard twitching. "Professor Snape might not come."
"We have to try our luck," Mangi said.
The two chatted as they walked toward the Entrance Hall.
Because there were too many steps on the road, Pelar tripped and almost fell when he reached the middle.
"Watch out!" Mangi quickly steadied him.
Pelar used his cane to support himself on the ground and grabbed Mangi's arm with his other hand to barely keep his balance.
Kicking a step, Pelar said angrily, "I should have used Floo Powder! This old body can't take this kind of torture!"
He lives far away, so using Floo Powder to travel is actually a pretty good option for him.
Mangi said helplessly, "Mr. Lucius is a man of principle. Just look at those neatly trimmed hedges and White Peacock. Using Floo Powder is simply not very elegant."
Their Pure-blood families have their own set of social etiquette.
At such banquets, guests usually enter through the main entrance in a more formal manner, and using Floo Powder is generally considered disrespectful to the host. Therefore, even if an application is made in advance to establish Floo Network, the host will not agree.
This is why Pelar came by carriage.
Shaking his head indignantly, Pelar and Mangi walked into the living room together.
The banquet was about to begin, and almost all the invited guests had arrived, making the living room lively.
Everyone was dressed in elegant and appropriate formal attire, gathered in the living room, talking with people they knew.
These people were almost all from Pure-blood families, and some were renowned Senior Potioneer and Alchemy.
As soon as Pelar entered the living room and was looking for a place to sit down, he suddenly saw a green light coming from the Malfoy family's fireplace.
A young student dressed in Hogwarts school uniform emerged from the fireplace.
Judging from her facial features, she's probably in third or fourth grade.
Pelar's eyes widened in anger, and he said resentfully, "Isn't this a way to use Floo Powder? Lucius said it was undignified, but I think he's just deliberately trying to mess with me!"
Mangi quickly grabbed him. "Don't rush..."
Before he could finish speaking, the green light flashed again.
A very young female student emerged from the fireplace flames.
Pelar was even angrier now.
"Lucius is clearly showing discrimination!"
"I have to ask him why I can't use Floo Powder! Our Selwyn family is no less bloodline than his Malfoy family!"
"I'm furious," said Pelar, slamming his cane into the ground and standing up abruptly, ready to confront Lucius.
The noise from the fireplace also attracted the attention of the other guests, who all curiously stared at the two students who had suddenly barged into the living room.
"From Floo Powder? That's quite bold."
Lucius must be furious.
"Whose children are these? They have no manners at all! Lucius should have them thrown out!"
Amidst furrowed brows and murmurs, the green light flashed again, and Snape, with his flowing long hair, appeared.
The living room fell silent.
"Professor Snape!" someone called out.
All eyes turned sharply and focused on the rising star of the Potions Master.
The youngest Potions Master in the world, who recently received the Order of Merlin, Second Class —just meeting him is enough to boast about.
Many of them came to the banquet because they heard that Professor Snape's Potions would be sold there, and that he himself might even make an appearance.
"Professor Snape really came! But who's with him?" one of the guests asked, puzzled.
"To be brought to a banquet by Professor Snape, one must be his student. Could it be Prewett?" someone guessed, frowning.
"That's right, it must be him!" a guest exclaimed excitedly. "I heard that Prewett is quite young. Master Charlemagne also said that he could become Potions Master before he comes of age! He certainly can't be too old!"
Pelar, who had been carrying his cane and preparing to confront Lucius, stood frozen in place.
Pelar glanced at Snape, then at the fireplace, his face turning pale and then flushed. Finally, he sighed and sat back down in his chair with a sigh of resignation.
If it's a Potions Master, and his gifted student who has the potential to become Potions Master before adulthood, then Lucius certainly deserves to treat them differently.
The old men who had been frowning and staring at Silan and Hermione earlier fell silent and slunk away into the crowd.
A student of the Potions Master? Or even a prodigy who has the potential to become Potions Master before adulthood?
This is insane!
If Lucius found out, he'd probably be the one kicked out first!
As the start time of the banquet approached, Lucius kept a close eye on the fireplace in the living room.
Seeing Snape appear with two students, he immediately called to his wife and son and hurried to greet them.