"Master Slughorn, you keep looking at me. Is there something wrong with me?"
Li Wei felt his scalp prickle under Slughorn's gaze, utterly uncomfortable, and could not help but wonder:
Had this guy spent so long around Headmaster Dumbledore that he had become an old queer too?!
Fortunately, Li Wei's Occlumency was fairly well-trained. Otherwise, if Headmaster Dumbledore and Master Slughorn heard his thoughts, he would suffer a one-sided beating from two centenarians!
"Nothing, nothing." Master Slughorn looked at Li Wei with undisguised admiration and could not help saying to Headmaster Dumbledore:
"Albus, had I known things would turn out like this, I would have retired later!
I never imagined that after I retired, such an outstanding young wizard as Mr. Levi Keynes would appear at the school!"
"It is truly gratifying, yet also deeply regrettable!
I fear I no longer have the chance to teach such an exceptional young wizard as Li Wei!"
"If only I were still teaching at the school! A remarkable child like you, Li Wei, would certainly have been invited into my Slug Club!
You would definitely like it there!"
Horace Slughorn's words were full of regret, so much so that one might wonder whether he would ask Dumbledore to let him return to Hogwarts and teach again.
After all, the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was vacant every year!
"Actually, it is not too late, Horace." Headmaster Dumbledore seemed intent on bringing Li Wei and Slughorn together and took the initiative to introduce them. "Li Wei has been researching potions these days and seems to have run into some sort of difficulty!"
"Horace, you know that I know nothing at all about Potions!"
"Severus is busy teaching as well and has no time to give Li Wei private guidance!"
"You happen