Chapter 17: Conversation in the Headmaster's Room
On the eighth floor, the Headmaster's office.
This is a large, bright circular room. The walls were covered with portraits of people, all with their eyes closed, but from their opening eyes from time to time, you could tell that they were just pretending to rest.
On a high bench behind the desk, there must be a tattered hat, lying quietly on it, which if Alvin would have recognized it, was the Sorting Hat.
Snape and Dumbledore sat opposite each other.
"So Severus, would you like something to drink, or some afternoon dessert?"
"Sherbet Lemon? Treacle toffee? Or some Cockroach Clusters?"
Snape frowned and refused decisively.
"No, Headmaster Dumbledore, I'm here to discuss with you, Alvin Gaunt."
Dumbledore seemed a little regretful when he heard Snape's refusal, but when he heard what Snape said, he no longer bothered.
Put down the book in his hand, and place it on the table. His expression became serious.
"So Severus, can you tell me what you think of Alvin Gaunt?"
Snape said calmly, "calm, decisive, brilliantly gifted, and with a clear purpose."
"Still a sweetheart," Snape added at last.
"Oh?" Dumbledore adjusted his glasses, and a flash of light disappeared.
Dumbledore did not expect that such a high evaluation would be heard from Snape.
If Dumbledore understood correctly, did Snape make a bad joke at the end?
Now Dumbledore is more interested in Alvin.
"I thought you would have some subjective prejudice against Mr. Gaunt about the sorting ceremony. I didn't expect you to rate him so highly."
"Yes, Dumbledore, this is what I think of him. I have a lot of things to do, and I don't want to waste my time on a first-year wizard." and added.
"Although his surname is special, his character will not be the next Dark Lord. He found a little girlfriend on the first day he came to school, and he also tried to tease another Gryffindor."
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile again when he heard this.
"No, Severus, I think you've misunderstood me. My concern for Mr. Gaunt is true because his surname is a little special."
"You know, his surname will bring him some trouble, and Voldemort will come back after all. In some black magic, blood is often used."
"Tom's research in this area is to be admired even by me."
Dumbledore explained the reason, seeing that Snape had no intention of expressing his opinion, and he continued to speak.
"Actually, during the summer vacation, I also did some little research on Mr. Gaunt."
Having said this, Dumbledore also winked mischievously at Snape.
Hearing this, Snape's expression became more irritated. If you've done it personally, so what's the point of my observation today?
Unexpectedly, the greatest white wizard of the 20th century would pay so much attention to a teenage boy.
Thinking of this, Snape felt that it was necessary to get to know the headmaster of Hogwarts again.
As if not seeing the change in Snape's expression, Dumbledore continued.
"I have been to the orphanage where Mr. Gaunt lived, and the people there spoke highly of him. Every year, Mr. Gaunt donated a lot of money to the orphanage's expenses."
"The most important thing is that he has a phoenix. The phoenix can greatly dispel the darkness in people's hearts and give them great courage."
"So, he is not the same as Tom. I let you observe him just because I think you can provide him with some help to make him grow faster. In this way, he can also better face the future. crisis."
When Snape heard this, it was as if he had eaten a dead fly, and asked a Slytherin dean to teach a student who rejected Slytherin. Disgusting people are not so disgusting, right?
But remembering the conversation in the potions classroom, Snape hesitated.
As if seeing through Snape's thoughts, Dumbledore followed closely.
"Of course, Filius told me yesterday about Mr. Gaunt's talent in spells, and I think he should be very happy to train a good wizard for Ravenclaw."
"No!" Snape interrupted Dumbledore.
"He is also the last bloodline of Slytherin in the UK. As the head of Slytherin, I must provide some preferential treatment to the descendants of the founder.
I'll go and talk to Mr. Gaunt. "
After speaking, Snape stood up and walked towards the door, ending the conversation.
Dumbledore looked at Snape who was leaving, the corners of his mouth curled up, and he said to himself naturally.
"Looks like there's another interesting little guy at Hogwarts, who can make Snape so interested in him."
At this time, the past headmasters on the wall no longer pretended to be dead, and one of the portraits spoke up, looking very angry.
"As a descendant of Slytherin, to choose Ravenclaw, this is a shame of pure blood!"
"Headmaster Black, Mr. Gaunt is not pure blood. According to the investigation, his mother is the blood of the Gaunt family, and his father is just an ordinary Muggle."
Dumbledore explained with a smile.
Hearing this, headmaster Black became even angrier and kept saying some words beginning with f.
The other irritable headmaster couldn't stand it any longer. He rushed into Black's portrait with a punch, knocking Headmaster Black to the ground.
The two immediately started a scuffle. Dumbledore didn't care, and the other portraits watched this scene and started cheering for the grumpy headmaster. There were even two headmasters eager to join in.
It seems that the headmaster Black is not very popular.
And Dumbledore seemed to pretend he didn't see what was happening to these portraits of the headmasters, and his deep eyes kept blinking as if he was thinking about something.