Hello, hello, hello.
For the rare few of you who don't know me, my name is Horace Slughorn. Although my favourite party trick is indeed human-to-armchair transfiguration, I am perhaps most well-known for my infamous gatherings of fellow magical folk who are, perhaps, quite extraordinary in their own right.
Now, I must mention that this is no ordinary club. I take pride in being able to offer my expertise and connections to the right group of students in return for favours. Of course, it's always been a two-way street. I've had some simply extraordinary individuals pass through my club. Sadly, not everyone makes the shelf, but I do enjoy keeping in touch with the ones that do. Whilst every student at Hogwarts can be seen as special and unique, those few who possess certain qualities have gone far.
Looking at the shelf now, I am proud of the additions that I have made, but I would like to start by focusing on one incredibly brave young woman who gave her life for her child, the ultimate sacrifice. Lily Potter was an extremely talented witch from her very first day at Hogwarts. Not only was her nonverbal magic advanced for her age, but she appreciated the delicate art of potion-making. She was quite popular amongst her peers but was level-headed and kind to everyone. I was delighted when she agreed to be part of the Slug Club.
And that leads us nicely onto some of the latest additions. If you don't know who Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are by now, where have you been? These three deserve to have pride of place on the shelf because, without their efforts, Voldemort wouldn't have been defeated. And what a victory it was. It was such a shame so many lives were lost, but everyone fought valiantly, showing bravery beyond what anyone could have expected. But these three were instrumental in the fight against evil, spending their final year searching for and destroying Horcruxes.
Next to Harry, Ron and Hermione's photo stands an image of Ginny Weasley, a phenomenal woman in her own right. Always a talented Quidditch player, she joined the all-female side, the Holyhead Harpies. I first met Ginny when she cast a Bat Bogey Hex at a fellow Hogwarts student, rendering me speechless. Often overlooked by her brothers, she deserves far more recognition than she receives, and that's precisely why I offered her a place in the Slug Club.
My deepest regret, however, is not being able to persuade Severus Snape to join. It was, perhaps, the most prestigious club at Hogwarts, but I could never entice the young man. For a long time, there was so much discussion surrounding whose side he was on, and I'm ashamed to say I believed the rumours. But we all knew that he fought for light in the end. He was the most accomplished and talented student that I had the pleasure to teach.
Now, some people have asked me if I'll continue with the Slug Clubs, and I'm happy to report that they are still in motion. Just this very morning, I tried to persuade Albus Potter to join my get-together, but he didn't want to. Can you imagine that? Three generations of the most famous wizarding world family. Now, that would be exciting!
And now, I must dash. I've got to polish my photo frames.
Until next time, folks!
Horace