Power was his pursuit.
Authority was his dream.
The precocious Tom understood the meaning behind Garfield's speech.
It was a warning to some students who blindly pursued power.
Tom later inquired with his upperclassmen.
They sternly told him that the pursuit of power and authority was their innate ambition.
They also explained that the dangers of dark magic were a well known fact.
Even reading dark magic books at Hogwarts required teacher approval.
Today's lessons left Tom Riddle sleepless again that night.
✦••┈┈••✦••┈┈••✦
Another person suffering from poor sleep was Horace Slughorn.
He was a Hogwarts professor who liked to associate with powerful and talented students.
It was he who, years later in a drunken stupor, would inadvertently reveal the function of Horcruxes to the young Voldemort.
Later at school, Voldemort would use his intelligence and knowledge to deceive Helena Ravenclaw, obtaining her mother's diadem and turning it into a Horcrux.
Helena was furious but helpless upon learning this.
Coupled with another mistake she had made, she felt even more guilty and became even more silent.
Horace Slughorn had wanted to establish a good relationship with Garfield ever since he heard of Garfield's arrival.
However, aside from mealtimes, Garfield was rarely in his office.
Garfield's residence was kept secret, known only to Dumbledore and Headmaster Armando Dippet.
Horace Slughorn avoided disturbing Garfield during mealtimes or while he slept, not wanting to seem too abrupt.
Now Garfield's lectures had covered many simple and easy to understand principles, especially regarding the attitude one should have when seeking power.
Horace Slughorn found Garfield very wise.
He felt he needed to meet Garfield privately.
Knowing that asking Headmaster Dippet directly about Garfield's residence would likely result in a refusal, Horace Slughorn decided to inquire with his close friend Dumbledore.
Without hesitation, after completing his nightly patrols, the sleepless Horace Slughorn grabbed a bottle of good wine and went to talk to Dumbledore.
✦••┈┈••✦••┈┈••✦
Walking through the deserted Hogwarts halls, Horace Slughorn felt a little uneasy.
Everyone else was asleep, aside from a few night owl murals and the wandering ghosts who had taken over some of the patrol duties.
Everyone knew about Dumbledore and Grindelwald's complicated history.
What if people gossiped about him showing up late at night with a bottle of wine?
Thinking of this, Horace Slughorn stopped.
He looked at his position.
He had already walked most of the way.
If he went back, how would he find Garfield's address?
How would he befriend him?
His reputation was one thing, but his own itching desire was another.
Horace Slughorn thought the latter was more important.
To bolster his courage, he whispered to himself, "You can do it. Keep going."
"Professor Horace Slughorn, what are you doing here?"
A milky white ghost floated over from the corridor.
Horace Slughorn looked closely and saw that it was Nearly Headless Nick from Gryffindor House.
Nick's full name was Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington.
He was a resident ghost of Gryffindor and was carrying out his patrol.
Horace Slughorn replied, "Nick, I cannot sleep. I am going to have a drink and chat with an old friend."
Nick stared at the bottle in Horace Slughorn's hand and said with a hint of helplessness, "Sigh. It has been so many years since I have had a drink."
"To be honest, I have almost forgotten what it tastes like. Now I even wonder if my choice back then was a mistake."
Horace Slughorn thought for a moment and replied, "Sometimes we regret the things we have done in the past. But if you think about it carefully, this kind of life is not so bad, is it?"
Nick shrugged.
"Maybe. Professor Slughorn, you continue to enjoy your drink. I am going to continue my inspection of the castle."
Horace Slughorn bowed and said goodbye to Nick before continuing to walk toward Dumbledore's residence.
Nick drifted for a while and then looked back at the direction Horace Slughorn was walking.
"Going to find Dumbledore. Could this Horace Slughorn be one of them?"
Nick seemed to have figured something out.
A strange look appeared on his face.
He muttered to himself, "Poor McGonagall."
✦••┈┈••✦••┈┈••✦
After a busy day, Dumbledore was preparing to rest.
But his work did not allow him to rest so early every day.
Dumbledore sometimes regretted not working for the Ministry of Magic.
Perhaps his life would be a little easier.
If it were not for him and Grindelwald... Ah, what was done was done.
Actually, getting some gossip from inside or outside Hogwarts was not so bad.
Horace Slughorn, walking toward Dumbledore's room, felt a chill run down his spine.
He turned around and saw no one behind him, yet he still felt a coldness.
"Perhaps it is just cold," he thought.
Horace Slughorn knocked three times on the door, then called softly, "Albus, are you asleep?"
Dumbledore, wearing his dressing robe, walked to the door and opened it.
He saw Horace Slughorn brandishing a bottle of wine in his hand and immediately understood.
He knew Horace Slughorn's personality well.
A late night visit with a bottle of fine wine was obviously for something else.
Currently, the only thing at Hogwarts that could make Horace Slughorn part with such a fine wine was a certain orange cat.
"Horace, you have brought a fine wine, have you not?"
Faced with Dumbledore's teasing, Horace Slughorn knew that Dumbledore had seen through his intentions.
But he would not say anything.
They were still friends, after all.
Besides, banter between friends was normal.
In the sixth book, Dumbledore brought Harry along to persuade Horace Slughorn, who had been hiding from Voldemort, to come out of seclusion.
Dumbledore's friendship played a significant role in that success.
Horace Slughorn smiled slightly.
"Albus, you are still as clever as ever. You saw through my intentions at a glance. But let us drink first."
Dumbledore did not refuse Horace Slughorn.
He invited him in and brought out two wine glasses for them to sit down.
He uncorked the wine.
Dumbledore and Horace Slughorn smelled the aroma of the aged wine.
Their mouths involuntarily watered.
"Good wine indeed."
"Yes."
"Horace, are you not afraid of being gossiped about?"
He hesitated.
"Um... I do not think so."
The next morning, Horace Slughorn walked into the restaurant and felt that the story was not yet over.