Cesar said leisurely, "Really? Then I can just ask Mr. Malfoy, does his son's derogatory remarks about Greengrass also represent the attitude of the Malfoy family?"
"You…!"
Draco's face flushed red. He knew that his father had a good relationship with the Greengrass family, and his words would surely reach his father Lucius, who would undoubtedly reprimand him for his behavior.
Draco decided not to engage in further arguments and walked away with his two small attendants. He understood that Cesar had the support of the Marcel family, a wealthy and influential family, and he couldn't simply bully him like any ordinary student.
"Phew, Malfoy is finally gone," Astoria exclaimed, making a cute face at Draco's retreating figure. "Thank you, Cesar, for helping me drive him away!"
Cesar patted Astoria's head affectionately. As someone who had been transported to this world, he had many ways to deal with someone like Draco. However, he refrained from using those methods on a fellow student.
"Well, honestly, I don't think anything good will come out of dealing with Draco," Cesar remarked.
He turned his gaze to Pansy Parkinson, a girl from the Parkinson family, who was evaluating the situation. Pansy had always been sincere in her concern for Cesar, but her Slytherin characteristics sometimes made her advice appear twisted.
"When did I target Draco? Haven't you noticed that Draco is always the one targeting me?" Cesar replied.
"Even so, having a good relationship with Draco, who is also the heir of a pure-blood family, can be beneficial to you in the future," Pansy whispered. "I'm saying this for your own good. It's important to be mature, especially now that we're all going to Hogwarts."
Cesar understood Pansy's genuine intentions, but he was aware of the Slytherin mentality. Pansy's concern, although twisted at times, made him curious about her intentions since his arrival in this world.
Cesar knew that Pansy had remained loyal to Draco throughout the seven years in the original books. He also knew that his mature demeanor as an adult had likely attracted the attention of girls his age, including Pansy, who was heavily influenced by Slytherin's values of excellence.
"Hey, I just saw Draco looking dejected. It must be because of you," a boy named Theodore approached them excitedly. "And I have to say, your gift is so cool!"
"If you want to see it, you can, but only for viewing, not for use," Cesar generously offered. "After all, I don't want to read in the Daily Prophet tomorrow that you fell to your death while using it."
Theodore said unconvincedly, "Of course not... I mean, haven't you learned how to ride a broomstick? This year I'm also going to Hogwarts. Even if we start learning together, I'm sure I'll be able to learn better than you. Watch! My talent has been praised by Mr. Horace Slughorn."
Theodore's pride was the large, fat man who was conversing with Caser's mother in the distance. Slughorn's family was also well-known among pure-blood families, and he was also highly regarded by the Marcel family, primarily because of his expertise in potions.
Noticing that Cesar and Theodore were looking at him, Horace walked over with a grin. "Well, did the young genius from the Nott family mention me? Oh, of course, Mr. Caser, I hope I'm not interrupting your conversation with the two young ladies."
Caser politely nodded to him, but as Horace approached, he let out a strange sound.
"Wait a minute... You're that... Caser from the Marcel family?"
Caser furrowed his brow. "If there are no imposters, then yes, I suppose."
"It's strange... really strange," Slughorn murmured to himself, clearly pondering something intriguing.
Slughorn had heard that the next generation of the Marcel family was just an average individual, so he hadn't planned on establishing a close relationship with Caser. Slughorn had a preference for discovering and nurturing talented individuals.
Not everyone may know, but Slughorn was actually one of the first few people who recognized Voldemort's talents. He possessed an innate intuition and ability to identify exceptional individuals.
However, after carefully observing Caser, Slughorn realized that he was very different from the rumored version, and in fact, even more remarkable. Slughorn couldn't help but feel that Caser was the complete opposite of what had been rumored, and he was undoubtedly a super genius with extraordinary abilities, even at a young age.
Slughorn firmly believed in his intuition and judgment, and he couldn't possibly be mistaken. He reached into his pocket with a smile and said, "Pardon my impertinence, but I actually wanted to personally give a gift to you, so I wanted to confirm it myself."
Upon hearing this, Caser made a gracious gesture. The thought of receiving a gift from a world-renowned potion master like Slughorn piqued his curiosity.
Slughorn fumbled in his pocket for a while before finally pulling out a small, dirty bottle. Theodore's eyes turned green with envy upon seeing it.
"A small bottle of Felix Felicis, young Cesar," Slughorn waved his hand and departed. "Once you arrive at Hogwarts, I hope you can join my Slug Club. It's a gathering of talented individuals like yourself. I believe you gifted young people will have a wonderful time together. And lastly, I wish you a happy birthday and good luck."
"What?" Theodore exclaimed in disbelief, staring at Horace's departing figure. "You were invited by Professor Slughorn to join the Slug Club, but I didn't receive an invitation!"
Slughorn had a habit of befriending famous and influential individuals. He had founded the Slug Club at Hogwarts, and its members consisted of young witches and wizards with prominent family backgrounds or extraordinary talents.
Although the club had diminished in size since Slughorn's retirement, its past glory still held significant influence among the students.
However, what astounded Theodore the most was the implication of Mr. Horace's words. "Cesar, you're considered a genius. How is that even possible!"