Horace seemed to consider Fleur's words. Slowly, he nodded with equal sadness. He sat in silence for a long time but didn't end up saying anything more about the Carrows.
"That's wonderful!" Horace exclaimed showing the first signs of happiness since he arrived. Reaching into his robes, he took out his wand and a parchment. He performed a quick charm that wrote a message and sealed the parchment with wax. "Would you be so kind as to give that to your sister?"
"I do fear her schooling here," Professor Slughorn said, relaxing a bit. "Do you mind if I make us a spot of tea? Calms my nerves," he said, already moving towards the tea set in the corner.
"Perhaps if I were to...make Gabrielle a Slytherin for when she is here, I can run a bit of...interference, as it were? I do still have some pull with Severus as he was one of my favorite pupils."