Professor Vampire.

Chapter 8: School Starts

Since that day, Dracula never went to the Hogwarts dining hall for a meal again.

Although, as the oldest living vampire, Dracula didn't have the weaknesses of lower-level vampires and was immune to harm from sunlight, silver, and garlic, he still had an inherent aversion to these things.

Fortunately, since 1811, when the then-Minister for Magic, Grogan Stump, established a new definition of "human" that included fairies, vampires, banshees, giants, house-elves, sirens, and werewolves in human form, food and beverages suitable for magical creatures like vampires have gradually flourished over the past century.

Since awakening, Dracula had discovered that the magical world now offered many products specifically for vampires, such as honey-flavored blood lollipops from Honeydukes, blood-flavored ice cream from Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour, and various other blood-based products.

Because of these more suitable options, he was completely unwilling to go to the dining hall to see dishes like spicy hotpot...

In the month before the start of the school year, Dracula handed over all the preparatory work, including lesson plans, to his teaching assistant, Quirrell. He himself spent his time exploring Britain, looking for interesting things.

As for the commitment to being a professor, Dracula probably wouldn't have it...

Before they knew it, September 1st arrived.

This was the day Hogwarts opened for the new school year.

Returning students jumped off the carriages drawn by Thestrals, bypassed the square-shaped teaching area of Hogwarts Castle, and made their way to the luxurious Great Hall in the southwest.

The hall had four long tables extending out, with thousands of floating candles illuminating the room. The tables were adorned with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table reserved for the teachers.

"Lee, want to make a bet?"

At the Gryffindor table, two red-haired boys who looked exactly alike were huddled together, whispering conspiratorially with a black-skinned boy beside them.

"No betting on anything else, just bet on how long the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor will last!" one of the red-haired boys, George, said with a wink.

"I'm not betting with you two tricksters!" The black-skinned boy, Lee Jordan, turned away, clearly uninterested.

"Hey! Don't be like that, mate!" The other red-haired boy, Fred, put his arm around Jordan's shoulders and pulled him back. "Hear us out, we're betting that the new professor won't last more than six months!"

Lee Jordan's eyes widened, and his white eyeballs, contrasting with his dark skin, looked like two big lights floating in the air.

"Are you serious?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Alright, I'll bet nine months!"

"You're going to lose for sure. Six months is such a short time that even a dog could last that long!"

Jordan confidently slapped a gold Galleon on the table.

Fred and George exchanged knowing smiles.

They had already decided that if the professor was still in position after six months, they would do everything in their power to help with his departure!

As the two began to think about how to spend the gold coin they had won, a slender, pale hand suddenly reached out and placed a thick stack of Galleons next to Jordan's coin.

Fred and George: !!!

The twins swore on Merlin's beard that they had never seen so many Galleons in their lives!

They looked up in shock to see the owner of the hand—a silver-haired wizard standing behind them with a mischievous smile on his face.

"I bet 20 Galleons that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor won't be leaving."

Hearing Dracula's words, Fred and George were overjoyed.

It was well known that no Defense Against the Dark Arts professor lasted, just as no man was truly chaste! They were sure to win this time!

"Deal, and no backing out!" they said in unison.

The two high-fived and bounced around the hall as if they had already won the twenty Galleons.

However, as they continued bouncing, Fred and George suddenly noticed that the atmosphere around them had eerily quieted down. Lee Jordan was giving them subtle signals, but due to his inconspicuous skin color, they didn't notice...

"Ahem!"

A stern cough sounded in their ears.

The twins slowly turned around to see Professor McGonagall, with her lips pressed into a thin line, standing beside them.

"Mr. and Mr. Weasley, how dare you openly gamble during the opening ceremony, especially betting on a professor!" Professor McGonagall's cheeks flushed with anger as she clenched her fists, trembling with rage at these troublemakers.

Only then did the twins realize that the hall was now full, and they were the only ones still jumping around.

At the teacher's table, only two seats remained empty—one next to the smiling Dumbledore, which belonged to Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

The other empty seat was, of course, for the silver-haired wizard who had just made the bet! Given the situation, anyone with a bit of sense could tell that he was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!

George and Fred stared in shock, their eyes wide as they looked at Dracula, whose mouth was curled into a playful smile.

"P-Professor, if we say it wasn't intentional, would you believe us?" George said weakly.

"We just wanted to cheer up Lee a bit," Fred added with a grin.

Lee Jordan, who had been pretending to be a quail, turned abruptly at this and looked at Fred in disbelief.

"Quiet, Weasleys!" Professor McGonagall said with exasperation, pushing them back to the Gryffindor table. "After the feast, come to my office. You'll be spending a month in detention!"

With that, Professor McGonagall turned and left the hall, heading to the entrance courtyard to welcome the new students.

Dracula glanced at the twins with interest and then walked to his seat with a light laugh.

"Professor, about those Galleons... ow."

Fred tried to discuss the twenty Galleons with Dracula but was quickly silenced by Lee Jordan, who took the opportunity to get back at him for his previous misdeeds.

George soon joined the fray, and the three became entangled like a tangled rope.

But they quickly separated and sat properly at the long table.

Because Professor McGonagall had returned with a group of young first-year students.

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