#461 - Vampire Professor

"Alright, children, time's almost up, that's all for today!"

Professor Sprout clapped her hands and said in a cheerful tone, "Put your tools away… Morag, don't forget the trowel you left under the flowerpot… Pansy, be gentle with the geranium next to you… Don't leave anything in the greenhouse, and remember to complete your assignments on time!"

The students, covered in dirt and the smell of dragon dung, gradually walked out of the greenhouse.

Vede bypassed a few students and walked towards Professor Sprout.

"Professor?"

"What is it, Vede?" Professor Sprout held the trowel in her hand, tidying up the plants that the students hadn't transplanted properly, and asked, "Do you need my help?"

"It's like this, Professor." Vede glanced around, and only after the last two students left the greenhouse did he softly say, "Do you still remember Hailey?"

"Of course." Professor Sprout stopped shoveling soil and said with pity, "That was a poor child… Do you have something to ask her?"

"Yes… No, actually it's not me." Vede said, "Her sister wants to see her. I asked Professor Dumbledore before, and he said that you arranged for someone to adopt that child."

"Yes, it was me… Oh, Merlin!"

Professor Sprout's face showed a surprised and delighted smile. Just as she was about to shout, she suddenly suppressed her voice and asked, "Her sister isn't… Are you saying… that child, she…"

Faced with the professor's questioning gaze, Vede nodded affirmatively.

Professor Sprout's smile almost overflowed from her face.

"That's wonderful… Thank Merlin! I've really been worried about her… Then she… her little problem?"

"We're trying to find a solution." Vede said, "Dumbledore has contacted Mr. Newt Scamander, but he's currently in Cherrapunji, India… I heard it's to rescue a Bowtruckle. In short, once he returns, he will start researching a cure."

"If there's anything I can do to help, feel free to come to me!"

Professor Sprout said sincerely with anticipation in her eyes, "I'm very willing to offer help… By the way, I think the Ministry of Magic's decision is as ridiculous as if they were hit in the head by Gillyweed!"

Vede couldn't help but laugh and said, "I think so too, Professor."

"Oh, right, the address!"

Professor Sprout wrote down a note and stuffed it into Vede's hand, saying, "You can take that child to this place, but it's best not to show your face. I suspect the Ministry of Magic has been arranging for people to keep an eye on Hailey! They know how much that child values this little girl."

"I know, Professor." Vede glanced at the address and found it was a small town near Kilmarnock, and then asked, "The person who adopted her is…"

"One of my distant cousins. He's a Squib, and his wife is a Muggle who doesn't know about magic. Both of them are very good people. They don't have children of their own, and they like Hailey very, very much now."

Professor Sprout smiled with her eyes narrowed and said, "After all… that child is so lovely and well-behaved, she deserves the best."

…

Sunlight shone through the narrow window, illuminating the copper chandelier and oak table. Professor Trolca held a book in his hand and was giving a lesson to the students.

"Vampires are an ancient magical creature that lives by sucking the blood of living things. Of course, they can also eat ordinary food, but their taste buds are not sensitive enough to taste much flavor, and it's difficult to digest."

Professor Trolca said in a dry voice, "So most vampires only like blood or food made with blood."

"Vampires possess extraordinary strength, speed, and healing abilities, but they also have their own weaknesses, such as sunlight, garlic, holy water… and of course, wooden stakes."

The corner of the professor's eye twitched, and his body leaned back involuntarily, as if trying to distance himself from the book in his hand. He paused for a moment before continuing to speak.

Vede looked down at the Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and found that the page just happened to depict a vampire with a stake through its heart, opening its mouth to let out a silent wail.

He couldn't help but look at the new professor with sympathy. He also looked around and found that, apart from himself, no one noticed Professor Trolca's expression just now. Most people were drowsy.

"Help…" Next to him, Michael also lay on the table and said weakly, "Has Professor Trolca been infected by Professor Binns? It's the first time he's made Defense Against the Dark Arts class so boring, buzzing… buzzing…"

Michael buzzed a few times, successfully hypnotizing Goyle, who was sitting nearby. The tall guy "plop" fell on the table. The usually serious Professor Trolca just glanced at him and said nothing.

Michael himself couldn't help but yawn, trying hard to open his eyes to take two lines of notes, when he suddenly realized that Professor Trolca had just been reading from the textbook verbatim.

He completely gave up fighting his sleepiness, and quietly pulled up the hood of Goldstein, who was sitting in front of him, put it on him to add a little height, and then laid down to sleep with peace of mind.

Vede covered his lips with his fist, barely managing to hold back his laughter. Even though he tried to restrain himself, the smile spread from the depths of his eyes.

Goldstein naturally wouldn't be oblivious. He looked back at Michael, then at Vede, shook his head, and showed a speechless expression, but didn't take off the hood, instead sitting up a little straighter.

"What about that underground chamber? I heard it's already been renovated!" Blaise Zabini of Slytherin also said, "Professor Abigail told us that we could have very exciting practical exercises in there this semester!"

"Yeah, yeah!" The other students also clamored, "We want to go to the underground chamber! Why aren't we allowed in there this semester?"

Regarding this, Professor Trolca really knew.

"Well… the school has temporarily closed the chamber for a reason, involving a 'top secret plan' of the Ministry of Magic, which will only be announced when the Ministry of Magic deems it necessary…"

"What plan, Professor?" The students selectively ignored Professor Trolca's later words and asked excitedly.

"I can't say… Before things are completely settled, no one can reveal it."

Professor Trolca refused to say, but amidst the students' dissatisfaction, with a mixture of coquetry and protest, he couldn't resist and said evasively:

"I can only tell you that this is an unprecedented grand event… Prepare well, children, perhaps one of you will be able to obtain that lifelong honor…"

"Prepare for what, Professor?" Several girls said pitifully, "Please, Professor Trolca, tell us a little more inside information?"

"Well… this…" Professor Trolca hesitated for a while: "If I were you, I would definitely start studying hard from now on, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts… It will definitely come in handy at that time, don't wait until you fail to regret it, children…"

The classroom suddenly fell silent.

The students looked at Professor Trolca with doubt and scrutiny, suspecting that he was just making an excuse to "bewitch" everyone to study hard.

After continuing to question for a while, they could no longer get any more information. Professor Trolca continued the class, and after a while, the students all showed drowsy expressions.

When the bell finally rang for the end of class, both the students and the professor showed the same relieved expressions.

"Vede Grey?" Professor Trolca stood at the classroom door, looked at Vede and said, "If you have time, come to my office?"