#462 - Lockhart: Vampire food?

At Hogwarts, the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was one that frequently changed hands, and each time, the office decor would change along with it.

Vader followed Professor Trollope to his office. As soon as they entered, a dozen or so candlesticks silently ignited, flames leaping up, but the room still felt dim. Professor Trollope clearly had no intention of opening the heavy curtains.

He hadn't added much furniture, only filling the bookshelves with numerous magic books, various notes, and student progress reports, among other things.

In the corner, there was a wine cabinet filled to the brim with red wine. But Vader felt the liquid in the glass bottles looked more like blood.

"Please, sit down, Vader," Professor Trollope said gently, sitting down and clasping his hands together. "There are some things I'd like to discuss with you."

"Of course, Professor. What would you like to talk about?" Vader asked, sitting down.

"It's like this. I've recently learned something—I heard that most professors believe the knowledge you possess already… far exceeds the level of students in the same year, so you've been granted special permission to audit courses from other years."

As Professor Trollope spoke, he took a folder from the bookshelf beside the desk, opened it, and said:

"At the same time, I've also noticed that both of your assignments since returning to school have been completed exceptionally well… especially this one about werewolves… I can only say, it's very surprising, beyond expectations. Do you have any intention of submitting it to a magazine? I know a few reliable editors."

"Thank you, Professor," Vader said. "But currently…" His expression seemed somewhat troubled, and he said, "…It's just an assignment, Professor. I don't think it's reached the level where it can be published in a magazine."

This level of fame was already dispensable to Vader, but polishing an assignment to meet publication standards would undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time, and Vader didn't want to waste his time on such things.

Professor Trollope saw his subtle refusal and smiled, not insisting. "Alright… if you change your mind, you can always come to me."

"Of course, I will," Vader said.

"Also, judging from these two assignments and your usual classroom performance, I believe your level in Defense Against the Dark Arts is also reassuring. Can you reveal something?" Professor Trollope asked, winking. "What level have you reached through self-study?"

"If it's the content in the textbooks, then I've finished learning all the spells in the first to seventh-year textbooks, but I feel that I'm still somewhat lacking in practice," Vader said after thinking for a moment, carefully considering his words.

He didn't ask about Vader's level because Occlumency requires long-term practice to master. Given Vader's age, Trollope didn't think Vader had studied it for long enough.

He thought of another difficulty for the upper years and asked, "Then do you know how to deal with Dementors?"

Vader said briefly, "The Patronus Charm."

"Oh…" Professor Trollope smiled. "Indeed, the Patronus Charm is the most effective way to drive away or even destroy Dementors, but because most people haven't mastered this spell, the correct answer should be to get away from the Dementors as soon as possible and stay with a crowd of people, and not act alone…"

He suddenly thought of something, slowly put away his smile, and looked at Vader with those slightly melancholic eyes, slowly saying:

"—Vader, you also know the Patronus Charm?"

Vader nodded again.

Professor Trollope took a deep breath, told himself this was impossible, and then said, "Show me."

Vader drew his wand and pointed it at the window: "Expecto Patronum!"

The silver eagle flew out from the tip of the wand, quickly circling the classroom twice. Professor Trollope was shocked and took two steps back in a hurry, the chair falling to the ground with a "clang," and accidentally smashing a vase in the corner.

He didn't care about his beloved vase, his eyes shocked and vaguely carrying some timidity, looking at the bird that finally landed on Vader's shoulder, dumbfounded: "—A corporeal Patronus?"

Then he looked at Vader again: "The newspaper said… after the Dementors stopped the Hogwarts Express, the student who summoned the eagle-shaped Patronus was you? Not a professor?"

"It was me," Vader waved his wand, and the Patronus turned into specks of silver light, sprinkled on his shoulder, and then disappeared.

Professor Trollope breathed a sigh of relief—a corporeal Patronus can harm all dark creatures, including vampires, and an extremely powerful Patronus can even make them feel the pain of being burned by sulfuric acid.

He somewhat flusteredly concealed his strangeness, waving his wand to repair the vase, letting the water and the roses soaked in it jump back, while forcing a smile and saying:

"You really surprised me, Vader… what spell is it that you don't know?"

"Apart from the two that the professor just asked, the other spells I've mastered are very basic," Vader said modestly.

Professor Trollope found that his attitude was still very sincere, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help twitching a few times, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back.

Thinking carefully... Having such an excellent student, as a professor, I should feel gratified... Although this student is a bit dangerous for the professor...

Troca persuaded himself for a while in his heart before saying, "Okay, I completely believe that your level has reached the standard of the Ultimate Wizard Exam, it's just that you still... still lack some practical opportunities, right?"

"Yes, Professor."

"In that case, I think you should need an exclusive timetable..."

Professor Troca checked his notes and lesson plans, gently tapping the parchment with his wand.

"Vader, this is your timetable for the future... Basically, they are all practical lessons, and there are some, which are my own summaries of Dark Arts defense methods teaching, you can arrange your listening time according to your own plan."

...

Finally sending the overly excellent student out the door, Troca patted the curtains that the Patronus had touched with lingering fear, and then pulled out a new notebook to record the performance of the students in the classroom today.

When accepting this teaching position, Troca really wanted to do this job well. To this end, he also secretly ran to consult excellent teachers in Muggle schools, asking them how to be a good professor.

At first, he was worried that the students would not take him, the new professor, seriously, so he always kept a straight face, and from time to time he would display a few powerful spells in class to strengthen his authority.

But as he taught more classes, the students gradually noticed the professor's gentle nature, and became bolder in his classroom.

As for Troca, his love and interest in this profession were also being rapidly worn away, replaced by an uncontrollable fatigue.

He had to teach all the Defense Against the Dark Arts courses in the entire school, which meant that Troca had endless homework to correct and endless classes to teach. Every day he opened his eyes, he was faced with endless emergencies. The students' enthusiasm and vitality did seem vibrant, but their chatter was really a headache.

The newest novel is on 69shuba!

He seemed to understand why the professors of the Defense Against the Dark Arts course changed so frequently.

Troca felt that even as a vampire, he was about to collapse, and he didn't know how those human professors had survived a year.

Fortunately, he only had to stay for half a year...

Originally, he just felt that many people would be appearing at Hogwarts during the grand event in the second half of the year, which would easily lead to the exposure of his vampire identity.

Now it seemed that the original decision was too wise, just get through these few months...

Troca sighed wearily.

At this moment, he suddenly heard a tinkling stream-like sound in his ears. Troca pressed the communication pea and heard the voice on the other side, and said in surprise, "Garr? How did you..."

He glanced at the window covered by the curtains, and asked in a low voice, "...How did you get to Hogsmeade?"

After such a long time, Troca was not isolated from the world, and finally knew that his nephew and the friends he brought were all wanted criminals by the Ministry of Magic.

Vampires being on the wanted list was nothing new. Troca had asked Garr and knew that he was not randomly grabbing innocent passers-by as food, so he decided to protect his pitiful nephew, but he had no intention of bringing them to the school where he worked.

"I can't help it, Uncle Ryan," Garr said, squatting in the dark woods with a bitter face, "The entire UK only has this area without Dementors, and we barely managed to escape here!"

He looked at Lockhart, who seemed dead, beside him, and asked, "Uncle Ryan, can you send us some money and food? It would be even better if you had Polyjuice Potion, I want to find a proper place to live and take a hot bath..."

Troca sighed helplessly and said, "Not now, wait until tonight... I'll send it to you together tonight."

"Thank you, Uncle Ryan! I love you! I love you so, so much!" Garr said happily.

"Just don't cause me any trouble," Troca warned, "Also, keep an eye on your friend. If I hear that anyone in Hogsmeade suddenly loses their memory..."

"No, absolutely not!" Garr quickly assured, "We will hide here quietly, as harmless as a Puffskein... I swear!"

Troca snorted, "You better be."

At dusk, Lockhart and Garr squatted in the woods, waiting anxiously. When it was completely dark, they finally saw two owls flying over laboriously with large packages.

Garr hurried out to greet them. Just as he took the package carried by the owl in his hand, he was patted on the back.

"You're late, brother," a strange man stood behind him, smiling and saying, "Let's go, everyone is gathering over there."

Garr was at a loss, "Do you know me?"

"What? Of course I don't know you," the strange man said with a smile, "But I can recognize that you are also a vampire from a mile away..."

As he spoke, he looked at Lockhart, who was squatting next to him with hair long enough to reach his shoulders, and couldn't help but reveal a happy smile.

"Haha, the gathering is for serious business, and you even brought your own rations... Well done!"

Lockhart's eyes widened, and he hurriedly tried to draw his wand, but was suddenly kicked over by Garr.

"Yes..." Garr showed a forced smile and said, "I'm glad you like it."

As he spoke, several bats flew out of the night, and transformed into human form as they landed, just in time to surround Lockhart, placing their hands on his shoulders.

Feeling the cold aura behind him, Lockhart completely dared not move.