Chapter 462
Lockhart: Vampire Food?
Chapter 462 Lockhart: Vampire Food?
At Hogwarts, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is a position that is frequently replaced by new personnel, and every time a new person is appointed, the style of the office also has to change accordingly.
Wade followed Professor Troka to his office. As soon as he entered the door, he saw more than a dozen candles on the candlesticks being silently lit, and the flames leaped up, but the light in the room was still a little dim, and Professor Troka obviously had no intention of opening the heavy curtains.
He didn't buy himself too much furniture, but just placed a lot of magic books, various notes, and information on students' learning progress on the bookshelf.
There was a wine cabinet in the corner, filled with red wine. But Wade thought the liquid in the glass bottle looked more like blood.
"Please sit down, Wade." Professor Troka sat down, clasped his hands, and said gently: "I have something I want to talk to you about."
"Of course, Professor. What do you want to say?" Vader asked as he sat down.
"Look, I recently learned something - I heard that most professors think that the knowledge you have mastered is... far beyond the level of students of the same grade, so you are allowed to audit courses of other grades."
Professor Troka said as he took a folder from the bookshelf next to the table, opened it and said:
"At the same time, I also noticed that you did an excellent job on both of your assignments after returning to school...especially the one about werewolves...I can only say that I was very surprised and unexpected. Do you have the intention to submit your work to a magazine? I know a few reliable editors."
"Thank you, Professor." Wade said, "But I am currently..." His expression seemed a little embarrassed, and he said, "...This is just an assignment, Professor. I don't think it is good enough to be published in a magazine."
This level of reputation is already dispensable to Wade, but it will undoubtedly take a long time to polish a piece of work to a level suitable for publication, and Wade does not want to waste his time on these things.
Professor Trocca saw his euphemistic refusal, smiled and did not insist, saying: "Okay...if you change your mind, you can always come to me."
"Of course I will," Vader said.
"In addition, judging from these two assignments and your usual performance in class, I think your level in Defense Against the Dark Arts is also reassuring enough. Can you tell me more?" Professor Trocca blinked and asked, "What level have you reached by self-study?"
"If it's content from the textbook, then I've learned all the spells in the textbooks from grade one to grade seven, but I still feel like I'm lacking in practice." Wade thought for a moment and said carefully.
"Oh?" Professor Trocca seemed very surprised and asked, "Then do you know how to resist the Confusion Spell?"
Vader answered without hesitation, "Occlumency. You can also use anti-confusion spells, and barrier amulets."
Professor Trocca raised his eyebrows. "Occlumency is not in our regular courses, nor in our textbooks. Even students in grades six and seven have never been exposed to it. It is a very advanced and unpopular magic skill..."
As he spoke, he looked into Wade's eyes and asked in disbelief: "-Don't tell me you've learned it?"
Vader nodded.
"Well, Merlin..." Professor Trocca murmured.
He didn't ask about Vader's level, because Occlumency requires long-term practice to master, and given Vader's age, Trocca didn't think Vader had studied long enough.
He remembered another difficulty of the senior grades and asked, "Do you know how to deal with Dementors?"
Vader said briefly: "The Patronus Charm."
"Oh..." Professor Trocca smiled: "Indeed, the Patronus Charm is the most effective way to expel Dementors or even eliminate them, but because most people do not master this spell, the correct answer should be to stay away from Dementors as soon as possible and stay with the group. Don't act alone..."
He suddenly thought of something, slowly put away his smile, looked at Wade with his slightly melancholy eyes, and said slowly:
"——Ved, do you also know the Patronus spell?"
Vader nodded again.
Professor Trocca took a deep breath, told himself that this was impossible, and then said, "Show me."
Vader drew his wand and pointed it at the window: "Expecto Patronus!"
A silver eagle flew out from the tip of the staff and quickly circled the classroom twice. Professor Troka was so shocked that he took two steps back, and his chair fell to the ground with a clang, accidentally smashing a vase in the corner.
He didn't care about his beloved bottle. His eyes were filled with shock and a hint of timidity as he stared at the bird that finally landed on Wade's shoulder. He was dumbfounded: "-A patron saint in the flesh?"
Then he looked at Wade again: "The newspaper said... After the Dementors stopped the Hogwarts train, the student who summoned the Eagle Patronus was you? Not some professor?"
"It's me." Wade waved his wand, and the patronus turned into silver light, sprinkled on his shoulders, and then disappeared.
Professor Troka breathed a sigh of relief - a physical patronus could cause damage to all dark creatures, including vampires of course. An extremely powerful patronus could even make them feel the same pain as if they were burned by sulfuric acid.
He was a little flustered trying to hide his abnormality. He waved his wand to repair the vase, causing the water and the rose inside to jump back into the vase. He forced a smile and said:
"You really surprised me, Vader... Is there any spell you don't know?"
"Except for the two that the professor just asked about, the other spells I know are very basic." Vader said modestly.
Troka found that he was still very sincere when he spoke, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help twitching a few times. He wanted to say something, but swallowed it back.
Think about it carefully... As a professor, I should be happy to have such an excellent student... Although this student is a bit dangerous to the professor...
Troka persuaded himself in his heart for a while before saying, "Okay, I fully believe that your level has reached the level of the Ultimate Wizarding Exam, but you still... still lack some practice opportunities, right?"
"Yes, Professor." "Well, I think you need a special timetable..."
Professor Trocca looked over his notes and class schedule, tapping the parchment with his wand.
"Ved, this is your class schedule... basically they are all practical classes, and some are Defense Against the Dark Arts methods that I have summarized myself. You can arrange your class time according to your own plan."
……
After finally sending the overly outstanding students out of the door, Troka touched the curtains that the patronus had touched with lingering fear, then took out a new notebook and recorded the students' performance in class today.
When Trocca accepted the teaching position, he really wanted to do a good job in this job. To this end, he secretly went to consult excellent teachers in Muggle schools and asked them how to be a good professor.
At first he was worried that students would not take him, the new professor, seriously, so he kept a stern face and occasionally demonstrated some powerful magic in class to enhance his authority.
But after taking more classes, the students gradually realized the professor's gentle nature and became bolder in his class.
As for Troca, his passion and interest in this profession were rapidly being worn away, replaced by uncontrollable fatigue.
He had to teach the entire school's Defense Against the Dark Arts course, which meant that Trocca had endless homework to correct and endless classes to attend. Every day when he opened his eyes, he would encounter endless emergencies. The students' enthusiasm and energy did seem vibrant, but their chattering was really a headache.
He seemed to understand why the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts changed frequently.
Troka felt that he was a vampire and was about to collapse. He didn't know how those human professors had survived a year in the past.
Fortunately, he only had to stay for half a year...
Originally, he just thought that there would be a lot of people in Hogwarts for the event in the second half of the year, which might easily lead to his identity as a vampire being exposed.
Now it seems that the decision I made was a wise one. I just need to get through these few months...
Troka sighed wearily.
At this moment, he suddenly heard the sound of gurgling streams. Troka pressed the communication pea button and heard the voice from the other end. He said in surprise: "Gar? What are you doing..."
He glanced at the window covered by curtains and asked quietly, "...Why are you in Hogsmeade?"
After such a long time, Trocca was not isolated from the world, and he finally found out that his nephew and the friends he brought were all wanted criminals by the Ministry of Magic.
Vampires being on the wanted list is nothing new. Troka asked Gal and found out that he was not just catching innocent passersby as food, so he decided to shelter his poor nephew, but he didn't plan to bring them to the school where he worked.
"There's nothing I can do, Uncle Ryan." Gal squatted in the dark woods and said with a bitter face, "This is the only place in the whole of Britain that has no Dementors. We escaped here with great difficulty!"
He looked at Lockhart who seemed to be dead beside him and asked, "Uncle Ryan, can you send us some money and food? It would be even better if there is Polyjuice Potion. I want to find a decent place to live and take a good hot bath..."
Troka sighed helplessly and said, "Not now, wait until tonight... I'll send them to you in the evening."
"Thank you, Uncle Ryan! I love you! I love you so much!" Gal said happily.
"Just don't cause me any trouble," Trocca warned. "Also, keep an eye on your friend. If I hear that someone in Hogsmeade has suddenly lost his memory..."
"No, absolutely not!" Gal hastily assured: "We will hide here quietly, as harmless as Puff Rongrong... I swear!"
Trocca snorted, "You better be."
In the evening, Lockhart and Gar crouched in the woods, waiting in agony. When it was completely dark, they finally saw two owls carrying a large package, flying towards them with difficulty.
Gar hurried out to greet them, and just as he took the package carried by the owl in his hands, he was patted on the back.
"You're late, brother." A strange man stood behind him and said with a smile: "Let's go, everyone is gathering over there."
Gal was confused: "Do you know me?"
"What? Of course I don't know him." The strange man smiled and said, "But I can recognize you as a vampire from a mile away..."
As he spoke, he looked at Lockhart, who was squatting next to him with hair that reached his shoulders, and couldn't help but smile happily.
"Haha, the assembly is about 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 Gar.
"Yeah..." Gal forced a smile and said, "As long as you like it."
As he spoke, several bats flew out from the night, and as they landed they transformed into human forms, surrounding Lockhart just in time, with their hands on his shoulders.
Feeling the cold breath behind him, Lockhart dared not move at all.
(End of this chapter)