Chapter 3 - 3 Lifting the boards of his own coffin

Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Lifting the boards of his own coffin

21 Montmorency Street, in a medieval-style room with a strong sense of the bizarre, Dracula leaned contentedly by the window, gently swirling the goblet of wine in his hand.

"So, a lot of interesting things have happened while I was asleep for a century?" He took a sip of the crimson liquid, contemplating.

"Global wizarding wars, the love-hate entanglement of two genius wizards, an intriguing magical creature expert and his Muggle friend, fearsome mysterious figures... Damn! How many fascinating things have I missed during my hundred-year slumber?"

He then turned to the old man before him and asked with irritation:

"Old fool, why didn't you wake me up?"

Before Dracula stood a white-haired, wrinkled old man, who looked at Dracula with a helpless expression.

"You never told me where your coffin was. How was I supposed to wake you up?" he replied.

Dracula glanced disdainfully at the large crystal ball on the workbench by the window.

"After knowing you for centuries, I still don't know you? It seems you were simply afraid I'd join forces with that Grindelwald fellow!" He emptied the remaining wine from his goblet, then added, "Otherwise, your divination skills must be nothing but a show, right?"

At this moment, another white-haired old woman approached, refilling Dracula's goblet with more blood-red wine. She then smiled warmly and said:

"It's been a hundred years, and while it's understandable if you don't feel emotional, why start arguing as soon as you meet?"

"Perinal, just in time for you to mediate," Dracula thanked her and, picking up the goblet, continued with dissatisfaction, "Do you think old Nic deliberately kept me from all these fascinating things?"

The old woman, Perinal Lemay, simply smiled and did not offer an opinion.

"Alright, alright, I knew you'd complain, so I found you another interesting opportunity," Nic Lemay said with a sheepish smile, seemingly aware of his shortcomings.

Dracula's goblet, raised to his lips, paused in mid-air as he turned to look at him.

"There's been a phenomenon at Hogwarts in recent years that I think you'd find intriguing," Nic said. "It is said that the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has been cursed by a mysterious figure. For fifty years, no professor has managed to stay in the position for even a year without some form of disaster."

Nic looked at Dracula's expression with a hint of teasing. "So, what do you think? Will the legendary Count Dracula be afraid of such a curse?"

A thoughtful smile slowly appeared on Dracula's lips.

"Interesting."

With a clink, Dracula set the goblet of crimson liquid on the windowsill.

He then pushed open the window and stepped onto the window frame.

"Nic, Perinal, see you next time!" Dracula turned to the still-stunned Lemay couple and said with a cheerful smile.

The next moment, he leapt from Nic's window.

Amidst a scattering of bat-like shadows, Dracula's figure vanished into the night sky, leaving only the blood-red liquid in the goblet swaying on the windowsill.

The moon reflected in the red liquid looked particularly vivid...

The Lemay couple stood in stunned silence, looking at each other.

"Does he not even stay for a meal?" Perinal asked, bewildered.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts professor accident statistics—killed by a wild boar, blown up by their own spell during class, starved to death after getting lost in the castle, tripped over their own feet and fell to their death..."

"Hehe... very few even manage to leave this position alive." Dracula laughed with interest, revealing his sharp fangs.

"Cough."

Seeing Dracula's amusement, Dumbledore cleared his throat and pointed to a later entry on the list.

Dracula shifted his gaze and immediately subdued his smile.

The parchment read—

"Died laughing after listening to a student's joke for half an hour."

"..."

He tossed the accident statistics aside and picked up the employment letter, signing it with a flourish.

"Alright, aside from their causes of death, is there anything else I need to know about being a professor?" Dracula asked Dumbledore.

"Since you've agreed to take the position, we'll be colleagues," Dumbledore eagerly stood up, shaking Dracula's hand warmly. "Everything you need to prepare is written in the employment letter. As for the teaching content, you'll need to decide that yourself."

"I assume the legendary Count Dracula must be quite skilled in 'Defense' against the Dark Arts, right?"

Dumbledore emphasized the word "Defense," apparently making a point that the course was about defending against dark magic, not teaching it.

"Rest assured, Headmaster," Dracula waved his hand casually and strolled towards the window of the office.

He had just taken a few steps when he turned back.

He grabbed the blood-flavored lollipop from Dumbledore's hand, then returned to the window and leaped out...

Dumbledore looked at the open window and shrugged.

He then glanced at the employment letter on the desk and chuckled to himself.

"Nic, thanks to you, Hogwarts has managed to hire a reasonably reliable Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!"

Dumbledore cheerfully took out a phoenix mirror that resembled Dracula's bronze mirror and spoke to it.

As for the resume in the corner of the desk bearing the name Quirinus Quirrell, it was subconsciously ignored by him.

...

In London, Diagon Alley.

Dracula, with a blood-flavored lollipop in his mouth and a list of items to prepare from the employment letter in hand, looked around in boredom.

"Having to prepare a wand to be a professor is such a hassle."

Despite his complaints, Dracula headed towards Ollivanders Wand Shop in the depths of Diagon Alley, eager to experience the role of a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

The development of