Chapter 20 - 20 Halloween

Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Halloween

"You fool!" Voldemort roared at Quirrell in the mirror. "It's been so many days, and you still haven't noticed that Dracula is wary of you?"

Quirrell looked bewildered. "Wary? Why would he be wary of a joke like me at Hogwarts?"

"It's all because of you, you worthless waste. I had to intervene myself that day," Voldemort said coldly. "The magic I used to help you escape was too rare for someone of your apparent capabilities to handle."

"Now I even suspect that he agreed to have you come to Hogwarts just to study the magic I used to help you escape, and to uncover other secrets you might have!"

"W-what should I d-do?" Quirrell stammered in fear. "Does that mean I'll be under his watch all the time, with no chance to search for the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Don't worry. We'll wait for an opportunity," Voldemort said darkly. "An opportunity when everyone is gathered together and too busy to notice you. When that time comes, you'll do this..."

...

The opportunity Voldemort mentioned didn't take long to present itself.

Immersed in the company of many young students, over a month passed quickly, and Dracula was about to experience his first Halloween at Hogwarts.

In the headmaster's office on the eighth floor of the main tower, Dracula leaned against a wall filled with portraits. Next to him was a pointed wizard's hat.

The hat's brim had a slit for a mouth and wrinkles that formed a pair of eyes, giving it a forlorn expression that could make any onlooker feel sympathetic.

"Boohoo... you can't do this to me. I'm a sentient hat, each speck of dust on me is a testament to my history..." the Sorting Hat wailed. "And now, look at me, I'm no different from any ordinary hat!"

At this moment, a female headmistress took over the conversation. "Count Dracula, I remember seeking you out several times during my tenure as headmistress, but you didn't even bother to come to Hogwarts to meet me. Why is it that now, under Dumbledore's headship, you took the initiative to apply for a teaching position?"

She looked directly at Dracula, her tone a bit sour.

"Ah, Dilys, long time no see." Dracula raised his hand in greeting to the intellectual and elegant Dilys Derwent.

Then, without hesitation, he shifted the blame to Dumbledore. "Dilys, you managed Hogwarts so safely and stably during your tenure that I couldn't find anything interesting to do. But now it's different. Under Dumbledore, there are plenty of amusements to be had, like the annually changing Defense Against the Dark Arts professor position, which I find quite intriguing."

Headmistress Derwent chuckled softly, casting her gaze towards Dumbledore, who looked on helplessly.

"Professor Dracula, I feel like you're badmouthing me to my face," Dumbledore said as he stood up from behind his desk and approached Dracula.

"Not at all, I'm just speaking the truth," Dracula said, swiftly changing the subject. "I got distracted by the Sorting Hat earlier and almost forgot to ask why you called me here in the first place."

Dumbledore happily went along with the change of topic. "It's nothing major. Halloween is approaching, and I thought the holiday suits the image of a vampire count quite well. So, I wanted to ask if you have any ideas for a performance."

"A performance?" Dracula raised an eyebrow. "I recall you telling me not to reveal my vampire identity to avoid complaints from some parents."

"Other times wouldn't be appropriate, but Halloween is different," Dumbledore smiled. "On Halloween, no matter what you turn into, the students and staff will think it's part of a costume. They won't genuinely suspect Professor Dracula's true identity."

"Forget it. Performing is too much trouble," Dracula shook his head. "But I can write a letter and invite a well-known half-vampire singer to perform. I need to ask him a few things anyway."

"Also, you can leave the decoration of the Great Hall to me. The limited imagination of Hogwarts professors isn't well-suited for such tasks!"