Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 572: Chapter 184: Lockhart: Vampire Food?

At Hogwarts, the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is one that frequently changes hands, and with each new appointment, the style of the office gets a makeover.

Vid followed Professor Trokka to his office. As soon as they entered, the candles on a dozen candelabras silently ignited, their flames leaping up, yet the room remained somewhat dim because Professor Trokka clearly had no intention of drawing back the heavy curtains.

He hadn’t furnished the room too heavily, only placing many magic books, various notebooks, and materials on students’ progress on the bookshelf.

In the corner, there was a new wine cabinet filled with red wine, but Vid thought the liquid in the glass bottles looked more like blood.

”Please sit, Vid.” Professor Trokka sat down, clasped his hands, and said warmly, ”I have something I want to discuss with you.”

”Of course, Professor. What did you want to say?” Vid sat down and asked.

”Well, recently I’ve come to know something—most professors believe that the knowledge you’ve mastered is... far beyond that of the students in your year, so you’ve been granted permission to audit classes from other years.”

Professor Trokka said as he took a folder from the bookshelf beside the desk. After opening it, he said:

”I’ve also noticed that the two assignments you handed in since returning to school were completed remarkably well... especially the one on werewolves... I can only say I was very surprised, it was unexpected. Are you interested in submitting it to a magazine? I know a few reliable editors.”

”Thank you, Professor.” Vid said, ”But right now...” He seemed a bit reluctant and said, ”... it’s just an assignment, Professor, and I don’t think it’s at a level that’s ready for magazine publication.”

The kind of reputation boost was already negligible to Vid, but polishing an assignment until it met publication standards would undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time, which Vid did not want to spend on such matters.

Professor Trokka saw his tactful refusal and smiled without insisting, saying, ”Alright... if you change your mind, you can always come to me.”

”Of course, I will.” Vid said.

”Moreover, judging by these two assignments and your usual classroom performance, I believe your level in Defense Against the Dark Arts is quite reassuring. Can you reveal a bit?” Professor Trokka winked and asked, ”To what level have you self-taught?”

”If it’s the textbook content, I have learned all the spells from the textbooks for years one through seven, but I feel I still lack in practice.” Vid thought for a moment, deliberating before speaking.

”Oh?” Professor Trokka seemed very surprised and asked, ”Then do you know how to defend against a Confundus Charm?”

Vid answered without hesitating, ”Occlumency, and you can also use an Anti-ConConfundo Charm, and there are also barrier-type protective talismans.”

Professor Trokka raised an eyebrow, ”Occlumency is not in our regular courses or textbooks, and even sixth and seventh-year students haven’t come into contact with it. It’s a very advanced and obscure magic skill...”

While speaking, he looked at Vid incredulously and asked, ”—don’t tell me you’ve learned it?”

Vid nodded.

”Alright, Merlin...” Professor Trokka murmured in amazement.

He didn’t ask about Vid’s proficiency level, because Occlumency requires long-term practice to master, and given Vid’s age, Trokka didn’t believe Vid had been practicing long enough.

He thought of another high-level difficulty and asked, ”Do you know how to deal with a Dementor?”

Vid answered briefly, ”Patronus Charm.”

”Oh...” Professor Trokka smiled, ”Indeed, the Patronus Charm is the most effective way to repel a Dementor and even eliminate them, but since most people have not mastered this spell, the correct answer should be to stay away from Dementors as fast as possible and stay with a group, not act alone...”

He suddenly thought of something, and slowly collected his smile, his slightly melancholy eyes looking at Vid, and slowly said:

”—Vid, can you actually perform the Patronus Charm?”

Vid nodded once more.

Professor Trokka took a deep breath, telling himself it was impossible, then said, ”Show me.”

Vid drew his magic wand and pointed toward the window, ”Expecto Patronum!”

A silver eagle flew out from the tip of the wand, quickly circling the classroom twice. Professor Trokka was taken aback, backing up two steps, causing his chair to fall to the ground with a ”bang,” accidentally breaking a vase in the corner.

He couldn’t care less about his beloved vase, his eyes filled with shock and vaguely tinged with a bit of dread as he looked at the bird that finally perched on Vid’s shoulder, and he was dumbfounded, ”—a corporeal Patronus?”

Then he looked back at Vid, ”The newspaper said... after the Dementors stopped the Hogwarts Express, it was a student who summoned an eagle-shaped Patronus? Not a professor?”

”It was me.” Vid waved his magic wand, and the Patronus turned into specks of silver light, sprinkling onto his shoulder and then disappearing.

Professor Trokka breathed a sigh of relief—having a corporeal Patronus could harm all Dark Creatures, including vampires; such a powerful Patronus could even make them feel as if burned by sulfuric acid.

He clumsily covered his own discomposure, repairing the vase with a wave of his wand, putting the water and the roses inside back as well, forcing a smile as he said:

”You truly amazed me, Vid... is there any spell you haven’t mastered?”

”Apart from the two spells the professor just mentioned, all the others I’ve mastered are quite basic.” Vid said modestly.

Professor Trokka noticed his sincere tone, his lips involuntarily twitching several times, wanting to say something but swallowing it back.

Upon careful reflection... having such an excellent student, as a professor, I should feel gratified... though this student is a bit precarious for a professor...

Trokka persuaded himself for a while before saying, ”Alright, I completely trust that your level has reached the standard of the ultimate wizard exam, but you’re just... just lacking some practical opportunities, right?”

”Yes, Professor.”

”In that case, I think you might need a customized schedule...”

Professor Trokka checked his notes and class plans, lightly tapping the parchment with his magic wand.

”Vid, this is your upcoming schedule... It’s basically all practical classes, and some are methods of Defense Against the Dark Arts that I have personally summarized. You can arrange your class time according to your own plan.”

...

After finally sending off the overly excellent student, Trokka touched the curtains where the Guardian God had been, still feeling a lingering fear, and then pulled out a new notebook to record the students’ performances in class today.

When he accepted this teaching position, Trokka genuinely wanted to do a good job. For this, he even secretly sought advice from outstanding teachers at a Muggle school, asking them how to be a good professor.

At first, he was worried that the students wouldn’t take him as a new professor seriously, so he kept a stern face and occasionally displayed some powerful magic in class to reinforce his authority.

But as the classes went on, the students gradually perceived the mild nature of this professor and became bolder in his classroom.

And for Trokka, his love and interest in this profession were quickly being worn away, replaced by uncontrollable exhaustion.

The entire school’s Defense Against the Dark Arts courses had to be taught by him, meaning Trokka had endless homework to grade and classes to teach. Every day when he opened his eyes, there seemed to be endless emergencies. While the students’ enthusiasm and vitality were indeed vibrant, their chatter was truly headache-inducing.

He began to understand why the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors frequently changed.

Trokka felt like, being a vampire, he was about to collapse and couldn’t understand how the previous human professors managed to endure a year.

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

Originally, he just thought that with the large gathering at Hogwarts in the second half of the year, it would be easy for his vampire identity to be exposed.

Now it seemed that his decision back then was absolutely wise. He just needed to endure these remaining months...

Trokka let out a weary sigh.

Just then, his ears suddenly caught the sound of tinkling brook-like chatter. Trokka pressed the Communication Pea and, hearing the voice on the other side, said in surprise, ”Gall? How did you...”

He glanced at the window covered by the curtains and whispered, ”...how did you get to Hogsmeade?”

Trokka wasn’t completely isolated from the world for so long and eventually knew that his nephew and the friends he brought along were all wanted criminals by the Ministry of Magic.

A vampire on the wanted list isn’t really anything new. Trokka had asked Gall and learned that he wasn’t randomly catching innocent passersby for blood, so he decided to shelter his poor nephew but had no plans to bring them into the school where he was employed.

”I had no choice, Uncle Ryan.” Gall, crouching in the dark forest, said with a grimace, ”The entire United Kingdom has Dementors, and this is the only area nearby where there aren’t any. It was difficult for us to escape here!”

He looked at Lockhart, who looked like he was dead, beside him and asked, ”Uncle Ryan, can you send us some money and food? If you have Polyjuice Potion, even better. I want to find a proper place to stay and have a good hot bath...”

Trokka sighed helplessly and said, ”Not now, wait until tonight... I’ll send it all at once tonight.”

”Thank you, Uncle Ryan! I love you! Love you lots and lots!” Gall said happily.

”Just try not to get into any trouble.” Trokka admonished, ”And keep an eye on that friend of yours. If I hear that someone in Hogsmeade suddenly lost their memory...”

”No, definitely not!” Gall assured quickly, ”We will quietly hide here, as harmless as a Puffskein... I swear!”

Trokka snorted, ”You better be.”

In the evening, Lockhart and Gall crouched in the forest, waiting anxiously. When the sky had completely darkened, they finally saw two owls carrying large packages, struggling to fly over.

Gall quickly went out to greet them, and just as he took the package from the owl, someone patted him on the back.

”You’re late, buddy.” A strange man stood behind him, smiling, ”Come on, everyone’s gathered over there.”

Gall was completely confused, ”Do you know me?”

”What? Of course, I don’t know you.” The strange man laughed, ”But I could tell from a mile away that you’re also a vampire...”

While speaking, he looked at Lockhart, crouching nearby with hair down to his shoulders, and couldn’t help but show a happy smile.

”Haha, coming to a gathering for serious business, and you even brought your own food... Well done!”

Lockhart widened his eyes, hastily trying to draw his magic wand, but was suddenly kicked over by Gall.

”Yeah...” Gall forced a smile and said, ”As long as you like it.”

While speaking, several bats flew out of the night sky. As they landed, they turned into human forms, just surrounding Lockhart, putting their hands on his shoulders.

Feeling the coldness behind him, Lockhart dared not move at all.