Professor Vampire.

Chapter 6: Professors at Hogwarts

As a school with a long history, teaching at Hogwarts isn't an easy job.

Although the requirements for the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor have been lowered over the decades due to the curse, the basic tasks like grading assignments, writing lesson plans, and creating exams still need to be handled personally by the professors.

However, these simple and repetitive tasks seemed incredibly boring to Dracula.

So, he came up with a plan.

"Are you sure you want to hire Quirrell as your teaching assistant?" Dumbledore asked, while soothing the frightened phoenix Fawkes and looking at the suddenly appearing Dracula with a hint of resignation.

In fact, with his ownership of Hogwarts, Dracula essentially had all the permissions for the castle. The anti-Apparition and various defensive spells here had no effect on him, so he could freely move around every corner of Hogwarts.

His Apparition into the Headmaster's office had startled Fawkes, who was napping.

Dracula casually petted the trembling bird in Dumbledore's arms before sitting down opposite him.

"Of course, I have no interest in doing those boring tasks," he said, while popping a blood-flavored lollipop into his mouth, "You were planning to accept Quirrell's application, weren't you? He should be competent in teaching."

Dracula was quite pleased with his new idea, which would not only free him from those tedious tasks but also allow him to study Quirrell's little secrets up close. Why not?

Dumbledore rubbed his forehead, feeling a bit of a headache as he looked at the somewhat disdainful vampire.

"Honestly, the reputation of Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts course is such that very few serious witches or wizards would be willing to take up the position," he explained seriously. "So, although I'm not very sure about Quirrell's teaching abilities, since he is willing to join, I naturally welcome him."

"And with the school year approaching, we don't have the budget to hire an additional teaching assistant."

"These are minor issues," Dracula said as he bit off the lollipop stick and threw it out the window. "Just allocate half of my salary to Quirrell."

With the wealth accumulated over a millennium, Dracula said grandly, "You can simply write to Quirrell and ask if he is willing to come. As a major stakeholder in Hogwarts, hiring a teaching assistant shouldn't be too much trouble, right?"

Dumbledore had no choice but to pick up a quill and write a hiring letter for Quirrell, which he then sent out with an owl.

Seeing this, Dracula nodded in satisfaction and got up to walk towards the window of the Headmaster's office.

"Wait a moment, Professor Dracula," Dumbledore suddenly called out to him.

Dracula turned around.

"Do you have some time now?" Dumbledore asked. "All the professors are about to arrive. Would you like to join us for a meal in the Great Hall and meet everyone?"

In the end, Dracula decided to head to the Great Hall to meet the professors.

After all, these were his future colleagues, and if things went awry, it wouldn't be convenient for him to enjoy himself at Hogwarts...

With Dumbledore, Dracula descended the rotating stairs from the Headmaster's office on the eighth floor to the fourth floor of the castle, then walked down a long stone staircase after turning around a corner.

"Jumping out of the window is definitely much more convenient," Dracula remarked as he finished another blood-flavored lollipop, feeling bored.

"Professor Dracula, you need to know that you are about to be a formal professor," Dumbledore said with a wry smile. "As a professor, you are supposed to set a good example for the students. If some troublemakers learn to jump out of windows from you, Madam Pomfrey might have complaints."

"Besides, to avoid giving meddlesome parents a reason to criticize Hogwarts, it's best if you hide your vampiric traits. Nicolas told me that you are capable of doing that, unlike other vampires."

"Such a hassle," Dracula said with a grimace.

But for the sake of the upcoming events at Hogwarts, he silently retracted his sharp fangs.

After a moment, the two finally arrived at the entrance of the Great Hall through a wide marble staircase.

As they entered, a tall, slender witch with black hair and wearing a green robe approached them. With a serious expression, she said to Dumbledore:

"Albus, the quality of our staff really needs to be improved. Can you believe it? I almost got hit by a lollipop stick when I was passing through the entrance courtyard, and the students haven't even arrived yet!"

At this complaint from the angrily energetic sixty-year-old witch, Dracula's face stiffened.

He discreetly hid the blood-flavored lollipop he was holding behind his back and burned it to ashes with a dark flame.

"Minerva, I'll remind them to be more careful," Dumbledore said, suppressing a smile as he gestured to Dracula, "This is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Brad Dracula."

"Professor Dracula, this is Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts," he introduced them.

Professor McGonagall then turned to look at Dracula.

Seeing his unusual and unique appearance, a flash of surprise appeared in her eyes.

But she quickly composed herself, offering a polite smile as she extended her hand to Dracula, "Hello, Professor Dracula."

Dracula shook her hand politely in return.

Hearing the commotion, other professors in the Great Hall came out one by one, looking curiously at the "brave soul" who had taken up the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.

Dracula patiently shook hands and greeted these peculiar Hogwarts professors.

The Hogwarts professor lineup was very distinctive—

There was the Ravenclaw Head of House, Professor Flitwick, who was not much taller than a house-elf; the Hufflepuff Head of House, Professor Sprout, wearing a patched-up hat and covered in dirt; and Professor Kettleburn, who was left with only one arm and half a leg...

Apart from the odd line-up, the professors' gazes towards Dracula were filled with faint pity and sympathy. One witch with thick glasses even sighed when she saw Dracula:

"What a handsome man. How did he come to the decision to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"

Hearing her lament, Dracula's mouth twitched.

"Why does it feel like coming here as a professor was a scheme by that old fellow Nicolas?"

He thought to himself.