"I'm doing well, my dear sister," Nolan replied smoothly. "This outing was quite rewarding. Dalric was impressed with my transformation magic, and Baron Dura taught me several tricks to seduce human maidens. His advice is always insightful... If fear fails to control others, stir their desires instead. And I must admit, he's right—virgin blood has an exceptional flavor. Perhaps I'm growing fond of it."
As he spoke, Nolan embraced the raven-haired girl in the crimson gown. The two siblings exchanged a light kiss on the lips.
Countess Eloise Constantine didn't find this odd. Among vampires, who lived for centuries, such behavior was considered normal. Their customs differed vastly from those of humans, and close familial relationships—even among siblings—were not uncommon. According to legend, the parents of these two vampires were full-blooded siblings themselves.
The raven-haired girl smiled brightly, hugging her younger brother tightly and nuzzling against him affectionately. "Oh, my sweet Nolan, I'm so glad you've developed another delightful hobby. If you'd like, you could even bathe in virgin blood."
Nolan gently pushed away his sister's enthusiasm and replied in a calm voice, "I'm not surprised that the Von Draugr family could afford such indulgences, but the best things should remain as rare luxuries. Drinking it daily would make even the most exquisite blood seem mundane. Once that happens, nothing will satisfy my appetite anymore."
The girl smiled indulgently. It seemed that Nolan didn't need to say or do much to brighten her mood—his mere presence was enough.
Her gaze then shifted, and she finally noticed Countess Constantine standing nearby. A look of displeasure crossed her face as her delicate nose wrinkled. "And who is this, Miss Theresa? Another offering?"
Startled, Countess Constantine instinctively took two steps back, trembling like a frightened animal.
The maid who had been stroking Miss Nancy's fur replied calmly, "I don't believe so, Grand Duchess Felicia. She is a countess and holds a prominent position in human society... but who knows?"
"Not an offering, hmm..." Felicia tilted her head thoughtfully, circling the countess twice. Her playful smile only grew as the countess stood frozen, nearly paralyzed with fear. Finally, Felicia asked, "Then what are you here for?"
Bowing deeply, Eloise Constantine pleaded earnestly, "Great and omnipotent progenitor of the fourth generation of the Von Draugr family, I, the humble Eloise Constantine, am your devoted follower. I've come to offer my wealth in exchange for immortality and eternal beauty."
"Oh?" Felicia raised her eyebrows, clapped her hands, and exclaimed with delight, "Did you hear that, Nolan? I have a follower! Am I becoming a god? Have I finally ascended to divinity?"
"No, Sister Felicia," Nolan replied flatly. "I think she's merely flattering you."
Felicia pouted her lips dramatically. "How cruel, Countess Constantine! Are you toying with a young girl's innocence?"
Before the countess could protest, Nolan interjected, "She's probably just grateful, thinking it's fortunate that you're a vampire with a less-than-sharp mind."
"What?!" Felicia's anger flared as her fangs gleamed. She turned to Eloise, her voice sharp. "How dare you imply I'm not intelligent! I've lived for five centuries, and no one has ever called me dull!"
"That's because anyone who did is now dead, dear Felicia," Nolan remarked indifferently. He glanced at the pale and trembling countess before continuing, "But this woman isn't without merit. She's beautiful enough to enrich your collection. Perhaps you should grant her a bit of your blood—your capacity for creating undead kin is far from exhausted, is it not?" He sniffed lightly and added, "Though it's a pity she doesn't seem to be a virgin. Otherwise, I might've wanted a taste myself."
Felicia's fury evaporated in an instant, replaced by a cheerful grin. She nodded eagerly. "Since it's your suggestion, Nolan, I'll accept!"
Eloise Constantine was overjoyed. She hadn't expected such a twist of fate, but it seemed she would indeed join the ranks of the vampires and gain the eternal beauty she desired.
She bowed deeply toward Nolan to express her gratitude, only to see him stride up the stairs without so much as a glance in her direction. Within moments, he disappeared from view.
Grand Duchess Felicia also vanished shortly after, though not before instructing Miss Theresa to prepare the countess for dinner.
And thus, the enigmatic siblings—the true masters of the manor—were gone, leaving an air of both dread and excitement lingering behind.
Not long after, both siblings vanished without a trace.
The sudden abandonment in the sprawling manor left Countess Constantine feeling uncomfortably out of place. She looked helplessly toward Miss Theresa, the maid, and Miss Nancy, the black cat.
"You'll get used to it," Miss Theresa said coldly.
Meanwhile, Miss Nancy yawned and stretched languidly. "That's just how vampires are. They're all about mystique and theatrics, often disappearing for years at a time. Some of them even sleep in their coffins so long they lose track of time, and when they wake up, a hundred years have passed. Thank goodness Nolan and Felicia aren't like that."
"I think you should address them as Your Highness or Master, Miss Nancy," Theresa interjected sharply.
"Ugh, maid, you're so annoying!"
Meanwhile, Nolan returned to his own roochom somewhere in the manor.
A faint hissing noise greeted him as a small white snake, about 20 centimeters long, slithered toward him. It coiled around his wrist like a bracelet.
Gently stroking the cool, smooth scales, Nolan murmured, "Ah, I'm back, Sheila. I'm sorry I left you at home. The maiden hunt was strictly for fledgling vampires, and you know how volatile they can be. Honestly, I even ended up fighting Borgnart's second son. He transformed into a bear and almost clawed me. I'm glad I didn't bring you along to face such danger."
The little white snake hissed softly, circling his wrist twice before flicking its icy tongue to lick his skin.
"Ah, so cold… Haha, Sheila, I know you're happy, but stop licking me, will you?"
Just then, a rustling sound of flapping wings came from outside the window. Nolan frowned curiously and opened it, only to see a dark brown owl flutter inside.
The owl circled Nolan twice before dropping a letter in front of him. With an air of self-importance, it perched on top of a nearby coffin, as if basking in the glory of completing its mission.
"An owl? A wizard's messenger?" Nolan muttered, examining the letter. "What could a wizard possibly have to say to me?"
While vampires and wizarding families like his weren't exactly sworn enemies, their relationship was far from friendly.
A decade ago, when the Dark Lord rose to power and the Death Eaters ran rampant, many rogue vampires had joined his ranks. After the war, the wizards hadn't dared to imprison these terrifying creatures in Azkaban. Who could say what ties might exist between Dementors and vampires, after all?
-------------
P.S. Have you added this to your collection yet?
Nolan ignored the owl and glanced at the letter.
The envelope was written in dark green ink:
Randall Gorge, Sistine Manor, Third Floor, First Coffin, Mr. Nolan Von Draugr.
"Well, that's strange. How do wizards know the name of the manor?" Nolan muttered irritably, feeling that his family's privacy had been invaded. Just as he was about to tear open the envelope, he paused. There was a crest on the seal, a magnificent "H," surrounded by lions, snakes, honey badgers, and eagles.
"Hogwarts?"
As someone familiar with the magical world, Nolan instantly recognized the crest. It belonged to the largest wizarding school in the UK, Hogwarts, where almost every wizard in the country attended.
"How enthusiastic. Their clever minds and insatiable collection habits are finally dissatisfied with recruiting werewolves and goblins. Now they're setting their sights on us, the bloodlines…"
He pulled out the contents of the envelope, revealing high-quality parchment with dark green magical ink. It read:
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Albus Dumbledore
"Oh, of course, Albus Dumbledore, you old fool, the greatest of this century."
Dear Mr. Nolan Von Draugr,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed herewith you will find a list of required books and supplies. The term begins on September 1st. We eagerly await your owl by July 31st to receive your reply.
There was also a smaller note at the bottom:
If Mr. Von Draugr has any questions regarding his acceptance, please consult the great Lady Felicia. We sincerely hope she will persuade you to attend Hogwarts.
Also, please convey my regards to Lady Felicia.
Yours faithfully,
Albus Dumbledore
The next page contained a list of books and supplies:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:
Uniforms First-year students require:
- Three sets of plain, dark-colored robes.
- A plain, everyday pointed hat.
- A pair of dragon hide gloves.
- A winter cloak.
Note: All students must have their names labeled on their clothing.
Books:
All students are required to have the following books:
- Standard Spellbook by Miranda Tonshaco
- History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
- Magical Principles by Adapoth Wofulin
- Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emerick Twei
- One Thousand Magical Plants and Fungi by Felida Supor
- Potioning Magic by Ascenis Giger
- Magical Creatures' Tracks by Newt Scamander
- Dark Magic—Self-Protection Guide by Quentin Chamber
Other Supplies:
A wand, a cauldron, a set of glass or crystal bottles, a pair of binoculars, a brass scale, and students may bring an owl, a cat, or a toad.
Nolan stared at the parchment, as though it held a portrait of his father's killer, silent for a long while.
After a long pause, he finally sneered and muttered, shaking with laughter, "Dumbledore actually expects a vampire to buy Magical Creatures' Tracks? A dark magical creature buying Dark Magic—Self-Protection Guide? Hey, Sheila, can you think of anything funnier than this in the entire century?"
The little white snake hissed, tapping the last line with its tail, seemingly annoyed that it wasn't mentioned as a permissible pet.
Nolan gently rubbed its tongue with his fingertip and murmured, "Don't worry, I'll take you with me no matter what. Dumbledore seems to be convinced I'll become one of his ridiculous wizards, walking around in ugly robes and a silly pointed hat every day. He must have some reason for thinking that…"
"Reason?"
Felicia, groggy from being woken up by her brother, climbed out of her coffin, rubbing her sleepy eyes. She let out a loud yawn before throwing herself onto Nolan, mumbling drowsily, "Don't worry about reasons. Sister is still so tired. Oh, look! I just noticed something! It's a coffin that can fit two vampires. But, well, a tall vampire would fill it up on their own, right? But look, look! This coffin can perfectly fit me, the slim Felicia, and my cute little brother. Isn't that fascinating?"
Nolan coldly pushed Felicia away as she kissed him on the lips, causing her to pout and plop down onto the floor with a soft "hmpf." He sighed, "If you can solve my problem, I might not mind sleeping with you for a month, Felicia."
"Really?" Felicia squealed in joy, jumping around the room like a child, despite being five hundred years old.
"Ah, the situation is actually quite simple."
Finally, the Grand Duchess Felicia, who had led the vampire race in England for over three centuries, spoke up.
When Voldemort rose to power, he tried to recruit vampires.
However, Albus Dumbledore, the white wizard and Voldemort's enemy, tried to persuade vampires not to serve the Dark Lord.
At the time, the shrewd businesswoman, Felicia, proposed a condition: if the Von Draugr family sided with the white wizards, they should be compensated.
Her demand was for magic, the kind wizards possessed.
Typically, vampires' greatest strength was their physical prowess. Though they greatly admired the dazzling magic of wizards, most vampires lacked the talent to be wizards. Even if a vampire occasionally had the potential to become one, the Von Draugr family couldn't provide the proper education.
So, Felicia and Dumbledore struck a deal: The Von Draugr family would not join Voldemort's side, and when a vampire with wizarding talent was born into the family, Hogwarts would actively invite them to enroll and help them become a competent wizard.
It was a deal that ensured success—after all, no matter how powerful he was, Voldemort couldn't touch the true Dark Lord. The Von Draugr family's role was just to stay out of the dogfight between the wizarding world factions. And in fact, a year after the agreement was signed, Voldemort made the foolish mistake of using the Killing Curse on a baby, ultimately causing his own downfall.
By the way, Voldemort's self-destruction had been a running joke at the Von Draugr family's gatherings for the past decade.
Nolan looked into Felicia's jet-black eyes. "So, in other words, me attending Hogwarts to study is your wish, Felicia?"
Felicia's expression turned serious, and for once, she spoke in a grave tone. "This is for the eternal continuation of our race, my dear Nolan. The world is heading into an age of decline. Muggles are growing stronger, and I can already see the coming collapse of the wizarding world. Before that happens, we must make a change. We have already overcome the weakness of sunlight, but silver can still kill us. We are not eternal, Nolan."
Nolan held Felicia's hand, feeling that these were words from her heart, words that she would rarely speak in her lifetime.
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