27: Traveling with the Vampire Grand Duchess

Malcolm muttered with dissatisfaction, "How come I didn't know about this?"

"Because you were stuck in the fish tank with the turtles as roommates for an entire week. Of course, you wouldn't know anything!" Miles retorted sharply. "But everyone knows that Nolan has the most beautiful sister ever. Witches think Nolan will grow up to be just as good-looking as her. Plus, he's rich, smart, skilled in combat, and most importantly, he's the type to step in and protect a girl when she's in danger." Miles lowered his voice, looking a little downcast. "I can't do that."

Montague patted Miles on the shoulder. "Cheer up. Not everyone can be that brave. Nolan's always been special."

...

Although Nolan's injuries had healed the same day, he didn't return to classes until three days later.

Miles was thrilled at Nolan's return; it meant he no longer had to share a dorm with just Malcolm. The two of them couldn't stand each other, and their mutual silence was driving Miles insane.

On Halloween, Professor McGonagall tasked her Transfiguration class with changing white feathers into blue ones. By the end of the lesson, only Nolan had succeeded perfectly. The others managed feathers that were less than ideal—Fred and George Weasley turned theirs into fluffy chicken feathers, while Miles somehow transformed his into a fully roasted chicken.

Though Professor McGonagall looked like she wanted to commend him for creativity, Miles himself was so bewildered by the outcome that she decided to save the compliments for another time.

After class, Eve hurriedly packed up her books and dashed out of the room. It seemed she wasn't planning on attending the Halloween feast.

Recently, Nolan had noticed that Eve seemed to avoid him. She used to follow him around constantly like a shadow, but now she kept her distance.

Nolan found this puzzling, though he wasn't one to dig too deeply into such mysteries.

"Mr. Von Draugr, do you have time this evening?"

Professor McGonagall was tidying up the feathers used in the lesson, turning them back to white to prepare them for practice sessions with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. She asked Nolan this as she worked.

"Sorry, Professor McGonagall, I have to meet Felicia tonight. She said she had something important to discuss with me," Nolan replied softly.

Professor McGonagall's mouth opened slightly as if something had dawned on her. "I see, Mr. Draugr. No need to apologize. We can save the Transfiguration experiment for another time—you'll be at Hogwarts for a long while yet."

Recently, Professor McGonagall had become notably friendlier toward Nolan. He didn't know why, but everything seemed to be heading in a positive direction.

As Nolan sped through the hallways, he polished off a packet of quick blood sugar gummies for dinner before heading to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom to find his sister.

"Felicia, where are you?"

"Oh, dear Nolan, I'm inside. But unless you're okay with ruining your pretty robes, you might not want to come in!" Felicia's weak voice called from inside the room. It was quite some time before she finally emerged, covered head to toe in a fine white powder.

Nolan cupped Felicia's small face in his hands, inspecting her carefully. "Felicia, what were you doing just now?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, just a little project," Felicia said with an awkward laugh, scratching her head with some frustration. "I was preparing training opponents for the senior wizards. Their progress has been so remarkable that ordinary magical creatures aren't enough for them anymore. So this time, I captured a stray vampire. But the thing was completely unruly—screaming and even threatening me. I had no choice but to pierce its heart with a silver blade."

She cheerfully watched as Nolan used Hurricane Sweep to clear away the dust in the room while continuing to chatter. "Why do vampires turn to ash when they die? Would it be so hard for them to leave behind an obedient corpse instead?"

Nolan raised an eyebrow. "You wanted an adult vampire to fight those little wizards? Your Defense Against the Dark Arts class would turn into a massacre. It's a good thing you killed him, or Dumbledore would have expelled us for sure."

Felicia playfully clung to Nolan, wrapping her arms around his small frame and nuzzling him. "Okay, okay, I get it! Next time, I'll pick something safer, hmm? Like a Minotaur?"

Nolan seemed ready to say something more, but Felicia silenced him with a kiss. It was a long moment before she pulled away, laughing softly. "Little Nolan, have you noticed your vampire abilities growing stronger recently?"

"Maybe a little," Nolan admitted.

"Hehe, that's because your age is increasing. A vampire's power accumulates bit by bit, but it's a rapid process. If you don't release some of it now, your body might not be able to keep up with the growth. Hmm... it's time to create your next 'Deathkin!'"

In the Von Draugr family, vampires referred to their Deathkin as their bonded kin, not servants but lifelong companions—family.

A vampire's strength was largely determined by how many Deathkin they had. When the time was right, vampires would leave their nests to seek out talented Muggles, wizards, or even magical creatures. They would drain their blood, infuse their own, and transform them into kin to enhance their power.

Felicia currently had thirteen Deathkin—fourteen if the newly added Countess Constantine was included. Nolan, still a young vampire, only had one so far. But now, he was finally ready to create his second.

That evening, with Dumbledore's permission, Nolan and Felicia used Floo Powder to leave Hogwarts.

Vampires had their own methods of transportation, usually transforming into flying creatures or turning into mist. However, Felicia wasn't interested in those traditional ways. She was enamored with the convenience of wizarding tools, just as her younger brother was obsessed with video games.

...

In London, the fireplace of an abandoned, secluded house suddenly flared with violet flames. From the fire, ashes whirled before coalescing into the form of a stunning, pale-skinned beauty with jet-black hair. She wore a flowing gown, long gloves, and vivid purple lipstick, her presence radiant and striking. Stepping out of the hearth, she extended a hand to pull her brother through.

Nolan sniffed the air, then said decisively, "There's a polluted stench in the air. This is London."

"My clever little brother," Felicia cooed.

"Don't tease me, Felicia." Nolan frowned, shaking his head slightly. "You want me to pick a Muggle for my Deathkin? I think magical creatures are far stronger than Muggles."

Felicia laughed, her voice lilting. "Oh, dear Nolan, how did you figure that out? Of course, I'll let you choose a magical creature if that's what you want. But for now, this candidate is perfect…"

~~~----------------------

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