Professor Vampire.

Chapter 48: What Dumbledore saw in Eris's magic mirror

As time went by, the main courses and desserts of the Christmas feast were gradually consumed.

The feast ended when the afternoon sun had nearly set, leaving the hall in disarray with plates and cups scattered everywhere. But soon, thanks to the house-elves' magic, the hall was restored to its pristine condition. Both professors and students had enjoyed the feast immensely.

After the meal, Harry and the Weasley brothers, having stuffed themselves, went out to the grounds for a snowball fight to digest. They played joyfully for the entire afternoon, reveling in the snowball fight. It wasn't until the sun had completely set and they were freezing that they returned to the common room, their clothes wet from the snow, and warmed themselves by the fire.

It was the happiest Christmas Harry had ever experienced, but there was one thing lingering in his mind.

It was only after getting into bed that he had time to think about it—the shimmering, seemingly water-woven Invisibility Cloak, and the person who had given it to him...

Harry took out the cloak from its plain wrapping again, letting it flow through his hands. It felt smoother than silk and lighter than light itself.

The package also included a note in elegant, beautiful handwriting, telling him that the cloak had once belonged to his father and instructing him to use it well.

Use it well? Harry's heart raced.

An Invisibility Cloak like this was inherently a tool for mischief, perfect for sneaking around, exploring the castle at night!

Who was so keen on getting him to break school rules and even sent such a magical item?

Suddenly, Harry's eyes lit up with excitement.

He realized that with this Invisibility Cloak, Hogwarts was completely open to him! From now on, he and Ron could go on nighttime adventures without being detected! Wearing the cloak, they could go anywhere, and Filch and Snape would never know!

Determined, Harry decided to go out.

While his roommates were asleep, he donned the Invisibility Cloak and quietly left the dormitory.

...

In an abandoned classroom, many old desks and chairs were stacked against the walls, casting large, shadowy forms in the dim candlelight. A turned-over wastebasket in the classroom spilled out many tiny scraps of paper, buried under a thick layer of dust on the floor.

It seemed that this place hadn't been cleaned in a long time.

However, in front of the wall directly facing the entrance, there was an object that seemed out of place, as if someone had temporarily left it there because they had no other place to put it—

It was a grand mirror, reaching up to the ceiling, with a magnificent golden frame supported by two beast-like feet.

In front of the mirror stood two silver-haired figures. One looked quite elderly, while the other appeared much younger, though their actual ages were the opposite.

"Can you tell me why you called me here, Professor Dumbledore?" Dracula glanced at the scenes of global chaos playing out in the mirror, taking a step sideways to avoid its reflection with a somewhat unnatural expression.

"And also, wasn't the Mirror of Erised the final guardian of the Philosopher's Stone you set up? Why has it been moved to this abandoned classroom?"

Dumbledore stood in front of the Mirror of Erised, his gaze absent-mindedly fixed on the images in the mirror.

"Before Harry goes to the fourth floor's forbidden area, I needed a test to see what he truly desires," he said softly. "This is crucial to determine if he can properly utilize his unique advantages and harness the power to defeat his enemies."

"So you had Professor Snape stay up all night and work with Filch to patrol the castle, just to lure Potter into this classroom and let him discover the Mirror of Erised?" Dracula asked in surprise.

He felt an unexpected sympathy for Snape, who was being used as a tool.

Dumbledore nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the mirror's images.

Seeing Dumbledore's focused demeanor, Dracula became intrigued.

A transparent energy quietly emerged from his fingertips, winding around the ancient runes on the Mirror of Erised. Then he slowly gazed at the spotless mirror surface.

Several figures appeared in the mirror. They included a middle-aged man with reddish-brown hair and a full beard, a girl with the same hair color, and an elegant woman. These three appeared affectionate, suggesting they were likely Dumbledore's family.

But what surprised Dracula was the young man who stood apart from Dumbledore's three family members. He had golden hair, blue eyes, and a handsome face with a smug, rebellious smile, looking at the elderly man in the mirror with a sinister grin.

Just as Dracula was about to look closer, the image in the mirror abruptly disappeared.

"Professor Dracula, I think it's rather impolite to spy on others' privacy, don't you?" Dumbledore turned to look at Dracula and said softly.

"Ahem, I was just momentarily curious," Dracula's face stiffened as he was caught in the act of peeking, and he awkwardly cleared his throat.

But he couldn't resist and asked, "So... who is that young man with the golden hair? He seems to have quite a special relationship with you."

Dumbledore paused for a moment, and his expression suddenly turned somewhat melancholic.

"He was just a young man enchanted by summer," Dumbledore replied, his tone distant.

Dumbledore's unusual reaction made Dracula even more curious. He stepped forward, ready to inquire more about the golden-haired youth.

At that moment, Dumbledore seemed to notice something and quickly cast a transparent barrier to hide the two figures on the other side of the mirror, adding a silencing charm for their conversation.

Dracula furrowed his brow and looked at the slightly ajar door of the classroom.

There was no one there, only faint, barely audible footsteps slowly moving towards the abandoned classroom. The sounds of two squelchy, sticky footsteps grew faint—Filch and Snape were leaving.

With his exceptional hearing, Dracula sensed someone quietly slipping into the abandoned classroom where he and Dumbledore were.

His crimson eyes flickered with light as he gradually saw a young wizard cloaked in invisibility making his way to the Mirror of Erised.

"Is that... Potter?" Dracula wondered, looking at the somewhat blurred figure under the cloak and frowning at Dumbledore. "Is the Invisibility Cloak Potter is wearing related to Ignotus Peverell's cloak?"

Typically, Invisibility Cloaks are made from the hides of invisibility beasts or similar spells, and they don't affect Dracula much; he can easily see through them.

However, this Invisibility Cloak Harry had was different.

Dracula didn't immediately notice Harry under the cloak, so he channeled his magical power into his eyes. Even so, Harry's figure was still not very clear.

"Indeed, this is the legendary Deathly Hallow," Dumbledore said calmly, as if it were an ordinary item. "Harry's father had lent it to me for research, and now it has been returned to its rightful owner."

"Quite a big move, Dumbledore," Dracula said with a shake of his head. "Setting up trials and using Deathly Hallows, even testing his character with the Mirror of Erised."

"When did the magical world fall to such a state that a dark wizard's name is too feared to be spoken, and a pitiful child who has lost his parents is relied upon to defeat him?"

He stared intently at Dumbledore, his voice growing colder.