Dark Deals: The Vampire Who Owns Hogwarts

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"Harry, if you're observant enough, you may recognize this handwriting. Yes, I was the one who gave you the Invisibility Cloak…"

Harry's eyes widened as he read the words. His heartbeat quickened as he lowered the letter, his fingers tightening around the parchment. Who would give him such a priceless gift for Christmas?

"I know you may think that an Invisibility Cloak is only useful for sneaking around and breaking school rules. But its purpose extends far beyond that. It can be used for far more important things."

"I recently received alarming news: Quirinus Quirrell, the assistant professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, has fallen under the Dark Lord's influence. He is attempting to steal something of great value, hidden deep within the restricted area of the castle. Worse still, he may have already gained enough power to bypass its protections. That's why I'm entrusting you with the Invisibility Cloak. You must reach the restricted area before him and stop him before it's too late!"

Harry's hands trembled slightly as he reread the letter. His chest tightened. The words felt heavy—too heavy for him to bear alone.

"Harry, are you playing or not? If you back out now, you'll be a sore loser!" Ron's voice snapped him back to reality.

"There's no time for chess!" Harry burst out, unable to contain himself. "Someone warned me that Quirrel is planning to steal something valuable. He might be after the Philosopher's Stone right now. "

Ron blinked. "What? That stuttering mess of a professor wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone?" He reached out and placed a hand on Harry's forehead. "Mate, are you feeling okay? Did losing at chess mess with your head? Or is this about exam stress? Maybe we should take a break—get some fresh air or something."

"I'm serious!" Harry insisted, waving the letter in front of Ron. "Someone sent me this! They know what Quirrell is planning!"

"Ron, that pervert Quirrell's stammering and cowardice are just an act!" Hermione suddenly snapped, standing up from behind her pile of books. She snatched the letter from Harry and began reading it, her face contorted with anger. "If he can fake being a nervous wreck, he can definitely fool the professors into underestimating him!"

Harry and Ron exchanged wary glances, startled by Hermione's sudden outburst.

"But there's no signature," Ron pointed out, peering at the letter over Hermione's shoulder. "What if it's a prank? And why wouldn't this person just tell Dumbledore instead of writing to you, a first-year student?"

"If it's a prank, why send me an actual Invisibility Cloak?" Harry countered. "Maybe they believe I can stop Voldemort because I defeated him before..." His voice trailed off, and his shoulders sagged. "But they don't know that I'm just a kid who can't even pass his first-year exams..."

"Don't say that, Harry," Hermione reassured him. "But you're right—this is serious. And we don't have to deal with it alone. We should take this letter straight to Dumbledore. He'll know what to do."

Harry hesitated, then nodded firmly.

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The three of them soon ran into a problem—

No one had ever told them where Dumbledore lived, and no student had ever been taken to see him directly.

"Let's go to Professor McGonagall," Hermione suggested. "She'll know where he is."

Professor McGonagall was in her office, surrounded by towering stacks of parchment. She barely glanced up as they entered.

"What are you three doing here?"

Harry and Ron exchanged nervous looks, their eyes darting toward the overwhelming pile of ungraded homework.

"Ma'am, we would like to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said confidently.

Professor McGonagall finally looked up, arching an eyebrow. "And why, exactly, do you need to see the Headmaster?"

Harry hesitated.

"It's... a secret." The words slipped out before he could stop them.

McGonagall's expression hardened. Her nostrils flared slightly.

"Professor Dumbledore left about ten minutes ago," she said crisply. "An urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic arrived, and he had to leave for London immediately."

"He left?" Harry repeated, his stomach sinking. "At this time?"

"Dumbledore is a very busy man, Potter," McGonagall said, her voice clipped. "His responsibilities extend far beyond this castle."

"But this is very important!" Harry protested.

McGonagall pursed her lips. "Do you really believe your concerns outweigh an emergency at the Ministry of Magic?"

"Yes!" Harry blurted out. "Professor, it's about the Philosopher's Stone—"

McGonagall's quill froze mid-sentence.

"How do you know about the Philosopher's Stone?" she demanded.

"Professor, someone wrote to Harry," Hermione quickly explained, stepping forward. "The letter says that Quirrell is planning to steal the Stone. We have to warn Dumbledore!"

She conveniently left out the part about their own research on Nicolas Flamel. Instead, she subtly signaled for Harry to hand over the letter.

Professor McGonagall took it, her eyes scanning the parchment.

But none of them noticed something odd—

As she held the letter, the handwriting on the page shifted. Within seconds, the words changed, rearranging themselves into a different font and completely different content.

Now, the letter made only a vague mention of Quirrell and the Dark Lord. Any reference to the Invisibility Cloak had vanished.

McGonagall frowned. "Professor Dumbledore will return tomorrow," she said finally. "And I assure you, the Stone is perfectly safe. The protections around it are impenetrable."

"But, Professor—" Harry tried again.

"Potter, do not be taken in by childish pranks," McGonagall interrupted firmly. "There have been some rather unpleasant rumors about Professor Quirrell lately, and while I do not approve of his behavior, that does not justify baseless accusations."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood their ground.

McGonagall sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. I will inform Dumbledore the moment he returns. Satisfied?"

It was clear that she was growing impatient, and there was no way they would reach Dumbledore tonight.

Defeated, they nodded and left the office.

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As soon as they stepped into the corridor, Hermione turned to them, her voice urgent.

"Quirrell is probably going to act tonight," she whispered. "It's too much of a coincidence that Dumbledore was called away at just the right moment!"

"But without Dumbledore being here , and with McGonagall refusing to believe us, what do we do?" Ron asked, looking worried.

Harry's mind raced. Then, suddenly, he grabbed Ron and Hermione by the arms and started leading them down another hallway at a hurried pace.

"Then we find someone who will believe us."

Ron frowned. "Who?"

Harry turned back to them, determination blazing in his eyes.

"Let's go find Professor Dracula."

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