Chapter 40: Vampire Hunter
"Ugh, this doesn't feel authentic at all," Kate complained after finishing her breakfast. She looked around the magically transformed Great Hall, frowning.
The meal had vanished like magic—because it was magic—and while the hall had been decorated, it lacked the spooky vibe she'd expected from a vampire-themed event. No cobwebs, no scurrying mice, not even a bat in sight. Just the occasional flash of thunder and lightning.
"Kate, this is the dining area. It's also marked as a safe zone in the manual. Don't tell me you haven't read it yet?" Alexander asked, exasperated.
"I'm a professional vampire hunter," Kate declared, placing her hands on her hips. "I've read at least ten vampire novels. Who needs a manual?"
Alexander gave her a look like she'd grown an extra head. "Wait... You didn't actually think we'd be fighting vampires with wands, did you?"
"Isn't that the whole point?" Kate asked, suddenly looking a little unsure.
"Vampires are just stage props here—actors. If wizards used actual spells, the whole thing would be over the moment one of them showed up. Unless you're facing a swarm, a vampire isn't a real threat."
Kate's shoulders slumped. "So we can't use spells? Great, I even practiced my Big-Toothed Hex and Ear-Twitching Curse..."
"It's probably for the best. If you could use magic, I'd feel bad for the poor actors," Alexander muttered.
"But," he added, flipping to a new page in the manual, "there is something more exciting."
Kate's eyes lit up as she leaned over to look. The page displayed all kinds of classic vampire-hunting tools: silver weapons, garlic strings, crosses, wooden stakes, and more.
"Where is this? Take me there now!" she exclaimed.
"Just down the corridor to your left," Alexander said. "These are enchanted props, so you can go wild without actually hurting anyone."
"Go, go, go! Sir Kate, ghost hunter and vampire slayer, reporting for duty!"
---
Meanwhile...
I'm Salvatore Stefan, a hardworking vampire—or rather, a blood clan member.
Unlike most of his kind who spent their time lounging around the Vampire Sanctuary, Salvatore had dreams. He wanted fame in the wizarding world, like his idol, The Vampire.
He'd fought hard—using charm, wit, and an admittedly average-looking face—to land a coveted job as an actor for the prestigious Horror Tour. Here, he lived in a castle set and got to role-play as a vampire, chasing thrill-seeking wizards who pretended to be Muggles. A dream job, really.
Lacking a wizard friend like Bloody Ni had in the legendary Elder Walpole, Salvatore decided to become his own author. Each performance was material for a future novel. Maybe one day he'd live in a real castle, eat gourmet blood-flavored lollipops, and open a posh vampire hospital—like some of those American blood clan elites.
Surprisingly, people loved his writing. Fans praised his vivid stories, including one particularly passionate reader who called herself Sir Kate, a self-proclaimed ghost hunter. She often wrote to ask for vampire-hunting tips.
At first, Salvatore had wanted to decline, but she seemed sincere—and besides, what danger could tips pose to a wizard who could defeat vampires with ease?
So, he wrote back, sharing his "professional" advice:
1. Fire or sunlight: While not as deadly as in Muggle novels, both made vampires overheated and sluggish.
2. Silver weapons: Pure silver slowed down healing. Iron could work too, but vampires could recover or even reattach severed limbs. Silver made that impossible.
3. Garlic: Even trained vampires could barely tolerate a bite. A strong enough garlic presence could stop a vampire from transforming into a bat or getting close at all.
4. Other tricks from Muggle fiction, like scattering rice or seeds (vampires feel compelled to count), dog whistles (ineffective), or crosses and Bible verses (utterly useless), were mostly nonsense. Though a strong net could sometimes trap a bat-shifted vampire.
Still, this job gave him inspiration. How could he give that up?
---
Today's group, his hook-nosed colleague warned, were wealthy—a private tour with access to the arsenal. Though the enchanted weapons couldn't cause real harm, they still stung if they hit.
But it was fine. Most tourists had no clue how to use Muggle weapons against vampires.
Still, I've got a good feeling about this, Salvatore thought. Next book title: "Home Alone: Attack of the Vampires."
---
Back at the arsenal, Alexander stared at Kate in disbelief.
To him, a vampire was a joke. Just a creature you could burn or skewer. Even without a wand, he felt confident that one swing of a sword would be enough.
But Kate? She was prepared.
She'd chosen a torch, a net woven with silver, and a garlic necklace.
"Wizards aren't weaker than vampires physically," she explained. "But they do have better reflexes and strength."
"They can shapeshift like Animagi, and they hate silver. Once they see it, they'll turn into bats and vanish into a swarm. That's where the net comes in—better than a sword in that case."
"And if they don't run, the garlic keeps them at bay. The torch lights up blind spots and wards off sneak attacks."
"Alexander, grab the iron shield and silver sword. You're our front line. Don't forget your garlic."
"Oh, and one more thing—we move diagonally, so we can cover each other. Look forward, but always keep me in your peripheral vision."
Alexander blinked. Was she serious?
"Vampire Hunter Squad—let's move out!" Kate announced, striking a pose.
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End of Chapter 40
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