"I will not stand for this!" Carmilla yelled, her voice bouncing loudly off the high walls of the castle. Dracula sat there on his ancient throne slumped over, bored. "You old fool - "
"Careful, Carmilla." Godbrand said placing a hand on her shoulder trying to quell her anger, but the vampire only shrugged it off and stormed up the stairs to where Dracula sat.
"No, I will not be silent as our great lord plans to go on some great journey, out west no less, a plan so idiotic that a dumb whore wouldn't agree to it." Carmilla stopped just in front of him, towering over him, her shadow casting him into darkness. Nothing but pure hatred and loathing looked down on him.
"I'm warning you Carmilla, listen to Godbrand. My word is final."
"Final?" Carmilla laughed "Maybe these other fools are too scared to speak out but I am not and if you think i'm just going to sit back and condone this moronic endeavour you are sadly...mistaken."
Carmilla turned to the two men standing directly behind the throne. The only two humans in the whole castle. Two Humans - creatures so insufficient that they didn't deserve to hear the sound of her voice - yet somehow they managed to become his advisors. A position honored above all others. Above her.
"They told me you started keeping pets, but they didn't tell me you actually started listening to them as well."
Isaac slowly walked forward. "My Lady perhaps now is not the place, maybe this conversation can be had in-"
Carnilla cut him off "Or perhaps you started listening to that thing you call a wife." the crowd around them grasped, but Carmilla paid them no mind. "I mean even Godbrand's been known to fuck pig every now and then but even he does-"
Dracula's hand was around her throat before she could finish, his claws dug deep into the flesh. Dark red blood flowed easily in between his fingers, collecting in a small pool below her. Slowly he lifted her off her feet as if she weighed nothing, she kicked her legs wildly and grabbed at his arms but she couldn't break free. Dracula looked her in her eyes as she did and was happy to see them fill with fear as she realized just how utterly helpless she was.
"You stupid cow have you not learned that you live and rule as you do only because I allow it! Not because I have deemed you worthy but because I have deemed it less work to allow you to throw tantrums and walk around with an unearned sense of superiority." Dracula tightened his grip on her, the bone underneath loudly beginning to crack from the pressure "And knowing all this, despite my generosity, you come into my home and question me and my choices in front of my council. You insult my wife!". Dracula continued to squeeze the vampire until - crunch.
Dracula released her and she hit the floor, limp like some doll. Godbrand and a few of the guards rushed to her. "Leave her!" Dracula yelled his voice reaching every inch of the enormous castle. "No ones' to help her. Hopefully the pain will teach her a lesson she desperately needs to learn." Dracula took one last look at the creature on the floor before turning and leaving the room.
Issac and Hector followed closely behind him. "I did try to prevent that from taking place." Issac said once they were safely away from the other vampires.
"People like Carmillia only respond to one thing." Hector told him.
"Not people." Issac reminded him.
"Yeah whatever, it's all the same. What I'm saying is sometimes reason and logic doesn't work."
They walked through the castle in silence until they got to his solar. Dracula took his seat by the fireplace. Issac and Hector stood next to the door. "My lord." Issac said behind him.
Dracula signed, he was exhausted. "Yes my friend."
"I'm afraid I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't again bring up my own concerns with you being away from the castle for so long. The underworld is in disarray. There are many who wish to challenge your position, threats known and unknown. And I fear that situation with Carmilla earlier has only made it worse. It would be wiser if you were to stay here until all usurpers are dealt with."
The underworld is in disarray, those words played over and over in his head. And who do you think is responsible? Dracula thought. If only he had said no all those years ago. I was a foolish man then and now we'll all reap what I sowed.
"Yes, I get your concern but this must be done…some wrongs cannot go unpunished. No, I must make things right. As for your concerns I've decided to place my son Alucard in charge of the castle while I'm gone. He's powerful, he should be able to protect the place in my absence."
"Yes, Alucard is powerful but is he really capable of- "
Someone knocked on the door behind them. "I've made up my mind on the matter. "He said in a tone that meant there was to be no more discussion. He was tired of his positions being questioned by everyone. Especially when he questioned them himself. "Let my wife and son inside." he told them as he rose from his chair and reassembled the Carpathian Mirror from the shards on the floor. Once assembled it reflected a small old woman with thin glasses dressed in green robes. She was seated behind a desk, focused on a large sack of parchment infront of her.
"Is that her?" Lisa asked him as she entered the room. "The witch?"
"Yes." Dracula turned away from the mirror and to his wife, Lisa. His heart if he ever truly had one. She came over and held him, "Say goodbye to your son." she whispered into his ear. Dracula's gaze went from her to his Alucard who was standing a few feet away, studying the mirror.
"She seems lovely." Alucard said, looking at the witch as she wrote something down.
His son looked like his mother in every way. His soft and welcoming face, whereas his was hard and imposing. The other vampires will try to influence him he knows but he must rule someday.
Dracula held his hand out for his wife. "Ready?" Lisa looked him in the eye with fury but did take his hand. Dracula took one last look at the room, his eyes once again landed on Alucard. For a brief moment he felt immense shame wash over him. Because of him his son was thrust into his position, burden with responsibility too great, before his time. He'll need to be smart to kill the wolves that will encircle him.
"Hector, Issac." each snapping to attention at the sound of their names. "I want to be kept fully informed on the goings on in the castle." Both nodded their heads, and with that Dracula and his wife stepped through the mirror and out onto the hard stone floor of the witch's office.
The room was much larger than he had first though. It seemed to be broken into two parts. The half that stood in now was filled with glass displays that were spaced throughout the room, slowly he and his wife made their way around looking at the magical artifacts.
The witch still hadn't noticed them by the time they made it back to where they started. Lisa cleared her throat, causing the old woman to jump out her seat "For the love of Merlin!" she yelled.
"Sorry, I never meant to frighten you." Lisa apologized. The witch did not respond, instead she stared at them confused. "Lisa Tepes." she said smiling. "I believe you and my husband have exchanged letters."
"Oh yes." She said sobering up and walked over to them and shook Lisa's hand "Pleased to meet you, Minerva McGonagall. Headmistress of Hogwarts." Her eyes shifted over to him "And you must be-"
"Vlad Dracula Tepes" he introduced himself, bowing deep "Pleased to finally make your acquaintance."
The witch's heart skipped a beat at the sound of his name "Well Yes. Let's get started, no need to wait." The three of them walked back over to her desk and sat. A large window had been carved into the stone to let in the pale moonlight. Hung up around the window was numerous portraits of men and women each dressed similarly to the women in front of him. Some in the portraits posed while others stared directly forward. It took him a moment to realize but all of their painted eyes were pointed at him. Witches and their games. He scanned the paintings one more time for someone but couldn't find him.
"Alright why don't we start with you Lisa." she continued "Your reputation as a healer precedes you and I think you'll be a great fit for the school. This war has taken so much from us. We've already done enough fighting, it's time we learned to heal instead. I think the children deserve that."
"Yes, I agree. There is way too much violence in this world. It longs for peace."
"Good, like I said earlier I think you'll be a good fit. You're teaching advanced potions so you'll mostly be with the seventh year, a couple eighth years thrown in too, so you shouldn't have a problem with the students.
"Good, I was hoping I would be able to really connect with them while i'm here."
"That's good. However, it's still my job to remind you that your appointment was met with opposition from those within the ministry."
"Opposition to my wife or to me." Dracula asked.
"Both." Mcgonagall said bluntly "I would be lying if I said you weren't the biggest issue Mr. Tepes. But as it so happens Hogwarts is still a school for the magically gifted, and your wife is human. I hope you can see where the problem lies."
Dracula tried his best to restrain his anger. Lisa calmly placed a hand on his arm "I never meant to cause any trouble."
"Well no one means to cause trouble dear… even so let me be the first to officially welcome you to Hogwarts." Mcgonagall turned to Dracula. "Which leaves the two of us."
"Let me be the first to tell you Mr. Tepes, that you may have been thrown on to me but you are not welcome here. Already the staff is acting like a bunch of terrified kittens, the ones I've told anyway."
"Just the staff? Are you not afraid of me, headmistress?"
Mcgonagall crossed her arms over her chest "No. Now I will not put the lives of my children at risk while you're here. Tell me exactly what you are looking for and its nature."
It would be much easier if i just killed you, wouldn't it? But that's not an option. Drucala signed, he needed to be here. "What I'm looking for is a Ring of Osiris." That cursed red ring that he had given up so much for to earn. He looked over at this wife, wondering just how much it would cost him this time around.
"Oh." McGonagall said shocked.
"So you've heard of them."
"I've read about them years ago." the witch admitted.
"And how much do you know about the origins of these devices?"
"Just the basics, That the Cult of Osiris was an organization that worshipped Osiris. Apparently the God himself met with his worshippers and created rings of- wait are you actually telling me the stories are true?
"Wasn't I nothing more than a figment of your pitiful mortal mind a few months ago, headmistress?"
The witch didn't respond right away. "And what business do you have with them?"
"An old evil has awakened in the east. Older and stronger than I am now and it's only a matter of time before he sets his sights on the rings. I mean to destroy them if possible."
"He? Who is this great evil that you speak of."
"Malachi Beneventi, my mentor. A vampire of unparalleled strength. I thought him dead these last few centuries, but I was mistaken he wasn't dead just hiding. Now he means to take advantage of the chaos left by your war and gather his strength, then he means to strike against me and my kingdom."
"This seems like this is a rather big problem - for you. How i see it, it would be smarter on my part to keep the both of you from obtaining these artifacts."
"He will come for the rings first before anything. You can't not defeat him." Dracula told her simply, he was growing tired of this conversation.
They sat in silence once more as McGonagall took in all the information she just heard. "Okay, I will allow it for the moment. However, there are some rules you must follow. You will not have full access to the castle and you are to only move about during the night, after student curfew. It is absolutely important that no one knows you are here."
"That can be managed."
"Well, I can't believe this but welcome to Hogwarts Mr. Tepes." Mcgonagall said, rising from her seat and leading them to the door. She opened the door to a dark empty hallway, quickly she dug into her sleeve and pulled out a long thin stick. She flicked it lazily. A moment later a shining suit of amour came staggering into view.
"You're living quarters will be on the upper levels of the castle, if you'd just follow him, he'll take you straight there."
"Thank you again." Lisa said as they stepped into the corridor. "It was lovely to meet you."
Mcgonagall managed a weak nod and smirk before slowly closing the door on them. The possessed suit of amour began walking away from them, so they followed closed behind.
"You need to treat him better." Lisa said.
The Knight stopped in front of their chambers .
"Who?" Dracula asked
"You're son."
Dracula signed "He is no longer a boy, he doesn't need to be treated like one."
"No what your son needs is the love of his father. I know he's half vampire but he's also human too. He needs love, we can't live without it."
Lisa walked through the threshold, he began to follow behind her but a hand on his chest stopped him. He looked up and his wife but she was hiding her face from him.
Slowly she closed the door on him and left him alone in the empty hallway.