AN: A concern about possible pairings was brought up in a review and I just want to let my readers know that Alucard is very unlikely to have romantic interactions in this story...at all. This fic has no official plan in my books so if anybody has suggestions, please tell me and I will be very likely to work them in somewhere. I own nothing.
A big thank you to Axel (I really appreciate the suggestions – many of which had never crossed my mind – I will definitely work in some of them, Thorfaxdragonkin, and Chibi Orochi-kun for the reviews
Massive doors creaked open slowly and black fog billowed from the crack seeping along the ground and blanketed the floor. Enchanted candles flickered leaving the room with only faulty lighting as even the magic keeping them lit seemed to be affected. The wavering light illuminated black forms slithering and crawling along the floor underneath the mist.
Finally, the malevolent darkness proved too much for the candles and the room plunged into darkness. Some of the students scream as they feel their survival instincts cry out for them to flee from the aura of danger but they're paralyzed in their seats from fear of this unknown.
In the endless pitch darkness red eyes open all around them and provide minimal light, but no comfort, to the terrified students. Silence descended on the room as the students instinctually attempt to hide from the emerging darkness and dull thudding footsteps echo in the massive hall.
Suddenly, all the darkness gathered towards the center of the hall and coalesced into a figure, one that seemed to belong in the shadows that it brought with it as it walked. Even as the students felt the relief from the light returning they wondered if it would have been better if the darkness had stayed and the man had not emerged.
The first thing most students noticed about him was his toothy smirk that contained far too many teeth. The eyes offered no comfort either as they were covered by round yellow sunglasses that glinted menacingly in the dim light from the shadows covering the face. A floppy wide brimmed red hat shadowed the majority of the man's face and messy shoulder length black hair seemed almost to be an extension of the shadows.
A flamboyant long red coat was worn over a white silk dress shirt and simple black pants. Black ridering boots covered his pants to the knee and white gloves with a mysterious red symbol on the backs seemed to complete the menacing ensemble.
Students near the new defense teacher cringed away from the presence as he stalked towards the teachers' table at the front of the great hall. The professors cast weary eyes on their new peer as he neared. Only Dumbledore appeared unaffected but the mischievous glint in his eyes betrayed his thoughts as Alucard sat next to him in the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's seat.
After recovering from her initial weariness from such a man Umbridge glared at the newcomer already disliking the dramatic entrance of the new professor and plotting a way to remove him from Hogwarts.
"Really knows how to make an entrance, doesn't he," Harry whispered to Hermione and Ron.
"Bloody git, he's gonna be as bad as Snape I bet," Ron whispered.
"Certainly has the look down," Harry whispered back sniggering.
"You don't know him at all, how can you already judge him?" Hermione nearly snarled, then continued thoughtfully, "Doesn't something seem off about him, though?"
"Naw, he's just a Slytherin type," Ron answered, rolling his eyes. Hermione looked ready to respond but Dumbledore stood and clapped his hands to get the attention of the gossiping students.
"There is a time for speeches, but this is not it," Dumbledore announces saying a few gibberish words and causing massive amounts of food to appear on the tables, "tuck in!"
Ron immediately dives for the food, stuffing grotesque amounts of food into his mouth as fast as possible. Hermione looked appalled but Harry didn't seem to care, taking a more reasonable amount of food and eating far more politely.
After a while of eating Harry spoke up, "So Hermione, why do you suppose the ministry is imposing a High Inquisitor."
"Fudge sees Dumbledore as a threat to his position," she responds.
Harry considers this for a moment, "But why now?" he almost ponders to himself.
"I've heard that he wanted to instate her as the DADA teacher but couldn't. He seems to think that Dumbledore is trying to raise some kind of army of students."
Harry looked at her unbelievingly, "Seriously? He has Aurors and stuff, what does he want to control Hogwarts for?"
She rolls her eyes, "He's paranoid, and Dumbledore could be a real threat to his position."
Ron finally seems to realize something, "Whht, hhaig ulbbln ee ulbht errr…"
"Ron! Swallow first!" Hermione chastises, unable to witness any more.
Ron gulps down the mouthful and speaks again, "Why couldn't he put her in the DADA position?"
"I don't know. From what I heard about the new position, it could be some political reason."
"But Fudge is the Minister of Magic, how could somebody have forced his hand like that?" Harry asks.
"He couldn't be seen openly opposing Dumbledore for no reason. Had Dumbledore not had a professor chosen Fudge could have imposed a teacher for 'the good of Hogwarts' but with a teacher in place, he has to prove that teacher is incapable before removing him. That and the Ministry is not the only agency with political power in the world."
Harry shrugged, "Still, I don't like the new professor. He gives me a bad feeling."
They glance at the new professor only to notice that no food had been placed in front of him. He seemed only to drink from a large golden goblet and he sipped at it slowly, the sunglasses preventing the trio from knowing where he was looking and making him look even more foreboding.
The trio all shared a glance, wondering why the new professor didn't eat anything, but nobody said anything. They continued watching the professors' table; Umbridge was alternating glares between Alucard and Dumbledore. Dumbledore was watching the students looking amused at the responses to the new additions to the teaching staff which ranged from fearful glances towards the new DADA professor to queasy glances towards the toad, Umbridge.
The food vanished from the tables when the students finished eating and Dumbledore again stands to address the students.
"Now that we've all been fed and watered, please follow your houses prefects to your house dormitories."
Ron and Hermione quickly gather the confused first years and all the students troop to their dormitories under the falsely sweet smile of Umbridge, the amused smile of Dumbledore, and the menacing toothy smirk of Alucard.