AN: I edited Harry's encounter a bit from the chapter 6 if you care to read it. I made it a little more realistic after I got a review wondering why I didn't have Harry cast a patronus after Haud Vereor failed (thank you UNSpacy000). Props to anybody who noticed Haud Vereor means "no fear" in Latin. I'm loving the reviews, you guys are awesome. I'll try to write as much as I can, but updates are going to be sporadic considering college life.

Also, I take requests and suggestions. I also would love to hear criticisms about chapters that are written, I WILL fix them if I agree with your opinion. Usually, I have trouble coming up with ideas for incidents so I really appreciate any help you guys offer… Ideas= chapters.

Upsilon: I'm sorry. I'm aware that I have tense issues…but I seem to be unable to figure out exactly how to fix them. Also…I wasn't aware you could have filler stuff when there isn't a plot to begin with. The two memory scenes are actually very important so this story can move forward. And I really want to know why I can't respond to you through the normal review system.

The students slowly trickled out of the room as they recovered themselves enough to move.

"No way," Hermione whispered as she regained her voice.

"Wow," Harry stared wide-eyed at the cabinet.

"Spiders seem... insignificant when compared to fears like that," Ron spoke awestruck.

"Those weren't fears, you can only have one worst fear." Hermione stated numbly and Harry looked at her inquisitively. "Do you remember what we went over in the beginning of class?"

Harry's gaze snapped back to the cabinet and his eyes widened.

"What were they then?" Ron asked.

"Those were memories."

"Bloody hell."

"Yeah," Harry agreed.

"Well, I guess that tells us what type of vampire he is."

Harry and Ron turned to look at her, finally somewhat over their shock. "What is he then?"

"He's not just a vampire. He is THE vampire."

"What?"

Hermione just rolled her eyes, "Honestly, didn't you guys listen to what they were saying."

"I was more concerned with the battle-axe and the fact that our teacher had a stake sticking out of his chest."

"The man with the axe called him Kazikli Bey and the man in the graveyard called him Count."

"And...?"

"Those are both names of Count Dracula. Don't you get it? The first scene was his defeat and execution at the hands of the Turks when he was alive and the second scene was Abraham Van Helsing defeating him."

"Bloody hell." Ron looked gob smacked.

"So our teacher really is Dracula."

"It's so clear now. I should have seen this before. The magical abilities, the dramatic entrances, the quote on the coffin, and even his name. Alucard is Dracula spelled backwards. I can't believe I didn't see it sooner."

"So what was the last scene?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. It's whatever Professor Alucard is most disturbed by."

"Which was what? Getting old?"

"I don't think so. Professor wasn't getting older, it was just everything else."

"That's it," Harry interjected, "Professor must not like the idea of watching everything decay."

"I suppose when you live as long as a vampire you start to tire of watching everything break down."

Ron looked thoughtful, "So the closest thing he has to a fear is living forever?"

Harry started to laugh and Hermione looked at him questioningly. "It's just ironic," Harry said, "Voldemort will give almost anything to live forever and a creature that lives forever is most disturbed by the idea of his immortality."

"I can't believe that our teacher is Dracula," Ron stated, "But why would Dumbledore pick him?"

Hermione nodded, "It seems odd, but once you think about it, it makes sense. Who would know dark arts better than one of the darkest creatures to ever exist?"

"It does explain the teaching style," Harry agreed.

"And Dumbledore wouldn't have hired him if he was dangerous to students," Ron added as they arrived in the Gryffindor common room.

"At least we know that he knows what he's teaching."

"Definitely," Harry paused, "but why didn't my spells work. I can understand why Haud Vereor wouldn't work on a dementor, but you saw the patronus."

Hermione looked thoughtful, "I don't know. I've never heard of that happening before."

By dinner rumors about the boggart incident had spread and the trio had spread their discovery around Gryffindor. As the students arrived in the great hall most of them, whether they believed Hermione or not, were sending nervous glances at Alucard as he sat quietly at the teachers table and drank from his goblet.

"What do we have here?" Malfoy sneered at the trio, "The mudblood got scared and is spreading rumors."

"Just go away Malfoy, nobody wants you here."

"I pity you, so scared that you have to stoop to the level of spreading false rumors. There is no way that Professor Alucard is Count Dracula."

"You're just too scared to accept the facts."

"I am not."

"Then why don't you ask him yourself? Or are you scared of him?"

"I think I will. I'm not scared of him." Malfoy said as he stalked away, failing to hide a nervous glance at Alucard.

"What a git," Ron exclaimed as Malfoy left and the food appeared on the tables. Once again, no food appeared before the DADA professor, but this time he drank the crimson liquid from a crystal wine glass prompting students to whisper and point, some looking queasy at the implications.

The roar of the whispered gossip and rumors quieted slowly at the end of the meal as students gradually departed back to their rooms.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting before the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was scanning through nearly a dozen thick tomes while Harry and Ron feverishly worked to finish last minute potions essays.

"Here, look at this," Hermione held out a tome opened to a page detailing the defeat of Dracula at the hands of Abraham van Helsing, "proof." The uppermost picture, though only a small thumbnail, was clearly the same man that they had seen towering over Alucard in the second memory.

"And Malfoy is going to ask Professor about his identity tomorrow," Ron chuckled, "I can't wait to see his face when he finds out that Hermione's right."

Harry laughed, but Hermione wasn't amused, "I just hope that Alucard doesn't react badly to questioning."

"It would be what Malfoy deserves."

Hermione opened her mouth to dispute Ron, but simply closed it again as she knew a lost cause when she saw one.

The DADA classroom was more foreboding than usual and the students shivered as they waited for the professor to arrive. They attentively looked around the room as they talked quietly making sure not to miss the professor's entrance and be chastised again.

The students jumped as Alucard entered through a wall, his perpetual toothy grin firmly in place. The students watched him nervously, remembering the events of last class.

"Good. You noticed my entrance. Much improved from last class."

The students watched silently with wide eyes. Alucard paused, seemingly waiting on something.

Hermione leaned over to whisper to Harry, "You should ask about your patronus, I bet he knows."

Harry shook his head nervously glancing at the professor and Hermione just nodded at him. He raised a shaky hand, immediately catching Alucard's attention.

"Yes?" Alucard rumbled.

"Um, Professor? Why didn't my spells work against the boggart?"

"Haud Vereor failed because your fear was greater than your spells power."

"But the patronus?"

"Because dementors are not your greatest fear," Alucard stated bluntly.

"But the scene was just a hoard of dementors."

"No it wasn't."

"It was me standing before a hoard of dementors in the muggle world."

"There were people standing behind you."

"That doesn't explain anything."

"It does."

Harry paused, ready to argue, when Hermione's head snapped up in realization. Alucard noticed.

"Bookworm, tell him why the patronus didn't work."

"That's because when a boggart assumes a scene instead of an object it includes all fears about that scene. The fear was not the dementors, but failing to protect people from dementors. He fears helplessness. The patronus corrupted because he also fears that his actions may unintentionally lead to harm."

"Very good, you don't fear something if there is an easy, convenient way to defeat it. It's only scary when you can't defend yourself. Harry was not fighting against normal dementors, he was fighting against what he most fears. Undefeatable dementors. Fears don't follow logic, and neither will boggarts. Any other questions?"

"Yea," Malfoy sneered, almost successfully disguising his nervousness, "Are you Dracula? Everybody around the school seems to believe this, even though everybody knows Dracula was defeated and killed centuries ago."

Barking laughter echoed around the room startling the students as Alucard took off his sunglasses exposing glowing red. Malfoy paled dramatically and stepped backward as crimson met his wide eyes.

The perpetual toothy smirk widened to inhuman proportions exposing a mouth full of daggers. The students cringed away nervously and Malfoy looked green.

"Dracula was hunted, caught, and staked all by the hands of Abraham van Helsing. The sun rose and he turned to ash, never to be seen again. Right?" Malfoy swallowed nervously and nodded.

Alucard stepped forward and dissolved into ash. The ash coalesced in front of Malfoy and Alucard reappeared in front of him, taking the form of a middle age man. The neatly trimmed beard and the armor he was wearing gave the impression of a seasoned crusader and the students leaned away from whom they now recognized as Count Dracula.

"That is what everybody believes; it does indeed make a good story. A very satisfying conclusion. Right?"

Malfoy nodded slightly.

Alucard almost snarled, "History is written by the victors. Unwavering good against unwavering evil, no wonder everyone believes there are such things."

Malfoy stared wide-eyed at the professor and cringed as the red eyes refocused on him.

"Yes, I was once known as Count Dracula," Alucard said with an unnervingly emotionless demeanor.

The class was silent for a while as the students digested the information.

The silence was broken as the ugly pink countenance of Dolorus Umbridge entered through the door.

"I'm here to inspect the class. Don't mind me," she said in a sickly sweet fake voice and stood in the corner.

Alucard raised an eyebrow, but continued. "You all are woefully uneducated regarding infectious dark humanoids. This will change today. What are the three main species?"

"Teaching subjects not on the official ministry curriculum."

Hermione's hand shot up.

"Just answer, don't raise your hands."

"No classroom order..." Umbridge audibly said to herself.

Hermione's hand lowered again and she answered, "Vampires, Werewolves, and...um," she paused trying to think of the third.

"Ghouls," Alucard finished for her. "Why are they considered infectious?"

Hermione started to raise her hand before pulling it back down and answering, "They perpetuate their kind by turning humans through viral components in their saliva or blood. Werewolves and ghouls have the infectious component in their saliva while Vampires have it in their blood."

"Ginger," Ron jerked to attention, "how do you recognize the different species?"

"...calls students by nicknames. Possibly shows a lack of intelligence."

"Vampires are, um, pale with red eyes. Werewolves are...have...goldish eyes. Ghouls...um."

"Bookworm?"

"Ghouls have purple eyes and look like animated rotting corpses."

"Can anybody tell me how to defend yourself against a vampire attack?"

"Stake it through the heart," Malfoy said cockily.

Alucard chuckled, "If a vampire attacks... you plan to pull out a wooden stake, wrestle the vampire to the ground, and put the stake through its heart? Would you care to try?" Alucard offered a yew spike.

Malfoy took it hesitantly and paused, unsure of what was expected.

"Put that stake through my heart," Alucard said bluntly. "Don't worry," he smirked, "I'm far past the level where I could be killed, or even harmed, by a simple yew stake."

"...requires abominable acts of students and encourages violence."

Malfoy still stood motionless just staring at the professor.

"Well, Coward? Come on, an attacking vampire won't simply stand still waiting for you to move."

Malfoy stepped forward nervously and held the stake in both hands. When he got within a foot he simply stopped again, unsure.

"You'll have to get me on the ground before you can stake me."

Malfoy hesitantly grabbed onto Alucard's arm and tried to pull him over. Nothing happened. Malfoy pulled harder, his feet slipping on the floor as Alucard still didn't budge. Malfoy walked a short distance away turned and ran forward trying to tackle the professor to the ground. It was like running into a brick wall and Malfoy held his shoulder in pain.

"Humans cannot physically overpower a vampire, it is simply not possible." Alucard stated bluntly, "Now, I'll pretend that you have, somehow, and managed to get me on my back," he lied down, "Now you have to stake me." Malfoy shook his head in denial. "Come on, this was your plan. I want to see it carried out."

Malfoy stepped forward again as the rest of the class watched with shocked stares. He knelt and set the tip of the stake on Alucard's chest pushing down slightly to no effect. He raised the stake further and slammed it downwards into Alucard's chest as hard as he could manage. It entered about two inches, ricocheting off of the sternum and going into the sinewy flesh between the ribs. Malfoy and the rest of the students looked at the wound horrified and Alucard seemed completely unconcerned.

"You can't do this!" Umbridge shrieked, "The ministry will never allow such barbaric teaching methods. I'll have you fired." She remained completely ignored except for a few glances from students.

"You didn't manage to even graze my heart. Now you have a ferocious, pissed off, slightly injured vampire trying to tear your throat out. Now what?"

Malfoy just stared at the blood slowly seeping from the wound.

"So, in a vampire attack, your plan is to have the vampire stop, lay down, hold still as you go to find a hammer and stake, and patiently hold still as you slowly hammer a stake through its heart. I wasn't even moving and you couldn't carry this out. Does anybody else have a better plan?"

"Deter it with silver?" Neville asked shyly.

"Care to try?" Alucard tossed a silver cross to Neville who fumbled the catch, but quickly picked it up.

"...encourages dangerous activities and exhibits masochistic tendencies..."

Neville walked forward slowly and held the silver cross forward. He touched it to Alucard's jacket, and nothing happened. Neville ducked his head, embarrassed, and prepared to walk away in shameful failure. The cross slipped off the collar of the jacket to press against the silk shirt and started to smoke.

"Very good, this will deter nearly any common vampire. It would be more effective if it were pressed against exposed skin such as my neck."

"...explains no theory...possibly incapable of understanding..."

"Silence," Alucard interrupted.

"How dare you silence me, you filthy half-breed."

"You are a pest, simpering in the corner, incapable of action without the aid of your precious ministry."

"Watch your mouth, I'll have you fired."

"Running to the ministry again, pathetic."

"You are clearly incompetent. I should be teaching the class. Then it would abide by ministry standards."

Alucard smirked, "So what do these ministry lessons tell you to do if you are attacked by a vampire? Hmm? And how do you plan on teaching this with only theory?"

"Cleary no vampire is going to attack you; this is considered an unnecessary topic"

"Seven-hundred wizards die a year from random vampire attacks. I've killed at least fifty, myself. I'm sure they would disagree with your sentiment."

"Lies and phony statistics. No students need worry about vampire attacks."

Shadows seeped from behind Alucard and the room darkened. He stepped towards Umbridge menacingly. "Oh really? It looks like your going to need to defend yourself from a vampire attack very soon. I hope you were taught well."

"You can't hurt me. The ministry will come after you," Umbridge simpered cockily.

Alucard laughed and continued to stalk forward, shadows appeared from behind him and red eyes became visible in the writhing tendrils. "What makes you think I care?"

Umbridge stumbled backwards towards the door. "I believe have enough information for my report," she said trying to retain her dignity as she fled through the door and stumbled down the hall.

"Pathetic," Alucard chuckled and the students laughed.

Alucard calmed and faced the class, "During a vampire attack, silver pressed against bare skin will deter most vampires. Garlic is good as a preventative measure but causes no real damage so it will be useless during an actual attack. There are magical means of defense as well even though magic is inherently incapable of physically damaging most vampires. 'Inferre beatitudinis' is the most effective of magical defenses against vampires. Learn this spell, you will all cast it next class."