Capulet City, half a day's drive from Vegas. Just as sinful. A full day's drive from Red Grave City. The place it all began, sort of. Capulet City may be steeped in sin and spilt blood, darkness invades every corner, and no one is truly safe at night. Yet, there is one spot in the business district, a building which appears to be rather run down, where anyone who lives in Capulet feels safe. Even on the blackest nights. It's a strange feeling, you feel like you are in the den of a beast when you approach, let alone enter. The young man behind the desk has sat there for a decade, yet he never seems to change. The building itself feels as beastly as the strange man inside. He looks remarkably like the statue in the old park. The police, bar the grouchy chief, trust him. The locals who know him, say he's no danger to anyone, and neither are his associates. Devil May Cry is the place everyone and no one talk about, it's the secret in the back pocket of the town. The one who keeps the monsters in the dark away from them.

Rain splashed against cracked dark asphalt, running down the grooves of the brick building standing strong despite its appearance. The red neon glow cast from the sign had the forming puddles appearing to be not water, but dark blood. It made the old wizard approaching the building wary of the man he was here to see. Deciding it was best to get out of the night time downpour, the old wizard crossed the threshold. The heavy door slamming shut behind him, drawing the attention of the young looking man at the desk. His boot covered feet were kicked up, a bright red coat thrown over the back of the chair shifted as the man did. The magazine with a scantily clad woman on the front dropping onto the desk as the man sat up, revealing predatory icy blue eyes, flawless pale skin, and messy white hair. This man was unnaturally handsome, coupled with a lean muscular body. The room filled with demonic trophies and fearsome weapons emanating darkness and hostility held nothing to the beast in human form in front of him. "Are you Anthony Redgrave?" The old wizard asks, crisp English accent out of place.

"Who's asking."

The old wizard decided that this was probably not Anthony Redgrave, Devil Hunter. No, this was likely a subjugated demonic familiar, meant to protect the office and city when the hunter was called away. "Albus Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. I really must speak with Mr. Redgrave, it is a matter of great importance."

"Let's talk then. What do you need done, and what are you offering for it?"

This beast was Anthony Redgrave? Headmaster Dumbledore steeled himself to talk with Redgrave. He sets down a file in front of Redgrave, which the white haired man languidly takes up to read. He reads through it at such a relaxed pace that Dumbledore has to hold back asking if the beast can even read what is in front of him, instead putting on his usual grandfatherly persona which has endeared so many useful pawns to him. Redgrave throws down the file once he has finished, the papers making a rustle as they loosely fly up for a few seconds before settling on the desk in a messy pile. Redgrave has leveled an incredulous stare on him. "You're actually serious? You do realize I'm a mercenary with American license? That half the things I own, and a good 75% of what I know, is forbidden in Britain? I'm most certainly not a teacher." Redgrave points out.

"You are the best man for the job, Mr. Redgrave. Madam Umbridge is a truly deplorable woman, and with Voldemort among us once more, the children are in danger." Dumbledore hates that he has actually come here to offer this beast a job.

But Madam Bones had requested him personally, knowing very well what sort of nonsense the Minister and his lackey would force upon Hogwarts. Detrimental brainwashing which would destroy the futures of the children under his careful guidance. Redgrave contemplates the offered contract. "We will be negotiating this contract. Did you think I wouldn't see the fine print?"

Yes, actually. He did. Usually, anyone is so delighted to work for him officially that they just skim the contract over and sign. But Redgrave has proven that he doesn't care much for Dumbledore's right to respect and reverence. "This pay is paltry, practically slave work. I legitimately make more in one job for the Government. I want a full teacher's salary." Redgrave states.

Negotiation with a beast. Oh how he has fallen. "Since you are foreign, and I am taking you away from your business...$47,000 in American currency for your yearly salary. There are OWL and NEWT bonuses for every O and O with distinction earned by your students. You will have food and board supplied for free as well." Dumbledore gives the standard salary for a teacher's assistant, hoping Redgrave would never notice, since talking about your salary was forbidden by the standard Hogwarts professors contract.

Redgrave mulls it over. "That's...on the low side for a Hogwarts professor, don't you think? A school of such prestige."

Damn, the beast was more aware of Magical education than Dumbledore had initially assumed. And did he just mock Hogwarts? It was the best magical school in the world, with Dumbledore as the headmaster, there was nowhere better. The old wizard was thankful he'd had the greater part of a century to perfect his kindly persona. "$70,000 is the highest a Hogwarts professor's salary can be according to legislation, would that be suitable?"

"That's more than suitable."

The man writes down the agreed upon salary on a legal pad, a bright crimson fountain pen in his hand. This beast truly loved red hmm? At least students would assume an affiliation with Gryffindor, which made him seem like a light affiliated, and therefore Dumbledore affiliated, teacher. "The official title of the course I would be teaching is Life Skills. Would you care to explain the specifics of my duties in teaching this course, what I need to provide, and what you expect to be taught?" Redgrave asks.

"I am hiring you to counteract Madam Umbridge at the request of Madam Amelia Bones, she is the Head of the English DMLE. I expect you to teach the standard Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum, the Ministry recently replaced the old one, yet have not changed the exam standards. I have copies of the past decade of OWL and NEWT examinations, as well as copies of the last five years of final exams for the other five years within Hogwarts. You can base your teachings off of those. You must choose a standard textbook for the students to study out of by August 10th, so that the stores may stock the textbook in the student packages. Any additional materials, you must provide by yourself. Though teaching aids such as magical creatures like Boggarts can be provided for practical experience in a controlled environment." Dumbledore explains.

He brings out the thick folder of exam papers, all of them labeled, but none of them sorted. Redgrave starts by sorting them by year. Then stacking them away. He gets up, moving a curtain away from a shelf to expose a plethora of books. Odd, this man doesn't seem the type to read much more than an occasional picture filled magazine like the one still on his desk. "Can I teach extra material?"

"So long as you cover the standard requirements I have laid out." Dumbledore doubted he'd teach the students anything else, there was just too much to cover.

The man pulls down three books from his shelves. "This, is the latest updated version of The Modern Compendium of Defensive and Offensive Spells. It's written and updated by American magical law enforcement and their associated fellows every decade in January. Lucky for us, their latest version is spectacular. And, it covers everything I know the English curriculum does and more. This book can be optional. Survival On Your Own. It includes spells for healing, water purification, smokeless fires, area alarms and wards, pretty much anything you need to survive on your own. I'd strongly recommend it be made a mandatory purchase. These books are rather cheap, about two galleons compared to the usual six or seven per book in England. At most, students should only be charged three on them. This last one, is Entia ad Inferos. Translated roughly as Entities of Hell. This one is a mandatory free print as per American law, all members of magical society should be prepared to face demonic foes. While not everyone picks up this book, it can be a lifesaver. I'll use all three as teaching tools, though I won't assign anything out of Survival On Your Own unless every student in a class has it."

Three books banned from Britain. Not only because of the advanced subject matter, but also because of propaganda and the fact they are American published materials. "I will ensure your three books are properly included into the mandatory book list. And that Entia ad Inferos is a free book among them." Dumbledore promises.

Redgrave writes these points down. The three books set aside. "Now, am I allowed to take extra and emergency jobs according to my actual profession. I understand if I can't take normal jobs, but emergencies really can't be ignored. Say, the breaking of a Hell Gate seal or the rising of a demonic attack." Redgrave asks.

"No normal job contracts during the regular school semester periods. You may take regular jobs during the school break periods. Emergency jobs may be undertaken at any time provided they are truly an emergency. Substitutes would be appreciated, but it is understandable if one could not be provided in the urgent time frame." Dumbledore states.

He is surprised when Redgrave just writes that down, no arguments. He supposes it is reasonable. "When are the regular semester periods and breaks?" Dante asks.

"Supply letters are sent out in the last week of August for second year and above, the school year begins on September 1st, though no classes occur, students spend most of the day on the Hogwarts express. The train leaves at 11:00am sharp, London time, and arrives around 9:00pm. Classes begin on the second of September. Quidditch season begins in November."

At this point, Redgrave has taken out a second notepad to mark down the general calendar. "In the third week of December, this year it will be December 19th, students are sent home for the Christmas holidays. They will arrive back on January 7th. Easter break will begin April 1, and end April 15. Final exams begin June 2nd and should conclude in all June 17. Summer break begins for students June 26th, we stay an extra week to grade the final exams, and send them out to students, alongside cleaning out our classrooms and quarters unless it is confirmed you are staying an extra year." Dumbledore lines out.

Dates taken down, semesters established. "Anything else we need to cover before moving on to the standard employment contract?" Redgrave asks.

"No, I do believe we can get the rest as we go through the standard contract."


Dante sighed, he can't believe he actually negotiated his way through that on his own. The old man had left, his copy of the contract in his hands, and Dante having agreed to floo to the British Ministry for Magic on August 15th through the International network to get settled in and prepare his classrooms. Hogwarts had a fully stocked indoor gym, indoor pool, and student kitchen. They were just oddly never used unless the lone student found them. Even more odd, was that instead of being close to the dormitories, these commodities were in the mostly abandoned area of the ground floor. So that's where his classroom and office would be, while the personal suite he'd get would be near other teachers' quarters on the fourth floor. Now, to call everyone in the morning and establish the fact that he'd be away for a while. He didn't even try to sleep, instead, he focused on writing up a working curriculum. He decided that these exams he already had would be used throughout the school year to assess where the students were, alongside subject quizzes and tests beside them for the extra materials he put in. Lady came in early, Dante guessed she was just stopping in on a usual run. "Dante, what's all this? Got a job you aren't telling me about?" She asks, perching on the corner of his desk.

"Was just about to call you actually. This is a job, one I think you'll thank me for taking." Dante smirks.

She eagerly grabs up the contract papers he offers her. After a few minutes, she starts laughing. "Let me guess, that old coot tried to rip you off?"

"Tried to contract me for 47."

She scoffs. "If you were a student teacher's assistant maybe. You're a devil hunter who's survived the business for what? Two decades now?"

"Yeah well, we both know what the situation on the magical side it like. Anyways, I'll be in Britain for almost a year. So I'm going to need everyone on the system." Dante remarks.

"It's what, 5 in the afternoon in Fortuna, and 6 in Vie de Marli?" Lady calculates.

"About that, yeah." Dante mutters, turning on his rarely used computer system.

Morrison and Patty forced him to get with the times. He stills prefer talking over the phone, he's got his tricks with the old thing down to a T. It didn't take long before everyone was answering the video calls. "Dante? What do you need?" Nero asks, grumpy.

"I'm leaving you in charge of Devil May Cry while I'm out on a job. I've already emailed you a scan of my current contract."

Few minutes once more while everyone read through it. "Damn, you'll pay off your debt at last." Trish sighs.

"And make a ton of profit. Who knows, maybe I'll hold the job comfy for a few years. In the meantime, I leave on the 15th, and won't be back in America or the island until July." Dante announces,

"Whaaat!? But that's waaaay too long!" Patty whines.

"Nothing I can do about it Patty. Contract is already signed. Nero, as a Sparda who's done well in managing the Fortuna branch, will be in charge generally. Morrison will run the Capulet office. Lady and Trish steal most of the jobs around here already. Once the debt is paid off, you start owing me percentage, remember? And Morrison kept track, so I know." Dante smirks.

The collective members of DMC groan, Dante out of debt? It should never happen, but it is. "So, you'll be miserable teaching a bunch of snot nosed brats the basics from scratch." Nero sums up.

"They'll get with the program quick when they realize their yearly marks affect their final score for a pass or fail. And I'll change their exam mark accordingly for it no matter how well they do throughout the year." Dante laughs.

"We can handle things without you, you are available for emergencies though, correct?" Lucia asks.

"Yep. If you need me, I'm just a call away." Dante nods.

"Good thing I made our tech magic proof huh?" Nico comments, taking a puff of her cigarette.

Nero waves away the smoke, his nose scrunching at the smell. "Yeah. Wizards really should have acknowledged that publication you made. This is the 21st century after all." Trish mocks the wizarding minds.

Instead of really publishing Nico's work, they banned it. The fools. That won't stop Dante from teaching the kids how to work around it so they can talk with their families though. And show them Hogwarts and their friends, in a roundabout way. Bickering kicks out between Nero and Lady, Patty and Trish joining in, then Nico with her usual sass and humor. Everyone gets sucked in, and Dante smiles. Even when they turn their comments to Dante's pizza eating habits and alcoholism, their concerns hidden in jabs.

He knows they care. This is just the ways of the Devil Hunters. Concern comes in many forms.

Usually in witty banter. And he can't help but crack a grin and comment here and there to.