Chapter 355: Vampires Part 3
Chapter 355: Vampires Part 3
This time, with Dumbledore's presence, they arrived in the town with just a blink of an eye.
The sensation of Apparition was unpleasant, but Vold had learned to adjust his state during rapid spatial transitions. After a few deep breaths, he recovered from the dizziness and discomfort.
"Are you feeling better now?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes," Vold nodded, looked around, and compared the scenery he had seen from above. Then, he headed towards a small path on the right.
"Let's go this way, I remember the inn should be in this direction."
Apparition always came with a loud "crack" sound. Even when performed by Dumbledore, he could only reduce the volume but not eliminate it entirely.
Vampires had keen hearing, so to avoid detection, Dumbledore Apparated a couple hundred meters away from the inn.
Subsequently, they cast Invisibility, Disillusionment, Shield, and Silencing Charms on themselves, concealing their presence as they walked along the cement path.
On the way, Vold lowered his voice and recounted everything he had seen and heard earlier in great detail.
"I've never fought vampires before, and I'm worried I might not be able to handle them... Moreover, if a couple of them transform into bats and escape, it might cause trouble in the future..."
Dumbledore's appreciative voice seemed to come from the air, "Indeed, it's good that you're being cautious. I'm glad you didn't rush in recklessly."
"There's a specialized curse for dealing with vampires that isn't in our textbooks. But if you join the advanced Charms class, you'll have the opportunity to learn it from Professor Flitwick."
"What curse is that?" Vold asked.
Dumbledore said, "The Solaris Charm, also known as 'Embrace the Sun'."
Vold recalled, "I've never heard of it."
"Of course not, because this curse is now classified as a forbidden curse. The Ministry of Magic prohibits schools from teaching it to students as it can cause severe harm to non-wizard half-humans, specifically vampires, endangering their personal safety."
Vold was speechless for a moment.
The personal safety of vampires was important, but did that mean the safety of wizards encountering them was less significant?
Dumbledore, sensing his thoughts, spoke slowly, "I once heard Nick LeMe say that over five hundred years ago, vampires were at their peak of power."
"At that time, plagues were rampant in the Muggle society, and many wizards were infected as well. Vampires, with their strength, stealth, and immunity to viruses, expanded their numbers significantly, becoming a widespread menace."
"The Muggle churches had mobilized a large number of knights to eradicate vampires worldwide, resulting in countless casualties. Wizards were also constantly fighting against vampire attacks, but among the vampires were some with formidable magic... Eventually, many wizards had no choice but to hide with their families... hiding among the Muggles."
"However, with the emergence of the Solaris Charm, wizards finally gained the power to counter vampires, changing their previously disadvantaged situation."
Vold listened quietly to this information that would never appear in textbooks, then asked, "I remember vampires only dislike sunlight, but they aren't unable to function in daylight."
"That's true," Dumbledore replied. "But the light emitted by the Solaris Charm is more intense and frenzied than gentle sunlight. It is said that for vampires, facing it is like being thrown into a vat of boiling oil, yet it poses no harm to the vast majority of creatures."
"Dumbledore spoke," said Vold.
Vold summarized, "So now, vampires have become a minority group in need of protection."
"That's right. After a long period of killing and sacrifice, in the 17th century, the International Confederation of Wizards and vampires reached an agreement, putting an end to the war and the history of mutual slaughter."
"Vampires claimed that the Solaris Charm cruelly persecuted their kind, strongly demanding that the International Confederation of Wizards prohibit the learning and use of this spell among the countries' wizards."
"The wizards, on the other hand, imposed strict restrictions on the number of vampires in their clan, and enacted various laws."
"For example, they banned vampires from attacking humans and half-human intelligent beings, prohibited them from attacking human-raised livestock, and only allowed them to feed on the blood of ordinary livestock they raised or purchased. Each vampire also had to register with the Ministry of Magic, and so on."
Vold: "...Undoubtedly, towards the end of the war, vampires were probably hunted down by Muggle armies and wizards, leaving them with no choice but to sign various 'unequal treaties' to gain the protection and acceptance of the wizards."
As for the restriction on learning the Solaris Charm, it wasn't a compromise by the Wizarding Association; it was merely a 'human rights' declaration by the victors.
In fact, the spread and learning of this spell have never stopped.
In the newspapers, there are often opinions suggesting that the Ministry of Magic should eradicate vampires entirely.
Some wizards even openly take pride in being 'vampire hunters,' even though they may never encounter a real vampire enemy in their lifetime.
Take Lockhart, for instance; in his books, he described how he traveled on a boat with a vampire, engaged in 'friendly exchanges,' and eventually transformed the vampire into a lettuce eater.
Lockhart's books sold well, but the vampires tolerated it and didn't bother to cause trouble for that peacock.
"What's the Solaris Charm like?" Vold asked.
"Remember the spell: Akaya-Tomeo. When using the spell, you must hold the belief of protection and never with the intent to kill. Then, you wave your wand like this—"
Dumbledore spoke, lightly moving his fingers.
Although he didn't reveal his figure, a faintly glowing arc appeared in the air, demonstrating the wand movement for this spell.
Vold silently memorized it, whispering it twice to himself without actually casting the spell.
"It's best not to use it in crowded places—" Dumbledore chuckled softly, "You know, it's illegal."
Vold also laughed.
It has to be said that doing 'bad things' together creates a stronger sense of camaraderie than doing good deeds.
At this moment, they spotted the inn, and although Vold couldn't see the people inside from his height, he could see the lit window.
At the same time, he also saw the peregrine falcon standing in line with the owls, which, from this angle, looked like a slightly larger pigeon.
Vold had the vague impression that he heard the headmaster laugh.
He silently scowled, feeling ashamed of his past self.
Dumbledore changed the subject, "Is the child inside the one you were looking for? I remember his name is Cyril Johnson."
Vold emphasized, "He is Cyril Johnson, but he's not my friend—not then, not now."
Dumbledore glanced at him and asked, "What happened?"
(End of Chapter)
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