Astoria visibly relaxed after hearing Nolan's reassurance. She held the cup of tea in her hands somewhat shyly. "Nolan, have I been causing you a lot of trouble?"
The shock from their adventure in the swamp had left a deep impression on the silver-haired young witch. She was in awe of Nolan's capabilities and, at the same time, painfully aware of the gap between them.
Whether it was the library incident before or the events in the swamp, it was clear that Nolan never really needed her help. If anything, her presence only seemed to burden him, forcing him to be more cautious than necessary. The realization made her feel both ashamed and disheartened.
She had always wanted to stand by Nolan's side, to be his equal, but it was now painfully evident that she had a long way to go before she could even consider it.
"It's not really trouble," Nolan said lightly, his tone indifferent yet comforting. "For me, it's just a small effort."
"Besides, aren't we friends?"
"Helping a friend is a fulfilling thing."
And Nolan meant every word. He rarely had people by his side. As a vampire, he had lived in cold solitude, surrounded only by fear and hostility. But now, he had friends—people who, like small suns, illuminated the cold darkness around him. For the first time, he felt the warmth of companionship.
"I'm so glad you don't mind us," Astoria's eyes welled up slightly. She had been afraid that by voicing her thoughts, she would distance herself from him. But Nolan's words reassured her and gave her hope.
"I promise to work hard and improve my strength, so I won't be a burden to you in the future."
"Nolan, sometimes I worry about you," she admitted. "You always try to handle everything alone. But just like you said, helping friends is a happy thing—so please, let me help you too. Whatever it is, you can rely on me!"
The more she spoke, the more emotional she became. Astoria placed her tea down and clutched her chest, gazing at Nolan with eyes full of admiration and determination.
Her fiery emotions were moving, yet Nolan simply smiled and gently draped a blanket over her shoulders.
It was late, and wearing just a thin strap dress, she might catch a cold. His small, considerate gesture caught Astoria off guard, leaving her momentarily confused.
"It's late. You should go rest now," Nolan said firmly. "Tomorrow, we're visiting Dumbledore to check on Ron. There's no point in waiting around restlessly."
Before she could argue, Nolan unceremoniously guided her out of his dorm and shut the door.
Alone at last, he let out a soft sigh before heading to take a hot shower. As a vampire, he never truly felt fatigue, but he still enjoyed the chance to relax and reflect on recent events.
Particularly, the matter of the witch wanting vampire blood—what exactly was she trying to do?
Nolan had never considered that vampire blood could be used as a magical ingredient. If it truly had alchemical or ritualistic applications, then the vampire race was in grave danger.
With that thought, he summoned one of his subordinates.
A newly turned vampire, Baron Joyce, appeared before him, looking slightly bewildered, uncertain as to why his lord had called him so late at night.
"Go and keep an eye on that witch. I want to know exactly what she plans to do," Nolan instructed calmly.
Without hesitation, Baron Joyce knelt in acknowledgment before vanishing into the darkness. Once his subordinate was gone, Nolan finally laid down on his bed, closing his eyes as he rested until morning.
By the time he emerged the next day, the sun had already risen.
Eve, however, was sulking. "I heard from Astoria that you were with her the whole time in the swamp," she pouted. "If Astoria was allowed to go with you, why couldn't I?"
She looked at him with such grievance that Nolan felt an impending headache.
"That was just a coincidence," he explained patiently. "Besides, you didn't have permission to leave school. Running off without clearance would've been against the rules."
Despite his calm explanation, Eve's resentment only deepened. "Don't you know how to comfort a girl?"
She wasn't truly angry—just feeling neglected. But when Nolan responded with a perfectly logical excuse instead of reassuring words, her emotions surged. Eyes reddening, she shot him a glare before turning on her heel and running off.
Nolan remained frozen in place, watching her retreat with a helpless expression. He had no idea how to handle this kind of situation.
"Girls can be unpredictable. One moment sunshine, the next moment a storm," came Hermione's amused voice from behind him.
He turned to find her smiling knowingly at him.
"Give her some time to cool off. Then buy her a small gift later—she'll forgive you."
For a brief moment, Nolan found it ironic that Hermione, of all people, was giving him advice on handling girls.
"I didn't expect her to throw a tantrum like that," he sighed. But he quickly refocused on the more pressing matter at hand. "I was actually about to check on Ron."
Hermione's smile faded. "That's exactly why I came to find you. I just returned from Dumbledore's office."
"They need to set up a ritual, but there's a crucial ingredient missing."
"The water from the Mirror Moon Spring atop the high mountains. It's said to purify the soul and cleanse the body of all corruption—it's an irreplaceable material for the ritual."
"Unfortunately, the school has no stock of it, so we need to retrieve it ourselves. I was hoping you'd come with us to find it."
Nolan pondered for a moment before nodding. "I'll go."
After all, it was his poor handling of the rotting serpent that led to Ron's current state. If he had incinerated it immediately, the residual malice wouldn't have had a chance to infect him.
Hermione looked visibly relieved. "That's great! With you on our team, we'll get it done in no time."
"When do we leave?" Nolan asked.
"Harry and Ginny have already gone back to pack, and I need to grab my things too. Now that you've agreed, we're heading out as soon as we're ready." Hermione's tone made it clear—there was no time to waste.