Afterward, everyone exchanged bits of information about recent developments in the wizarding world, and the atmosphere gradually settled.
Seeing that the discussion had run its course, Sagres announced the end of the meeting.
The members rose one by one and quietly left the safe house using their badges, while Sagres and Lupin walked back toward Hogwarts beneath the hazy moonlight.
The Forbidden Forest was far from silent at night. The rustling of unknown creatures and the occasional hoot of owls echoed faintly in the distance.
Moonlight filtered through the interwoven branches, casting mottled shadows deep within the forest.
Sagres and Lupin passed through an ancient oak grove, the sound of a nearby stream growing steadily clearer.
Just as they were about to cross it, a strange sight suddenly came into view.
By the stream lay a Centaur warrior on his back, his powerful body limp and lifeless, his chest no longer rising or falling.
A slender, pale figure crouched over his neck, producing a low, suppressed sucking sound as it greedily fed on the Centaur's blood.
Hearing their footsteps, the figure abruptly lifted its head, revealing the pale face of a vampire.
He rose slowly, his movements graceful, like a disturbed nobleman rather than a creature in the midst of a savage act.
The vampire wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes before it was replaced by cold, arrogant scrutiny.
"A wizard, and a… very uniquely scented 'wizard.'"
His voice was hoarse, his accent peculiar, and his tone unpleasant. "Leave at once. My meal does not require spectators."
Sagres shook his head. "You've crossed the line."
"According to the 'Vampire Code of Conduct,' no member of your kind is permitted to hunt within protected magical creature habitats, especially not in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts."
"Crossed the line? Code?"
The vampire sneered, baring his sharp fangs. "Your so-called boundaries are nothing more than shackles the weak place upon themselves. As for codes… survival of the fittest is the only rule that never changes."
He waved a hand dismissively at the two of them, as if brushing away flies. "The blood of this Centaur is hot and strong. It is his honor to become my prey…"
He licked his sharp fangs and began to appraise them. "The bodily fluids of those Acromantula are spicy and hard to swallow. Unicorns? Heh, their blood is like poison, foul and burning. But Centaurs…"
He nudged the lifeless body at his feet, a trace of admiration in his tone. "The blood of these warriors is hot and strong, full of vitality, far richer than the bland, tasteless blood of ordinary Muggles… a rare vintage."
His gaze swept over Sagres and Lupin with growing greed, pure malice flickering in his crimson pupils.
"Of course, what I desire most is to come across a few lost little treats… Hogwarts students. Their blood, a blend of magical sweetness and youthful vitality, must be the ultimate delicacy."
"Then why don't you go to Hogwarts and catch two students?" Sagres asked expressionlessly.
The vampire's expression shifted, a flicker of wariness passing through his eyes, but he quickly regained his arrogant composure.
Ignoring Sagres's question, he asked instead, "Heh, are you poachers? Or residents of Hogsmeade?"
Having made what he thought was a clever guess, he lowered his voice, adopting a coaxing tone. "In any case, this may be your only chance to form a connection with an ancient and noble bloodline. Since you can appear here, you must have some connections. If you can provide a few young wizards, preferably first-years who have just enrolled and possess pure magic… I am willing to pay you an unimaginable number of Galleons, or even some… ancient magical artifacts you could never obtain elsewhere."
Sagres looked at him with a faint smile. After a brief pause, he spoke slowly, his voice as flat as a line. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Mr. Vampire. We are professors at Hogwarts."
To his surprise, the vampire showed no fear. Instead, the greedy red light in his eyes grew even brighter, almost overflowing.
He licked his lips excitedly. "Professors? Oh, excellent! Doesn't that make things even easier? It would be incredibly simple to carry out. Those little ones trust you the most… We could establish a long-term—"
"I think you've misunderstood me."
Sagres interrupted calmly, no longer concealing the contempt in his tone. "I revealed my identity not to do business with you, but to make you understand just how foolish your actions are."
He looked the vampire up and down, as if examining a piece of filthy trash. "I don't know whether your brain has been ruined by those old relics in your family, or if you were born incurably stupid. To actually set your sights on wizards…"
Faced with the insult, the vampire's smile did not fade. Instead, he bared his teeth and slowly licked his fangs with his crimson tongue.
"Heh, do you know?"
He stepped closer, one pace at a time, a smile still on his face. "I've always wanted to taste what real wizard blood is like. It seems tonight I can finally have my wish…"
Sagres watched the approaching vampire, his Everlasting Flower Wood wand silently sliding into his palm.
"You probably won't get to taste wizard blood, but I can let you taste something else."
The vampire looked at them with interest. "Oh? And what would that be?"
"Death!"
The red light in the vampire's eyes flared, and the last trace of restraint vanished completely.
"Haha, with just you?"
His figure blurred, turning into a pale, ghostlike shadow carried by a foul wind, lunging forward at a speed beyond the naked eye.
Sagres calmly flicked his wand. A condensed, silvery-white light burst forth, like an unbreakable wall, placing itself precisely between him and the vampire.
Bang!
It was like colliding head-on with a fully loaded truck at two hundred miles per hour.
The vampire was sent flying back even faster than he had come, crashing heavily into a pile of fallen leaves.
The triumphant, sinister grin on his face disappeared, replaced by shock and rapidly growing panic.
"With just me."
Sagres spoke calmly, each word striking the vampire's heart. "Now, are you ready to taste something other than wizard blood?"
The vampire struggled to rise, only to find a powerful magic gripping his throat like an icy iron clamp from a distance, lifting him off the ground and pinning him firmly against a large tree, leaving him unable to move.
Sagres stepped forward slowly, his wand steadily aimed at his opponent, his gaze cold.
"I originally didn't intend to interfere," he said calmly. "Of course, that was assuming you had the sense to leave earlier."
"Wait… wait… I—"
"You brought this upon yourself."
Sagres gave him no chance to finish.
He raised the hand holding his wand slightly, then brought it down in a swift motion.
A pure light erupted from the tip of the wand, instantly engulfing the restrained vampire.
The vampire immediately let out a bloodcurdling scream, his body charring rapidly in midair like burning parchment.
In the end, his body crumbled into a cloud of ash, drifting down with a soft rustle before vanishing without a trace.
Silence once again settled over the Forbidden Forest, broken only by the gentle gurgling of the stream.
Sagres tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing over Lupin, who had remained on guard the entire time.
"This is the typical arrogance of long-lived dark creatures. They always underestimate the power of short-lived beings and mistake restraint for weakness."
Lupin looked at Sagres's calm expression. The latter slowly lowered his hand, as if he had merely crushed an insect.
The two of them walked over to the Centaur warrior. Lupin crouched down to examine him, then shook his head heavily. "He's dead."
Sagres nodded without a word.
He quietly cast a few spells, clearing the scene, then carefully placed the Centaur's remains within a relatively clean thicket, covering them lightly with branches and fallen leaves.
"I'll inform the Centaur herd to retrieve their kin."
Sagres's voice returned to its usual calm. "Let's go."
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