Chapter 1388: Christmas Party

“Have you heard?” On the way, Colin shared the information he had gathered. “Professor Slughorn has invited the Weird Sisters, famous Quidditch players, and even a vampire tonight. Not a vampire like Elaine, but a real one.”

“You better explain yourself. How am I not a real vampire?” said Elaine, baring her sharp fangs.

“Um, what I mean is…” Facing Elaine’s threat, Colin looked at Evan for help, then realized that this was not a good topic. He hesitated and said, “Real vampires are dangerous and scary, um, not like you.”

“He means you don’t bite,” said Evan, directing Elaine’s gaze to himself.

“Who says I don’t bite people?” Elaine said “menacingly.”

“Who have you bitten?” Evan asked back.

Elaine had no answer, for she drank nothing but dragon’s blood, and that too in prepared form.

She certainly wouldn’t bite a dragon, and those terrible legends about vampires had nothing to do with her.

“So, Slughorn is inviting a real vampire to the party tonight?” Hermione also said with a smile, joining in teasing Elaine.

“Are you talking about Rufus Scrimgeour?” Luna suddenly interrupted.

“What?” Everyone looked at her in surprise.

“You mean the Minister of Magic?” asked Harry.

“Yes, he’s a vampire, a real vampire, the kind that bites people,” said Luna matter-of-factly, “When Scrimgeour first took over from Cornelius Fudge, Father wrote a very long article about blood slaves he raised in the Ministry, but he was forced not to publish by somebody from the Ministry. Obviously, they didn’t want the truth to get out!”

Seeing Luna’s serious look, the topic ended there.

The fact that Rufus Scrimgeour was a vampire was ridiculous, but everyone was used to Luna taking her father’s bizarre views seriously.

Hermione, the only one who couldn’t stand it and liked to argue, frowned but didn’t express any opinion.

By this time, they were approaching Slughorn’s office and the sounds of laughter, music, and loud conversation were growing louder with every step they took.

Whether it had been built that way, or because he had used magical trickery to make it so, Slughorn’s office was much larger than the usual teacher’s study.

The ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson, and gold hangings, so that it looked as though they were all inside a vast tent.

The room was crowded and stuffy and bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the center of the ceiling in which real fairies were fluttering, each a brilliant speck of light.

Loud singing accompanied by what sounded like mandolins issued from a distant corner; a haze of pipe smoke hung over several elderly warlocks deep in conversation, and a number of house-elves were negotiating their way squeakily through the forest of knees, obscured by the heavy silver platters of food they were bearing, so that they looked like little roving tables.

This place was really… wonderful. Evan had to admit that Slughorn really knew how to enjoy himself.

He had money, knew how to have fun, and most importantly, had taste, which was rare among wizards.

“Ah, Evan, Harry, m’boys, here at last!” boomed Slughorn, almost as soon as they had squeezed in through the door. “Come in, come in, so many people I’d like you to meet!”

Slughorn was wearing a tasseled velvet hat to match his smoking jacket.

He led them into the crowd without saying a word. Gripping Harry’s arm so tightly he might have been hoping to Disapparate with him, Slughorn led him purposefully into the party; Harry seized Luna’s hand and dragged her along with him, followed by Evan, Hermione, Elaine, Colin, Ginny, and Dean. The line was very long.

The team moved through the crowd, and Slughorn introduced them enthusiastically.

He had invited many wizards from outside the school to attend the party, all of whom were well-known figures in their respective fields. Even though the current situation was so tense and even though a vicious attack had just occurred in Hogsmeade not long ago, if Slughorn wanted to hold a Christmas party, no one could stop him, not even Dumbledore.

“Boys, I’d like you to meet Eldred Worple, an old student of mine and a rising star in the Wizarding World,” Slughorn said loudly, “author of Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires. You’ve all heard of it, I’m sure— a bestseller! And, of course, his friend, Sanguini.”

A best-selling author, Evan had met one before.

Gilderoy Lockhart was much more famous than Worple back then. The reason Worple’s book about vampires became famous was mainly because of the influence of events such as the vampire attack on the Quidditch World Cup and the return of Voldemort. People became very interested in vampires, so the book became a bestseller.

To put it simply, Worple owed his success to Caresius, Elaine, and the Slytherin vampire clan.

Slughorn obviously knew this, and he enthusiastically dragged Elaine to the front and emphasized her identity to Worple.

Elaine showed little interest, so she responded with a few words and went back.

She stood next to Evan and Hermione, looking at the vampire opposite her intently.

The vampire Sanguini, who was tall and emaciated with dark shadows under his eyes, looked rather bored.

It was hard to see how scary he was, and he didn’t have the aura of Caresius.

However, he was very popular with girls. A gaggle of girls was standing close to him, looking curious and excited.

“A real vampire?” Elaine muttered in a low voice, with a look of doubt on her face. “Doesn’t seem like much…”

On the other side, Worple seemed to have no interest in Elaine and the others, but was very enthusiastic about Harry.

He grabbed Harry’s hand and shook it enthusiastically, and pulled him aside, peering shortsightedly up into his face.

“Harry Potter, Harry Potter, I am simply delighted!” he said. “I was saying to Professor Slughorn only the other day, ‘Where is the biography of Harry Potter for which we have all been waiting?’”

“Er,” said Harry, “were you?”

“Just as modest as Horace described!” said Worple. “But seriously” — his manner changed; it became suddenly businesslike — “I would be delighted to write it myself — people are craving to know more about you, dear boy, craving! If you were prepared to grant me a few interviews, say in four- or five-hour sessions, why, we could have the book finished within months. And all with very little effort on your part, I assure you — ask Sanguini here if it isn’t quite — Sanguini, stay here!” added Worple, suddenly stern, for the vampire had been edging toward Elaine, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, a rather hungry look in his eyes. “Here, have a pasty, and stay here until I come back,” said Worple, seizing one from a passing elf and stuffing it into Sanguini’s hand before turning his attention back to Harry.

Sanguini looked at the fair and tender girls in front of him, then looked at the short man Worple, and obediently lowered his head to eat the pasty.

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