The girls at Hogwarts had always been very interested in Nolan.
It wasn't as though no one had tried to approach him. Despite Nolan's distant demeanor, he seemed to struggle with rejecting others. Invitations to hang out usually prompted some deliberation before he eventually nodded and agreed. However, for many of the girls, the bigger obstacle wasn't Nolan himself—it was the other girls around him.
At first, Nolan was always accompanied by the Slytherin silver-haired Eve. During the early weeks of the term, the two were practically inseparable. Eve clung to Nolan's robes like a little sister, and many young witches envied her position.
But after some time, something changed, and the two stopped speaking. Rumors spread that Nolan had dumped Eve. As for why… it was whispered that Eve Stock was a Muggle-born Slytherin.
The idea of a Muggle-born in Slytherin shocked even the Gryffindors. To their knowledge, such a thing hadn't happened in over a thousand years.
After Eve left Nolan's side, the other girls thought they finally had a chance to get close to the Slytherin prince. But much to their surprise, Cho Chang from Ravenclaw quickly stepped in. Despite being in a different house, Cho always found reasons to linger around Nolan—just as she was doing now.
Cho was waiting in the corridor, leaning casually against the wall. Her chin was tilted slightly downward, a shy curve gracing her lips. When she saw Nolan emerge from the Slytherin common room, her face lit up. Raising her hand, she waved gently, her voice soft and sweet.
"Hi, Nolan!"
Cho had changed a lot recently. Believing that Nolan liked girls like Eve, she had tried to transform herself. Originally outgoing and confident, she had worked hard to adopt a more demure demeanor. Though she couldn't fully suppress her natural boldness, she had managed to add a touch of shyness to her personality.
Nolan glanced at Cho, his expression neutral. After a moment of thought, he tilted his head and asked in a soft voice, "Are you bored?"
"No!" Cho's cheeks flushed red with frustration. Why was this boy so oblivious? She fidgeted with the hem of her robes and said anxiously, "I applied to join the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. If all goes well, I'll be on the team next year!"
Nolan nodded nonchalantly. "That's good."
Cho's face darkened.
Nolan thought for a moment, then added uncertainly, "Congratulations?"
Cho's expression soured further as she fell silent.
Nolan turned away. "I'll head back now. I've made some progress in my research on flying brooms. I believe that even without relying on such ridiculous contraptions, it's possible to achieve flight."
"Nolan!" Cho cried out in exasperation. "Are you deliberately treating me this way? I don't believe you can't see how I feel! You're still thinking about Eve, aren't you? I admit she's a lovely girl, but you shouldn't ignore me because of her!"
Nolan sighed and turned back to look Cho over. He wasn't clueless; he could tell what some of these young witches were thinking. But he was a vampire. For his kind, procreation didn't require coupling with another vampire, and so sexual desire was often overshadowed by their insatiable thirst for blood.
And even if he did experience desire, it certainly wouldn't be for these eleven- or twelve-year-old girls.
Nolan replied softly, "Cho, you're too young."
"But I'm the same age as Eve!"
"Eve is too young as well," Nolan said matter-of-factly. He paused, then added, "Though I can't figure out what Eve is thinking. She doesn't seem to like talking to me anymore, but that's fine. I don't need everyone to like me. Professor Snape doesn't like me much either. It's strange—why does he always pick on me?"
Cho's eye twitched. With a sigh, she said, "Probably because you ruined his image. Lately, everyone's been secretly laughing at Snape's new hairstyle."
"Is that so."
"Nolan, don't change the subject!" Cho Chang took a step closer, her intense black eyes locking onto Nolan. Her straightforward demeanor radiated from her as she demanded, "You said I'm too young. Does that mean I'll have a chance when I grow up?"
Nolan replied softly, "I won't deny it. If you're determined to stick to your feelings, I could always turn you into one of my kind."
"One of your kind?" Cho tilted her head, confusion clouding her expression. She didn't quite grasp what Nolan meant, but the implication of a future together thrilled her. Smiling brightly, she declared, "Then you can't ignore me anymore, and you definitely can't treat me coldly! After all, I'm your future girlfriend. If you ignore me, I'll get angry. You know, in my family, my dad always listens to my mom. He says it's a man's virtue!"
"Your dad is quite the man," Nolan remarked dryly, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Cho puffed her chest proudly. "Of course! They get along so well!" Her voice dropped to a softer tone as she continued, "So, Nolan, you can't reject me. If I invite you over for Christmas, you'll come to my house, right?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe isn't good enough! You have to come!" Cho insisted, her earnest expression leaving no room for negotiation. She thought for a moment and added, "Otherwise, I'll be really mad!"
After parting ways with Cho, Nolan headed back to the Slytherin common room. Along the way, in the corner of a dimly lit corridor, he came across Eve Stock. Her eyes were red, and she wore an expression of confusion and sadness.
The moment Eve saw Nolan, she lowered her head in distress and darted away, her footsteps echoing as she fled.
"Ah!"
As Eve turned the corner, she collided with someone—unfortunately, it was none other than Malcolm Baddock.
Malcolm's disdain for Eve was unparalleled. To him, even Nolan Von Draugr, the boy who had once turned him into a toad, was preferable to a Muggle-born like her. Malcolm's face twisted in anger as he barked at her, "Watch where you're going, you filthy mud—"
He froze mid-sentence, his voice dying abruptly as though he'd been choked. Malcolm had spotted Nolan, who was standing not far away, his usual blank expression fixed in place. Despite Nolan's calm demeanor, Malcolm had no doubt that the Slytherin could easily make his life a living hell with a single flick of his wand.
Without another word, Malcolm turned and fled.
Nolan tilted his head slightly and said in a soft, even tone, "Malcolm, avoid using that word in the future."
Eve's heart sank even further. For the past two months, she had barely managed to get by. Apart from Alicia Spinnet's visits, everyone in her dormitory treated her as an outcast. Daily, she endured the glares and bullying from her fellow Slytherins.
She had once enjoyed flying lessons, but after that incident, she began to dread them. Flying wasn't the same anymore, and her performance on a broom had worsened significantly.
Madam Hooch had tried to counsel Eve, attempting to ease her burden. But it was futile; Eve could only wallow in self-blame, repeating, "It's all my fault Nolan ended up like this!"
Her only refuge was her bed, buried under her covers. There, she felt safe and free. In the quiet of her cocoon, she could endlessly replay the first two weeks of school, convincing herself that Nolan had protected her.
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