<h4>Chapter 44: Snape''s scepticism</h4>
"Haig, why don''t you just tell us about Nics mel and Dumbledore''s involvement? It would save us a lot of trouble."
At the entrance to the hall, Harry began to coax Hagrid, hoping to learn directly from him who Nics mel was and what Dumbledore had hidden.
After all, with Hermione spending Christmas at home, Harry knew well enough that he and Ron, who were both not very good at research, had limited ability to dig up information on their own.
"We''ve gone through at least a hundred books and haven''t found a trace of him. Just give us a little hint. I know I''ve seen his name somewhere!" Harry said.
"I won''t say a word," Hagrid said, covering his mouth and sounding rather dry. "I promised Dumbledore I''d keep my mouth shut."
Just then, a silver-haired figure holding a ss of red wine happened to pass by. He walked over to the entrance courtyard where they were and curiously looked at them.
Seeing the neer, Harry, Ron, and Hagrid all suddenly tensed up.
"Good evening, Professor Drac!" they said in unison.
"Good evening, Hagrid, Potter, and Weasley," Drac said, taking a sip of the red wine and giving a slight nod to those present. Then, with great interest, he asked, "I believe I heard you discussing Nics mel?"
"Professor Drac, do you know Nics mel?" Harry''s eyes lit up as he quickly asked Drac. "Hagrid said he would keep silent and not tell us about Nics mel. But we''ve definitely seen that name before; we just can''t remember where!"
"Hagrid, Dumbledore certainly believes you''ll keep quiet," Drac said, looking at Hagrid with a hint of amusement. "Don''t worry too much about it."
Hagrid, still covering his mouth, gratefully mumbled, "Professor Drac, I''m so d you said that."
"Yes, the problem isn''t with the bottle, but with the opener. Even if you slip up a bit, it''s not the end of the world."
With that, Drac finished the red wine in his ss, set it floating in mid-air, and pulled out another elegant bottle of red wine from his pocket. With a flick of his index finger, the cork popped out with a "pop."
Drac poured himself another ss of red wine and then looked at Hagrid.
At this point, Hagrid looked at Drac and then back at the cork he had just put back into the bottle. Thinking about what Drac had just said about keeping secrets and the corkscrew, he couldn''t help but start crying sadly.
"Professor, is it really appropriate to tease Hagrid like this..." Harry quietly leaned towards Drac and whispered.
Ron, meanwhile, took a step back, looking at Hagrid''s face buried in a dirty handkerchief and distancing himself from the intimidating Professor Drac.
"Don''t worry, Hagrid will pull through," Drac said, ignoring Ron''s actions and addressing Harry. "By the way, what are you looking for Nics mel for?"
"I... we..." Harry was momentarily at a loss for words.
Most of what they knew about the three-headed dog and the forbidden area on the fourth floor came from breaking school rules. How could Harry exin this to a professor?
However, Drac seemed not to care about the reasons. Before Harry could exin, he asked with great interest:
"It seems you''ve been to that forbidden area in the fourth-floor corridor. How was it? Did you pass Hagrid''s little test?"
"What? Hagrid''s little test?!" Harry eximed, looking at Drac in shock and then turning his gaze to Hagrid, feeling his understanding shaken.
Ron, who had just distanced himself, couldn''t help but exim as well and sneaked back to Harry''s side, looking at Hagrid with curiosity.
"So Hermione was right; that terrifying big dog is really guarding something beneath the trapdoor?" Ron asked. "Is it the thing that Nics mel and Dumbledore are helping to guard?"
"What do you mean by terrifying big dog? That''s Fluffy! He''s very well-behaved and doesn''t bite," Hagrid said, clearly annoyed by Ron''s description.
Harry and Ron stood side by side, looking at him skeptically.
"Hey, what kind of look is that? I''m telling the truth!" Hagrid said loudly. "And Nics mel''s business has nothing to do with you. Why not focus all your energy on studying instead?"
Drac watched the amusing performance of Harry, Ron, and Hagrid while sipping his red wine, feeling like he was watching a good show.
"Professor Drac, these kids are just too curious," Hagrid said, casting a pleading look at Drac. "I don''t understand why you''re telling them about Fluffy. I''m really afraid I''ll slip up and say something I shouldn''t..."
"It''s okay, Hagrid," Drac said with a lightugh, raising his ss to Hagrid. "Even if you did slip up, it''s not a problem. Everything is still within Dumbledore''s ns!"
"But I can''t be sure if I''ll dy Dumbledore''s ns..." Hagrid mumbled quietly.
Seeing Harry and Ron''s hopeful gazes, Drac thought for a moment, then once again ced the ss in mid-air. He then pulled out a copper mirror engraved with a phoenix motif from his pocket.
"You two, if you want to know who Nics mel is, thene with me," he said, ying with the copper mirror as he walked towards the marble steps at the entrance of the hall. The ss of red wine floated steadily beside him as he moved forward.
Harry and Ron hurriedly followed.
"Professor Drac, you can''t..." Hagrid tried to stop them, but before he could finish, Drac interrupted him with a look.
"Don''t worry, Hagrid, I know what I''m doing," Drac said.
He smiled at Hagrid, then turned his head and led the two young wizards around the corner of the stairs.
The three of them went straight into the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor''s office on the third floor of the castle.
Drac settledfortably into a soft armchair, and the floating ss of wine gentlynded on the desk. Harry and Ron stood awkwardly at the door, nervously fidgeting with their clothing.
"Make yourselvesfortable," Drac said, ncing at them and gesturing to the sofa in the office.
He then lifted the copper mirror and gave a rxed smile.
"Nics, there are two interesting little fellows who want to know who you are. Do you want to say hello to them?"