Professor Vampire.

Chapter 60: Tom Riddle

"Ah-hem, Moaning Myrtle, I have a few questions for you. Can you answer them truthfully?" Dracula cleared his throat and tried to shift the topic.

"Of course, if it's you asking!" Moaning Myrtle nodded repeatedly, looking very excited as if she finally had a chance to be of use.

Dracula paused for a moment and asked, "Around nine o'clock this morning, did you see a wizard wearing a purple scarf come through here?"

"No. I... I vaguely saw a very handsome guy passing by in the morning, heading towards the prefect's bathroom, so I followed him," Moaning Myrtle replied hesitantly, her expression then turning indignant. "But I waited in the prefect's bathroom for a long time and didn't see anyone. I must have been deceived!"

Dracula and Dumbledore exchanged glances, astonished by this peculiar ghost.

Helena, who was standing nearby, looked somewhat annoyed.

"How could there be such a student in Ravenclaw, thinking of spying on the boys in the shower!" She unconsciously mimicked her mother's stern demeanor and scolded, "No wonder you acted so crazily when you saw Uncle Dracula!"

Moaning Myrtle lowered her head, afraid to speak, while Dumbledore seemed intrigued.

"Just how handsome was that guy you saw to make you wait in the prefect's bathroom?" Dumbledore asked with a smile, "Or for comparison, is he as handsome as Professor Dracula?"

Moaning Myrtle glanced at Dracula and then hurriedly looked down again, nodding and then shaking her head.

"What does that mean?" Dumbledore was confused by her reaction.

"Well... both are very handsome, I can't really tell who is more handsome..." Moaning Myrtle said cautiously.

Her response made Dumbledore frown.

"Are there any prefects or Quidditch team captains at Hogwarts who are as handsome as Professor Dracula?" he asked, looking at Dracula with curiosity.

"I'm not sure, but definitely exclude Percy Weasley," Dracula said decisively.

Before coming to this almost abandoned girls' bathroom, he had just seen most of the prefects and the organizer of the protest, Percy Weasley, in his office.

Dracula was quite displeased with Percy, who had led the protest to drive his main source of amusement out of the school, especially with his red-haired twins.

He had no hesitation in denying Percy's attractiveness.

"But Percy is considered quite handsome among the prefects, and Oliver Wood is also decent as the Quidditch captain, though still not quite there," Dumbledore said, turning to Helena. "Ms. Gray, Robert Slytherin of Ravenclaw also seems to be one of the more handsome prefects. What do you think?"

"Robert Slytherin is far less handsome compared to Uncle Dracula," Helena said decisively, shaking her head.

"That's strange," Dumbledore said, frowning in thought.

Dracula looked at the scene in the bathroom and found it quite odd—two male professors and two female ghosts discussing which male prefect was more handsome in a girls' bathroom. It was strange enough, but Dumbledore and the two beauty-focused ghosts seemed quite entertained.

"Stop guessing here. Since Moaning Myrtle has seen that prefect, we can figure out who it is by asking her for a description," Dracula interrupted their eager discussion and directly asked Moaning Myrtle, "Do you remember what the handsome student looked like?"

"Let me think..." Moaning Myrtle rested her round chin on her hands, excitedly recalling the appearance of the handsome guy she had seen earlier. "His hair and eyes were both black, as dark as ebony; his face was very pale, his expression somewhat gloomy, and he had a very unique aura..."

"...Ah, right, it was that kind of evil villain aura I really liked!"

Hearing Moaning Myrtle's description, Dracula became interested and pondered which prefect might have such a strong villainous aura at a young age.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore and Helena's expressions gradually changed.

Dumbledore's face grew serious, while Helena first looked a bit dazed, then her pretty face showed a look of anger.

"What's wrong?" Dracula quickly noticed their odd expressions and asked curiously.

"Tom Riddle."

Dumbledore and Helena said the name in unison.

"Who is that? I don't think I've heard of him before," Dracula said, watching their reactions with interest. "So, does this person have a story with you?"

He looked around and casually leaned against the sink in the center of the bathroom, making himself comfortable to watch.

Helena glanced at Dumbledore and, seeing he had no intention of speaking first, closed her eyes, recalling the past with some pain.

"Tom Riddle... He tricked my mother out of her crown..." Her hands were tightly clasped together, her face showing some anxiety. "I remember he was very charming, seemingly understanding and sympathetic... And he was also very handsome..."

"So you gave the crown of Rowena to him?" Dracula folded his arms and gave Helena a reproachful look. "There are many scammers nowadays, and girls like you, who have little experience, are the easiest to deceive."

"I'm sorry, Professor Dracula..." Helena murmured softly.

"There's no need to apologize to me; it was a crown left to you by your mother," Dracula interrupted her and then his mouth curled into a wicked smile. "But I certainly won't let the crown of Rowena fall into the hands of a scammer. Tom Riddle, is it? Don't let me find him!"

Moaning Myrtle and Helena shuddered at his expression.

"Helena, where do you think the crown is now?" Dracula quickly composed himself and asked Helena.

"After I left Hogwarts, I hid the crown in a hollow tree in a forest in Albania," Helena said glumly. "But he should have taken the crown by now; it's no longer where I left it."

Dracula nodded and turned to Dumbledore. "So, did that scammer named Tom Riddle deceive you as well, Dumbledore?"

"Tom didn't deceive me, but he almost deceived everyone at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said slowly, shaking his head with a grave expression. "If I tell you his other name, you might understand—"

"Tom Riddle's other name is Voldemort!"