"Level 1 alert!"
"Level 1 alert!"
"A massive surge of unknown dark energy has been detected in the Cairngorm Mountains. All Aurors, move out immediately!"
"Prepare for battle!"
…
The British Ministry of Magic was in chaos. The air was thick with tension as sirens blared, and Aurors hurriedly organized into small teams, each ready to use portkeys to transport themselves into the Cairngorm Mountains, where dark forces were stirring. Within moments, all the Aurors had entered the mountain range, advancing with practiced precision and urgency.
Among them was a young Auror with pink hair, who, in the rush of the mission, had gotten separated from her team. Nymphadora Tonks, a fresh graduate and trainee Auror, was on her first large-scale operation. In her haste to prove herself, she had lost track of the group.
She tried to find her way back, but the thickening fog only made it worse, pulling her deeper into the unknown.
After what seemed like hours of wandering, Tonks was on the verge of losing hope when a strange figure emerged from the fog. His presence was odd and unsettling, but there was something about him that drew her in.
Instantly, she raised her wand, her training kicking in despite her growing anxiety.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice steady but laced with tension.
The figure turned to face her. As he moved, the fog parted unnaturally, as though the mist itself was bending around him, clearing a path.
When the figure drew closer, the fog had completely vanished, revealing a stunning scene. Two towering peaks loomed in the distance, and between them, the full moon hung like a silver pendant in the sky. Beneath its glow stood a man with long silver hair, his youthful face belying the deep, ancient wisdom in his eyes.
His voice was low and velvety, with a strange depth to it, as though it had traveled through time itself.
"Tell me," he said quietly, "what time is it?"
Tonks blinked, momentarily thrown off by his words. Her hair flushed crimson in embarrassment. "It's... it's almost one o'clock," she stammered, unsure of what he meant.
"I mean the exact time," he pressed, his voice now tinged with an odd urgency.
"Exact time?" Tonks blinked, puzzled.
"The year, the month, the day," he clarified, his gaze never leaving her.
"July 31, 1991," she replied, her mind still reeling from the strangeness of the encounter.
"Ah, I see," the man murmured, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. He turned to walk toward the exit of the mountain range, his steps calm and deliberate, as if the conversation had already ended.
It was then that Tonks remembered her duty. She quickly followed, her training kicking in, and pulled out her Ministry of Magic ID.
"Sir, you shouldn't be out here alone. The Cairngorms are dangerous right now. Please stay close to me!" she called out, her voice firm despite her uncertainty. "I'm a trainee Auror with the Ministry. I'll keep you safe!"
The silver-haired man paused and glanced over his shoulder, a playful smile curling on his lips. It wasn't a warm smile, but something more... bemused. "Keep me safe?" he repeated, his tone light and mocking. "What exactly is the danger here?"
Tonks stood tall, determination flaring. "The Ministry's detected a massive surge of dark energy coming from the mountains. Something—someone—dangerous might be awakening. You should stay close!"
The man chuckled softly. "So, it's a monster you're worried about?" he asked, his voice light. His smile grew, revealing a glint of mischief.
"I'm serious, sir!" Tonks insisted, her frustration growing. Without thinking, her hair turned jet black, a sure sign of her rising annoyance. "You have no idea what you're dealing with!"
The man paused for a moment, his expression softening and gestured to the path ahead. "I appreciate your concern," he said, his voice warm but distant, "but the exit is just ahead, isn't it?"
Tonks looked around, her confusion growing. "Wait... How did you know this was the right way?" she asked, stunned. They had been walking through a labyrinth of winding paths, yet here they were, at the very spot where the Auror team had first entered the mountain range.
The man smiled faintly, his expression unreadable. "It's almost time," he said softly, almost to himself. "It was nice meeting you today, though. Your enthusiasm is... refreshing."
He waved his hand in a nonchalant gesture, and in an instant, he disappeared into the night, leaving Tonks standing, bewildered, under the eerie moonlight.
Tonks blinked, trying to process what had just occurred, but before she could make sense of it, a gruff voice interrupted her thoughts.
"TONKS!" The voice came from behind, and she turned to see a rugged wizard approaching. His long gray hair framed a face marked by battle scars, and a wooden leg made a sharp "thunk" with each step he took.
When he reached her, he exhaled sharply, relieved but stern. "I thought we lost you for good! You completely lost track of the team. Do you remember anything from your training?"
Tonks sighed, nonchalantly shrugging. "Instructor Moody, as you know, my 'Stealth and Tracking' skills have never been great... I got a little... distracted."
Moody's face hardened, his rough voice cutting through the air. "This is your first mission, Tonks, and yet you lost your bearings. You should have followed protocol and regrouped at a safe location."
"Instructor... I—" Tonks hesitated, then added sheepishly, "But I met someone. A... a man in the valley. He helped me find my way back."
Moody's sharp eyes narrowed, sensing something was off. "A man? At this time, in these mountains?" He grunted. "That doesn't sit right with me, Tonks. Someone in the valley, this deep in the dark energy... He's probably...connected to it."
He reached into his coat, pulling out his wand. "We need to find him, NOW. Tonks, do you remember which way he went?"
But the mysterious figure had long since vanished, his presence now just a strange, unsettling memory in the air.
…
Meanwhile, the man that the Aurors were seeking wandered calmly through the Scottish wilderness, taking in the scenery with an air of curiosity. His name was Brad Dracula, a vampire who had lived for more than a thousand years, but had recently awakened from a century-long slumber.
Moody's suspicion was not misplaced. The eruption of dark energy was indeed linked to Dracula's return. A hundred years of sleep had left his dark powers unchecked, and his awakening had unleashed a wave of dark energy into the world.
However, Dracula remained indifferent to the chaos he had caused. He smoothed out the black and red robes that had shown no sign of decay, even after a century of dormancy. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a simple bronze mirror.
The mirror's back was etched with an intricate gold phoenix, a symbol of ancient times. A strange sense of nostalgia swept over him as he gazed into its depths.
His eyes glinted with amusement.
"Still alive, old friend?" he asked softly, a trace of humor in his voice.
A voice, ancient and gruff, answered from the mirror, the tone unapologetically teasing.
"Alive, indeed. It's good, I suppose. At least I don't have to sleep in a coffin for another century like some people."
Dracula chuckled, a low sound that resonated with both affection and slight amusement. "A hundred years since I last saw you. I didn't expect you to become so... talkative."
A dry laugh echoed from the mirror. "I suppose some things do change, even for old ones like us. I'll be visiting your place soon."
Dracula's smile deepened, the familiar thrill of intrigue and curiosity creeping up on him. "Ah, do tell me, then. What interesting things have happened in these past hundred years?"