Harry Potter: The Progenitor Of Dark Arts

Dante spent the day exploring the Hogwarts library with great interest. The vast collection of books and scrolls offered a wealth of knowledge, much of it new to him. He was particularly intrigued by the advancements in transfiguration theory. While the scale and power of transfiguration hadn't improved significantly, its versatility had expanded. Wizards had begun integrating their magic with muggle technology, albeit in primitive ways. Dante recognized this as a step forward, but it was a small one.

As he browsed the shelves, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. Despite their immense power, wizards lacked the ingenuity of muggles. They were losing the race, clinging to outdated traditions while the non-magical world surged ahead. His eyes flickered to the history section, where a book about Grindelwald caught his attention. He had heard about the dark wizard's extreme ideology from his father—Grindelwald believed in wizarding supremacy and the subjugation of muggles for the "greater good." While Dante could see the logic behind such thinking, he knew the truth: as things stood, muggles were surpassing wizards. If the separation between the two worlds continued, wizards were headed for a grim future.

Dante picked up a few books on muggle history and technology, written by wizards from muggle families, as well as a book detailing Grindelwald's ideology. He spent the rest of the day reading, engrossed in the material. When Madam Pince announced the library's closing, Dante decided to borrow two books. Instead of returning to his dormitory, he headed to the astronomy tower, hoping to continue his reading in peace. It was still the first day, and he doubted any students would linger there.

He was right. The tower was empty when he arrived. Dante sat down and began reading in silence, the cool night air brushing against his skin. Hours passed, the only sound the occasional rustle of pages. Then, footsteps broke the silence.

Dante looked up calmly to see Professor Dumbledore approaching. The headmaster greeted him with a warm smile. "A fine night, isn't it? I didn't expect to find anyone here."

Dante sighed and replied to the greeting. "No need to act, Headmaster. I know you are aware of everything happening in the halls of Hogwarts thanks to the portraits and other animated objects. And I wasn't trying to hide in the first place, so you definitely knew I was here."

Dumbledore's smile didn't falter, but his eyes twinkled with curiosity. "You're a perceptive and smart child. I heard from the professors about your talent and wanted to meet you in person."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I'm curious about you. You showed an advanced level of magic in front of your professor but don't seem to care about displaying it to your classmates. You also don't seem interested in making friends."

Dante didn't answer immediately. Instead, he said, "If you have questions, ask them directly. No need to waste both of our time with roundabouts."

Dumbledore chuckled, unbothered by the blunt response. "Very well. Why did you show your transfiguration skills to Professor McGonagall but not to the students?"

Dante replied matter-of-factly, "Showing too much to the students would be discouraging and harmful for them. Showing too little to the professor would be insulting her. Acting like this will reduce troubles in the long run. As for making friends, I don't see the point. Tell me, Headmaster, if you were placed in a class with the children here, would you actively try to bond with them over classes and lectures?"

Dumbledore didn't show a reaction, but inwardly, he was troubled by the answer. The boy before him was far too detached, he was acting only to minimize trouble. The fact that Dante compared himself to the headmaster in such a manner showed how proud he was and how little he thought of his peers.

Dumbledore's eyes met Dante's, and for a moment, his curiosity and worry got the best of him, he decided to use Legilimency to delve into the boy's mind. He did so subtly, but to his surprise, Dante's mental defenses were impenetrable. The next moment, Dumbledore felt his own mind being invaded with a force he had never experienced before. His mastery of Occlumency barely slowed down the intrusion, and he had to avert his eyes to stop it.

Dumbledore's mind was in turmoil. He had lost the mental confrontation soundly. Before he could recover, Dante spoke, his voice calm but firm. "It was rude of you to do that. If not for your position as headmaster, I would have retaliated by now."

Dumbledore forced himself to calm down, using Occlumency to steady his thoughts. He wasn't sure if Dante had held back out of respect for his position or fear of his title, but the shock of losing for the first time in so many decades had left him vulnerable. If Dante had chosen to attack, Dumbledore wouldn't have been able to defend himself.

"I apologize," Dumbledore said, his voice steady despite his unease. "My curiosity got the best of me."

Dante didn't acknowledge the apology. Instead, he said, "I don't know what you are guilty and worried about, but let's keep our relationship amiable during my years in Hogwarts."

Dumbledore's unease grew, the boy had managed to read some of his emotions regarding Tom in that short confrontation. And despite his unease and worry, Dumbledore nodded.

"I won't hold you anymore, good night Mr. Malfoy" Dumbledore said slowly and as he turned to leave, Dante's voice stopped him. "Having that wand doesn't make you invincible or the strongest for that matter."

Dumbledore froze, his hand instinctively tightening around the Elder Wand hidden in his robes. He turned to look at Dante, who was smiling faintly before returning to his book. Dumbledore took a deep breath and left the tower quickly, his thoughts a whirlwind.

When he returned to his office, Dumbledore sat heavily in his chair, replaying every moment of the interaction. Dante was far beyond anything he had expected. Tom Riddle had been a prodigy, but he still could see through him, Tom's darkness had been born from his environment and experiences. Dumbledore felt sorry for Tom's life and guilty for failing to guide him properly.

He was afraid Dante was similar to Tom, but he couldn't be more wrong. He couldn't read Dante, couldn't understand him. And for the first time in decades, he felt an emotion he had long forgotten: fear. Something about Dante's presence scared him.