Harry Potter: The Progenitor Of Dark Arts

It didn't take long for the forest to respond. The sound of hooves hitting the ground echoed through the trees, growing louder with each passing second. Lucius turned toward the noise, his wand now firmly in hand. From the shadows emerged a group of centaurs. They moved with a grace that belied their size, their eyes sharp and wary as they approached.

One of the centaurs, a tall figure with a chestnut coat and a stern expression, stepped forward. "Who dares summon us with the mark of the Archer?" he demanded, his voice deep and resonant.

Dante stepped forward, his demeanor calm and confident. "I am Tertius," he said. "This is the promised life. I have come to collect Chiron's debt."

The centaur's eyes widened, and he spoke with respect. "As per the old pact of our ancestors, we welcome you, Lord Tertius. I am Magorian, the current leader."

The rest of the centaurs bowed reverently as Lucius stared at the bizarre scene. Centaurs were proud creatures and would never bow to wizards under normal circumstances.

"Don't use Tertius," Dante said with a smile. "In this life, I am called Dante Malfoy." He then looked at his father. "We will be staying with their tribe for a while. Please be patient."

Lucius nodded, wondering if he would one day become numb enough to no longer be surprised by Dante.

The centaurs led Dante and Lucius to their homes—modest huts made of wood and woven branches. Dante and Lucius were given the largest hut, which Lucius assumed belonged to their leader.

"Lord Malfoy," Magorian said respectfully, "we will begin the ritual tonight. For now, please rest and let us know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Magorian," Dante replied with a smile. He walked into the hut and sat on the ground in a relaxed manner. His eyes drifted to Lucius, who was still standing. "You might want to sit. We're going to be here for days."

Lucius nodded and slowly sat on the ground. He didn't like the idea of sitting in such a manner—it didn't suit a nobleman. He found some solace in the fact that there was a sort of carpet, if it could even be called that, on the ground.

Lucius sighed, then looked at Dante as he spoke. "Would you mind telling me what this old pact is about?"

Dante's expression became distant and nostalgic. Lucius watched him intently, eager to hear the story behind the ancient pact with the centaurs. After a moment of silence, Dante began to speak, his voice carrying the weight of thousands of years.

"Long ago," Dante began, "I was known as Tertius, a Greek wizard. In that era, I partnered with a brilliant witch named Circe. Together, we studied magical transfiguration and the possibility of gaining the natural-born abilities of magical creatures."

Lucius listened intently, his curiosity piqued. Dante's tone was calm, but there was a hint of pride in his words. "After years of study and experimentation, our work finally bore fruit. Circe successfully became the first Metamorphmagus. She took the transformation ability of a Boggart and made it her own. All Metamorphmagus today are her descendants."

Dante paused, a faint smile playing on his lips. "We didn't realize we had created a hereditary ability until after Circe had her first child. It was an unexpected but fascinating outcome."

Dante's expression grew more serious as he continued. "Back then, there was a wizard named Chiron. He fell in love with Circe and followed her around, vying for her affection. Circe was a stunning beauty, and after becoming the first Metamorphmagus, she perfected her looks. But Chiron's attempts to woo her failed miserably."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "What happened to him?"

Dante's gaze darkened. "One day, Circe grew angry with Chiron persistence and used him in an experiment—against his will. She turned him into the first centaur and forced him to breed with horses. As you might imagine, his offspring became the second generation of centaurs."

Lucius's eyes widened in shock. "She did what?"

Dante nodded grimly. "Circe wanted to kill Chiron afterward and use his offspring for more experiments. That's when I became aware of what she was doing and intervened. I couldn't stand by and let her continue such cruelty. I saved Chiron from her."

Dante's voice softened as he recounted the next part of the story. "Chiron felt indebted to me for saving his life. He made an Unbreakable Vow, swearing to repay me for my help. It was then that I discovered something unexpected—Chiron lost his ability to wield magic but had gained a seer's ability through his magical transfiguration."

Lucius leaned forward, his interest growing. "A seer's ability? How?"

Dante shrugged. "Magic is unpredictable, especially when it involves such drastic transformations. When I realized Chiron's newfound gift, I shared with him that I would be reborn one day and I would need his help to find the items I had left behind."

Dante's eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and melancholy. "Chiron promised that all of his descendants would wait for me to return, for all eternity. He even designed a ritual to help me find my lost items when the time came. That was the pact we made—over three thousand years ago."

Lucius sucked in a breath, his mind reeling. Yet another part of the magical world had been shaped by Dante's actions in a past life. The Metamorphmagus, the centaurs—both were tied to his research and decisions from millennia ago. The more Lucius learned about history, the more terrifying Dante became.

"You've… you've influenced so much," Lucius said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The magical world as we know it—it's all connected to you."

Dante nodded, his expression unreadable. "The past has a way of echoing into the present. But my focus now is on the future. The ritual tonight will help me find what I left behind without scouring the world."

Lucius sat back, his mind racing. As he looked at his son—or rather, the ancient being wearing his son's face—he felt a mix of awe and fear. Dante was not just a wizard; he was a living legend that shaped their world in many ways.