NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: Summer Begin
The arrival of summer brought with it the return of Draco Malfoy to the grandeur of Malfoy Manor. His homecoming was met with a warm welcome from his family, including Dante, who had made time to check on his younger brother despite his busy research. The family set together, the sunlight streaming through the tall windows as Draco recounted his first year at Hogwarts.
Draco's face lit up with pride as he spoke of his achievements. "I'm the top student in my class in every subject," he declared, his voice brimming with confidence. "Some of the professors even said I'm only second to you, Dante. They said no one's been as brilliant as you were, but I'm close."
Dante listened quietly, a faint smile playing on his lips. Draco's pride in his accomplishments was evident, but Dante could see the deeper truth behind his brother's success. The lessons and guidance Draco had received from their family, especially from Dante himself, had given him an edge over his peers. Even the "know-it-all" girl Draco talked about couldn't keep up with him despite spending most of her time buried in books.
Draco continued, he spoke about the other pure-blood families. "I've made friends with the children of the Parkinsons and the Greengrass, I also met my friends Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe" he said, listing off names with the ease of someone who had grown up in such circles. "Our house, Slytherin, dominated the others all year. But then—" His expression darkened. "—the headmaster ruined it."
Lucius, who had been listening intently, leaned forward. "What do you mean, Draco?"
Draco's voice grew indignant as he explained. "The headmaster gave Potter and his friends an absurd amount of points for breaking the rules! Potter got 100 points, Weasley 60, that Granger girl 60, and even Longbottom got 40. A total of 300 points! Normally, an entire house scores a few hundred points over the entire year! It's obvious Dumbledore didn't want Slytherin to win an eighth time in a row."
The room fell silent as the family processed Draco's words. Narcissa's lips pressed into a thin line, her disapproval evident. Lucius's expression darkened, his fingers tightening around the handle of his cane. Even Dante, usually unflappable, raised an eyebrow.
"That's not all," Draco added, his tone growing more heated. "Dumbledore allowed Potter to be the Gryffindor Seeker—a first year! Can you believe it? No first year has ever been allowed on a House team, but of course, the so-called 'savior' gets special treatment. It's ridiculous! Potter's not even that good. He's scrawny, stupid, and knows nothing about magic. He's worse than Muggle children. Honestly, I don't believe he vanquished the dark lord after seeing him, it is just too ridiculous to believe."
"That's a blatant abuse of power," Lucius said coldly. "Dumbledore has always favored his precious Gryffindors, but this is beyond the pale."
Narcissa nodded in agreement, her voice sharp. "To reward rule-breaking so extravagantly—what kind of message does that send to the students?"
While his parents fumed over Dumbledore's actions, Dante's mind was elsewhere. He focused on the details Draco had mentioned. "What rules did they break?" he asked, his tone calm but probing.
Draco hesitated for a moment before answering. "Apparently, the Philosopher's Stone was hidden at Hogwarts this year for protection. No one was allowed near its location, but Potter and his friends thought Professor Snape was trying to steal it. They broke the rules to stop him, but it turned out to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor instead. The thief died in one of the traps"
Dante's frown deepened. He knew Nicolas Flamel personally, and the idea that the old hypocrite would willingly part with the Philosopher's Stone was laughable. The Hypocrite would sooner destroy it than risk it falling into the wrong hands, as for storing it at Hogwarts? That was out of the question.
"How do you know all this?" Dante asked, his gaze fixed on Draco. "Was it just a rumor?"
Draco shook his head, a sheepish look crossing his face. "No, it's not a rumor. What happened was kept secret from everyone at the school. I, uh… used the Extendable Ears charm you taught me to listen to Potter and his friends from time to time. And according to them, Flamel is planning to destroy the Stone soon."
Dante leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. Draco had brought him intriguing news, but the story didn't sit right with him. He didn't believe for a moment that the Stone had truly been hidden at Hogwarts. Flamel was many things, but foolish wasn't one of them.
As Dante pondered the implications, Draco continued to talk about his year at Hogwarts. He mentioned the "know-it-all" girl, Hermione Granger, with a mix of annoyance and disdain. "She's unbearable," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "Always raising her hand, always quoting books. It's like she thinks she's the only one who knows anything. Worse, she doesn't know when to shut up"
Dante's interest was piqued. He could see the passion in the little witch from Draco's words and wondered if this Hermione Granger would grow into a brilliant witch or fade into obscurity like so many others who lost their passion for learning as they grew older. He kept his thoughts to himself, however, not wanting to dampen Draco's enthusiasm.
Finally, Draco turned to Dante, his eyes shining with curiosity. "Can I see your Order of Merlin medal?" he asked. "And… can you teach me about Magic Circuits? I want to learn everything you know."
Dante smiled slightly, a rare warmth in his expression. He had always liked Draco's eagerness to learn. "Of course," he said. "Knowledge is meant to be shared, especially with those who seek it."
As the summer days stretched on, the Malfoy Manor buzzed with activity. While Lucius and Narcissa basked in the glory of their family's rising reputation, Dante and Draco spent hours together, delving into the intricacies of Magic Circuits. For Dante, it was a chance to guide his brother and spread the knowledge. For Draco, it was an opportunity to step closer to the brilliance he so admired.
Not long after Draco's return from Hogwarts, the Daily Prophet released its next issue, and the headline sent shockwaves through the wizarding world: "Philosopher's Stone Destroyed: Nicolas Flamel's Wife Passes Away."
The article detailed the tragic news that Nicolas Flamel, the legendary alchemist, had chosen to destroy the Philosopher's Stone, the source of his and his wife Perenelle's immortality. With its destruction, the couple had accepted their mortality, and Perenelle had peacefully passed away shortly after. The wizarding world mourned the loss of one of its most iconic figures.
Dante had known Nicolas Flamel personally in his past life, and while he had little respect for the man's hypocrisy, he knew him better than most. Seeing his dear wife dead, Dante knew Nicolas would follow suit any moment now.