The Malfoy Manor was eerily quiet, it was shadowed by a heavy, somber atmosphere. Draco sat silently at the dining table, his face pale and his eyes distant. Narcissa, her cheeks streaked with tears, turned to Lucius, her voice trembling with hurt and disbelief.
"How could you hide something so big from me?" she demanded, her voice breaking. "How could you let me believe he was just… our son?"
Lucius sighed, his usual composure frayed. "It was better for you not to know," he said, his voice low and weary. "You needed to act as if everything was normal. If you had known the truth, these years would have been harder on you."
Narcissa's heartbreak was palpable. The truth about Dante—his ancient origins, his unimaginable power, his role as the progenitor of dark magic—was too much to bear. And now, the morning's copy of The Daily Prophet lay on the table, its headline screaming the darkest prophecy the wizarding world had ever known.
Narcissa turned to Dante, who sat silently at the head of the table, his expression unreadable. "Is it true?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you plan to destroy everything?"
Lucius and Draco looked at Dante as well, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity. They, too, wanted answers.
Dante's response was calm, almost detached. "For the most part, the news is correct," he said. "But I have no intention of destroying the world. The prophecy can be interpreted in different ways. One interpretation is that the world order will change, and the existing order will cease. That is something I am planning to do. I do intend to remove the Statute of Secrecy."
Lucius frowned, his worry evident. "And what if you're wrong? What if something goes beyond your expectations, and everything ends?"
Dante shook his head, his silver eyes gleaming with certainty. "Thousands of years ago, I checked my fate and made a prophecy that my goal would be achieved. This is the promised life. Two prophecies cannot conflict with each other. For my goal to be fulfilled, this world cannot be destroyed. So whatever they are doing, it is completely out of place and unnecessary."
His words did little to ease the tension in the room. Lucius's face was etched with worry, and Narcissa's tears continued to fall. Even Draco, who had always admired his brother, looked uneasy.
Narcissa spoke again, her voice trembling. "The world is preparing to fight you, Dante. You are literally against the entire world."
Dante smiled, but there was no warmth in it—only disdain. "Let them prepare all they can. Nothing will change the outcome."
His confidence was unwavering, but it brought no relief to the Malfoys. Lucius, in particular, was consumed by worry. Even if Dante could protect himself, what about them? What about Draco?
As if reading Lucius's thoughts, Dante spoke again. "If it will make you feel better, go to the Ministry. Be on their side and help them."
Lucius was taken aback. "What?"
Dante's expression remained calm. "This is not a test of loyalty. I'm being serious. I don't mind. At this stage, nothing you can do will change anything."
Draco, his voice shaky but determined, spoke up. "We're not leaving you alone against everyone. You'll need help."
Dante shook his head. "I don't need help. Besides, I won't confront them for another two or three years anyway."
Lucius hesitated, then said, "If I'm switching sides, you can't stay here. What will you do after leaving?"
Dante's smile was faint but genuine. "I'll travel around, explore, and research like usual. When I'm ready, I'll come back to finish everything."
Lucius lowered his head, his voice heavy with emotion. "Thank you for understanding."
Dante stood, his presence commanding the room. "It was a pleasure to be your son," he said, his gaze shifting to Draco. "You have potential. Continue learning, and don't waste it."
Draco and Narcissa broke into tears, their emotions overwhelming them. Dante's words were a farewell, and they knew it.
With a final, lingering look at his family, Dante Disapparated, leaving the Malfoy Manor for good.
___________
Lucius Malfoy walked through the halls of the Ministry of Magic, his presence met with a mix of fear and curiosity. The wizards and witches he passed either stared in shock or quickly scurried away, their faces pale with worry. Being the father of Dante Malfoy—now known as the ancient evil threatening the world—granted him a strange kind of immunity. No one dared to stop him, but no one wanted to be near him either.
He made his way to Cornelius Fudge's office without obstruction, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor. When he opened the door, he found the Minister of Magic sitting at his desk, his face pale and his hands trembling. It seemed Fudge had already received word of Lucius's arrival.
"Lucius," Fudge said, his voice shaky as he stood up. "What are you doing here?"
Lucius stepped inside, his expression calm but serious. "I'm here to talk," he said. "I've read the newspaper, and I have important information to share. I need you to call an urgent meeting of the Wizengamot."
Fudge hesitated, his eyes darting around the room as if expecting Dante to appear at any moment. But he nodded, his fear overriding his usual stubbornness. "Very well," he said. "I'll arrange it."
The Wizengamot gathered quickly, the urgency of the meeting drawing even the most reluctant members. The atmosphere in the chamber was tense, the air thick with anxiety. Some members sat pale and silent, their minds racing with fear that this might be some kind of trap. Others, like Amelia Bones, were there to gather information, their expressions grim but determined.
The last to arrive was Albus Dumbledore, supported by Professor Snape. The headmaster's face was pale, his body weak from the injuries he had sustained in the battle at Hogwarts. He took his seat slowly, his blue eyes fixed on Lucius.
When everyone had gathered, Lucius stepped into the center of the chamber, his presence commanding the room. "This meeting has nothing to do with Dante," he began, his voice calm but firm. "I was the one who requested it. I've read the troubling news in The Daily Prophet, and I've come to share everything I know about Dante. In return, I ask that my family be kept out of this conflict."
The members of the Wizengamot frowned, their expressions a mix of suspicion and curiosity. Dumbledore leaned forward, his voice weak but steady. "Why the sudden change, Lucius?"
Lucius met Dumbledore's gaze, his expression unreadable. "From the start, I had no intention of harming the magical world. I didn't know about Dante's supposed plan to destroy it, and honestly, I don't believe he will do such a thing. Another thing is that Dante has left the Malfoy house. I don't want to be dragged into this madness."
The room fell silent as the Wizengamot members processed his words. Many of them exchanged glances, their thoughts clear: Dante had abandoned his allies and family the moment things got tough, and now Lucius was here to save himself. It was typical Lucius Malfoy behavior.
Dumbledore, however, seemed to be considering something deeper. After a moment, he spoke. "Before we continue, I want you to drink Veritaserum."
Lucius nodded, his expression calm. "I expected as much."
Amelia Bones stood up, her voice sharp. "What if Dante has a way to protect Lucius from Veritaserum? How can we be sure he's telling the truth?"
The question hung in the air, the members of the Wizengamot turning to Lucius for an answer. He smiled weakly. "Nothing I say will convince you, but I assure you, I have no protection against Veritaserum."
Dumbledore raised a hand, silencing the murmurs that followed. "Let's not dwell on that for now. We can verify his words and test him again later. Severus, if you would."
Snape stepped forward, a small vial of Veritaserum in his hand. He handed it to Lucius, who drank it without hesitation.
Dumbledore began the questioning. "Where is Dante going?"
Lucius's voice was flat, the effects of the Veritaserum evident. "I don't know. All I know is that he won't return for two or three years. He said he would spend his time exploring and researching, as he usually does."
Dumbledore's brow furrowed. "Why two or three years?"
"I don't know the exact reason," Lucius replied. "But I think it's because he needs time to assimilate his soul fragments. He told me in the past that he can't absorb them all at once. If not for that, he could have done it years ago."
Dumbledore nodded, his expression thoughtful. This explained why Dante hadn't taken the Elder Wand earlier. He had been waiting, biding his time.
Dumbledore leaned forward, his piercing blue eyes fixed on Lucius. "How many Horcruxes or soul fragments does Dante have left? And do you know where they are?"
Lucius's voice was flat, the effects of the Veritaserum leaving no room for deception. "Right before his fourth year at Hogwarts, he had three soul fragments, and all of them were in Hogwarts. I think he retrieved one that year when he disappeared and another one in recent days. But he didn't tell me, so I can't be sure."
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, his expression thoughtful. "How did you guess that?"
Lucius replied without hesitation. "Every time Dante retrieves a soul fragment, something about his appearance changes. Along with the change, he gains a new magical ability."
Dumbledore's mind raced. He recalled the recent change in Dante's hair—how it had turned completely silver after the battle in the Great Hall. He also remembered how Dante had resisted the Killing Curse without casting a single spell. "Do you know about any other magical abilities Dante has?"
Lucius nodded. "I only know that his eyes are not normal. He can see magic around him and inside people."
The gathered crowd widened their eyes. No wonder the ambush at Hogwarts had failed. Dante had seen them coming from the very beginning and played along.
Dumbledore closed his eyes, a wave of guilt washing over him. So many lives had been lost that day, and now it was clear that they had never stood a chance.
As if remembering something, Dumbledore opened his eyes and asked, "Do you know how Dante can Apparate inside Hogwarts?"
Lucius nodded. "Dante can mask himself as different creatures, like a house-elf."
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. So that was how Dante had been moving around undetected. If they had known this information earlier, the outcome might have been different.
Finally, Dumbledore asked. "If Dante is coming back, does that mean the last Horcrux is still in Hogwarts?"
Lucius replied, "I don't know for certain. But Dante did say a long time ago that Hogwarts was built for multiple reasons, one of them being to serve his oldest goal. He didn't share anything else with me."
The room fell silent, Dante's final goal remained a mystery, but one thing was clear: Hogwarts was at the center of it.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. They had a starting point, protecting Hogwarts is a must for stopping Dante.