When Albus Dumbledore first heard about Dante Malfoy, he felt a flicker of hope. A brilliant young wizard, overflowing with talent, had been born. The last one like that was Tom Riddle, and Albus had failed him. He had failed to guide Tom out of the darkness. This time, he was determined not to repeat his mistakes. He wouldn't let another student become a dark lord.
But when Albus met Dante for the first time, his hope turned to unease. The boy's presence was unlike anything he had ever encountered. For the first time in his life, Albus felt afraid of someone. He couldn't explain it, but the fear was real. He began to avoid meeting Dante, something he had never done with any student before.
Years later, when Albus saw Dante again, the boy had grown into something even more formidable. Dante's first act was to beat a professor and threaten the headmaster for incompetence. It was a shocking display of power and arrogance, but it also revealed something about Dante's mentality. He had an uncompromising approach to what he didn't like, a cold efficiency that left no room for error.
At first, Albus saw this as a negative sign—a harbinger of a dark future. But as he observed Dante more closely, he noticed something else. The same cold logic that drove Dante to punish incompetence also drove him to help others. He would guide students, answer their questions, and solve problems with the same ruthless efficiency. These random acts of kindness showed that Dante had a fragment of goodness in him, however small.
There were other things, too—strange instances that didn't make sense. Dante knew things he shouldn't, did things that defied explanation. But in the end, none of his actions harmed the students or the school. For Albus, that was enough. He chose to believe that Dante, for all his strangeness, was not a threat.
But then came the Triwizard Tournament, and the truth was revealed. Dante was no ordinary wizard. He was ancient, a being who had existed for thousands of years, hidden in the shadows of their history. Many of the horrors and evils that plagued their world were the result of his work. He was a threat on a level far beyond Voldemort, and worse, they didn't know what he planned.
Albus was afraid. Starting a conflict with someone as dangerous as Dante was unthinkable without understanding his goals. He needed more information. He even considered talking to Dante directly, trying to make sense of his actions.
But then the Dark Prophecy was delivered. The prophecy painted a grim picture of the world's end, and the cause was the ancient seeker. Who else could that be but Dante? His interpretation is that Dante's goal is closely related with the end of the world. Dante's goal might be even to erase everything.
Albus's mind was made. They couldn't wait any longer. They had to put an end to Dante it was too late.
But as he stood in the ruins of the Great Hall, surrounded by the bodies of those who had fought and died, Albus felt the weight of his decision. He had hoped to avoid bloodshed, to find another way. But the prophecy had left him no choice.
And now, as he looked at the devastation around him, he couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right decision. So many died but they couldn't stop Dante. Dante's last words made it clear, Dante let him live to bear the guilt of the dead.
The hours following the battle in the Great Hall were chaotic. Older students, their faces pale with shock, helped move the injured professors and fighters to the infirmary. The sight was grim—out of more than fifty disguised wizards and witches, only twelve had survived. Many of them would carry the scars of this battle for the rest of their lives.
Molly Weasley was among the survivors, but her husband Arthur was gone, and she had lost a leg in the confrontation. Her face was ashen, her eyes hollow as she lay in the infirmary, surrounded by her grieving children. The Weasleys had already suffered so much, and now this. Albus felt a pang of guilt, though he knew there had been no other choice.
The Death Eaters had fared even worse. They had made up two-thirds of the combined forces, and only three had survived. Their master, Voldemort, had fallen. The so-called Dark Lord had been killed alongside the rest, as if he were nothing more than a common wizard. Albus sighed, his heart heavy. Voldemort's new reign of terror was over before it began.
Albus lay in his bed, his body weak and his mind racing. He looked at his hand, which once clutched the Elder Wand. It was shriveled, blackened, and he doubted it could ever be healed. To think he had been wielding a Horcrux for so many decades without ever realizing it. He couldn't help but wonder if the wand switching allegiances were just a game played by the Horcrux?
And there is the Deathly Hallows story, some believed it, while others thought the Hallows were nothing more than powerful alchemy items. But Albus knew the truth now. The Hallows were all Dante's Horcruxes. He recalled the Cloak of Invisibility being stolen three years ago and how he had searched for it but found no leads. Dante must have taken it—no, retrieved it. The legend of the Master of Death might have been true all along, but the master wasn't just anyone. It was Dante.
Albus was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of shouting. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, stormed into the infirmary, his face pale and his expression furious.
"What is going on?" Fudge demanded, his voice echoing through the room. "Why do I hear you joined forces with the Death Eaters and Voldemort to attack a student?"
Albus felt a wave of exhaustion and depression wash over him. If he had the strength—and a wand—he might have jinxed the minister into silence. But he was too weak, too broken.
Cornelius grew angrier by the moment, his face reddening as he glared at Albus. "Well? Explain yourself!"
Albus sighed, his voice weary but firm. "Cornelius, prepare for an announcement. A Dark Prophecy has been delivered, one that speaks of the end of the world. We will need all the help we can get, even from other magical communities. We are facing the grand evil of this world—a being who has existed for thousands of years and is planning to end us all."
Fudge stared at him, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Finally, he managed to speak. "Have you finally gone senile?"
Albus didn't respond immediately. He simply looked at Fudge, his blue eyes filled with a mixture of pity and resolve. "I wish I were, Cornelius. But the truth is far worse than you can imagine."
The minister's face paled further, but he said nothing. The weight of Albus's words seemed to sink in, and for once, Cornelius Fudge was silent.
Albus closed his eyes, his mind drifting back to the battle. Dante's power, skill and efficiency were all terrifying on their own, but at the end he gained immunity to the Killing Curse—it was all too much to process. But one thing was clear: Voldemort was right all along, Dante was growing in strength and time was not on their side.
___________
The next morning, the wizarding world awoke to terrifying news. The front page of The Daily Prophet bore a headline that scared all who read it:
"Darkest Prophecy: The Original Evil"
The article was long and detailed, its words painting a picture of unimaginable horror. It spoke of an ancient evil wizard who had existed for thousands of years, hidden in the shadows of history. This wizard was the creator of the dark arts, the architect of countless horrifying magics, and the source of many of the world's darkest creatures. His experiments had birthed nightmares, and his influence had shaped the very fabric of their world.
The article explained how this evil wizard had remained hidden for millennia, only revealing himself recently. For thousands of years, he had been planning the destruction of the world, and his preparations were nearly complete. The end, the article warned, was not far away.
The piece went on to describe the recent battle at Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore, the beloved headmaster, had joined forces with the Dark Lord Voldemort and their followers to confront this ancient evil. But the combined forces had been nearly wiped out. Dumbledore was heavily injured, and Voldemort was dead, killed as if he were nothing more than a common wizard.
The article named the ancient evil: Dante Malfoy. It implored every witch and wizard who could fight to stand up, for the world would end if Dante was not stopped. The article was sent to other countries and magical communities, spreading the warning far and wide.
At the end of the article was the prophecy, its words chilling and foreboding:
"When time's veil shatters and light floods the land,
A seeker ancient shall ascend, unbound by mortal line.
Through ashen skies, his voice shall call,
In his shadow, history ends—darkness consumes all.
Death's chains shall break, time's rivers bend,
His will knows no end, where none dare tread.
Beware his rise, the old world's doom,
For in his light, none shall rise from ruin's tomb.
The seeker's hand unweaves the sky, his voice stills the storm,
Yet darkness dwells within, a fire cold and warm.
Fate's threads fray, no dawn remains,
In his shadow, all is lost—only silence reigns."
The wizarding world was thrown into chaos. In homes, shops, and streets, people gathered to discuss the article, some their faces pale with fear, while others not believing it. Parents clutched their children tightly, while others frantically packed their belongings, unsure of where to go or what to do.
At the Ministry of Magic, Cornelius Fudge held an emergency meeting. The usually pompous minister was uncharacteristically somber as he addressed the gathered officials. "We are facing a threat unlike anything we have ever seen," he said, his voice trembling. "I saw Dumbledore's state, I saw the corpses of Voldemort and the rest of the death eaters. We must unite, not just as a country, but as a global community. The end of the world is at hand, and we cannot afford to falter."
In Diagon Alley, the bustling streets were eerily quiet. Shopkeepers stood in their doorways, their faces grim as they read the paper. At the Leaky Cauldron, patrons spoke in hushed tones, their usual cheer replaced by fear and uncertainty.
At Hogwarts, the atmosphere was equally tense. The students who had witnessed the battle were still in shock, their minds struggling to process what they had seen. The professors, though injured, worked tirelessly to comfort the students and prepare for what was to come.
Albus Dumbledore lay in the infirmary, his body weak but his mind sharp. He knew the article would spread fear, but it was necessary. The world needed to understand the gravity of the threat they faced. Dante Malfoy was not just an ancient dark wizard—he was the embodiment of evil itself.
As the wizarding world grappled with the news, one thing became clear: the fight against Dante would require unity, courage, and sacrifice. The prophecy had been spoken, and the ancient seeker was on the rise.
The world was awakening to darkness, and the battle for its survival had only just begun.