16. Lessons

At the end of the Transformation Spells class, Dante gathered his things and headed for the door to leave the classroom. The students whispered to each other about the lesson. Those who had failed to turn a matchstick into a needle looked disappointed, while those who had succeeded looked pleased.

Just as he was about to walk out the door, he felt a glance at the back of his neck. Turning slightly, he noticed that Professor McGonagall was staring at him.

"Mr. Rosier," McGonagall said in her usual calm but authoritative voice.

Dante hesitated, waiting by the door as the other students went on their way. The professor took a few steps closer, adjusted her glasses and looked at him.

"Your performance today was quite good," he said. "Transformation spells require patience and attention. It is clear that you have the sharp mind needed for this class."

Dante bowed his head slightly in thanks, but did not speak.

McGonagall stared at him for a moment, then nodded slightly. "If you have any questions about anything, you can come to my office and ask. I want you to make the most of your time at Hogwarts."

Dante paused for a moment. Was this offer a privilege, or did McGonagall say the same thing to every student? He wasn't sure, but it was clear that the professor took a special interest in him.

"Thank you, Professor," Dante said, polite but distant.

McGonagall nodded without saying anything and turned back to the class. Without giving it much thought, Dante made his way down the corridor to the History of Magic class.

History of Magic Class - Boring Moments and Mind Protection Exercises

The History of Magic classroom was notoriously one of the most boring places at Hogwarts. Professor Binns was a ghost who told the students about historical events in a boring voice. When class began, Dante sat in one of the back rows, leaning back in his chair in silence.

When Professor Binns stepped up to the chalkboard, the shoulders of students all over the classroom began to slump.

"Now... We are going to talk about the meeting of the International Wizarding Confederation in 1631..."

Dante already realized how boring this lesson was going to be. The topic could have been interesting, but Professor Binns' monotonous voice seemed designed to lull the students to sleep.

Dante decided to do something else instead. It was the perfect time to study the Mind Protection Spell.

The true name of this spell was Occlumency. The art of Mind Protection closed one's mind to outside influences, preventing them from infiltrating the memories or thoughts of others.

Why did he need to learn it?

The answer was obvious to Dante. He had never known his father, but he knew who he was: Evan Rosier, a former follower of Voldemort. And with a past like that, he couldn't let people into his mind.

He might never have known his father, but that did not mean he would allow others to speculate about his past.

Exercises to protect your mind

Dante closed his eyes slightly and began to regulate his breathing. Occlumency was based on calming the mind and controlling thoughts.

Focusing on his inner world, he slowly pushed the sounds around him into the background. Professor Binns' voice faded to a hum. Dante tried to organize the thoughts in his mind.

He had learned that to master the art of mind protection, he first had to learn to control his emotions. He had to think like an outsider looking into his own mind - identify its weaknesses and close them.

He imagined building an invisible wall in his mind. This was his space. No one could enter without permission.

He practiced this exercise for several minutes. With each passing moment, he felt more focused.

Suddenly, there was laughter in the classroom and Dante opened his eyes. One of the Hufflepuffs must have fallen asleep with his head on the table, mumbling something strange in his dream. Professor Binns continued to lecture without a break, the students still squirming in boredom.

Dante smiled inwardly.

The biggest advantage of this class for him was that he would have plenty of time to work on Occlumency.

_______________

At the end of the History of Magic class, Dante walked slowly out of the classroom. Throughout the class, he had tried to shut out his bored mind and concentrate on Occlumency, but the time had passed incredibly slowly. As he stepped out into the hallway, the other students were silent, lethargic from the lecture.

It was almost sunset at Hogwarts. The orange light filtering through the windows gave the stone walls a mystical aura. Dante took quiet steps as he made his way to the Slytherin common room. In the dim light of the corridor, he walked like a shadow in his black robes.

He was about to descend the stairs when a figure in black robes appeared in front of him. Tall, fair-skinned and slender, it wasn't hard to make out the features of this man's face as he stepped into the shadows: Professor Snape.

"Mr. Rosier," Snape said, his tone cold and slow. "Come with me."

Dante hesitated for a moment, but without hesitation he answered with a slight nod of his head. "Of course, professor."

Snape's footsteps echoed down the corridor and Dante followed. They didn't speak the whole way. Snape's office fit perfectly into the cold, dim atmosphere of the underground dungeons. When they entered, Snape slowly closed the heavy wooden door and stepped behind his long, dark desk.

Snape stared intently into his student's face. His black eyes focused on him with an expression that seemed to pierce Dante's mind.

"I knew your father," he said suddenly, his voice soft but sharp.

Dante said nothing. He had already guessed. Snape's past must have intersected with his father's old circle.

"I see how talented you are, Rosier. I have high hopes for Slytherin," Snape said, obviously choosing his words carefully. "This year, I want Slytherin to win a long deserved victory."

Dante knew instantly what Snape meant. At Hogwarts, the prestigious Magic Fours Cup, the prize awarded to the house with the most points throughout the year, had gone back and forth in Gryffindor's hands for years. Snape, on the other hand, always tried to upset the balance by favoring the students of his own house.

"I understand, Professor," Dante said coolly, but sincerely. "I'll do my best for Slytherin."

Snape tilted his head slowly, showing that he was satisfied with Dante's answer. "That's the way it is. Bright students like you should help make Slytherin what it deserves to be."

He tapped the silver engraved wand on his desk with his fingers, then looked back at Dante. "Remember this, Rosier: Knowledge is power. And allying yourself with the right people is the best way to keep power."

Dante listened to Snape's words carefully. It was not only a word of encouragement to him, but also a warning. If he didn't want to be alone at Hogwarts, he had to make the right connections.

Snape studied Dante for a moment, then tilted his head slightly to the side and gestured towards the door. "You may leave now."

______________________

Dante made his way to the stairs leading up from the dungeons. The air at Hogwarts carried a faint scent, heralding the approach of dinner. As he made his way through the long stone corridors, he encountered several students. Some of them, talking in groups, fell silent the moment they saw Dante.

He was not used to it.

The students' eyes flickered to him, but they quickly averted their gaze. Whatever they were talking about, Dante's presence was enough to interrupt it. Their faces looked as if they were hiding something. Dante's stomach clenched slightly, but he didn't show it. He continued to move forward smoothly.

I know why, he thought with a cold sigh. It's because of my father.

Being Evan Rosier's son meant walking around Hogwarts like a shadow. Coming from a family with a history of Death Eaters, especially one that had terrorized Voldemort during the years of his rise, always created prejudice in people's eyes. But Dante had never met his father. He even had to admit that he didn't love him. His legacy was nothing more than a burden he had to carry.

As he thought about it, a spark of anger ignited within him. People were judging him without knowing who he was. But one day, everyone would realize that he was not just another Rosier. Dante would make his own name with his own deeds.

With these thoughts in his mind, he arrived at the library. When he opened the large wooden doors slightly and stepped inside, he was greeted by the usual silence. He walked through the wooden shelves to one of the tables where the books were neatly arranged. He carefully placed the Transfiguration notes on the table and took a deep breath.

After putting his things down, he made his way to the Great Hall for dinner. It was only now that he realized he was hungry. As he made his way in silence, voices echoed through the corridors, indicating that Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students were excitedly discussing the approach of lunch. For many, however, Dante's presence was enough to cut through the noise.

As he approached the Slytherin table, he surveyed his surroundings. Slytherin students tended to be stoic. He didn't know exactly what they thought of his past, but at least here they weren't overtly afraid of him. That was a small relief.

Dante sat in an empty corner of the Slytherin table. Some students looked at him and nodded, others were deep in their own conversations. Plates and mugs overflowed with magic and the smell of food wafted through the air. Dante took a piece of meat and a potato and began to eat in silence.

After a while, a student sitting next to him, Alaric Nott, turned to him. The Notts were also a pureblood Slytherin family, but their past was not as turbulent as the Rosiers'.

"Snape called you to his room, didn't he?" he asked in a low voice.

Dante lifted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes at Alaric. "How do you know that?"

Alaric laughed easily. "Snape only summons First Years that interest him. I knew as soon as I saw you. What did he say?"

Dante thought for a moment. He had no intention of sharing what Snape had said, but a simple answer would suffice. "He said he wanted Slytherin to win."

Alaric shook his head. "Typical Snape. He'll do anything to destroy Gryffindor."

Dante looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Do you think Slytherin can win?"

Alaric shrugged. "We can win, but it's not just about scoring points. Slytherin stands for intelligence and cunning. If we want to win, we have to be the best."

Dante made a mental note of these words. Alaric was right. Being a Slytherin didn't just mean excelling in your studies. It meant thinking strategically, taking advantage, and outsmarting your rivals.

As Dante finished his meal, he realized that the other Slytherin students around him were having similar conversations. They all wanted this year to be a good one for Slytherin. But all Dante could think about was how he was going to make his own way.

He didn't want to live in his father's shadow.

He wanted to make his own name with his own power..

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