Order of Merlin

When Dante and Lucius returned from their trip to the grand Malfoy Manor. Narcissa was the first to meet them, her arms crossed and her expression a mix of relief and concern. Her eyes immediately locked onto Dante's, and her breath hitched. His once-familiar gaze had been replaced by something entirely new—a piercing, almost mesmerizing hue that seemed to see straight through her.

"Dante," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "what happened to your eyes? And where have you two been? You can't just disappear for days without contacting me once!"

Dante met her gaze with his usual calm demeanor "The item I lost and was looking for is an old alchemy artifact," he explained matter-of-factly. "We found it on the outskirts of Little Hangleton. Thanks to it, my magic has grown stronger, and my eyes can now see traces of magic. It's as if 'Revelio' is always active in my vision."

Narcissa's worry softened into amazement. Her son had gained a magical ability from an artifact?It was unheard of. What kind of artifact is that? How did her son find it and lose it in the first place? In the end, she decided not to ask anymore, what mattered is her son doing well. She reached out to touch his face, her fingers brushing lightly under his shimmering eyes. "This is incredible, Dante. Truly incredible."

Lucius, standing slightly behind Dante, was surprised. He hadn't expected Dante's new eyes to come with a magical ability. But his surprise turned into dejection, why didn't Dante tell him earlier? Gaining a magical ability and not telling him but sharing everything immediately with Narcissa. It was simply not fair.

Narcissa, now calmer, turned her attention to Dante's time among the Muggles. She had always looked down on them, considering their world beneath the notice of wizards. But she wanted to connect with her son, and this seemed like the only way for now as Dante was obsessed with them.

"Come Dante, I want you to tell me about your time with the Muggles," she said, gesturing for him to sit with her in the drawing room.

Dante obliged, taking a seat across from her. He spoke of their technology—cars, airplanes, computers, and even their advancements in medicine and space exploration. Narcissa listened intently, her initial disdain giving way to reluctant admiration.

"They have achieved so much without magic," she murmured, more to herself than to Dante. "It's… remarkable."

While Narcissa and Dante talked, Lucius excused himself. He had work to do. Over the next few days, he spread the news of Dante's research on Magic Circuits. The magical world buzzed with excitement. Witches and wizards everywhere were captivated by the potential of this new field of magic.

The Malfoy Manor soon became the center of attention. Visitors flocked to the estate, some to congratulate Lucius on his son's groundbreaking work, others to learn more about Magic Circuits. Even Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge made an appearance, his round face beaming with a wide smile as he shook Lucius's hand.

"This is a monumental achievement," Fudge declared. "There's talk of a reward for Dante. The Ministry is considering awarding him the Order of Merlin, First Class!"

Lucius accepted the praise with a wide smile, though he knew full well that all the credit belonged to Dante. Still, he couldn't deny the boost to the Malfoy family's reputation. For the first time in years, they were being celebrated by all rather than scrutinized.

Narcissa, too, basked in the compliments. The wives of prominent wizards and pure-blood families gushed over her, expressing their envy at having such an exceptional son. Narcissa smiled from ear to ear, her heart swelling with pride.

Dante, however, remained indifferent to the attention. He had no interest in the flattery or the politics. What he wanted was progress. He wanted the magical world to embrace Magic Circuits, to push its boundaries and unlock its full potential. Only then would the stagnant wheels of magical development begin to turn again.

Dante only met those who came with questions about the Magic Circuits, those who seeked to learn. In his eyes, they were the only ones worth his time, as for the rest? Let them flatter his parents.

Weeks passed, and the buzz around Magic Circuits showed no signs of fading. Then, one morning, an official letter arrived from the Ministry of Magic. Dante was summoned to receive his reward.

Dante stood in the grand hall of the Ministry, surrounded by the most influential figures in the magical world. Minister Fudge stepped forward, holding a gleaming medal in his hands.

"Dante Malfoy," Fudge announced, his voice echoing through the hall, "for your groundbreaking invention of Magic Circuits and your unparalleled contribution to the field of magic, the Ministry is honored to award you the Order of Merlin, First Class."

The room erupted into applause as Fudge pinned the medal to Dante's robes. As Lucius and Narcissa stood proudly beside him, their faces glowing with admiration and pride, Dante's mind wandered far from the glittering ceremony. The Order of Merlin, First Class medal hung heavily on his chest, a symbol of honor and respect in the eyes of the wizarding world. But to Dante, it was a reminder of how much the world had changed—and not necessarily for the better.

Nearly 400 years ago, the Order of Merlin medals were still given to honor those who protected and aided Muggles, recognizing the bravery and compassion of wizards who stood against the injustice of non-magical people. It was a symbol of compassion and the deeper connection between the magical and non-magical worlds. But now, it had become a trophy for wizards to celebrate their own achievements, regardless of Muggles. The shift in its meaning spoke volumes about how the wizarding world had grown insular and self-serving, especially after the statute of secrecy was established.

Dante's thoughts drifted further, lingering on the mythical figure of Merlin himself. The legendary wizard, whose name adorned the medal, was a mystery even to Dante. In his past life, he had heard tales of Merlin's greatness, but something didn't add up. If Merlin had truly been one of the first students at Hogwarts, Dante should have met him when he lived as Armand. A wizard of such immense power and influence, even in his youth, would have been impossible to overlook.

His best guess was that Merlin wasn't a single person at all. Perhaps 'Merlin' was a name given to a group of Muggle-born wizards who banded together to protect their families and communities during a time of fear. Over centuries, their collective efforts and ideals could have been romanticized into the legend of a single, larger-than-life figure. The narrative would have been reshaped to suit the needs of a wizarding society that increasingly sought to distance itself from Muggles, turning Merlin into a symbol of wizard supremacy rather than unity.

As the applause around him faded and the ceremony drew to a close, Dante's glowing eyes narrowed slightly. The medal on his chest felt less like an honor and more like a relic of a distorted history. The wizarding world had strayed in the wrong direction, it was far from what envisioned in the past.

The next day, the daily prophet published another paper with Dante being on the front page, 'the youngest wizard to receive the order of merlin, first class medal in history'. Dante had officially become the youngest person in history to receive the highest honor a wizard could achieve.

The next day, the Daily Prophet hit the stands with its usual flair. Splashed across the front page was a striking image of Dante Malfoy, Order of Merlin First Class medal prominently displayed on his robes. The headline screamed in bold, magical lettering: "The Youngest Wizard in History to Receive the Order of Merlin, First Class!"