While Dante was thinking to himself, Astoria and the students gathered around him watched in silence, not daring to interrupt despite their burning curiosity. The tension in the room was palpable, broken only by the sound of footsteps approaching. Suddenly, the voice of Professor Snape drifted into the room, cold and sharp.
"Dante," Snape said, his tone laced with annoyance, "why am I hearing that you put our Durmstrang guests on their knees?"
Dante turned to face Snape, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever. "They were in the way," he replied simply.
Snape's eyes narrowed as he regarded Dante, his voice dripping with disapproval. "You can't simply put people on their knees, even if they annoy you. Such behavior reflects poorly on our house and Hogwarts as a whole."
Dante didn't respond, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever. It was Draco who jumped to his brother's defense. "They surrounded him first and acted all high and mighty," Draco said, his tone defensive. "They had it coming."
The other third and fourth-year students who had witnessed the incident nodded in agreement, their voices rising in support. "They looked down on us, and Dante put them in their place," one of them added.
Snape's gaze swept over the group, his lips pressed into a thin line. Seeing the unanimous support for Dante, he decided to let the matter drop—for now. "Very well," he said, his tone clipped. "But next time, Dante, make putting people on their knees your last option, not your first."
Dante glanced at Snape and gave a slight nod, his attention already drifting back to Astoria. His silver eyes studied her intently, as if trying to dissect her very being. The intensity of his gaze made the girl shift nervously in her seat.
Snape, noticing the gathering of students and Dante's intense focus on the sitting Greengrass girl, raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you all doing here?" he asked, his voice sharp.
Dante didn't offer an explanation, but Daphne stepped forward, her voice steady. "Professor, my sister Astoria is suffering from a bloodborne curse. Senior Dante graciously agreed to examine her and see if he can heal her."
Snape's expression shifted slightly, his interest piqued. He remembered hearing about the younger Greengrass daughter's condition—a rare and debilitating curse that had baffled even the most skilled healers. He turned to Dante, his dark eyes narrowing. "What have you found so far?"
Dante didn't hesitate. "Her blood contains a mix of foreign magic, negative emotions, a soul fragment, and a breath of death. To heal the curse, we need to eliminate all of these components simultaneously and quickly. Otherwise, the curse will simply regenerate within her body."
Snape's brows furrowed as he considered the information. "And the problem?" he asked, though he already suspected the answer.
"The problem," Dante continued, "is that most methods powerful enough to eliminate these components would harm her in the long term—or outright kill her."
Snape thought for a moment, then suggested, "We could use a potion to target the negative emotions. Combined with charms, it might weaken the curse enough to remove it."
Dante shook his head. "The other components of the curse—the soul and the breath of death—would shield the emotions. The magic output required to overcome that shielding would be too great. It's not feasible."
Snape's expression darkened. He had to admit, even to himself, that the bloodborne curse seemed nearly impossible to break. But Dante wasn't done.
Dante stepped back slightly, his wand raised. Without warning, he cast 'Expecto Patronum' at full power. The room was instantly filled with a brilliant silver light as the charm took shape. To everyone's astonishment, the Patronus manifested in the form of Astoria herself—a shimmering, ethereal version of the girl.
The students gasped, their eyes wide with amazement. Snape, who knew the intricacies of the Patronus Charm better than most, was visibly shocked. A Patronus couldn't simply take the form of another being—it was supposed to reflect the caster's innermost positive memories. Yet here was Dante, defying that rule effortlessly. Dante can pull this off because his mind, magic and soul had been pushed beyond the limits of any wizard. On top of that, his skill honed over his many lives gave him a control no other wizard can match.
The silver Astoria stepped toward the real one, who sat nervously on the couch, her eyes closed in fear. The two figures merged, and veins of silver light began to glow beneath Astoria's skin, illuminating her from within. The students watched in awe, their breaths held.
Dante stepped closer to Astoria, his wand tapping her lightly as he checked her condition. He could feel the curse's magic halting, its components forced into a defensive stance against the overwhelming power of the Patronus. His eyes flickered with realization. With the curse weakened, he would need far less magical power to target and eliminate the soul fragment.
The room was silent, the tension palpable. Snape watched intently, his usual mask of indifference replaced by genuine curiosity. Dante's methods were unorthodox, but they proved to be work in the past.
Dante observed Astoria for a moment longer, watching as the glow beneath her skin faded and the effects of the Patronus spell dissipated. He stood there, his expression thoughtful, before finally breaking the silence. "There's a way to deal with the curse," he said, his voice calm but firm. "But it won't be a pleasant experience for you."
Astoria's eyes widened, and she swallowed nervously. Dante continued, "If I succeed, you'll live the rest of your life normally. But if I fail, you'll experience a lot of pain and will need to spend a few days in the infirmary."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. Astoria's face paled, and a nervous look crossed her features. Snape, who had been watching from the side, stepped forward, his expression dark. "What exactly are you planning to do?" he asked.
Dante didn't flinch. "The Killing Curse" he replied simply.
The students gasped, their eyes widening in shock. Snape's face darkened further. "That's too dangerous," he said.
Dante shook his head. "It's a weakened version of the Killing Curse. It won't kill her. Think of it like an antidote. If you're poisoned and take the antidote, it helps you. But if you're not poisoned and take it, it might harm or even kill you. This is no different."
Snape understood the logic, but his expression remained grim. "I won't allow a student to cast the Killing Curse on another, regardless of the circumstances."
Astoria, who had been nervously fidgeting, closed her eyes for a moment before opening them with determination. "If it means the curse can be lifted," she said, her voice trembling but resolute, "I'll give it a try."
Snape's jaw tightened. "I said no."
Dante, however, was unfazed. "I can do it later, or outside the school. Stopping me isn't really an option. But if you stay and watch, you can intervene quickly if something goes wrong."
Snape's face darkened further. It was clear Dante was going to proceed with or without his permission. The only question was when.
Daphne, her worry for her sister evident, asked Dante. "Are you sure this will work? Will she be harmed?"
Dante met her gaze evenly. "She'll be okay. The worst outcome is a trip to the infirmary. And," he added almost casually, "I'm quite proficient with the Killing Curse."
Before Daphne could respond, Astoria spoke up again. "I'll do it," her voice was shaky but determined.
The other Slytherin students' faces were a mix of shock, worry, and anticipation. Snape, meanwhile, was silently seething. [What do you mean, proficient with the Killing Curse?] he thought, his mind racing. [Did you go around killing people in secret? Is this what you were doing during those months you disappeared?] But despite his questions, he kept silent.
Dante looked back at Snape, waiting for his response. Snape finally spoke "In all my years of teaching, I have never seen a student worse than you. Even the Gryffindors are more reasonable."
Dante nodded, as if accepting the backhanded compliment, then turned to Astoria. "This won't be pleasant," he warned. The girl nodded weakly, bracing herself.
Without further ado, Dante pointed his wand at Astoria and petrified her on the spot. The students were startled by the sudden action. "Chances of success increase if she doesn't move," Dante explained calmly.
He then cast 'Expecto Patronum' again, the silver light taking the form of Astoria once more. This time, the Patronus stood motionless, waiting. Dante raised his wand and, without hesitation, cast a weakened version of the Killing Curse. A faint green light emerged from his wand and entered the silver Astoria.
The silver Astoria stepped forward and merged with the petrified one. The room was silent as everyone watched the display of power and skill. Beneath Astoria's skin, silver and green lights clashed, their battle visible to the naked eye.
Seconds later, the lights faded, and Dante released the petrification spell. Astoria gasped, her eyes flying open. "That tickled too much!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with both relief and surprise.
Daphne rushed to her sister's side, her face filled with worry. "Are you okay? Are you in pain?"
Snape also moved closer, his eyes scanning Astoria carefully. Dante, meanwhile, stepped closer to examine Astoria once more, his wand tapping her lightly. This time, he felt no traces of the curse within her.
"The curse is removed," he announced.
Daphne and Astoria stared at him, stunned, before hugging each other tightly, tears streaming down their faces. The curse that had plagued Astoria for so long was finally gone. The Slytherin students erupted into cheers.
Snape, however, raised a hand, silencing them. "Fifty points to Slytherin," he said, his voice carrying over the noise. The students cheered even louder.
Snape turned to Dante, his expression a mix of shock and reluctant admiration. "We need to go to the headmaster's office," he said. "Healing a bloodborne curse is no small feat."
Dante nodded lightly, his expression as calm as ever. As he followed Snape out of the common room, the students watched him go, their faces filled with awe and respect. Dante Malfoy had done the impossible—and he had done it in a way no one else would have dared to try.