Winter had come to Hogwarts.
By mid-December, the weather had turned cold and the sky was covered with a gray blanket. Snowflakes drifted down from the castle's tall towers like a finely woven curtain. The surface of the Great Lake had begun to freeze in the early hours of the morning, and the wind gently shivered the branches of the bare trees on the Hogwarts grounds.
Inside, the scene was quite different. Hogwarts was getting ready for Christmas. The Great Hall was decorated with huge garlands hanging from the ceiling, twinkling fairy lights and giant gold ornaments. Enchanted snowflakes, carefully placed by Professor Flitwick, floated gently in the air, disappearing without touching the ground. Glowing baubles hung delicately from the branches of twelve huge pine trees in the Great Hall, adding to the Christmas spirit.
Even the corridors were in a festive mood. The torch lights along the walls of Hogwarts glowed a warmer color, and small Christmas ornaments stood out in every corner. Huge red ribbons and golden bells hung in the entrance hall. A few suits even formed a small choir singing Christmas carols.
But in the midst of this magical atmosphere, Dante Rosier felt more alone than ever.
Christmas vacation had begun, and one by one the students were heading home.
As the train left Hogsmeade to reunite students with their families, Hogwarts began to empty. Gryffindors cheerfully packed their bags, Hufflepuffs gave each other small gifts. Ravenclaws stuffed books into their bags and didn't stop reading until the last moment.
The Slytherin common room was a similar bustle. Most of the students were returning to their families. The Malfoys, the Greengrasses, the Notts, they were all leaving Hogwarts to join in the traditional Christmas celebrations. Dante, however, had decided to stay.
Hogwarts had become his home.
Looking out of the castle's large stone windows, he saw the Hogsmeade train disappear over the horizon, billowing black smoke. There was silence as the train left Hogwarts. A deep emptiness filled him.
If he really had a family, someone who cared about him... what would it be like?
He closed his eyes for a moment and imagined.
Maybe his mother would wake him up early on Christmas morning. He pictured a figure cheerfully preparing breakfast. Steaming chocolate chip cookies on the table, cups of hot chocolate in a corner... A large decorated pine tree in the corner of the room, carefully wrapped presents underneath.
Maybe his father would play snowball with him. He imagined them running around laughing in a snowy yard. His father would lift him up on his shoulder, then suddenly put him down and start a fun snow war.
Maybe he had an sister or brother who taught him how to play Quidditch. Together they would jump on their broomsticks and race across the sky.
The real world was very different.
The Rosier family had never left him with such memories. To be a Rosier was to never show weakness. He had never known love, warmth, and what it meant to be a family. He had grown up alone since he was a little boy, in big, cold mansions that had been built especially for him.
Dante opened his eyes. He was strangely troubled. Where were these thoughts coming from?
He took a deep breath and pulled himself together. He had to make the most of this vacation at Hogwarts. Instead of getting caught up in the warmth that Christmas brought, he should have focused on improving himself as usual. He should have been stronger.
But still... that strange feeling of emptiness inside him wouldn't go away.
Hogwarts was almost completely empty that night. The few remaining students had gathered in the Great Hall for Christmas dinner. Dumbledore and a few professors accompanied them. But the hall was much quieter than usual.
Dante finished his meal quickly. He didn't really like being around people right now. When he left the warm atmosphere of the Great Hall and stepped into the cold corridors, he was left with the loneliness of Hogwarts.
His own footsteps echoed off the stone walls. The corridors, once filled with noise, were now silent. There was no movement except for the flickering torchlight at night and the occasional giggling ghost.
He liked Hogwarts just the way it was. Quiet, peaceful... and like it was all his.
His footsteps led him slowly to a window. Outside, the magical snowflakes continued to drift. The Great Lake was covered in a layer of ice. The lights of Hogsmeade were barely visible in the distance.
Dante put his hand on the stone ledge of the window. If he had a family, he wouldn't have to spend Christmas alone like this. But that didn't matter, did it? If you were strong, loneliness wouldn't affect you.
He didn't know how many times he had to tell himself that.
That night, spending Christmas alone at Hogwarts, he questioned himself more than ever. Did being strong solve everything? Or did you need something else to really feel like you belonged?
He didn't know the answers to these questions. But he did know that this holiday at Hogwarts would make him into someone even more different than he was before.
_______________
Hogwarts was a different place at night.
As the students retired to their dormitories, only whispers traveled between the stone walls of the castle. The flickering light of torches cast long shadows in the dim corridors, and as the wind gently rattled the ancient windows, the secrets hidden within the walls seemed to awaken.
Dante Rosier sat in the Slytherin common room, watching the fire slowly die. The great halls and corridors of the castle belonged to him now. Today he wanted to find something new to increase his strength.
And the best place for that was the Forbidden Zone of Hogwarts.
The Hogwarts library was a fascinating place; thousands of books contained centuries of knowledge. But the most valuable knowledge was kept away from ordinary students. The Forbidden Zone was full of such books - books of dark magic, dangerous magical theories, forbidden rituals.
Tonight, Dante had no other purpose than to enter it.
His breath seemed to evaporate as he moved silently through the castle's corridors. The silence that pierced the night made each step seem louder than it was. Occasionally, the cold air blowing through his armor sent shivers down his spine.
Reaching the Forbidden Zone was easier than he thought. When he reached the library, the front door was still open. Madame Pince's room was in deep darkness. The only sound echoing through the bookshelves was the wind gently tapping on the wooden floor.
As he opened the door to the Forbidden Zone, a heavy scent filled Dante's nostrils - the smell of old parchment, dust, and secrets sealed with magic.
His eyes swept along the shelves. The bindings of the books were dark, some chained, others covered in strange materials that seemed to cling to his skin when he touched them. It almost seemed to whisper to him, carrying the knowledge that wizards had kept hidden for centuries.
Finally, he found what he was looking for.
A dusty, dark leather-bound book was wedged against a shelf. The engravings on it were nearly obliterated. As he carefully pulled it out and held it in his hands, he felt the presence of magic within.
This was no ordinary book of spells.
As Dante turned the pages, he found his own darkness between the lines.
"Shadow Chains," he muttered to himself.
This spell gave the ability to chain an enemy with someone's shadow. Unlike physical chains, these chains were bound to a person's soul, enslaving them in a way they could not escape.
A small smile appeared on his lips. This could be useful for him.
But he couldn't stay here. He needed a safer place.
Room of Need
There was a room at Hogwarts that was only open to those who really needed it. Since Dante had learned of its existence, he had adopted it as his new workplace.
Crossing several corridors and secret passageways, he reached one of the most mysterious places in Hogwarts and stopped in front of the great stone wall.
"I need a place to work."
He walked around the same spot three times and suddenly an old door appeared in the stone wall.
As Dante stepped inside, he realized that the room had adapted to him. A dimly lit room appeared, like an old magic laboratory. There were old scrolls on the shelves, various magical symbols on the walls, and a large desk in the center. The slightly hazy air that filled the room showed that the magic inside was still alive.
He placed the book on the table and carefully opened the pages.
This magic could not remain in theory. He had to try.
I feel the dark power
Dante raised his wand as the book described and muttered dark words. The words, written in an ancient curse language of Latin origin, echoed in the air.
"Tenebris Vincula."
In an instant, the shadows shifted.
The darkness in the corners of the room began to move like a living thing. The shadows flickered, coiled, and flowed to the floor like a snake.
As Dante raised his hand, the shadows followed his movement. They formed a chain in the center of the room.
But he still did not have complete control. The shadows were demanding more power.
Dante gritted his teeth. He had to be stronger.
He stopped for a moment. He felt a vibration inside of him. He could go further with this spell. He could go beyond what was written in the book. It was not enough to read the spell, he had to feel it.
He took a deeper breath, focused his mind on the darkness and raised his wand again.
"Tenebris Vincula... Perpetuum!"
The spell was stronger this time. Shadows jumped, dancing in the air as if they were living creatures. And suddenly, black chains appeared.
Dante gasped. He had succeeded.
But the shadows still moved. He couldn't quite control them. The chains hit the walls, shaking the table.
Dante immediately waved his wand, breaking the spell. Slowly, the chains disappeared and the shadows returned.
The room was silent again.
But Dante realized something.
He wanted to try again.
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