Chapter 8: Seven Years in the Blink of an Eye.

Dante had just returned home, having spent seven years in the world of Harry Potter, during which a lot happened.

He had just returned from St. Mungus Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, where he regularly consulted on more severe cases. Over time, he became well-known there. Thanks to Dumbledore, who introduced him, Dante was able to demonstrate his talents and secure a position as a consultant and specialist at the wizarding hospital. His treatments were revolutionary, especially in the field of transfiguration and body manipulation. Over time, Prometheus (Dante) created spells and potions capable of restoring small amputated limbs in a single treatment, and he was almost always able to reverse accidental transfigurations. Besides that, Dante's life was peaceful, at least until he published his first book.

Dante fulfilled his promise to Dumbledore and befriended the young boy. The seven-year-old Harry wasn't much different from the book and movie versions, even with the changes Dante made in the timeline. It wasn't enough to overcome the years of abuse from his uncles. If there was a difference between the movies or Dante's imagination from the books about Harry's physical appearance, it was his thinness. The books describe that he never went hungry, but the boy's appearance was still very close to being carried away by a slightly stronger gust of wind.

Dante spent almost the entirety of his first five years as Prometheus Esposito, and then introduced the neighborhood to the little Dante Esposito, his "son," a very sick child who studied at home. It took no effort at all to make Harry become friends with Dante. The little savior spent most of his time walking alone on the street. All it took was an invitation from child Dante to play video games, the 16-bit ones had just been released.

Dante was already used to taking care of children even though he didn't want any of his own. He had spent most of his life in an orphanage, and they had one rule: take care of each other. Life was already hard enough, and being alone only made things harder. In no time, Dante began to see the small and malnourished boy as a younger brother from the orphanage. Unfortunately, he couldn't take care of the boy all the time. During the first five years he was in this world, he studied magic deeply. Before he knew it, he was sending letters almost daily through his phoenix to wizard specialists all over the world, a courtesy of the introductions made by Albus Dumbledore. His main contacts were with specialists in transfiguration, alchemy, chief healers, and potion masters.

Over time, Prometheus Esposito became a well-known name, and his opinion was sought in various fields. What complicated Prometheus's life was the release of several articles over time where he cited muggle science. The embers of war had not yet completely settled, which caused pro-muggle thoughts to be seen as an affront. Everything remained in the realm of threats until Prometheus (Dante) released his first book "A Divided World: How the Isolation of the Magical World Will Be Our Ruin." In it, Prometheus (Dante) explains how the magical and non-magical worlds followed a unique and equal evolutionary line until the creation of the 'International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy' in 1689. The International Confederation of Wizards (ICW) decreed this law with the aim of protecting the magical community, which was being intensely persecuted and killed by non-wizards. In his book, Dante explains the evolution of the two worlds and how the wizarding world has been left exponentially behind. The book deals in a didactic and almost childish way with advances in the fields of medicine, weaponry, chemistry, physics, and social, giving wizards predictions for the coming years and concludes with the idea that we should seek peaceful coexistence between the two parts, and suggested that the 'International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy' should be reviewed and gradually abolished.

This single opinion was enough for Dante to suffer almost daily attempts on his life. At first, Prometheus (Dante) handed them over to the Ministry of Magic, but after being attacked by the same pureblood's unforgivable curse three times, Dante's patience reached its limit. From that moment on, he would only hand over the wizards who did not use any unforgivable curses against him. The others were of great help for the next books by Prometheus Esposito "A Study of Vital Forces" and "Alteration and Healing of Vital Forces Under Extreme Deformation Conditions." Both books became huge successes among the academic community. His research created spells that would facilitate the healing of those affected by failed or cursed transfiguration spells. Seven years into this new world, and due to his books and research, Dante was awarded the Order of Merlin Third Class, given to people who "contributed to the knowledge or entertainment of the magical world." 

Dumbledore occasionally questioned Prometheus about the disappearance of some influential members from various pureblood families, and in letters, he questioned how some theories in his book were precise and highly detailed. To this, Prometheus (Dante) could only respond as, "You know, professor, I treated a patient with these same symptoms once. It's a pity he didn't survive, but his death served to save countless lives."

Dante resisted provoking the old man further by writing "for the greater good" at the end of the castes. He was sure that if he wrote or said that, a furious centenarian would break down his door and beat him up the next second.

However, Dumbledore's responses were almost all friendly warnings, as if he saw in Dante a younger and more energetic version of himself. They were mostly good advice and, on several occasions, suggestions on how to improve his books and spells.

The old man's knowledge was frightening; it was as if he was almost omniscient. Dumbledore proved to be as good at magic as he was at muggle science. At some point during one of Prometheus's visits to Dumbledore's office, not knowing exactly how they got on the topic, Prometheus (Dante) and Dumbledore discussed "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking. The portraits of the directors on the walls seemed to be having a stroke, and Professor Minerva McGonagall, who was there just to ask about Harry, left the room at some point doubting her ability to understand the language of the two men.

And in an apparent calm, the next years passed. Dante was making the same mistakes as his past self. Although he had gotten close to Aldar the elf, the phoenix Salaark, Harry, Dumbledore, and Minerva over time, he spent days studying or reading, gradually feeling a bit lonely. His 11-year-old child's body began to affect his mind, making him want friends he never had in his old life.

But all of this would change soon. Dante would witness something that would break him, and more importantly, he would meet someone who would change him.

"Demons run when a good man goes to war. Night falls and drowns the Sun when a good man goes to war… Night falls, and darkness rises when a good man goes to war."

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PS: It was a short chapter. I've been very ill this entire week. I'm extremely sick with the flu and a sore throat. Being on the PC gives me a headache. The next chapter will introduce the co-protagonist, whose backstory is inspired by Guts from Berserk. So the next chapter might be a bit heavy. I don't know how much yet, but I know it will be a very long chapter....