Prof. Dante Esposito

“If you didn’t go around, digging for information you weren’t supposed to know, you would not have had to worry about missing out on her childhood.” Olivia insisted stubbornly. Perhaps she was being a little too rude, but she knew she had to be that way. Dante was making a mistake, leaving his old, comfortable life behind, for something that he couldn’t have. Their relationship wasn’t allowed back then, who was to say that them having a daughter now would be fine? Did he even consider the danger he’d be putting Adriana in if he was to approach her? “Of course she’s asked about you, she’s not stupid.” She snapped, placing her now-cold drink down onto the empty stand nearby. What was Olivia supposed to tell him? She could lie. She could tell him that Adriana resented him, that Olivia had painted him to be some kind of a bad guy. Or she could tell him the truth. “No, she knows the situation we were in. She knows that she’s a halfblood, and that her father’s a pureblood. And she knows that she’s safer not meeting her father. She’s seen plenty.” Even in Hogwarts, even in these safe grounds, there was plenty of prejudice and judgement. Plenty of risks.

"How is this information I was not supposed to know?” he asked her, his voice starting to rise. He did not wish to make a scene but he had the right to know about the child. She had kept this from him all these years and she didn’t even seem to be remotely apologetic. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her, and as calmly as he could, he wanted to understand her reasons but it wasn’t all that easy to be patient. “And how would I know that?” he snapped right back at her before clicking his tongue. “I get it, I get there were a million complications and I am sorry that my presence in your life is such an inconvenience to you, but unless my daughter doesn’t want to see me, you have no right to stop me from getting to know her. She’s not a child anymore, is she? She can make her own decisions. I’ll see you at Hogwarts next term.” Without so much as another word, he turned around and left, not wanting to argue with her any longer. 

She’d been up early, but not early enough to be the only one awake, and so going to the pitch was just a tiny bit too risky; chances of someone finding her there were much too high for her liking. But there was a place in the woods near the Black Lake, a little clearing. Not incredibly big, but for someone who couldn’t even fly, this was more than enough. As soon as she got there, she accio’d the broom, but it took her some time until she tried anything. And once she did… nothing really happened. It took her a few times before she could finally kick off the ground. But seconds later, she just saw a flash of green, and lost control. It was her mind messing with her, and no matter how hard she tried, she always failed. At least, her fall wasn’t bad this time - maybe a small bruise? but nothing more than that. Still, Florence stayed on the ground, the broom on the ground not too far from her. “Fuck, FUCK.” 

( @flydante​ )

He had spotted the girl with her broomstick in the clearing, but he had not a reason to talk to her as he passed by but before he was out of earshot, he heard her swearing and Dante went over to inspect what was going on, his brows furrowed in confusion. “Is everything alright here?” he asked her, looking from her to the broomstick and then back at her. “Did you fall off your broom? You are not hurt, are you?” 

“You quit?” Olivia paused, letting the shock take over her for the next few moments. Quidditch was always such a huge part of his life- the part of his life that she had given up her own happiness for. So, knowing that he had quit only left her furious. “You love Quidditch! You always did! Why did you quit? You weren’t even injured, and you’re still young enough for it.” She argued, letting her initial worries fade away for a bit. No matter what, no matter how many years had passed, she still cared deeply for Dante, and wished him all the best. Still, she was quick to go back to her worries over Adriana. Did she expect him to understand? Not really, no. He wasn’t there that awful day, when all those threats came her way. “She’s been just fine without you for nearly twenty years. Are you really going to take that comfort away from her? What are you going to do when the word spreads that she’s your daughter, and the media will be all over her? Are you really willing to let her suffer through all of that?”

He wasn’t surprised to see that she was shocked by the decision he had made but it wasn’t one he had made in a whim. It was one he had mulled over for a long time before deciding, if he wanted anything to do with his daughter at all, this was the way to go. He couldn’t be spending a few more years for his career and come and see her when it was convenient for him. Now that he knew of her existence it was now or never. “Well, apparently I’ve missed literally all of my daughter’s childhood, I didn’t want to stay away longer after finding out about her.” he explained, a tiny hint of bitterness to his tone. “So you are telling me that she has never asked about her father? What lies have you fed her about me? Does she think I abandoned her?” 

“Luckily. Sure.” Olivia drawled out as she tried to figure out a way out of this. Twenty years, she dreaded this. For twenty long years, she feared that Dante would find out about Adriana’s existence- and that he would come looking for her. In any other situation, it would have been seen as something absolutely sweet, showing that Dante had morals, but this wasn’t any other situation. If Dante knew, otherw would eventually find out. And then, even living in Hogwarts would not help. The mere thought of his parents finding out and tracking Adriana down made Olivia pale, and she shushed him, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him further away from the crowds, further away from the prying ears. “Why would you take a job here? You’ve got your own career! Your family!” She argued, letting go of him. “You are taking no for an answer. She does not need to know that you’re her father, she’s happy as it is.”

He let her drag him away from the crowds, he had hoped to speak to her alone after all, but things had panned out differently than he wanted. It could be said for most of his life, except perhaps his career which was the only thing in his control. “I quit.” he said bluntly. His decision had been rather abrupt and were all over the papers but Olivia had never been the one to be looking at the sports columns before, and it looked like that hadn’t changed. “Adriana is my family too, Liv. You can’t change that by just hiding her from me.” he argued right back. “She’s not a child anymore, you can’t still be going around making decisions for her. And for me.” 

Taking another sip of the hot beverage, Olivia enjoyed the warmth, the smoothness of it. It was really just a great way to get slightly tipsy while still surrounded by students- especially when her own home was just a few streets away. However, all wonders were cut short when a painfully familiar voice spoke up, just so close to her, making her choke on the drink. “Merlin’s beard-” She breathed out through the coughs, only to pull herself together a few moments later and look up at the familiar face that she had only been seeing in the newspapers for the last two decades. Deep down, Olivia expected for Dante to stay away after her letter, forget everything and go back to his perfect family life; yet, still, knowing him, she knew it wouldn’t be that easy. It didn’t mean, however, that she wasn’t more than shocked to see him here. “What on Earth are you doing here?!” She spoke, a little too loudly, causing a few people around them to turn heads. Nevertheless, Olivia ignored them, and, instead, scanned the crowds for Adriana, praying to everything that the girl was somewhere far, far away with her friends. “Shouldn’t you be…I don’t know, anywhere but here?”

“Well, I couldn’t not come after knowing what I know.” he said once the other finally got over her shock and spoke to him. “I came to see you at school earlier, but you weren’t there. But luckily..” He simply shrugged his shoulders, it was good that he got a chance to meet her before he came to the castle to start his job. He had wanted to say many things when he saw her again, he had been running through it in his mind over and over, but somehow all of those thoughts seemed to disappear now. She was the woman he had once loves, but she was also somehow who hid the existence of his daughter for almost two decades. He didn’t know what to feel or what to think about her. “I just came to tell you that I took a job at Hogwarts. And I need to meet and get to know my daughter. And that I am not taking no for an answer.” 

“For my family. Family always comes first.” 

@flydante​

Adriana loved living in Hogsmeade, it meant she got to go enjoy all the winter events they had to offer every day. But she always started off her trip with a stop to see the animals. She was bonding with one just as she noticed someone else stop by the petting area and casually glanced at him, but quickly did a double-take. Her eyes widened and she immediately walked over to him, slightly confused. “Oh Merlin, you’re Dante Esposito! I’m such a huge fan! I tried out for chaser because of you…but why are you in Hogsmeade?” 

A smile grew on his lips when he saw the rather familiar looking young girl -- he couldn’t put his finger on it, but it felt like he knew her from somewhere. “That’s amazing, which house do you play for?” He was quite used to meeting fans and being recognized and he didn’t mind, especially if he was a reason for people to gain interest in playing quidditch. “Well, everyone are here for the Winter Wonderland, my kids love it.” he explained. “And I am also here for a meeting with Dumbledore later on, I will be your coach from next term.”