The crisp autumn air drifted through the open windows of Hogwarts Castle, carrying with it the scent of morning dew and the faint echoes of owl wings. Elias Blake sat quietly at the Gryffindor table, his fork idly poking at a piece of toast. Around him, students chattered about upcoming classes, House points, and the persistent rumors that had begun swirling like a storm cloud overhead.
"Did you hear?" whispered a third-year Hufflepuff at the Ravenclaw table. "That first-year Blake was supposed to be a Slytherin."
"His dad's a big-shot at the Ministry," added another, lowering her voice. "Word is, he even tried to get Dumbledore to change the Sorting."
Elias had learned to ignore whispers. But it didn't mean he didn't hear them.
📜 System Notification:
Rumors Stirred: +5 Fate Points.
Your divergence continues to ripple across the timeline. You have gained attention from multiple Houses.
He exhaled slowly. Attention, yes—but not all of it welcome.
The Library Encounter
Later that day, seeking reprieve from the stares and murmurs, Elias made his way to the Hogwarts Library. The silence of the massive room, broken only by the occasional flick of a page, was oddly comforting.
He found a quiet corner and selected a tome on magical theory, letting the words pull him into their rhythm—until he heard a very familiar voice behind him.
"You're reading about magical resonance this early in the term?" Hermione Granger's tone was more curious than combative.
He looked up. She stood with a stack of books in her arms, her expression cautious, as if unsure whether to sit or leave.
"It's always better to understand the roots before trying to cast the tree," Elias replied, offering a small smile.
She hesitated, then sat across from him.
"I thought you were arrogant," she said bluntly. "On the train. That first day."
"I was just… prepared." He closed the book. "And I'm not particularly fond of wasting time."
Hermione studied him. "You're different."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't necessarily a compliment."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, the tension oddly light, the beginnings of something undefined. Neither friendship nor rivalry—something in between. A flicker of mutual understanding.
System Decision: Upgrade
After dinner that evening, Elias sat at the edge of his four-poster bed in Gryffindor Tower, the crimson curtains pulled half-closed.
📜 System Notification:
Available Fate Points: 110
Would you like to access the Fate Divergence Shop?
He opened the interface with a thought. The options shimmered before him—spells, knowledge, passive skills.
His gaze settled on one:
🧠 [Skill Upgrade Available]
Occlumency – Entry Level → Basic Proficiency
Cost: 100 Fate Points
Increased mental defense.
Slight resistance to legilimency.
Improved clarity of thought under pressure.
He didn't hesitate.
✅ Purchase Confirmed.
🧠 Occlumency upgraded to Basic Proficiency.
Mental discipline deepens. Your thoughts are becoming your own fortress.
A pulse of cold clarity settled behind his eyes, like shutters closing against an intrusive wind. He felt it—not just knowledge, but instinctual discipline. The way his thoughts organized themselves, the way emotional distractions dimmed, was immediate.
Closing Whispers
As Elias lay in bed that night, the chatter in the common room below slowly died down. Somewhere in the castle, a clock struck ten.
He turned over, thoughts quiet, and not just because of Occlumency.
He could feel it. The shift.
The school was watching him. Some with curiosity. Others with expectation.
And still others with suspicion.
But Elias Blake would not be moved by whispers or bloodlines.
He was no one's pawn.
He was the one who diverged.
📜 System Notification:
Fate ripples continue to spread. Watch closely, Divergent One.