The dormitory was quiet.
The steady rhythm of shallow breaths and the occasional shift of a blanket filled the room with the kind of silence that settled only after a long day. Elias Blake lay in his bed, curtains drawn around him, a book resting closed on his chest. But he hadn't read a word in half an hour.
His thoughts were too loud for that.
He stared at the canopy above, eyes unfocused. The day's events—lessons, encounters, the letter from his father, the Forbidden Forest venture with the Weasley twins—all circled in his mind, coalescing into a question he had avoided for too long.
What do I really want to accomplish here?
At first, it had all been about subtle divergence. Gaining System points. Testing the limits of fate. But that was reactionary. Short-term. Convenient.
Now… now it had to be something more.
He turned inward, summoning the sleek, ever-silent interface of the Fate Divergence System.
[Fate Divergence System Active]
Total Points: 72
Recent Activity:
— Intervened in Neville's fall: +10
— Interaction with the twins in the Forbidden Forest: +12
— Breaking Hogwarts Curfew (Divergence from Canon): +5
— Prevented Potions accident: +8
— Ongoing deviation from familial expectations: +15
— Musical Performance (Song unknown to wizarding world): +10
System Message:
"Your divergence rate is increasing. New options unlocked in the Shop."
A low breath escaped his nose—equal parts satisfaction and curiosity. He opened the Shop tab.
New Items Available:
Occlumency: Intermediate Understanding – 50 Points
Allows for deeper emotional regulation, memory compartmentalization, and resistance to passive Legilimency.
Magical Core Conditioning (Stage I) – 40 Points
Enhances magical stamina and wandless control through subconscious channeling techniques.
Minor Alchemical Insight – 25 Points
Allows intuitive understanding of basic magical ingredients and their interactions.
He frowned slightly. He had already purchased the entry-level Occlumency Foundation weeks ago, but this was a different level altogether.
He selected the Intermediate Occlumency.
"Confirmed. 50 points deducted. Knowledge will integrate during sleep."
His total dropped to 22.
He turned over onto his side, pulling the curtains slightly open to glimpse the soft moonlight spilling through the dormitory window. The castle slept. And yet, somewhere, his future was quietly stirring.
What do I want?
What goals will define this year?
He stared out into the moonlight and began to list them mentally, careful and clear:
Mastery of foundational magic — Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions needed to be strengths. He had to stand out for talent, not just bloodline.
Secure access to restricted knowledge — He needed books. Access. Secrets buried in the Restricted Section.
Develop Occlumency to the point of true mental defense — Especially with Snape watching.
Form connections, allies—not friendships, necessarily, but useful bonds.
Hermione. The twins. Maybe even someone in Ravenclaw or Slytherin.
Reshape his reputation at Hogwarts — Not as a Blake… but as Elias. A Gryffindor who could not be categorized.
Subtly confront and distance himself from his father's shadow.
He closed his eyes.
And then, slowly, he added a final goal.
Find meaning. Real meaning. Beyond systems. Beyond divergence.
He hadn't come back from death just to play a new role. He had come back for something more. He just didn't know what it was yet.
But he'd find it.
One goal, one step, one spell at a time.
As sleep overtook him, the System quietly processed his new knowledge. The threads of Occlumency began weaving deeper into his mind, laying the groundwork for future control.
Elias Blake—reborn, recentered—slept with purpose.
And morning would come soon.