Elias woke early.
It had become habit now, the sharp precision of his internal clock—sharpened by years of adulthood in another life—jolting him out of bed even before the sun had fully kissed the towers of Hogwarts. He stretched, sat up, and glanced at the beds around him.
"Ron. Harry. Wake up."
He gave them each a small nudge.
"Come on. First day of class."
Ron grumbled and rolled over. Harry muttered something into his pillow.
Elias sighed and headed to the bathroom. They'd regret it soon enough.
By the time Elias stepped into the Great Hall, most students had gathered. The enchanted ceiling glowed faintly with morning light. He moved toward the Gryffindor table, earning several glances—some curious, others wary.
The whispers had started.
"Did you hear? Blake might be moved to Slytherin."
"But he was already sorted."
"Well, his father wrote to Dumbledore. That's not nothing."
"Maybe he begged for Gryffindor. Or tricked the Hat?"
Elias ignored it, though his expression remained calm and unreadable. He poured himself some pumpkin juice and bit into toast, feeling eyes on him even as he tried to focus on the food.
"Looks like the Gryffindors are getting desperate," came a drawl from behind him.
He turned slowly to see Draco Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, his smirk as polished as his robes.
"A Blake in Gryffindor," Draco said, voice heavy with derision. "How tragic. You're wasting your pedigree, you know. Or is it just shame?"
Elias raised an eyebrow, meeting Malfoy's eyes. "Do all Slytherins wake up and decide to embarrass themselves in public? Or is that just your thing?"
A few students chuckled.
Draco's face twitched. Before he could retort, Professor McGonagall's voice rang sharp through the hall.
"Ten points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy—for provoking your fellow student on his first day of class."
Draco turned, startled. McGonagall approached with her usual severe air, eyes narrowing behind her spectacles.
"And let this be a reminder," she said, addressing the hall now, "that House pride is no excuse for disrespect. Every student sorted is here because they belong."
Draco retreated with a huff.
McGonagall's eyes softened slightly as she turned to Elias. "Don't let their nonsense get to you, Mr. Blake. Now finish your breakfast. Professor Flitwick doesn't tolerate tardiness."
Charms Class
The first Charms lesson took place in a cozy, sunlit room lined with windows and hovering candles. The desks were arranged in pairs, and students buzzed with excitement.
Professor Flitwick, small and energetic, stood atop a stack of books to be seen over the desk.
"Welcome, welcome! Today, we begin with the foundation of light—the Lumos charm!"
With a flick of his wand, Flitwick demonstrated.
"Lumos!"
A gentle white light shone from the tip of his wand.
"You may think it simple, but light—control over light—is one of the first steps to control over the world. Focus, pronunciation, and intent. Let's begin."
Elias practiced with Hermione. She was, unsurprisingly, focused and precise.
"Lumos!"
Her wand sputtered and flickered.
"Try again," Elias said. "Relax your grip. You're forcing it."
"Thanks," she muttered, slightly surprised at the tip.
Elias pointed his own wand.
"Lumos."
A bright, steady light emerged, casting shadows across the desk.
Hermione glanced at him. "You've done this before."
"I read a lot," he said with a vague smile. "And practiced."
In truth, Elias had already unlocked basic wand control and incantation stability through the Fate Divergence System. It had cost him 25 points, but he deemed it worthwhile—especially for quickly gaining a reputation among teachers and classmates.
He had earned those points from:
Diverging from fate by being Sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin (15 points)
Choosing to defy Draco Malfoy's attempt to manipulate him during their first encounter at Ollivanders (5 points)
Remaining composed despite the pressure of his father's expectations (5 points)
He checked the System briefly under the table:
Fate Divergence Points: 30
Purchased:
– Beginner Wand Control: 15 pts
– Basic Incantation Stability: 10 pts
Available: 5 pts
Next, he planned to save up for Occlumency - Entry Level. He knew too well how dangerous it was to be vulnerable in the mind—especially with Snape assigned to observe him.
Evening Solitude
After dinner, while others relaxed in the Common Room, Elias slipped away.
He found his way to the Black Lake, where twilight painted the surface silver. A large tree stood nearby, roots curled around the earth like ancient fingers.
He sat beneath it, summoned a guitar from his enchanted storage satchel—a gift he'd instructed his house-elf, Wibs, to purchase during their time in Diagon Alley—and began to strum.
The chords were from a song he'd loved in his past life.
Not happy. Not sad.
Just… honest.
His fingers moved from muscle memory. He closed his eyes and let the music speak.
🎵
"Time moves slow when you're all alone…
But silence can be loud in the quiet unknown…"
His voice was low, clear, and soft.
Unbeknownst to him, three Ravenclaw girls—fifth and sixth years—had paused while walking nearby. They stood just out of sight, listening.
"Who is that?" one whispered.
"That's the new Gryffindor. Blake."
"His voice is… wow. I didn't expect that."
"He's handsome and mysterious. Merlin help us."
They giggled quietly, backing away so as not to be seen. But the impression had been made.
Elias finished the song and exhaled. It wasn't for show. It was just something that kept him grounded—a piece of the world he'd left behind.
He packed the guitar, stood up, and made his way back to the castle. The sky above was vast and deep with stars.
Sleep came quickly that night.
Tomorrow, the game would continue.