September settled into Hogwarts with the kind of rhythm that lulled most students into comfort.
For Aditya, it was the most dangerous phase.
Classes resumed their steady march, and while many students relaxed after the excitement of arrival, Aditya tightened his routine. His system did not demand obsession—but it rewarded consistency.
[Training Slots Available: 2/2]
Slot 1: Wand Control Precision (Passive)
Slot 2: Magical Endurance Conditioning (Passive)
Both ran silently, progress inching upward even as he attended lessons, ate meals, and walked the moving staircases.
Transfiguration was his anchor.
Professor McGonagall wasted no time reminding them that mistakes carried consequences. When she demonstrated transforming a desk into a pig and back again, her movements were crisp, controlled, absolute.
"Magic without discipline is chaos," she said sharply. "And chaos gets people killed."
Her gaze lingered briefly on Aditya—not accusing, not approving. Measuring.
He met her expectations without drawing attention, his transformations clean, reversible, and precise.
Charms was lighter, but no less demanding. Professor Flitwick encouraged experimentation, though only within safe boundaries. Aditya thrived there, learning not just how to cast spells, but why they behaved the way they did.
"You think in frameworks," Flitwick noted one afternoon. "That's advanced thinking."
Aditya smiled politely, but logged the observation mentally.
Potions, however, was war.
Snape's classroom felt colder than the rest of the castle, and his scrutiny sharper than any blade. Aditya followed instructions exactly—but trimmed inefficiencies wherever possible. Cleaner cuts. Reduced reagent waste. Better temperature control.
Snape noticed.
"Singhania," he said softly one class, eyes dark. "You brew as though you expect failure."
Aditya didn't hesitate. "Preparation reduces consequences, sir."
Snape sneered. "Or reveals fear."
Their eyes locked. Snape looked away first.
Defense Against the Dark Arts that year wastaught by Professor Helena Crowe, a witch with a clipped accent and visible scars along her forearm. She wasted no time on theory-heavy lectures.
"Dark magic doesn't announce itself," she said, wand already raised. "It strikes."
Her lessons focused on:
Shield timing
Curse disruption
Situational awareness
Aditya excelled—not because he was stronger, but because he was faster to adapt
.Slot 1 Progress: 41%]
Wand Control responding well under stress
Herbology offered contrast. Professor Sprout encouraged patience, grounding magic in care and consistency. Aditya found the work stabilizing. Magical plants reacted to emotional balance, and his steady temperament helped them thrive.
Outside class, the Weasley twins became unavoidable.
They dragged him into shortcuts, secret staircases, and questionable experiments. Aditya didn't stop them—but he measured risk, redirecting disaster more often than notYou're no fun," Fred complained once.
"You're great fun," George corrected. "Just… alive-focused."
At night, in the quiet of his dormitory, Aditya reviewed his day.
[Daily Summary]
Overall Efficiency: Optimal
Magical Strain: Low
Slot Expansion Requirements: Not Met
No shortcuts yet.
That was fine.
True power, he was learning, was built in silence—long before anyone noticed.