The floating countdown before his eyes faded into the room's darkness along with the "distribution completed" message. A profound silence filled the chamber, broken only by Cedric's quiet breathing and Lux's soft purring, as the kitten had curled up next to his neck. Virtus closed his eyes, but not to sleep. His mind sailed backwards in time, to the moment when everything, once again, had irrevocably changed.
Two months earlier
Virtus's room, London.
The twilight light streamed through the window, illuminating the desk where Virtus distractedly played with Lux. The kitten chased the tip of a pen while his owner stared blankly at the muggle textbooks and parchments on the table. The trip to Diagon Alley had been just a few hours ago, but it already felt like a surreal dream. The elder wand with a dragon heartstring core rested in its case beside him, a tangible reminder that the world was far stranger and more wonderful than he had ever imagined.
So now what? he thought, stroking Lux's back. Do I become just another pawn on Dumbledore and Voldemort's chessboard? A muggle-born child, with no connections, no protection?
The feeling of powerlessness was overwhelming. He knew the future, a future full of war, pain, and loss, and he felt as insignificant as a grain of sand facing a tsunami.
[Ding*]
The sound was clear and metallic, like the chime of a tiny crystal bell, resonating only in his mind. Virtus's head snapped up, his eyes wide. There, floating in the air before his face, was a semi-transparent window of a soft, ethereal blue, with bright white letters.
[Narrative Impact System successfully activated]
[Welcome, Host. I am here to serve you.]
Virtus froze. It wasn't just surprise; it was the intrusion of the impossible into a life he already thought was impossible. Excitement surged in his chest, a mix of disbelief and a fierce, sudden hope. He wasn't just another muggle-born wizard. He was... something more. Someone with a tool, a real opportunity to protect himself and his own.
"What... what are you?" he whispered, aware he didn't need to speak aloud, but habit was strong.
[I am the Narrative Impact System. My function is to collect Impact/Emotional Points generated by the reactions of sentient beings to your works, in any format you choose. My ultimate purpose is to make the Host's life more comfortable and secure.]
Virtus nodded slowly, beginning to understand. In his previous life, he had read stories, fanfics, where characters reacted to their own story. That was it! But in those tales, a giant screen everyone could see usually appeared...
[Host, two clearly divided factions coexist in this world: muggles and magicals. The system has analyzed the socio-historical structure and concludes that it is not opportune to show your works to the muggle world at this time. A mass revelation could compromise the International Statute of Secrecy.]
"You're right," murmured Virtus, thinking quickly. "If a magical child tries a dangerous spell inspired by a book... it would be a disaster. Alright. Let it be the magical world only."
The next question was crucial. "How do I publish the works? If I write about things only a few should know, like Voldemort's Horcruxes or Dumbledore's secrets, they'll come looking for me."
[You need not worry, Host. Upon selecting book publication as the primary medium, the system features an automatic distribution function. Your works will appear simultaneously in all magical bookstores and distribution points worldwide at the designated time. Employees and owners will not question their origin. Furthermore, any attempt to destroy, block, or prevent access to your books will result in "proportional punishment" for the offender.]
A sigh of profound relief escaped Virtus's lips. It was better than he had dreamed. "And my safety?"
[The system possesses an "Extreme Anonymity" function. Even if your name and likeness appear in your works, no one will be able to identify or connect them to you. Any attempt at an active search will result in the individual forgetting their purpose and engaging in another activity. Note: This function will remain active until the Host reaches magical majority (17 years). After that, you must handle your own security.]
It was an almost absolute safeguard. Seven years of anonymity. Seven years to sow chaos, to change the course of history from the shadows, without fear of reprisal. He could talk about the Horcruxes, Dumbledore's manipulations, everything, without the Dark Lord or the Old Headmaster knocking on his door.
"I understand. And what are the Impact Points for?" he asked, eager to learn the mechanism of his new power.
[Emotional Impact Points (EIP) are the numerical quantification of intense emotions (surprise, anger, joy, sadness, etc.) that sentient beings experience when interacting with your works. These points can be used in the system's "Gacha" function.]
Virtus couldn't help a mental grimace. Seriously? Gachas? I can't escape them even in another life.
"How much does one pull cost? And is there a welcome gift?"
[Gacha: 1 Pull = 1,000 EIP. 10 Pulls + 1 Extra = 10,000 EIP.]
[Rewards can be any object, animal, knowledge, or skill from the Harry Potter universe, whether from the past, present, future, or alternate timelines.]
[Ding! Welcome package activated. Rewards granted:]
[- Spell: Rapid Writing Charm (Master Level)]
[- Spell: Brushstroke Drawing Charm (Master Level)]
Immediately, a torrent of knowledge flooded Virtus's mind. It wasn't just the words of the charms; it was the sensations, the precise wrist movements, the exact amount of magical power required, the deep understanding of their function. It was as if he had practiced these spells for decades. The rapid writing charm reminded him of Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill, but without needing an artifact; he could make any quill write at superhuman speed. The brushstroke drawing charm was the secret behind magical portraits, allowing him to create living illustrations with astonishing realism.
"System, show me my status," he requested, wanting to see it for himself.
A new window appeared, simple and clear:
[HOST: Virtus King]
[AFFILIATION: Wizard]
[AGE: 11 years]
[WORKS COMPLETED: 0]
[IMPACT POINTS (EIP): 0]
[GACHA: 1 Pull / 10 Pulls]
[SPELLS: Rapid Writing Charm (Master), Brushstroke Drawing Charm (Master)]
It was perfect. Simple and straightforward. That night, Virtus went to bed with a plan forming in his mind. He would write the story of Harry Potter in the world of Harry Potter. It would be controlled chaos, an earthquake that would shake the foundations of magical society, especially in magical Britain, but which, handled carefully, could change things for the better. It could save lives.
Present
Hufflepuff Dormitory
Back in the darkness of Hogwarts, Virtus opened his eyes. The system window reappeared, showing a new message:
[DISTRIBUTION SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.]
[PRIMARY LOCATIONS: Flourish and Blotts (London), La librairie de l'Ours(Paris), Saier Bookstore (New York), The Daily Prophet Headquarters (London), Dervish and Banges (Hogsmeade)...]
The list was endless, with names in French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese... The system had distributed "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" across the globe. A book narrating future events, revealing deep secrets, was now in the hands of witches and wizards from all corners of the world.
A serene smile touched Virtus's lips. Tomorrow was Saturday, September 2nd, 1989. There were no classes. He could explore the castle, observe, and above all, witness the first ripples from the stone he had thrown into the pond begin to spread. He imagined the faces of surprise, disbelief, and fury he would see in the Great Hall. With that comforting thought, he finally surrendered to sleep, as Lux purred softly against his cheek. The seed of chaos was sown. Now, all that remained was to watch it grow.