The soft, rhythmic breathing of Astra filled the quiet room. She was curled up on the small bed, a picture of peaceful slumber, oblivious to the momentous day they had just experienced. Alister sat on his own bed, the first-year spellbook open in his lap.
The cover was simple, but the knowledge inside felt like a key to a new world. His mind, the System humming in the background, was ready. He had the perfect control, the raw power, and the logical mind of a warrior. Now, he would learn his first spell.
He opened the book and his eyes immediately found the first spell listed: Lumos. The description was simple: it created a small beam of light from the tip of a wand. The instructions were to say the incantation and flick the wrist.
Alister, however, had a different idea. He closed his eyes, his mind focusing on the concept of the spell, not the words. He saw the pure, Tier 3 magical energy within him, a vast, swirling sea of power. He felt the System, a perfect conduit, ready to shape his will into reality.
He extended his arm, his hand empty, and focused on the simple, clear goal: a light. He didn't need a wand. He didn't need a word. He just needed to will it into existence.
The magical energy within him, under the System's flawless control, obeyed. It moved through his body, down his arm, and gathered in his palm. A warm, gentle pressure built up, a feeling that was both familiar and alien.
When he opened his eyes, a small, perfect ball of pure, white light floated just above his palm. It was a silent, unblinking orb, a flawless sphere of energy. It illuminated the dusty room with a soft, steady glow. He had done it. Wandless and wordless casting. His first spell, and it was perfect.
Just then, a clear, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, the familiar sound of the System.
[Magic Learned: Lumos]
[Status has been updated]
___________________________________________________
[Status]
Name: Alister Potter
Age: 11
Race: Human
Tier: 1 (Apprentice Mage)
Magical Attributes:
Magic Power: Tier 3
Beast Tamer: Tier 0
Potion-maker: Tier 0
Alchemist: Tier 0
Astrologer: Tier 0
Transfiguration: Tier 0
Physique: Tier 0
Spells learnt:(Highest Tier 1)
Tier 1: Lumos
______________________________________________
Alister stared at the transparent blue screen. He had cast his first spell, a simple act of will, and his status had changed. The words Tier: 1 seemed to mock his powerful, latent magical core.
He looked at the other ratings: Beast Tamer: Tier 0, Potion-maker: Tier 0. The numbers were a cold, hard truth. He had no knowledge in these fields.
"System," he thought, his question a silent command. "What are the tiers based upon?"
The System's mechanical voice hummed to life.
[Tiers are a reflection of an individual's mastery of magical knowledge and skill. Raw magical power is but one component. The true measure of a wizard's strength is their ability to understand and apply magical theory to achieve a desired effect. each of these has high potential and can lead to tier 8 existence] (A/N: refer to Auxiliary chapter professions and their tiers)
The System's explanation continued, breaking down the tiered system into a more comprehensible framework.
[Your current magical power, a Tier 3 level, provides you with the raw energy to perform great feats. However, your lack of knowledge and practical experience places you at Tier 1 in spells. You have learned a single spell, Lumos, which is a Tier 1 spell. As you learn more spells and progress in your understanding of magical theory, your Spellcasting Tier will increase. Similarly, your Tier 0 ratings in Potions, Transfiguration and other fields reflect your complete lack of knowledge in those fields.]
"But why do you say they can lead to Tier 8?" Alister thought, a new question forming in his mind. "What about Tier 9?"
The System's voice was immediate and final.
[The ultimate state of ascension, Tier 9, is not a destination. It is a state of being. To reach it, one must master all six magical disciplines to their pinnacle. Only when an individual has achieved a Tier 8 in Physique, Potions, Alchemy, Transfiguration, Beast Taming, and Divination, can they be considered for Omniversal Sovereign.]
Alister's eyes widened. Six disciplines. Tier 8 in each one. It was a feat of a scale impossible for others. But he have to become master of six eventually as progress of world ascension would require him to be involved in every field.
"What should I do now?" he asked, the question a simple, direct command to the System.
The mechanical voice replied instantly, its cold logic unwavering.
[To progress from your current magical power level of Tier 3 to Tier 4, your physical body must be capable of withstanding the immense strain. The knowledge to improve one's physique with magic has been lost to this world. Your current physical body is not suited to contain magic above Tier 3.]
Looks like I need to find my own way then," Alister said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. He had always relied on himself. He would do so again. He laid the book in his hand on the small desk and picked up the heavy tomes on magical theory he had bought earlier. The pages were filled with complex diagrams and ancient runes, but Alister was not discouraged.
____________________________________________________
The morning after their adventure, the Leaky Cauldron was a quiet, almost melancholic place. The magical energy that had thrummed through the pub the night before was a faint, distant hum. Alister and Astra, with their new books and clothes, sat at a corner table, their conversation a hushed murmur. Hagrid, with a large, comforting grin, led them out of the pub and back into the mundane world after retrieving their custom-made robes.
The journey back to Privet Drive was a quiet one. Hagrid, with a final, paternal nod, handed Alister a small, rectangular ticket. The words Hogwarts Express were emblazoned on it in a beautiful, ornate script. The address was simple and bewildering: Platform 9 3/4, King's Cross Station.
The Dursleys were waiting for them at home. They watched from behind the curtains as a giant of a man delivered Alister and Astra to their doorstep, and the sheer terror on their faces was a new and welcome sight. Alister didn't even bother to hide the books or the clothes. He simply walked past their flustered, terrified faces, leading Astra by the hand.
Alister didn't waste a moment on them. He spent the next month buried in his books.
The Ascension System was a tireless guide, analyzing the complex magical theories, deciphering ancient runes, and helping him to understand a world that was both new and ancient. On the second week he began to find a way to improve his physique with help of magic.
The Dursleys, surprisingly, had capitulated. Their fear of Alister and the world he represented was a more powerful tool than any curse. They left him and Astra alone, serving them meals without a word of protest and leaving them to their own devices.
As the month drew to a close, he made sure they took care of Astra with the utmost care before leaving for king cross station.
As he walked across the bustling King's Cross Station, the ticket to Platform 9 3/4 a small, unassuming rectangle of paper in his hand. The air, thick with the scent of hot dogs and diesel, hummed with a low, magical energy he had only just begun to recognize. He looked around, looking for place between platform 9 and 10, while communicating with system.
"System," he called, "bring up the panel."
___________________________________________________
[Status]
Name: Alister Potter
Age: 11
Race: Human
Tier: 1 (Apprentice Mage)
Magical Attributes:
Magic Power: Tier 3
Beast Tamer: Tier 0
Potion-maker: Tier 0
Alchemist: Tier 0
Astrologer: Tier 0
Transfiguration: Tier 1
Physique: Tier 1
Spells learnt:(Highest Tier 1)
Tier 1: Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos), Softening Charm (Spongify), Severing Charm (Diffindo), Fire-Making Spell (Incendio), Unlocking Charm (Alohomora), Levitation Charm (Wingardium Leviosa), Locking Spell (Colloportus), Mending Charm (Reparo)........[expand]
______________________________________________
The transparent blue screen shimmered before Alister's eyes, displaying a new, updated status. A month had passed since he left Diagon Alley, a month spent in the quietness of the Dursleys' house.
He had spent every waking hour with his books. He had devoured the elementary spellbook, mastering every charm listed, from the simple Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos) to the more advanced Unlocking Charm (Alohomora).
With his system processing them, casting was effortless. He didn't need a wand or an incantation; the spells were simply an extension of his will. He hadn't just learned them; he had mastered them, going beyond the basic requirements to understand the underlying theory behind each one.
His attention had also turned to Transfiguration. What was a difficult and demanding discipline for others was, for him, surprisingly simple. His perfect control allowed him to reshape matter with ease.
The System's guidance was a flawless hand, and the knowledge from the books was a clear map. His mastery of the basics had pushed his rank to Tier 1, a feat that would have taken a normal wizard years to achieve.
His work with Potions was different. He had only read and memorized the contents of the textbook. He knew the ingredients, the steps, and the precise measurements, but he had yet to brew a single one. He knew he was still at Tier 0, waiting for the chance to apply his knowledge.
But his most important work was in Magical Theory, a field in which he had found the answer to his greatest weakness. But Alister refused to accept that. He scoured his books, searching for any clue, any hint of a way to use magic to strengthen the body. He tried guiding magic energy through the body. It was a risky idea, but it was a path.
He began to experiment. He would eat, and as his body digested the food, he would use his magic to guide the small, latent magical energy contained within it, focusing it on his muscles, his bones, and his blood. It was a slow, grueling process, but it worked. He could feel his body changing, growing stronger although it only worked till physique reached tier 1 now he would have to find some other way in Hogwarts to advance further.
He closed the status screen, a sense of quiet satisfaction filling his chest.
Soon, he found himself standing between platforms 9 and 10. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and walked forward, pushing his body toward the solid brick wall. The world around him rippled, a strange, liquid sensation that warped reality.
He felt a soft pressure against his body, like pushing through a heavy curtain. The familiar sights of the train station blurred into a cascade of colors.
When the feeling subsided, he opened his eyes. The sight that greeted him was a testament to the fact that his new reality was far more vibrant than the old. He was standing on a bustling, hidden platform, bathed in a soft, golden light.
A magnificent, scarlet steam engine, the Hogwarts Express, stood proudly at the platform, its engine letting out a great plume of white smoke that hung in the air like a cloud. The platform was a sea of young witches and wizards, all dressed in robes, pulling their luggage and surrounded by floating trunks and cages full of owls.
He didn't waste any time. He found the nearest carriage and boarded the train, his luggage, a large, heavy trunk, now a small, barely-there lump in his pocket. The Traceless Expansion Charm, a Tier 3 spell which isn't available in textbook had been casted on pocket of his rode.
He walked through the crowded carriages, the air thick with the smell of magic and candy. He found an empty compartment at the end of the carriage and slid the door shut. The loud, boisterous voices of the other students faded into a low hum. He was a sentinel, alone in a strange new world, and he didn't want any distractions.
He sat down on the comfortable seat, his mind focused. He raised a finger, and a large book, a tome on Magical Creatures, floated into his hand.