The Great Hall was larger than Aditya had calculated.
Floating candles cast warm light over four long tables, and the enchanted ceiling reflected a calm night sky that did little to hide the tension thrumming through the first-years. Aditya stood among them, posture relaxed, eyes observant. His magic responded subtly to the environment—denser, older, refined. Hogwarts was saturated with centuries of spell work.
His system reacted immediately.
[High-Density Magical Zone Detected]Passive Training Efficiency Increased: +15%
Aditya kept his expression neutral.
Since boarding the train, he had refined his understanding of the system. It did not force improvement. It amplified effort. Anything he consciously or subconsciously practiced—spell theory, posture, pronunciation, even mental composure—could be slotted.
Active slots required focus while passive slots worked continuously, improving through exposure, repetition, and environment.
Right now, three passive tasks were running quietly in the background:
Magical Sensitivity Calibration – 42%Academic Knowledge Absorption – 18%Mental Stability Under Observation – 56%
No strain. No fatigue. Just steady progress.
"Singhania, Aditya."
He stepped forward when his name was called, movements unhurried. The stool creaked softly as he sat, and the Sorting Hat slid down over his eyes, shadowing the Great Hall from view.
"Well, well," the Hat murmured. "A sharp one. Disciplined. Curious. Not hungry for dominance, but not lacking ambition either."
Aditya didn't respond aloud. Instead, he let his thoughts flow evenly.
The system adjusted.
[Occlusive Thought Control – Passive]Progress: +1%
"You think in structures," the Hat continued. "Frameworks. Feedback. Improvement loops. Most minds chase results. Yours measures the path."
Images flickered—spell matrices, training routines, layered disciplines. The Hat hummed appreciatively.
"Power without obsession… learning without arrogance… you would wither in a house that prizes cunning over comprehension."
Slytherin, then, quietly discarded.
"Hufflepuff would steady you, but not stretch you."
A pause.
"Ravenclaw would give you the tools—but…"
Another pause, longer this time.
"…you are not merely a scholar."
Aditya felt something click.
[System Synchronization: Cognitive Assessment Complete]
"You learn by doing. By testing limits. By refining through challenge," the Hat concluded."Very well."
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The table erupted. Applause thundered through the Hall as Aditya stood and removed the Hat, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before it settled into calm acceptance.
Courage, then—not recklessness, but commitment.
As he walked toward his new house, the system updated one final time for the night.
[House Alignment Bonus Acquired]Trait Reinforcement: Adaptive Risk TrainingPassive Slot Unlocked: +1
Four passive slots.
Aditya sat down among cheering students, Fred and George Weasley whooping loudly from further down the table.
He smiled faintly.
Hogwarts wouldn't shape him.
He would measure it, test it, and grow within it—continuously, precisely, relentlessly.
One percentage at a time.