The stars glimmered above the spires of Hogwarts, the night unusually clear. Most students had already settled in for the night, but Elias Blake was far from tired. His mind churned with thoughts of the day's events—the simmering tension between him and his father, the undercurrents of Hogwarts politics, and the ever-growing awareness of the Fate Divergence System ticking silently in the background.
He slipped quietly out of the Gryffindor common room, his wand tucked safely into his sleeve. Hogwarts was vast and quiet at night, save for the occasional whisper of enchanted suits of armor or the soft snoring of portraits. He moved silently, descending the castle's great staircases and slipping out onto the grounds. His destination was clear.
The Forbidden Forest.
Moonlight silvered the tops of the trees, and a light mist crawled along the forest floor. The Forbidden Forest was vast and filled with ancient magic, much of it dangerous—but Elias wasn't seeking trouble. He sought… clarity. Perhaps insight. Perhaps something the System could reward.
But just as he approached the edge of the forest, a soft click of shoes on stone interrupted his solitude.
"Going somewhere, Blake?"
He turned to find the Weasley twins—Fred and George—leaning casually against a nearby tree, identical smirks plastered on their faces.
Elias raised an eyebrow. "Should've known you two would be lurking."
"You make it sound like we're spies," said Fred.
George grinned. "More like curious Gryffindors with a flair for mischief."
Elias smirked faintly. "And you thought tailing me would be fun?"
"Well, you are the most talked-about first year," Fred said.
"We figured if you're sneaking out at this hour, something interesting is bound to happen," George added.
Elias gave a low chuckle. "You're not wrong."
With no further argument, the twins flanked him, and together, they stepped into the fringe of the Forbidden Forest.
The air changed immediately—thicker, older. Trees loomed like ancient sentinels, their leaves rustling with voices only the forest could understand. The trio moved slowly, their wands lit with soft Lumos spells, casting ghostly halos around them.
"Don't suppose you have a reason for this?" Fred asked.
"Curiosity," Elias said truthfully. "Maybe a bit more."
"You're not scared of what's in here?" George asked.
"I am," Elias replied. "But some things are worth facing."
They ventured deeper, past gnarled roots and patches of glowing mushrooms, into a part of the forest where even the moonlight struggled to follow. There, strange things began to appear—clusters of fluttering golden-winged insects that vanished when touched, a tree that whispered the names of long-dead witches, and a stream that shimmered like liquid silver.
The twins were unusually quiet, subdued by the sheer enchantment of the place.
Elias paused at a clearing where the trees parted slightly, and the ground was carpeted in silver moss. He knelt down, brushing his fingers across it. The System chimed softly in his mind.
+5 Fate Points – Entered a Forbidden Zone of High Magical Concentration
+3 Fate Points – Bonding Event Triggered: Elias Blake and the Weasley Twins
He blinked. The points were small, but meaningful. The system rewarded risk… and connection.
Fred broke the silence. "This place… it's like something out of a dream."
"Or a nightmare," George muttered.
Elias looked around. "It's both. Magic like this doesn't exist without a price."
The trio sat for a few minutes in the quiet, watching faint blue lights drift between trees—will-o'-the-wisps, perhaps. None dared speak too loudly, out of respect for whatever ancient spirits slumbered nearby.
Eventually, Elias stood.
"We should go."
"No argument here," Fred muttered.
"Next time you decide to explore the unknown, give us a heads up," George said with a grin.
As they made their way back toward the castle, the chill of the forest slowly gave way to the comforting warmth of Hogwarts' ancient stones.
And though they said little on the walk back, a quiet understanding had formed between the three of them. Elias might have entered the forest alone, but he returned with something he hadn't expected: camaraderie.
And a few more steps down the path of fate.