NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: 2. Prophecy Magus
"I'm not entirely sure what the limit for attribute points is—maybe it maxes out at 7, or perhaps it can go even higher."
The number 7 is especially magical in the Harry Potter world: Voldemort divided his soul into seven Horcruxes; the Weasley family has seven children; each Quidditch team has seven players; Hogwarts has seven grade levels; even the wizarding currency has seven denominations. The number 7 is woven throughout, echoing as a symbol of magic and mystery in this world.
"If each of the six main attributes maxes out at 7, then I currently have 16 attribute points, which leaves me needing another 26 to hit the highest possible level of 42."
This makes deciding how to allocate points a matter of real thought and strategy. Ivan's approach is simple: instead of spreading out his potential evenly and becoming a jack-of-all-trades, he prefers to focus deeply on a few areas.
"My highest attribute is magic," he noted to himself. "Then there's soul and thinking, which I've built up to 3."
A 3-point attribute is labeled "outstanding" by the system, yet he's still unclear on what the specific benefits of an extraordinary soul might be. However, his 3 points in thinking have given him memory, calculation, and reaction abilities that clearly surpass average abilities.
To put this into perspective, his memory now allows him to quickly and accurately recall anything he reads, at least for a short period. Ivan tested this skill by reading through a 10,000-word document in record time and then reciting it perfectly, word-for-word. However, this effect doesn't last indefinitely—he must reread content to make it stick. But, if he can achieve this with only 3 points, Ivan considers this attribute highly valuable.
"I suspect that if I raise my thinking to 4 points, I might gain photographic memory," he speculated.
Now ready to test the system further, Ivan commanded, "System, add points." He decided to channel his newest attribute points into his soul.
Shortly after, he saw [Soul: 3→4] displayed and checked himself for any immediate changes.
"That's strange," he noted when no immediate differences appeared.
He glanced over his attribute panel:
[Attributes]
Soul: 4 (rare)
Magic: 5 (legendary)
Physique: 1 (ordinary)
Thinking: 3 (outstanding)
Mind: 2 (excellent)
Will: 2 (excellent)
Potential points remaining: 0
The system marked his 4-point soul as "rare," making it clear to Ivan that soul power was crucial in the world of Harry Potter. He began to suspect that his prophetic talent was likely tied to this soul attribute. If this theory held true, then a stronger soul would sharpen his perceptions and clarify his visions.
As he sat in his room, his gaze drifted to the mirror on the bedside table. A flash of inspiration hit, and he began to wonder which Hogwarts professor would be coming to guide him soon. Suddenly, a vision appeared in the mirror—a woman with square glasses and dark green robes.
"Professor McGonagall!" he realized almost immediately. She was Minerva McGonagall, the esteemed professor of Transfiguration.
"Could I actually be predicting accurately?"
For the first time, Ivan felt that he might be able to control his Prophecy Magus ability with intention. But he sensed a set of boundaries as well—peering into the future was not something he could do carelessly, or else he risked backlash.
The words "Those who play with fate will eventually be played by fate" echoed as a quiet warning, leading him to realize three rules for using his new ability:
Predicted outcomes cannot be changed.
The details of a prediction should rarely be shared with others.
He should be cautious when making predictions that directly involve himself.
Ivan understood the second and third rules without question. Sharing predictions could create dangerous pressure or even panic for others. The first rule, however, was the most significant: once he saw a vision of the future, he could not alter it. This world's timeline moved in a single direction. This rule felt as solid as the time-turner's limits in the Harry Potter universe—no matter how one twisted through time, history would remain as it was intended. Even Voldemort, with his unwavering obsession with defeating Harry, could not escape fate's grasp.
With his soul attribute now elevated, Ivan found his prophecies clearer and more deliberate, though he felt that raising this attribute further might one day give him even greater power over his visions.
At that moment, Ivan's attention shifted, and he noticed strange particles floating through the air. The specks were faintly glowing, as if like magical dust. On closer inspection, they seemed to have wings, resembling small insects.
"What are these?" he wondered, trying to wave them away, though they were unaffected by his touch. More of these tiny, winged creatures hovered around him, along with something else: a small creature with curled horns and soft fur, snoring and blowing bubbles from its nose. Just the sight of it made him feel slightly drowsy.
This unusual vision led Ivan to believe that he had unlocked a sort of "soul sight" that could reveal entities beyond normal human perception.
"Could these be the magical world's equivalent of microorganisms?" he speculated.
In Harry Potter's world, the boundaries of magic seem boundless—Transfiguration defies the law of conservation, spells make one's desires almost reality, time itself is manipulated, and spatial expansion spells create impossible rooms in tiny spaces. All this just hinted at the limitless magic here.
Even so, Ivan felt as though he was only scraping the surface. Here, in this magical world, he wondered just how many more strange and wondrous elements lay hidden from sight.
Watching the owl in the distance grow smaller against the horizon, Ivan couldn't help but feel an eager smile creep onto his face.
"The magic here runs deep, and I can't wait to dive into it further."
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