Aarav thought he had mastered magic.
He had touched death, unmade void, and refused the power to reset reality.
But fate…
Fate had always been watching.
And now, it was ready to show him what could have been.
It came not through spell or prophecy—
But through a missing page.
One day, as Aarav thumbed through Hogwarts: A History, he noticed a thin gap between chapters 9 and 10.
Then, something strange happened.
The words shifted. The gap widened.
And a single sheet of paper, written in his own handwriting, slid into his palm.
It read:
"What if you had said yes?
Come and see.
—Curator"
Attached: Coordinates that didn't exist on any map.
With Wanda at his side, and the Wand of All pulsing softly, Aarav followed the instructions.
One ritual later—stars turned backward, and a tear in reality appeared beside the sundial in the Forbidden Forest.
Through it: a staircase made of seconds, shifting beneath his feet.
At the top: a floating citadel constructed of pages, ink, and the ticking of forgotten clocks.
This was the Codex of All Paths.
Inside the citadel, silence ruled.
Books floated like memories. Ink rewrote itself midair. Runes blinked in Morse.
And then he appeared.
The Curator wore no face. His robes were stitched with timelines. His eyes reflected versions of Aarav that had never come to be.
"You are the only anchor not yet archived," he said.
"So we invite you… to browse."
The Codex handed him three books.
Each bore a simple title.
Book 1: Aarav the Dark King
In this world, Aarav had joined Voldemort, mastered Soul Dominion, and ruled the magical world with fear and perfection.
He was unstoppable.
But utterly alone.
Book 2: Aarav the Sacrifice
In this, Aarav died saving Dumbledore and Harry in Year 4, never realizing his potential.
Yet his memory became the cornerstone of inter-realm peace.
He became legend.
Book 3: Aarav the Exile
Here, Aarav left magic behind entirely.
He lived as a muggle, married, had a child…
And never once used a wand again.
But peace, for the first time, was genuine.
SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT:
Location: Codex of All Paths
Trait Gained: Multiversal Perspective (You may view possible outcomes before pivotal decisions)
Warning: Excess use risks temporal instability and identity confusion
New Item: Page of Possibility – Allows you to lock in ONE choice forever
The Curator extended a blank book.
"One path. One truth.
You may lock it now—free from change.
You may choose the future."
Aarav looked at the books. Then at Wanda. Then at the blank volume.
He thought.
He smiled.
"No."
He handed back the Page of Possibility—unsigned.
"If I choose one path now, I deny every lesson of every fork.
I'd rather write it as I go."
The Codex trembled.
And approved.
As Aarav turned to leave, the Curator bowed.
"You are rare. Not because you refuse power…
But because you know when not to accept it."
The Codex offered a final boon:
A single bookmark—glowing with potential.
"Use this," the Curator said,
"to rewrite one moment in history.
Just once.
And only when it matters most."
Aarav took it.
And for the first time, the paths themselves whispered:
"He is not bound to fate.
Fate bends to him."