POV: Hermione Granger
For Wanda Maximoff, magic had always been an extension of her will—a force that bent to her emotions, shaped by raw intent rather than predefined formulas. Chaos magic had been a storm within her, boundless and unpredictable. But here, in this new existence as Hermione Granger, magic felt different.
It was structured, disciplined. The moment she reached for it, she sensed a fundamental change in its very nature. Instead of an untamed surge of energy responding to her deepest desires, she felt a system in place, a guiding structure that required intent, but also precision.
She discovered this difference quite by accident. One evening, lost in the flood of memories from her new life, she absently reached out for a book from across the room. In her past life, it would have flown into her grasp with no more than a flick of her fingers. Here, however, nothing happened.
Frowning, she focused again, this time trying to push her will through her arm. A faint shimmer of energy crackled around her fingertips, but the book did not move. It was as if something blocked her power from fully manifesting.
Yet the magic was there. She could feel it, waiting to be accessed, but under rules she had yet to comprehend.
Days later, she had her first breakthrough. In a moment of frustration, she clenched her fists and glared at the book as though willing it to obey. This time, it quivered slightly before rising into the air in a slow, shaky ascent.
Her breath caught. It wasn't chaos magic. It wasn't raw power twisting reality to her whims. It was something else. Something structured.
And, strangely, it felt... easier.
Controlling chaos magic had always required immense concentration. Every time she used it, she had to be careful to prevent it from spiraling out of control. But this new system? It was methodical. She had to focus, yes, but once she aligned her mind with the magic, it obeyed smoothly.
Wanda—no, Hermione now—felt a sense of opportunity. If this world's magic had rules, then rules could be learned. Mastered. Expanded.
Her parents, as ordinary as they were, noticed the changes.
"Mione," her mother said one morning, watching her with concern. "You've been different lately. You seem... distant."
Wanda fought back the urge to correct her name. She wasn't Wanda Maximoff anymore. But some habits were hard to break.
"I'm fine, Mum," she answered, forcing a smile.
It wasn't a lie. She was fine. But she was also more than she had been before.
The days passed, and as she adjusted to the mind of Hermione Granger, she tested the limits of this world's magic. Small objects were easiest to move. A spoon would rattle in place. A pencil would roll forward. But the larger and heavier the object, the harder it became.
It wasn't just a matter of strength—this world required spells. Words. Gestures. Chaos magic had needed nothing but willpower, but here? Here, there were incantations to learn, formulas to follow.
At first, the idea frustrated her. She had been a reality-bending force. Why should she have to learn spells like a schoolgirl?
Then, a new thought struck her.
If she could blend the structured magic of this world with the raw potential of chaos magic, she could go far beyond what either system allowed.
And then, on a seemingly ordinary summer morning, a letter arrived.
She had been expecting something strange to happen eventually. The memories of Hermione Granger had given her glimpses of what was to come. She had known about Hogwarts before she had even opened her eyes in this new life.
But knowing and experiencing were two different things.
The moment she took the parchment envelope into her hands, she felt a pulse of magic running through it. It was faint, subtle, but undeniable. This was proof of the structure this world followed. The magic here wasn't just a force; it was deeply embedded in the fabric of society, bound by laws and traditions.
She slit the letter open, eyes scanning the words she already knew by heart:
Dear Miss Granger,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
A strange mixture of emotions filled her. Excitement? Yes. But also wariness. This wasn't just a school. It was an institution—a place designed to shape young minds according to its own ideology.
Would it help her? Or limit her?
In the weeks that followed, Hermione dedicated herself to understanding everything she could about this new world. If she was going to Hogwarts, she needed to be prepared.
She dove into books with relentless hunger. Hogwarts: A History was an enlightening read, though she quickly noted the gaps in its knowledge. It spoke of the school's founding, its houses, its traditions—but not of magic's true nature.
The more she read, the more she realized how limited wizarding knowledge was. Magic here wasn't studied as deeply as it should have been. Spells were learned and repeated, but not questioned. It was as if wizards had simply accepted their limits rather than pushing past them.
That was unacceptable.
For Hermione—for Wanda—there was only one goal now: to understand magic to its fullest. To reach past the barriers that wizards had set for themselves and rediscover the true depths of power.
Her magic might be different now, but she could feel the raw potential within her. If she could control it, if she could blend the chaos of her past life with the structure of this world, she could become something beyond anything wizards had ever imagined.
But she had to be careful.
If magic had rules here, then society did as well. This world did not look kindly upon those who upset the balance. Dumbledore, Voldemort, the Ministry—they all had their own perspectives on power. If she was to explore magic's true limits, she needed to do so quietly.
She would play the role of Hermione Granger. The brilliant Muggle-born witch. The bookworm. The logical thinker.
And in the shadows, she would experiment. Grow. Learn.
Hogwarts would be her first step.
And she would take it cautiously, carefully. Because if this world had taught her anything so far, it was that those who wielded power openly became targets.
And Hermione—Wanda—was not ready to be a target.
Not yet.