
by Random Mudkip
"What would Harry Potter be like if Hogwarts was evil?" Victor Vincitore has defied the odds, surviving four harrowing years at the Darkmouth Institute of Magical Studies, the foremost academy for Maleficarum in the vast Human Empire. While many of his classmates have succumbed to the perils of mastering the dark arts, Victor stands tall as one of the highest-ranked students academically, his triumphs a testament to his relentless dedication. Now, as he embarks on his Fifth Year, Victor faces the momentous task of selecting a Discipline to specialise in. However, a betrayal from a trusted friend has left him with limited choices. Reluctantly, he opts for a perilous path: immersing himself in a sinister branch of human magic, one that promises only a grim fate for its practitioners. Under the cold gaze of a heartless mentor, Victor navigates a treacherous landscape of manipulative classmates and shadowy ambitions. But lurking just beyond his perception is his formidable familiar, a terrifying yet powerful entity that will test Victor's resolve. As the stakes rise and challenges unfold, his Fifth Year at Darkmouth becomes an odyssey of fear, danger, and unexpected truths. What to expect: - Academically gifted main character who is not as smart as he thinks he is. - Horrifying evil entities that will become the main character's weapon of choice. - A horror/fantasy tale that takes place in a quasi-Victorian world. Think Gaslamp fantasy mixed with It. - A brief glimpse into the school life of students attending the evilest Hogwarts in history. Trigger Warning: This story will contain a lot violence, gore, and mature/adult themes. Do not read if you have a queasy stomach. Read up to ten chapters ahead on my Patreon page!
Current
8/11/2026
Peak #18
2d
#2
7/3/2026
Peak #17
38d
#1
6/23/2026
Peak #25
10d
Rank updated 13 Aug 2026, 14:28 UTC
Entry forecast updated 13 Aug 2026, 04:15 UTC
Overall Rising Stars shadow rank
deep field · ~#3215 of 7,531 · 3165 below #50
By genre
beats 91% of similar stories
beats 85% of similar stories
beats 72% of similar stories
Firing on all cylinders
Traffic and conversion are both strong for a story this size. Readers are finding it and sticking — if Rising Stars is the goal, this is the moment to push.
At this conversion, the Fantasy Rising Stars bar (≈10 new followers/day) costs about 1.6k views/day — the story currently gets ~287.
Benchmarks: 8,060 active Royal Road stories, percentiles within the 50–149 chapters band, cohort of 2026-07-02. Conversion is measured as followers gained per 1,000 views over the recent window.
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