Hogwarts Card System Chapter 014

At night, when Ted went to bed, he looked at the number in his experience pool: 462!

Among these, 100 points were from the reward of the quest [Explore Diagon Alley (Green)].

Just today, he finally waited for the “Floo Powder Headquarters” to open.

He pretended to be curious and went in to take a look, and then he was invited out.

Ted: Today you ignore me, tomorrow I’ll make you unable to reach me! Hmph!

But the quest was completed, and the last 1% exploration was finally done.

The reward for this quest included a random card.

When Ted claimed the reward, there were three cards, and Ted could choose one of them.

The first card depicted a “long-eared” owl carrying an envelope in its beak.

[Magic Postman: Red-horned Owl Jimmy (Green)]

Summon Card

Jimmy is a small owl messenger. Although it’s difficult for him to mail large packages, he’s very fast and excellent at delivering letters.

Uses: 1/1, permanent.

This card will disappear after use, and then Ted will have an extra magic owl.

The second card depicted a magic book with a black cover, blood-red title, and emitting black smoke.

[《Seventeenth Century Dark Arts Guide》 (Green)]

Item Card

A magic grimoire that records popular Dark Arts from the seventeenth century. Be careful not to let others know you possess it. Its author has a bad reputation.

The third card depicted a plump, fierce-looking wild boar bursting out after a firecracker exploded. Some lines were also drawn next to it, indicating that it charged very fast and fiercely!

[Wild Boar Firecracker (Green)]

Item Card

A prank toy. Throw this firecracker on the ground to make it explode, and a phantom wild boar will appear to chase others.

Duration: 30 seconds, Cooldown: 5 hours.

In the end, Ted chose [Wild Boar Firecracker (Green)]. Although this thing couldn’t harm people, it could scare them.

Moreover, this card could be used repeatedly.

Actually, the Dark Arts book was also quite good, but the problem was that he didn’t want to take risks.

He was about to enroll in school, and there was a lot of knowledge and magic waiting for him to learn. There was absolutely no need to risk being discovered by dabbling in Dark Arts.

Hogwarts Library had the most complete collection of books in the British wizarding world. What was the rush to study Dark Arts? Did he think Dumbledore was dead?

He’d play it safe, no need to be reckless~

Looking at the 462 experience points in his experience pool, Ted felt very secure.

Tomorrow, besides the start of school, was also when his otherworldly knowledge would update. With experience in hand, there was no pressure.

Sleep!

…

The next day, as soon as Ted opened his eyes, he noticed a system message:

“Ding~ Talent [Otherworldly Knowledge (Gold)] triggered. Discovered [Dalaran Junior (Cannon Fodder Mage, crossed out) Battle Mage Training Manual (Green)].”

[Dalaran Junior (Cannon Fodder Mage, crossed out) Battle Mage Training Manual (Green)] records the training materials for Dalaran mage apprentices. Requires 310 experience to exchange.

Ted was stunned for a moment. He knew Dalaran all too well. Ten years as a WoW player was no joke!

But what the hell was “cannon fodder mage”?

Oh, you crossed it out and changed it to “battle mage,” and you think I won’t recognize you?

I’d recognize you even if you wore a disguise!

However, Ted had no choice now. At least this was related to magic, which was much better than Chakra.

Exchange!

310 experience points disappeared, and a large amount of knowledge appeared in his mind…

After carefully reviewing the information that appeared in his mind, Ted somewhat understood.

What was a junior battle mage?

It was a spellcaster who only mastered a few low-level spells used for combat.

This was clearly a cannon fodder mage!

Otherwise, true Archmages would definitely not just learn these combat spells, like Ice Lance, Frost Nova, Fireball, Arcane Missiles. Researching the mysteries of magic was the most important thing. They also wouldn’t lack those spells that made life convenient.

Judging by the knowledge and magic recorded in the junior battle mage training manual in his mind, this was more like a magic technician who practiced for two and a half years and then went to the front lines! Pure consumables, screws on the war assembly line!

They didn’t intend to cultivate you into a talent; they just needed magical technicians.

Alright, having something was better than nothing.

According to the training manual, there were a total of 16 spells to learn:

Frost Spells: Ice Lance, Frost Armor, Frost Nova.

Fire Spells: Fire Blast, Fireball, Flamestrike.

Arcane Spells: Arcane Intellect, Arcane Missiles, Conjure Water, Conjure Food, Polymorph, Slow Fall, Dampen Magic, Blink, Evocation, Teleport: Dalaran.

Three Frost spells, three Fire spells, and the remaining ten Arcane spells.

Following the training manual, after “graduation,” one would probably reach the level of a Level 20 mage in Azeroth, just shy of experiencing the sweetness of being an Archmage.

Indeed, it was a junior battle mage. This was clearly not aimed at cultivating promising mage apprentices, but rather at cultivating magic-wielding cannon fodder with a bit of magical talent.

Only when one had Blizzard later could they barely be considered an Archmage.

Only when one had Presence of Mind and Great Pyroblast could they be considered initially formed.

But it didn’t matter. Although it was for cannon fodder, these sixteen spells were crucial for Ted.

After all, the number of offensive and defensive curses in this magical world was small, incomparable to Azeroth, which had world-ending crises every year.

Although this training manual was only a green-grade otherworldly knowledge, its help to him was not much worse than the psionic manual with only a few pages.

Especially those Arcane spells, they had great research value!

…

Looking at Ted, who was pulling his suitcase and bidding him farewell, Old Tom felt a little dazed.

It felt as if the scrawny Ted asking him for the cheapest room was just yesterday.

Two months had passed quickly. Ted had finally gained some weight and shot up quite a bit in height.

Fortunately, he had bought the secondhand wizard robes big, otherwise, they probably wouldn’t fit now.

Now, he was going to school.

Old Tom wondered if he was getting old, as he was starting to feel sentimental.

“Boy, study hard, and come back to visit when you have time,” he said.

Ted waved to Old Tom, pushed open the door of the Leaky Cauldron, and walked out onto the street.

At Platform Nine and Three-Quarters of King’s Cross Station, the crowd was bustling, with some strangely dressed individuals looking mysterious.

Ted dragged a worn-out suitcase, carried a small leather case, wore secondhand wizard robes, had his wand with him, and a one-way train ticket in his pocket.

He found the third pillar between Platform 9 and Platform 10. He reached out and touched it; the pillar was solid—it required a certain initial velocity to pass through.

That is, you had to run into it; you couldn’t just walk through.

The train departed punctually at 11 AM, and it was now 10:40.

Ted had left quite early, but the bus wasn’t cooperating.

Fortunately, he wasn’t late.

He ran headfirst into the pillar, and the scene before him transformed.

There were adults and children in robes everywhere, various owls hooting, and cats weaving through their feet.

This was Platform 9¾!

And by the platform was an old-fashioned steam train in red and black.

The engine had the number “ 5972” on it—if it were “ 9527,” that would be a killing blow!

This thing shouldn’t have been made by wizards; they couldn’t build it, and they didn’t even understand the principle of a steam engine. It was probably “appropriated” by them.

He boarded the train. To the right was a corridor, and to the left was a row of small compartments. The decor was very “vintage,” feeling like it was from decades ago.

Ted walked through a few compartments and finally found Hermione, led by Ansu.

“Here! Ted, over here!” Hermione was calling him from the compartment door. Ansu was perched on her shoulder.

“I thought you were going to be late!” she complained.

Ted smiled, “I underestimated the impact of the bus driver’s strike.”

Ted walked into the compartment and saw that besides Hermione, there were already two other children inside—a shy, slightly chubby boy who seemed a bit taciturn, nodding and smiling awkwardly at Ted.

It was that kind of awkward but polite smile. He looked like someone with social anxiety.

The other one was smaller than his peers, with very sharp eyes, especially compared to the chubby boy next to him.

He had two round, chestnut-colored rat ears on top of his head, revealing him to be a demi-human!

Ted had seen demi-humans twice in Diagon Alley during these two months, but he hadn’t interacted with them up close.

He hadn’t expected to see one on the first-year train, a, uh, rat-eared person!

This was a huge change!

There were demi-humans among this year’s first-year wizards? It was a bit incredible!

Hermione excitedly introduced him, “This is Neville, Neville Longbottom. You know him, right?”

Ah! He knew, he knew him too well. How could he not know him?