Hogwarts Card System Chapter 049

As classes dismissed, Ted pulled Neville aside and whispered, “Neville, do you want to become stronger?”

Before Neville could reply, Ted himself became uncomfortable.

That scene just now was too much like a shifty character in a military coat at a train station asking, “Brother, want some discs?”

Ted shook his head, composed himself, and continued to the bewildered Neville, “Do you want to be able to stand up and protect your friends in times of crisis? If you do, then run with me!”

Alright, this was a bit like One Piece again.

Ted was so embarrassed he felt his shoe soles might crack. Without waiting for Neville’s answer, he quickly walked away.

Ted mainly thought of Neville’s sword strike last night—it was truly magnificent, stunning!

Neville truly showed the potential of a Gryffindor Sword Saint.

Thinking about Gryffindors, they truly all have a knack for close-quarters wizardry.

In the original story, Harry Potter, at twelve years old, killed the Basilisk with a sword.

Ron sacrificed himself in the wizarding chess game, riding a stone knight to clash with a piece, and later drove a flying car to crash into the Whomping Willow—undoubtedly a knight!

Hermione punched Malfoy.

Neville sliced Nagini with a sword~

Are they all hotheads?

It felt like Neville just followed the wrong people. If he hadn’t come to Hogwarts but instead followed Gandalf, he definitely would have become a great battle archmage.

But it’s not too late now. With careful training, his wand could one day glow and turn into a lightsaber, mastering intuitive insight and deflecting spells with ease. Becoming a Jedi wizard wouldn’t be a problem~

Though Neville seemed clumsy, he was quite reliable. After a morning of contemplation, he told Ted that he wanted to become stronger, to protect his friends! He wanted to run with Ted!

Neville’s perseverance in this matter was truly admirable.

For the next week, come rain or shine, he was there. One day, during a torrential downpour, he still woke up early and waited for Ted at the main gate.

As a result, he even inspired his roommates.

Ron and Jerry, who were originally very lazy, unmotivated, and prone to procrastination, also awkwardly tagged along—“Coach, I want to play basketball!”

No, “We want to get stronger too!”

…

Running to get stronger wasn’t Ted fooling them.

In reality, the body is a wizard’s capital~

Especially for young wizards, whose magic is still in the growth stage, it will be affected by physical fitness.

Let’s put it this way: if Stephen Hawking were a wizard, he probably could only do theoretical work.

Because casting spells mobilizes magic, and mobilizing magic puts a strain on the body.

So, while theoretically it’s fine as long as the intensity isn’t too high, many times spells can’t be used continuously without considering “mana cost.”

Because the body can’t handle it.

And the growth of a young wizard’s magic mostly depends on innate factors, and a small part on acquired factors.

Innate factors are bloodline. Currently, Ted is not quite clear how “First Wizards” came into being or where their magic originated.

But pure-bloods also have their own claims; many descendants of ancient bloodlines are not lacking in magic.

Like Ron’s Weasley family, Harry’s Potter family, Neville’s Longbottom family…

So far, not too many differences are apparent, but Ted has already noticed Jerry’s slight disadvantage in this regard.

Magic is, after all, the foundation, and this gap will widen with age and development. By the fifth or sixth year, the difference will be enormous.

Of course, this doesn’t mean the pure-blood theory is correct.

European nobility had already spent hundreds of years proving that so-called pure-blood lines ultimately only produced a pile of intellectually disabled and congenitally handicapped individuals.

The history of genetic diseases in various European royal families could fill an A 4 page~

Moreover, wizards from mixed-blood or Muggle families, like Voldemort and Hermione, sometimes produced exceptionally talented individuals.

The advantages of mixed-blood have been scientifically proven~

If those pure-blood families were truly smart, they should absorb the elites among mixed-blood and Muggle wizards into their ranks, like America, to maintain their class advantage.

Instead of emphasizing bloodline and creating opposition that leads to their own demise.

Back to the point, Ted made them run because it’s good for physical development.

This will promote the growth of magic. While it can’t break through bloodline limits, it can approach them infinitely.

And Ted didn’t just have them run; he trained his friends according to the exercises in the Body Strengthening Manual card.

At the very least, an increase in physical constitution is guaranteed.

They are still young now, but with annual training, their advantage over ordinary students will become apparent.

At the very least, they’ll be tall and strong, making it easy to beat the Malfoy trio, right?

Moreover, their control over magic will be stronger, and spellcasting will be smoother and more effortless.

…

With Hermione around, the friends’ homework was always completed on time.

Otherwise, eleven out of her ten sentences would involve “homework.”

The friends usually finished their assignments for all subjects as soon as possible to avoid Hermione’s mental attacks.

One day, after finishing their homework at the library, Ted and his friends left together for their “secret base,” the abandoned classroom.

Because they were from different houses, their common time was either in the Great Hall, the library, or the abandoned classroom.

On the way, Harry brought up what George and Fred had told them yesterday.

It turned out that Ted and his five friends weren’t the only ones who snuck out on Halloween night.

The twins and Lee Jordan weren’t exactly quiet either.

They planned to go back and check the room with the three-headed dog on the third floor—they always felt there was a big secret hidden inside and had been persistently investigating it.

However, when they returned, they were almost caught by Snape.

Snape also went to check that room afterward. Although he only opened the door, glanced inside, and left.

Harry was a bit puzzled: “Is Snape so interested in that three-headed dog?”

Hermione tried to explain: “Is it because the three-headed dog’s fur or something is a valuable potion ingredient?”

Jerry heard this and said, “Snape went to steal dog hair?”

Ron was also very agitated, declaring that Snape was simply shameless! If a professor can steal, then we students can steal too!

At this moment, he and Jerry seemed to already view the three-headed dog as a golden, glittering dog.

For these two, Galleons held an endless allure.

Everyone knew Ron’s family situation; his pocket money saved for over a year didn’t even amount to 2 Sickles.

Jerry was the same; he had been helping his family with work even before entering Hogwarts.

Not just the Rat-Eared clan, but sub-humans in general were not having an easy time integrating into the wizarding world and were generally not well-off.

Although Ted stated that Snape was very rich, with his vast collection of potion ingredients, what could he possibly lack?

But Ron still held a grudge. He swore on the wand he inherited from Bill: it must have been a monster released by Snape to distract everyone so he could take the opportunity to shave the three-headed dog!

Ted couldn’t help but sigh: Snape truly has no ambition in your eyes! Is that all he aspires to?

Ron continued, “Think about the specimens in those jars in the dungeon. They must be experiments done on monsters. Snape is conducting evil experiments!”

Ted knew why Ron disliked Snape so much, even more than Harry and Neville—because Snape relentlessly targeted him in class.

Ted: Next time, you can try not sitting at the same table as Harry.

Perhaps Snape was just inexplicably furious seeing Lily’s daughter sitting at a table with an idiot.

Also, I remember you’re going to break this heirloom wand next year.

So, less swearing and making vows in the future, who knows if they’ll come true?!

…

In the abandoned classroom, Neville was wielding a wooden sword Ted had transfigured.

Ted not only had him practice with a two-handed sword but also a one-handed sword, specifically a left-handed one.

Because the ideal state was a wand in one hand and a sword in the other, or when the wand could transform into a lightsaber, that problem would be perfectly solved.

Meanwhile, Jerry and Ron were playing wizard chess, with Harry offering advice from the side. But the two of them combined were no match for Ron, causing their chess pieces to complain repeatedly and even refuse to obey commands.

Ron’s chess pieces, on the other hand, were rubbing their hands together, eager to fight: “Little Ronnie, let me go! I’ll finish it with one sword!”

These grandparent-generation chess pieces were not to be trifled with~

Ted and Hermione were reading and taking notes.

Ron checkmated Jerry and Harry’s “king,” then stretched contentedly, “You guys need to practice more. Next time, I’ll let you have an extra rook!”

His “generosity” earned him a middle finger from Jerry and an eye-roll from Harry.

The contempt of his enemies was the greatest praise, and Ron smiled contentedly.

However, he saw Neville, who was sweating and swinging his sword diligently with a serious expression, and Ted and Hermione, who were focused on their books.

Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of being outdone.

“I say, don’t you guys feel tired reading during your free time?”

Hermione didn’t even look up: “Learning and solving puzzles give me a strong sense of accomplishment.”

Ted explained: “Just like when you win at wizard chess.”

Ron: “Why didn’t you say so earlier, then I would’ve understood! Why didn’t you say so? Why didn’t you say so?”

A balance between work and rest is the way of scholars and warriors.

Ted beckoned his friends over: “Alright, take a break. Come here, I’ll tell you a secret!”

Neville wiped his sweat and walked over, and Harry, Ron, and the others also gathered around.

Ted whispered, “Do you know? For every minute that passes on Big Ben in London, sixty seconds pass in the world.”

Neville paused: “That’s true!”

Everyone looked at Neville, then at Ted: “Huh? Are you serious!?”

Listening to you talk, it’s all just nonsense!