Hogwarts Card System.

Chapter 4: Working is a Must

The first thing I did when I got the money was to buy a magic wand.

Ollivander's Wand Shop has an old and narrow facade, and a wand is placed on the faded purple cushion in the window.

Above the door was a sign in peeling gold letters that read: Ollivanders, Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.

If what was written on the sign was true, then Plato was still alive when his family started making sticks!
At that time, when the countries in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were still fighting each other, his company had already started making magic wands?
Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and the brass bell beside the door rang, making a crisp sound.

The store is not very spacious. Apart from the counter and a bench, the rest are shelves filled to the ceiling with thousands of long and narrow cardboard boxes containing magic wands.

The store was heavily covered in dust, which was a bit unacceptable for a wizard who could use a fresh clean.

Ted looked to the left and saw an old man whose hairstyle was not much better than Einstein's, coming out silently from behind the shelf.

"Oh, Professor McGonagall, long time no see. So, this is the little wizard who is about to enter school."

This is Ollivander, the great British wand-maker.

"Stretch out your hand~" As Ollivander said this, a ruler flew up from the counter and automatically began to measure Ted's height, arm span, etc.

"Which hand is your dominant hand?"

"Right hand."

"Try this one!" He waved his hand and a box flew over.

"Twelve and a quarter inches, mahogany, with a core of male unicorn hair. Suitable for Transfiguration..."

"Oh no!" Ted had just touched the wand, but before he could even wave it, it was snatched away.

"How about this one? Cherry wood, phoenix tail feathers..."

Ted waved the magic wand, "Bang, bang!" There were two loud bangs and the magic wand almost flew out.

"No, no, no, this won't work." Ollivander shook his head.

Ted: No, that's not possible. I need a magic wand, not a firecracker.

"What about this one? The walnut and dragon heartstrings?"

This time the wand made a sharp whistle and flew out directly.

This time it's a monkey? !

I tried seven or eight of them in a row. Some of them reacted too strongly, while others performed okay, but I could still feel that the magic power was slightly blocked and not very smooth.

Ted was very sensitive to magic and could detect the slight mismatch between the wand and himself.

Although it was troublesome, Ollivander never tired of it, just like playing Tetris, waiting for the right vertical bar to appear. Professor McGonagall also seemed very patient on the bench on the side.

Ollivander: "Ha, picky little guest, I like it! Let's take it slow~"

Ted thinks his hobby is a bit morbid.
At Ollivander's, magic wands only have three cores: phoenix feather, unicorn hair, and dragon heartstring.

However, wands made by other wand manufacturers may have other cores, such as Fleur's wand, which has a Veela hair core (her grandmother's hair).

The original book mentioned another German staff-making master named Gregorovitch, but I don’t remember what happened to him later.

Just as another box flew over, Ted felt something different.

He hadn't seen the wand yet, but a faint attraction was already coming from the box.

Ollivander stroked the wand and began to introduce: "Cedar wood, with phoenix feather as the wand core, ten and three-quarters inches long, with simple horizontal ridges on the handle to prevent slipping. The texture is hard and brittle..."

When Ted got the wand, he felt that his magic power was very smooth, and even stronger and more active.

He waved his wand lightly, and a large amount of streamers and fireworks flew out from the front end of the wand, almost filling the shop.

This time it’s a big splash, it feels good!
"Wow, wow, wow~~~It looks like you two are a perfect match!" Ollivander's expression was very happy.

"The cedar wand owners I have met have generally shown strong character and unusual loyalty."

“My father, Gervais Ollivander, used to say that the owner of a cedar wand can never be deceived. I agree with that. Cedar wands always match their most perceptive owners.”

"I would add to my father's words a warning not to make an enemy of any cedar wand owner, especially not to harm someone they hold dear."

"Those who pair well with a cedar wand are extremely formidable potential opponents, and those who would rather rush into war with them without thinking are usually shocked by this."

"A sincere offer of 7 Galleons!" Ollivander stretched out his hand.

The story is good, but it's a pity that there is no discount at the end~
No, maybe the story was made up just to sell it at a good price!
Walking out with his own cedar wand, Ted's mind was filled with thoughts:

The main character's wand is either your father's last legacy, or your great-grandfather's wand made of thunder-struck mahogany and the leg hair of a black and white iron-eating beast when he traveled in the mysterious East. Is mine so ordinary? !
Don’t you have a mysterious magic wand that has been left behind for hundreds of years and whose owner has never been found?
It's boring, not interesting at all!

Although I complained in my heart, the properties of the magic wand are indeed not bad. [Cedar Wood Phoenix Feather Magic Wand (Green)]

Magic power increase: +lv1 magic power
Strengthen spell: +lv1 spell
Keen Insight: +1 Perception
Note: The first magic wand for young people~
Professor McGonagall was also very satisfied with the result. "Okay, next I have to take you to customize your school uniform."

"Uh~" Ted stopped and said, "Professor, I just saw a second-hand clothing store and a second-hand store. I think second-hand goods are a good choice for my financial situation."

Mag looked at him, made sure he wasn't forcing himself, and said, "Okay."

In fact, it is not realistic to buy a new one with the Ted student loan.

Originally, Mag wanted to buy two new robes and second-hand textbooks. After all, children still have a sense of dignity.

But since Ted suggested it, there's nothing wrong with that.

The two first went to a second-hand robe shop, right next to Madam Malkin's robe shop that made custom school uniforms, and bought some slightly larger old robes so that they could wear them again a year later.

Then I went to a second-hand store to see if there was anything useful, but I couldn't find any suitable crucibles because they were too broken.

If Ted used this stuff to make potion, he might end up killing Snape.

I did get a set of glass bottles, and although they are a bit dirty, they can be used again if they are washed carefully.

It's just that second-hand books are a little difficult to get. I don't know if it's because of the economic downturn this year, but there are too many people buying second-hand books. Ted found three books: "The Standard Spells, Elementary", "Magic Pharmacy and Potions", and "One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi".

"Okay, Ted. I have my old textbooks here, I can give them to you. We can go to the bookstore and buy new ones for the rest."

Professor McGonagall was very generous and wanted to give her own textbooks to this freshman who was thrifty and ruthless.

"Thank you so much. But I want to wait a little longer. There are still nearly two months before school starts. Maybe I can buy a few more second-hand books and save some Galleons..."

Textbooks are so damn expensive!
If he bought all new ones, Ted's student loans would be almost wiped out.

Although Hogwarts provides food and accommodation and does not charge tuition, I don’t feel safe because I don’t even have a single Sickle left!

Mag remembered her observation of Ted after she turned into a cat: this little guy is very independent, so there should be no problem, right?
After some discussion, Professor McGonagall finally agreed with Ted's approach and gave him the remaining student loan, allowing him to have time to shop on Taobao himself.

Professor McGonagall put Ted on the bus and left.

Ted returned to the orphanage with the second-hand goods he bought.

He thought about it for a long time in the car, and finally made a decision - he had to make money himself.

Or increase the intensity of singing ~
Or you can work in Diagon Alley and earn Galleons directly. No need to exchange, no middleman to make a profit from the price difference.

My student loan for the first year was 20 Galleons, and then only 5 Galleons per year thereafter.

This year, shopping in Diagon Alley costs 7 Galleons just for a wand, and you can't buy a second-hand one.

If I buy a brand new textbook, it will cost 12 Galleons...

There are also some small items like crucibles and glass bottles. Are you not going to the Potions class anymore?
And what about the dragon-skin gloves? Are you not going to take the Herbology class anymore?

If Lockhart becomes the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor next year, I'll have to borrow other people's textbooks!
That's why Ted spent two months shopping on Taobao to get a complete set of second-hand goods, so that he could at least have a few Galleons left for pocket money.

Oh, by the way, I still have 50 Galleons left and can exchange British Pounds for Galleons at Gringotts...

Money is not everything, but not having money is absolutely necessary. You have to make money!

Moreover, the alien knowledge given by one's talent [a few pages of Psychic Power Manual (blue)] also needs to be exchanged for experience.

I tried it a couple of days ago. I can gain experience points by reading and studying, but if I read an ordinary Muggle textbook and study carefully for a day, I can only gain four or five points of experience points.

If you don't redeem it at the beginning of next month, [Several Pages of Psychic Handbook (Blue)] will be replaced by new alien knowledge. What a pity!
I'm afraid there is no hope of gaining 400 experience points by reading books and teaching myself in more than days.

As expected, I have to go to Diagon Alley to look for opportunities. Even if I can't trigger the mission again, there is still the mission of exploring Diagon Alley to complete.

You have to work to gain some experience and gallons to maintain your life.

"Ding~ Triggering the task:

【Working People (Green)】

One Knut can defeat a hero! In order to make some money and gain experience, you must think of a way. Diagon Alley has many opportunities and is a good choice.

Goal: Successfully find a job in Diagon Alley.

Reward: 100 experience points, card [Restore Energy (Green)].

Workers, working souls, and working wizards are all the best! "

Well, now it’s even easier to go.

(End of this chapter)