Coach, I Want to Run~

As class was ending, Ted grabbed Neville and asked in a low voice, "Neville, do you want to become stronger?"

Before Neville could answer, Ted began to feel awkward himself.

That scene just now had looked far too much like some guy in a military coat at a train station furtively asking, "Brother, want some discs?"

Ted shook his head, gathered his thoughts, and continued speaking to the baffled Neville. "Do you want to stand up and protect your friends when danger comes? If you do, then come run with me!"

Well, that sounded a bit like Pirate King too.

Ted had embarrassed himself badly enough to feel like the soles of his shoes were cracking. Without waiting for Neville's answer, he hurried off.

Ted had mainly been thinking of Neville's sword strike last night. It had truly been spectacular—stunning!

Neville had genuinely displayed the potential of a Gryffindor Sword Saint.

Come to think of it, Gryffindors really did seem to have a talent for close combat magic, every last one of them.

In the original story, Harry Potter had already killed the Basilisk with a sword at twelve.

Ron had sacrificed himself on the magical chessboard, riding a stone horse head-on into the enemy pieces. Later, he had even driven a flying car straight into the Whomping Willow. He was undoubtedly a knight! Hermione had punched Malfoy.

Neville would behead Nagini with a sword... Were they all just reckless maniacs or what?

It felt like Neville had simply followed the wrong person. If he hadn't come to Hogwarts and had followed Gandalf instead, he definitely could have become a great battle mage.

But it wasn't too late now. With careful training, perhaps one day his wand would shine and turn into a lightsaber. He could master instinctive perception and mind's eye, casually deflect spells, and becoming a Jedi Wizard would be no problem~

Though Neville looked clumsy, he was remarkably dependable. After thinking it over all morning, he told Ted that he wanted to become stronger and protect his companions! He wanted to run with Ted! The perseverance Neville showed in this matter was truly admirable.

For the following week, he showed up rain or shine. One day, rain had poured down in sheets, yet he still got up early and waited for Ted at the front gate.

In the end, he even motivated his roommates.

Ron and Jerry, who normally loved loafing around, slacking off, and putting everything off, also awkwardly tagged along. "Coach, I want to play basketball! No, I mean, we want to become stronger too!"

Ted wasn't fooling them when he said running could make them stronger.

The body was a wizard's foundation, after all~ Especially for Little Wizards, whose Magic Power was still developing and could be affected by their physical condition.

Put it this way: if Hawking had been a wizard, he probably could only have studied theory.

Casting spells mobilized Magic Power, and mobilizing Magic Power placed a burden on the body.

So while it was theoretically manageable as long as the intensity wasn't too high, in many cases spells couldn't be used continuously without considering their "mana cost."

Because the body simply couldn't take it.

And for Little Wizards, the growth of Magic Power depended mostly on innate talent, with only a small part depending on later development.

The innate part was bloodline. At present, Ted still didn't know how the "first-generation wizards" had come into existence, or where their Magic Power came from.

But Pure-blood families had their own claims. The descendants of many ancient bloodlines usually weren't lacking in Magic Power.

Like Ron's Weasley family, Harriett's Potter Family, Neville's Longbottom family...

The differences weren't very obvious yet, but Ted had already noticed Jerry's slight disadvantage in this regard.

Magic Power was the foundation, after all. This gap would grow larger and larger with age and development. By fifth or sixth year, the difference would be enormous.

Of course, that didn't mean the Pure-blood theory was correct.

European nobles had already spent centuries proving that so-called pure blood would eventually produce nothing but idiots and people with congenital disabilities.

The history of genetic diseases among Europe's royal families could fill an A4 page~ And wizards from mixed-blood or Muggle families, like Voldemort and Hermione, often produced some truly extraordinary talents instead.

The advantages of mixed blood had long been scientifically proven~ If those Pure-blood families were truly smart, they should absorb the elite among mixed-blood and Muggle wizards into their ranks, like the United States did, preserving their class advantage.

Rather than obsessing over bloodlines and creating divisions until they were practically killing themselves.

Back to the point, Ted had them run because it was good for physical development.

It would promote the growth of Magic Power. It might not break through the limits of one's bloodline, but it could bring them infinitely close to those limits.

And Ted wasn't just having them run. He was training his companions according to the exercise methods on that "Body Strengthening Manual" card.

If nothing else, their Constitution was bound to improve.

They were still young. With years of training, their advantage over ordinary students would gradually become clear.

If nothing else, they would grow tall and strong. Beating up Malfoy's trio would at least be effortless~ And they would have greater control over Magic Power, making spellcasting smoother and easier.

With Hermione around, their homework was always completed on time.

Otherwise, every ten sentences she spoke would contain eleven mentions of "homework."

The group generally finished all their assignments as soon as possible, lest they suffer Hermione's mental attacks.

That day, after Ted and the others finished their homework in the library, they left together and headed for the abandoned classroom that served as their "Secret Base."

Since they weren't from the same House, their shared time was spent either in the Great Hall, the library, or the abandoned classroom.

On the way, Harriett brought up something George and Fred had told them yesterday.

It turned out that on Halloween Eve, Ted and the other six hadn't been the only ones to sneak away.

The Twins and Lee Jordan weren't exactly obedient types either.

They had planned to return to the room on the third floor where Cerberus was kept and investigate it further—they had always felt that a huge secret was hidden inside, and they had kept looking into it with remarkable persistence.

However, when they went back, Snape had nearly caught them.

Snape had also gone to check that room afterward, though he had only opened the door, taken a few looks, and left.

Harriett was somewhat puzzled by this. "Is Snape really that interested in the three-headed dog?"

Hermione tried to explain. "Could it be because Cerberus's fur or something is a precious potion ingredient?"

When Jerry heard that, he said, "Snape went to steal dog fur?"

Ron was also deeply indignant. Snape was simply shameless! If a professor could steal, then students could steal too! At that moment, he and Jerry seemed to have already seen Cerberus as a glittering golden dog.

For those two, gold Galleons held an endless attraction.

Everyone knew about Ron's family circumstances. He had saved pocket money for more than a year and still hadn't accumulated even two silver Sickles.

Jerry was the same. He had already been helping his family with work before enrolling.

It wasn't just the Mouse-Ear Race. Demi-humans still hadn't integrated very smoothly into the magical world, and most of them weren't well-off.

Although Ted said Snape was very wealthy, and that his stockroom full of potion ingredients had everything he could ever need, Ron remained unconvinced. He swore on the wand he had inherited from Bill: it had definitely been Snape's monster! It was meant to distract everyone so Snape could take the chance to shave Cerberus! Ted couldn't help sighing. Snape really had no prospects in Ron's eyes! Was that really the extent of his ambition?

Ron continued, "Think about those specimens in jars in the basement. He must be experimenting on monsters. Snape is conducting some kind of evil experiment!"

Ted knew why Ron looked down on Snape even more than Harriett and Neville did: Snape had been relentlessly targeting him in class.

Ted thought: Next time, maybe try not sitting at the same table as Harriett.

Perhaps Snape only got inexplicably angry whenever he saw Lily's daughter sitting with an idiot.

Also, if Ted remembered correctly, Ron would break that heirloom wand next year.

So he really ought to stop making vows so casually. Who knew whether they might come true?!

In the abandoned classroom, Neville was swinging a wooden sword Ted had created with Transfiguration.

Ted had not only had him practice with a two-handed sword, but also with a Single-Handed Sword. And he was practicing left-handed.

Ideally, he would hold a wand in one hand and a sword in the other. Or perhaps someday, once a wand could transform into a lightsaber, the problem would be perfectly solved.

Meanwhile, Jerry and Ron were playing Wizard's Chess, while Harriett offered advice from the side. But even the two of them combined were no match for Ron, causing the chess pieces to complain repeatedly and even refuse to follow orders.

The pieces under Ron's command, meanwhile, were rubbing their hands together eagerly. "Little Ronny, let me go! I'll finish it with one strike!"

Those grandfather-generation chess pieces were not to be messed with~ Ted and Hermione were reading and taking notes.

Ron defeated Jerry and Harriett's "king," then stretched lazily in satisfaction. "Practice a little more. Next time, I'll give you an extra rook!"

His "generosity" earned him a middle finger from Jerry and an eye roll from Harriett.

The enemy's contempt was the greatest praise. Ron smiled in satisfaction.

Then he saw Neville sweating constantly as he swung his sword with a serious expression, along with Ted and Hermione, who were still focused on reading.

All at once, he felt as though he was going to be worked to death by everyone else.

"Say, don't you get tired of reading even outside class?"

Hermione didn't even raise her eyes. "Studying and solving puzzles both give me a powerful sense of accomplishment."

Ted explained, "Just like when you win at Wizard's Chess."

Ron said, "If you'd said that earlier, wouldn't I have understood? Why didn't you say it earlier? Why didn't you say it earlier?"

There was a time for effort and a time for rest; such was the way of both scholarship and martial arts.

Ted beckoned to his companions. "All right, take a break. Come here, I'll tell you a secret!"

Neville came over while wiping his sweat, and Harriett, Ron, and the others also gathered around.

Ted whispered, "Did you know? Every time London's Big Ben ticks through one minute, sixty seconds pass in this world."

Neville froze. "That's true!"

Everyone looked at Neville, then at Ted. Huh? Are you serious!? After hearing all that, it was nothing but nonsense!