Andros slapped his chest. "I'm Andros, a wizard from Greece. I'm pretty good at Wandless Magic and the Patronus Charm. I'm more than qualified to be your first teacher!"
Tom's mind went buzz, and a string of facts about Andros instantly popped into his head. Back in Diagon Alley, Dumbledore had given him two Chocolate Frogs to tide him over. Each frog came with a Famous Wizard card, and one of them featured the man standing before him now: "Andros the Invincible."
That title wasn't self-proclaimed. It was one wizards had gladly bestowed upon him back in the day. Andros had never lost a fight in his life, and Wandless Magic and the Patronus Charm were his specialties. He could conjure a Giant-sized Patronus without a wand—a feat no one could manage even today. He was hailed as the greatest wizard in history, the King of the Century.
Tom thought to himself, No wonder he seems so likable. He's practically glowing with goodness, like a walking Patronus.
The Patronus Charm was especially dependent on positive emotions and happy memories. It had always been a reliable way to judge whether someone was a Dark Wizard.
Andros had "upright and wholesome" written all over him. Compared to Dumbledore's gentle manner, which concealed a mind full of schemes, he was pure sunshine. Just looking at him put Tom at ease.
At least he wouldn't have to worry about this teacher leading him down the wrong path. That would save him the trouble of staying on guard.
"Mr. Andros, I'm Tom Riddle." Tom put his thoughts aside and smiled obediently. "I'll be your student from now on. If I do anything wrong, please tell me. I'll definitely correct it."
Tom wasn't stupid. He was always sweet and humble around anyone who could help him grow stronger. His attitude pleased Andros, who thumped his chest with a series of loud bangs. "You got it! I'll make sure you become the finest wizard around! With talent like yours, using it must come at a price, right? No time to waste—let's get started!"
Tom didn't object. He ran through Hogwarts' basic teaching methods in his mind, then ventured, "Mr. Andros, I haven't started at a magic school yet. How about we begin with the most basic spells, Lumos and the Levitation Charm? We can build a foundation first."
The moment he said it, Andros's hearty expression froze. He stared at Tom in confusion. "The Levitation Charm? Lumos? What are those? I've never heard of them."
Tom was stumped. "Huh? Aren't those the most basic spells?"
The Study Space fell into dead silence, the awkwardness thick enough to furnish an entire apartment. Tom narrowed his eyes at Andros. The stalwart wizard actually looked away guiltily, his face burning red and even the tips of his ears turning pink.
Tom understood perfectly well: Andros wasn't teasing him. He genuinely didn't know those spells. He'd invited a legendary wizard to teach him, only to discover the man didn't even know the beginner spells.
The Wizarding World might seem old-fashioned, but it had been steadily advancing, especially in practical magic and standardized casting methods. The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 that Tom had conjured was written by Miranda Goshawk, the first person to systematically compile spells. Lumos and the Levitation Charm hadn't been invented until the fourteenth or fifteenth century. They hadn't existed in Andros's time, so of course he didn't know them.
Tom held his forehead and asked, exasperated, "Then how did you light your way at night? What did you do when you needed to move something heavy? Surely you didn't just rely on brute strength?"
Andros's face was still red. He silently conjured a wooden post, then flung a fireball at it. The post immediately burst into flames, becoming a torch. "We used fire for light. To move things, we wrapped them in magic and shifted them with a thought."
His tone was complicated, with the haughtiness of an older-generation wizard. "They actually invented spells specifically for such trivial things, and even taught them to outsiders. In our day, magic was a skill you needed to survive. How could we be so generous?"
Tom grumbled inwardly, So magic really was primitive back then. All they did was duel and kill. It wasn't until Muggle power rose in the Middle Ages and the Church started hunting witches everywhere, driving wizards into a corner, that they were forced to band together and establish magic schools. Only then did magical education gradually become standardized, giving rise to the convenient, systematic modern magic we have today. Otherwise, wizards would probably still be using fireballs for light and brute force to fight.
Andros stared at the book in Tom's hands, his eyes shining. Rubbing his hands together, he asked tentatively, "Tom, could I take a look at that book? There might be some spells in there I know. And if not, why don't we start with the Patronus Charm? That's my specialty. I guarantee I can teach you to wipe the floor with everyone!"
Tom was stumped again. "Huh? Isn't that a little too much, too soon?"
He finally understood. This wasn't a teacher at all. It was a study buddy!
A great wizard who didn't know any basic spells was proposing to start with the Patronus Charm? Sure, Tom had a cheat on his side, but he hadn't even gotten started yet. He was still a complete beginner. How could he handle being rushed ahead like that?
"Forget it, Mr. Andros." Tom helplessly handed him the book, conjured another copy for himself, and shrugged as though he'd given up. "We'll study together and improve together. These later generations' spells are sure to open your eyes."
"Thanks, Tom!" Andros scratched his head awkwardly, looking embarrassed. He'd just been thumping his chest and promising to teach the boy, and now he was asking to borrow a book. It was mortifying.
[Ping! Teacher 'Andros' has reached 20% approval of the host. The host receives a reward: Andros's magical talent]
Tom immediately felt more alert and clearheaded. A smile appeared on his face. He'd just figured out that reaching 20%, 50%, and 100% teacher approval each granted a reward: either the teacher's signature ability or their talent.
Tom mused, Teaching and passing on knowledge are important, but in the magical world, talent is the real currency.
How far a person could go depended not only on effort and circumstances, but also on the limits of their talent. This approval system seemed tailor-made for him. It was practically inviting him to gather the strengths of every teacher and become a force the world had never seen.
He casually conjured a table, chairs, and a sofa in the space. He even added a small coffee table and set down two glasses of fruit juice that appeared from thin air. Since they were studying together, they couldn't just sit around doing nothing. Besides, if he treated the great wizard well, Andros might put more effort into teaching him the real stuff later.
Then he and Andros each took a copy of the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 and settled down to study as magical novices. Fortunately, the space had helpfully given Andros a language boost. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to read all the modern wizarding text in the book, and the two of them would have had to start by learning to read. That really would have been ridiculous.
Andros studied even more intently than Tom. The basic spells opened his eyes. So magic could be used this way! Back in his day, magic had been used for nothing but dueling and killing. What a waste.
A great wizard was a great wizard. He grasped one thing and understood a hundred. His understanding of magic was already at its peak, and before long he was itching to give it a try. He started with Wandless Magic and didn't even need to practice.
Watching him, Tom's heart gave a little lurch. I'd better buy all the textbooks for the next few years soon. At this rate, Andros will catch up with the material in no time. Then we'll be stuck, and who knows what kind of ridiculous situation we'll end up in.
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