Basic Magic Theory

After leaving Ollivander's Wand Shop, it was already noon.

McGonagall paid to take Jerry and Crookshanks to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch, then they returned to the streets of Diagon Alley.

"Shrinking Charm!"

Jerry watched as McGonagall pulled out her wand and pointed it at the large trunk and trolley. A flash of blue magical light passed by, and the fully packed trunk and trolley shrank to the size of a palm.

"All right, it's time for us to go back!"

McGonagall picked up the trunk and trolley, put them into her pocket, then held out her arm.

"Okay!"

Jerry froze for a moment, then immediately understood and grabbed McGonagall's outstretched arm.

"Side-Along Apparition!"

With a wave of her wand, McGonagall and Jerry vanished from the street in Diagon Alley.

"Magic really is an amazing power!"

Looking at the familiar orphanage room, Jerry could not help letting out a sigh.

"No need to envy it. Once you graduate from Hogwarts, you'll be able to cast these spells with ease too. Of course, that's assuming you study hard!"

McGonagall took the trunk and trolley from her pocket, dispelled the Shrinking Charm, and spoke to Jerry.

"I will!"

Jerry set down Crookshanks and nodded seriously.

Of course he would study magic properly. The world he lived in was far from safe, and magic was the only power he could currently master to protect himself.

For the sake of survival, he had to devote two hundred percent of his effort to learning magic, no matter what.

"This is your Hogwarts Express ticket. September 1st, King's Cross Station—it's all written on the ticket. Your headmaster will drive you there when the time comes. I've already spoken to him in advance, so be sure to remember that."

Compared with Hagrid, who had tossed Harry a ticket and hurried off, McGonagall was much more attentive. Not only had she arranged for the orphanage headmaster to take Jerry there, she had also explained to him all sorts of issues that might arise when boarding the Hogwarts Express.

A moment later, Jerry smiled and assured McGonagall:

"Professor, I've remembered everything. Don't worry, I'll board the Hogwarts Express on time and go to school!"

Only then did McGonagall nod.

"Then I'll see you when term starts. And Mr. Carmen, I think you're very suited to Gryffindor!"

After leaving those final words, McGonagall waved her wand, used Apparition, and vanished from the spot.

"The school for reckless fools?"

Watching McGonagall disappear, Jerry could not help showing a troubled expression.

In truth, when he had first learned this was the world of Harry Potter, the first Houses he ruled out were Gryffindor and Slytherin. His first choice was Ravenclaw, followed by Hufflepuff.

After all, his original goal was to peacefully study magic in this world and improve himself.

Gryffindor was full of reckless troublemakers who were always causing disasters, while Slytherin had serious class conflicts. As an orphan, he would not have an easy time there either.

Neither House would really let him study in peace.

In terms of academic atmosphere, Ravenclaw was certainly the best. It selected students based on wisdom and intelligence, and everyone there was a top student. Discussing and studying with one another would definitely lead to rapid progress.

If he could not get into Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff would not be bad either. Hufflepuff's Little Wizards were generally honest and kind; at the very least, they would not interfere with his studies.

But now, McGonagall seemed to appreciate him and wanted him in Gryffindor. Besides, he could earn Little Red Stars in this world, so Gryffindor seemed worth considering after all.

"Forget it. There's still a month before the Sorting. I should first learn a few spells, deal with those train robbers, and think about it slowly afterward!"

After hesitating for a while, he decided to put the matter aside. Right now, the most important thing was teaching himself magic.

Excitedly opening the large trunk and taking out the bag containing his textbooks, Jerry began pulling out the magic books one by one and placing them on the bed:

Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, A History of Magic, Magical Theory, Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Dark Arts: A Guide to Self-Defense—eight books in total.

There was only one month until his return, so he could set aside the textbooks that would not help him in battle for now.

After some thought, Jerry put A History of Magic, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them back into the book bag.

A History of Magic was about the history of the wizarding world, something that could only broaden his knowledge, while One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi was an introduction to various herbs.

Magical Drafts and Potions was quite useful. Powerful potions could provide support in battle, but he could not teach himself potion brewing in one month, nor did he have the materials to make powerful potions.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a book explaining various Magical Creatures. It might be useful if he went adventuring in the future, but not now.

Of the remaining Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, Magical Theory, Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, and Dark Arts: A Guide to Self-Defense, Jerry kept only Magical Theory and set the other three together on the nearby table.

For someone completely new to magic, Jerry felt that he first needed to know what magic was and how it worked before he could learn the related spells.

And Magical Theory, a book explaining basic theory, was exactly what he most needed to study carefully right now.

With a serious expression, Jerry picked up Magical Theory, sat down in a chair, took a deep breath, and slowly opened to the first page.

"Those who recklessly alter the deepest secrets—the source of life, the essence of the self—must be prepared to bear the most extreme and dangerous consequences.

—First Rule of Wolflin's Basic Rules of Magic"

Four hours later, Jerry closed Magical Theory, rubbed his temples, and could not help sighing.

"Hermione Granger truly deserved to be a top student. She really was incredible!"

Jerry had originally thought that, having gone through the college entrance exams, his learning ability was not lacking in any respect. Besides, he had lived muddleheadedly for over forty years, so his life experience could hardly be called shallow. He should have been able to handle mere basic magical theory.

Reality, however, had slapped him hard in the face.

As a completely unfamiliar system of knowledge, without a teacher's guidance, four hours of self-study had left Jerry feeling as though he were reading a heavenly tome.

It was like an ordinary man suddenly obtaining a secret manual capable of cultivating immortality, then having to painstakingly comprehend it word by word without a master's guidance.

That was why, when he thought of Hermione, an eleven-year-old girl who had taught herself most first-year magic before school even began without anyone's guidance, he could not help feeling such admiration.

Perhaps Hermione was a prodigy and genius in the field of magic, while he was merely an ordinary, normal person.

"I can only hope the Little Red Star's refreshing function is powerful enough, or this will be troublesome!"