Scourgify

Smiling as he watched Nami drink milk, Li Wei looked at the MOD he had triggered when buying textbooks at Flourish and Blotts—Library MOD.

Library MOD was something similar to the Hall of Memory.

Li Wei could list every book he had read through and mastered on the shelves of the Memory Library, never to forget them.

In a sense, Library MOD had granted Li Wei an eidetic memory.

He took out the first-year Charms textbook, The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, from his storage space and quickly flipped through it.

Before long, Li Wei had finished going through the entire spellbook.

But to his astonishment, he found neither Aguamenti nor Scourgify among its spells, much less any instructions on how to cast them.

He checked the Memory Library again and saw that a phantom image of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 had appeared.

He guessed that once he had mastered all the magic in the book, it would remain in his Memory Library forever, never to be forgotten.

So I got played? First-year textbooks do not teach Scourgify or Aguamenti at all!

Li Wei thought indignantly, but when he recalled Professor McGonagall and Boss Tom's words, he realized they had indeed never said that the two spells were recorded in first-year textbooks.

They probably understood perfectly well that these two spells were not magic first-year students should—or could—learn.

Their goal was likely to make Li Wei back down in the face of difficulty, stop thinking about working at such a young age, and obediently go to Professor McGonagall's home to be a little wizard.

This approach of making Li Wei give up on his own would naturally make him feel embarrassed and might even dampen his enthusiasm.

But with the mindset of an adult, Li Wei only needed a moment's thought to understand Professor McGonagall's good intentions. She truly had his best interests at heart.

If Li Wei had merely been an ordinary little wizard, he might have recognized how difficult magic was to learn and how hard it was to live alone, cried in frustration, and obediently gone to Professor McGonagall's home.

Unfortunately, Li Wei was not one.

He was a transmigrator!

And he had cheats!

He immediately opened Spell MOD, intending to buy Scourgify and Aguamenti from the Spell Shop.

Sure enough, the Spell Shop had both spells. Scourgify was an intermediate spell, while Aguamenti was an advanced summoning spell.

Then Li Wei froze. He suddenly realized that he did not have a single credit on him, so he could not buy any spells at all.

But a living man would not be trapped by a full bladder; there were always more solutions than difficulties.

He opened the shop, went straight to the books section, and bought Intermediate Spells and Advanced Spellcraft, two textbooks that would be enough to last him until graduation. Then he began flipping through them with high spirits.

He refused to believe that, with his E-rank, Good-level talent for spells, he could not learn two spells!

Actually, Li Wei had already thought of a faster way to learn these two spells!

That was to set enemies in the Spell Training Ground to use only these two spells and train in combat against him.

With enemies as his teachers, he would definitely be able to learn both spells easily.

Unfortunately, using the Spell Training Ground also consumed credits, and Li Wei still could not use it right now.

Since he could not use the Spell Training Ground, Li Wei had also considered buying magical items from the shop imbued with Aguamenti and Scourgify. That way, he could use both spells easily as well.

But that would be putting the cart before the horse.

He was here to work and earn money, not some rich second-generation kid here to experience life. Who used precious alchemical items while working part-time?

I refuse to believe that, with it only just evening, I cannot master either Aguamenti or Scourgify before noon tomorrow!

Li Wei thought fiercely, filled with the determination to study until his hair was tied to the rafters and an awl pierced his thigh.

If he had possessed this kind of ruthlessness and drive in his previous life, then aside from math problems, nothing would have been able to stump him.

Back in his room, Li Wei began to grind!

He started with the simpler Scourgify and found the casting method for it in Intermediate Spells:

"Hmm? Here it is! Let me see!"

Li Wei carefully studied the wand motions recorded in the book. It read:

[Clearly pronounce "Scourgify," stressing "gify," while drawing an "S" shape with the wand. Finish sharply, with moderate range and crisp movements.]

"Is that all? It does not seem very difficult!"

Holding the Elderwood Phoenix Feather Wand, Li Wei used the kerosene lamp on the table to make out the casting essentials for Scourgify in Intermediate Spells, muttering to himself.

He placed his somewhat dirty secondhand leather shoes on the table, pointed his wand at them, and clearly pronounced, "Scour-gify," as instructed, making sure to emphasize the stressed part.

But the wand merely spat out a gust of breeze, and nothing else happened. The secondhand leather shoes remained just as dirty as before.

"Uh..." Li Wei looked slightly stunned. When he turned his head, he found Nami looking at him too. One person and one cat could not help staring wide-eyed at each other.

Nami: Pashoo~ Master, are you so hungry that you can only eat shoes? How pitiful!

As little Nami meowed, she extended her purple little paw, pink pads exposed, and pushed the milk in front of her toward Li Wei.

"Is this for me? I am not hungry, Nami. You drink it! Nami is such a good girl!"

Li Wei was instantly charmed by Nami's cuteness. Smiling, he rubbed her head, and his mood immediately relaxed considerably.

After Nami's interruption, he remembered that when he had recited the incantation earlier, he seemed to have forgotten to wave his wand. No wonder the spell had done absolutely nothing.

"Again." Li Wei was not discouraged and prepared to try once more.

"Scour-gify!"

The incantation left Li Wei's mouth, and at the same time, the wand in his hand traced an S-shaped curve.

Li Wei immediately felt a surge of magic erupt from the tip of his wand, carrying the force of cleansing and scrubbing as it landed on the leather shoes before him.

In an instant, the front half of his shoes became spotlessly clean and shiny as new, as though they had been washed, waxed, oiled, and maintained countless times!

But to the astonishment of both Li Wei and the attentive Nami, the rear half of the shoes still looked dirty and worn-out.

"Pashoo~"

Although the cleaning was far from perfect, Li Wei had ultimately cast the spell successfully. Little Nami let out a cry, stood upright, and clapped her two little front paws together, delivering an absolutely full dose of emotional support.

"Thank you for the praise, Miss Nami!"

Li Wei also played the role of a supportive parent. He held his wand pretentiously, straightened his waist, drew in his stomach, and gave Nami a gentlemanly bow.

"Pashoo~ Pashoo~"

Nami immediately began laughing, rolling around on the bedding like a fluffy ball.

After making little Nami laugh, Li Wei began considering why his spell had only succeeded halfway.

After reviewing what had happened, Li Wei realized that, in order to make the wand's finishing motion sharp and decisive, he had swung it far too briefly. In his haste, the spell had only produced half its intended effect.

"Let's try it again!"

Li Wei placed the other dirty secondhand leather shoe on the table, preparing for another attempt.

He was also glad that he had two feet and wore two shoes. Otherwise, he really would not have found a suitable test subject.

With his wand moving, Li Wei recited the incantation once more:

"Scour-gify!"