Although Professor Quirrell already knew the weakness of the three-headed dog, he still had no clue about the other obstacles set up by the professors.
Of course, he couldn't act recklessly—he had only one shot at this.
Ted, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with that disaster.
He even had to keep his friends in check, making sure they didn't go sticking their noses where they didn't belong.
The best way to keep them out of trouble wasn't to flat-out forbid them from investigating the three-headed dog and the mysterious trapdoor.
That would only make them more curious. Instead, he had to make sure they were too busy to even think about it.
And so, TED's Classroom was back in session!
Ron and Jerry clung to each other, trembling.
On the pretense of better preparing for real-world magic situations, Ted started an after-school training program: Magic Combat Class.
The plan?
Group duels.
Teams of five against each other, including himself.
Mornings were spent on theoretical studies and basic spell practice, while afternoons were dedicated to full-blown wizard duels.
It didn't take long before even the most energetic of them, including the little powerhouse Harley, were completely drained.
After just a few days, she was so exhausted that she would collapse onto her bed at night and sleep like a rock until morning.
Sneaking around at night? Forget about it!
Within a week, they had all but forgotten about the three-headed dog and the Philosopher's Stone.
Even after the tutoring sessions ended, no one was eager to revisit the subject.
Kids had short attention spans—three minutes of enthusiasm before moving on to the next thing.
April passed uneventfully.
Ted's friends were busy with their training, Professor Quirrell was occupied with whatever secret schemes he had, and everything else at Hogwarts was business as usual.
No chaos, no disasters.
Meanwhile, Ted finally completed another task: [House Model Student (Blue)]
After over seven months of effort, he had finally reached 100 points.
300 experience gained.
His three reward options appeared:
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[Path of Fire (Blue)]
The image displayed an elderly wizard with long white hair, standing tall, wand raised, as walls of fire surged forward, creating a path through an army of shadowy figures.
Spell Card
Grants mastery over advanced fire-based magic, blending transfiguration, ignition, and fire-control spells to shape flames for both utility and destruction.
Requirements: Transfiguration Lv3, Charms Lv4, Ignition Curse Lv4, Fire Control Lv3.
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Ted squinted. "Why does this look like something Dumbledore would pull off? Isn't this the fire trick he used in that cave to fend off Inferi? Did he invent this spell?"
The difficulty level certainly suggested so.
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[Frost Trap (Blue)]
The card's image showed a metal trap with blue flames flickering at its core.
Spell Card
Uses a small amount of magic to set a frost trap within a ten-meter radius. Any creature that steps on it gets frozen, duration based on strength.Note: Even ghosts and non-corporeal beings are not immune.
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"Wait a second… isn't this straight out of Azeroth? So ghosts can get frozen too? Now that's interesting."
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[Mud Golem (Blue)]
The card depicted a massive humanoid figure made of rock and mud.
Summoning Card
Calls forth a clay golem to fight on your behalf.
Lasts 10 minutes. 8-hour cooldown.
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Ted grinned. "Oh, this one's not bad!"
Summoning cards were his favorite.
Having minions do the dirty work while he strategized from a distance?
That was the true way of a wizard!
Ted had already tested his [Troll (Blue)] summon in an abandoned classroom.
Aside from the awful stench and its abysmal intelligence, it packed a serious punch.
It just needed proper guidance.
Without direction, trolls were hopelessly dim-witted. But with a capable commander?
Three or four adult wizards would struggle against it!
This [Mud Golem (Blue)] had the same rarity, so it had to be good.
When Ted finally summoned it, he was impressed.
The creature stood three meters tall, its body composed of thick, malleable mud encased in sturdy rock.
Its eyes—simple stones—rolled around in their sockets, scanning its surroundings.
Unlike the troll, the mud golem wasn't brainless. It wouldn't act on its own, but it at least reacted to its environment.
Its raw power wasn't as overwhelming as the troll's, but its defensive capabilities were insane.
Covered in thick layers of dirt and stone, it shrugged off regular attacks with ease.
Then came the real kicker—it had Magic Resistance Shell, making it immune to low-level spells!
Ted ran some tests.
Leg-Locker Curse? No effect. Teeth-Growing Hex? Useless. Disarming Charm? Forget it.
Even his Frostbolt and Frost Nova barely slowed it down.
They dealt minimal damage, and the movement reduction lasted less than three seconds.
This thing was a nightmare for mediocre wizards.
Not particularly fast, but not slow either.
Picture it: a three-meter-tall rock behemoth charging toward you, shrugging off every spell you throw at it.
And when it gets close? One punch and you're out cold!
With both a Troll and a Mud Golem at his disposal, Ted finally felt a real sense of security.
Unless he provoked an extremely powerful wizard, he was confident he could handle most dangers in the wizarding world.
As the seasons shifted and Hogwarts bloomed with greenery once more, May arrived quietly.
Ted eagerly anticipated the next round of Knowledge from Other Worlds, only to be met with disappointment.
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Ding! Talent [Knowledge from Other Worlds (Gold)] triggered. Discovered: [Shinobi Prosthetic Blueprint (Green)].
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The description detailed the construction, enhancement, and usage of a ninja prosthetic, created by the medical and mechanical genius, Dogen.
Cost: 150 Experience.
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Ted blinked. "That's it? A shinobi prosthetic arm? This feels like it belongs in Sekiro… isn't the tech level a little too low?"
Then he noticed the low cost—only 150 experience points, the cheapest knowledge he had seen so far.
He hesitated before exchanging for it. Then, he realized—he had underestimated it.
This wasn't just a prosthetic arm.
It had serious potential for customization.
For example, it could be upgraded to a Arcane Loaded Umbrella, capable of absorbing both magical and physical attacks, even redirecting them.
Or it could be fitted with a modified Arcane Finger Whistle that emits a frequency that could drive magical beasts berserk, making them attack indiscriminately.
For example, the hook lock functioned like Spider-Man's web shooters, latching onto surfaces with ease.
It could also fire projectiles, trigger controlled explosions, release bursts of fire, morph into blades and axes, turn its wielder invisible, or even create phantom clones.
In short, this tool was packed with an array of "magical gadgets," each capable of producing different "enchantments" with various effects.
Even more astonishingly, it had a built-in compatibility system! A prosthetic tool?
No, this was next-level wizardry!
"Is this a prosthetic hand for wizards or a ninja's secret weapon? This thing is deadly!"
Although the Black Secret Technique—Karasu—was an impressive puppet technique, the enchanted prosthetic hand had its own set of advantages.
If the mechanical concept behind the prosthetic hand could be applied to Karasu, it would undoubtedly take puppet magic to a whole new level.
It was clear that, while some alternate worlds lacked the mysticism of magic, the ingenuity they fostered was nothing to scoff at.
"Every world has its own strengths. I can't afford to be complacent," Ted mused, reflecting on his own progress.
Though it had been months since he had stumbled upon any groundbreaking knowledge from other realms, the information he had already acquired would take years to fully grasp.
By May, Ted had already begun his studies on Level 2 magic from Dungeons & Dragons world.
Friday had rolled around once again, bringing with it the dreaded Potions class—a shared session for all four houses.
Since acquiring the [Apothecary Gloves (Blue)], Ted's potion-making had become remarkably efficient.
The basic brews from their textbooks were now child's play for him, as if he were a seasoned potions master with decades of experience.
However, Snape wasn't the type to be impressed so easily.
If anything, he had only become harsher, nitpicking every detail.
The ingredients were flawed.
The water bath's temperature was unstable.
There was no creativity, only blind adherence to the textbook.
In short, Snape was never satisfied.
"Don't think that merely following the instructions in the book makes you a potioneer. The recipes provided are merely the safest, most basic versions—not the best.
If you cannot develop your own variations during your studies, then you should give up on this subject now. You simply do not have what it takes."
Snape's words dripped with venom, and his glare could probably set cauldrons on fire.
By now, the students had grown accustomed to his ruthless criticisms.
Those who couldn't handle the pressure crumbled under it, their skills deteriorating further.
But those who learned to block out the negativity and focus on the craft found themselves making rapid progress.
Of course, Snape's intent wasn't to push them to improve—he genuinely just thought they were all idiots.
Ted and Hermione were, without a doubt, the most talented students in the class when it came to Potions.
Unfortunately, they also happened to be two of Snape's least favorite people.
During lunch, a sudden flap of wings drew Ted's attention as Anzu swooped down toward him.
Stretching out his arm, Ted let the raven perch on it. "I was just wondering why you hadn't shown up. Thought you might be off hunting for wild snacks."
Anzu shook its head, glancing around suspiciously before extending a leg. "Your letter~"
"Oh? Who's it from?"
"Hagrid! Big Hagrid! Caw!"
Leave it to Hagrid to befriend magical creatures so effortlessly—he had even convinced Anzu to deliver his letters.
Ted unfolded the note and read it: "It's about to hatch! Come quickly!"
Ted's eyes widened.
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Word count: 1625
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