"Are you referring to Lily Potter?" Dumbledore seemed more interested in the child of the Potter couple. "Is their child due at the end of the month? Has the delivery date already been set?"
"That's what they said. They also sent a gift to Anduin. I could feel a strong magical fluctuation in that present. She had mentioned earlier that she was working on some alchemy tools to practice and improve her rune skills, and it seems the results are promising. And that boy is much more independent than I expected, and his savings are also greater than I thought. It's hard to imagine how an eleven-year-old managed that in an orphanage, but intruding on someone else's privacy isn't right." Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore were clearly not on the same page, still talking about Anduin.
"Is that so? I heard the Longbottoms' child is also due soon. Could it be one of them?" Dumbledore muttered quietly to himself, showing more interest in Lily's child than in the incoming students at Hogwarts that year.
"One of whom?" Professor McGonagall was confused by Dumbledore's murmur.
"Oh, nothing, Minerva. You're tired too. Go rest early. Tomorrow's Order of the Phoenix meeting will be in the usual place. We still have many problems to solve together. The Death Eaters have been increasingly active lately." Dumbledore still hadn't reached a final decision.
"Understood, Albus." Professor McGonagall frowned, recalling that lingering shadow, and turned to leave.
Dumbledore remained seated at his desk, deep in thought. No one knew what he was planning.
. . .
The next day, after saying goodbye to Madam Triss and William, Anduin packed his belongings and went alone to the Leaky Cauldron.
"What did you say? You're going to stay here alone until Hogwarts starts?" Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, looked at Anduin in disbelief.
"Yes, Mr. Tom, don't worry, I've got money." Anduin pulled a few Galleons from his pocket and showed them to Tom.
"It's not about the money, Mr. Wilson. Maybe you don't realise the danger. It's not safe here right now. Please forgive me, but I can't allow it. It's for your own good." Tom looked at Anduin seriously as he spoke.
"I understand, Mr. Tom. Professor McGonagall explained the seriousness of the situation to me yesterday, but I still insist. Besides, I think a young half-blood wizard like me is in greater danger living in the Muggle world. I'm willing to trust you. I can help you with some chores when I have free time and keep you company, don't you think?" Anduin looked at him with determination, clearly not intending to leave.
Tom frowned at the boy in front of him. After thinking about it carefully, he agreed. After all, there were still plenty of Aurors patrolling the area. Letting a young wizard wander around could lead to other problems.
"Alright, I haven't had much business lately anyway. I'll give you a discount for a month and a half—5 Galleons. But you must promise not to go out without a reason. It's best to stay in the inn, and there's a curfew after 8 PM, so you must return to your room by then."
"No problem, Mr. Tom, I'll behave. You can trust me." Anduin paid without hesitation once Tom agreed, took the room key, and carried his belongings in little by little.
Anduin placed the green onions he had planted on the windowsill. He had brought a lot this time. In addition to school supplies and some luggage, he also brought the seasonings William had bought earlier and a mahjong set.
In his previous life, Anduin had a military background and no particular hobbies, except for his love of good food. He had been eating British food for over ten years in this world, and it had driven him mad—he had long grown tired of it.
Once settled in, Anduin inspected the room. It wasn't small; there was space for basic exercise, but not enough for boxing practice. He had previously trained mainly in Tongbei (unarmed fencing + waist boxing), Pigua (fluid capoeira + slaps), Changquan (modern Wushu + kickboxing + gymnastics), and Hongquan (traditional boxing + close-range fighting), among others—styles he couldn't fully practise now. So apart from standing meditation, he could only train in Tai Chi inside the room.
With that in mind, Anduin took a sheet of paper and planned his daily study and training schedule. He was an extremely methodical and disciplined person. Now, aside from not folding his blanket into a perfect square, he still followed his old military habits.
He organised himself like this:
6 AM: Wake up, wash, and morning exercise. Training content: stretching, standing meditation, cardio + 30 minutes of boxing.
7:30 AM: Breakfast, followed by reading and spell practice.
12 PM – 1 PM: Lunch.
1 PM: Continued study and spell practice.
6 PM: Dinner, followed by rest or continued practice depending on his condition.
8 PM: Boxing training, standing meditation, meditation.
9 PM: Wash up and go to sleep.
He would help Tom with tasks during meals and breaks.
During this month and a half, Anduin decided not to live like an ordinary person; he wanted to absorb as much magical knowledge and training as he could.
After finishing his detailed plan, Anduin checked the time. It was nearly 12 PM, so he decided to head downstairs for a meal.
He chatted with Tom in the dining hall for a few minutes and realised that most of the food served there was traditional British cuisine. After confirming this with Tom, Anduin took out the seasonings he had brought and prepared a few simple dishes himself. He invited Tom to join him, which helped strengthen their relationship. Once both were satisfied, Anduin prepared to begin his magical path in earnest.
Anduin's main focus was Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, Magical Theory, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection. He planned to quickly learn a few spells. Transfiguration was too complex without proper guidance, and Herbology and Potions required more hands-on practice.
Without rushing into practical work, Anduin flipped through the books, quickly marking key points and doubts with a pen. Time flew by without him realising it.
The next day, after breakfast, Anduin prepared to practise his first spell: the Levitation Charm. Since he had been training for years, he could already make objects float without a wand, so he decided to begin with what he did best.
"Wingardium Leviosa." Anduin, following the pronunciation and wand movements shown in the book, raised his wand and cast the spell on a book on the table.
Anduin felt an invisible energy linking him, the wand, and the book. The book floated effortlessly. "Hmm, it feels much easier after using the spell. Could it be that the spell makes the magic more stable?"
Then he put down his wand and, looking at the same book, tried to make it float the old way, just using his intent—but after several attempts, it didn't work at all.
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