"Sir, after examining this, I can confirm that your stone does have a magical response. It seems to be a raw gemstone imbued with a starry sky attribute... Unfortunately, I can't determine its official name or function."
Ted's words were met with a skeptical expression from the man across the counter.
The man was a customer who had walked in earlier that day.
He appeared to be in his forties, with an air of forced confidence masking his desperation.
His robes were elegant but outdated, their once-fine fabric showing signs of wear.
He looked like someone from an old pure-blood family that had seen better days—one of those remnants of wizarding nobility who clung to past glories despite their decline.
He had approached Ted asking for an appraisal, claiming the gemstone was a rare family heirloom.
His ultimate goal was to sell it on a wizarding marketplace, hoping to fetch a high price.
The way he spoke, the way he carried himself—it all screamed of someone trying too hard to appear wealthy and sophisticated while struggling beneath the surface.
A desperate collector hoping to make a fortune off an old relic.
However, Ted's evaluation told a different story.
The gemstone was not what the man believed it to be—or at least, not what he wanted Ted to believe.
This wasn't a rare natural gem; it was an alchemically crafted imitation.
Artificially created through alchemy, it mimicked the properties of a real gemstone, but its magical effectiveness paled in comparison.
The so-called North American Nat Starstone was known for its natural starry sky attribute, often used in crafting enchanted items.
This imitation held the same magical properties, but only temporarily.
Within three months, its magic would completely fade, leaving behind a lifeless stone.
If this man tried to sell it as a genuine raw gemstone, it would destroy his reputation. The question was—did he know it was fake, or was he a victim himself?
Ted kept his thoughts hidden behind a polite, almost shy smile, the perfect expression of a Hogwarts second-year student who wasn't too confident but still eager to help. He chose his words carefully.
"Sir, I'm afraid my expertise is limited. I wasn't able to fully determine all the details about this gemstone, so I can't vouch for its authenticity. I'm sorry, but I can't assist you in selling it."
No matter how much the man argued, Ted remained firm. Apologetic, but firm.
Eventually, with an indignant huff, the man pocketed the stone and stormed out of the shop.
Unbeknownst to him, a sleek black raven took to the skies, its wings cutting silently through the air as it shadowed his movements.
The bird glided over rooftops, tracking the man as he weaved through Diagon Alley before slipping into the shadowy streets of Knockturn Alley.
The man made his way to a familiar destination—Borgin and Burkes.
The raven perched itself on a nearby rooftop.
A small, translucent amethyst crystal detached from its back, unfolding six delicate, articulated legs before scuttling down the wall like a spider.
Parker, Ted's psicrystal, moved with precise agility.
As it reached the window, its form shimmered, blending into the environment like a chameleon.
A newly developed ability—Chameleon Skin.
Unlike an illusion spell, which could be detected by experienced wizards, this ability left no magical signature.
Now in position, Parker began to observe and relay everything to Ted.
Inside the dimly lit shop, the man from earlier stood at the counter, his frustration evident.
Across from him, a thin-faced middle-aged man idly polished a skull-shaped bowl, showing little interest in his guest's complaints.
This was Caractacus Burke, the current owner of the infamous shop. The Burke family was among the twenty-eight sacred pure-blood families of Great Britain.
And if history served Ted right, one of Burke's ancestors had once employed none other than Tom Riddle himself.
Yes, before Voldemort became the Dark Lord, he had worked here. This very shop had once been a stepping stone in his rise to power.
The frustrated man slammed a hand on the counter. "Mr. Burke, that brat was too cautious! He didn't fall for it!"
Caractacus Burke barely spared him a glance. "Tell me exactly how he identified it and what he said."
The man relayed his conversation with Ted, frustration laced in his tone. Burke listened quietly, then, after a brief pause, gave a slow nod.
"That's fine."
"That's it?" The man's voice rose in disbelief. "We're just letting it go?"
Burke glanced at him angrily. "I don't know if that kid from the Muggle orphanage actually saw through it, but he's cautious enough that it's not worth wasting more effort on him. The marketplace business isn't even that significant. At best, it affects second-hand shops—it's nothing to me..."
But deep down, he couldn't shake the thought: Are Muggle-born wizards always this difficult to deal with?
His mind drifted to a certain dark figure from a decade ago—the one who had terrorized the wizarding world.
A slight shiver ran down his spine.
No, he didn't want to push Ted any further.
Through Parker's eyes and ears, Ted pieced together the scheme against him.
He hadn't expected to benefit from Voldemort's reputation, but apparently, it had kept Burke at bay.
All this hostility over such a small business?
Just forty or fifty sales a day, and yet, someone wanted him out of the picture.
They even tried attacking his associate. That was downright dirty.
Ted clenched his fists. "Fine. I won't forget this. You'll regret it if you ever cross my path again!"
More than a month passed.
Things finally settled, and Jerry went home for a break.
Ted stood in his basement, staring at his experience pool.
[Experience Pool: 11,054 points!]
He had always been a hoarder, but leaving all this potential unused would be a waste.
Time to level up.
He had two choices:
First, upgrade his wizard level to 5.
That would cost 10,000 experience (9,000 after his talent discount), leaving him with little to spare.
August was just around the corner, meaning new other world knowledge would soon be available.
While the highest-tier knowledge he could access right now was only blue quality, there was always a chance for something better.
A new skill, a new spell—something game-changing.
Second, level up his psion class.
His psychic powers had been progressing slowly, mainly due to the lack of proper learning resources.
A low-level foundation only made it worse.
Jumping from a level 2 psion to level 4 would require 3,000 + 6,000 experience—9,000 total.
Thanks to his [God of Learning (Purple)] talent reducing experience costs by 10%, he'd be left with just under 3,000 points afterward.
The best part? Level 4 came with a talent draw!
Without hesitation, Ted chose to upgrade his psion class.
His magic foundation was still shaky. Rapidly advancing his wizard rank wasn't ideal.
There was still too much to learn.
But a new talent? That was invaluable.
With a mental command, he dumped 8,100 experience points into his psion class.
Suddenly, his surroundings trembled.
Objects rattled violently, some even levitating.
An unseen force surged through the room, radiating from Ted's very core, pulsing like a starlight too blinding to behold.
For three minutes, the basement teetered on the brink of disaster.
Then, everything settled.
Ted collapsed from mid-air, gasping. "Too reckless!"
He had worried about advancing his wizard level too quickly, fearing an overflow of uncontrollable magic.
But he had completely overlooked his psychic powers.
Jumping two psion levels at once had nearly wrecked his entire basement.
And now, his psychic abilities were far too active—almost uncontrollable.
He raised a hand to steady himself on the table, only for the table to screech and slide twenty centimeters away instead.
This was bad.
If he lost control in public, he could seriously hurt someone just by walking past them!
[Ding! Your psion class has been upgraded. Current level: Psion 3. You have gained 1 attribute point and +Lv1 psionic power.]
[Ding! Your psion class has been upgraded. Current level: Psion 4. You have gained 1 attribute point, +Lv1 psionic power, and a talent draw.]
Two attribute points. Without hesitation, Ted invested both into Spirit to help stabilize his rapidly expanding psionic energy.
His psychic powers had reached Lv5, and the rush of newfound strength made him feel invincible.
Of course, he knew this was just an illusion—the deceptive high of increased power.
If he didn't adapt quickly, his mental balance could be thrown off.
Now, for the next step.
"System, draw talent!"
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Word count: 1529
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