The next morning, Tom woke refreshed, stretched, and immediately pulled up the system panel.
His eyes widened.
The credits had not decreased from last night's study. Instead, they had increased by eighteen, and there were three shiny achievement points waiting in the corner of the interface.
Curious, he checked the system log. The answer appeared at once:
Successfully mastered the Levitation Charm, the Lighting Charm, and the Blink Charm → +30 credits.
Learned three new spells → +3 achievement points.
Tom sat back, tapping the desk thoughtfully.
This system wasn't just balanced—it was a perpetual motion machine. The energy he spent studying was returned in full, with interest. So long as he kept learning, he would never run out of fuel.
Still, he frowned slightly. Credits are steady, yes. But the real sink will be the "Extraordinary State."
That buff cost a hundred credits for ten minutes. He only had enough to activate it once, and he didn't dare. If it turned out underwhelming, he'd have wasted a fortune.
But if it lived up to its name…
His eyes flickered with anticipation. Would it make me think faster? See deeper? Maybe even… fly?
The thought was ridiculous, but tempting.
---
A Little Jinchūriki
Instead of rushing into study, Tom got up, washed, and thought about yesterday's experiment with Andros.
When Tom exited the learning space, Andros could still exist—choosing to sleep, or wandering the mist. And if Tom kept paying credits, Andros could even see the real world through Tom's eyes and talk to him.
Tom smirked. What is this, a Jinchūriki?
But it gave him a cunning idea. If Andros could observe his world, then Tom could buy all the textbooks now, dump them in the learning space, and let Andros study first.
Then, when Tom entered, he could skip the fumbling and jump straight to advanced guidance. That would save time, credits, and frustration.
---
Sweeping the Bookstore
Early in the morning, Tom caught the bus into the city, slipped into the Leaky Cauldron, and passed through into Diagon Alley. He didn't bother browsing—he marched straight to Flourish and Blotts.
The store smelled of parchment and ink, shelves towering with grimoires and spellbooks. A clerk in a striped vest looked up as Tom approached.
"I want all the textbooks," Tom said plainly.
The man blinked. "All…? Kid, are you sure? You look like a first-year. Buying every book now would be a waste. Especially for Defense Against the Dark Arts—the professor changes every year. You'll never know which book he'll use."
Tom studied him. Kind eyes, gentle voice, a little too honest for retail. Definitely a Hufflepuff, Tom thought.
He smiled faintly. "Knowledge never goes to waste. Even if textbooks change, what I've learned stays mine. Better to spend money on books than toys or snacks. And when I'm done, I can always sell them second-hand."
The clerk's eyebrows rose. He hadn't expected such practical wisdom from a boy barely eleven. Still, a customer was a customer. He sighed and pushed over a cart.
"Fine. But you're headed for Ravenclaw, no doubt. Though if you ask me, Hufflepuff is still the best house."
"Ravenclaw suits me," Tom replied without hesitation. "It's where I belong."
Because if he wanted to shine as a top student—or even a genius—no house was more fitting.
---
Sticker Shock
Ten minutes later, the cart sagged under the weight of books. Piles for every year, plus a few extras Tom had picked himself.
At the counter, he counted his coins—and his heart sank.
Yesterday's first-year bundle had cost fifteen Galleons, averaging two per book. But today's advanced tomes were far pricier. One slim volume, High Magic Power: Self-Defense Guide, demanded a shocking seven Galleons.
"This is daylight robbery," Tom muttered.
He thought back to Ms. Arman's complaints about her son's university textbooks—dozens, even hundreds of pounds each. Education, whether magical or Muggle, was apparently the fastest way to go bankrupt.
With no choice, Tom trudged to Gringotts and withdrew two hundred Galleons. Only then could he settle the bill. He paid another ten Sickles to have the books delivered by owl.
---
A Quick Stop at Waitrose
Before heading back, Tom detoured into a Waitrose supermarket. The air was fragrant with fruit, bread, and roast chicken.
Waitrose was a high-end Muggle market, and Tom loved it. Fresh food, highest quality, clean shelves.
In the wizarding world he might be a pauper, but in the Muggle world, his savings made him comfortable. Tom Riddle would never compromise on quality of life.
His appetite was larger than most boys his age, but he knew why. He trained more, burned more energy. And fists were still the best defense when magic wasn't enough—plus, fists had the bonus of shaking down bullies for pocket money.
---
The Owls Arrive
By three in the afternoon, three owls flapped through his window, dropping stacks of books onto his desk. Tom carried them carefully into the learning space, arranging them neatly on shelves.
But he didn't go in himself.
Today, he wanted to run an experiment: compare his efficiency inside the system versus outside.
---
Testing the Limits
From three until ten at night, Tom buried himself in textbooks.
At first, it went well. But after two hours, his focus waned. The words blurred, his mind wandered. By evening, he was slogging through pages mechanically, no spark of comprehension left.
When he finally lay back, exhausted, he admitted the truth.
A human's peak focus lasted only fifteen minutes at a stretch. Two hours of immersion pushed the limits. Beyond that, efficiency plummeted.
And his results proved it. Seven hours of real-world study had earned him only thirty credits—the exact same as three hours with Andros in the learning space.
---
A Simple Conclusion
Tom exhaled, closing his eyes. The extraordinary state is the real key. Not yet, though. I need more credits first. Once I stockpile them, I'll use the buff. No more penny-pinching.
He made his plans, then drifted off into sleep.
---
A Month of Discipline
The days blurred.
For a month, Tom didn't return to Diagon Alley. He stayed home, following a strict rhythm:
Five hours a day inside the learning space with Andros.
The rest spent practicing in the real world.
Every day was quiet, studious, relentless.
And before he knew it—
It was the day before school began.
---