Tom looked at Andros with empty eyes.
This upright man guiltily avoided Tom's gaze, his face flushed with shame.
Things were clear now.
Andros wasn't teasing Tom; he genuinely didn't know the Wand-Lighting Charm or the Levitation Charm.
The magical world might seem old-fashioned, but it wasn't static; it was constantly evolving.
While this development hadn't produced more powerful individuals, nor had it significantly changed the wizarding population, it had brought about great improvements in practicality, convenience, and standardized spellcasting procedures.
Just like the "Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1" by Miranda Goshawk that Tom had just manifested—no one had ever organized spells so systematically before her.
According to the books, the Wand-Lighting Charm and Levitation Charm appeared around the 14th and 15th centuries, so it would be a miracle if Andros knew them.
"So how did you illuminate things and manipulate objects back then?" Tom couldn't help but ask.
Andros said nothing. He silently materialized a wooden stake and threw a fireball at it, instantly turning it into a blazing torch.
"It's just lighting. Flames can handle that. As for manipulating objects, wrapping them with thought and magical power works fine too."
"They actually developed specific spells just for these little things, and even teach them to others casually..."
The era Andros lived in was still a barbaric age of magic. Everyone treated magic as a weapon for survival and wouldn't easily pass it on to others.
Living in a dangerous environment, they didn't consider daily life applications and development at all. All they thought about every day was how to make their spells stronger and more powerful.
It wasn't until the rise of Muggles in the Middle Ages and the Church's witch-hunting movements that wizards were forced to unite, establish magical academies, gradually diversify, and evolve into the modern magical system of today.
Andros was curious about the "Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1" in Tom's hand and asked tentatively, "Tom, how about lending me this book? Maybe it contains some magic I know. If that doesn't work, I can start with the Patronus Charm. It's the spell I'm best at."
Tom: "…"
He hadn't just hired a teacher; he'd actually found himself a study partner.
You don't even know basic magic, and you're already learning the Patronus Charm?
Even though I have a cheat, the cheat hasn't activated yet!
"Forget it, Mr. Andros."
Tom reluctantly handed the book over and manifested another copy. "Let's study together and make progress together. The development of magic in the future should surprise you."
"Thank you, Tom."
Andros scratched his head embarrassedly. He had just promised to satisfy Tom's needs, but ended up asking for help first.
[Teacher 'Andros''s recognition of the host reaches 20%. The host obtains Andros's Magical Talent.]
Tom felt significantly more clear-headed, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
This was another function of the system, or rather, a benefit.
When a teacher's recognition of him reached 20%, 50%, and finally 100%, he would receive a reward. The reward was an ability or talent possessed by that teacher.
Imparting knowledge and answering questions was important, but the world of magic was unreasonable, and talent was even more so.
A person's ultimate achievements weren't solely determined by favorable learning conditions and hard work; their inherent talent ceiling also played a huge role.
The existence of this recognition system gave Tom the possibility to surpass all his teachers, offering him the opportunity to combine the strengths of hundreds of schools and become an unprecedentedly powerful wizard.
...
Tom simply decorated the study space, creating a set of tables, chairs, benches, sofas, and a coffee table. Then he and Andros each took a copy of "Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1" and began learning beginner magic.
Fortunately, the space granted Andros the ability to understand language, otherwise he wouldn't even be able to read the book.
Andros, the teacher, watched more intently than Tom, the student. Although they were all the most basic spells, they were enough to open Andros's eyes. He never imagined magic could be so much more.
Unlike his time, where magic was used not only for dueling but also for killing.
Master one principle, and you can master ten thousand.
Andros's understanding of magic had reached a high enough level that learning this introductory knowledge was as easy as a high school student reviewing first or second-grade elementary school content.
It wasn't long before he started experimenting, casting spells wandlessly from the very beginning.
Seeing Andros's performance, Tom knew he had to buy all the textbooks for the next few years as soon as possible, otherwise Andros's progress would definitely be hindered.
He also began experimenting with the Levitation and Wand-Lighting Charms.
This was different from his previous method of controlling objects purely with magic power and will. Now he relied on spells to guide his magic to achieve the goal.
Tom strictly followed the pronunciation required by the standard spell, waved his wand, and succeeded in making the feather float on the first try, but failed to control its movement freely.
Seeing this, Andros knew it was finally time for the teacher to show his worth. He cautiously asked Tom to cast the spell again before pointing out the problem:
"Tom, the spellcasting steps described in the book are indeed standard, but magic is the most non-standard thing. Everyone's situation is different."
"Learning this way allows you to master the spell quickly, but it's definitely not the most suitable way for you to cast it. You need to make fine adjustments based on this foundation."
As he spoke, he materialized his wand and demonstrated the Levitation Charm perfectly.
"Look, the swing range of my forearm is fifteen degrees smaller than required by the book. That's because of my body type. If I did it according to the book's requirements, I would easily use too much force and cause the spell to fail."
"For you, the range might need to be larger because your body hasn't fully developed yet. You'll need continuous practice and exploration to find what's most suitable. Even I can't help you with that specific detail."
Tom suddenly understood. "I see."
After several adjustments, Tom gradually got the hang of it and became more and more proficient with the Levitation Charm.
It wasn't until three hours later that he said goodbye to Andros and left the study space.
Although the fatigue from training here would dissipate upon leaving, Tom couldn't abandon the habit of sleeping due to decades of ingrained life and work schedule.
Besides, he only had 100 Learning Points now, enough for just 15 hours of study time, so it was better to save them.
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When Tom woke up the next day, he opened the system panel and was surprised to find that his Learning Points hadn't decreased but had actually increased by 18, and he also had 3 Achievement Points.
Checking the system log, he discovered why—he had completely mastered the Levitation Charm, the Wand-Lighting Charm, and a simple Conjuring Charm (likely the 'Blink Charm' mentioned, though not standard; possibly a basic conjuration or summoning practice), earning thirty credits.
Learning three spells also earned three achievement points.
Tom fell into deep thought.
This learning space seemed like a perpetual motion machine. The points earned from learning could cover the consumption costs, even turning a profit. Then he wouldn't have to worry about future point consumption for the space.
However, he also knew that the bulk of the points would likely be spent on the 'Extraordinary' buff.
His current points were only enough for ten minutes, and he didn't even dare try it, afraid of wasting them and feeling regretful.
What does it feel like?
Could it make him fly?
Imagining the effects of the Extraordinary state, Tom got up and washed up, but didn't enter the study space immediately.
Yesterday, he and Andros had experimented. After Tom exited the study space, Andros could choose to sleep or move freely. And if Tom maintained the state of consuming points (likely meaning keeping the connection open), Andros could also communicate with him and observe the outside world through Tom's eyes.
What is this, a Jinchūriki? (TL Note: A Jinchūriki is a person with a Tailed Beast sealed inside them in the Naruto universe.)
However, this gave Tom an idea. He could buy all the teaching materials first and put them in the learning space. After Andros learned them, he could then go in to study, which could save a lot of points and time.
So he went out early in the morning, took a bus to the city center, entered Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron, and went straight to the bookstore.
Although Tom didn't know what textbooks the older grades used, the clerk did.
Tom went straight to an available clerk and explained his request.
The clerk looked at him in surprise. "All the textbooks, kid, are you sure? You look like a first or second year. There's no need to buy them all at once."
"Just take Defense Against the Dark Arts; the professor changes every year. You have no idea what books they'll choose, so buying them now would be a waste."
Such a kind man; Tom was sure he must be a Hufflepuff.
"The knowledge I learn is my own. Even if they change textbooks, I won't lose anything. Instead of keeping the money to buy toys and snacks, I can exchange it for books. I can always sell them secondhand when I don't need them anymore."
The clerk looked at Tom in surprise. He didn't expect such practical words from a little kid.
The customer wanted to buy, so he had to sell. He had advised once; his duty was done. So the clerk pushed a cart to find books for Tom. Learning that Tom was an incoming freshman, he said with conviction, "You'll definitely be sorted into Ravenclaw, though I think Hufflepuff is the best house."
Tom nodded in agreement. "I think Ravenclaw is good too. It suits me."
He wanted to be a top student, even a god of learning. Among the four houses, only Ravenclaw best suited his temperament.
Ten minutes later, the cart was already filled with heavy books, including not only the required textbooks but also some books Tom selected himself.
When he went to the front desk to pay, he realized he didn't have enough money.
He had only spent fifteen Galleons on books yesterday, averaging about two Galleons per book. But books for higher grades were getting more expensive. A copy of "Advanced Magical Defense: A Self-Guide" cost seven Galleons.
Just like in the fucking Muggle society in the UK, textbooks were ridiculously expensive.
He had heard Arman complain that her son was at university, where a book cost dozens of pounds, with the most expensive ones even costing hundreds—faster than robbing a bank.
Tom had to go to Gringotts and withdraw another 200 Galleons before he could settle the bill. He then spent 10 Sickles to have an owl deliver the books to his door.
After buying the books, Tom had no plans to wander around. He just bought some fruit and snacks at the nearby Waitrose supermarket and then returned home.
Waitrose is a high-end supermarket in the UK, selling the highest quality and freshest food.
Although he was relatively poor in the wizarding world, the money he had in the Muggle world was enough for a high-quality life, and Tom would never compromise on that.
His appetite was larger than his peers', but not excessively so. It was mainly because he consumed more energy through exercise.
I can protect myself without magic, just with my fists, and by the way... collect some protection money from those bad students.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, three owls flew in through the window, dragging the books with them. Tom placed them one by one in the study space, but he himself did not go in.
He wanted to test the difference in learning efficiency between the outside world and the space.
.....
"Phew, this is really exhausting."
At ten o'clock in the evening, Tom lay down on the bed and closed his eyes tiredly.
Generally speaking, a person's peak concentration time doesn't exceed fifteen minutes. Once this limit is passed, concentration wanes and the mind starts to wander.