Leaving Ollivander's, the group headed into Eeylops Owl Emporium. Hermione browsed the cages for a long ti but couldn't find a pet she liked. With a pout, she gave up. "I'll just borrow yours, cousin."
Arthur, however, stopped in front of a peculiar owl.
It was a barn owl, but unlike the usual black-pupiled, yellow-eyed variety, this one had eyes of molten amber—and its pupils were a startling, milky white. It gave off a blank, vacant vibe, as though its brain had been left on standby mode.
Hah. Reminds of that NPC in one of my past lives. You poke her, and all she says is, 'Error occurred.'
Ignoring the shopkeeper's smug "here cos another sucker" smile, Arthur forked over ten Galleons and nad the owl Error, or "Elro" in English phonetics.
Hermione, still buzzing with excitent, imdiately dragged her parents off to buy textbooks at Flourish and Blotts.
While Mrs. Granger and Arthur picked up the first-year reading list, Hermione was already buried deep in the back shelves. Arthur suspected that if not for the ever-changing syllabus, she'd have happily purchased all seven years' worth of textbooks right then and there.
Eventually, Hermione erged hugging Hogwarts: A History like it was her newborn child, while Arthur walked out with a few volus on wizarding history and a handy little book called An Easy Introduction to Ancient Runes.
Books were painfully expensive, though. Otherwise, the Weasleys wouldn't be scouring secondhand shops every year. Besides, Hogwarts had a library—why buy what you could just borrow?
Back at ho, Hermione could hardly wait. She whipped out her wand and, rembering Arthur's demonstration, attempted the Glintstone Pebble spell.
Several fizzles later, she actually pulled it off—her pebble cracked a teacup in half.
"Brilliant!" she squealed.
"Brilliantly destructive," Mrs. Granger scolded, hands on her hips.
Hermione wilted under the lecture, then cast desperate puppy eyes at Arthur.
Arthur sighed, put down The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, and muttered the incantation he'd just read.
"Reparo."
The cracks vanished as though ti had rewound.
He glanced at the cup thoughtfully. What happens if I cast Reparo on an already-perfect object? Infinite polish buff? Better not test it while Mrs. Granger's still in Nagging Mode.
"Wow! Cousin, you only read it once! How did you do that?" Hermione demanded.
Arthur smirked. "Didn't I tell you? Your cousin's a genius. Magic's child's play for ."
"Hmph! Then you'd better teach !"
Her pride wouldn't let her beg, so she puffed out her cheeks and frad it as a demand.
"Fine, fine. I'll teach you."
No big deal. Teaching a prodigy like Hermione basic first-year spells? Easy mode. Honestly, the curriculum was laughably simple. Even Harry's "signature move," Expelliarmus, wasn't introduced until second year. At the Academy of Raya Lucaria, these would be preschool incantations.
The thought made him nostalgic. Sellen-sensei…
In Elden Ring, Sellen was the witch who taught sorcery to Tarnished players. First encountered in a dusty underground chamber near the Waypoint Ruins, she had been expelled from the academy for studying forbidden prival sorceries and (allegedly) massacring fellow scholars.
A shady character, perhaps—but as a teacher? Unparalleled. She had once promised, "If you do not beco Elden Lord, return to . Don't worry—whether you succeed or fail, I will always have a place for you."
Arthur smiled faintly. Yeah… ti to pay her a visit tonight.
The mont he logged into the Lands Between, a figure materialized out of thin air.
"Bloody hell—don't sneak up like that! You nearly gave a heart attack."
"Ghost? Ah… you an spirit? Yes, I am in spirit form. Ghost is an acceptable word."
It was lina. She ignored his complaint and continued softly:
"I have been observing you. You are not like other Tarnished. You wield knowledge of this land as though you were born to it. You even withstood Scarlet Rot on your own—sothing even Malenia herself could not accomplish."
Arthur winced. Lady, can we not bring up Scarlet Rot like it's a complint?
"But it doesn't matter. Ours is a transaction, nothing more. Torrent has accepted you, and you already possess the strength to slay dragons. But it is not enough. Seek greater foes. I expect you to rise… and beco Elden Lord."
Arthur waved dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Translation: go fight Margit already. Got it. But before that—send to the Roundtable Hold."
lina hesitated, then extended her hand. "Very well. You know a lot… perhaps too much. I only pray you do not walk the wrong path."
Arthur glanced at her calm, unreadable face. Not emotionless. Just… forgetting why you live can make you look that way.
He softened. "Don't worry. I won't touch the Frenzied Fla, and I don't need you to burn yourself for ."
With that, he vanished. lina stood alone, murmuring:
"Even the Frenzied Fla… even the Fire Keeper's fate… How does he know? What is my true mission…?"
The Roundtable Hold buzzed with NPCs, but Arthur ignored them and went straight to the blacksmith.
"Master Hewg, can you strengthen this for ?"
The old chains rattled as Hewg took the wand, squinting. "Eh? What's this—so kind of stick? Looks like a prophecy staff. Hah. You sure you're an astrologer, not a prophet?"
Arthur coughed. "...Close enough."
"Ah, well. A sinner has no right to complain. Hand it over."
Using a few Smithing Stones Arthur had scrounged earlier, Hewg hamred away. Sparks flew, and when he handed it back, a system prompt flashed:
[Yew Wand 2]
Dragon-heartstring core. Reinforced to steel-hard durability. Improved mana conduction. Spell damage 10%.
Arthur twirled it experintally. Yep. Still a wand… but now doubles as a crowbar. Nice touch, old man.
"Ti to settle accounts, Tree Sentinel."
Outside the Church of Elleh, the golden-armored knight patrolled proudly astride his steed.
Arthur summoned Torrent, circled behind, and lobbed a Rock Sling.
Three boulders the size of bathtubs slamd into the Sentinel, sending him lurching in the saddle.
By the ti he wheeled around, Arthur was already five hundred ters away.
What followed was a symphony of humiliation.
Arthur spamd Glintstone spells, then, grinning, switched to his wand for so freshly-learned Hogwarts jinxes:
"Rictusempra!" (Tickling Charm)
"Tarantallegra!" (Dance till you drop!)
"Diffindo!" (Shield Severing!)
"Accio Shield!"
The golden greatshield ripped itself from the knight's grasp and sailed into Arthur's waiting hands.
[Acquired: Greatshield of the Golden Tree]
Arthur whistled innocently. Purely a tactical decision, of course. Totally not because this beauty will fetch a fortune in Diagon Alley.
Monts later, he repeated the trick with the Sentinel's halberd.
Stripped of weapons, the knight was reduced to a punching bag. Arthur didn't even bother with lee—just nuked him into the dirt with Rock Sling.
[Boss defeated: Tree Sentinel]
Arthur pumped his fist. "And that's how you mix Hogwarts and Elden Ring, baby."
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