"Well…" Lewis showed an awkward smile. "Professor, when it comes to school robes, I think—given my financial situation—buying second-hand would be a better choice. I saw a decent used clothing shop earlier."
McGonagall looked at the boy.
There wasn't the slightest hint of reluctance on his face.
Having once been an adult, Lewis had long passed the age where he needed clothing to show off in front of others.
"…Very well."
In truth, even with the student loan, buying everything new wasn't realistic.
Lewis had already done the math.
His first-year loan was thirty Galleons, and it would be halved each year after.
Just buying a wand at Ollivanders had already cost a third of it—and that was something he couldn't compromise on.
New textbooks would cost at least ten Galleons.
That left ten Galleons for a cauldron, glass vial set for Potions, dragon-hide gloves for Herbology, and a telescope for Astronomy…
After calculating everything, if he bought all new items, he wouldn't even be able to afford robes.
So, under McGonagall's guidance, they first went to a second-hand robe shop and bought slightly oversized old robes—after all, he was still growing.
Next, he picked up a used set of glass vials. A bit scratched, but still usable after cleaning.
The easiest items to find were second-hand books. Flourish and Blotts had plenty tucked away at the bottom shelves.
In Lewis's eyes, used books were actually better for studying.
Compared to new ones, they not only contained all the original content but also came with notes from previous students. Pre-marked key points—this was a huge advantage for beginners.
If he got lucky and found a book once owned by someone like the "Half-Blood Prince," mastering that subject would be effortless.
The only thing to watch out for was books left by poor students—especially ones filled with doodles.
After finishing the shopping, Lewis had five Galleons left. The only remaining items were the cauldron and telescope.
These were harder to find second-hand in usable condition.
"Perhaps we should buy them new?" McGonagall suggested. "For just those two, five Galleons should be enough."
"No, Professor. I'd like to wait a bit," Lewis shook his head. "There's still nearly two months before school starts. Maybe I can find suitable second-hand ones and save some Galleons…"
If he bought new ones now, the five Galleons would definitely be spent entirely.
That didn't align with his spending philosophy.
From his previous life, he had learned—no matter how tight things were, you always kept some money for emergencies.
Money wasn't everything. But having none? That was unacceptable.
After a moment of thought, McGonagall agreed and handed over the remaining loan.
From what she had observed, Lewis was independent and capable of managing himself.
After Apparating him back to the orphanage, she left.
But Lewis didn't plan to stay there.
He intended to remain in Diagon Alley and find work.
He had already realized that if he wanted to grow stronger quickly, he couldn't rely solely on studying—he needed to make use of his Heaven-Defying Comprehension.
And to gain insights, the best method—aside from studying—was to observe and experience magic directly.
As a first-year student, the best way to do that was to immerse himself in the magical world.
The simplest method?
Get a job.
A worker's soul is a noble soul. Even a working wizard stands above the rest!
So, as soon as he returned, Lewis began persuading the matron:
"…Because of my special circumstances, the school arranged a work-study job for me before term starts. I can earn money—and meals are included…"
Already affected by McGonagall's Confundus Charm, and further influenced by Lewis's Charm Person, the matron easily believed him.
That night, Lewis stayed in his room, preparing for his final night at the orphanage.
First—his luggage.
There wasn't much to pack besides a few clothes.
However, he could stock up on supplies from the Muggle world.
Ink, for example. The wizarding world didn't require magical ink for scrolls.
Paper, too—Hogwarts used parchment for assignments, but for personal use, cheaper paper was better.
And pens. He had never used a quill before.
With limited funds, he had to be precise—buying wherever things were cheapest.
If Hogwarts didn't require specific robes, he would've even had them tailored in the Muggle world.
After finishing preparations, it was still early.
"I remember that the rule about underage wizards not using magic outside school only applies after the first term begins. Before that, wands can be used privately. Hermione practiced spells at home, so the Trace must only be applied after school starts."
If that was the case, then he needed to work hard now.
He couldn't let Hermione take all the spotlight!
Lewis sat at his desk and opened The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1.
"A spell, or charm, is a controlled manifestation of magic, typically cast through incantations to produce supernatural effects."
"In general, successful spellcasting depends on four key factors: wand movement, incantation, concentration, and intent."
"Spells are broadly categorized into Transfiguration, Charms, Counter-Spells, and Healing Spells. Charms themselves are further divided by maliciousness into standard charms, jinxes, hexes, and curses. However, these categories are fluid and often overlap."
"Charms add specific properties to objects or beings, while Transfiguration changes them into entirely different forms."
"For example: the Color-Change Charm alters color, the Levitation Charm makes objects float, and the Cheering Charm improves mood."
…
[You have read The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. You have comprehended this world's magic system. Drawing inspiration from countless worlds, you realize this system is incomplete.]
[You have grasped the Arcane Magic System and begun categorizing spells through its framework.]
[You have constructed an Attribute Template to evaluate yourself and others.]
Name: Lewis Green
Race: Human
Level: LV1 Wizard / LV1 Psion
Attributes:
Strength: 6
Constitution: 6
Dexterity: 8
Intelligence: 14
Perception: 12
Charisma: 14
aptitudes: Heaven-Defying Comprehension, Psionics LV1, Magic LV1
Spells:
1st Circle: Conceal Thoughts, Charm Person (Passive), Animal Communication (Passive)
4th Circle: Dimensional Anchor
As expected of Heaven-Defying Comprehension—just by reading an outline, he had constructed an entire Arcane system and attribute framework.
Compared to the loosely structured magic system of the wizarding world, Arcane Magic was far more rigorous.
Horizontally, it was divided into eight schools:
Abjuration—defense and resistance.
Conjuration—summoning, teleportation, creation.
Divination—information and foresight.
Enchantment—manipulating minds and behavior.
Evocation—shaping magical energy.
Illusion—deceiving senses and minds.
Necromancy—life and death.
Transmutation—altering matter itself.
Vertically, spells were ranked from 0 to 9 circles, with legendary spells beyond.
There was also the Metamagic system, enhancing spells by increasing casting complexity.
It was a complete system.
Of course, what Lewis had now was only a framework—a prototype.
But he was certain that as his understanding deepened, he would fully integrate this system with the magic of this world—and even introduce Arcane magic concepts into it.
When that happened, the entire magical world would be turned upside down.
After reflecting on the new system, Lewis continued reading The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, entering the stage of actual spell learning.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
If he wanted to reshape this world's magic system—
It would begin with mastering each spell, one by one.