Leaving Ollivander's, the group headed into Eeylops Owl Emporium. Hermione browsed the cages for a long time 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 me 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 comes another sucker" smile, Arthur forked over ten Galleons and named the owl Error, or "Elro" in English phonetics.
Hermione, still buzzing with excitement, immediately 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 emerged hugging Hogwarts: A History like it was her newborn child, while Arthur walked out with a few volumes 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 home, Hermione could hardly wait. She whipped out her wand and, remembering 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 time 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 me."
"Hmph! Then you'd better teach me!"
Her pride wouldn't let her beg, so she puffed out her cheeks and framed 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 primeval sorceries and (allegedly) massacring fellow scholars.
A shady character, perhaps—but as a teacher? Unparalleled. She had once promised, "If you do not become Elden Lord, return to me. Don't worry—whether you succeed or fail, I will always have a place for you."
Arthur smiled faintly. Yeah… time to pay her a visit tonight.
The moment he logged into the Lands Between, a figure materialized out of thin air.
"Bloody hell—don't sneak up like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Ghost? Ah… you mean spirit? Yes, I am in spirit form. Ghost is an acceptable word."
It was Melina. 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—something even Malenia herself could not accomplish."
Arthur winced. Lady, can we not bring up Scarlet Rot like it's a compliment?
"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 become Elden Lord."
Arthur waved dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Translation: go fight Margit already. Got it. But before that—send me to the Roundtable Hold."
Melina 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 Flame, and I don't need you to burn yourself for me."
With that, he vanished. Melina stood alone, murmuring:
"Even the Frenzied Flame… 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 me?"
The old chains rattled as Hewg took the wand, squinting. "Eh? What's this—some 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 hammered 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 experimentally. Yep. Still a wand… but now doubles as a crowbar. Nice touch, old man.
"Time 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 slammed into the Sentinel, sending him lurching in the saddle.
By the time he wheeled around, Arthur was already five hundred meters away.
What followed was a symphony of humiliation.
Arthur spammed Glintstone spells, then, grinning, switched to his wand for some 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.
Moments 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 melee—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."