Eric’s answer made everyone inside the Leaky Cauldron suck in a sharp breath.
He was a new Hogwarts student?
Tom’s eyes widened as he stared at Eric in disbelief.
If not for the unmistakably young face in front of him, he would have thought Eric was joking.
None of them had recovered from the tangible wave of magic that had erupted from Eric moments earlier.
Whatever everyone else might have been thinking, Eric himself felt fantastic.
Magic suffused every inch of his body, filling him with a comfort unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
A tingling sensation like an electric current ran through his bones, muscles, and joints, as though someone were giving him a full body massage from the inside out.
The pleasantly numbing sensation left him feeling more energetic than ever.
Having read the original Harry Potter novels in his previous life, Eric was hardly unfamiliar with the concept of magical power.
A wizard was born with magic.
It was instinctive, no different from an ordinary person knowing how to run or jump.
As long as a wizard remained alive, their magic would never truly run dry.
Of course, using too much magic could still leave a wizard exhausted, but what was being consumed wasn’t their magical power, it was their physical stamina.
More precisely, casting magic was simply an instinct for a wizard, just as running and jumping were natural instincts for an ordinary person.
A wizard’s magical power would naturally increase with age.
Those with sufficiently powerful magic could even manifest it physically to a certain extent and release it outward, just as Eric had done moments ago.
What Tom and the other patrons didn’t know was that Eric hadn’t even used his full strength.
If he had released all of his magical power at once, there was no telling what would have happened to the Leaky Cauldron.
And Eric had no intention of destroying the place.
[Ding!
New Sign-In quest issued.] [Within one hour, proceed to Diagon Alley and complete a Sign-In.
Completing the quest will grant you a System reward.] A new Sign-In quest had arrived.
Sensing the information transmitted by the System, Eric smiled.
Diagon Alley had been his destination anyway.
A short while later, the lingering effects of his magical outburst had finally dissipated.
Only Eric, still standing near the entrance, and Tom, who was sprawled on the floor, remained inside the pub.
As for the witches and wizards who had witnessed what had just happened, none of them had dared linger.
They had all hurriedly left.
After waiting for some time without receiving any response from Tom, Eric simply walked over to him.
He raised the Hogwarts letter in his hand and smiled.
“I need to get into Diagon Alley.” The horror in Tom’s eyes had yet to fade completely.
He struggled back to his feet, seemingly at a loss for words.
It wasn’t until Eric held the letter out toward him once more that Tom finally came to his senses.
He took the letter and examined it again and again.
Only after checking it several times did he finally hand it back.
Tom gave Eric an odd look.
He still found it difficult to believe the boy’s identity.
“Please follow me,” he finally said hoarsely after a moment’s thought.
He had no choice but to believe it.
A Hogwarts acceptance letter couldn’t be forged.
Tom could clearly sense Hogwarts’ magical mark upon it.
The Leaky Cauldron was an official partner of the Ministry of Magic and, in a sense, served as one of the British wizarding world’s windows to the outside world.
Aside from running the pub, Tom was also responsible for receiving young witches and wizards who were coming into contact with the magical world for the first time, providing whatever basic assistance and guidance they required.
It was one of the wizarding world’s relatively rare displays of thoughtful public service.
Tom led Eric to the bar, pulled out a thick ledger from underneath the counter, and opened it to the latest page.
A quill flew obediently out of Tom’s breast pocket on its own and hovered above the ledger.
Tom looked at Eric and thought for a moment before asking, “Mr Clapton, correct?
May I ask where your guardian is?” “I’m an orphan.
I don’t have a guardian.
I came here by following the address on the letter,” Eric replied.
Tom stared at him in surprise.
His first instinct was not to believe him.
After witnessing Eric’s strength, Tom had assumed the boy must be the heir of some ancient wizarding family.
He certainly hadn’t expected Eric to tell him that he was an orphan.
Then what in Merlin’s name had that terrifying magical pressure been, the one that had nearly wrecked the Leaky Cauldron?
Looking at the calm expression on Eric’s face, Tom suddenly felt an inexplicable chill.
This child is terrifying.
For some reason, he had a powerful premonition that this boy might one day become a legendary figure in the wizarding world, much like Harry Potter, who had come through this very place two years earlier.
Tom had lived for many years, yet in all his memories, he had never once encountered an incoming Hogwarts student capable of physically manifesting his magic the very first time they met, much less one who had nearly damaged the protective enchantments surrounding the Leaky Cauldron.
Tom had met all kinds of people over the years, and he was certain of one thing.
He had only ever felt power like this from highly capable Aurors or exceptionally powerful witches and wizards.
No matter how many doubts Tom still had, strength commanded respect in the magical world.
That was an eternal truth.
With that thought in mind, Tom’s tone unconsciously became considerably more respectful.
“In that case, would you like to apply for a student loan?” Eric nodded.
“Of course.” Tom forced himself to smile calmly.
Without him needing to lift a finger, the quill floating beside him began writing across the ledger by itself, Eric Clapton, enrolling in 1993.
Student Loan Application.
Once that was done, Tom took his wand from behind the counter and stepped out from behind the bar, leading Eric toward the pub’s back door.
“Any young wizard raised among Muggles who applies for a student loan has to be accompanied by me while purchasing the supplies required for school.” “I’ll keep a record of your expenses and report them to Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic.
The loan must be repaid within five years of your graduation, though the interest is considerably lower than what Gringotts charges.” “From the first day you accept the loan, your name and personal details will be entered into the Ministry’s records.
I strongly advise you not to consider defaulting on it or simply pretending the debt doesn’t exist.” “Other than that, if there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me.” Tom explained everything as they walked.
Then he drew his wand.
Just as Eric remembered, Tom tapped the appropriate bricks above the dustbin, opening the passage into Diagon Alley.
The brick wall in front of them suddenly began folding away from the middle.
Beyond it, a winding street stretched farther than Eric could see.
Rows of shops lined both sides of the alley, their dazzling assortment of merchandise spilling so far outward that some displays nearly reached the middle of the street.
The late July sunlight was brilliant, bathing the entire street in warm gold.
Voices filled the air, and every shop seemed packed with customers.
Tom extended one arm ahead of him and bowed slightly, causing his already hunched back to bend even lower.
“Mr Clapton, welcome to Diagon Alley.” Eric stepped forward.
[Ding!
Congratulations.
You have successfully arrived at the designated Sign-In location.] [Sign-In commencing immediately.
Please do not leave the Sign-In location before completion.] [Ding!
Congratulations.
Sign-In successful.] [Reward acquired: Top-Tier Mental Power.
Personal Status Panel unlocked.] CREATORS’ THOUGHTS Hidden_Quill Thank you so much for reading!