From the next day on, Elara became the new waitress at the pub.
During the day, she helped serve food and drinks, and at closing time, she helped clean up trash, wash dishes, and wipe tables; she had to do every kind of chore.
That said, business here was not exactly booming.
Most people who came here treated it more as an intelligence exchange hub.
Most people were also sensible enough not to drink; if they got drunk and ran into Sirius, it would be a death sentence.
Elara’s reward was the chance to sleep in a small attic on the top floor.
It wasn’t big, but it was kept very clean.
Elara didn’t mind; after all, anywhere was better than Azkaban.
As for the existence of wizards, Tom naturally didn’t keep it from her.
Elara didn’t ask much, just silently buried herself in her work.
After a few days, the customers all knew that Tom had a pretty young waitress working for him.
Her 18 points of Charisma made some suspect she had Veela blood.
However, there was no doubt that this quiet waitress, while not particularly lively, was still very pleasing to the eye and had won the affection of all the customers.
Even the gloomy atmosphere of the past few days had become a bit lighter.
Visibly, the work Elara had to do each day increased, and some customers even wanted to tease the young girl to make her smile.
As for Elara, after trying hard to look pitiful on the first day, she stopped “performing”; putting on that act was simply too energy-consuming.
As she gradually adapted to this body, her Sorcerer level naturally changed day by day.
It eventually rose to Sorcerer level 7 before gradually slowing down, while her Wizard level remained completely unchanged.
It was obvious that Sorcerer corresponded to the wizards of this world, and wizards in this world basically needed wands to cast spells.
Wands could be provided to newcomers in the magical world for 7 Galleons.
And what Elara needed to do was wait for the people from Hogwarts to arrive.
As for the Wizard profession, she studied it carefully and bought a few low-level spells.
Level 0 spells: Detect Magic, Light, Mage Hand, Read Magic, costing 48gp in total.
Level 1 spells: Alarm, Charm Person, Hypnosis, costing 120gp in total.
Level 2 spells: Hypnotic Pattern, Cats Grace, costing 200gp in total.
368gp in total.
She didn’t buy the higher-level 3rd-level spells for now; they were basically around 300gp each.
She also saw the level requirements; 2nd-level spells already required a level 3 Wizard.
And things like the previous 9th-level Polymorph required at least a level 17 Wizard.
Clearly, a Wizard could not level up like a Sorcerer.
Elara only had to work half a day before Tom let her rest, whether she went back to the attic or did something else.
However, because of Sirius’s prison break, Kingsley still advised her to stay in this relatively safe place and not run around for the time being.
Elara naturally agreed readily.
She spent her afternoons in the attic studying these spells.
It was clear that these spells generally required a long casting time, unless one prepared the magic in advance.
Relying on her high Intelligence of 16, even though she knew nothing at the start, she was able to learn her first spell within two nights—Mage Hand.
Or rather, Mage Hand.
Elara placed her fingers close to the water glass on the table by her bed, focusing on maintaining the magic.
Her slender fingers made a simple gesture according to the requirements, followed by a simple incantation, and the glass levitated.
Elara felt her mana draining away.
She watched the floating glass quietly and obsessively until she felt exhausted, and then, with a lapse in concentration, the glass fell.
However, Elara smiled happily, as refreshing as having ice cream for the first time in summer.
At dinner that evening, Tom saw that Elara was much more relaxed and thought she was gradually moving past those wandering years.
He gave her one sickle.
“What is this?” Elara pretended not to know.
“This is our currency.
Don’t pay with pounds in the wizarding world from now on.
When the people from Hogwarts come, you can go to the back to buy some snacks and look around.”
“The back?” Elara picked up the pretty sickle.
She had sold sickles to shops before.
However, they accepted the first one and gave her 1gp, which made her happy for a long time, but they completely refused the second one.
It seemed they didn’t accept the same magical items.
A week later, the people from Hogwarts finally arrived.
Tom knocked on the door and immediately received a response from Elara: “Mr.
Tom, are there guests here?”
“Something like that.
A lady wants to see you.”
Standing downstairs with Kingsley was a thin, tall witch wearing emerald green wizard robes.
Her black hair was pulled back into a tight, meticulous bun.
On the bridge of her nose sat a pair of square glasses, and the gaze behind them was as sharp as an eagle’s.
Her expression was stern, almost rigid, exuding an air that brooked no offense.
“Good afternoon, Elara.” McGonagall turned to look at Elara coming down the stairs and nodded slightly, “I am a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Minerva McGonagall.”
Elara stepped forward reservedly: “Hello, McGonagall.”
McGonagall didn’t waste any words and got straight to the point.
“You must have realized by now that we are wizards, and you, Elara, are also a witch.
You need to go to Hogwarts to learn how to control this power.
This is your acceptance letter.”
She took a thick parchment envelope from the inside of her robe.
In neat emerald green ink, it was addressed to “Miss Elara,” and the wax seal bore the Hogwarts crest.
Elara had expected this, but was still a little surprised; it seemed the power of Mystra’s Polymorph was beyond her imagination.
Under Kingsley’s encouraging gaze, she took the letter.
The address was clear:
London
Charing Cross Road
Leaky Cauldron
Attic temporary residence
Miss Elara
Elara opened the envelope.
It read:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Dumbledore
(Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot)
Dear Miss Elara:
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1.
We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
The details that followed
“I don’t have that much money.” Elara read the letter carefully.
Along with the list that followed.
“First of all, Hogwarts does not charge tuition; expenses are fully covered by the British Ministry of Magic.
Secondly, Hogwarts has a special fund to provide assistance to students who cannot afford textbooks and robes.
Although they are second-hand—I hope you don’t mind—I believe it is enough for a student to complete their studies.
Hogwarts has never had a student drop out because of a lack of money.” Deputy Headmistress McGonagall squeezed out a stiff smile.
“As for the specific place to purchase them, it is in Diagon Alley behind this pub.”
Clearly, Hogwarts had fully prepared solutions.
“Thank you.” Elara gripped the letter tightly, lowering her head, her face hidden beneath her thick black hair.
“This is what Hogwarts should do, child.
Your journey is still long.
Wandering from Berlin to London alone is not easy.” McGonagall’s eyes softened for a moment, but she quickly returned to her stern appearance.
“You are a strong child.”
She took out a small bag and solemnly handed it to Elara.
“Ten Galleons in total.
Remember to buy a new wand; this is something you cannot skimp on.
The school will lend cauldrons, scales, phials, and telescopes to students in temporary difficulty.
It should basically be enough.
You can ask Tom for specifics.”
“I will remember.” Elara’s voice was tearful.
“Remember to reply in time.
I shall take my leave.” McGonagall left directly, just as she had arrived.
Elara watched McGonagall leave, then looked down at the bag of Galleons in her hand.
Diagon Alley—she could finally walk in there legitimately.
That night, Tom entrusted Kingsley to take Elara to Diagon Alley behind the pub to look around and buy what she needed.
“Why don’t you go?
I have to keep an eye on this place at all times,” the tall Kingsley said.
“You can still rotate shifts, but I have to stay here all the time.
Besides, you look much more reliable than I do.” Tom rubbed the thinning hair on his head and couldn’t help but complain: “I suppose I’m old.
The young girl probably prefers a more energetic young man like you.”
“I’m not young anymore either.” Kingsley couldn’t help but sigh.
“The future belongs to these young people.
It is said that the Boy Who Lived is also starting school.” Tom smiled and exchanged news with Kingsley.
“Yes.
Why did Sirius break out of prison at this juncture?
I don’t know who instigated him.” Kingsley said meaningfully.
“Anyway, buy this poor child a small gift, coax her to be happy.
She is clearly a child who has suffered, and she is so well-behaved now that it makes one’s heart ache.
I’ll buy you a drink later.” Tom whispered to Kingsley.
“That won’t be necessary; drinking leads to trouble.
I quite like this little girl too.
The situation in East Germany is very chaotic.
I commissioned the Ministry of Magic in Germany to investigate, and they found it was very chaotic over there.
If her parents were wizards, there would be traces, but if they were just ordinary people, there’s nothing that can be done.
It’s really chaotic lately; I hope the Muggles don’t start another world war.” Kingsley cautiously stated the investigation results; he was reliable as always.
“Let’s hope so.
The Sirius business has been enough of a headache for me.
Anyway, I’ll leave Elara to you.”