#5

Ted wasn't about to stop at just one part-time job. He needed both money and experience—each just as important as the other. After all, just handling slugs at Slug & Jiggers Apothecary had earned him experience points. If he could earn a little with every new skill he learned, then more jobs meant more opportunities.

So, over the next two days, when the other shop owners, saw the new hire of Slug and Jiggers, they all had second thoughts about hiring Ted, instead of outright rejecting him, they thought, 'If they could hire someone while justifying giving them a low salary, would it not be worth it?'

That's why after a few coaxing, Ted was able to get hired at 2 more jobs that packed his schedule to the brim.

Mornings started early. He'd wake up, help Old Tom tidy up the Leaky Cauldron, eat a simple breakfast, then head into Diagon Alley for work.

First stop: Slug & Jiggers Apothecary. Here, he processed simple potion ingredients—desliming slugs, trimming herb roots, weighing powders, and bundling ingredients like bird feathers. Yesterday, he'd even learned the Scouring Charm from Mr. Jiggers, a lifesaver when it came to cleaning off potion residues. Without it, he'd spend his mornings marinated in the stink of magical ingredients.

While the job itself wasn't glamorous, Ted learned a lot about potion-making. He even got to see high-grade materials like Powdered Graphorn horn, Jobberknoll feathers, and the Bubotuber pus sacs. Mr. Jiggers, however, made sure Ted never touched the expensive stuff—one wrong move, and he'd owe months' worth of pay.

At noon, Ted moved on to The Magical Menagerie.

Here, his job was to clean, feed, and water the magical creatures. The shop housed all sorts of wizarding pets—puffskeins, giant orange snails, shapeshifting rabbits, jackalopes, ravens, two-tailed newts, and purple giant toads.

Each creature had its quirks. Some couldn't be startled by loud noises, others couldn't eat wet food. The work was exhausting, and Ted often found himself relying on his Restore Energy (Green) card just to push through. At least the shop provided a free lunch.

In the afternoon, he worked at Flourish and Blotts.

This was where Hogwarts students bought their textbooks, and Ted's job mainly involved sorting and shelving books. The backroom storage was massive, and he found old, dust-covered books that hadn't been touched in years. Some had scribbles and notes left behind by previous owners—sort of like doodles in Muggle schoolbooks.

After work, Ted returned to the Leaky Cauldron. He'd take some time to rest, read, and practice simple spells. He was careful, though—no Levitation Charm mishaps for him. He still remembered the story that Professor Flitwick told about the class once in the movie about a man that accidentally summoned a buffalo while practicing the spell as a student.

By evening, when the bar quieted down, he helped Old Tom clean up. Using the Scouring Charm so often made it second nature—he barely had to think about it anymore.

Late at night, by the dim light of an oil lamp, he'd study deeper magic, take notes, and practice until he was drained of energy. Magic, he realized, worked like a skill—you leveled up with practice. Experience points could even be used to instantly improve proficiency.

Old Tom worried about him. "You're working too hard, lad," he muttered more than once. "You'll wear yourself out."

But Ted wasn't just after a few Galleons—he needed knowledge. The sooner he could unlock psionic abilities, the better.

Over the past few days, Ted had managed to gather several second-hand textbooks. They were a little worn, but still useful—some even had notes and scribbles from past owners. He'd also found second-hand school supplies like brass scales and a telescope.

A pet was out of the question—not like he had anyone to send letters to, anyway. If he ever needed to send one, he'd just borrow a school owl for free.

As for a broomstick? Well, first-years weren't allowed to bring them. Not that he was in a rush to ride around with a wooden stick between his legs.

After a few days of working, Ted started noticing something odd—the wizarding world felt… behind.

Muggles had television and computers. Wizards? They relied on newspapers and radios. Even magical radios weren't widely used yet.

It felt like the wizarding world was stuck somewhere between the Middle Ages and the modern era—potions and quills in a world that already had televisions and pens.

Everyone still reads newspapers and magazines every day to stay updated on the latest happenings in the wizarding world.

In this era of print media, the three most prominent publications in the British wizarding community are the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and The Quibbler.

The Daily Prophet is the most widely read and serves as the primary source of news, covering politics, crime, and societal affairs.

Ted made a habit of reading Old Tom's copy every morning, catching up on the latest reports.

Witch Weekly caters more to entertainment, featuring articles on famous witches and wizards, fashion trends, and magical lifestyle tips. Gilderoy Lockhart, for instance, has won its Most Charming Smile award multiple times, something he never fails to remind everyone of.

Aside from celebrity gossip, it also includes news from magical communities in other countries, giving insight beyond Britain's borders.

Then there's The Quibbler, an eccentric publication best known for publishing bizarre and often questionable stories. While many dismiss it as nonsense, it has gained quite a following, especially for those who enjoy conspiracy theories and the unconventional.

The British wizarding community, in its entirety, numbers somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000, which makes secrecy crucial. With such a small population, calling it a full-fledged society almost seems like an overstatement.

More like a very large village.

Which is why Voldemort's ambitions were nothing compared to Grindelwald's. His vision was limited.

Grindelwald had grand aspirations of reshaping the entire wizarding world, while Voldemort was content with waging war in Britain—against his own dwindling population. Between him and his Death Eaters, hundreds of wizards perished over the course of a decade, not to mention the countless Muggles.

A week flew by in no time. One day, while Ted was sorting ingredients at the apothecary, he heard a commotion outside.

Curious, he glanced through the window and saw a crowd gathering in front of a new shop, wizards pointing and whispering excitedly amongst themselves.

Just then, Mr. Jiggers returned from his usual errands. Ted put down the tortoise shell he had been cleaning and asked, "Mr. Jiggers, what's going on outside? Is there some kind of sale?"

Mr. Jiggers, always eager for gossip, especially since Ted had lightened his workload, smirked as he pulled up a chair.

"Oh, you won't believe it," he said, clearly enjoying the suspense.

Ted simply resumed scrubbing the tortoise shell, knowing full well that Mr. Jiggers wouldn't be able to resist spilling the news on his own.

Sure enough, after a few seconds, the apothecary owner blurted out, "A blacksmith shop! Opened by dwarves!"

Ted froze mid-motion, his brush hovering over the shell.

Dwarves? What kind of dwarves?

"Mr. Jiggers, what do you mean by dwarves?" he asked cautiously.

"The dwarves! Short, stocky, and bearded! An entirely different species that arrived after the Conjunction of the Spheres ten years ago!"

Ted's mind reeled.

Dwarves? Conjunction of the Spheres? Here? In the world of Harry Potter? An entirely different species?!

Wait… what on earth was going on?!

"What do you mean by the Conjunction of the Spheres?" Ted's throat felt dry, a sense of dread creeping into his chest.

Sure enough, what Mr. Jiggers said next made him suck in a sharp breath.

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Word count: 1279