Chapter 2: London Orphan

"If you insist on going to that so-called Hogwarts, then pay for your own miscellaneous fees! The orphanage won't give you a single penny!"

"I understand, Caretaker Anna."

Sien watched Caretaker Anna walk into the common room and gently close the door.

If one made too much noise and let Caretaker Anna feel you had an opinion of her, dinner would change from cheap pork sausage to baked bean bread.

If you didn't drink the tap water, that stuff could choke a person to death.

But the tap water was never clean, and drinking too much would make you sick. Once sick, in this impoverished orphanage in the southern suburbs, what awaited him was being taken away by the Grim Reaper.

Why did Sien know this so clearly? Because the original owner died of such an illness.

Disease, freezing cold, and malnutrition together took his life. "Sien," who had transmigrated since last winter, had always taken it as a warning.

He tried his best to drink that cheap black tea, and he would even fight for a cup of the older children's instant coffee, even if it meant suffering from insomnia for a day or two.

Over the past half year, he had figured out his situation.

It is now the end of August 1991.

This is the Croydon district of the Wizarding World.

One of the poorest areas in London.

And the Hollyse Orphanage where he is located is the poorest orphanage.

Why?

Because there is only one orphanage here, and it was opened for political performance.

Just like the UK he knew in his previous life.

At the end of 1990, the "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher stepped down.

Her Thatcherism brought economic reform but also significantly exacerbated the wealth gap.

The City of London benefited from deregulation, and the masters saw their wealth surge;

while traditional industrial areas and inner-city poverty zones faced the plight of unemployment and cuts to public services.

This was particularly evident in the Croydon district.

The Hollyse Orphanage where he is located has not had decent funding for five years, which has led to a tight budget. Not only can every child not drink enough safe water, but they also only have one thin blanket to get through the winter.

Under such circumstances, if he couldn't go to Hogwarts, he might not even live to adulthood, as his body had always been in poor health.

A slight cold or fever could potentially cost him his life. This is not to say that London's medical care is backward, but those mean-spirited caretakers might not "discover" a sick child in time.

"Hogwarts waives tuition. As for the miscellaneous fees, I still have the scholarship applied for by Professor Marcus Maige."

Sien took a bag out from the deepest part of the iron-frame bed. Inside were 143 Jin Jialong, a wand, some robes, and other items.

He strictly followed the minimum standards of the enrollment list for his purchases. Even so, it still cost a full 157 Jin Jialong. All his savings for this school year were less than half left.

And tomorrow is the day Hogwarts starts.

"I must be fast. If my performance isn't good enough to apply for the scholarship, then I'm finished... The Jin Jialong definitely won't be enough..."

When he last received the admission notice and went shopping, Professor Marcus Maige intentionally mentioned this reward, but it was aimed at little wizards with outstanding performance.

Would Sien perform outstandingly?

The hope was slim. He was the one who practiced the Levitation Spell a full 500 times before learning it.

Fortunately, he had a cheat.

【Name: Sien Green】

【Identity: Wizard】

【Title: None】

【Proficiency】

【Levitation Spell: Apprentice Level (1/300)】

【Lumos: Apprentice Level (1/300)】

【Scourgify: Unlocked (27/30)】

【Three Apprentice-level spells can unlock the Spell Domain Apprentice-level title】

【Advanced: Three Entry-level spells can unlock the Spell Domain Entry-level title】

Yes, Sien had a proficiency panel, and its function was very practical. As long as he practiced correctly, he would get count rewards. Apprentice-level spells only required 30 correct practices, and three Apprentice-level spells could also unlock an Apprentice-level title.

It seemed not difficult.

But it was such a simple matter that Sien had spent two months to barely complete it, averaging one and a half correct practices per day.

It could be said to be a disastrous magical talent. He didn't know if it was because of the transmigration.

He suspected that the Wizarding World he had never met was targeting him.

Although the Wizarding World likely didn't have time to pay attention to him.

"Today, I must complete the unlocking of the title!"

Sien confidently took out his wand, carefully stepped on the warped floor, and poked his head out of the drafty single-layer glass window.

The Victorian semi-detached house located in the poor southern suburbs had already fallen into silence.

"Very good, everyone is asleep. As long as I'm careful, I won't be discovered."

If the original owner left him anything useful, it was this independent, remote single dormitory.

Although it was assigned because of the fear of disease transmission, for the current Sien, it was undoubtedly a good thing.

This meant he could have enough private space to practice magic.

"Scourgify!"

Sien clearly chanted the spell at the dirty poster and waved his wand into an S-shape.

Unfortunately,

the count on the panel did not increase.

Sien didn't care and chanted the spell and waved his wand again.

Only until he learned it himself did Sien realize the obscurity and difficulty of magic.

For example, this Scourgify, where should the stress of its incantation be? How heavy should it be? What kind of S-shape should its gesture draw, big or small? Where should it be faster, and where should it be slower?

Sien knew that "Scour" meant to wash, and "ify" meant to make... into. Put together, it meant to make this thing clean.

So his pause should be between "Scour" and "ify." As for that S-shape gesture, he could only rely on luck.

Fortunately, he could judge success or failure based on whether the proficiency increased or not, and summarize experience from past correct practices.

"Scour—g—ify!"

Sien chanted the spell for the fifth time and waved his wand according to experience.

"Faster first, then slower. As for the final arc, it needs to be bigger..."

Sien muttered while waving his wand strictly according to his own successful experience.

At this moment, a light suddenly shone, and the stains on the poster on the table faded away!

【You practiced Scourgify once with Entry-level standards, proficiency +3】

【Scourgify unlocked】

【New Spell Domain title unlocked, please check】

【A Wizard Talent unlocked, please check】

Success!

Sien picked up the newly cleaned poster, examined it carefully, and then had to marvel at the magic of magic.

As for that Entry-level standard, just like spell effects vary, the standards for correct practice also vary, divided into Apprentice and Entry-level.

Apprentice adds 1 point of proficiency, while Entry-level is 3 points. As for whether there are standards after Entry-level, Sien didn't know. Given his magical talent, having an Entry-level was Merlin's blessing.

"Let's see the new title."

Sien couldn't wait to open the panel, and three lines of content were refreshed:

【Title: Spell Novice】

【Slightly increase perception of spells, slightly improve spell talent】

Sien continued to look down.

【Wizard Sien, Spell Talent: Green (Spell Novice title bonus, original talent was White) Note: Average wizards are Green】

Sien gasped.

White trash?!

No wonder he couldn't learn spells. With this talent, even if Sien exploded, he would have to praise it for being loud.

Fortunately, he had a cheat, otherwise, it would be hard to imagine how difficult his future path of study would be.

After a brief look, Sien's eyes became more determined.

No talent? Then repeat!

Let me see your limit, panel, add proficiency! ===== CHAPTER 3 =====