A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Winnie pondered carefully. She had been disconnected from magic in her childhood, lacking noteworthy memories. However, after studying psychology in college, she gradually found solace in her past experiences and began looking at things from a more positive perspective.

So one day during her second year, she nervously stepped into the Broken Cauldron...

Hep Nine reached out and conjured a wand made of blackthorn from thin air. With his assistance, Winnie's imagination became tangible. Behind the table, Felix lifted his head, gazing through shimmering soap bubbles at the small, old pub.

From the Broken Cauldron, the scenes shifted rapidly, like a tour guide to Diagon Alley.

The wall behind the bar slowly opened, forming a wide arch bridge leading to a winding cobblestone street - Diagon Alley. Sunlight spilled in, illuminating shops: cauldron stores, pet shops, apothecaries, bookstores... an array of delights.

Finally, they found themselves in an antique shop, surrounded by scattered wooden crates holding various secondhand magical items: worn wands revealing unicorn hair cores, old scales swaying and never aligning, stained cauldrons, patched and seemingly unwashed cloaks with suspicious bloodstains, magic books missing covers and loose spines...

Winnie took a deep breath, a sense of ease filling every pore.

Felix, seated at the table, looked puzzled, but he did sense a positive, vibrant energy and joy. Through his magical sight, he felt a faint pulse in her thin magical aura. He swiftly jotted down a few symbols on parchment.

"Do you like it here?" Hep Nine asked.

"Any exciting stories here?"

"Oh, just for me... I bought my first magic book, my first cauldron, and my first wand here," she said deeply moved. "Cost me nine Galleons, which I couldn't use. Supposedly matched the price of Ollivander's first wand sold to young wizards, but I'm an adult, so it's a bit pricier."

"You can afford that?" Hep Nine inquired, aware she'd been in the Muggle world. Even if she wasn't lacking money, he doubted Gringotts would easily exchange it; goblins were strict about that.

"I have a good relationship with the shop owner," Winnie said. "You know that street in the London antique market? Sometimes I find interesting things and bring them to the owner..."

"Okay," Hep Nine realized, he was acting as a middleman. "You'll soon have a proper wand, though with spell limitations... but effective."

"When your staff contacted me, I thought it was a scam, but I'm glad I came..." Winnie exclaimed excitedly. "How much?"

"Oh, it's free—for now. Your wands are custom-made, tailored to you, needing various tests. Let's get back on track. First, Miss Valentin, I need to assess your magical power, rate it based on activity, quantity, and quality... It's just a rough estimation, as I haven't had time to work out the general rules."

An hour later...

Soap bubbles in the Sword Castle Hall gradually disappeared. Images supposedly constructed from memory lingered in the air for a dozen seconds, resembling ancient ruins exposed to the air before swiftly losing color and shape. Winnie stared as a particularly beautiful clock tower vanished before her eyes, exhaling slowly.

Nineteen 'Hep Nine' figures also vanished, from Number One to Nineteen. Finally, Hep Nine waved to Winnie and merged into the air. Winnie felt a pang, as if losing a long-time friend.

"Everyone, just wait a moment, I need some time to craft your personalized wands. You can visit the display case," Felix said before vanishing. The hall fell silent, and people gathered.

"It must be real," an elderly wizard said, his face wrinkled under the removed scarf.

"Mr. Bogg, do you think someone as prominent as Mr. Hep would lie to you?" another person chimed in.

"Of course not!" Mr. Bogg, initially speaking, reddened, angrily replying.

Winnie didn't join the discussion. She started pacing around the hall's display case. Occasionally, Future World's ground floor would open to invite wizards to experience prototypes and offer feedback. She'd been there a few times before, only once being selected to test the Anti-Curse Hat.

That thing was unbelievable; just staring at a curse caster made their curses bounce off, a completely reflexive response. She gave her feedback earnestly, not finding any faults, but she hoped for more styles, even drawing a few quick sketches of female hat designs.

A quarter-hour later, Felix reappeared.

Prepared with various materials, he just needed to correct the magic frequency. Once skilled, the process would be swift.

He lined up wands adorned with colorful gemstones, scanning the eager eyes.

"Most of you signed up for the introductory magic course through the newspaper, but Clemmie should've told you the truth earlier, right?"

People nodded in agreement.

"This research isn't public yet, so some agreements need to be followed."

"There are two confidentiality agreements. One from Future World prohibits revealing this research to outsiders. The other from the Ministry prohibits performing magic in front of non-magical folk unless it's close family, then it requires Ministry notification."

"Additionally, because this work involves research, you don't need to pay extra, but you'll need to cooperate with some tests. Future World's staff will observe your spellcasting data for improvements. In the long run, this will advance the product..."

"Any objections?"

Felix waited for a moment. "Good." Wands flew to them. "The magic on these is fixed but quite practical. The Levitation Charm alone has dozens of applications... You have half an hour to get familiar with your wand, then we'll start testing."

Winnie caressed her wand, growing fonder of it. From the curve of the wooden stick to the embedded gemstones, it was like an outstanding piece of craftsmanship. She stared at a dark red gem, seemingly swirling inside, slowly rotating.

Following Hep Nine's vanished guidance, she tried to channel her emotions, filling herself with the desire for successful spellcasting. Then, raising her wand, she incanted, "Lumos." A light emanated from the wand's tip.

Breathless, Winnie cautiously lifted her head, looking around. Some had successfully cast the Levitation Charm, suspending themselves three feet off the ground, surprising even themselves, legs kicking like frog's legs.

"Think about what you want to do; don't limit your imagination," Felix reminded intermittently.

The morning passed quickly.

Reluctantly, Winnie and others surrendered their wands. Mr. Hep would adjust them based on today's spellcasting performances. Winnie left her thoughts on a small note, wishing for an extra spell on her wand, a charm to move objects.

She envied Mr. Archie, next to her, directing two shoes to dance.

She walked toward the door when suddenly someone called her name.

"Miss Valentin?"

She looked up, meeting Felix's gaze, surprised, pointing to herself.

Felix nodded at her, indicating, "Yes, you."

Nervously, Winnie approached.

"I revisited your profile; you studied law in college?" Felix asked.

Winnie nodded.

"So... interested in earning a little extra? Short-term," Felix asked gently, and Winnie stared at him, wide-eyed. "I have some ventures in the Muggle world, not many, but I need someone with a professional background to provide advice..."

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