The next evening, at the Burrow, the Weasley family home.
Mrs. Weasley was busily waving her wand in the kitchen. Dishes floated onto the dining table one after another, carried by invisible hands, filling the room with delicious aromas.
Ginny Weasley, though not yet old enough for Hogwarts, was already very sensible. She was helping arrange the cutlery and clear the table.
Mr. Weasley, who had just returned from work, sat tiredly in a chair and read the evening paper, trying to recover from a day that had nearly drained him dry.
At that moment, the sound of owl wings came from outside.
Ginny quickly ran to the door and brought back the newly delivered letter.
The moment she held it, she was surprised.
The envelope was thick.
There seemed to be quite a lot inside.
Then she glanced at the sender's name, and her eyes instantly turned wary.
"It's from Fred and George!"
"The envelope is thick. There must be something inside!"
She pinched the envelope between two fingers as if it were a burning coal, carefully placed it on the tea table, and quickly stepped back.
No one could blame her for being so cautious about anything sent by Fred and George.
The twins had a long criminal record.
Ginny still remembered the eve of her birthday two years ago, when Fred and George gave her a beautifully wrapped present.
The moment she opened it, a clown puppet jumped out and nearly made her faint on the spot.
Since then, Ginny treated anything those two brothers sent with twelvefold caution.
Especially when she saw the note written on the envelope.
"Ginny, trust your brothers' credibility. This time it really is something good, not a prank!"
Ginny sneered and kept her distance.
She did not believe a word.
Mr. Weasley looked helpless.
"What are Fred and George trying this time?"
Mrs. Weasley hurried out from the kitchen. After hesitating for a moment, she gritted her teeth and opened the envelope.
"If they dared hide something strange in here, I'll send a Howler to Hogwarts first thing tomorrow and make sure they learn their lesson!"
Fortunately, after the envelope was opened, what appeared was not a prank item.
There was a letter and a stack of papers covered in strange patterns.
Mr. Weasley breathed a sigh of relief. Then curiosity appeared on his face as he read the letter with Mrs. Weasley.
When they saw that the twins had decided to request a temporary leave of absence to help Theodore manage a talisman shop in Diagon Alley, Mrs. Weasley frowned and seemed about to say something.
But Mr. Weasley held her hand and said softly, "Molly, we both know Fred and George have minds of their own."
"They've always been mischievous, but their grades have never truly worried us."
"And those prank products they make… I've asked about them. They want to open a joke shop in Diagon Alley someday. That is their dream."
Mr. Weasley sighed.
"In that sense, I think we've actually wronged our children a little. They are all so outstanding."
"Now there is an opportunity close to that dream. They are only asking for a short leave, and they promised it will not affect their exam results. If the Hogwarts professors agree, I think we should support them."
Mrs. Weasley's expression struggled.
"Arthur, I'm only wondering whether this is truly reliable."
"The Theodore Fred and George mentioned should be Ron's best friend, the one he keeps talking about in his letters. But he's only a first-year. Opening a shop in Diagon Alley… it makes me uneasy."
Mr. Weasley sighed with emotion.
"Molly, sometimes we have to admit that not all first-years are the same."
"First-year Dumbledore was probably already better than many adult wizards."
"This child Theodore—I haven't met him yet, but from Ron's letters alone, I can tell he is an extraordinary young wizard. He is destined to become someone recorded in history."
"And we both know Ron loves wizard chess and has talent for it. But who would have thought he could truly become a wizard chess champion? We saw it in the newspaper, and Ron explained it in detail. Theodore helped him with everything."
"With someone like that, I don't believe he is acting on impulse. Since he decided to do this, he must have confidence in success."
Mrs. Weasley silently nodded.
Beside them, Ginny listened to their conversation, and curiosity flashed in her eyes.
Her parents praised him so highly.
Her brothers trusted him so much.
What kind of person was this young wizard named Theodore?
Then her gaze fell on the stack of talismans inside the envelope.
Since it was not a Fred and George prank, but rather the product they planned to sell, curiosity naturally filled Ginny's eyes.
She carefully picked up one talisman and noticed an instruction note attached.
"This is a talisman called the Lesser Flame Talisman. Method of use—"
"Hold it between two fingers, flick it firmly, and say—"
"Ji!"
The next moment, a flame appeared in front of Ginny.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who were still discussing the letter, were startled.
"Ginny?!"
They instinctively thought Ginny had undergone another bout of accidental magic.
But that should not be right.
Ginny would be entering Hogwarts in another year.
At her age, accidental magic was already very rare. How could flames suddenly appear?
Ginny herself was startled too.
But she quickly reacted.
"It's this paper! This thing called a talisman!"
"It let me cast a spell and control fire!"
Holding the Lesser Flame Talisman, Ginny moved her thoughts.
The little flame in front of her immediately changed into various shapes, obedient beyond belief.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley froze, horror and shock filling their eyes.
"This thing… lets a young witch who hasn't enrolled yet cast spells?"
"Wandless and wordless magic?!"
Both drew in a sharp breath.
They were both from wizarding families and were both veteran members of the Order of the Phoenix. Their strength was beyond question.
Mr. Weasley could modify a Muggle car into a flying car and create all kinds of magical items.
Mrs. Weasley, in the original timeline, could kill Bellatrix Lestrange in a duel. Among witches, her strength could absolutely rank near the top.
Their understanding of magic was rare even in the magical world.
But Ginny's wandless casting and control over flames—neither of them believed they could do it to such a degree.
And yet, all of this came from a single talisman.
With only an activation word and a flick, such spellcasting could be achieved.
This was definitely something that could overturn the worldview of many wizards.
This was the business Theodore had entrusted to Fred and George?
The couple exchanged glances, took a deep breath, and became serious.
"First he helped Ron become a wizard chess champion and gave that child a direction to work toward. Now he has entrusted this business to Fred and George."
"Theodore… the debt our Weasley family owes him is almost impossible to repay."
"Oh, and I heard that on the Longbottom side, Frank and Alice have been discharged from St. Mungo's. They still have some lingering symptoms, but they have basically recovered. That also seems to have something to do with Theodore."
The two sighed.
A monster.
He was absolutely a monster far more absurd than Dumbledore had been in his youth.
Ginny, however, did not care about their sighs. Her eyes were fixed on the flame in front of her.
Whenever her older brothers returned home during holidays, they often showed off magic in front of her. She had long been envious and had nearly counted the days until she could attend Hogwarts.
Now, she could also cast spells.
To Ginny, this was the best toy imaginable.
And looking at the stack of talismans, she saw Lesser Wind-Control Talismans, Lesser Water-Control Talismans, and more.
With these talismans, she could help Mrs. Weasley with housework.
"Fred, George—you finally did something decent!"
Then Ginny's sharp eyes noticed several talismans wrapped separately, with a note clipped to them.
"Lesser Vajra Talisman. It can increase the strength of part of the body."
"Theodore says this is a gift for Father. He also said Father will definitely know where it should be used after seeing it. He says this thing will definitely sell explosively, but we have no idea what it's for."
"If Father finds it useful, please help promote it in the Ministry of Magic."
"Also, we're really curious what this thing is for. Tell us next time you write!"
Ginny curiously read the note aloud.
Her eyes were filled with the same curiosity as she looked at Mr. Weasley.
"Dad, what is the Lesser Vajra Talisman used for?"
"Fred and George have so many tricks, but even they don't know where it should be used. Why did Theodore say you would definitely know once you saw it?"
"Do you know? Can you tell me?"
After hearing Ginny's words, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley froze.
Their expressions became extremely unnatural.
Mrs. Weasley's face even turned red.
Ginny looked confused.
"What's wrong?"
Then came her parents' scolding.
"That's enough. Why are you so curious?"
"Must you ask about everything?"
"Children don't need to know so much about adult matters."
Ginny stared at them in disbelief.
She could not believe her parents were scolding her over the Lesser Vajra Talisman.
She pouted, grabbed a few talismans, and returned to her room unhappily to study them.
After the Weasley couple finished dinner in a strange atmosphere, Mr. Weasley coughed twice.
"Ahem…"
"I think it is necessary to test the Lesser Vajra Talisman's effect. Molly, what do you think?"
Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes at him.
"You'd better pray it really works."
"Otherwise, this time the toilet won't save you."
Mr. Weasley's expression became panicked, and he silently prayed.
Fred, George…
Don't trick your father.
Five minutes later, Mr. Weasley felt the Lesser Vajra Talisman take effect.
His eyes suddenly lit up.
"Molly…"
"I am invincible!"
…
The next morning.
Inside the Ministry of Magic elevator, Mr. Weasley and several colleagues were on their way to the office.
His colleagues kept glancing at him.
Mr. Weasley's expression turned slightly unnatural before he finally asked, "Why do you keep looking at me?"
"Did I forget to shave properly today, or is there something on my face?"
His colleagues looked at him strangely and shook their heads.
"No, no, Arthur. You look excellent."
"Rosy-faced and full of spirit."
"Did you sleep well last night?"
Mr. Weasley raised an eyebrow.
His tone became cheerful, almost smug.
"Indeed. Last night may have been the best sleep I've had in recent years."
"Haha. Truly satisfying."
His colleagues looked puzzled, unable to understand what exactly he meant.
But soon, when the elevator opened and they reached the office, their attention was drawn to a wizard covering his face.
There were several obvious scratches on the man's face, clearly made by fingernails. He looked utterly dejected, like an eggplant beaten by frost.
Several colleagues showed sympathy.
"That day again?"
"Poor Dawlish. His wife is too fierce."
"A man can't live like that. No status at home. He needs to pull himself together."
As they whispered, Mr. Weasley suddenly thought of something.
Fred and George wanted him to promote the talismans in the Ministry?
This seemed like an opportunity.
He walked over to the wizard named Dawlish and quietly handed him a Lesser Vajra Talisman, then explained its effect in a low voice.
Dawlish's eyes widened, doubtful but tempted.
"Really?"
After Mr. Weasley winked and swore the talisman worked, Dawlish swallowed.
His gaze gradually turned heated.
Then he clutched the Lesser Vajra Talisman and said through gritted teeth, "Arthur, ask for leave on my behalf."
"I'm going home to let that woman know who's in charge."
"From today onward, the offense and defense have changed!"
Mr. Weasley looked at Dawlish's ecstatic expression and sighed with emotion.
The Lesser Vajra Talisman was truly a treasure for male wizards to improve family status and promote family harmony.
Then his eyes lit up.
Since he wanted to help Theodore and the twins promote it, naturally he should deliver the Lesser Vajra Talisman to those who needed it most.
As it happened, Mr. Weasley was very popular in the Ministry.
He knew a little about whose home had what problem, and who held what position in their household.
Even some department heads at the Ministry were troubled by such matters.
And if one wanted to improve family status, the most direct way was a glorious battle.
The Lesser Vajra Talisman could help them.
Mr. Weasley quickly left the office.
…
At the same time, the herbology masters who had previously interacted with Theodore also received stacks of talismans.
If some other young wizard had told them about such a thing, most of these masters would have thought it a crude joke.
But if it was Theodore—
If he could make ancient plants mature in a short time, then creating an item that allowed spellcasting without magic did not seem that difficult.
The masters tested the talismans one after another, and amazement appeared in their eyes.
Each of them owned enormous greenhouses.
The magical herbs in those greenhouses required strict control over temperature and humidity.
In the past, they needed apprentices to carefully adjust everything, consuming a great deal of manpower and resources.
Even for herbology masters, maintaining the operation of their greenhouses was not easy.
But after testing Theodore's talismans, they quickly discovered that Lesser Water-Control Talismans, Lesser Flame Talismans, and Lesser Wind-Control Talismans could easily regulate the greenhouse climate.
They were far easier to use than herbology apprentices.
They did not even require magic.
A few hired Squibs could handle the work.
Herbology apprentices were not paid much, but could they compare to Squibs?
Especially considering the talisman prices Theodore mentioned in his letter.
They were priced as daily consumables.
Even if they hired Squibs to use talismans twenty-four hours a day to maintain greenhouse conditions, the expense would still be nearly half lower than before.
Immediately, some decisive herbology masters made plans.
Once talismans could be supplied in bulk, they would keep only a few of their most talented apprentices.
The rest could be dismissed and replaced with Squibs.
"As expected of Lord Theodore. The moment he acts, it is another major move."
"This gift is truly generous to us."
"What does Lord Theodore want in return?"
"Only for us to support his talisman shop? Simple. I was worried I had no opportunity to deepen our relationship with him."
"I'll write to the Daily Prophet right now!"
…
At the same time, Nicolas Flamel also received the talismans Theodore had sent.
His eyes filled with strong shock.
The restrictions Theodore had mentioned last time—Nicolas had been studying them recently and had made some progress.
But the more he studied them, the more he felt they were vast and profound, impossible to fully understand in a short time.
And now Theodore had produced something called talismans?
Was this little boy's inspiration inexhaustible?
Where did he get so many astonishing ideas?
For the first time in a long while, Nicolas Flamel felt a trace of defeat.
He had thought he had reached the end of alchemy.
That he was the highest mountain and the longest river.
That he was already invincible under heaven.
Only now did he realize there was still a blue sky above the mountain.
Even if he was the tallest ancient tree standing on the summit, there was still a distance between him and the sky.
Even the longest river eventually flowed into the sea.
Invincible under heaven meant nothing if the enemy came from above heaven.
How could this eleven-year-old young wizard be so strong?
However, when Nicolas saw Theodore mention that he wanted to openly sell these talismans, he could not help writing a reply.
"Theodore, this is another world-changing creation."
"But regarding public sale, I still advise caution."
"A change too great will inevitably meet powerful resistance. It will divide enormous interests. Perhaps some powers will not react in time at first, but soon, the larger the change you create, the fiercer the backlash will be."
"Would it not be better to slow down and proceed gradually?"
"You are still young. You have plenty of time to complete these great undertakings."
Soon after, Hermes brought Nicolas Theodore's reply.
"Master Nicolas, thank you for your advice. I understand that doing this will face resistance, but I still want to answer you with a few lines of poetry."
"So many things have always been urgent."
"Heaven and earth turn; time presses close."
"Ten thousand years is too long. Seize the day!"
Nicolas Flamel savored those words for a long time. Emotion rose in his heart.
"Perhaps I have lived too long."
"Though my body remains young, my heart has grown old."
"Young people truly are full of vigor. I have almost forgotten what I looked like when I was sharp-edged and bold."
After a moment, determination appeared in Nicolas's eyes.
"Since Theodore wants to do this, I should naturally help him."
"From now on, no matter who it is, if they want to move against Theodore, they will have to weigh my name first."
"The name Nicolas Flamel should still have some deterrent force."
A letter was soon sent from Nicolas Flamel's hidden residence to the Daily Prophet.
…
That day, in a special community, a group of men and women were cooking.
They looked rather strange.
Though they wore clothing similar to wizard robes, none carried wands. Everything was done through primitive methods.
These people were Squibs.
This was a community where Squibs gathered.
Rejected by the magical world and unable to blend into the Muggle world, these pitiful people lived here in isolation.
They had thought today would be yet another gloomy day.
But soon, that day's Daily Prophet brought them unexpected news.
The first person to discover the news was a young man named Hamilton.
He had only recently escaped from home.
As a Squib born into a pure-blood family, his existence had driven his parents nearly mad.
To hide the fact that he was a Squib, Hamilton's parents had faked his death.
In reality, they had locked him at home and forbidden him from taking even half a step outside.
Not long ago, Hamilton had finally found a chance to escape. He had drifted to this Squib settlement and now lived among people who shared the same fate.
But every day, watching the gloomy middle-aged and elderly Squibs sigh, complain about the unfairness of the world, drink themselves numb, and stumble through life in hangovers and resentment—
Hamilton felt despair.
He did not want to become like that.
He absolutely refused to live that way.
Magic.
There had to be some way for him to obtain magic.
The other people in the settlement knew what Hamilton was thinking, but they only shook their heads.
Who had not once thought the same?
But time would prove everything.
A Squib was a Squib.
No matter how hard one tried, touching magic was impossible.
Just watch.
Soon, Hamilton would abandon that unrealistic fantasy.
But now, looking at that day's Daily Prophet, Hamilton cried out with wild joy.
"A new discovery!"
"Someone has created a tool that allows casting without magic! For only five Knuts, you can buy a talisman that lets you control fire for one day!"
"It also says more and stronger talismans may appear in the future, and they can achieve effects comparable to—or even beyond—magic without requiring magic!"
"I knew it! I knew it!"
Hamilton was almost in tears as he ran through the settlement, telling everyone the news.
But what surprised him and filled him with despair was that the others only remained numb and indifferent.
They immediately gave their verdict.
"That's impossible."
"Stop dreaming, Hamilton."
"It's just a scam."
Hamilton raised his voice.
"But several herbology masters confirmed in the newspaper that talismans really work!"
"And Nicolas Flamel!"
"He said talismans are an extremely magical and great creation, and that he was fortunate to take part in it!"
"Nicolas Flamel! Do you know who that is? The Philosopher's Stone! The greatest master of alchemy!"
But no matter what Hamilton said, most of the settlement remained numb.
That numbness chilled him.
"Fine. Whether or not you believe it, I'm going to try."
"Does anyone want my robe? It's from a pure-blood family. A fine robe!"
Soon, Hamilton was wearing only a thin shirt. He gritted his teeth and carried twenty Knuts exchanged from the settlement as he walked through the cold morning mist.
He had to see it with his own eyes.
He had to know whether this so-called miracle was real.
Hamilton did not know how long he walked before finally reaching London.
He ignored the strange looks from passersby and relied on memory and willpower to reach the Leaky Cauldron.
Fortunately, although he was a Squib, he had a little more magic than a Muggle.
At least he could see the Leaky Cauldron.
At least he could enter Diagon Alley.
"That shop… the one selling talismans…"
Hamilton anxiously searched for that unusual name.
A moment later, his gaze locked onto an antique-looking signboard.
"Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion?"
"This is it!"
At that moment, the long line in front of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion startled Hamilton.
Many people in the line were Squibs like him, having rushed over from various parts of the magical world.
Most were relatively young and still held a desire to change their fate.
They wore robes that hid their faces and lowered their heads as they queued, as if awaiting judgment from fate itself.
Hamilton's heart filled with anxiety, and he joined the line.
Every minute and every second of waiting felt like being roasted over fire. It seemed ready to boil away the last of his courage.
About half an hour later, Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion finally opened.
Two red-haired young wizards appeared before Hamilton and the others.
"Children from the Weasley family."
"Twins. Those famous prankster brothers—Fred and George."
"They work at Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion?"
"Damn it. This isn't some prank, is it?"
Hamilton nearly fell into despair.
Some Squibs in the line had already begun sobbing, not daring to look at what was ahead.
But a moment later, the people at the front of the line began moving into the shop.
"I want a Lesser Vajra Talisman!"
A hooded middle-aged wizard flushed red.
"Ten. Give me ten!"
"What? One per person per day?"
"The Lesser Vajra Talisman costs twenty Sickles each?"
"All right… still cheaper than potions. I heard its effect is incredible. You'd better not trick me, or I'll be miserable tonight."
After the middle-aged wizard left with his Lesser Vajra Talisman, the next hooded young man lowered his head and mumbled.
"Give me one talisman. Anything is fine. The cheapest one."
"Five Knuts, right?"
He carefully counted five Knuts from his pocket and handed them to the Weasley twins.
Behind him, Hamilton could not help staring.
There was no need to say it aloud.
He understood.
That young man was one of his kind.
To be honest, if he had not come here today, Hamilton would never have known that so many Squibs existed in the magical world.
At that moment, everyone watched the young man.
The young man took a deep breath. Sweat appeared on his forehead. Carefully following the twins' instructions, he flicked the talisman.
"Ji!"
The next moment, a stream of water appeared in midair before him and flowed around his body.
The line outside Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion instantly fell silent.
So silent one could hear a needle fall.
Hamilton trembled from head to toe.
Blue veins bulged at his temples, and his eyes reddened.
Suddenly, all his excitement, joy, grievance, and repression found an outlet. They became a roar toward the sky.
At that moment, no one paid much attention to him.
Because the line was full of people just like him.
These despairing Squibs had waited too long.
Now, at last, they saw a ray of light pierce through the storm clouds of their lives.
Above Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, Theodore quietly watched the scene, satisfaction appearing in his eyes.
The first Squibs to rush here were all people of excellent will.
If they entered the Dao in the future, they would all be fine jade.
Their Dao hearts certainly could not compare with Filch's, but they were absolutely far above ordinary people.
At the same time, lines of text appeared on the system screen.
[You established Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion in the Primordial World and sold opportunities to enter the Dao to the beings of all races at a low price.]
[This act can be called teaching the world and benefiting all living beings.]
[You have gained the gratitude of the masses.]
The next instant, Theodore's eyes changed slightly.
In the empty space ahead, wisps of mist-like power began gathering toward him.
"This is…"
"The power of all beings' wishes?"
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