Chapter 12: The Birth of a Scholar
"Same as me."
Artel nodded, a smile on Jimmy's face, and he took a business card from his pocket and handed it to Mr. Granger.
"Hello Mr. Granger, I'm Artel's uncle. Here's my business card. We're in Birmingham..."
Artel cleared his throat.
Jimmy paused, smiled, and continued:
"Our family is engaged in some small business in Birmingham. If you don't mind, you're welcome to visit our house at any time. Actually, we have a small estate on the outskirts of Birmingham."
Mr. Granger accepted the card and expressed his intention to visit if the opportunity arose.
After all, Hermione and Artel both being young wizards from Muggle families was quite an interesting coincidence.
Artel chuckled lightly from the side. He was curious about how Hermione and others would react when they visited his house. After all, Shelby Manor wasn't huge, maybe around the same size as Hogwarts. Of course, this was all in good fun.
In reality, Artel didn't feel that being part of the Shelby family would offer much advantage in the wizarding world. For wizards, power and wealth in the Muggle world held little significance, as they could easily obtain them with a single Confundus.
"Alright then, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, and Hermione, until next time."
Artel bid farewell to the trio and headed with Jimmy to the corner.
Observing this scene, Mr. Granger commented:
"I have a feeling that Artel might come from a noble family."
"Yes, even his uncle Jimmy seems quite important. You can tell from his demeanor. However..."
Mrs. Granger glanced at Hermione and chuckled:
"He seemed a bit intimidated by Hermione."
"Who wouldn't be a little cautious around a witch?"
Mr. Granger joined in the laughter. Unbeknownst to them, Jimmy's apprehension was due to Artel's remark that Hermione was similar to him. Jimmy interpreted this as Hermione being capable of summoning the menacing skeleton as well.
"The Shelby family in Birmingham... I think I've heard of them somewhere. They might be an ancient noble family..."
Mr. Granger mused before departing with Mrs. Granger and Hermione.
Hermione didn't dwell much on Artel's background. She found this boy of her age to be composed and refined. He was certainly different from the boys at school who tended to be envious of her academic excellence.
Her interest, however, was piqued by Artel's magical prowess.
Although she hadn't fully grasped the intricacies of what transpired in the wand shop, Hermione recognized that Artel was a remarkably gifted young wizard. His performance while acquiring his wand indicated as much, surpassing her own talents.
Moreover, Professor McGonagall had mentioned that alongside young Muggle-born wizards, there were also many wizarding families' children with inherent magical aptitude. Compared to Muggle-borns, they had a natural advantage.
"But I'll prove myself!"
Hermione held the wand in her hands and glanced in the direction Artel had disappeared, her determination evident in her eyes.
....
The car continued along the road, and Artel sat in the back seat, contemplating the wand in his possession.
"Yew wood, Voldemort's wand was yew wood too. Dementor nerves—do dementors even have nerves? I always thought dementors were ethereal beings."
Artel stroked the wand, sensing its chilling cold.
Apart from siphoning emotions, dementors could also drain human souls, making this wand ideal for necromantic magic. It suited Artel well, and it could potentially be a potent tool for him.
However, Artel also sensed a certain wariness from the wand towards him. It might be due to the influence of the Lord of the Rings.
Ring of Power contained much of Sauron's power. As a demigod before his fall, Sauron's magic was too advanced for a typical wand.
Observing Artel through the rear-view mirror, Jimmy noticed him fondling a slender piece of wood and couldn't help but inquire:
"Artel, is that your wand?"
"Yes, it makes casting magic easier for me."
Artel confirmed. At this stage, the wand's assistance was greatly beneficial. Not all of Artel's magic could be performed wandlessly, and using a wand enhanced spellcasting power and saved energy.
Artel retrieved his beginner's spell book and glanced at it. Then he aimed his wand at Jimmy and gave it a wave.
"Scourgify."
"Wow!"
Jimmy exclaimed involuntarily. He felt a breeze enveloping him, leaving him feeling refreshed, as if he had just taken a shower.
"You can't mask the scent of perfume on you from Aunt Nancy. No need to thank me."
Artel nonchalantly remarked and returned to reading "Elementary Spells."
Perhaps due to Sauron's considerable magical talent, Artel easily absorbed these basic spells.
"Seems like I've got the potential to be a scholar."
Artel set the book down, gestured with his hand, and the items were neatly stowed away into his system space.
He refrained from doing so earlier to avoid Professor McGonagall and Hermione noticing. Now that wasn't an issue. Jimmy, being a Muggle with limited understanding, would likely attribute it to magic if he noticed at all.
And indeed, it was true. Jimmy merely marveled at magic's wonders a few times before moving on.
Throughout the journey, Jimmy and Artel discussed the future of the Shelby family.
Jimmy envisioned Artel summoning an undead army to aid the Razor gang in seizing full control of Birmingham, then expanding the family's influence to London.
This plan stemmed from Professor McGonagall's warning. Jimmy's initial concept was to directly control key personnel in England and then use that foundation to extend their reach into Europe...
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