In a dimly lit, cramped room with peeling wallpaper, the air was thick with the scent of aged wood and dust. Judging by the deteriorating condition of the walls, it had been at least a decade since the last round of maintenance.
Four worn wooden beds lined the room, their frames creaking with the weight of time. A small, rickety table stood in the corner, its surface scratched and faded, holding a few scattered trinkets. The entire setting exuded a sense of long-forgotten history and quiet endurance.
This was a room on the second floor of St. Mary's Orphanage, nestled in Camden, London. The orphanage had stood for nearly two hundred years, its roots intertwined with the remnants of the church that once supported it. Over time, however, funds had dwindled, and the orphanage had been left to struggle on its own, barely scraping by.
Ted sat on one of the beds, his fingers tracing the lines of his small, pale hands. He blinked in disbelief, taking in his surroundings once more. There was no doubt about it—he had transmigrated. More specifically, his soul had taken over the body of this boy. The year was 1991, and he was now an eleven-year-old orphan in London.
But that wasn't all.
Ted could feel something within his mind—an unfamiliar golden glow, something that pulsed with latent energy. A system. His very own golden finger. He focused on it, and faint words seemed to form in his consciousness:
[System booting...]
His name now was Ted Epifani.
The name carried a sense of meaning, something grander than himself. Ted had no memory of his birth parents, only the story that had been told to him by the nuns who ran the orphanage. On the night of Epiphany, January 6th, one of the caretakers had dreamt of a voice speaking to her. She had awoken with an unshakable feeling and, upon opening the door to investigate, found an infant swaddled in blankets on the orphanage steps.
Believing it to be a sign, she named the child Ted Epifani—symbolizing a gift, a revelation, a destiny waiting to unfold.
Ted chuckled to himself, leaning back against the cold wooden wall, hands behind his head. "Transmigration, huh? What a fantastic thing."
The orphanage was barely surviving. The days when churches wielded influence had long passed. Now, with declining faith and fewer donations, even keeping the children fed was a challenge. Ted could feel his ribs when he pressed against his stomach—malnutrition was a problem.
"Guess I'll have to fix that," he muttered to himself.
He had to figure out a way to make money, just enough to improve his meals. He considered his options—child labor was illegal, begging was out of the question, and there were no immediate skills he could capitalize on.
Then, his eyes landed on the corner of the room. Among the few personal belongings left behind by previous orphans, an old guitar rested against the wall. Its once-vibrant paint was chipped and faded, but it was still intact. This guitar had a history—passed down from one orphan to another for nearly a decade, each child leaving it behind when they were adopted. Now, it was his turn to hold onto it.
He grabbed a small, round mirror and examined himself. Fair skin, delicate features, bright eyes—it was a charming face, one that should have increased his chances of adoption. But his dark hair and equally dark eyes told a different story.
"Well, that explains it," he sighed. "I'm Asian. Probably Japanese or Korean, even Chinese."
He knew the chances of being adopted at his age were already slim. With his ethnicity making him stand out among the other children, those chances dropped even further.
"No point in waiting for a miracle. Let's make things happen myself."
He picked up the guitar, ran his fingers across the strings, and listened to the dull twang. It needed tuning, but it would do. Playing music on the streets was certainly better than begging.
The next morning, Ted devised a plan. He found an old city map and studied it carefully. Camden had a large, bustling market—Camden Market. It was busy, lively, and filled with people who might spare a few coins for an eleven-year-old with a guitar.
Convincing the caretakers took some effort, but after twenty minutes of persuasion, they relented. It was close by, only a ten-minute walk, and relatively safe. Given the orphanage's financial struggles, they were touched by Ted's willingness to contribute.
On the first day, one of the nuns accompanied him as he played and sang for over three hours. His voice was raw by the end, but he had earned £4.35—a small fortune in his current situation.
They used the money to buy cheap fruits and vegetables on the way back, and the nun beamed at him. "Little Ted, I never expected you to have such a skill. This will help so much."
Ted grinned. "Well, someone's got to keep us from starving."
Over the next few days, Ted grew more confident. He memorized the best spots, the busiest hours, and the songs that attracted the most generous donations. The nun eventually let him go on his own, and he started saving a small portion of his earnings while using the rest to buy food for the orphanage.
By July 7th, his routine was set. Returning from the market, he barely had time to set his guitar down before hearing a sharp tapping on the window.
Ted froze. This was the second floor.
He turned his head slowly and spotted an owl perched outside the glass, a letter clutched in its beak.
An owl.
His heart pounded as he rushed to open the window. The owl hopped in, dropped the envelope onto the windowsill, and stared at him expectantly.
Ted reached for the letter with cautious fingers. The thick parchment felt expensive, the ink a deep emerald green. The address was written neatly:
Mr. Ted Epifani2nd Floor of St. Mary's Orphanage, Camden, London.
No postage stamp. He flipped it over and found a red wax seal pressed against the flap, bearing an emblem—an ornate capital "H" surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.
Ted's grip tightened on the letter. His plans of becoming a millionaire might have just crumbled.
But that didn't matter anymore.
At this moment, Ted's heart was overflowing with excitement. Even if he had become the richest man in the Muggle world, nothing could compare to the thrill of discovering that magic was real!
"I want to be a wizard!"
With trembling hands, he carefully opened the letter. The first page read:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Epifani,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please find enclosed a list of necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl with your response by no later than July 31st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Ted's eyes widened as he flipped to the second page.
Uniform:First-year students will require:
Three sets of plain black work robes
One plain black pointed hat (for daily wear)
One pair of protective gloves (dragon-hide or similar material)
One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note: All student clothing must be tagged with the owner's name.
Textbooks:All students should acquire the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Other Equipment:
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
Parents are reminded that first-years are not permitted their own broomsticks.
Ted ran his fingers over the thick parchment, feeling its weight in his hands. This was real. He was going to Hogwarts!
Forget Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or even Tesla—none of them mattered now! The world of magic was calling him.
A surge of excitement filled his heart as a voice boomed in his mind:
"To learn magic, find Dumbledore. To master spells, gather knowledge. Hogwarts awaits!"
"Hoot!"
Ted blinked, startled from his thoughts. The owl that had delivered the letter was eyeing him impatiently, tapping its talons against the wooden windowsill as if to say, Hurry up, I don't have all day!
"Oh! Right, sorry!" Ted quickly grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill to write his reply. He couldn't just scribble, Yes, take me to Hogwarts now!—that would seem too eager. He had to sound appropriately cautious, like a kid who just found out magic was real but wasn't sure if it was a prank.
"Alright, Mr. Owl, please deliver this for me."
Before sending the bird off, Ted reached for a biscuit and crumbled it in his palm, offering it to the owl as a small bribe. The owl gave him a knowing look, snatched up the treat, and took flight, disappearing into the sky.
As Ted watched it go, a sudden "Ding!" echoed in his mind.
System Initialization Complete. Magic Card System is Now Online.
Ted's breath hitched. Wait… what?
His vision swam as a screen of information appeared in his mind.
______________________________
Name: Ted Epifani
Level: Level 1 Wizard (0/1000 XP)
Experience Pool: 0
Attributes: (Average Muggle adult values are around 5.)
Strength: 3
Constitution: 3
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 6
Perception: 6
Spirit: 7
Charm: 6
Luck: ?? (Fluctuates based on circumstances.)
Talent: [Knowledge of Other Worlds (Gold)]
Skills: Magic Power (Lv1), Magic Resistance (Lv1)
Magic: (None)
Cards: (None)
Quests: (None)
______________________________
Before Ted could make sense of everything, another chime rang out.
______________________________
New Quest: "A Magical World!" (Blue)
Being in Great Britain, are you really going to pass up the chance to attend the only school for magic?
Objective: Successfully enroll at Hogwarts.Reward: 500 XP, Magic Power +1, Random Card.
______________________________
Ted's mind reeled. Wait… a system? Like in video games? This world has magic AND a leveling system?!
Before he could fully process it, another notification popped up.
______________________________
[Knowledge of Other Worlds (Gold) activated.]
[New Knowledge Unlocked: Several Pages of a Psionic Power Manual (Blue).]
______________________________
A glowing card appeared in his mind, featuring a mysterious figure surrounded by an ethereal glow, controlling objects with sheer will. Information about psychic abilities and their applications filled his mind.
Ted took a deep breath, excitement surging through his veins. His system could collect experience points, store them, and use them to upgrade his abilities.
I must have some sort of magical bloodline. That's why Hogwarts sent me a letter!
If he could gather 1000 XP, he'd level up to Wizard Level 2, gaining one attribute point and one skill point. Every four levels, he'd even get a new talent!
He already had a gold-tier talent, Knowledge of Other Worlds, which provided access to new knowledge every month. This must be the key to getting stronger!
"How do I gain experience?" Ted muttered to himself. The system responded immediately:
Studying, practicing magic, and conducting experiments provide different amounts of XP.
Completing quests rewards large amounts of XP.
Ted stretched out his hand, trying to sense his magic. A strange warmth pulsed inside him. He focused on a loose parchment lying on his desk, imagining it floating toward him.
A few seconds later, the paper trembled… then slowly lifted into the air and drifted into his grasp!
"Merlin's beard…" Ted whispered, his eyes wide. "I really am a wizard!"