Chapter 167: Ancient Magic That Connects Heaven and Earth
"Honestly, that whole sequence really took it out of me."
After healing One-Eye, George stood up, deliberately swaying as if exhausted. He leaned on Amy, who rushed forward to support him, and feigned weakness as he addressed the Auror captain:
"Sir, I'd like to go back and rest now—if that's alright?"
If he acted completely unfazed now, it would seem far too unbelievable—though his earlier performance had already been outrageous enough.
More importantly, his mind was no longer here. He just wanted to hurry home, transcribe the copied ancient spellbook, and study it thoroughly. Playing the exhausted hero now was the perfect cover.
"Of course! Thank you for your help today. Lina, Amy—escort the young master back. We'll handle things here."
The Auror captain recognized Amy and knew her relationship with Lina. His face was full of gratitude as he replied.
If not for George's intervention today, they might never have captured the cunning and brutal dark wizard One-Eye. Worse, innocent lives could have been lost, costing him his rank.
Internally, he was deeply grateful to George.
With One-Eye apprehended in Paris by his team, a promotion was practically guaranteed.
"Yes, Captain!"
Lina nodded cheerfully, stepping forward to help Amy support George as they headed home.
"Just carry me."
After a few awkward steps, Amy decided holding him was too slow. Instead, she scooped George up in her arms.
To Amy, an eleven-year-old's weight was nothing.
Though embarrassed—especially with everyone watching—George didn't protest and let her carry him.
"George! What's wrong?"
As they passed the destroyed tent, Hermione, her parents, and the two rescued girls hurried over.
George signaled Amy to put him down and smiled weakly.
"Just a bit drained from chasing that dark wizard. I'll be fine after some rest."
He then turned to Hermione. "Weren't you in Dijon?"
"Oh, my dad insisted on seeing Paris—France's capital, you know. I couldn't talk him out of it."
Mr. Granger blinked in confusion. When did I say that? It was Hermione who'd begged to change their itinerary!
Just as he opened his mouth to correct her, his wife elbowed him sharply.
"I see. Which inn are you staying at? I've been here over a month—I can show you around when I'm free."
George nodded, unfazed.
Fleur and Gabrielle then thanked him profusely, even inviting him to dinner at their home. But George politely declined.
He hadn't realized the two girls he'd saved were the part-Veela Delacour sisters—Ron's future sister-in-law!
After bidding farewell to Hermione and Fleur, Amy carried him home and settled him into his small bedroom.
"I'll be fine after resting. You two should head to the Ministry—now's the best time to interrogate that guy before he regains his wits."
Only with Amy and Lina gone could he safely study the copied ancient spellbook.
Lina nodded firmly.
"Don't worry. If that old bastard refuses to talk, I'll pour a whole bottle of Veritaserum down his throat."
*"George… thank you. Really."*
Amy's eyes glistened with emotion before she suddenly bent down and kissed his forehead. Then she and Lina left.
Compared to the Auror captain, Amy's gratitude ran even deeper.
She'd always assumed George, despite his mature demeanor, was purely focused on magic research—that he saw her as just a temporary teacher, nothing more.
Yet today, he'd gone so far for her: risking his life to chase One-Eye alone. The thought moved her more than she'd expected.
In her eyes, George wasn't the type to meddle in others' affairs.
His presence at the magical creature show? He must've overheard her and Lina's conversation and followed to help.
And confronting One-Eye? Such a reckless risk—unless it was to clear her name.
"You're my teacher. Of course I'd help if I could. Don't overthink it."
George touched his slightly damp forehead, realizing Amy had misunderstood. But he didn't correct her—instead offering a sincere smile.
"You little charmer. At this rate, you'll have witches falling over you when you're older."
Amy pinched his cheek, her eyes reddening, before leaving with Lina.
On her way out, Lina also leaned down and kissed his forehead gently.
"Thank you… for helping Amy."
The moment their footsteps faded downstairs, George sprang up.
He swiftly drew a small Morgana's Circle on the bedroom floor, pulled out the copied spellbook, and began studying it intently.
It wasn't until nearly dawn that he finally closed the book, exhaling in awe.
*"So that's how it works!"*
This was indeed a manual on ancient magic—though it only detailed one lightning spell. Yet it revealed the fundamental difference between ancient and modern magic.
Modern magic relied on a wizard's innate magical bloodline as its foundation. Spells were quick to cast but limited in power.
Ancient magic, however, used one's magic as a catalyst—to commune with the natural laws of the world. Through lengthy incantations, the caster gradually synchronized with nature, harnessing its vast energy for attacks.
Thus, ancient spells were immensely powerful but painfully slow to execute.
One-Eye's lightning storm had required seven to eight minutes of chanting to connect with the atmospheric forces, summoning relentless thunderbolts over a targeted area.
Suddenly, that wild claim in The Legends of Ancient Magic—that such spells could "lift mountains"—seemed entirely plausible.
A wizard's personal magic was finite. But nature's power? Limitless.
Unless one's magic surpassed the natural world's, how could a self-contained spell ever rival one channeling the forces of the cosmos?
This ancient tome had elevated George's understanding of magic to an entirely new level.
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The Next Day
Amy and Lina returned around noon, both in high spirits.
Overnight interrogations had forced One-Eye to confess everything. With his testimony, Amy's record would be cleared, and she could reclaim her Auror badge.
As for One-Eye himself? Sentenced to death at dawn, he'd been executed that very morning.
(End of Chapter)