Heading to King's Cross Station

"Actually, even if you hadn't said it, I'd been thinking the same thing.

"Back then, Professor X definitely wouldn't have agreed to let children encounter combat so early. But now, he'd certainly be willing to let these children gain more ability to protect themselves."

Wolverine agreed almost without hesitation.

At the old Mutant School, Professor X's philosophy had been that students were students. They came to school to better learn how to control their abilities and acquire other knowledge.

What jobs they wanted in the future and what kind of people they wanted to become were all up to them.

Only after they became adults and truly wished to remain at the school as X-Men would they receive combat training.

But things were clearly very different now. To survive better, even children had to learn how to develop their abilities, how to fight, and how to protect themselves.

If every child possessed strength like Little Wolf Girl's, then together, they would have no need to fear pursuit by Arkley Gene Company.

"Alright, then get some proper rest!"

After George and Wolverine had thoroughly inspected both basement levels, they each returned to their rooms to rest.

They had been rushing nonstop these past two days and had not rested well. Now, they could finally sleep soundly the moment their heads hit the pillow.

And so, four days later.

As usual, George went to the Bronx to gather intelligence. After returning, he buried himself in magical research, then spent most of his energy at night on his own clone in the Harry Potter world.

While his main body in the Marvel Universe had been busy breaking out of prison, his clone had not been idle either.

Other than occasionally entertaining Tonks and her colleagues when they came to mooch meals, he mostly researched Magical Theory and studied and practiced new magic.

But today was an exception, because it was September 1st—the day he was leaving for Hogwarts.

"Peachy, let's go!"

After securing the cage containing the giant owl, George locked the shop's front door and pushed his cart full of luggage toward the exit of Knockturn Alley.

"Peachy" was the name he had given his owl pet. This owl could eat an incredible amount; if he had not inherited the old wizard's estate, he truly could not have afforded such a large pet.

But while it ate a lot, it was indeed useful.

To prevent dark wizards from visiting his shop while he was away at school, he had spent the last few days selling off all the Potions and herbs he did not need at discounted prices.

Still, few of the wizards who came to his shop to buy things were easy to deal with.

If Peachy, the giant owl, had not been perched on the shop's rafters and glaring down menacingly, some of them might well have tried something.

For example, using a Confundus Charm to make him muddle-headed enough to give away expensive Potions for free.

Pushing a small cart taller than himself, George left Knockturn Alley and turned into Diagon Alley. After walking several hundred meters, he arrived before what appeared to be an ordinary red brick wall.

He took out his wand and tapped several specific bricks. The bricks in the wall immediately began to tremble, and before long, a broad archway appeared before him.

Pushing his cart through the archway, he entered the famous Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, a wizarding inn-like pub that provided both food and lodging.

He had eaten there a few times when he had the time. Honestly, the food was mediocre, the environment was mediocre, and it was even somewhat dirty and cramped.

He raised a hand in greeting to old Tom, the owner, but George did not linger at the Leaky Cauldron. Instead, he headed straight out onto the Muggle street beyond the pub and quietly waited by the roadside.

Originally, he had planned to take the Muggle subway to King's Cross Station. But when Tonks had brought her colleagues over to mooch a meal last time, she learned that he was going to King's Cross Station today and insisted on driving him there.

After waiting by the road for around ten minutes, an old dark green car drove over from the distance and stopped beside him.

"Hey, George, you're ten minutes early!"

Tonks opened the car door and stepped out of the front passenger seat.

George replied with a smile, "I'm used to arriving early for everything. That way, I won't end up flustered."

"That's a good habit. Too bad I've never managed to develop it."

Tonks laughed heartily as she helped George move his luggage into the car's trunk. She had a carefree personality and did everything with brisk energy.

"An Untraceable Extension Charm?"

Seeing Tonks effortlessly place his huge pile of luggage and Peachy into the cramped trunk, George revealed a surprised expression.

The Untraceable Extension Charm was a remarkable spell that could expand the size of a space. A wizard proficient in the spell could even expand a tiny box until it was as large as a city.

Like the famous Magizoologist Newt Scamander, who had made himself a suitcase with an enormous interior space.

However, wizarding law did not allow wizards to use this spell privately. It could only be applied to public items approved by the Ministry of Magic.

For example, the magical tents rented to wizard spectators from different countries during the International Quidditch Tournament.

Of course, that was only what the rules said. Since the spell was so convenient in daily life, most wizards still used it in secret. As long as they were not caught red-handed by an Auror, it was not a big deal.

"Looks like you've been studying diligently lately. This trunk really does have an Untraceable Extension Charm on it. But don't worry, this is an Auror-only vehicle from the Ministry of Magic, so the modification is legal."

Tonks shut the trunk and winked at George smugly.

She was still a trainee Auror, but because of her outstanding performance, she was already allowed to use the Ministry of Magic's Auror-only Magic Car.

"Impressive!"

George cooperatively gave her a thumbs-up.

On the surface, Tonks was nineteen and George was eleven, making Tonks the older sister figure.

But in reality, Tonks's mental age was nineteen, while George's was already well over thirty. He was far more mature than Tonks.

"Good morning, George."

After he got in, a young wizard in a bright green velvet suit sitting in the driver's seat waved at him.

"Hey, once you go to Hogwarts, we won't have any meals to mooch anymore."

"Good morning, Aldo. You can wait until my holidays. It'll only be a few months."

George replied with a smile.

He knew this guy. He had come to mooch meals with Tonks a few times and was extremely fond of George's Chinese food. He had graduated in the same class as Tonks and was now also a trainee Auror at the Ministry of Magic.

Moreover, George could tell that the guy was pursuing Tonks, but Tonks only regarded him as a brother.

Love could not be forced. Tonks liked older, uncle-like men such as Lupin and was not particularly interested in handsome young men like Lardo.

"Don't listen to his nonsense. Study magic properly at Hogwarts. It really is an excellent school."

Tonks, seated in the front passenger seat, smacked Lardo on the back of the head, then turned to Qiaozhi.

Lardo rubbed the back of his head, already accustomed to it. He skillfully started the Magical Car and drove toward King's Cross Station.