Will had not turned the old man into a Wizard, but he had used a few potion-derived Charms to give him some boosts.
A touch of the Felix Charm and the Clear-Headed Charm, for instance—short-lived but powerful.
Will had also used the Bone-Growing Curse to set the old man's osteoporosis-weakened bones right.
He had not held back. Clear rewards and punishments were the best way to keep people motivated.
Sure enough, once the magical treatment was done and the boosts had taken effect, the old man looked thrilled. "I feel more than ten years younger, Mr. Behrens! Rest assured, I'll do everything I can to complete your task!"
Will nodded calmly. "I trust you. I have other matters to attend to. Write to me if anything comes up."
A sharp crack rang out, and Will vanished.
The old duke stared at the spot where Will had been sitting for a long time. Sometimes he genuinely wondered whether Hobert, Cree, and Gavin were even the same kind of creature as Will.
Will and Hobert were related by blood, after all. How could they be so different?
In the quiet Study, there was only a sigh.
Back home, Will opened the Crystal ball. The rats inside had huddled together and were trembling in terror.
With practiced ease, Will knocked them out with a Stunning Spell and locked them away. If he wanted to research anything in his sixth year, he would be counting on them.
Will did nothing else in the final days of the holiday. He read and studied every day, seizing every moment to improve himself.
Time slipped by between the pages. Near the end of the holiday, Will received a great stack of books: alchemy textbooks George and Fred had sent him.
Will spent another day and a