Chapter 45: The Howler Sent to Leon

After joining the Slytherin Quidditch team, George's life began to settle into a steady routine.

He spent his days earning points for the house, studying magic, exploring books in the library, and seeking guidance from teachers on magical techniques.

As for Quidditch practice, his exceptional skills earned him special permission from Snape to skip sessions occasionally.

With time, George's magical knowledge and skills grew rapidly. He had nearly mastered all the first-year spells and was already delving into second-year material.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and October arrived, bringing colder weather. Many young wizards caught colds as a result.

Fortunately, Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, had concocted a revitalizing potion. Though it made one's ears emit smoke for hours after drinking, it worked wonders in curing colds.

George was seated by the window in the library, quietly reading. Outside, a light rain was falling, and inside, young witches occasionally glanced his way with admiration.

Hogwarts' rich meals had long since transformed his previously skinny frame.

"It's time. You can all leave now," said Madam Pince, the gaunt, elderly librarian, addressing the students still engrossed in books.

George glanced at the clock—it was 8 PM, the library's closing time.

He borrowed the book he hadn't finished and left, intending to continue reading in the Slytherin common room.

Meanwhile, in the Marvel universe, it was 8 AM. George's counterpart was riding a motorcycle toward the Bronx.

Tony Stark had been missing for nearly three months, and he would likely escape captivity soon. During this time, Leon had consolidated his power, turning the Cheval family into the Leon family.

It was time to proceed with the next phase of George's plan.

After a recent car purchase and a few months of generous meals, combined with Gabriela and Wolverine's dwindling savings, money was running low. George also needed funds to provide education for the children under his care.

These children, trained from birth as assassins, had no exposure to regular schooling and lacked basic knowledge.

Gabriela, a simple nurse, had limited education. Elsa, a driver, had little formal schooling and was currently learning to pilot planes. Wolverine could teach combat and history, but not much else.

Even Caliban, a black-market trader, lacked formal education, relying on his powers to make a living.

The only well-educated member was Professor X, who had graduated from Harvard at 16 and studied at Oxford and Columbia, earning multiple doctorates in biology, psychology, and other fields. However, his fragile health confined him to the Cerebro chamber most of the time.

On the rooftop of a former nightclub in the Bronx, George retrieved an ordinary letter and began casting a spell, his hands moving swiftly. When the enchantment took hold, he recorded his message in the letter.

That's right—George was creating a Howler.

His time in the library had not been wasted. In addition to learning magic, he had studied alchemy, the art of crafting magical items.

While advanced creations like wands, flying brooms, magical cars, and Portkeys were beyond his reach, simpler items like Howlers were well within his capability.

After crafting the Howler, he pinned a small badge to it and waited silently on the rooftop.

Half an hour later, Leon swaggered out of the nightclub, cigar in mouth, surrounded by henchmen, and climbed into a stretch Lincoln parked at the entrance.

George used his power to control the pin, causing the Howler to fly from the rooftop and slip into the car just as the door closed.

George had thought carefully about how to handle someone like Leon, a figure entrenched in the criminal underworld. Until George's powers could render him immune to modern firearms, it was best to remain cautious and maintain an air of mystery.

The unknown is often the most terrifying.

This way, even if Leon faced threats in the future, he would be unlikely to betray George unless under mortal danger. Leon's perception of George as an enigmatic and dangerous entity would deter him.

"A letter?" Leon muttered, noticing the envelope sliding onto his lap just as he was about to shut the door. His eyes widened at the name on the envelope: "Reaper."

Two months ago, Leon had narrowly escaped death thanks to a mysterious figure called the Reaper.

Now, having eliminated all obstacles, including Cheval's son and his remnants, Leon had turned the Cheval family into his own and become one of the Bronx's most powerful underworld figures.

But the Reaper's absence had left him uneasy. On the one hand, Leon genuinely wanted to repay his savior; on the other, he feared the Reaper's power, which had effortlessly eliminated Cheval.

If the Reaper ever wanted him dead, Leon doubted he could escape.

He picked up the envelope and carefully opened it, only to find it empty. Before he could process this, the envelope floated out of his hands and hovered in midair, transforming into a mouth that began to speak:

"Leon, meet me on the rooftop tonight at midnight. Come alone."

With that, the mouth tore itself into pieces, which fluttered to the ground.

It took Leon a full ten seconds to recover from his shock. He drew a deep breath and murmured, "What kind of being is this man? A god—or perhaps a demon straight from hell?"

He shuddered, recalling the desperate wish he had made on that rooftop months ago.