"Is this enough?"
George didn't mind; he took out a bulging cloth pouch and placed it on the table with a smile.
He chose such a large owl for two main reasons.
First, an owl of this size had considerable offensive power. If he encountered danger, it could provide significant help.
Second, its flying ability was noteworthy. A typical magical owl could carry about ten kilograms while flying. This large owl should easily handle over a hundred kilograms.
If he ever found himself in trouble and couldn't fight his way out, the owl could carry him away. It wasn't just a pet but also a potential flying mount—who else would he choose?
"If you're certain, then there's no problem," said the shopkeeper.
Judging by the pouch, which seemed to hold at least four hundred Galleons, the shopkeeper knew George was serious about buying. Enthusiastically, they helped George move the eagle owl onto a cart, eager to finalize the sale before George could change his mind.
This owl ate a lot daily, and if no wizard bought it soon, it would be a loss for the shop.
With the pet purchased, George headed to his final and most important stop: Flourish and Blotts.
Today, he wasn't just buying first-year textbooks but also many other magic books, especially ones about wandless spellcasting.
If he couldn't master wandless casting, his body in the Marvel world wouldn't be able to utilize magic properly without creating a wand first.
It was August 3rd, and Gilderoy Lockhart's book signing at Flourish and Blotts was still eighteen days away. The shop wasn't too crowded, making it relatively easy to find books by asking the staff directly.
"Wandless casting? That kind of book hasn't been sold in ages. Everyone uses wands now—who would still learn such an outdated method?"
The staff member shook their head.
George wasn't discouraged and pressed on.
"I'm very interested in that outdated method. Could you help me find a copy? I can pay extra."
To show sincerity, he took out twenty Galleons.
The staff hesitated but finally held up four fingers.
"It requires special ordering, and the cost is high—forty Galleons."
"No problem."
George immediately placed forty Galleons on the counter.
He knew he was being overcharged, but as long as he could get a book on wandless spellcasting, he'd pay even four hundred Galleons.
"Three days. It'll be here in three days."
The staff quickly pocketed the money with a grin.
"I'll come back in three days."
After browsing some more, George paid for his purchases and left with a cart full of items, humming a tune as he returned to the apothecary in Knockturn Alley to begin self-studying magic.
On his way back, the giant eagle owl drew many curious glances.
"Be good, don't make any noise," he told the owl as he set it on the desk in his bedroom and fed it a rabbit he'd bought from the owl shop.
To George's surprise, the owl nodded obediently.
For ordinary young wizards, an eagle owl was too large and dangerous to handle as a pet.
But George was different.
His physical strength exceeded that of a typical adult. Though the owl was large, it posed no problem for him.
As for the danger, George's telepathic abilities inherited from Professor X were only at Level 2, which had limited influence on complex human minds. However, they worked quite well on simple-minded animals.
Not only could he easily communicate with animals, but he could also subtly influence their behavior.
Sometimes, George wondered if he spent more time studying magical creatures, he might rival Newt Scamander or Hagrid in the future and become a magical creature expert.
"Let's start with The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 and A Beginner's Guide to Magic Theory."
He pulled out the two most important books from his pile and began studying intently.
For now, the priority was learning practical spells. Subjects like magical history, herbology, and potions could wait until after he resolved the crises in the Marvel world.
Time flew by as he studied until evening.
"It's not as simple as I thought!"
Setting down the book, George rubbed his dry eyes and grabbed some bread he'd bought from Diagon Alley to eat.
In movies, casting spells looked as simple as waving a wand, but in reality, it was far more challenging to master.
It was like cooking—following steps might seem easy, but when you tried, it was often a disaster. Even if the steps were correct, the results varied widely.
According to the book, successfully casting a spell required several things:
First, wizard blood and innate magic. Without these, no matter how perfect your technique, it would be futile.
Second, pronunciation. The spell's incantation had to be clear, and different spells required varying speeds and emotional tones. Failing to meet these standards could weaken the magic or render it ineffective. In rare cases, unexpected effects might occur.
Finally, wand movements. These weren't arbitrary; each spell had specific patterns.
Of course, advanced wizards could bypass these requirements. With deep understanding and mastery of a spell, it was possible to cast it silently and without a wand.
Top-tier wizards could even instantaneously cast most spells without tools or incantations.
"Softening Charm, Cutting Charm, Unlocking Charm, Levitation Charm, Locking Charm, and Mending Charm—let's focus on the Unlocking Charm first."
After finishing his bread, George turned to the Standard Book of Spells section on the Unlocking Charm.
The spells in the first-year textbook were foundational and simple to learn but lacked power.
For example, the Cutting Charm might, at most, cut a napkin at his level. It couldn't even scratch a person.
Rather than that, learning the Unlocking Charm first made more sense. With it, his Marvel-world self could unlock the mutant power suppression collar around his neck, enabling him to use his abilities.
He could also open high-tech doors in research labs, facilitating an escape.
If he had extra time, he could learn other spells later.
Although he believed the Transformation Charm might be more useful—especially for sabotaging high-tech weapons—he decided against it.
The Transformation Charm was its own category of magic, and its difficulty far exceeded other spells. Even Hermione, a genius, hadn't mastered it before starting school. He doubted he could learn it quickly without guidance.
Even if he did manage, its effects might not be significant enough to justify the effort.