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Chapter 118: I Think So
🕑 Added 2025-04-12 11:45:05 +0000 UTCNoah wasn't sure if Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson existed in this world, or if they were supposed to be brothers or partners.
Well, it didn’t really matter—curly hair or short hair, Noah didn’t care either way.
As for the money?
Naturally, Constantine paid for everything himself. Noah's role in this was more like a "technical investor."
Besides, Constantine probably knew that Noah was broke and couldn’t cough up a single Knut.
After the conversation ended, Noah and Harry left the café. They were heading back now.
Meanwhile, Constantine took Chase to search for the Baker Street address that Noah had mentioned. Honestly, something about it still felt off, but he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was.
---
On the way back, Harry couldn't hold it in anymore. He glanced around before leaning in and whispering to Noah, “Noah, what are you doing? That guy looks dangerous.”
“He is dangerous—but only to normal people,” Noah replied casually.
“Why would you want to get involved with exorcists? Don’t they hate wizards?”
Harry wasn’t the clueless rookie he had been the year before. After a full year at Hogwarts and another spent tagging along with Noah, his magical knowledge had grown significantly.
Naturally, he knew things now that would’ve been impossible for him to grasp back then.
“There are always exceptions, okay? Even someone like Voldemort has followers. It all comes down to differing value systems. Don’t assume all exorcists hate wizards. When the benefits are high enough, some might even become allies.”
“Uh… alright, I guess. I still don’t really get it. But this firm you’re setting up… It’s not just about making money, is it? You don’t expect us to get involved, right?”
“Oh? You're more perceptive than I thought.” Noah grinned. “Of course, I’m using the League of Mages as a bridge to cooperate with Constantine. Think about it—summer vacation is long and boring. If something difficult crops up and it’s within your ability to handle, wouldn’t it be a great learning experience? You might even earn some pocket money.”
“I know, Noah. Thanks. But what about the Ministry of Magic? Aren’t we banned from using magic outside of Hogwarts?”
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The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery.
Noah tapped his chin. He was well aware of it.
The Ministry of Magic strictly prohibited underage wizards from using magic outside school. This was enforced the moment they received their wands.
To bypass that restriction, Noah would need to perform wandless magic.
But how?
Although he had already reached Order Three, he was still a long way from performing spells without a wand. And to be fair, a wand was an excellent magical conduit—Noah had no intention of giving his up.
Of course, if he could get his hands on some unregistered wands, the issue could be sidestepped entirely.
Still, instead of focusing on procuring unregistered wands—because wands were regulated as strictly as firearms—he felt it was better to find a way to master wandless casting.
“It looks like we’ll have to find a way to contact Professor Dumbledore. Practical training is way more useful than reading textbooks all day.”
Noah sighed and rubbed his nose. He didn’t have a perfect solution yet.
“True, but I don’t think Professor Dumbledore will say no. He rarely refuses you, right?” Harry said with a grin.
“Maybe. Anyway, let’s go home. We’ve been out for quite a while.”
“To be honest, Noah, I really envy the life you have. You’ve got such a supportive environment… Ms. Haifin is like a guardian angel.”
“Yeah, I got lucky. But don’t get on her bad side—it’s not pretty. Like earlier today, you moron, talking nonsense!”
“I already apologized, Noah. I swear I won’t do it again.”
---
They chatted and laughed all the way back. When Noah opened the door, he was relieved to see that Ms. Haifin seemed to have calmed down.
That was a huge relief. Neither of them wanted to deal with Ms. Haifin when she was angry—even if she was still gorgeous when fuming.
Of course, Noah knew better than to think things were truly over. So, he dragged Harry into helping Ms. Haifin with some chores to shift her attention.
Surprisingly, Ms. Haifin didn’t scold him much. It seemed she had thought things through.
“I’ve known for a while now that you’re different, Noah,” she said softly. “I sensed it back in the U.S. But please, be careful. No matter how strong you are, you have to stay humble and alert if you want to survive.”
“I know, Avril. I don’t think I’m anything special. I only take on what I can handle.”
Noah chuckled. He knew what the future might look like. He wasn’t deluded about his abilities.
At his level, he’d probably end up as a foot soldier someday—well, maybe a foot soldier with magic.
But even so, a soldier was still a soldier.
Noah had no desire to become some overlord of the universe. He didn’t care about being Earth’s greatest protector either.
All he wanted was to protect himself, his friends, and the people he loved.
That simple wish had always been his motivation. He didn’t want to leave his fate in the hands of someone like the Avengers.
He wanted to control it himself.
---
“That’s good. I know you’re a smart kid,” Ms. Haifin smiled. “So, can you tell me about your time at Hogwarts?”
Noah sighed. There she went again—her curiosity was as boundless as ever.
But now that everything was out in the open, he didn’t see a reason to hide anything anymore.
So, Noah began recounting the events of the past six months, giving Ms. Haifin a full picture of the British wizarding world.
As he spoke, she looked increasingly surprised.
She hadn't imagined the magical world would be so chaotic—almost incomprehensibly so.
“That sounds incredibly dangerous. What if they succeed?” she asked, visibly worried.
“Dangerous? Not really. Hogwarts isn’t that weak. Headmaster Dumbledore isn’t afraid of Voldemort at all. The problem is he’s too bound by the Ministry’s red tape.
He spends more time navigating bureaucracy than acting freely, but he will protect the students. No doubt about that.”
Noah shrugged nonchalantly.
“But what if you’re off school grounds?”
“Don’t forget I’ve got a mentor. She gave me a few items for emergencies. If anything goes wrong…”
“I understand. Just promise you’ll stay careful, okay? I really can’t wrap my head around why things are like this in the magical world.”
“Why is it strange?” Noah replied, raising an eyebrow. “Even today, there’s racial tension with Black and white communities. And let’s not forget how they treat mutants.”
He paused.
Frankly, he hated racists. Sure, advanced tech might one day rival magic—but Earth’s current tech was nowhere near that level.
Even mutants couldn't defend themselves properly yet.
And the worst part? There was a traitor among them.
Charles Xavier.
He had taken a winning hand and played it into disaster. He thought tolerance alone could solve everything.
But human greed? That was a whole different beast.
Even Nick Fury—bald and all—dared to experiment with the Tesseract. For all anyone knew, that may have tipped Thanos off to Earth’s location.
Being too soft invites disaster. But being too aggressive doesn’t always work either.
Take Magneto, for example. Over the top? Definitely. But at least his stance made governments think twice before provoking them.
In the end, it was always the Xavier Institute that got hurt. That said enough.
Noah shook his head. These were problems far beyond him. He was just a small fry still trying to grow.
---
“It really doesn’t sound safe…” Ms. Haifin sighed. “Anyway, promise me you’ll stay safe, alright?”
She didn’t know much about mutants, but she understood the history of Native Americans and the systemic issues still plaguing society.
All she wanted now was for Noah—the boy she’d watched grow up—to be safe.
Then suddenly, an old question crept back into her mind. Something she’d asked before, but Noah had brushed off.
Could she learn magic?
Her heart raced.
Magic—the more she saw of it, the more it drew her in. She remembered vividly how Noah, with a wave of his hand, banished terrifying demons and transported them across vast distances.
That had been her dream as a child. A dream she believed she’d never reach.
But now…
Now she wasn’t going to let it go.
After a moment of silence, Ms. Haifin asked, “Noah, can you teach me magic?”
“I think so…”
Noah had been lost in thought, thinking about the future, and replied absentmindedly.
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized what he’d just agreed to.
And when he saw Ms. Haifin’s elated expression, his own face twisted into a bitter smile.
“It’s over…”
---
