Three days later, George successfully obtained a copy of Manual of Gesture Casting from the clerk at Flourish and Blotts.
Ten days later, George stood in the yard, pointing his wand at a locked box and chanting, "Alohomora!"
A blue beam of magic shot from the tip of his wand, striking the box precisely. Most magic, when cast, is accompanied by beams of different colors—especially offensive or directional spells, such as Alohomora, Expelliarmus, and Curse of Slaying. Some magic, however, is silent, leaving no visible trace, like Accio, repairing spells, and the Levitation Charm.
"Click."
A crisp sound came from the lock, and the clasp sprang open automatically.
"Finally… success," George muttered, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
After ten days of tireless study, aided occasionally by Tonks, who would drop by for meals, he could finally cast Alohomora successfully. During this period, George also came to understand one crucial truth: he was not a magical prodigy.
True geniuses were like Hermione, who, despite having no prior exposure to magic or guidance, managed to learn multiple spells with ease before the school year began, dedicating her time to understanding magical history and society. Even more exceptional were the likes of Snape, capable of creating powerful spells while still a student. Legendary figures like Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Voldemort were on an entirely different plane.
George, however, had his own method. While he claimed to have studied for ten days, he could, in truth, say he studied for twenty. When his body in this world reached its limit, his main body in the Marvel Universe would take over.
The key to learning magic, he realized, was talent, followed closely by diligence. If talent fell short, relentless effort could compensate. His main body, stationed at the Base with nothing but training to occupy it, had abundant time to practice. Even with just a stick resembling a wand, he could refine his gestures. Through continuous practice, he accelerated his learning, taking care to avoid—or at least turn his back to—any surveillance. Even if discovered, no one in this world would understand what he was doing.
Once his main body was free, his magical learning would become even faster, effectively giving him twice the study time of ordinary wizards. By any standard, mastering a spell in ten days could be considered extraordinary. Most young wizards, after an entire year, would struggle to master even a handful of spells.
"Next, I need to practice gesture casting continuously until it's successful. Then I can move on to the next spell."
After several consecutive experiments, confirming that he had completely mastered Alohomora, George set down his wand and began practicing gestures, following the instructions in the Manual of Gesture Casting.
Eight days later, after persistent effort from both his main body and clone, he could cast Alohomora without a wand. Yet even after mastering this method, casting without a wand remained slower—typically seven or eight seconds, compared to one or two seconds with a wand. In a duel, five or six seconds was enough for an opponent to cast three or four offensive spells. No wonder wandless casting had been largely abandoned.
"August 21st… today is Lockhart's book signing at Flourish and Blotts."
During breakfast, George glanced at the magical calendar, calculating mentally. He had no interest in the egotistical Lockhart, but today was also the day Harry Potter would arrive in Diagon Alley with the Weasley family to purchase school supplies.
After completing his first year, Harry had returned to his unpleasant relatives for the summer. Since Dobby had been locked up by his uncle and forbidden from attending Hogwarts, Ron and the Weasley brothers secretly drove their father's magical car to retrieve him and bring him to The Burrow.
"Then I should make contact first," George decided.
Unlike the looming threat of Voldemort, whose return would be years away, aligning himself with Harry now promised immediate benefits. Many restricted areas and magical resources at Hogwarts would be nearly impossible to access on his own. But with Harry, Dumbledore would likely turn a blind eye; the Room of Requirement and the Restricted Section of the library, for instance, would be within reach.
After breakfast, George paused his usual spell studies and observed the street from the window of the pharmacy hall. About an hour later, he spotted a golden-haired father and son walking elegantly into Borgin and Burkes across the street.
"That must be the Malfoys," he thought. It seemed Harry was already inside the shop. Bringing a child into Knockturn Alley at this hour, wearing expensive robes and exuding superiority, made them easy to identify.
Ten minutes later, shortly after the father and son left Borgin and Burkes, a thin boy covered in dust dashed out of the shop.
"Where am I?" Harry wondered, glancing nervously at the narrow, shadowed alley. The shops displayed unnerving wares: shrunken human heads in one window, massive black spiders in cages two doors down. Two poorly dressed wizards watched him from a dark doorway, whispering.
"I need to get out of here… hopefully I can find my way to Diagon Alley," Harry muttered, uneasy.
Just then, a calm yet slightly youthful voice called from behind:
"Are you lost?"
Harry turned to see a boy as thin as him, but with a resolute expression, holding a magic book.
"This is Knockturn Alley, a place where Dark Wizards gather. It's not safe for you to be here alone," the boy said.
"My name is Harry. I… accidentally came here using Floo powder. I wanted to go to Diagon Alley," Harry explained quickly, sensing the boy's kindness.
George smiled upon hearing this.
"Hello, Harry. You must have mispronounced it as Knockturn Alley, but it's connected. Don't worry—I'll get you out of here."