"This room will be yours from now on."
Later that day, Lily led Wanda to a room on the second floor of the Sanctum.
The room was similar to the others. It had its own bathroom and washbasin, along with a computer and a television. Thanks to magic, the window showed sunlight and the steady flow of people on Baker Street.
It was, by any standard, an ideal place to live.
But Wanda seemed restless. Her gaze kept drifting.
Lily noticed it, but didn't comment, continuing her introduction as if nothing were wrong.
"There are plenty of facilities you can use here. Oh, right-you don't know magic yet, do you? Then just use the things that annoying Tony invented. They're convenient enough."
As she spoke, Lily casually used magic to guide Wanda's luggage into the closet, lining everything up neatly.
This time, she didn't notice Wanda's expression subtly change when Tony was mentioned.
"Tony?" Wanda murmured. "Tony Stark?"
"Oh?" Lily looked at her with mild surprise. "You actually know that annoying guy?"
She nodded quickly.
"That's right. Tony Stark. He used to be an apprentice here, but he's already left. Not sure if he went off to make a movie or something."
"He... learned magic too?"
"Of course." Lily tilted her head. "That annoying ghost was bullied pretty badly by the seniors back then. But Senior treated him quite well. He should be a decent mage by now, I guess."
She seemed to be recalling something from the past.
But soon, Lily lost interest in the topic entirely.
Honestly, as someone who had grown up in the magical world, she didn't care much about people like Tony.
Their worlds were different.
If not for Noah, they probably wouldn't have crossed paths at all.
That difference mattered.
Many mages disliked Tony. Nagini, for example, wasn't particularly fond of him either. It was a difference in perception and cognition.
"Oh, right." As Lily prepared to leave, she handed Wanda a small note. "Here."
Wanda took it and looked at the word written on it.
"Aohomora?"
She paused. "Is this... a spell?"
"It's the WiFi password." Lily rolled her eyes. "We're not primitives. Of course it's also a spell. You can use it on doors that won't open. Whether it works depends on your casting level."
It really was a spell.
One of the first spells Noah had mastered.
And also one of the least-used ones.
Alohomora. The lock-opening charm.
Noah had very straightforwardly set it as the London Sanctum's WiFi password.
"Good night." Lily waved. "Sweet dreams."
"Please wait."
Just as Lily turned to leave, Wanda stopped her.
"Can I... ask you something?"
"Oh?" Lily paused and turned back. "More questions? Sure. I'm not in a rush."
"I want to ask..." Wanda hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Why did Tony Stark study here? Isn't he an ordinary person?"
That was what puzzled her.
Tony Stark was an ordinary human. Aside from being rich, she couldn't think of anything else that stood out.
The magical world didn't value ordinary wealth.
Wanda knew that much.
She had spent half a year among mages. Their currencies were completely different concepts.
That was why she found it strange.
Of course, the strangest person wasn't Tony.
It was Noah.
"He is an ordinary person." Lily thought for a moment, then sat down beside Wanda. "But his mind is exceptional. And back then, Senior needed someone to help acquire things the magical world didn't have."
"The internet? Televisions?" Wanda immediately understood.
"Exactly." Lily nodded. "And because of his intelligence, Senior thought of something else. Combining magic with technology. That's why he taught him magic."
"So that's how it was."
Wanda nodded slowly.
She hadn't expected that answer.
During the years she spent beside Erik, she had heard plenty about Tony.
One thing was unavoidable.
Tony Stark was extremely smart.
So smart that even mages acknowledged it.
Over the past half year, Wanda had also heard Erik defend Tony more than once.
The missile that destroyed her family had indeed been made by Stark Industries-but it wasn't Tony's intention.
When bored, she and Pietro had even watched Iron Man.
The explanations in it shocked them.
They never imagined that after discovering the truth, Tony would shut down his most profitable weapons division.
At first, Wanda hadn't believed it.
But after looking into it, she learned it was true.
And Noah was involved.
Noah had warned Tony. Made him realize he was a creator of war.
That was why Pietro chose not to pursue the matter.
Wanda, too, had forgiven him somewhat.
She just never said it aloud.
And with Erik's actions at the time, it became even harder to accept everything.
"But he's still annoying," Lily added flatly. "Too narcissistic. Too arrogant. Always thinks he's the best. That kind of personality isn't suited for a mage, so he can only focus on runes and enchantments now."
"Mm."
Wanda nodded.
Tony's personality was irritating.
Especially the way he acted on television.
She shook her head, clearly wanting to move on.
"Then... why do you call Lord Finnell 'senior'? Aren't you his apprentice?"
"Is that what it looks like?" Lily pursed her lips. "He taught me a lot, yes. But he was my father's student. Strictly speaking, I'm his junior. Even if I learned from him, I'm not his apprentice."
Wanda tilted her head.
She wasn't foolish.
She felt like she had guessed something, which left her slightly at a loss.
Noah Finnell was undeniably beautiful.
And his temperament was unmatched.
But Wanda also knew he had a girlfriend.
Someone he'd known since childhood.
Someone who had already become Britain's Minister of Magic.
Just thinking about that made it clear how formidable she was.
"Oh, right." After a brief pause, Wanda continued. "Lord Finnell... is he really as legendary as in that biographical movie? And was the setting really 1991? Why?"
"Biographical movie? Legendary?"
Lily almost laughed.
She held it back and answered instead.
"Many things in that movie were hidden, but most of it was true. As for legendary?" She laughed. "Oh-and yes, it really was 1991. Senior was born in 1980, but he's a mage."
"I see... then why are you laughing?"
"Because that movie only covered from when he entered Hogwarts to his third year. Legendary?" Lily shook her head. "His truly legendary stories probably haven't even started yet. And even so, the movie still left out one legendary event."
"Which one?"
"His story with the legendary exorcist Constantine."
The Noah Finnell trilogy concealed far too much.
His real legend ended before it even began on screen.
Many people were searching for him, hoping he'd write an autobiography.
He refused outright.
"Why write one when I'm not dead yet?"
That was his answer.
And even if he wanted money, he said he'd wait until he truly became the Sorcerer Supreme.
"He's... always that... great?" Wanda hesitated, then asked. "Always facing the light?"
Lily interrupted her gently.
"That's not quite right. Senior always says mages don't distinguish between light and dark. We control both. Good and evil aren't labels we rely on. What matters is maintaining ourselves."
She looked at Wanda.
"Senior doesn't stand on the side of light. He doesn't stand on the side of darkness. He stands in the middle. And don't forget-when he acts, he's ruthless. I'm sure the screams of those aliens are still echoing over Manhattan."
Standing in the middle.
Wanda fell silent.
Noah had always given her a strange feeling.
Especially after she entered his mind.
She had seen two states.
Two she would never forget.
One was blinding light.
Like the sun.
Warm. Protective. Enough to intoxicate anyone close to him.
But the other-
When her consciousness drifted to the opposite side, like a bottomless abyss, she saw something that shook her soul.
A giant dragon.
Wrapped in dense darkness.
Terrifying scales.
Raging flames.
And when her awareness drew closer-
Those blood-red, ruby-like eyes opened.
In that instant, Wanda felt as though she had already died.
"Tell me," Noah asked, "what is the core theorem of a sorcerer?"
"To hold fast to one's self-belief," Wanda replied, "to not be swayed by power, and to never become a slave to it."
"Very good." Noah nodded. "Your power isn't magic in the strict sense, but you can control it like a sorcerer. Remember this-only by adhering to your own will can you avoid falling into darkness, and avoid being lost in the confusion of light."
"I'll remember," Wanda said seriously.
Inside the library of the Sacred Hall, Noah sat cross-legged with a book in hand, casually questioning Wanda on sorcerer fundamentals.
This didn't even count as an assessment.
It was basic knowledge.
The kind of thing first- or second-year Hogwarts students could answer without thinking.
Yet very few people could truly live by it.
Power was seductive. That much was undeniable.
Countless people fell because of it.
Because of that, Noah emphasized this principle to everyone in the Sacred Hall, repeatedly testing and reinforcing it.
He would even require them to stabilize their mental state before allowing any increase in magic power.
In all honesty, Noah's influence had grown to a frightening degree.
Almost everyone in the Sacred Hall listened to him without question.
King and Dennis were no exception. In their eyes, Noah was already the future Sorcerer Supreme, even before it was officially confirmed.
Now, that confirmation was little more than a formality.
With Noah's current achievements placed plainly in front of them, his words carried absolute authority.
There was no room for rebuttal.
Ms. Hayfin and Lily were equally obedient.
In a very real sense, Noah was their mentor.
On the path of magic, he was their guide.
They trusted him completely and followed his instructions without hesitation.
As for the apprentices?
There was even less to say.
They were Noah's most devout followers.
From penniless orphans to sorcerers wielding real power-this transformation had been brought about entirely by Noah.
And Noah himself had once stood where they did.
If not him, who else would they believe?
"Alright." Noah closed the book and stood up. "I hope you can live up to that. Now tell me-what would you do if you encountered a Kentlingard?"
Wanda thought carefully before answering. "That's... a bit beyond what I've learned. A Kentlingard absorbs divine power. The most effective methods are physical attacks and elemental magic."
"Can you do that?"
"I'm not sure," Wanda admitted. "But I could try control magic. You know... my abilities aren't there yet."
Noah smiled.
She was strong.
But right now, she was also very weak.
The important thing was that she understood that.
Of course, Lily's role in helping her realize this couldn't be ignored.
Noah wasn't going to personally spar with her all the time.
That wasn't his role.
Lily was the obvious choice.
Even though it was a completely uneven matchup.
What level was Lily at?
Unless Wanda experienced an untrained mental outburst, there was no chance she could win.
That feeling...
It reminded Noah of those lunatics from the Uchiha clan.
Well.
That comparison might be disrespectful-to people who probably didn't even exist in this world.
And also to Wanda.
But the pattern was similar.
Every major leap Wanda made, aside from training, came from extreme emotional stimulation.
The first time, her brother died-and she immediately reached the level where she could fight Ultron.
The second time, Vision died-and she erupted to the point of being able to contend with Thanos.
The Uchiha were the same.
Lose someone closest to them, and their Sharingan evolved explosively.
Sometimes, Noah wondered whether he should just ask Charles to construct an illusion.
Give Wanda a believable identity inside it.
Then let her witness the death of loved ones within that illusion.
If that happened...
She would probably experience a terrifying breakthrough.
"Forget it," Noah thought. "She wouldn't wake up normal."
And Erik would never agree to something like that.
He sighed inwardly.
No instant Mangekyō Scarlet Witch.
A pity.
But Noah didn't dwell on it.
Things would have to be taken one step at a time.
And he didn't believe that if Wanda performed well and later received complete meditation, she would end up weaker than her original timeline self.
Yes.
If she met his standards, Noah intended to give her complete meditation.
She had already tried the Star Wars-style meditation methods available at the academy.
They were useless.
Her spiritual power was too strong. Those methods simply couldn't affect her.
"Study hard," Noah said casually. "If you meet my requirements, I might give you something better."
After a few more questions, Noah left the library, leaving Wanda behind.
For Noah, the books there were just a way to pass time.
For Wanda, they were a treasure trove.
Back in his room, Noah picked up his phone and replied to Hermione's messages from ten minutes earlier.
He was about to enter the system space-
When Tony called.
That caught Noah off guard.
After a brief pause, he answered.
"Speak. What's wrong?"
"Damn it," Tony said angrily. "My base got robbed. Can you believe that? I got robbed by an ant!"
"...An ant?" Noah froze.
"Yes! Damn it!" Tony snapped. "He's literally ant-sized! If my magical equipment hadn't detected him, and if Sam-the flying guy-hadn't been beaten up, I wouldn't have believed it myself!"
"Interesting." Noah raised an eyebrow. "So how did you get robbed inside your own base?"
He was genuinely confused.
Tony's base wasn't exactly easy to infiltrate.
And even if it was, why call him?
Then Noah remembered.
Scott Lang.
The little ant.
That guy had an uncanny ability to be forgotten.
Some kind of passive stealth aura.
Still, he was undeniably legendary.
If he hadn't been trapped in the Quantum Realm for five hours, no one would have come up with time travel via that absurd method.
Honestly, the universe should be most grateful to Ant-Man.
And to the mouse that accidentally activated that ugly, broken-down van.
Rat-Man saved the universe.
Another interesting point-Sam Wilson had still joined the Avengers as scheduled.
Later Captain America.
Currently standing guard.
Tony, despite being an Ark member, was still willing to put effort into Avengers matters.
Noah suspected the reason was S.H.I.E.L.D.
Founded by his father.
Corrupted by HYDRA.
The Avengers, born from S.H.I.E.L.D., had inherited part of its will.
Tony might have seen them as a substitute.
Pure conjecture, of course.
"The key issue is-" Tony continued, unaware Noah had drifted off. "I wasn't there. Nebula wasn't there. The base only had Sam. Because of that HYDRA base, we caught some important people, so we had to-"
"Interrogate?" Noah tilted his head. "Nebula wasn't there either?"
"She went to buy materials," Tony sighed. "The worst part is that some things were stolen. Not important-old antiques. But they have my magic on them."
Now Noah was curious.
If there was tracking magic, why not retrieve them directly?
Then it clicked.
That magic had probably revealed the thief's identity.
Hank Pym.
An old acquaintance.
An old man forcibly turned into Noah's "friend."
Now a truly old man.
Noah hadn't seen him in at least twenty years.
"Alright," Noah said. "Let's play a game."
"A deduction game?" Tony sounded amused. "Go on, Mr. Finnell."
"You have tracking magic," Noah said calmly. "So you already know his location."
"Mm-hm."
"But you haven't moved," Noah continued. "Which means you realized he's connected to someone you know."
Tony chuckled.
"Since you called me," Noah went on, "there's only one possibility. He knows me."
"Oh? Please continue."
"My identity is special," Noah said. "If he knows me, I must've mentioned him before. Fury wouldn't do something like this. That leaves only two people-Dr. Rickard and Dr. Hank Pym."
He paused.
"It's Hank Pym."
There was a beat of silence.
"...Impressive," Tony said. "But why not Rickard?"
"Because," Noah replied flatly, "the first Ant-Man was Hank Pym, idiot."
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