"I won't lie," Rowan said, swaying just slightly as he stood. "That took more out of me than I expected."
After stabilizing Old One-Eye's injuries, he let his knees buckle at exactly the right moment and leaned into Amy as she rushed over. He turned his head toward the Auror captain, his voice deliberately weak. "Sir, if it's all right, I'd like to head home and rest."
If he looked too composed after everything that had just happened, it would raise uncomfortable questions. Besides, his mind was already elsewhere. He wanted nothing more than to get home, write down everything he could remember from the copied spellbook, and tear it apart piece by piece.
Looking exhausted made things easier.
"Of course," the captain said immediately, gratitude plain on his face. "You've done more than enough tonight. Lina, Amy, please escort him home. We'll handle the rest."
He knew Amy. He knew Lina. And he knew exactly how close tonight had come to becoming a catastrophe. Without Rowan, Old One-Eye would have escaped again, leaving bodies behind and careers in ruins. Instead, the most wanted dark wizard in Europe had been taken down on his watch.
Promotion was practically guaranteed.
"Yes, Captain," Lina said, smiling as she and Amy supported Rowan and guided him away.
After a few steps, Amy frowned. "This is slow."
Before Rowan could object, she scooped him up effortlessly and carried him bridal-style down the street. At his age and size, he barely weighed anything to her.
It was awkward. Everyone was watching. But protesting would only draw attention, so Rowan endured it in silence.
They passed the wreckage of the collapsed tent just as Hermione came running over with her parents and the two girls they had rescued.
"Rowan, are you okay?" Hermione asked, eyes wide.
Amy gently set him down. Rowan smiled. "Just tired. I'll be fine after some rest. Weren't you supposed to be in Dijon?"
Hermione hesitated. "Well… my dad thought Paris was the capital, so he wanted to see it."
Mr. Granger blinked, clearly about to speak, only to be stopped by a sharp look from his wife.
"I see," Rowan said easily. "If you're staying nearby, let me know. I've been here over a month. I can show you around."
Fleur and Gabrielle stepped forward to thank him again, inviting him to visit their home. Rowan declined politely. He hadn't expected the other girls to be Delacour sisters, let alone Fleur herself.
After farewells were exchanged, Amy carried him the rest of the way home and deposited him onto the small bed in his room.
"I'm really fine now," Rowan said. "You two should go to the Ministry. Tonight's the best chance to make him talk."
Only once Amy and Lina were gone could he do what he actually wanted.
Lina nodded. "Don't worry. If he resists, I'll drown him in Veritaserum."
Amy lingered a moment. Then she bent down and kissed Rowan gently on the forehead. "Thank you. Truly."
She left with Lina, eyes glistening.
Amy believed she understood why he had done everything tonight. In her mind, Rowan had followed them to help her, had chased Old One-Eye to clear her name, had risked his life for his teacher.
Rowan realized the misunderstanding instantly.
He didn't correct it.
"You're my teacher," he said with a small smile. "Helping when I can is only natural."
Amy laughed softly and pinched his cheek. "Careful. With a mouth like that, you'll be breaking hearts someday."
She left. Lina paused at the door and kissed his forehead as well. "Thank you… for helping Amy."
When their footsteps faded downstairs, Rowan sat straight up.
The act was over.
He drew a small arcane circle on the floor, retrieved the copied spellbook, and began to read.
He didn't stop until dawn bled into late morning.
When he finally closed the book, his eyes were bright.
"So that's how it works."
The book contained only one spell, but it explained something far more important.
Modern magic relied on a wizard's internal power. Fast. Efficient. Limited.
Ancient magic was different.
It used the caster's power as a key, not a source. A way to speak to the rules that governed the world itself. Long incantations weren't inefficiency. They were negotiation.
Old One-Eye's storm had not been his strength.
It had been the sky's.
Suddenly, legends about ancient spells reshaping mountains no longer sounded absurd.
By the time Amy and Lina returned near midday, their expressions said everything.
Old One-Eye had confessed to everything.
Amy's name was cleared. Her badge reinstated.
And that morning, the sentence had been carried out.