Chapter 167: The Youngest Recipient of the Medal of Valor

Three days later, at the headquarters of the French Ministry of Magic, George and Amy stood on the award stage.

Below them were Aurors and staff from the French Ministry of Magic, along with reporters from various magical newspapers, including the famous Daily Prophet.

The French Minister of Magic took the stage and pinned two Medals of Valor on George and Amy. He also handed each of them a pouch containing 1,000 Galleons.

"On behalf of the French Ministry of Magic, I present these Medals of Valor and a reward of 1,000 Galleons to George and Amy for their outstanding contributions in capturing the dark wizard Roderick Moddox.

We thank you for your service to the wizards of France, and you are always welcome to visit us again!"

As the minister's voice faded, George and Amy bowed, and the room erupted into applause. The magical cameras clicked furiously.

After the ceremony, Lena glanced at George, the medal gleaming on his chest, and smiled. "George, I think you're officially the youngest recipient of the Medal of Valor in French history!"

"Well deserved, though. I just got lucky riding on your coattails."

Amy, holding the pouch of Galleons, was grinning from ear to ear.

"It's been ages since I've had this much gold. Tonight's dinner is on me! Let's head to the best pub in Magic Alley!"

"Aren't you heading back to England soon? I overheard the Auror captain mention that the British Ministry of Magic has been informed about the situation and has reinstated your position." George jiggled his pouch of Galleons as he spoke.

Amy placed her hands on her hips and raised her chin proudly. "Reinstated? They didn't just reinstate me as an Auror. They promoted me to Deputy Director of the Department of International Magical Cooperation!

But I've already requested to start after summer break. I promised to teach you through the summer, and I intend to keep my word!"

"As expected of my teacher—dedicated to the end. I give you a big thumbs up!" George said with a laugh, raising his thumb in approval.

Amy's promotion to Deputy Director meant that in a few years, she might lead the department. Even if her superior, Barty Crouch Sr., didn't get ousted by his son, he would likely retire in a few years.

This development suited George perfectly. It meant another valuable ally in the Ministry of Magic.

He already had connections in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement through Tonks and her colleagues and in the Department of Magical Games and Sports through Ludo Bagman, who had invited him to join Quidditch. Now, he had a close bond with the Department of International Magical Cooperation.

Not bad for someone who had just finished his second year. His network within the Ministry of Magic was shaping up quite well.

George stayed in France, continuing to hone his magical skills while secretly studying the powerful ancient magic. Occasionally, Hermione would visit, and they'd explore Magic Alley together.

This peaceful routine lasted until the end of the summer.

...

Meanwhile, in the Marvel Universe, George was in the school garden, sitting on the lawn and focusing on sensing the natural energies around him. He was trying to establish a connection as described in the ancient magical text.

Professor X approached from the direction of the school building.

"George, I've located the friend you asked me to find!"

"Does that mean we'll have a new teacher at school soon?" George slowly opened his eyes, his mind silently noting, It's time for a new wand core.

Taking his phone out of his pocket, he began browsing recent news. Juggling responsibilities across three dimensions while delving into magic had kept him too preoccupied to step outside or pay attention to current events.

Even updates from S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra had largely been ignored.

The headlines were dominated by news about Tony Stark:

"Pepper Potts Appointed CEO of Stark Industries. Is This the Beginning of Stark Industries' Decline?"

"Tony Stark Attacked at Monaco Race. Successfully Defeats Assailant."

The accompanying image showed Tony in his Iron Man suit, extending five sharp claw-like appendages from his hand to sever the attacker's weapon.

"Tony Stark's Wild Mansion Parties Raise Concerns About His Mental State."

George scrolled past these stories without much interest. Fury wouldn't let Tony's situation spiral out of control, and if Hydra's distractions tied up Fury, George could always step in to nudge Tony toward solving his palladium poisoning issue.

Tony's problem had a straightforward fix: examining the template left by his father to discover a new element to replace palladium.

Finally, George found news about the Hulk:

"Green Monster Appears at Culver University, Virginia. Military Forces Repelled."

The article included a video showing the Hulk smashing a military jeep into the ground while fending off soldiers.

The comments section was amusing—most claimed the video was computer-generated, with self-proclaimed experts debunking it. Even a few eyewitness accounts from students were dismissed.

Such stories were often treated as entertainment, much like videos of mysterious shadowy figures in thunderstorms, bizarre whirlpools, or UFOs. Unless it was a large-scale event like the alien invasion of New York, the government and media could suppress smaller incidents with ease.

"Where is he now?" George asked, putting away his phone.

He recalled that after the fight with General Ross, Banner had sought out Dr. Sterns in New York to neutralize the Hulk gene within him. However, George couldn't quite recall which university Sterns worked at.

"At Greyburn University in Manhattan," Professor X replied.

"He harbors a slumbering spirit of rage. Do you need my assistance?"

George thought for a moment before asking, "What about Steve? I haven't seen him around the past couple of days."

"Steve said he was taking the weekend off to visit a friend. He'll be back tomorrow," Professor X replied.

George nodded. He knew Steve had gone to visit Peggy Carter, who was still alive but hospitalized. Steve had learned about her situation from Black Widow, who couldn't have kept it secret from S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Since Steve isn't here, you should stay at the school, Professor. I'll handle this myself—it shouldn't be a problem."

For the students' safety, either George or the Professor needed to remain on campus. Leaving the school entirely in Wolverine's hands felt... unwise.