Silence stretched inside the magical construct that cradled Isabella and her group, yet by no means was it quiet. The sky, quite literally, was burning at this point, thrumming with relentless explosions as the wreckage of battle boiled into ragged, churning thunderclouds that hung heavy over the horizon.

  Time dragged forward, each second stretching as everyone's eyes remained locked on the aftermath, absorbing the terrible beauty and sheer scale of what had just unfolded. Fear, shock, and reluctant admiration spread across the sea of faces, spilling over from those present to those who watched from behind glowing screens, each witness frozen in the same suspended moment of disbelief.

  "Is it… finally over?"

  Remus Lupin, his face lit orange by the streaks of fire and lightning erupting around him, asked, speaking to no one in particular.

  "Unless those blue-skinned bastards have any more of those humongous machines hiding, then yes, I believe that last move from the kid was the conclusion." Sirius Black, a stretch later, answered his best friend, his pupils reflecting the long trail of burning gas left in the wake of total annihilation.

  Suddenly, Isabella lowered her camera, a faint gleam catching in her eyes as she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, her gaze tracing the figure far off in the distance. It was perhaps the first time she had done so. Even in the heat of fending off the countless small aircraft inside the thundercloud she had always kept it pointed, and the people with her all couldn't help but turn to look at her.

  "What happened?"

  "Nothing," Isabella said, shaking her head slightly as she looked at Sarah. "Ricky just told me to cut the feed."

  "Why? Are we heading back?" asked Simon.

  "I don't know." Isabella looked just as puzzled, but since Maverick had said so, she simply complied without question. Glancing toward him in the distance, she saw that everyone had started to gather near him, so they might as well too. "Let's go over there."

  Meanwhile, with Maverick.

  Now that the threat had been all but annihilated, everyone instinctively converged around him, driven by the twin forces of curiosity and anticipation. He, after all, had been the leader of the entire operation, and plus, they all wanted to see up close this great enemy leader who had been captured by him, the one who had made the entire world hold its breath.

  "What do you suggest we do with him, Master Caesar?" Niklas Flamel asked, without even an ounce of fear, as he circled Ronan and glanced briefly at his bloodshot eyes. "Try him in front of the entire world? Imprisonment for life? Or simply… end him?"

  "I say break his mind first, extract everything. Who's to say more of these freaks won't be coming." Alastor Moody suggested, and despite sounding bleak, he raised a very good point.

  "I'm only a soldier." Danvers, when Maverick glanced her way, raised her hands before he even asked.

  "Ororo?"

  "I'm with her." Like Danvers, Ororo also seemed not to want to involve herself in the decision.

  Maverick did not argue with any of them and finally turned to Edward wanting to hear his thought. "Teacher, what do you think?"

  "Is he their leader?" Edward asked, scrutinizing the bound prisoner first.

  "Yes."

  "If it were up to me," he said after a moment of thought, arms folding over his chest, "I would… let him go."

  "What nonsense are you spouting, old lion?" Hearing the unexpected answer, especially coming from Edward, whom she knew was decisive in his actions, Maxime couldn't help but blurt out, "Did someone put you under an Imperius or something?"

  "Hear him out first, Olympe." Dumbledore, though also slightly taken aback at first, understood that there must be a good reason for Edward to suggest such a choice.

  Takamura did not chime in, and just furrowed his brow, waiting for Edward to elaborate.

  With everyone's eyes fixed on him, even Ronan, bound yet seething with fury, cast a glance his way as Edward began to explain his reasoning. "First of all, the idea of holding a trial for this invader is pointless. The outcome will surely be either death or imprisonment for life, which, in my opinion, both choices would be meaningless and a waste of time."

  "But I agree with the Brit," he continued. "We should uncover everything about their world, their empire, and extract every secret from his mind. The existence of extraterrestrial advanced civilizations is something new to both us and the muggle world."

  He paused, then continued, "And as for my opinion on releasing him, it is simply to send a message." His eyes gleamed dangerously at the imprisoned alien. "Our world is not a place any Tom, Dick, or Harry can invade whenever they please."

  At this point, most of the gathered people had more or less understood Edward's reasoning.

  Listening to his explanation, Maverick nodded thoughtfully, fully agreeing. Initially, his plan was to squeeze everything out of his mind and just burn him, but releasing him to send a message to the Kree Empire sounded more logical.

  "Do we need to involve the muggle leaders… ask their opinion as well?" he asked, if only to hear their opinion.

  "Ridiculous!"

  Takamura was the first to scoff, and judging by the expressions on the others' faces, it was clear they all thought the same.

  "Unnecessary, young Maverick." Nikolas Flamel, perhaps the oldest and wisest among them all, was also not inclined to consider the muggle world's opinion on the matter, and he expressed himself decisively. "We can tell them our decision, but their opinion in this is truly not required."

  "Very well then." With the decision made, Maverick nodded and prepared to extract the memories without dragging things out.

  "Wait, are we doing it now?" Maxime asked with a raised eyebrow. "How old is this alien anyway?"

  "Several centuries, actually, according to the memories I extracted from their commander earlier. But we only need very specific information, which shouldn't be difficult or take long."

  After saying, Maverick glanced back at the Kree once more and saw that the visible rage in his eyes had vanished, replaced now by paralyzing fear. During their brief discussion, they had not been subtle, and clearly, Ronan had heard every last word.

  What kind of cursed planet was this? He regretted it—truly regretted his actions now. The first thing he vowed in his heart, if he was ever allowed to leave, would be to find the bastard who had written the intelligence of this cursed world.

  To make him talk, if it were physical torture, he would have only scoffed at them, for there was no way he would betray his empire and reveal their secrets. But these monsters were talking about literally invading his mind, and so casually like it was nothing to them.

  "Accuser…" Maverick said, locking the bulging eyes of the terrified Kree without an ounce of sympathy. "You will tell us everything you know about your empire and its military strength. Every one of their deepest, darkest secrets you know..."

  Of course Ronan couldn't speak at that moment, his tongue held by the curse, and Maverick had only asked to make it easier to navigate the specific memories he needed; while he spoke, his finger was already pressed to the alien's temple and the spell answered his words a moment later.

  Legilimens!

  ---

  Some time later.

  Click.

  It didn't take long, around only ten minutes or so, and Maverick was already done extracting what he needed. He then sealed the enchanted bottle, the faint shimmer of stolen memories now swirling inside, and passed it to his teacher, while Ronan could only watch, eyes wide and bulging, as the proof of his violation was carried away before him.

  He did not know how, only that he was certain these monsters had done exactly what they had discussed earlier. He, the most loyal soldier of the entire Kree Empire, had betrayed it today, even if the means forced him completely against his will in a way he had absolutely no resistance against.

  His blood boiled now more than ever, even more than when he had watched his fleet being annihilated. Revenge. Revenge. He would have his revenge, he made a solemn vow in his mind. Sooner or later, he would have his revenge.

  He then saw the monster wave his hand in the air, and suddenly out of nothing a single fighter unit materialized there.

  What kind of ridiculous abilities even are these?

  Meanwhile, Maverick ignored the questioning stares everyone was giving him. Without a doubt, they were all wondering why he had one of the enemy's spaceships stored inside his ring—and probably more than one—but he did not care. He did not even glance their way, and simply motioned toward the alien.

  The hatch opened at his gesture, and with the next sweep of magic, he shoved the son of a bitch inside. Only after that did he remove the bindings, and with one final flick of his finger, the curse broke, freeing the alien's twisted tongue as well.

  Slowly, Ronan settled into the seat, and surprisingly calmly for someone who had been held prisoner so humiliatingly, not to mention the person in question was renowned for his arrogant character.

  "One last thing, Kree," Maverick said, fixing the Accuser with a cold glare. "You invaded a world under the dominion of whom you should be well aware. So I suggest you first worry about reconciling with them before even thinking about planning your revenge against us."

  He paused briefly, and while releasing a bit of his dominance over the clown, added. "Carry this to your supreme intelligence. Tell them how we humiliated you, how we massacred your fleet, how your proud cruisers fell like flies at our vanguard. Tell your leaders you did not escape. You were spared. Remember this, Kree. C-53 will hold your empire to account. Our retaliation is certain, with or without the Allfather."

  "Now, scram!"

  The Accuser listened to every word in silence, enduring Maverick's scornful and humiliating speech without a sound. Perhaps he had nothing to retort with—after all, every word of contempt he heard was, whether he liked it or not, true. Or perhaps he was simply too terrified that these monsters would change their minds if he dared speak back.

  Regardless, when it ended, he offered only a cold, wordless glare. Then he turned away, sealed the hatch, and ignited the engines, vanishing into the sky.

  —————————

  Louisiana.

  The setting sun filtered through a blanket of broken clouds above the quiet city. The air was crisp, and the faint scent of wet earth lingered from the afternoon drizzle while golden light spilled across snow-dusted streets, where puddles mirrored the fading fire of dusk and the calm that settled after a long day.

  Somewhere in the rural outskirts of New Orleans, a quiet property sat surrounded by open fields and the soft hum of evening cicadas. There, a great banquet was unfolding gently, laughter drifting through the fields as open fires burned low and the smoky aroma of barbecue mingled with the evening breeze.

  When Ronan was finally cast out from the planet, Maverick called for a banquet, inviting everyone for a celebration. And for convenience, Maria's property was once again chosen as the venue. After all, everything had started there, so for a happy conclusion why not end there as well. Besides, the open yard next to her house had plenty of space for everyone, the weather was surprisingly pleasant, and Maria, most importantly, had no complaints, even welcomed the idea.

  And thus, with more than one master of transfiguration present, the venue came to life in no time. Tables appeared beneath strings of floating lanterns, grills flared to life, and the finest cuts of meat along with the best drinks from both the magical and muggle worlds were gathered from across the globe. Everyone settled into the quiet quickly, and it was almost impossible to imagine that just hours ago, the people gathered here had confronted and eliminated a threat that could have destroyed the entire world.

  "To planet Earth!"

  "Cheers!"

  Laughter echoed through the evening air as bottles were raised high. Around the glowing grills stood witches and wizards, the X-Men, the Skrulls, Fury, Coulson, and Danvers—about fifty people in all—sharing food, mingling, and enjoying the warmth and comfort of peace hard-won.

  "To my student, and his quick thinking," Edward raised his bottle again, a stupid smile spreading across his face. "If it weren't for you, Rick, the devastation would have been unimaginable before any of us could even begin to act."

  "Despite the man boasting about his son-in-law, I can't deny his remark." Maxime also raised her bottle for a second time. "Without you," she said, nodding at Maverick, "things could have gone from bad to worse, and the lives lost would have been unthinkable."

  "To Professor Caesar. Indeed." Next, Dumbledore raised his glass. "I never thought, after the war all those years ago, that I would once again stand on a battlefield for the future of the world, alongside so many like-minded colleagues…" With a melancholy expression, he looked around the group and offered a sincere smile. "Magicals, mutants, muggles, the danger we faced has, on the bright side, brought together every group and race that represents our world. The world owes you, young man, a great debt."

  Even Takamura blended into the joyous atmosphere. Time passed amid the crackle of the fire, shared drinks, clinking bottles and glasses, and the rich aroma of meat drifting through the air. Soon, a bonfire was lit in the middle of the yard, and everyone gathered around to share their thoughts. Everything—from being summoned to planning the operation and carrying it out—had happened so quickly that it was only natural for many questions to arise, and now it was time for them to be answered.

  The X-Jet sat a short distance away, its sleek frame catching the fading light of the sunset. The rear ramp was already lowered, and Hank—the Beast—stepped down, a large, rectangular device slung casually over his shoulder and a wide grin on his face. "We can't have a proper celebration without some music," he said, striding toward the group. "Luckily, the X-Jet had a portable one lying around, so I thought I'd bring it along."

  "That sounds wonderful, Doctor," Dumbledore offered a warm smile, gesturing for him to sit. "Please, some music would be perfect. I'm sure most of our ears are still ringing from all those explosions…"

  He played some soft jazz, letting the music make the atmosphere even more relaxing, then settled between Logan and Professor X, popping open a bottle for a drink. "I just saw the news playing on the TV inside the X-Jet." Taking a fresh, cool sip, he added, "What happened is already making headlines on global networks…"

  "Oh… and what are the No-Majs reporting this time?" Edward asked sarcastically, smirking as he took a sip of his own drink. "Let me guess, it's gas explosions, right?"

  "Uh… no, sir. They're calling it a weapons test by the Joint Nations. The Chinese have already declared the entire desert a no-fly zone."

  Edward chuckled aloud, along with everyone else, as if they had already known that would be the conclusion. "So… a gas explosion."

  "No, sir…" Hank said again, then paused as he finally caught the joke. "Yes," he added, chuckling as well, "it was a gas explosion."

  Laughter rippled through the group, and the gathering couldn't have started on a better note.

  "Though I think the governments will have a hard time covering it up this time," Charles Xavier chimed in once the laughter faded. "That desert is known for clear skies all year round, yet now it's buried under thunderclouds stretching for miles, like the aftermath of a supervolcano eruption."

  "I'm more worried about radiation leaks," Maria said, glancing at the professor. Then, turning to the alien duo, she asked, "Are we certain there won't be any?"

  At her question, all eyes likewise turned to Talos and Norax, presumably the most knowledgeable when it came to Kree weaponry.

  "I'm positive," Norax explained. "Kree weapons technology doesn't rely on nuclear fission—or even fusion. It's an old, long-abandoned method of weaponizing."

  "Did you all really have to destroy every single one of their spaceships?" Fury asked, eyes scanning the group.

  "I mean, I'm just saying… we could have learned so much from them. Advanced decades, maybe even centuries ahead in our technology… you know what I mean?"

  Damn, the balls on this guy, Maverick thought, glancing at Fury. To his credit, though, it was a fair question, at least from an agent of SHIELD's perspective. And the subject, Maverick was sure, would come up even more during the World Security Council assemblies, which were bound to be busy in the following days.

  Meanwhile, some people exchanged knowing glances with Maverick when Fury raised the subject, but no one said a word. After all, they had seen Maverick pull a single pilot spaceship from his storage ring, and if he had one, there should surely be more.

  As for why nobody spoke up, first of all, the magicals don't want such technology falling into muggle hands. The X-Men, they simply didn't want to meddle, and in fact, Ororo was the only non-magical person besides Danvers who had seen it happen, and she hadn't told Professor X just yet. As for Danvers… well, she probably had other plans.

  "Simple. They had missiles that were very advanced, far more powerful than anything you No-Majs have, and on top of that, they could track us wherever we went." Before Maverick could speak, Edward chose to address the subject on his behalf. Looking at Fury, he continued, "At that time, they launched only six, and we barely managed to escape. I don't have to tell you what happened after they detonated, you saw it from the ground. As far as we know, they have hundreds more in their arsenal, and we couldn't risk letting any more of them be launched."

  "Teacher is right," Maverick added. "Ending it as quickly as possible was our only option… to destroy their fleet completely before they could launch any more weapons."

  "Speaking of, little Raven…" Maxime joined the conversation, shifting the subject. "Care to explain that last magic you used? I've never heard of, or even read about such a magic in my life." And in the same breath, she raised her hand. "Of course, if it's something you can't explain, you don't have to. I'm only curious."

  "Wouldn't you want to know?" Edward scoffed. Although, having said that, he too was just as curious. But being Maverick's teacher, he could always ask later, and he was sure his student would share it.

  The only people who knew were perhaps Dumbledore and his sidekick McGonagall, and they had long been aware of the existence of sorcery. As for how McGonagall, a great mage, knew about it when even some archmagi didn't—well, naturally, she had learned it from Dumbledore, who shares much with her, trusting her more than almost anyone else.

  However, there were other people there as well who knew about the existence of sorcery, apart from Maverick, Dumbledore, and McGonagall. The Flamals, for instance, Maverick was sure, were aware of it, as the Sorcerer Supreme had once mentioned it, but it seemed they were keeping silent about it. But…

  "It's not magic." Apparently, the old man from Japan was aware of it as well, and everyone turned to Takamura when he spoke up. "Like you mutants, and you," he said, first glancing between Charles and the others, then stopping at Danvers, "I don't even know what you are…"

  "There are other kinds of extraordinary abilities in the world, besides all of us here," he continued. "Sorcery, or sorcerers, are in a way like us witches and wizards. They use spells to cast magic, only they don't draw on magical energy as a source like we do, but something else…"

  "Mr. Takamura, you are very well-informed," Maverick said, raising a brow. He was genuinely surprised the old wizard knew so much about sorcerers. The Sorcerer Supreme hadn't mentioned it… no, she had hinted that some people were aware of them, but no names were ever given.

  Takamura let out a snort. "Boy, I've been alive long before your great-great-grandparents. I know more about the forces hiding in our world than you could ever imagine."

  "Right, right, old thing, we get it. You know a lot," Maxime said, then turned to Maverick again, and all eyes followed.

  Sighing, Maverick spoke. "Like Mr. Takamura said, it's called sorcery… just another form of magic. Unfortunately, I can't explain any more without their permission—not even to an archmage." he added, glancing at Maxime.

  "Interesting…" Maxime's eyes gleamed as she leaned forward, her curiosity growing even more. "Is it something you can't share even with us?"

  "I'll have to side with Professor Caesar here." And just then, Dumbledore chose to chime in on the subject, perhaps seeing the eager looks on everyone's faces. After all, who doesn't want to learn new magic?

  "I'm aware of the existence of sorcerers too. They are a very secretive group, much more so than even us. But unlike us, their numbers are fewer. However, they are disciplined, tightly united, and follow a strict hierarchy. As far as I know, only those they choose to reveal themselves to are made aware of their existence." Dumbledore explained, and in the end, giving a knowing smile to the Muggles, he further added, "I hope… everyone here can keep that in mind."

  "Do they have a purpose, then? To be so secretive that even we know so little?"

  "They do," Maverick replied, looking at Maxime. "Think of them as the world's last line of defense. Their ultimate duty is," he paused, "to protect the world from any and all extra-terrestrial threats. And I'm not talking about aliens."

  —————————

  "Do these sorcerers have a purpose then? To be so secretive that even we know so little?"

  "They do," Maverick replied, looking at Maxime. "Think of them as the world's last line of defense. Their ultimate duty is," he paused, "to protect the world from any and all extra-terrestrial threats. And I'm not talking about aliens."

  A sarcastic-sounding chuckle echoed after Maverick finished, before someone asked, "What…? Ghosts and demons?"

  "Yes, Mr. Fury. Ghosts, demons, djinns, monsters, even the boogeyman," Maverick said matter-of-factly, a smirk tugging at his lips as he looked at the man.

  A moment of silence hung in the air, broken only by the flickering of the fire, before Fury finally found his voice, stripped of all sarcasm. "You… gotta be kidding, right?"

  "Agent, look around you. There are literally witches and wizards sitting to your left and right. What's so hard to believe about ghosts and demons? Even Hogwarts is full of ghosts. I wouldn't mind giving you a tour even… if the Headmaster doesn't mind, of course."

  "Not at all. Mr. Agent Fury is welcome at our great school for a tour, provided Professor Caesar accompanies him," Dumbledore said, shrugging lightly and raising his bottle with a smile.

  Though some topics got tense, the atmosphere remained harmonious, the quiet calm under the stars and the bonfire easing the mood.

  Time passed unknowingly, and about an hour later, Maverick separated from the group to a quiet spot under a tree. Following him were Danvers and Talos, clearly to discuss something they couldn't in front of everyone else, and Maverick already had a good idea why.

  "Just a sec," he said, making a few gestures in the air. A moment later, he added, "Alright, you can speak freely now. No one will hear us."

  "Mr. Caesar," Talos began, hesitantly meeting his eyes, "I was wondering if you might have a Kree spaceship stored somewhere… one I could borrow."

  "Oh… why? Planning to take your people and leave already?"

  "This isn't their world, wizard," Danvers said, crossing her arms as she watched him tease the poor alien. Who would have thought that just days ago, she had been hunting them across the galaxy, and now she was speaking up for them, even ready to fight for their well-being. "This isn't their home. This planet can't, won't accept them, and I plan to help find them one."

  Raising a brow, Maverick asked, "I understand them wanting to leave… but why you?"

  "Like I said, I want to help them find a home," she repeated, "and to finish what Mar-Vell started."

  "I see…" Maverick didn't answer immediately, his eyes darting between them for a moment. "I can only give you each a single space pod. I don't have a ship big enough to carry all of his people."

  "Come on, wizard." Danvers tilted her head slightly, a half-smile playing on her lips, carrying a subtle hint of challenge. "They might not have noticed what you did in the middle of that chaos, but I did. I saw Ronan's ship disappear the moment you sent him flying. You hid it, didn't you?"

  "And what if I did?" Maverick replied, matching her smirk. "I'm still not handing over that ship." He then raised a hand just as Danvers was about to retort. "Instead, how about you both hear my proposal first?"

  "Go on…" she said, eyes furrwing.

  "It's actually very simple," Maverick said, turning to Talos. "I can shelter your people, help build them a home, even take care of their identities… make things official an all."

  "Really?" Danvers asked before Talos could respond. "You would let a group of alien species live here, settle among you? Do you even have the authority to make that decision?"

  "First of all, woman, 'you' includes you as well. Or do you no longer consider yourself human just because you spent a few years with the Kree?" He didn't give her a chance to cut in. "And second, yes, I would. As for your last question, it's just as simple. Other than me, no one else needs to know, right?"

  "They'd find out eventually…" Danvers argued. "Now you're just being careless." She paused, studying him for a moment, then asked again, "Tell me, what do you really want from sheltering them?"

  "Can't I just want them to have a home?" Maverick shrugged, smiling, but Danvers smirked back, clearly unconvinced.

  "Okay, fine," he said, then turned to Talos again. "Remember what I told you when we first met? That we'd have much to discuss once all this was over?"

  "I do," Talos said.

  "I really mean it. I want your people to have a home here, but at the same time, it's not on Earth…"

  Maverick then revealed his plan to terraform Mars, explaining that he intended to build a new home there for magical beings. By the end, their jaws were halfway dropped, and Danvers was even staring at him like he had completely lost his mind.

  "You do realize the absurdity of what you're saying. I spent six years with the Kree, and even then, I've never heard of something like that ever happening anywhere in the galaxy."

  "That may be so," Maverick replied, "but that may also be because you never thought to find out." He turned to Talos. "What about you? In all your time roaming the galaxy, have you ever heard of planets being terraformed… or if it's even possible?"

  "I'm… afraid not. But… like you said, that may be because we never thought to look. However…" He glanced sideways at Danvers for a moment before adding, "I don't think what you envision is absurd at all. Since that planet is in the habitable zone, and with advanced technology combined with the power of your world's magic, it really doesn't sound impossible."

  "You're kidding?" Danvers asked, now glancing at Talos as if he were an idiot.

  "What? The universe is so big. The possibilities are endless."

  "Exactly, Talos. I'm starting to like you a lot better," Maverick said, smiling. "Tell you what: you leave your people here with me, and I'll make sure they're safe. I'll find them a place to live peacefully, even help them blend into our society. Meanwhile, the two of you can focus on finding the other Skrulls scattered across the galaxy, and also help me scour the universe for examples of terraforming. I'm sure, like you said, the universe is so vast it must have been done somewhere."

  Danvers and Talos glanced at each other, seemingly in thought, before turning back to Maverick.

  "Can you really not hand over the Imperial Cruiser?" Danvers tried one last time. "We'll only borrow it. Once we find the rest of his people, I promise we'll return it."

  "I'm sorry," Maverick said straightforwardly. "My answer is no." There was no way he was handing over the Kree spaceship before studying the technology inside out, which would take not just a few days or even months.

  "Alright then. I agree," Talos said, seemingly having made the decision at last, though the sigh that escaped his mouth revealed his disappointment. "Until we return, for taking care of my people, I promise to search for the technology to terraform planets as best as I can."

  Danvers let out a sigh and nodded as well.

  "Wonderful. And again, even if you can't find a second home for your people, I welcome them to the new home I'm building for my people."

  "…If you're actually able to create this… home you speak of."

  "I will, Danvers," Maverick said with firm conviction. "I have no doubt in my mind that I will succeed."

  Sigh. "Fine." Danvers let out a long exhale. "I guess you have a lot of explaining to do for your people," she said, looking at Talos.

  "When do you plan to leave?"

  "In a couple of days. I want to spend some time with Maria and Monica first. In the meantime, you can follow him and help take care of settling your people. I also have some things to handle with Fury."

  The evening passed just like that, relaxing, sharing stories, and forging bonds between different groups. The X-Men, too, had achieved their objective. The world could not deny that they had helped prevent a catastrophe that could have otherwise destroyed the planet, and their reputation, at least in front of the upper hierarchy, magical or muggle, was greatly improved by their involvement.

  And while time passed quietly here, the rest of the world was far from calm. On the Muggle side, governments, particularly those of the superpowers, spent long, sleepless days trying to bury what had happened over the skies of the desert in China. At the same time, in the magical world, perspectives had shifted dramatically after witnessing the events firsthand. Perhaps this was the beginning of the great, rapid change that was about to sweep across the world.

  ____________

  Somewhere beneath the quiet fields outside Surrey, far from the city noise and eyes of the world, a massive underground laboratory stretched across several levels. Bright white lights hummed softly from the ceiling, casting clean reflections off rows of polished metal counters and glass panels. People in lab coats moved about, focused on their work, some checking computer monitors, others arguing quietly over readings that scrolled faster than most eyes could follow.

  Deep inside the facility, in a smaller room on the main floor, three people were seated on two sofas facing each other across a low coffee table, with a single desk standing at the far end, creating a relaxed, almost casual meeting space. One of them, a man with a neat goatee and an easy smirk, let his eyes drift to the right toward the only unfamiliar figure in the room, sitting with arms folded and quietly observing the exchange.

  "A genius hand-picked by yourself…" said the man with the goatee, his voice carrying that familiar tone of half-joking arrogance as he slightly turned his head to the other man. "Should I be worried I'll lose my job, boss Caesar?"

  More than a week has passed since the battle that took place over the desert in China. True to form, the governments were working overtime to cover it up, while conspiracy theorists worked just as hard to prove they were lying. It was typical, but in the end the governments always won. It wasn't the age of smartphones and social media yet, and whatever the mainstream media said, eventually the public would believe, and that was just how the world worked.

  Just two days after the skies over China's desert had been torn apart by mushroom clouds, the World Security Council convened to review everything that had happened. From start to finish, as everything happened so suddenly and obviously, there would be a lot of questions that needed to be answered. And Maverick, who discovered everything, who planned and executed everything, obviously had to take the lead in addressing them.

  It was also the first time he addressed the council, and he recounted the events more or less truthfully, careful to leave out anything that didn't need to be said, and even bending the truth in a few places where no one could prove him wrong.

  Things got heated when it came to deciding what was to be done with the Skrulls. Of course, Maverick would not just watch idly by if a decision was made that would end up with the aliens being detained; heck, even Danvers wouldn't. It was only for the sake of formalities that Maverick had suggested Talos be present.

  Apart from explaining why they ended up on Earth, which was basically their group being chased across the galaxy by the, then Kree Star Soldier Danvers, it was also to "enlighten" some idiots that the universe was a lot bigger than they thought and that Earth was certainly not the center of it. The bit about Danvers being brainwashed could not be hidden because records of her military file were already there, but the four Archmagi who participated in the action vouched that she was now cured, and all the influence of the Kree inside her head had all but been removed.

  Basically, Talos's entire testimony was scripted by Maverick to save him the trouble of answering unnecessary questions from the council of world leaders.

  Nonetheless, some councilors still argued that he and his group of aliens should remain on Earth as a punishment for attracting such trouble, but fortunately, the suggestion was quickly dismissed by a vote. Talos concluded his testimony by saying he would not stay on the planet long, and that in just a couple of days, once his spaceship completed maintenance, he would leave Earth indefinitely.

  Like Talos, Danvers gave her testimony, which matched his completely and left no holes in their story. But when she told the council she would also be leaving Earth along with the leader of the Skrulls, the chamber immediately grew tense, especially with the head of the United States trying to persuade her to stay. Obviously, losing such a powerful asset, particularly one capable of contending with magical archmages, was a blow the muggle leaders did not want to accept, but her mind was made up, and it wasn't as if they could force her to remain.

  The President of the United States even offered her top-level authority within the US military if she wished to serve, but she did not budge. He went so far as to propose giving her a high councilor seat on the World Security Council, yet before the chamber could even vote, Danvers herself declined, saying she wasn't interested.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  With those arguments settled, the council moved on to recounting and discussing input from others who had participated in the battle. Countermeasures were debated, and to the delight of one council member, Piers, the chamber unanimously voted to increase the budget allocated to SHIELD, put more funding into researching countermeasures, and implement the radar technology Talos had promised.

  Yes, Talos had indeed promised to share advanced radar systems technology to monitor space around the world. It was also at Maverick's suggestion, and honestly, it wasn't much of a concession, just something to have on the table.

  Maverick wondered what they would think if they knew the technology had been created by Norex in the back of Maria's garage in just over a night. But, hey, they were happy with it. He smiled inwardly as he sat in the assembly.

  All in all, the assembly mainly focused on countermeasures in case the world faced a similar threat again. The increase in the budget allocated to SHIELD and funding for researching technology to monitor the planet was the main decision that was voted on and passed. The question of whether to come clean to the public was also formally discussed, but the world leaders voted that it was not yet the right time. Typical.

  After the assembly ended, Danvers found Fury and went for a secret meeting with him, which Maverick, of course, knew about, but he didn't bother asking her what it was about. It was probably just giving Fury a way to contact her if he needed her help, basically what had happened in the original story before she left Earth again.

  Meanwhile, Maverick took Talos and his people to fulfill the promise he had made, helping them blend into the world. Needless to say, his arrangements were deeply appreciated by the green-skinned, shape-shifting aliens, because it was far better than they had imagined they would receive. Basically, Maverick offered them homes, promised to create legitimate identities, and even set up jobs at his company, giving them things to do so they could live among humans like humans and have a life of their own.

  What more could they want? After all, all they had been searching for until now was a chance to live peacefully without worrying about the Kree coming to hunt them down. Now, they were being offered exactly that, and Talos could roam the galaxy as much as he wanted, searching for the rest of his people without any worry. And with the great favor Maverick had done for him, he would not forget to keep an eye out for the thing Maverick had asked him to look for as well.

  Finally, with all that settled, Maverick then proposed to Talos that Norex, his science guy, work for him directly, helping with the terraforming project he had been researching.

  A couple of days had passed since then, and the Skrulls were settling into their new life, temporary or not, while Danvers and Talos had already left Earth. Today, Maverick finally arrived at the underground lab with Norex to introduce him to Howard, letting the two geniuses meet. Two brilliant minds from different worlds working together—the possibilities seemed endless. Of course, that was assuming they could actually work together, after all, Howard, like his junior, was not the kind of man who liked being told what to do when it came to his area of expertise. Then again, that's just in the comic books… anyways, time would tell.

  "A genius hand-picked by yourself…" Howard said, his voice carrying that familiar half-joking arrogance as he flicked his gaze from Norex to Maverick. "Should I be worried I'll lose my job, boss man?"

  Maverick didn't take him seriously and simply turned slightly to make the introductions. "His name is Matthew Maher. He'll be working with you from now on on all ongoing and future projects."

  At that moment, Norex was under the guise of the face Maverick had given him to live as a human on Earth, and Howard had no idea he was even speaking to an alien.

  "Pleasure to meet you," Norex—uh, no, Matthew now—said politely, offering his hand.

  "Pleasure. Robert Downey Jr. I like your hair, by the way." Howard shook his hand but couldn't resist making a comment. Of course, the hair he was talking about was nonexistent, because Matthew was bald.

  Norex… well, he appeared to be in need of some earthly cultural context to catch the sarcasm. Tilting his head and shrugging, he skipped the small talk and went straight to the point. "I've been told you are the second-brightest human on the planet… how far along has your research gone?"

  Howard's mouth hung open for a full second before he turned sharply to Maverick. "Did he just call me second? No, wait, why is he talking like he and I are from different species?"

  "First of all, I agree with him that you are the second. And second, did you not watch the news?" Maverick asked, one brow lifting slightly. His eyes wandered over the room, taking in the metal walls and the busy researchers at their stations outside. "Why is there not a single TV in the lab?"

  "I… will let that offense slide for now." Howard blinked at him, making a dramatic face, then added, "anyways, why would I install a TV here?"

  Maverick just sighed quietly. "That explains a lot. When was the last time you saw your wife?"

  —————————

  "When was the last time you've seen your wife?" Maverick asked, eyeing Howard. Although outwardly there didn't seem to be anything wrong with him, Maverick could still sense the fatigue the man kept bottled up inside.

  "Maria?" Howard tilted his head slightly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

  "I'm asking when was the last time you were anywhere but here."

  "Fine. Two days back." Howard waved his hand, exhaling. "If you must know, I've got a date with my wife... tonight."

  Maverick ignored the last part of his answer and asked again, "And while you were at home, did you not watch the news?"

  "What are you on about..." Howard asked again, looking more puzzled. "Did something big happen recently?"

  "The news, Howard..."

  Sighing, Howard finally took a moment to think, then answered, "The only thing of interest... let's see." He rubbed his chin. "Was probably the reports about some joint nations' weapons test being conducted in China." He paused, then looked at Maverick, suddenly thinking of something and asking with a skeptical look, "Or does it have something to do with you wizard lot?"

  Finally, Maverick smiled. "Yes." He didn't bother to hide it or keep the suspense anymore. "Something big happened, and it brought together not just us. It was a joint operation carried out by the entire world... magicals, non-magicals, even mutants working together."

  "I see..." said Howard, then just a beat later he asked more sharply, "Wait, what? What could possibly bring all of you into one group?"

  "A very, very powerful—" Maverick started, then paused and changed his wording. "—no, troublesome enemy. I'll let you guess. Once," he added teasingly.

  "Troublesome?" Howard thought for a moment. "Could it be that one of your High Councilors rebelled... turned into a terrorist like the madman from the war?"

  Maverick's eye twitched. Well, can't really blame him for putting the magicals first on the suspect list.

  Shaking his head, Maverick corrected him. "No. It has nothing to do with us."

  "Okay?... Then what is it? The news called it a weapons test. Some networks even showed footage of the aftermath, and if any of that's real, I'd say nukes were deployed... probably more than one."

  "It was aliens," Maverick finally said.

  Howard's mouth hung open momentarily, wordless, then his eyes widened. "You're… not lying?" He didn't think Maverick would joke about something like that.

  "Why? With everything you know, is it so hard to believe in the existence of aliens?"

  "No, you bastard." Howard's voice suddenly rose a pitch, and he stretched out his arm, pointing a finger at Maverick as if accusing him of some grave offense.

  "I'm not surprised knowing there are aliens. I'm a scientist," he said, sounding genuinely wronged. "I'm upset because while all that was happening, you never thought to call me... me!"

  At Howard's tantrum, Maverick's expression didn't change and he just stared at him blankly. Inwardly, however, he felt a little awkward. Indeed, he really did forget all about him in the heat of everything.

  "Everything happened too fast, and besides, what could you do even if you knew about it?"

  "That's not the point!" Howard said, rubbing his face with both hands dejectedly before slumping into the sofa. "Aliens, man..." he muttered after a moment. "How could I, the number one scientist in the world, miss something like that?"

  Saying that, he tilted his head back, leaning against the sofa and staring at the ceiling. He really looked like he had just been told the worst news in the world, or like a child who had just lost their favorite pet.

  "Anyway, that brings us to my new friend here," Maverick said after a moment of silence, making Howard, who was staring upward, darken one eye toward their direction.

  "What about him?"

  "He... is an alien," Maverick said matter-of-factly.

  But contrary to what he expected, Howard's expression didn't change. He only leaned forward slowly, narrowing his eyes at Norex, then glanced back at Maverick questioningly.

  "Oh, right," Maverick suddenly realized the issue and turned to Norex. "Change back."

  Moments later...

  Seeing a perfectly normal-looking human suddenly change into a green, rough-skinned, medieval, bald-looking elf, the genius scientist, temporarily not a billionaire, did not overreact like a normal person should at such a sight. His eyes only widened for a moment before he swallowed his shock and turned his head slightly back to Maverick.

  "You're not messing with me, right? This isn't some of your hocus-pocus magic? He's... an actual alien? From outer space?"

  Actually, that was a perfectly reasonable question to ask. After all, Howard had seen enough and by now knew very well what magic was capable of as well as what Maverick himself could do.

  "He's a legit, green-blooded alien," Maverick answered. Then, instead of explaining the rest, he figured it was better to just show him.

  "His species are called Skrull..." As the lights dimmed and the room around them began to blur, Maverick started explaining everything that had happened over the past couple of weeks.

  ---

  About an hour later, the vision in the room faded, the last scene showing clear blue skies and two small, shuttle-like spaceships streaking upward like bullets, the moment Danvers and Talos left Earth to explore the universe. The illusion then dissipated, and everything inside the room returned to normal.

  "If the two of them eventually do stumble upon the technology we're researching, it could save us a lot of time, maybe even all of it."

  The room was quiet. Norex was still mesmerized, or perhaps stunned by the incredible experience of witnessing something in such lifelike detail. Howard, on the other hand, had seen enough not to be easily shaken, though his mind was now deep in thought, processing everything he had just learned.

  "That's a big if," Howard said after a moment, then put on that same stubborn look from earlier. "Forget about it for now." He shook his head, exhaling. "I'm still upset you didn't include me. I mean, even SHIELD agents were there. Heck, there was a random woman too."

  "That random woman is Danvers's friend," Maverick explained without changing his expression. "But… if it makes you feel any better, next time a random alien army shows up, you'll be the first one I call." Of course, that was nonsense. After all, how often do random alien armies show up on Earth?

  Hmm, wait… this is Marvel, so maybe it technically can't be called nonsense, right? He mused inwardly. Besides, by now, he understood why this guy kept complaining—what else could it be but coveting the tech?

  Howard gave only an unimpressed, unsatisfied look, his eyes half-open as he stared at Maverick. A moment later, he asked, "How much tech did you manage to secure? I want to study it. All of it." Straightening up, he finally got to the point.

  Smiling, Maverick replied, "First of all, I didn't steal anything. It's called spoils of war."

  "Whatever, potato, potahto." Howard waved his hand dismissively. "How many of those smaller shuttles did you scavenge really?"

  "I have enough," Maverick answered vaguely after a moment, then his expression turned serious. "But I'm thinking… after I hand them over for you to research, you might disregard the real project I gave you. And I can't have that."

  Howard opened his mouth to retort, but closed it a moment later. What Maverick said wasn't wrong. He was, after all, first and foremost, a fanatic scientist. And a fanatic scientist getting the opportunity to research advanced alien tech could indeed turn out exactly as Maverick predicted.

  "That's why I brought this guy to be your partner in research," Maverick continued. "The research on the alien tech will mainly be done by him, while you continue with the Mars project. Of course, you can join in as well, and Norex here will share everything with you, and you likewise."

  "As for what I have… I have a lot, honestly. From alien battle suits to energy blaster weapons, space shuttles, and even…" He paused for a moment and added, "an Imperial cruiser. That's their mothership, the big behemoth spaceship you saw in the illusion."

  At this point, Howard's eyes had widened so much it looked like they might pop out. Gold mine. For a scientist, this was a gold mine.

  "So much… where…" He wanted to see them, study them inside and out right then and there, but Maverick raised a hand to stop before he might actually start drooling on the table.

  "I'll get to that, but first, listen. Here's the plan. You and my new friend here will work together on both tasks. Start with the space suits—improve the ones we'll be using on Mars when we get there. And as for the spaceships… I honestly don't even know where to begin, but there's plenty for you to study and replicate for the Mars mission. My point is," he emphasized, "don't lose sight of the main objective. Everything has to ultimately serve the Mars mission."

  A moment of silence stretched across the office before Howard finally exhaled, collected himself, and leaned back. "I get it."

  He paused, seemingly lost in thought, then continued, "Actually, we've already explored some theories. Not for full-scale terraforming yet, but for setting up a temporary base—a large, self-sustaining structure that can endure harsh conditions and extreme weather. A kind of sustainable ecosystem pocket. It's still on the drawing board, and I was waiting until we had a solid, foolproof plan before bringing you in for a proper briefing."

  Anyway, Howard thought, if he wanted to get his hands on the alien tech, he had to offer something in return. Moreover, what he said wasn't made up, that was exactly what he and his team had been working on for the past few months.

  "Oh…" Maverick raised a brow and leaned back as well. "How large is this… self-sustaining base going to be?"

  "About a kilometer… calling it safe. My point is, once we establish a base there, the real research on terraforming can begin. Only by studying the planet on-site can we conduct proper analysis. Right now, what we're doing is perfecting a way to live there and actually survive comfortably."

  Maverick nodded thoughtfully after listening. Makes sense. After all, the data on Mars so far only came from readings gathered through telescopic observations. But from the planet itself, they could study, collect more accurate and comprehensive data, and only then could the real research begin.

  "Very well, then. I'll hand over every piece of alien tech I have with me for you two to study." He said with a final nod, his mind made up. "But before that, I'll have my team expand the base. The mothership alone is about the size of a football stadium, so it'll take a while to get things ready. The smaller shuttles and the rest of the tech, though—I'll hand those over today before I leave."

  Glancing sideways, he added, "The first thing I want you to do, Norex, is completely remove any signals that might be sent out. I also have a captured Kree soldier who knows everything about the ship's operational procedures, so if you need to clear anything or decrypt something, just give me a call."

  He had kept the Kree lieutenant alive precisely because there might still be encryptions Norex would need to crack or could not decrypt on his own. Obviously, there would be secure protocols buried within the system, and Maverick had no intention of using the Kree ship for anything until he was certain it was completely under his control.

  Time passed slowly. After finalizing a rough plan, Norex was then taken to meet the rest of the team working on the project. Maverick joined as well, surveying the work they had been doing over the past few months, ever since his Earth-made spaceship was launched en route to Mars. There was still a little over a month until it reached the red planet, and after that, the real mission would begin.

  As Howard had said, actual terraforming research could only begin once they were on the red planet's surface. As for why Maverick didn't just use a Kree pod to get there immediately—well, he could have, but he chose not to. At least in these early stages, he wanted the project to rely purely on Earth-made technology, with no alien interference. Call it pride or whatever; he didn't care.

  After the briefing, Maverick no longer lingered in the lab and chose to leave. Norex, however, stayed with Howard. Unsurprisingly, the two scientists hit it off remarkably quickly.

  ---

  Greenland.

  Far to the north, approaching the Arctic Circle, vast icefields stretch as far as the eye can see, broken only by jagged ice formations and ridges that rise like frozen towers against the pale gray sky. A bitter wind sweeps across the landscape, chilling to the bone and carrying flakes of snow that sting any exposed skin. The emptiness feels endless, a silent, frozen wilderness at the edge of the world.

  Here, at the northern tip of this small continental land, buried beneath layers of snow, ice, and rock, a hidden chamber lay, shrouded in silence.

  The ceiling lights bathed the chamber in a gentle glow, when suddenly the fabric of space warped and a figure emerged, accompanied by a low, resonant hum.

  Without a pause, Maverick strode down the long, empty hallway, the soft thud of his shoes on the floor the only sound breaking the silence. At a glance, the space seemed like a perfect cuboid, metallic, plain, and bare in every direction, and Maverick stopped at the far end facing what appeared to be a solid wall.

  Yes, at a glance it looked like a solid wall, but to him, every surface and space in this place was anything but empty. Next, he raised a hand, tracing symbols in the air while murmuring in an unfamiliar tongue.

  In response, the wall seemed to have shimmered to life, lines of light weaving into intricate patterns that grew brighter until a rectangular section slid open, revealing the space beyond.

  Contrary to the plain, unremarkable space behind him, what lay before him was like stepping into the open. Clear skies stretched above, lush greenery spread across the landscape, and a lake glimmered in the distance.

  In the distance, birds and animals could be seen moving about, some predators and some prey, forming an ecosystem of their own. In fact, it was a self-sustaining miniature ecosystem, where only the sky and the sun were simulated, while everything else was as real as it could get.

  He didn't stay long inside. Stepping out, he walked to another section of the plain metallic wall and repeated the same motion as before. Once again, an opening formed on its own, and he stepped inside, only this time, he wasn't alone.

  The soft sound of a meow broke the silence, and looking down, he saw a red-ginger cat weaving between his legs. He smiled and let it brush past him, a small, grounding moment in the otherwise sterile chamber.

  A few more steps forward, and his face was bathed in a bluish glow, his eyes trembling ever so slightly as they locked onto the source. Only for a moment, though, before calm returned to his expression. Reflected in his pupils was a small glass chamber holding a luminescent object—the Tesseract.

  This was his personal sanctuary, a hideout crafted in secrecy and known to no one. A fortress of solitude, carved deep into the northernmost reaches of the world. Hidden beneath layers of earth and ice, it housed things and secrets that, otherwise, his cheat system was unable to accommodate.

  The Tesseract, for example, was the most important item here, and it would remain so for the next ten years until he could replicate the space laws from the Space Gem. After that… well, time would tell.

  Besides serving as a storage for super rare items, it was also a prison, and right now, a captured Kree soldier was the only occupant confined in one of the rooms.

  And of course, there was Goose. The first room he entered was a replica he had created after seeing Newt's briefcase, thinking a place like that might come in handy someday, and who would have thought it would be needed sooner than he expected.

  Goose, therefore, was technically not a prisoner. In fact, the cat was probably living a pretty happy life, reigning at the top of the food chain in the ecosystem pocket. If it were a regular cat, Maverick was certain it would be a very fat one by now.

  Anyway, until he fully understood the seemingly harmless kitty's… tentacle trigger conditions and figured out a way to control them, there was no way it would be allowed outside, let alone left with someone else. Leaving it unattended was out of the question.

  At the same time, Goose wasn't going to stay here forever either. But first, he wanted to see if he could control it—completely. Who knows, maybe eventually have it as a proper pet. After all, it was cute. If he couldn't control it, then unfortunately, the cat would have to go.

  There were still a few days left before school started, so he decided his next stop would be Kamar-Taj. If there was anyone on this planet who could figure out how to fully tame a Flerken, it would most certainly be the Sorcerer Supreme.

  If not, well, he'd hand the cat over to her to do as she wished. Still, he hoped she could—he liked the cat and wanted it to be his pet. After all, one never knows when a dangerous enemy might need to be swallowed whole.

  "Come on, Goose." He lifted the cat into his arms and snuggled it, smiling. Leaving the Tesseract behind, he sealed the chamber, and a portal materialized in front of him, opening a path to Nepal. "Let's go meet a bald auntie."

  —————————

  Hogwarts.

  Sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows of the Headmaster's office, filling the room with a soft golden warmth despite the thick layers of snow blanketing the castle grounds.

  It was another beautiful morning, and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sat behind his large ornate desk, a cup of something undoubtedly sweet resting before him, while his magical companion, Fawkes, purred softly, feathers fluffed and eyes closed, perched on his stand in peaceful slumber.

  Accompanying him across the desk, his deputy, Minerva McGonagall sat in her usual composed posture, while beside her, Maverick leaned back slightly in his chair, the three of them appearing to share just another lighthearted morning conversation.

  "I didn't take you for a cat person, Professor, or any… pet, as a matter of fact…"

  Looking at the red ginger cat resting peacefully on Maverick's lap as he rubbed its back, Dumbledore's eyes couldn't help but twinkle inquisitively.

  "Yes, well, you were wrong then, Headmaster."

  "Will she be a permanent resident then?" McGonagall also glanced over, smiling.

  "How'd you know it's a she?" raising an eyebrow, Maverick asked. He was genuinely a little surprised. He had only just returned to Hogwarts, first from Kamar-Taj and then after spending some time with his family back home. He was certain McGonagall had never seen Goose before, not even in the illusions he had shown everyone a few weeks earlier during the briefings at Maria's house.

  When he arrived, unsurprisingly, he was summoned to the Headmaster's office as soon as he passed the wards, before he even reached his chamber.

  "You forget, Professor," she said with a teasing smirk, "who you're talking to. No cat can fool me," she added rather confidently.

  Apparently, this one had. Of course, Maverick didn't say it out loud, just shrugged, letting her win her way, then turned to Dumbledore again. "So, is there something urgent happening?"

  "Nothing in particular," Dumbledore answered, then pushed the newspaper on the desk to his side. "I was wondering if you've seen the recent news?"

  With a questioning look, Maverick nudged the paper toward himself and took a look. On the front page, as it had been for the past few days, was an article about what happened in China over the desert. "Hmm… I like the picture," he said, looking at the moving photograph of himself, infact, captured from the side as he summoned eldritch magic into a colossal ring of blades. "Is this a new magic or transfiguration at the highest level?" he read the headline aloud, then put the paper down and looked back at Dumbledore.

  "I've seen my face more times than I can count these past few days, so I've been avoiding them for now," he said with a chuckle. "Merlin, I'd rather not end up a narcissist like Lockhart."

  "Lockhart was a fraud, Professor, which you are not." McGonagall also chuckled and picked up the newspaper, folding the first page, then the next, to the third. "Here," she said, handing him the paper again.

  Taking the paper from her hand and shrugging lightly, he glanced at the contents again.

  "The first failure by the new administration..."

  Infamous Murderer Peter Pettigrew Found Dead in Prison Cell

  In a shocking turn of events, convicted murderer Peter Pettigrew was found dead inside his prison cell shortly after a visit from his mother, Mabel Pettigrew. Authorities have ruled the incident a suicide, though many question whether that is truly the case.

  Was this a final act of mercy from a grieving mother? Sources within the Ministry whisper that Mabel Pettigrew may have played a part in her son's death. Whether through a colorless poison or an unforgivable curse that severed his soul, one thing is certain — Peter Pettigrew's torment inside the prison has come to an unexpected and mysterious end.

  Maverick read part of the article aloud, then put it down. Of course, he already knew exactly what had happened long before the newspapers got wind of it, but he was simply playing along.

  Pettigrew's mother had applied to visit Azkaban not once but twice. The first time was a normal visit, but the second time... well, let's just say the apparently dead body of Peter was not exactly him. And likewise, the woman in question was not exactly Peter's mother anymore, and someone else.

  Everything had happened under Greengrass's absolute supervision, and even the aftermath — from leaks to the report by the Daily Prophet — was orchestrated by him. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been buried on the third page of the paper.

  While the article suggested that Peter's mother might have convinced the rat to end his life or even taken part directly, the truth was far from it. The rat's mother had offered to switch places with her son — call it maternal-sacrifice. In other words, it was indeed a mother's mercy, or rather, a sacrifice, for her son.

  Of course, she couldn't have done that so smoothly if the guards hadn't been told to look the other way. There was no compulsion involved, and it was purely her own decision. It wasn't exactly how Maverick had planned to make the rat escape, but the perfect solution had delivered itself on a silver platter, so he simply asked Greengrass to close one eye.

  "Tragic. For the mother, of course," Maverick remarked after a moment. "I wouldn't exactly call it mercy, though. The rat deserves no mercy." He paused, then glanced at Dumbledore. "Wouldn't you think so, Headmaster?" He didn't really care whether Dumbledore suspected something was off. Either way, he would find out soon enough.

  "Would you really like to hear my thoughts on it, Professor?" Dumbledore asked after a moment, giving him a knowing smile.

  Maverick waved a hand. "No, not really. Is this why you called me to your office, Headmaster?"

  The smile on the old man grew even wider, but Maverick didn't budge and kept a straight face. Okay, now Maverick was fairly sure that this old fox had at least deduced something wasn't quite right about the supposed suicide. But unless he asked directly—and even then—Maverick would feign ignorance.

  "Will the two of you not… do that in front of me, please?" After a stretch of silence, McGonagall finally interrupted their quiet exchange and complained. "And no, Professor, we did not ask you to come because of the article," she said, turning to Maverick.

  "Please, I'm all ears," Maverick said, lifting his shoulders slightly.

  McGonagall then glanced once more at Dumbledore and turned back to Maverick again, deciding she would lead the discussion from here. It was mostly about the lesson plans for the remainder of the semester, and that he should be prepared for some very, very enthusiastic questions from students during the first few days.

  The talk of the magical world was still about the sky-shattering battle that took place a few weeks ago, and they, being the main figures of the operation, would undoubtedly be sought out the most.

  Dumbledore, McGonagall, and even Flitwick had been avoiding reporters until now, returning to Hogwarts and never appearing in public—at least not as themselves—so none of their comments had been published. The same went for Maverick, though he wasn't exactly avoiding reporters; he was simply busy in places they could not find him.

  Obviously, the young witches and wizards would be impatient to hear about everything from them, which unfortunately couldn't be avoided. They would just have to endure it for a few days until the buzz faded away.

  "There's one last, very important matter," McGonagall said at the end. "Discussions have begun between the three major schools of Europe—Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts—about holding a grand event next year. Igor proposed the idea, saying he drew inspiration from the interschool Quidditch tournament, to create a truly magical competition between the three schools."

  "Oh…" Maverick was intrigued and looked between the two of them. "What does Headmaster Karkaroff have in mind?" Of course, he already had a guess, but he didn't expect the reason behind it to be "inspiration" from the interschool tournament he started.

  "Have you heard about the Triwizard Tournament?" asked Dumbledore, looking at Maverick.

  "I have. But wasn't it stopped because of the loose regulations and many safety risks involved?"

  "It was," McGonagall answered from the side. "But that was a long time ago. And regulations can be changed... so can safety measures."

  "Indeed," Dumbledore chimed in. "In any case, it promises to be a delightful event, much like the interschool Quidditch tournament... one that could bring the students of our school's four houses into an even more harmonious atmosphere than it already has."

  Maverick nodded, then after a moment, asked again, "What are the proposed changes discussed so far?"

  "For starters," McGonagall explained enthusiastically, "we're thinking of creating a brand-new Triwizard Cup, or at least removing its old, binding rules. Anything uncontrollable or too dangerous for the organizers to handle will be dropped. That said, it cannot be any less thrilling than before. We have also proposed raising the security standards even higher. With that in place, we could also remove the age restriction, or at least lower it slightly."

  "Still, talks are on the table, not finalized," Dumbledore added, then smiling at Maverick, he asked, "Would you like to join us for the next meeting—"

  "No." Maverick quickly cut him off, raising a hand. "I'm sorry, Headmaster, I have too much on my plate. Businessman turned full-time teacher and all that. Especially next year, I can't worry about anything else, since many new projects from my companies, both in the Muggle and magical spheres, are planned to launch."

  Both Dumbledore and McGonagall sighed at the same time. However, Maverick didn't change his expression, no matter how much air the two old foxes exhaled.

  A moment later, Dumbledore said, "Very well, then. How would you feel about joining the judges' panel? Surely that won't take much of your valuable time?"

  "Wasn't it supposed to be one judge from each school?" Maverick asked, puzzled.

  "That was before, and now it's under discussion. While we're making changes to the participants, their ages, perhaps even their numbers... we might as well increase the number of judges," he explained, and having said that, he waited for Maverick's response.

  Damn. This old man is really pushing it. Exhaling, Maverick finally nodded. "As a judge, fine. But that's it. Don't throw any other responsibilities my way."

  "Wonderful," McGonagall exclaimed brightly. "And I hope you wouldn't mind lending your team to help us cover the tournament… you know, broadcasting the events through your fiancée's news network, much like the interschool Quidditch tournament…"

  Maverick nodded after a moment. "I'll ask Bella and my friend Ali to get in touch." By now, he didn't need to involve himself personally in matters like this, and Isabella and Ali were more than capable of handling it on their own.

  Anyway, he would be too busy, because during this very tournament was also when his plan to topple the Secrecy Act would begin. And now, because of the changes that would be made to the Triwizard Tournament, some adjustments would also be needed in his plan, though nothing troublesome that couldn't be improvised.

  Some more words were exchanged, and soon, Maverick finally left for his chamber in the castle. Later, around sunset, the train would arrive at Hogwarts—packed full of students—ready to begin another, undoubtedly memorable semester.

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  Author's Note:

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