Once the dust had settled, Shalltear and Wimzy listened carefully as Fang, ever the talker, excitedly recounted everything that had happened over the past few days. His version, of course, was filled with dramatic flair and exaggerated heroics.
"Master," Wimzy said after a pause, "I knew you were planning to forge a weapon, but I thought you'd do it after graduation. Are you really in that much of a hurry to fight Thunderbird?"
Alex nodded, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yeah. In two months, I'll be heading to Egypt. One reason is the International Alchemy Conference, but the main reason is Thunderbird. It's... more complicated than I expected. There's a high chance the Silver Wand group is operating there, and I've confirmed at least one more Adept Wand Warding is in Egypt."
"That lot again?" Shalltear's expression turned grim. She despised the Silver Wands, rogue magic traffickers, smugglers, and worse. "If it's their turf, why not ask the Egyptian Ministry of Magic for help? I heard they'll also be sending delegates to the conference."
Alex shook his head, his gaze sharp. "Killing them isn't the goal. That's just a step in the bigger picture. I have a plan, but it has to stay completely under wraps. No one, not even the Ministry, can know I'm targeting the Silver Wands this time."
"Oho?" Fang perked up, ears twitching. "A secret mission, huh? You're not even gonna tell us what the plan is?"
"Not yet," Alex said with a small smile. "I'll explain once it's done. You'll understand everything then."
He turned to Fang, his voice shifting into a more commanding tone. "I'm taking you with me to Egypt, so you've got two months to get back into top form. Ramp up your training, and start getting used to the new equipment."
Fang's ears shot up in excitement. "You got it, master! Leave it to me, I'll be back in shape in no time!"
But just then, Shalltear crossed her arms, clearly not happy. "My Prince… why do you always take Fang with you, but never me?" Her eyes narrowed. "It's not fair."
Alex gave her an apologetic smile, but his tone remained calm and logical. "It's because your identity is… complicated. Vampires aren't exactly welcomed everywhere, and I don't want to provoke the Egyptian Ministry of Magic by bringing one along unannounced. Plus, there's the sun problem, it slows you down."
He paused, then added with a reassuring grin, "Once we've finished testing the equipment that'll shield you from sunlight, I'll consider including you in future missions. I haven't forgotten you, Shalltear."
Her expression softened slightly, though she still looked a little sulky. Fang, meanwhile, was already bouncing around with excitement at the prospect of another trip. And Alex, focused as ever, was already planning for what came next, Thunderbird or not, the mission in Egypt would be critical, and he had no intention of failing.
***
Several well-dressed wizards were gathering in the grand hall of the Ministry of Magic, some with travel bags of various sizes slung over their shoulders or floating beside them. The air was lively with murmurs and rustling robes, everyone clearly preparing for a trip.
"Medea, why isn't Alex here yet? Today's the day we're going to Egypt. Don't tell me he's forgotten!" Vanessa asked eagerly, her eyes wide with excitement as she looked at Medea Weiss.
Medea, the one being pestered, sighed and pulled out a stylish watch, an elegant gift from Alex last Christmas. She flipped it open and glanced at the time before giving Vanessa a mildly exasperated look. "We're still early. Why are you in such a rush?"
"I'm not rushing, I'm just... excited, that's all!" Vanessa said defensively, then grinned. "This is my first time traveling abroad. I'm curious about how different Cairo is from the UK."
She turned to the woman standing quietly nearby. "Azalea, you've traveled around Europe before, haven't you? Are the habits there really different from ours?"
Azalea gave a polite smile. "Not too different, honestly. I only spent some time in France, and aside from the language, their magic practices weren't that unusual. But the food, now that's something. Absolutely lovely. I haven't been to Cairo though, so I can't say much about it."
"Less chatter, everyone, Alex is here. Let's be ready to leave," Barnabas, the department director standing beside Azalea, interrupted calmly.
At his words, everyone turned toward the hall's entrance. Striding in with the confidence of someone used to attention was Alex. He wore a sleek black suit trimmed with silver, topped with a soft felt hat.
A monocle rested neatly in one eye, and he carried a suitcase in one hand and a cane in the other. Beside him trotted a short husky wearing a black vest, Fang, currently shrunken for convenience.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting," Alex said as he reached the group, setting his suitcase down and adjusting his top hat with a slight nod. His eyes turned to Barnabas with a small smile. "Didn't expect you to be leading the delegation."
"We're right on time, actually," Barnabas replied, glancing sideways at Vanessa with a smirk. "Some of us just got here early thanks to a certain someone who wouldn't stop rushing us out the door."
Alex chuckled, then looked at her again. "Still, I'm surprised you're the one leading the group to the International Alchemy Conference."
"To be honest, for most of us, this is basically a Ministry-sponsored vacation," Barnabas said with a shrug. "You're the real star of the show. I heard your work won an award?"
"Just lucky, that's all," Alex said modestly. His invention, tracking glasses, had received the Gold Award for Innovation this year, something Bones had quietly tipped him off about beforehand.
He glanced around at the rest of the group. Besides Director Barnabas, who was officially leading the delegation, Azalea was present as his secretary. Alex had only recently found out she'd be joining the trip, apparently a last-minute arrangement.
Then there were Medea and Vanessa, both Aurors, assigned as part of the security team. Though honestly, the two of them looked far too excited to be working, judging by their overstuffed luggage and cheerful chatter.
Finally, there were the two Ministry alchemists who had once supervised Alex during his repairs of the alchemy lab. While they weren't particularly exceptional, their presence here made sense.
For professionals like them, this was a rare chance to observe and learn from top minds in global alchemy.
"Alright, now that everyone's here, let's get moving," Barnabas said, pulling a thick rope from her bag, an international Portkey, about three or four meters long.
"Grab on, everyone. The Cairo team should be ready to receive us."
As soon as Barnabas pulled out the Portkey, a thick length of hemp rope, everyone quickly reached out to grab hold. Even Fang, Alex's ever-loyal husky companion, jumped up and clamped his jaws around it with enthusiasm.
In the next instant, the familiar rush of Portkey travel hit them. It was like being yanked violently into the air and hurled across space.
The sensation twisted their insides, turning the world into a blur as they sped forward with
no sense of direction, before crashing down with dizzying force.
When their feet finally touched solid ground again, the group of seven found themselves standing in a narrow alley.
The walls around them were made of sun-baked stone, all in a dusty, earthy yellow. The air smelled different here too, gone was the cool dampness of the UK, replaced by the dry, sandy heat of the Egyptian climate.