"Professor McGonagall…"
Unlike the rest, as soon as Isabella saw the group of people, she instantly recognized the party. Albus Dumbledore—obviously, what witch or wizard wouldn't?—but McGonagall was an acquaintance of hers from a few years back when she and Maverick visited Diagon Alley, and she had a very good impression of her from that short but brief encounter.
"Ms. Garling, what a lovely surprise," McGonagall said, smiling and looking her over as Isabella walked up to her for a quick hug. "You've grown into quite the fine young witch, haven't you?"
Isabella blushed a little at the sudden compliment, bobbing her head. "Thank you," she said, then glancing to the rest, added, "Headmaster Dumbledore." She stretched her hand for a shake to the old, renowned wizard as a polite gesture. Although her father's face would turn blacker than the bottom of a pot whenever this old man's name was mentioned, that did not mean she had to mirror his view. Besides, Dumbledore was her fiancé's headmaster—in other words, his boss.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Garling," Dumbledore said warmly. "I've heard quite a bit about you from Professor McGonagall—and of course, from your fiancé."
Hehe—Isabella chuckled sheepishly, then, glancing back to her party who stood somewhat dazed for not knowing what to do—especially the rude uncle who looked like he had seen a ghost—she proceeded to introduce them.
"I'm not sure if Ricky mentioned this in his message, but this is Talos. As you can see, he's… not exactly human. Nor a magical creature."
Her first instinct was to point out the obvious odd one in the group, especially since everyone's eyes were already glued to the green-skinned alien.
"An extraterrestrial being," Dumbledore said, finishing her sentence with a hint of fascination. "How extraordinary." He looked over Talos with open curiosity, and the alien suddenly felt like he was being locked onto by some incomprehensible power, and already, beads of cold sweat was sliding down the side of his face.
"…And this is Maria, a No-Maj... former U.S. Air Force pilot. And these two are Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson and Fury," Isabella introduced everyone with her in the same breath.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The deafening thunder cracks had not relented once while she was talking, and had been echoing continuously from above them.
"And what about the person who seems to be having a wonderful time playing with Professor Caesar?" Dumbledore asked, glancing briefly overhead while his eyes narrowed slightly, sensing fluctuations feeding back to his magical sense.
"That's Carol Danvers," Isabella replied. "Also a former U.S. Air Force pilot—and, well, as you can see, she's also... rather special."
"Special?" the man beside Dumbledore repeated with a scoff, raising an eyebrow as he watched the flashes above. "I've never heard of a muggle capable of matching an archmage blow for blow." He shot a sideways glance at Dumbledore. "Albus, what can you tell—"
"Fascinating," Dumbledore interrupted softly, his eyes bright with intrigue. "The energy coming off from her—dare I say—even I'd have to think twice before taking her lightly."
"Is she a mutant?" McGonagall chimed in, also raising her head to the continuous booming thunder cracks.
Dumbledore did not answer; instead, he glanced at Isabella and raised a brow.
"Well, Ricky said she's not a mutant," Isabella said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, "but an enhanced human. Like Captain America—Steve Rogers."
The rough-looking man frowned, giving her a skeptical glance. "You're telling me muggles made that? An enhanced strong enough to go head-to-head with an archmage?"
"Let us not dwell on the matter for now, Alastor," Dumbledore said mildly. Turning back to Isabella's group, he smiled. "Allow me to introduce my companions. Albus Dumbledore, at your service. This," he gestured to the woman beside him, "is my colleague and dear friend, Professor Minerva McGonagall. And this gentleman here is Alastor Moody, a distinguished great magus from the British Ministry of Magic." He then paused briefly, casting a quick glance at the other two clad in black robes, and added, "Also great magi from the Ministry of Magic, who, because of their profession, I cannot reveal their names."
The two in question, after Dumbledore's introduction, gave a rather friendly nod in return to everyone.
"You, boy, isn't it time you dropped that piece of metal…" The rough-looking man, who turned out to be Alastor Moody, suddenly pointed to Fury, who was still holding his gun and pointing it at them.
At his words, Fury finally managed to break out of his daze and then lowered his weapon, while letting out an exhale he didn't know he was holding.
"With all due respect, wizard, I'm no boy," he said flatly. "I'm an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., reporting directly to the Director."
Moody let out a scoff, but Dumbledore raised his hand to signal that enough scrutinizing had been done.
"Now," Dumbledore continued calmly, "could you tell us what's happening here? Why Professor Caesar seems to be having such a… flamboyant exchange with the enhanced lady above us?"
"Oh… Ricky said he was going out to conduct some training with her. But I also don't understand why he's making it so noisy."
"Noisy?" Moody's single eye twitched. "Little girl, that is blatantly ignoring the Sacred Secrecy Act. Aren't you afraid of the consequences? And as an accomplice, you would also have to answer for it—"
"I'd like to see who would dare to question her, boy."
A sudden, heavy voice cut through Moody's ranting, and everyone instinctively turned to their sides and saw a man that, for lack of a better word, looked like Hercules himself, with hair as majestic as a lion's mane, arms crossed over his chest, descended from above. Two others were there behind him—a man and a woman, both bearing a strong resemblance.
"You…" As soon as Moody laid eyes on the figure, his pupils dilated, recognizing who it was, and he couldn't help but swallow a dry mouthful.
"Hah…" Fury chuckled quietly behind Isabella. Who's the boy now, you one-eyed, straight-out-of-a-comic-villain-looking motherfucker. Of course, he didn't say it aloud, but was pretty happy when Moody, the asshole who had been calling him a boy, received the same treatment.
"Daddy!" Isabella ran over and wrapped her arms around the man. "I thought you'd be the first party to show up…"
"Teacher Simon, Teacher Sarah." Stepping out of her father's embrace, Isabella then turned to the pair standing beside him. "Were you both called as well?"
"The kid mentioned in his message that we should find your father," Sarah answered, giving a light shrug. "So here we are."
"We've actually been here for a while," Edward added, smiling as he ruffled her hair.
"Indeed, we've been here for a while—or you could say we all, by some coincidence, arrived at the same time, isn't that right, Garling?" Dumbledore curled a smile, looking at Edward, then turned his head once again in the opposite direction.
Subsequently, an exaggeratedly tall woman materialized, as if a veil around her had dropped dramatically. And likewise, she wasn't alone either; with her were a man and a woman, but they looked considerably older than anyone else currently present in the area. They too came down, standing atop a construct of magic, and landed near them.
"That kid really has the audacity to summon all of us," the tall woman said, grinning as she swept her eyes across the gathering.
"Old woman, weren't you supposed to notify Volkov? And what about Takamura?"
Maxime shot him a withering glare. "Your mouth is as foul as ever." Then, glancing at Isabella, she smiled. "Little girl, you better not learn all of your stupid father's habits, lest little Raven might reconsider marrying you."
"The hell's that supposed to mean—"
"Now, now," Dumbledore cut in quickly, seeing Edward's temper flare. He turned to the pair behind Maxime and brightened. "Nicolas. Perenelle."
"Albus. I see your condition has improved somewhat. Have you found a solution already?"
The man speaking was none other than Nicolas Flamel, the grandmaster alchemist and once Dumbledore's mentor in the art of alchemy. At his words, both Edward and Maxime raised surprised brows and glanced at Dumbledore to hear what he had to say. Even McGonagall, Moody, and the two black-robed figures also cast curious glances, surprised by it.
"Not quite, but yes, I have indeed found some way around it," he said with a smile and glanced overhead once again. "All thanks to my dear colleague…"
"The kid never mentioned something like that to me," Edward said, glancing up and down Dumbledore as he washed his magical sense over the old man. "Good for you then, Dumbledore. If what you say is true, then you owe my pupil a grand favor."
"Hah… why are you trying to sound so high and mighty, mad-lion?" Maxime scoffed. "Just because you are his teacher doesn't mean it has anything to do with you…"
"No, no," Dumbledore said, chuckling. "I owe Professor Caesar a great deal, and I don't deny it."
BOOM!
BOOOOM!
"I believe it's about to come to an end," Dumbledore said suddenly.
At his words, everyone glanced upward once again, following Dumbledore's line of sight, and saw that with the last crack of thunder, the two trails of light had finally stopped moving.
"Might I suggest we go inside?" Taking his eyes from the skirmish above that seemed to have come to an end, Dumbledore then turned and looked at Maria. "My lady, I hope a few old people like us are welcome at your home..."
Maria, who had been silent all this time with all the big shots arriving in inexplicable ways, finally spoke her first words. "Uh… yes, sir. Please. But my living room isn't that big; I hope everyone won't mind." Even though everyone there had their presence restrained, she couldn't help feeling nervous under the man's piercing gaze and seemingly harmless smile.
Dumbledore let out a soft chuckle. "I'm sure, with all of us here, we can find a way to make a bit more room, my dear."
—————————
Author's Note:
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