"Found his location?" The small conference room was deathly silent. Past laughter gone. Only Steve's flat voice.
Nebula and Rocket pulled up star charts. Based on what he'd said and energy detection, they confirmed Thanos's location. Nebula's broken ship was repaired. Everyone immediately embarked on the journey.
Until Thor chopped off Thanos's head with one axe swing, no one snapped out of it. They'd completely failed?!
Gemini didn't go with them. Quietly returned to Britain.
Entering an inconspicuous red phone booth, Gemini wasn't sure if the visitor entrance still worked. She'd already been to the not-yet-abandoned Woolworth Building. Everything still running, except living beings.
She dialed 62442 on the nearly rotten phone. Cold female voice spoke. "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Visitors state your name and business."
Gemini opened her mouth, struggling to make sound. Hadn't spoken so long, almost forgotten how. "Gemini Black. Visiting Head of Auror Office."
"Please wear your badge and proceed to main hall for wand registration." As voice finished, badge printed with Gemini's name clattered out coin return.
Gemini picked up badge, pinning to chest. Phone booth rumbled, began descending.
Soon, when light appeared, Gemini was in Ministry's eighth-floor main hall. Looked at empty Ministry, carefully walking out elevator to security desk. No one there. Gemini placed wand on scale-like instrument herself, watching parchment slip emerge. Clutched it in palm, took wand, walked toward elevator at end.
Elevator doors slowly closed. Paper airplanes that used to fly back and forth all gone. Only few parchment sheets on floor trembled slightly.
Cold female voice announced floor. "Level 9, Department of Mysteries."
Gemini walked out open elevator, through dim corridor, pushing open door at corridor's end.
Candles on walls automatically lit. Door closed automatically behind her. Twelve surrounding doors began spinning rapidly, stopping after minute.
Gemini casually pushed open door on right. Inside was circular stone room, empty except stone archway with veil in center. Gemini knew—this was where Sirius died. Stared at veil for while without entering room. Closed door, pointing wand at it. "Flagrate."
Huge burning X appeared on door. As soon as lowered wand, doors spun again. After minute stopped. Gemini opened door next to marked one. Inside empty except few cabinets. Hourglasses that should have filled them gone.
Gemini violently smashed these glass cabinets, collapsing to floor. Last hope gone.
Was Ministry full of idiots?! Why hadn't they repaired even one Time-Turner destroyed nearly twenty years ago?!
Wait. Gemini suddenly thought something. Remembered—there was one. Yes, one wasn't smashed. One Hermione used before. Think. Where did she store it?!
Gemini tapped head, as if that would make memory clearer. Right—Hogwarts! When Harry and Hermione encountered Death Eaters here, they smashed all Time-Turners. Only one Hermione had applied for because of course load—Dumbledore kept at Hogwarts for sentimental value. Escaped destruction!
Gemini immediately got up. No time fix appearance. Urgency made next door she pushed reveal corridor to elevator.
Quickly entered elevator back to main hall, using magic in Apparition area.
Next moment, Gemini stumbled onto Hogsmeade's main street. Bustling village now quiet as dead place.
Gemini ignored that, summoning clouds beneath feet, flying rapidly toward Hogwarts.
Soon, Hogwarts's gates appeared. No time land and go through gates—Gemini flew directly over walls, speeding toward castle.
Great Hall doors still open. Food on tables turned black. Gemini could easily imagine what happened.
No time sentiment. Gemini didn't dismiss clouds, flying extremely fast toward Headmaster's office on eighth floor. Portraits along way chased her, constantly asking what happened, why no students!
Reaching gargoyle, Gemini began testing password. Fortunately, Headmistress McGonagall didn't have habit frequently changing passwords. Still "Animagus." Gargoyle sprang aside, revealing stairs behind.
Gemini ran up quickly. Paid no attention anything in office, running straight to cabinet in corner.
If Harry were still here, he'd recognize immediately—that was Dumbledore's cabinet for storing Pensieve and Sorting Hat.
Cabinet looked small on surface, but modified with Undetectable Extension Charm. Anything with sentimental value kept here.
Gemini tossed aside torn diary, scorched diadem, shattered locket, muttering constantly. "Where is it? Remember should be in here?" Gemini rapidly scanned rows items in cabinet. Just couldn't see that hourglass-style necklace.
"What looking for? Why not ask us former owners?" Voice suddenly spoke behind Gemini, startling her. Quickly turned around.
"Professor Dumbledore! You'll scare someone to death!" Gemini patted chest.
Dumbledore chuckled, stroking beard with zero sincerity. "My apologies. What looking for? Where's Minerva? Shouldn't be summer vacation now?"
Above Dumbledore, Headmistress Dilys Derwent also asked worriedly: "Did St. Mungo's relocate? Did they forget take our portraits? Why can't see anyone?"
Other headmasters also spoke up. They could only go few places—specific locations with portraits. Those places all wizards. This time all vanished. These headmasters had no information.
"They... outside..." Gemini simply sat on floor, looking at wall full worried portraits. Finally couldn't hold back, crying while telling them everything.
Until Gemini cried herself to sleep, wall portraits sighed, quietly discussing with each other. They were already portraits—couldn't do anything. Couldn't even get Gemini on floor blanket.
Until nightfall, Gemini woke up shivering. Rubbed arms, trembling as lit fireplace, found thick blanket McGonagall kept in rest room, wrapped around herself, finally relaxed.
"You kept looking for something. What want do?" Dumbledore waited until Gemini calmed before asking.
Gemini's eyes shone brightly at Dumbledore. "Want find Time-Turner!"
Dumbledore silent moment before shaking head at Gemini. "That won't work. From what said, whole group couldn't beat him. Even if go back that time, what can do? Plus Hogwarts's Time-Turner has limits—only 24 hours. Completely insufficient!"
Gemini looked at Dumbledore unconcerned. "Not using it turn back time. Using it for research!"
Dumbledore looked her surprise. "What researching with this?"
Gemini waved wand, demonstrating with images. "Time, as we see it, should be long river. If use Time-Turner research method return to past, then can stop Thanos from getting stones in advance!"
Dumbledore shook head. "That's not feasible. History can't be changed. Even if stop him once, Thanos will get stones another way. Something more terrible might happen."
Gemini disappointed moment, then rallied. "There's another way. If go to past, find all stones bring them to present, snap fingers bring back everyone who vanished because Thanos, then go back return stones—world returns normal, and Thanos already dead!"
Dumbledore stroked chin. "Sounds feasible. But very difficult. Crossing time isn't easy. Even if can research it, how ensure cross to right place?"
Gemini patted bottom, stood up, looking Dumbledore firmly. "Someone has to do it, right? Counting on you all from now on. Think nowhere in world more suitable for research than Hogwarts. There's Forbidden Forest, library, and you all."
Dumbledore spread hands. "You've already decided, haven't you? Anyway, you're only wizard left in world now. Can use everything in castle. Of course, if could sign that agreement behind my portrait, even better. Can help better utilize everything at Hogwarts, including Forbidden Forest."
Following Dumbledore's instructions, Gemini opened his portrait. Hole behind revealed headmaster's commission document, just without name.
"You know, Minerva's not young anymore. Been considering retirement, just hadn't confirmed successor when this happened. Good thing you're here, otherwise could only let Hogwarts rot." Dumbledore said gratefully. "If things succeed and everyone comes back, if don't want be headmistress here, can choose someone approve of pass it down."
Gemini looked Dumbledore suspiciously. As far as knew, headmaster was lifetime position. Sure this wasn't trick?
"Sign it. Can change people." Snape, who'd been silent, spoke up. "Otherwise managing this castle will exhaust you. Forbidden Forest creatures and Restricted Section alone will be enough trouble."
Gemini could only look apologetically toward headmaster's rest room, picking up quill on desk, neatly signing document.
Moment wrote name, Gemini felt it—Hogwarts's cheer. Even though couldn't speak, was just castle, flowing magic let Gemini feel its happiness.
With soft sound, house-elf wearing Hogwarts tea towel appeared before Gemini. "Lala serves you! Headmistress!"
Gemini stared at house-elf, stammering: "What's going on?!"
Dumbledore chuckled. "This is headmaster's exclusive elf. When new headmaster takes office, brand new elf is born. Based on Hogwarts's magic concentration, he'll quickly split into other elves. This wasn't in that Thanos's elimination range. With elves helping you, this castle much easier manage."
Gemini couldn't help thinking Coby. Looking at still-bowing elf, sighed. "Lala, clean up Great Hall. Split other elves soon as possible. This castle's too big. Two of us can't maintain it."
Lala answered respectfully: "Yes, Headmistress. Lala will go now!"
Lala vanished from headmaster's office. Visibly, office's dust disappeared. Cabinet Gemini messed up was tidied. Fireplace burned brighter. Tea and snacks at perfect temperature appeared on desk.
Gemini picked up tea, smelling familiar aroma, wiping tears from eyes. Opened locked drawer in headmaster's desk. Time-Turner lay quietly inside.
Stroking metal chain, Gemini's expression grew more determined. Using headmaster privileges, Apparated directly from office. On London's streets, Gemini contacted Tony, telling him whereabouts. Gathered necessities from chaotic supermarkets before returning Hogwarts begin research.
After receiving Gemini's message, Tony personally went Ilvermorny. With no one supervising, packed all books, bringing Pepper to Hogwarts research with Gemini. Had to have hope, however slim!
Banner and Hulk thought they were too weak. Took Nebula's ship to Sakaar, asking Grandmaster arrange stronger opponents. Wanted become stronger.
Remaining Guardians—Natasha and Barton—stayed at Guardian base with Steve as everyone's communication center.
After hearing Gemini's plan, everyone couldn't help holding great hope. Steve and Barton trained themselves nonstop, hoping in next battle, they could still move. No one knew when that would be.
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