Harry Potter : Bloodraven

About an hour later, the family gathered in the dining room for lunch. The warm sunlight streaming through the windows cast a golden glow over the polished wooden table, where a feast of mouthwatering dishes had been laid out.

Isabella sat beside Maverick, occasionally glancing down at her ring. Each time she caught sight of it, a silly smile tugged at her lips, and she'd quickly look away, biting the inside of her cheek in a futile attempt to contain her joy.

Edward and Silvia exchanged amused glances at their daughter, who seemed completely absorbed in her own world. It was a rare, genuine moment of pure happiness, and they couldn't help but share a warm smile as they quietly watched her.

Maverick who sat to Isabella's right appeared more natural, but his smile, though subtle, lingered longer than normal, and his eyes often flickered to Isabella, softening with every glance.

A moment of comfortable silence filled the room until Edward leaned back in his chair, glancing between his daughter and her soon-to-be fiancé. "Well, that is one magnificent-looking rock... and the color of the metal... it's not gold or silver, is it?" he asked, raising a curious brow at Maverick.

Isabella's gaze snapped up from the ring, her cheeks flushing slightly. "What do you mean, Dad?" she asked shyly, unaware the question was directed at Maverick.

"Nothing..." Edward said, feigning innocence as he reached for his drink, amused by his daughter's reaction.

Maverick chuckled, leaning back slightly. "The rock," he began, pausing for effect, "is something I got from South Africa. As for the metal..." A smirk tugged at his lips. "I'll let you guess, teacher... But no, it's neither gold nor silver."

"Oh..." Edward's curiosity was clearly piqued, and it wasn't just him. Silvia and Isabella were now just as intrigued.

"If it's not gold or silver, then..." Edward trailed off, giving Maverick a pointed look. "Obviously, you're not cheap enough to give my daughter a random ring made of some common metal."

"Edward Garling!" Silvia cut in sharply, shooting him a glare before turning to Maverick. "Don't listen to his nonsense. He's just being... him."

Isabella quickly joined in, giving her father a glare of her own. She glanced at Maverick, then down at the ring on her finger and smiled shyly. "I don't care what it's made of," she said softly. "It's perfect just the way it is."

"That's not what I meant," Edward said, his mouth slightly open, raising a finger before letting it fall. It seemed his wife and daughter had clearly taken sides.

He sighed and looked back at Maverick. "Alright, out with it. Either you enchanted it heavily, or it's made from some rare mix of metals. Which is it?"

Maverick chuckled, shaking his head. He glanced at his teacher, "Yeah, it's enchanted... I did it myself. Same protective measures as the one you gave me, but, you know, better." He finished with a grin.

Edward didn't doubt his student's alchemical skills, but he arched an amused brow. "And the metal?" he pressed.

Maverick leaned forward slightly. "Do you remember Rogers?"

"Rogers?" Edward repeated, narrowing his eyes in thought. "If you're talking about that Rogers, then yes..."

A hint of melancholy crossed his face as he added, "Good man... he was."

Seeing his teacher's reaction, Maverick briefly considered mentioning that Rogers might still be alive. However, he quickly dismissed the thought, deciding to steer the conversation in a different direction. He wasn't ready to mess with the bigger MCU plots just yet.

"If you know him," Maverick said, "then you should also know about his shield."

Edward tilted his head, puzzled for a moment, before his eyes widened momentarily in realization. "Adamantium? Is it adamantium?"

Silvia and Isabella exchanged glances, first looking at Edward, then at Maverick. They weren't sure what they were talking about, but judging by their expressions, it clearly seemed like something extraordinary.

"Not quite..." Maverick grinned, shaking his head before letting the words drop. "It's... Vibranium."

"Vibranium?" Edward straightened up, leaning forward with a sharp look. "How on earth did you get your hands on that?"

"What's that?" Isabella asked, glancing at her father, who seemed a bit less composed than usual.

Edward shot a quick glance at his daughter. "A very rare ore. It's the same metal used to make Rogers' shield... but for us magicals, it's far more than just the strongest metal on Earth." He turned back to his student. "You know, right?"

Maverick smirked. "I'm a master alchemist. Of course I know!"

Edward nodded thoughtfully. "The only metal with a natural affinity for magic." He retrieved his wand and placed it carefully on the table. "My wand has a small amount of Vibranium infused with the wood. It's an incredible conductor of magic... far more efficient than materials like yew, holly, oak, or even elm. But..." he paused, tapping the wand lightly, "it's extremely rare. Incredibly rare."

Maverick chuckled sheepishly. "I stole it..."

The room fell silent, everyone giving him a mix of stunned and confused looks.

"Stole... it?" Silvia was the first to speak, her voice hesitant.

Maverick glanced at her, then at Edward, before smirking. "I stole it from a weapons trafficker. A big chunk of Vibranium... oh, and a whole stash of U.S. dollars in cash." He paused and added, "By the way, got any tips on how to wash the money?"

Edward blinked, ignoring the latter part entirely. "A... big chunk?"

Then, Maverick noticed his teacher's usual demeanor changing into something entirely different—an odd mix of eagerness and flattery, which didn't quite suit the usually domineering Arch-Magus.

He saw his teacher oddly cough, straighten up, and ask him in an weirdly sweet tone, "I mean... my beloved student, if it's a big chunk, you wouldn't mind sharing with your dear teacher, right?"

Maverick bit back a laugh. He had never seen his teacher act this flattering, ever. He gave him an amused look. "Sure, but you'll have to help me process the cash."

"Of course! Of course!" Edward nodded eagerly.

"Excuse me!" Silvia exclaimed, glaring at both of them. "Are you two serious right now?" She looked between her husband and Maverick, disbelief written all over her face. "Stealing? Money laundering? Who even are you people?"

Maverick scratched the back of his head, glancing at Silvia apologetically. "That... Aunt... I procured it from a very, very bad guy. Technically, I did the world a favor."

"Exactly!" Edward chimed in, his tone righteous. "My student would never steal!"

"Can someone explain what's going on?" Isabella interrupted, grabbing Maverick by the shirt.

Maverick smiled and turned to his fiancée. "Well, you see, Vibranium is an incredibly rare and expensive metal. For magicals, it's even rarer. Alchemical items made with it allow magic to flow dozens of times more efficiently than with any other material." He gestured to her hand. "Like your ring."

Isabella blinked, her gaze shifting to the ring as he continued, "It's even better than the one on my hand. The runes engraved are far more efficient, making the protective measures function much better. I can confidently say it's leagues beyond the noble families' heirloom rings. In fact," he smirked slightly, "It should be much more powerful than your father's."

Isabella's expression shifted from astonishment to pride, and a moment later, her face softened into a loving look. She didn't seem to care about anything else at the moment and gave Maverick a warm gaze.

Maverick met her eyes and smiled. "You didn't think I'd settle for a typical diamond ring, did you?"

Isabella shook her head. "No. I mean, I wouldn't have minded even if it wasn't, but thank you, Ricky." She leaned over from her chair and gave him a hug.

Cough.

Edward cleared his throat, feeling like an awkward third wheel in front of his student and daughter.

Blushing, Isabella quickly sat back in her chair, smoothing her dress as if nothing had happened.

"Okay, never mind the stealing... or, sorry, 'procuring'... of that metal or whatever," Silvia interjected, her tone pointed. "But what about the money laundering?" She glanced between her husband and Maverick, clearly unimpressed.

Edward raised his hand as if to calm her. "Don't worry, honey. It'll be handled through the goblins." He turned back to Maverick. "You might lose about five percent, but once they're done, it'll be spotless."

Maverick nodded. "That's fine. I need No-Maj capital urgently, and this will help me get started."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Why U.S. dollars, and not Galleons?"

Maverick shook his head. "Caesar's Magitech is expanding rapidly, so I can't touch the existing Galleon capital I have. The dollars are for investing in No-Maj companies... and to start one of my own."

"Oh..." Edward leaned back, his mind recalling something they had discussed. "So, you're starting... is everything going smoothly so far?"

Maverick nodded but didn't comment on it. He then added, "I'll give you five kilograms of Vibranium, teacher. And another five... help me find a buyer. "

Edward immediately shook his head. "No need to sell it for anyone else. I'll take all ten..." He paused, taking a brief moment to think, then added, "How about 50 million dollars?"

Maverick stared at his teacher, baffled.

Edward chuckled as he leaned back. "Little Rick, you have no idea how valuable this ore is to magicals. I'd bet even the entire ICW treasury doesn't have a kilogram of it. Actually, you know what... make it 70 million—"

"No, teacher," Maverick interrupted quickly. "Fifty million is fine. Just help me clean the cash."

Edward gave him a thoughtful look before nodding. "Deal!" he said with a grin.

Maverick retrieved a suitcase and two irregularly shaped pieces of metal, levitating them toward Edward. His teacher quickly snatched the Vibranium with excitement.

Edward didn't even glance at the suitcase before sending it to his storage ring. Instead, he examined the metal pieces with obvious delight, turning them over in his hands. After a moment, he sent them into his storage ring as well and looked back at Maverick. "I'll have the cash cleaned in a couple of days and transfer it, along with the 50 million, to your account."

Maverick smiled and nodded. "Thanks, teacher."

Edward cleared his throat again. "Just out of curiosity, how much Vibranium did you manage to... procure?"

Maverick gave his teacher an amused look before replying, "About 50 kilograms or so." He half-lied, as there was actually over a hundred kilograms safely stored in his independent storage dimension.

Edward's eyes widened momentarily, but he quickly masked his surprise and asked, "Who the hell is this trafficker?"

"A No-Maj warlord named Ulysses Klaue," Maverick said casually. "The guy had all sorts of dangerous weapons and drugs stashed on a warship. It happened about a year ago. I got the intel, raided it, took what I needed, and lit the whole thing up like a festival..."

Edward nodded, his expression neutral. His student's actions were well within his moral boundaries—in fact, he would've done the same in Maverick's position, and they both knew it.

"You two can be completely unrecognizable sometimes," Silvia said, shooting a pointed look at her husband and Maverick, her tone a mix of exasperation and disbelief. Turning to Isabella, she added firmly, "And don't you go learning such things from them!"

Isabella shrugged lightly. She trusted Maverick and, of course, her father. She knew they wouldn't cross any serious lines. She wasn't naïve or foolish because Edward had taught her well about how the world worked.

"Alright, let's move on from the ring," Edward said, changing the topic. He looked at his daughter with a smile. "Now that you've graduated, when are you planning to start working on the thing you have always wanted to do?"

The hours passed easily as they sat together, sharing stories and laughter. The cheerful atmosphere never changed, even when the conversation had touched some unexpected topics.

It might have seemed like Silvia had overreacted, but she wasn't naive. She and Edward had been married for many years, their bond of love and trust strengthened by the challenges they had faced together. She trusted his every decision completely, even if his methods occasionally seemed unorthodox.

Another topic that came up was the engagement celebration and how to announce the news. It was important to make sure the right people knew that Isabella was now taken, to keep the unwanted attention at bay. Without such an announcement, there would be no end to the so-called "hyenas" who might try to vie for her affection.

After discussing the matter, they agreed to hold a small engagement ceremony in three days, inviting close friends and family from both sides.

Time passed, and soon three days had come and gone. On the fourth day, a few select newspapers reported the engagement of the Garling heiress. The news was mentioned, but not on the front page—rather, it was tucked away in the social column, a brief mention amid other stories, just as Edward and Maverick wanted, enough for those who needed to notice, to take note.

Aside from the union of the young couple, the articles highlighted on the important individuals who attended the celebration ceremony. Among them were well-known figures like Albus Dumbledore, Agilbert Fontaine, the Scamander couple, Simon Walker, Sarah Walker, and a dozen or so Great Magus.

Maverick's father, the Prime Minister of Britain, accompanied by two Great Magus-level wizards, was also highlighted. This was another move they had planned, presenting the engagement as more than just a simple union, but a political and magical alliance, ensuring no one would question the decision. After all, there would always be idiots who thought they knew better, and Edward would rather avoid those nuisances than answer them.

One thing was clear from all the articles. This was a gathering of those with substantial influence in the wizarding world, and the name Maverick Caesar was once again brought to the forefront of the wizarding community.

—————

Author's note:

That's the end of this arc. I'm not entirely happy with it, especially the romance part. When I read it now, it feels so forced, but hey, what's done is done. Over 30 chapters have already been written after this, so I can't exactly change anything. I will try my best to improve on this aspect in the future.

As for the Vibranium, following the MCU canon, Klaue managed to bypass all Wakandan security and successfully infiltrated Wakanda to steal a quarter-ton of Vibranium. I have big plans for it in the future, and it's going to be exciting.

Next up, I'll be diving into the first book of Harry Potter. Just a heads-up, this won't be a babysitting story about the Golden Trio. They'll be important, but not enough to dedicate whole chapters to them. Trust me, you won't be disappointed with what I'm cooking.

Please leave feedback. I'd really, really appreciate it!

Just a quick update — up to Chapter 98 is already available on P AT r30n!

PAT r30n [.] com / RyanFic