About an hour ter, 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 id out.

  Isabel sat beside Maverick, occasionally gng 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 tain her joy.

  Edward and Silvia exged amused g their daughter, who seemed pletely 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 Isabel's right appeared more natural, but his smile, though subtle, lingered lohan normal, and his eyes often flickered to Isabel, softening with every gnce.

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

  Isabel'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 innoce as he reached for his drink, amused by his daughter's rea.

  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 her gold nor silver."

  "Oh..." Edward's curiosity was clearly piqued, and it wasn't just him. Silvia and Isabel 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 rand made of some etal."

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

  Isabel quickly joined in, giving her father a gre of her own. She g 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 ented it heavily, or it's made from some rare mix of metals. Which is it?"

  Maverick chuckled, shaking his head. He g his teacher, "Yeah, it's ented... 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 mencholy crossed his face as he added, "Good man... he was."

  Seeing his teacher's reaaverick briefly sidered mentioning that Rogers might still be alive. However, he quickly dismissed the thought, deg to steer the versation in a different dire. 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 Isabel exged gnces, 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 somethiraordinary.

  "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 oh did you get your hands on that?"

  "What's that?" Isabel asked, gng at her father, who seemed a bit less posed than usual.

  Edward shot a quice 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 stro metal oh." He turned back to his student. "You knht?"

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

  Edward houghtfully. "The only metal with a natural affinity fic." He retrieved his wand and pced it carefully oable. "My wand has a small amount of Vibranium infused with the wood. It's an incredible ductor of magic... far more effit 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 fused looks.

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

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

  Edward blinked, ign the tter part entirely. "A... big k?"

  Then, Maverioticed his teacher's usual demeanor ging into somethiirely different—an odd mix of eagerness and fttery, 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 k, you wouldn't mind sharing with your dear teacher, right?"

  Maverick bit back a ugh. He had never seen his teacher act this fttering, 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 excimed, gring at both of them. "Are you two seriht now?" She looked between her husband and Maverick, disbelief written all over her face. "Stealing? Money undering? Who even are you people?"

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

  "Exactly!" Edward chimed in, his thteous. "My student would eal!"

  " someone expin what's going on?" Isabel interrupted, grabbing Maverick by the shirt.

  Maverick smiled and turo his fiancée. "Well, you see, Vibranium is an incredibly rare and expeal. Ficals, it's even rarer. Alchemical items made with it allow magic to flow dozens of times more effitly than with any other material." He gestured to her hand. "Like y."

  Isabel blinked, her gaze shifting to the ring as he tinued, "It's eveer than the one on my hand. The runes engraved are far more effit, making the protective measures funuch better. I fidently say it's leagues beyond the noble families' heirls. In fact," he smirked slightly, "It should be much more powerful than your father's."

  Isabel's expression shifted from astonishment to pride, and a moment ter, 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 diam, did you?"

  Isabel 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, Isabel quickly sat ba her chair, smoothing her dress as if nothing had happened.

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

  Edward raised his hand as if to calm her. "Don't worry, honey. It'll be hahrough the goblins." He turned baaverick. "You might lose about five pert, but ohey're do'll be spotless."

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

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

  Maverick shook his head. "Caesar's Magitech is expanding rapidly, so I 't touch the existing Galleon capital I have. The dolrs are for iing in No-Maj panies... 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?"

  Maveriodded but didn't ent 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. "o sell it for anyone else. I'll take all ten..." He paused, taking a brief moment to think, then added, "How about 50 million dolrs?"

  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 eveire ICW treasury doesn't have a kilogram of it. Actually, you know what... make it 70 million—"

  "No, teacher," Maveriterrupted quickly. "Fifty million is fine. Just help me the cash."

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

  Maverick retrieved a suitcase and twurly shaped pieetal, levitating them toward Edward. His teacher quickly snatched the Vibranium with excitement.

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

  Maverick smiled and nodded. "Thanks, teacher."

  Edward cleared his throat again. "Just out of curiosity, how much Vibranium did you mao... 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 indepe ste 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 Kue," Maverick said casually. "The guy had all sorts of dangerous ons 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 expressioral. His student's as were well within his moral boundaries—in fact, he would've dohe same in Maverick's position, and they both k.

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

  Isabel shrugged lightly. She trusted Maverid, of course, her father. She khey wouldn't cross any serious lines. She wasn't na?ve or foolish because Edward had taught her well about how the world worked.

  "Alright, let's move on from the ring," Edward said, ging the topic. He looked at his daughter with a smile. "Now that you've graduated, when are you pnning to start w ohing you have always wao do?"

  The hours passed easily as they sat together, sharing stories and ughter. The cheerful atmosphere never ged, evehe versation had touched some ued 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 challehey had faced together. She trusted his every decision pletely, even if his methods occasionally seemed unorthodox.

  Aopic that came up was the e celebration and how to annouhe news. It was important to make sure the right people khat Isabel was now taken, to keep the unwatention at bay. Without su annou, there would be o the so-called "hyenas" who might try to vie for her affe.

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

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

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

  Maverick's father, the Prime Minister of Britain, apanied by two Great Magus-level wizards, was also highlighted. This was another move they had pnned, presenting the e 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 nuisahan ahem.

  Ohing was clear from all the articles. This was a gathering of those with substantial influen the wizarding world, and the name Maverick Caesar was once again brought to the forefront of the wizarding unity.

  —————

  Author's note:

  That's the end of this arc. I'm irely 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 't exactly ge anything. I will try my best to improve on this aspe the future.

  As for the Vibranium, following the MCU , Kue mao bypass all Wakandan security and successfully infiltrated Wakanda to steal a quarter-ton of Vibranium. I have big pns for it iure, and it's going to be exg.

  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 avaible on P AT r30n!

  PAT r30n [.] / RyanFic