Finally, Iron Man streaked away across the night sky, a trail of hostile drones in pursuit. The panicked crowd had mostly dispersed, leaving behind scattered debris and the acrid smell of energy weapons. Gemini allowed herself a moment's relief, her protective grip on Peter's hand loosening slightly.
That moment of respite shattered as a phalanx of corporate security forces burst from the venue's VIP exits. These weren't ordinary guards—they moved with military precision, forming a human corridor that swept Gemini and Peter apart like leaves in a hurricane. The security detail prioritized their wealthy clients with ruthless efficiency, creating an impenetrable barrier that separated the two completely.
Gemini watched Peter disappear behind the wall of black suits, fury igniting in her chest like Fiendfyre. These people valued money over the safety of children—over the life of a brilliant eight-year-old who'd shown more courage tonight than most adults ever would.
Her wand moved with deadly precision, tracing patterns that would have made Professor Snape proud. Ancient words of misfortune spilled from her lips in a whisper that carried the weight of centuries. Invisible tendrils of dark magic coiled around every member of the security detail—guards, executives, and entitled elite alike.
"Maleficus perpetua," she breathed, sealing the curse. "Ten days of the worst luck imaginable. If you survive it, consider yourselves fortunate. If you don't..." Her smile was sharp as broken glass. "Well, perhaps you'll think twice about trampling children in your next life."
The curse settled over them like a shroud, undetectable but inexorable. Within hours, they'd begin experiencing the kind of catastrophic bad luck that would make them question everything they thought they knew about probability.
But Peter was her immediate concern. Gemini pushed through the dispersing crowd, her magical senses screaming warnings. She'd seen one of Hammer's drones break off from the main pursuit, heading in the boy's direction with mechanical determination.
Young Peter Parker stood alone in the chaos, separated from both his guardians and his mysterious magical protector. Fear crept up his spine—not for himself, but for the family he couldn't see. Through the maze of fleeing people, he caught fragments of familiar voices: Aunt May crying out in terror, Uncle Ben shouting something he couldn't quite hear.
The sound of his aunt's distress cut through his paralysis. Peter abandoned any thought of staying put, pushing through the crowd toward the source of May's cries. His small size became an advantage as he slipped between adults too focused on their own escape to notice one determined child.
Gemini reached Peter's original position to find empty space. Panic clawed at her throat—in a city like New York, a lost child could vanish forever in minutes.
"Point Me—Peter Parker," she commanded, placing her wand flat on her palm. The ancient wood spun like a compass, settling on a direction that made her blood run cold. The magical signature was moving toward the area where she'd sensed the rogue drone.
Peter found them in a scene from his worst nightmares. Aunt May knelt beside Uncle Ben, her face streaked with tears and blood, her hands pressed desperately against wounds that painted the concrete dark red. Ben Parker lay motionless, his breathing so shallow it was barely visible.
They'd been caught in the crossfire while searching for him and Gemini. Ben had thrown himself in front of May when the drone's weapons found them, taking the full force of the energy blast meant for her.
The mechanical whir of servos announced the drone's approach. Peter turned to see death walking toward his family on metal legs, its optical sensors glowing with malevolent red light. The machine's targeting system had locked onto the Iron Man mask still perched on his head—apparently programmed to eliminate anything resembling Stark technology.
Peter looked at his dying uncle, at his terrified aunt, then back at the approaching killer robot. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to hide, to let the adults handle this impossible situation.
Instead, eight-year-old Peter Parker made the choice that would define the rest of his life.
He pulled the Iron Man mask down over his face, spread his thin arms as wide as they would go, and planted himself between the drone and his family like a human shield. He was small enough to fit in the robot's shadow, young enough that his voice still squeaked when he was scared, but in that moment he embodied every heroic ideal Tony Stark had ever inspired.
"You want to hurt them?" Peter called out, his voice muffled by the plastic mask but carrying clearly in the sudden quiet. "You'll have to go through me first."
The drone's weapon systems charged with a sound like gathering thunder. May screamed for him to run, but Peter stood firm. If this was how the story ended, at least he'd face it protecting the people he loved most.
Gemini arrived just as the drone's repulsors reached critical charge. The sight that greeted her—a child barely tall enough to reach the machine's knee joint, standing defiant against certain death—ignited something primal and protective in her magical core.
Fiendfyre gathered on her lips, ready to reduce the drone to molten slag, but she was too far away. The robot's weapons discharged with a sound like tearing metal—
—and promptly exploded in its own weapon housing.
Gemini blinked in surprise. That hadn't been her doing. Some other force had caused a catastrophic malfunction at the exact moment of firing. She didn't waste time questioning the miracle, switching to a Banishing Charm that would send the crippled drone flying.
"Depulso!" she shouted, her wand describing a perfect arc.
The spell struck just as a familiar gold-and-red figure materialized behind Peter. Iron Man's repulsor blast merged with Gemini's magic, creating a combined force that launched the drone across the plaza like a metallic meteor.
Tony Stark landed beside Peter, his faceplate retracting to reveal eyes that held a mixture of admiration and concern. He knelt to the boy's level, one armored hand resting gently on Peter's shoulder.
"That was either the bravest or the stupidest thing I've ever seen, kid," Tony said quietly. "Probably both. Your uncle would be proud."
Peter lifted his mask, revealing eyes bright with unshed tears. "Is he going to be okay?"
Tony glanced at Ben's still form, then at Gemini approaching at a dead run. "I think he's got better help coming than any hospital could provide." He stood, his faceplate sliding back into place. "Take care of your family, Peter Parker. Something tells me you're going to do great things someday."
With that, Iron Man launched skyward, leaving Peter staring after him in wonder. Gemini reached them seconds later, dropping to her knees beside Ben and immediately assessing his condition with both magic and mundane medical knowledge.
The energy blast had caused massive internal trauma. Ben was dying—would be dead within minutes without immediate intervention. Gemini pulled a Blood-Replenishing Potion from her expanded bag, forcing the liquid between Ben's lips while her wand traced diagnostic patterns over his body.
"May," she said urgently, "I can save him, but not here. We need to move somewhere private immediately. Can you help me get him to that alley?"
May looked up with desperate hope. "The ambulance—"
"Won't arrive in time," Gemini said firmly. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."
May nodded, trying to lift Ben's dead weight and failing. Gemini tapped him lightly with her wand, casting a Lightening Charm that made his body as easy to move as a child's. Together, they managed to get him upright and moving toward the shadowed alley Gemini had indicated.
Peter followed in stunned silence, his mind trying to process everything he'd witnessed. Magic was real. Iron Man knew his name. His uncle was dying. The world had become a much larger and more dangerous place in the span of a single evening.
Once they were hidden from view, Gemini looked around to ensure they were alone. "Coby!" she called. "Emergency transport—now!"
"What—" May began, then gasped as small, strong fingers grasped her arm. The world twisted, colors blurring together in a nauseating spiral that left her stomach somewhere behind them.
They materialized in Gemini's treatment room with the jarring impact of Apparition. May and Ben collapsed in a heap, the magical transport having drained what little strength Ben had remaining. Peter managed to stay upright, though he swayed dangerously.
Gemini didn't waste time on explanations. She levitated Ben onto the central treatment table, her wand moving in complex patterns as diagnostic spells revealed the full extent of his injuries. Potions flew from their shelves with practiced precision—some to stabilize his vital signs, others to begin the delicate work of cellular repair.
The magical healing process was both beautiful and terrifying to watch. Light emanated from Ben's body as the spells took hold, mapping his injuries in three-dimensional detail. Gemini worked with the focused intensity of a master surgeon, each spell precisely calibrated to address specific trauma.
Within minutes, Ben's color had returned from deathly pale to healthy pink. His breathing deepened and steadied. The wounds that had been killing him sealed themselves, leaving only faint scars as evidence of how close he'd come to death.
A knock at the door interrupted the healing process. "Gemini? I heard voices—is everything alright?"
"Bruce!" Gemini called back. "Perfect timing. I need you to help move a patient upstairs. The unnamed guest room on the second floor."
Bruce Banner entered, taking in the scene with the calm assessment of someone accustomed to unusual situations. His eyes lingered on Peter and May, noting their obvious shock and confusion.
"Actually," Bruce said, touching the pendant at his throat, "Hulk might be more practical for this." He spoke to the necklace in a conversational tone. "What do you think, big guy? Gentle patient transport?"
The transformation was gradual but unmistakable. Bruce's mild-mannered frame expanded and shifted, skin taking on a green tint as muscle mass multiplied exponentially. Within moments, the Hulk stood in the treatment room, his massive head nearly touching the ceiling.
"HULK HELP!" the green giant announced, then immediately bonked his head on a low-hanging light fixture. He rubbed the spot ruefully, looking embarrassed.
"Very gently," Gemini emphasized. "He's just been healed. Banner will guide you."
Peter stared up at the Hulk with the same wonder he'd shown Iron Man. In one night, he'd encountered more impossibilities than most people saw in a lifetime.
As the Hulk carefully lifted Ben with surprising delicacy, Gemini turned to May and Peter. Both looked like they were in shock—understandable, given the evening's events.
"Come with me," she said gently. "I think it's time for some explanations. And probably some very strong tea."
May found her voice at last. "Who are you? What is this place? How did you—"
"All excellent questions," Gemini replied, guiding them toward the stairs. "And I promise to answer every one. But first, let me say this: Peter, what you did tonight—standing up to that robot to protect your family—that was real heroism. Tony Stark was right. You are going to do great things."
Peter looked up at her with eyes that seemed far older than his eight years. "Is Uncle Ben really going to be okay?"
"He's going to be fine," Gemini assured him. "Better than fine, actually. The healing magic I used will leave him stronger than he was before. But Peter..." She knelt to his level, meeting his gaze directly. "Tonight changed you. You stood up when it mattered most. You chose to protect others even when you were terrified. That's not something you can undo."
"I don't want to undo it," Peter said quietly. "I just want to make sure I'm strong enough next time."
Gemini smiled, seeing the future hero already taking shape in the determined child before her. "Something tells me you will be, Peter Parker. You absolutely will be."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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