"Understood," Ben replied without hesitation, his trust in Gemini's judgment absolute after weeks of witnessing her magical competence.
"May, call Peter's school tonight—he'll need a week's absence," Gemini continued her systematic delegation. "Educational opportunity abroad."
May nodded, already mentally composing the conversation with Peter's teachers. After everything they'd experienced, a magical sports tournament seemed almost mundane.
"Banner, can you complete your current potion batch tonight?" Gemini asked, turning to the scientist who'd found unexpected peace in magical brewing.
Banner adjusted his glasses with the careful precision of someone who'd learned to control every gesture. "Perfect timing, actually. I have a week-long brew that finishes tonight—Snape's portrait will be insufferably smug about the timing."
"Steve..." Gemini paused, studying her Guardian Knight with sudden uncertainty. "Actually, never mind."
Steve sighed with the resignation of a man still learning his place in this strange new world. "I'm starting to think this security position is purely ceremonial."
"Is there trouble brewing?" Ben asked, his protective instincts sharpening at Gemini's unusual hesitation.
Gemini's expression transformed into pure mischief as she distributed colorful pamphlets to the assembled group. "Quite the opposite—we're going to the Quidditch World Cup!"
The pamphlets came alive in their hands, animated figures soaring through the air on racing brooms while aggressive black spheres—Bludgers—careened through the scene with violent enthusiasm. Peter nearly dropped his copy as a tiny Snitch burst from the page and circled his head before diving back into the parchment.
"This is..." Steve began, watching miniature Quidditch players execute impossible aerial maneuvers.
"Completely mental," Tony finished, though his eyes gleamed with the interest of someone who appreciated advanced flight dynamics. "I love it already."
Gemini clapped her hands together, her excitement infectious. "Pack for a week, everyone. Summer clothes—we're heading somewhere significantly warmer than New York in February. Ben, bring all necessary travel documents. We'll make a side trip to Britain on the return journey to finalize Peter's Hogwarts arrangements."
Peter whooped with delight, already imagining himself among the cheering crowds.
"Tony's bringing Pepper tonight," Gemini added. "We depart together tomorrow morning. Questions?"
A chorus of excited negatives filled the room.
"Excellent! Pack tonight, gather here at 9:50 AM sharp. Don't be late—Portkeys wait for no one!"
The group dispersed with the enthusiasm of children promised a carnival, voices overlapping as they planned and speculated.
"Wait!" Gemini called after them. "Nothing too outrageous in the wardrobe department! We're representing America abroad!"
Their acknowledgments were already fading down the corridor.
Gemini pulled out her own checklist, mentally cataloging necessities. Clothes—packed except for tomorrow's outfit. Check. Tent—Coby had compressed their luxury camping setup into a deceptively small container. Check.
Snacks—absolutely essential. The Central Land Daoist Sect was renowned for their traveling food markets, but magical cuisine could be... adventurous.
Her quill froze mid-check as realization struck like a Stunning Spell. "Muggle-Repelling Charms," she breathed, horror dawning. The tournament grounds would be saturated with protective enchantments designed to drive non-magical people away with overwhelming urges to be anywhere else.
Without proper counter-charms, her Muggle companions would experience escalating panic, confusion, and desperate need to flee. They'd be lucky to last five minutes.
Gemini scribbled an urgent order—five Anti-Muggle-Repelling talismans, plus one for Pepper. Six total. She dispatched Coby immediately rather than risk owl-post delays.
Tony emerged from the Floo Network that evening with his usual dramatic flair, supporting a distinctly green-faced Pepper who looked like she'd just survived a particularly violent roller coaster.
"We're ready for adventure," Tony announced, though Pepper's expression suggested she might define 'ready' differently.
Gemini immediately cast a Calming Draught charm, watching Pepper's color return to something approaching human. "Tony Stark, did you seriously Floo-travel with a Muggle without proper preparation? She could have been splinched!"
Tony had the grace to look sheepish. "Define 'proper preparation'?"
"TONY!" Pepper's voice could have shattered crystal. "You said it was like a magical elevator! You never mentioned splinching!"
Tony beat a strategic retreat as Pepper advanced with the focused intensity of a C.E.O. who'd just discovered her boyfriend had endangered her life for convenience.
When Tony returned twenty minutes later, nursing what appeared to be several strategically placed bruises, his voice was carefully neutral. "Can Happy join us? He's my driver and... well, I might need someone on my side after this."
Gemini opened Coby's delivery box, selecting a pair of elegant silver earrings and a masculine leather bracelet. "Pepper gets the earrings, Happy gets the bracelet. They must wear them constantly—no exceptions. The Muggle-Repelling Charms at the tournament would drive them insane otherwise."
Tony accepted the items with uncharacteristic solemnity. "Insane how?"
"Picture your worst panic attack, multiply by ten, then add an overwhelming compulsion to run screaming into the nearest ocean."
"Right. Constant wearing. Got it."
The Next Morning
Gemini surveyed the All-Purpose Shop's reception room with mounting dismay. Mountains of luggage surrounded her companions like fabric fortifications—apparently, no one had grasped the concept of 'magical camping.'
"Did everyone pack their entire wardrobes?" she asked weakly.
"I brought options," May said defensively. "We don't know what the weather will be like."
"It's a magical tent," Gemini explained, summoning Coby with a gesture. "Show them."
The house-elf snapped his fingers, and their 'small' tent expanded into a multi-room pavilion complete with separate bedrooms, a common area, and what appeared to be a fully functional kitchen.
"Bloody hell," Steve breathed, his 1940s sensibilities struggling with the casual violation of physical laws.
"Language, Captain," Tony grinned. "Though I agree with the sentiment."
Everyone quickly stowed their belongings in the tent's spacious interior before Coby compressed it back to portable size. The process took precious minutes they couldn't spare.
At exactly 10:00 AM, Happy burst through the front door, sweating and breathless. "Sorry! Traffic was murder, had to abandon the car and run six blocks!"
"You're cutting it close," Tony warned, though he was clearly relieved his friend had made it.
Gemini conjured a floating chronometer displaying glowing green numbers—10:14:50 and counting. "Positions, everyone! Portkey departure in twenty seconds!"
She opened an ornate box, revealing an antique blue-and-white porcelain vase that hummed with barely contained magical energy. "Fingers on the Portkey—now!"
Eight hands crowded around the vase's narrow neck, everyone craning to watch the countdown.
"Ready?" Gemini asked as the final seconds ticked away.
"No," Steve said honestly.
"Perfect. Three... two... one!"
The world dissolved into a kaleidoscope of color and sensation—spinning, falling, flying all at once. Gemini felt the familiar hook-behind-the-navel sensation of Portkey travel, magnified by the number of passengers.
They materialized in a tangle of limbs and luggage, crashing into what appeared to be a reception pavilion. A harried-looking wizard in elaborate Chinese robes rushed to assist them.
"Aiya! So many people at once! The Portkey room is too small for such a group! Quick, help them up!"
His rapid-fire Mandarin gave way to accented but clear English: "Welcome, honored guests! I am Chen Wei, your arrival coordinator for the Central Land Daoist Sect. Please present your tickets for verification."
Gemini extracted herself from the pile, hair disheveled but dignity intact, and handed over their documentation.
Chen Wei examined the tickets with professional thoroughness, holding them to the light to check for magical authentication marks. "Excellent! Premium seating, Campsite Jiazi-7—you have excellent taste. Follow the main path directly from here, perhaps ten minutes' walk. Your site borders the stadium itself."
He handed Gemini an enchanted map that shifted and updated in real-time. "The Central Land Daoist Sect welcomes you to the 422nd Quidditch World Cup! May your team triumph!"
They stumbled from the reception pavilion into blazing tropical sunshine. Gemini threw up a hand to shield her eyes—the contrast from New York's February chill to equatorial heat was like stepping into a furnace.
"Merlin's beard," she gasped, already feeling sweat beading on her forehead. "I should have warned everyone about the climate change."
Around them, the World Cup campsite stretched in all directions—a temporary magical city housing tens of thousands of Quidditch fans from every corner of the wizarding world. Tents ranged from modest two-person affairs to elaborate multi-story pavilions that defied both physics and good taste.
Steve stared at a nearby campsite where what appeared to be a Bavarian castle had been erected, complete with functioning drawbridge and moat. "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."
"We're not even in the same reality anymore," Tony muttered, watching a group of Bulgarian supporters whose tent was shaped like an enormous Quidditch pitch, complete with miniature players conducting practice matches.
Peter was practically vibrating with excitement, his head swiveling to take in every impossible sight. "This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"
Gemini consulted their map, orienting herself among the organized chaos. "Campsite Jiazi-7 should be... that way. Stay together, everyone. And remember—we're tourists here. Try not to start any international incidents."
Tony opened his mouth to respond, but Pepper elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
"What? I was going to say I'd be on my best behavior!"
"That's what I was afraid of," Pepper replied sweetly.
As they made their way through the magical carnival surrounding them, Gemini couldn't help but smile. Whatever challenges lay ahead, at least the vacation was off to an interesting start.
And in the distance, the Quidditch stadium rose like a golden monument to the sport that united the wizarding world—their destination and the site of what promised to be an unforgettable week.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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