Tony flipped through the pages with visible interest. Sun Aihua quietly tucked away the bottom notebook, the one filled with dense, frantic scribbles.
"What's that? Wasn't that for me? Why hide it?" Tony teased.
Sun Aihua waved a hand. "Just some questions I planned to ask. Since you're all leaving, we'll figure them out ourselves. We can't rely on you for everything."
Tony didn't speak. He shot Gemini a look. Working in sync, they snatched the notebook from Sun Aihua's hands.
Tony caught the notebook Gemini tossed to him and flipped it open. He laughed instantly. "Not bad. The questions are heading in the right direction. Nothing too difficult—my database has the answers. Gemini, got any storage devices?"
Sun Aihua immediately pulled a thin cord from her collar. A USB drive dangled from it—the one Gemini had brought over.
"Will this work?" Sun Aihua asked.
Tony took it. Nano-metal surged, forming an interface. "Friday, scan it."
"Yes, sir. Beginning scan."
"Space sufficient. Detected Chinese security protocol. Break it?" Friday asked a moment later.
A holographic screen appeared. Tony scrolled quickly. "Leave it. Don't break it, just bypass it. Copy the answers relevant to this notebook from the database."
"Progress 100%." Tony unplugged the drive and handed it back. "Done. Everything I can answer is in there. I left out the questions that were too fanciful—your foundation isn't solid enough yet. Taking steps too big isn't good for you."
Sun Aihua accepted the drive solemnly, re-hanging it around her neck. "Thank you."
"When do you leave? I'll see you off," Sun Aihua said.
"You're finally back." A ghostly voice sounded from behind them.
Peter stared at them in shock. "Dr. Banner?! Dr. Yinsen?! What happened to you? How long were we gone?! Oh god! Aunt May and Uncle Ben?! Ned?! OMG?! What do we do?!"
Standing on the platform, Peter hadn't recovered from the blow. He stood there, dazed.
Banner and Yinsen looked silently at Peter.
Tony and Steve twitched their lips, looking at the terrified Peter, then at the two "geriatric" doctors. "Alright, haven't you seen our little Spider is scared to death?"
Banner wiped his face. "I'm going to take off this makeup. Did the effects artist say how to remove it?"
Yinsen peeled off a piece of fake skin from his hand. "I told you, we wouldn't fool them!"
"We didn't exactly lie. The time you spent there doesn't match the return calibration. Tony should have noticed," Banner said, looking at the console.
"Where did we slip up?" The hunched Banner suddenly straightened, pulling a mirror from the console. "I thought Natasha's work was great. I even scared myself!"
Tony rubbed his forehead. "The brace on your arm—I made that. And this base, it's too new. Finally, the first thing I did upon return was have Friday calibrate the time."
Banner retorted, "You seemed pretty happy putting on the makeup. You even went to Hollywood to find effects artists for the exposed skin."
Yinsen chimed in. "You weren't scared, but if we can scare one, we teach one. We need some reverence here. In case these disobedient little brats mess around, where would we find them?"
Peter finally snapped out of his fright. "I have to go home. I have to see Aunt May and Uncle Ben. We weren't gone long, but you know... you guys were terrifying just now!"
Banner shrugged. "Just a reminder. Time travel is dangerous. The possibilities we demonstrated are very real, so let's not use this method of travel again."
Gemini sent the two sleepy kids to bed, saw Sun Aihua off, and finally looked at Grindelwald and Dumbledore. "What are your plans?"
Grindelwald looked at Dumbledore. "What plans can we have? This world is safe enough. We want to travel while we can still move, fulfill a promise from our youth."
Gemini looked at them with a gossip's grin. "Oh A promise from youth"
Dumbledore chuckled, ignoring her teasing.
"What about Headmaster Dumbledore's work?" Gemini asked.
Dumbledore wiped his glasses. "Voldemort is gone. The professors can return to their posts. Even if I'm not there, it won't be an issue. Besides, isn't there Minerva?"
Gemini paused, feeling a surge of sympathy for Headmistress McGonagall. Look at the bosses she had to deal with!
"Before that, let's discuss what to do next," Yinsen said.
Tony checked the date. "We leave tomorrow! Harry's school starts in a few days. Let's throw a party tonight!"
Tony's idea of a party was standard American style: deafening rock music, dazzling lights, and cocktails.
Harry and Dudley went wild. Even Grindelwald swayed enthusiastically to the music.
The revelry lasted until dawn. In the dim morning light, Gemini forced a hangover potion down Tony's throat.
"Ugh!" Tony retched by the roadside, clawing at his throat. "What the hell did you feed me?!"
Gemini smirked. "Sobering potion. You have to leave today. Drink that much and you might end up in a spatial turbulence."
Tony laughed sheepishly. "Thanks. Now that I'm sober, we're heading back."
"Leaving sooner is better. Who knows what world rejection might do," Gemini said.
Barton shrugged. "I need to go home and be with my family. I haven't seen them in five years."
Steve touched his shield. "I'm going to see Bucky, then tidy up the shop. Haven't been back in a while."
"I don't care about that. I'm taking Pepper and Morgan to find somewhere scenic to live!" Tony declared arrogantly, turning to leave.
They stood together, backs to the rising sun. They waved at Dumbledore and the others, pressed the time devices on their wrists. Silver armor covered them. In the next second, they vanished.
September 1, 1993. Number 4 Privet Drive welcomed its annual moment of panic.
Time had passed. Several years gone in a blink. The house looked exactly as it did when Harry was thirteen.
"Two minutes! If you aren't down, you're finding your own way to school!" Gemini stood at the stairs, wand waving. A countdown hovered in the air.
"Coming!" Dudley answered first. His school was closer, so he didn't need to pack much. He could always come home to grab things.
"Wait for me! I'm ready, I'm ready!" Harry shouted anxiously, struggling to close his uncooperative trunk.
Finally, at the last second before the countdown ended, Harry dragged his trunk and Hedwig's cage downstairs.
Two black sedans waited outside. Gemini had called them that morning. One would take Dudley to Smeltings, the other would take her and Harry to King's Cross.
"As discussed, I'm taking Harry this year. Dudley, are you okay going alone?" Gemini asked.
Dudley patted his chest. "No problem! I'm grown up. It's just school, nothing hard."
Gemini nodded, watching Dudley get into his car. She waved goodbye as the car turned the street corner, then led Harry to the second car.
They arrived at King's Cross before ten. Gemini dismissed the driver and led Harry through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4.
"Okay, okay." Harry nodded like a woodpecker, his eyes constantly darting toward the train.
"I'll write!" Harry answered cheerfully, dragging his luggage toward his friends.
Gemini watched Harry find a compartment with his friends. Once she was sure he was settled, she Disapparated.
Sending off the two students, Gemini felt a massive weight lift.
Back in her room, Gemini finally had time to rest.
A slender, pale hand brushed over the photo wall, rearranging the frames before placing a new one on the mantle.
There were photos of Harry with his Prefect badge, Dudley holding trophies, and the two of them collapsed in a heap after training.
In the new photo, a white-haired Walburga sat in a chair. Her two sons stood behind her. Harry and Dudley sat beside her, leaning on her shoulders. Everyone smiled happily.
Gemini stepped back, satisfied.
"Look, how is it?" She turned back. The people in the photo sat on the sofa, smiling at her.
"I think it's great, but why won't you take pictures?" Harry asked.
Gemini walked over and ruffled his hair. "None of your business!"
Harry muttered complaints and turned to tattle to Walburga.
Walburga laughed, patting Harry's hand soothingly.
"By the way! I have something to announce!" Sirius suddenly stood up, looking at everyone.
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