"U.S. dollars are acceptable, but not at standard exchange rates—I'll need to convert them at Gringotts myself. Three hundred dollars." The curly-haired witch glanced up at Gemini with recognition flickering in her eyes. She knew that name—a Pure-blood aristocrat who'd recently arrived from Britain, reportedly the last of her ancient lineage.
"Coby, handle the payment," Gemini commanded with casual authority.
Pop—the house-elf materialized beside the marble counter, retrieving three crisp hundred-dollar bills from his miniature backpack and stretching on tiptoes to place them within the witch's reach.
The official collected the currency and slid an ornate box across the counter. "Transaction complete. Safe travels—and do try to enjoy your... vacation."
Gemini accepted the container of specialized international Floo Powder—a deep emerald shade so dark it appeared nearly black, designed specifically for transcontinental magical travel.
Leading Coby toward the designated fourth fireplace on the left, Gemini couldn't suppress her irritation. Absolutely humiliating! She couldn't even produce three measly Galleons! Her financial situation required immediate improvement.
Surveying the departure area, she noted the French fireplace commanded the longest queue—hardly surprising for Europe's most romantic destination. The left side served less popular locations, including her own Afghanistan portal. She regarded it with distaste—beyond the flickering flames, dust had accumulated on the mantelpiece like neglected memories.
Moving into position, she scattered the specialized powder into the fire. The flames transformed into that distinctive deep green that marked international magical travel. Coby grasped her dress hem securely as they stepped into the emerald inferno together.
"Kabul," Gemini pronounced with crystal clarity.
The familiar sensation of Floo travel seized them—spinning, tumbling, careening through the magical network that connected wizarding communities across continents. The journey seemed endless, long enough that Gemini's stomach churned dangerously close to rebellion.
Finally—mercifully—they emerged.
Gemini stumbled slightly as her feet found purchase on a floor thick with accumulated dust. The chamber around them appeared abandoned, neglected, utterly unlike the pristine facilities she'd left behind in America.
"Oh my! Welcome, welcome indeed!" Footsteps echoed from beyond the entrance, accompanied by a voice bright with genuine excitement. "Our first tourist in over a year!"
A Black wizard burst through the doorway wearing robes of brilliant scarlet with thin golden stripes—a combination so garish that Gemini instinctively shielded her eyes.
"Your wand documentation, please! Quick registration and you'll be free to explore our magnificent country!" The wizard practically bounced with enthusiasm as he collected the verification slip from Gemini's wand, depositing it into a dusty box behind his makeshift counter. "If you're departing through alternate routes, remember to register with the local Magical Congress!"
He leaned forward conspiratorially. "Might I interest you in a personal guide? Extremely reasonable rates—no Galleons required! A mere ten American dollars secures exclusive touring services!"
Gemini strode past him without acknowledgment, emerging into the blazing Afghan sunlight. A single wand flick banished every speck of dust from her elegant dress. Coby had wisely rendered himself invisible the moment they'd arrived.
The wizard shrugged philosophically at her silence, secured his modest office, and crossed the street toward a crowded Muggle establishment.
Gemini surveyed her surroundings with growing dismay. This was Afghanistan's capital city, and the International Magical Congress maintained only that pathetic single-room outpost. Muggles filled every street, making magical transportation impossible within city limits.
Bloody inconvenient, she thought grimly, hailing the first available taxi.
She pressed a hundred-dollar bill into the driver's weathered palm. "Take me outside the city—somewhere completely uninhabited."
The young Uzbek driver studied her with obvious concern, his English heavily accented but sincere. "Miss... out there, very dangerous. Young lady, alone—not safe."
"I understand the risks. Drive, please."
Recognizing her determination, he pocketed the generous fare and pulled into traffic.
They traveled through increasingly desolate terrain as the city fell behind them. Finally, at the absolute end of a deteriorating road, the driver stopped beside a sparse grove of struggling trees.
"No road beyond," he explained apologetically. "This... this is far as possible."
Appreciating his genuine concern, Gemini handed him an additional hundred dollars before retrieving her case. The driver watched nervously as she disappeared into the grove—and when he glanced up from securing his unexpected windfall, she had vanished entirely.
Hair rising on his arms, he fled.
Within the concealment of the trees, Gemini opened her magically expanded case and withdrew a beautifully woven carpet. It immediately levitated to knee height, responding to her magical signature. She consulted her crystal scrying ball, confirming their coordinates before settling onto the hovering transport.
"Coby—full concealment charms. Proceed in that direction." She indicated their heading with practiced authority.
"At once, Miss Gemini!"
The flying carpet rose smoothly into the desert sky, both passengers vanishing under powerful Disillusionment Charms. Gemini settled back with satisfaction—she genuinely couldn't understand Britain's prohibition against flying carpets. They were infinitely more comfortable than broomsticks, and her dress bore temperature-regulating enchantments that kept her perfectly cool despite the blazing sun.
Three hours of smooth flight passed pleasantly. Gemini was contemplating summoning tea service when instinct made her call for a halt.
The carpet stopped instantly, hovering in crystalline air. Gemini peered downward, consulting her scrying device once more. "This should be correct—the location matches perfectly."
She directed Coby to descend slightly, studying the seemingly empty desert below. Only after extended observation did she detect the subtle wrongness—that rocky outcropping appeared too regular, too carefully arranged. Squinting through the heat shimmer, she caught glimpses of movement within what appeared to be a masterfully concealed base.
"Excellent. Thirty kilometers distance for our base camp, I think."
They located a small oasis—little more than a cluster of date palms around a spring—and descended to establish their temporary headquarters.
"Set up the tent while I prepare for the operation," Gemini commanded, standing beside the precious water source. "This desert generates terrible sandstorms—I must be properly groomed for the rescue. We're dealing with a billionaire, after all. Appearances matter."
Coby extracted the tent from her case and activated its self-assembly charms with a single gesture.
Gemini's satisfaction evaporated as the structure completed itself. Before her stood a magnificent double-layered pavilion in pristine white silk, complete with golden fixtures and—dear Merlin—actual peacocks strutting around the entrance.
"This is definitely Malfoy property," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "What was Kreacher thinking?"
Unable to return the ostentatious accommodation, she entered reluctantly. The interior exceeded even her worst expectations—pure Malfoy excess rendered in gold and crystal. Gleaming candelabras, Persian carpets, overstuffed furniture that belonged in a palace, and an enormous fireplace that somehow burned merrily despite the desert heat.
Gemini hurried through the ridiculous parlor toward the washroom, determined to complete her preparations efficiently. The bathroom featured a bathtub the size of a small swimming pool, naturally.
She filled it without comment, shed her traveling clothes, and sank into the perfectly heated water with a sigh of genuine relief.
Soon, she thought, I'll have enough money to afford my own equipment. No more borrowing from insufferable relatives.
The rescue of Tony Stark would change everything.
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