For a while, the young couple simply sat together, saying nothing, just holding each other. After months apart without seeing each other in person, words felt unnecessary to them, and this quiet moment was enough.

  And outside their quiet embrace, the news company continued running as usual. Beyond the rge gss window, Isabel's colleagues moved about completely unaware that someone else was now with her in her private office. To them, it simply looked like she was at her desk, immersed in her tasks just as always.

  Eventually, with a shared gnce and a silent understanding, Maverick and Isabel pulled apart. Then, without drawing any attention to themselves, they slipped out of the World News Network building and stepped into the cold city streets.

  There were still a few hours before sunset, so they spent the rest of the day weaving through the city streets, hand in hand, ughing and slipping into quiet conversations.

  Isabel had grown unexpectedly fond of the street food in this area, so she eagerly shared her experiences with Maverick. From stall to stall, she introduced him to many messy, yet fvorful dishes crafted by the locals, and with each new bite, the experience felt all the more special.

  By the time they finally decided to leave, the sun had long since slipped below the horizon. The couple then Apparated away, crossing several states in an instant before arriving at the Garling residence in New York, as if they had simply taken a couple of casual steps.

  ...

  The moment they stepped inside, the warmth of the house embraced them like a soothing escape from the crisp evening air.In the living room, Silvia sat curled up on the sofa with a book in her p, while Edward lounged nearby, eyes closed and fingers tapping absently against the armrest.

  At the sound of the front door opening, both of them turned their heads.

  Silvia's eyes widened in brief surprise before lighting up with recognition. "Maverick! When did you return to America?"

  "Just today," he said, shrugging off his jacket.

  "Wow… Not even a 'hello, daughter, you're back too?'" Isabel mused, folding her arms.

  Silvia chuckled, as did Maverick. "Oh, don't be dramatic, Bel," her mother teased before turning back to Maverick.

  Meanwhile, Edward cracked open one eye, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. He had, of course, sensed their arrival the moment they Apparated nearby.

  Maverick met his gaze and nodded respectfully. "Teacher."

  Edward gave a small nod in return before shifting into a more comfortable position.

  Silvia, walking over, offered Maverick a warm smile. "It's been a while. How's life as a professor treating you?"

  Maverick let out a small chuckle. "Surprisingly enjoyable."

  Silvia nodded approvingly before turning to Isabel. "And you, sweetheart? How's your apprenticeship going with WNN?"

  Isabel exhaled, then smiled. "Great. Grandma is tougher than I expected, but brilliant."

  Edward, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his sharp gaze settling on Isabel. "Of course, she is. She's one of the best journalists in the world. Not to mention, her news agency is one of the most respected. If you pay attention, you'll learn a lot from her."

  Isabel gave a small nod. "I already am."

  Edward leaned back against the sofa and turned to Maverick. "And you? That old man hasn't worn you down yet, has he?"

  Maverick smirked. "Not really... Headmaster is… well, the Headmaster. He's actually much better than I thought."

  Silvia cpped her hands lightly, bringing the conversation back. "I was just about to start dinner. I'll make enough for all of us."

  Maverick and Isabel exchanged a brief gnce. After spending the day indulging in street food, they weren't exactly hungry, but neither had the heart to turn down Silvia's cooking.

  "That sounds perfect," Maverick said with a smile.

  Silvia beamed and disappeared into the kitchen. And soon, the house was filled with the rich aroma of home-cooked food, wrapping them all in a sense of warmth and familiarity.

  An hour ter, they gathered around the dinner table, ptes filled with Silvia's hearty cooking. The familiar comfort of the Garling home settled over them, and conversation flowed easily between bites.

  Edward set down his fork and turned to Maverick. "The inter-school Quidditch competition you started has been making waves."

  Maverick nodded as he swallowed his bite. "It's going better than I expected. But I think most of the credit goes to Magic Vision. The broadcasts made it reach a much wider audience."

  Edward waved a dismissive hand. "Perhaps. But the idea was yours. You made it happen."

  Maverick offered a small, appreciative nod but didn't argue.

  Edward took a sip of his drink before continuing. "And how's business?"

  Maverick leaned back slightly. "Steady. Our products are selling well, and we're seeing more and more bulk orders. It's spreading beyond Europe and America now. Demand is picking up in other regions too."

  Silvia and Isabel occasionally joined in, asking about the growing influence of Magitech and how he was handling the rapid expansion. The conversation wove effortlessly through topics—Hogwarts, work, and recent events about Maverick and Isabel.

  Then, Maverick's tone changed. He set down his gss, straightened in his seat, and met Edward's gaze. "Teacher, I have something to tell you."

  Edward, catching the change in his demeanor, raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

  Silvia and Isabel also turned their attention to him, sensing the change.

  Maverick hesitated for just a moment before a small smile formed. "I have ranked up to Arch-Magus."

  Edward, mid-sip, choked on his drink, coughing as he stared at his student. Isabel's eyes widened, and even Silvia—who was the only non-magical person there—showed a flicker of shock, lifting her brows in clear surprise. She understood exactly what that meant. After all, her husband was one of the most powerful wizards in the world, and now Maverick had reached that same level, and at such a young age.

  Edward gulped down another sip of his drink to clear his throat, then asked once more just in case he had misheard. "Say that again?"

  Maverick chuckled and let his magic hum faintly in the air, allowing his Archmagus-level mana signature to pulse just enough for Edward to sense it.

  Edward's mouth fell slightly open. He stared for a long moment before finally managing, "When?"

  "Last month," Maverick replied, clearly enjoying his teacher's reaction.

  Edward let out a slow breath, rubbing a hand over his face. "I shouldn't be surprised," he muttered. "But this… this is really—"

  "Ricky... how come you never told me?" Isabel cut in, staring at Maverick.

  Maverick turned to her with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Bel. I wanted to tell Teacher first…"

  Edward, still processing the sudden revetion, needed a moment to gather his thoughts. "Does anyone else know?" he asked finally.

  Maverick hesitated before answering. "Well… about that." He scratched his head, thinking about the other two Arch-Magi who already knew. He had intended for his teacher to be the first to know, but things doesn't always go according to pn.

  "Headmaster Dumbledore knows… and Speaker Maxime as well," he finally admitted.

  Edward raised a brow, tilting his head. "Dumbledore, I understand. But Maxime? What in the world made you tell her before me?"

  Maverick let out sigh. "I was kind of… in a tight spot, Teacher."

  Edward narrowed his eyes. "Tight? Did they gave you any trouble?"

  Maverick quickly waved a hand. "No. The Headmaster took it surprisingly well. He just… accepted it."

  "That doesn't sound like him," Edward muttered. "Ok then. What about the French woman?"

  Maverick sighed, then unched into an expnation, recounting how Maxime had discovered his Bloodraven identity during the Quidditch match and how, from there, she had pressured him into revealing if he had any secret training methods. In the heat of the moment, with Dumbledore present, he had ended up revealing his rank.

  Edward listened with a frown, then let out a scoff. "The audacity of that woman." He shook his head, then, after a moment, suddenly burst into ughter.

  "I heard her school got eliminated first… how did she take it?"

  Maverick grinned. "She wasn't very happy." He leaned back in his chair, recalling her expression. "She had no choice but to accept the results..." He shrugged. "Her team pyed terribly compared to the others."

  Edward smirked, shaking his head. "That must've stung. She takes more pride in Beauxbatons than her students do."

  "She hid it well," Maverick admitted. "But I could tell it bothered her."

  Edward chuckled, then lifted his gss. "Well, serves her right for poking her nose into other people's business."

  Maverick smirked but said nothing, letting the conversation drift naturally.

  Their discussions continued naturally, changing from one topic to another as they enjoyed each other's company. Between sips of wine and shared ughter, they talked about work, family, and the little things that made life interesting.

  After dinner, Maverick and Isabel stayed together some more while catching up in the quiet comfort of their home. But as the night deepened, eventually, the couple decided to call it a day.

  Maverick of course didn't sleep with Isabel—not while staying at her parents' house. It wasn't about being old-fashioned or anything, but more about respect. Other pces, though? Well, they were adults. It was only natural that they couldn't always keep their hands off each other.

  The next day, Isabel took the day off, wanting to spend every moment with her fiancée while he was in town. They wandered the city and made more fresh memories while being lost in each other's company, and the hours slipped by.

  Just like that, another day passed.

  On the following morning, Maverick, without revealing too much, took Isabel by the hand, and in the blink of an eye, came halfway across the world to the warm, golden sun above Indonesia.

  —————————

  Author's Note:

  Just a quick update — up to Chapter 146 is already avaible on P AT r30n!

  PAT r30n [.] com / RyanFic