Apparating to Hogsmeade, Gemini carried a small suitcase and looked nostalgically at the quiet village. Felt like ages since she'd been here.
After buying some candy gift sets at Honeydukes, Gemini hurried toward Hogwarts' gates where Hagrid was already waiting.
"Banner didn't come?" Hagrid looked expectantly behind Gemini, then showed disappointment.
Gemini looked at Hagrid speechlessly. "Did you only come to meet me because of Banner?"
Hagrid answered casually, "Of course... not. I came specially for you. After all, Hogwarts hasn't had many examples like you over the years." Nearly slipping up, Hagrid laughed heartily and slapped Gemini's shoulder, sending her tumbling to the ground.
Hagrid quickly apologized and hauled Gemini back up, looking ready to dust her off. This scared Gemini into stopping him repeatedly. Are you kidding? After that kind of dusting, she'd probably spend tonight in the Hospital Wing!
Walking across the grass by the Black Lake into the castle, it was dinner time with students constantly passing by, curiously eyeing Gemini.
Gemini felt no embarrassment at being stared at. She lifted her chin slightly, putting on an arrogant expression. The standard Slytherin look immediately scared away many gazes.
Professor McGonagall came out and nodded at Gemini. "Your room is ready, same place as before. You can go directly there. It's dinner time now—would you like to eat?"
Gemini smiled. "That sounds perfect! I was just missing Hogwarts dinners!"
McGonagall's expression softened slightly. "Where will you sit?"
"I'll sit with Gryffindor. You know, my shop employee's child is in Gryffindor."
McGonagall nodded without saying more and led Gemini into the Great Hall.
Ignoring everyone's stares, Gemini walked straight to Peter, who was talking with friends, and asked the person beside him, "Hello? May I sit here?"
The interrupted little lion looked up at the imposing Gemini, silently picked up his plate, and moved one seat over.
Gemini sat down satisfied. "Thank you!" Clean plates and utensils appeared before her—the house-elves' service was always thorough.
"Gemini! I was wondering when you'd come! Aunt May said you returned to Britain ages ago!" Peter smiled so widely his eyes curved.
Gemini handed Peter the large bag of candy beside her. "I had other business when I got back. This is comfort food I brought you. Your uncle and aunt also sent gifts—I'll give them to you in the Gryffindor common room after dinner."
Peter opened the candy package with loud exclamations. "Can I share with my classmates?" He looked at Gemini expectantly.
Gemini took some food from the long table. "Why do you think I bought so much? Want to visit the dentist during holidays if you eat it all yourself?"
Peter laughed and scratched his head, beginning to share Honeydukes candy with nearby classmates.
Gemini finished eating quickly. "I'll go pack first. Just go back to your common room later—I'll bring your things when it's time. Don't wander around. Don't let me catch you night-walking. I'm not a prefect, but I'll tell the professors!"
Peter looked at her in shock. "No! You can't do that!"
Gemini stood and looked down at Peter. "No, I can. After all, I'm a Slytherin!"
With that, she haughtily picked up her small suitcase and left the Gryffindor table, leaving Peter and his friends completely bewildered.
The black-haired, round-faced boy beside Peter looked at Gemini's retreating figure in horror. "Mate! She's not serious, right?! Who is she?!" As a Longbottom child, Eric Longbottom felt his worldview challenged.
"Gemini Black. You know what, she really is Slytherin..." Peter looked ready to cry. "We'll have to watch ourselves until exams are over. Don't worry, it's just this month! Once she finishes her exams, she'll never come back to Hogwarts! We can endure it!"
"What?!" Various exclamations rose around Peter, and even the neighboring Hufflepuff table buzzed with discussion.
"So she's the legendary Black?! The one who saved a classmate from Acromantula jaws with just one spell?!" Jimmy Thomas across from Peter said in amazement. "There are loads of novels about her! I've read them all! Supposedly written by her admirers! Think I could get her autograph, Peter!" Jimmy stared at Peter with shining eyes.
"What? There are novels about Gemini?! What kind? Let me see!" Peter was shocked. Why didn't he know?
Jimmy immediately pulled a palm-sized handwritten book from his robes, sneakily passing it under the table. "Don't let the professors see, especially Professor McGonagall. She doesn't like these circulating in school—says they're rumors. But half the school saw it! Graduated students said so themselves—firsthand experience!"
Peter ignored his dinner, taking it from under the table. Seeing the professors at the head table weren't paying attention, he quickly ducked his head to flip through it.
Soon, Peter returned the booklet to Jimmy with a complex expression. "I think you'd better not ask her to sign this, or you'll get strung up and beaten. I'm certain even telling the headmistress won't help."
Thinking of the booklet's wild words, Peter shuddered. Forgive him, but he really couldn't imagine what Gemini's "wicked smile" looked like, or her pointing her wand at some pretty boy's chin and pinning him against a wall.
Peter felt that if all novels about Gemini were like this, he had to keep it from her! Until she returned to America! Absolutely no exposure! Peter didn't want to see a third Dark Lord rising!
At eight PM, Gemini appeared before the Fat Lady's portrait. Under the Fat Lady's horrified expression, she coldly gave the password: "Dragon's Fury." The Fat Lady shrieked, "How do you know that?!"
Gemini looked at her impatiently. "Professor McGonagall told me. Hurry up and open it. I don't have much time to waste."
The Fat Lady indignantly moved her portrait aside, revealing the entrance hole.
Gemini bent down and entered, looking disdainfully at the gold-and-red common room. She immediately spotted Peter sprawled over a table by the fireplace, absentmindedly writing an essay.
Gemini tiptoed over. The playing students didn't notice her.
"If you turn this essay in to Professor Flitwick, you'll definitely get a P." Gemini said flatly after glancing at Peter's work.
Peter jumped, then relaxed seeing it was Gemini. Looking down at his essay—"On the Importance of Spell Pronunciation"—he saw he'd written complete nonsense about "wicked smiles" and "rainbow pupils." Peter yelped and used his wand to erase his scribbles.
"Here. Next time put some effort into homework. Don't think Hogwarts won't expel students." Gemini handed Peter a small bag and ruffled his hair. "I'm going back now. Only a few days until my exams, and I have things to review. If you have problems, find me anytime. Libby stayed in America—just summon Coby." After her instructions, Gemini prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Peter looked in horror at the blushing Jimmy, cursing inwardly. Not now, mate?!
Gemini turned back puzzled. "You are?"
"I'm Jimmy, Jimmy Thomas! My dad's Dean! Dean Thomas. You're my idol—could you please sign something for me?!" Jimmy looked at Gemini expectantly, pulling out a brand-new notebook from his bag. Seeing this, Peter sighed in relief.
Gemini raised an eyebrow. "I remember Harry mentioning your dad should be his roommate?"
Jimmy was so excited he practically smoked. "Yes! That's right! Mr. Potter actually remembers my dad? We all thought he was lying!"
Gemini smiled. "They were roommates for at least five years. Can I sign the first page?"
Jimmy nodded frantically. "Yes, yes! Thank you so much!" Jimmy took the notebook with both hands. Written in beautiful script was Gemini's name, plus "To the son of Harry Potter's roommate." This made Jimmy's fellow fans incredibly envious, all trying to find notebooks for signatures.
Gemini raised an eyebrow and turned to leave. Signing one was already quite generous—that was enough!
The next few days, Gemini lived under constant pursuit. Fortunately, her exam time arrived. After Professor McGonagall severely docked points from those people, Gemini could finally focus on her N.E.W.T. exams. Her ambitions weren't small—she needed all Outstanding grades!!!
The exams lasted a full month. After completing the final step of her Potions exam—submitting perfect Polyjuice Potion—Gemini collapsed on her bed back in her room. Though she lacked neither intelligence nor talent, exams were still exhausting. Now she just had to wait for results in a month.
The younger students had also gone on holiday. Gemini didn't make Peter wait long. After taking him to visit the Malfoys and Weasleys to see Scorpius and James, they both set off home. Somehow, the All-Purpose Shop had become what Gemini called home.
"Really? So much happened while I was away?" Gemini sipped her coffee, looking at photos Tony showed her.
"Weren't you pretty close in Britain? You didn't feel such a huge space rift?" Tony pointed at a photo incredulously.
Gemini rolled her eyes. "What's that got to do with me? I was busy with exams. How would I know anything?"
Tony shrugged. "Well, it disappeared quickly anyway. We didn't find much."
"By the way, the big guy seems to have run into trouble. He came to Stark Tower for help just before you returned. The bald guy's HYDRA situation is mostly resolved. You'll never guess who the mastermind was!" Tony said mysteriously.
Gemini just wanted to sigh but still cooperatively asked, "Who?"
"Alexander Pierce! Can you believe it?! The bald guy's direct superior! We even had a joint operation and blew up three helicarriers. Quite the spectacle—shame you didn't participate." Tony leaned back on the sofa smugly, showing off.
"Did you charge them?" Gemini asked.
Tony's expression froze instantly. "I forgot!"
Gemini sneered. "Good thing I wasn't there!"
Tony was again left speechless. He stood up to leave immediately. What kind of people were these? No desire to share at all!
Just then, Steve walked in carrying a large black bag. "You're both here? Perfect, I need help."
Gemini looked at Steve in shock. That black bag's shape and size—definitely a person! Who was it?! Who corrupted her knight?! How did he learn to kidnap people?!
"Big guy?! You actually kidnapped someone?! What kind of beauty made you do this?!" Tony asked what Gemini was thinking.
Looking at their expressions, Steve didn't know whether to be angry or complain. "This is what I mentioned before—seeing an old friend who should be dead. I met him again. He's apparently HYDRA's secret weapon, and his head seems damaged. Probably brainwashed. I confirmed many times that this really is my missing comrade, James Buchanan Barnes."
Hearing it was a male name, Tony was even more horrified. "You're into that?!"
Steve's expression was so helpless he almost wanted to laugh.
Gemini quickly stopped Tony's suicidal behavior. "Brain problems? Or memory problems?"
Steve quickly ignored Tony and responded, "Should be memory. Non-magical people use very crude brainwashing methods. I'm not sure if his brain is also damaged."
Gemini stood up. "Let's go to the cellar. We'll solve his memory problem first."
Steve followed gratefully behind, completely ignoring Tony's shouting.
"Hmph! If you won't take me, I don't care!" Tony said indignantly.
Gemini's voice came from outside. "Tony! Please find a brain specialist! We don't know anyone in that field!"
"No problem! Stark can do anything!" Tony confidently made the promise and happily walked out of the shop.
In the basement, Barnes was showing signs of waking. Gemini unceremoniously hit him with a Stunning Spell. Seeing Steve's wide eyes, Gemini at least offered an explanation. "Memory is easy to explore when someone's conscious and cooperative, but when they're not, it's too difficult. To avoid being too rough on his already damaged brain, I have to do this."
Steve reluctantly accepted this answer, staying close to Gemini and watching her every move.
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