Aurelian's original plan for that morning was simply to walk into a car rental agency in New York and pick up something comfortable, inconspicuous, and practical for his road trip. However, all his plans for discretion went out the window the moment he walked past the door of a classic car dealership and saw it.
Parked in the center of the showroom, gleaming under a spotlight unlike any other, sat an absolute masterpiece of human engineering: a 1969 Ford Mustang, in an impeccable and striking glossy black.
Aurelian stood transfixed, taking in the vehicle's classic lines. There was no way he was going to leave that gem just sitting there. The only catch was that, as a citizen of Great Britain and barely eighteen years old, he didn't have a Muggle driver's license, registration, or insurance. But for a wizard of his caliber, this little problem was a mere formality.
With a subtle, undetectable flick of his wrist and a bit of mental manipulation, he cast a powerful Confundus charm on the salesman who had approached him. Within a matter of minutes, the bewildered man was absolutely convinced that this charming, smiling young foreigner had paid him the full price of the car in cash, that all the paperwork was in order, and that the vehicle was ready for delivery. End of story.
Minutes later, Aurelian was driving through the streets of New York on his way to the hotel to pick up Hestia, Flora, and their belongings.
As the engine roared with great power, making the steering wheel vibrate in his hands, Aurelian let his mind wander to the itinerary of their trip. The first place they would go would be Massachusetts—specifically, the city of Salem.
For a long time, Salem had sparked great curiosity in him. Above all, he wanted to see the famous Salem Witch Institute with his own eyes—a magical academy as exclusive as it was enigmatic. Moreover, all the mystery, ancient magic, and bloodshed that permeated the place—thanks to the historic trials and witch burnings of 1692—made it a magical convergence point worth investigating.
After Salem, the plan was to head south, toward Virginia. That would be the main event of his Muggle investigation: the Pentagon.
Thanks to President Sam MacDuff's insight during their recent meeting, Aurelian had confirmed that MACUSA was indeed deeply and actively interested in the affairs of non-magical people. And although he hadn't asked the president directly whether the magical government had any kind of official contact with the U.S. government, Aurelian could easily sense that there was a certain level of recognition between the two sides. If the American Muggle government had secret files on the existence of magic or some way to track it, he was almost certain they would be hidden deep within Virginia.
Finally, the majestic black Mustang pulled up in front of the entrance to the luxurious hotel. Hestia and Flora were already waiting for him in the lobby, surrounded by their expensive luggage.
As soon as the glass doors opened and the bellhop unloaded the suitcases, the twins stopped on the sidewalk. Both looked at the Muggle vehicle with a mixture of suspicion and confusion, as if the car were a wild beast about to attack them.
Aurelian got out, closed the door, and leaned against the roof of the car with a huge smile.
"This is a true classic, my darlings," Aurelian announced, before getting carried away by his excitement. "A 1969 Ford Mustang. V8 engine, over two hundred ninety horsepower, rear-wheel drive, and an aerodynamic design that revolutionized the automotive industry..."
Aurelian continued listing technical specifications, parts, and features that made the car a true mechanical marvel. However, he stopped mid-sentence while talking about the carburetor.
When he looked at his wives, he noticed that both were staring at him with completely blank expressions. Hestia was blinking slowly, and Flora had tilted her head to one side. They weren't understanding a single word he was saying, and from their expressions, he could see the boredom they couldn't quite hide—it was clear they weren't the least bit interested in the subject either. To them, it was still just a noisy, clunky metal box.
Aurelian let out a sigh, shaking his head in resignation. Pureblood wizards would never understand the appeal of a good engine.
"Whatever," he muttered, discreetly pointing his finger to move and shrink the luggage with a spell and stow it in the trunk of the car. "Just get in, please."
As they got in, neither of them made a move to sit in the passenger seat. Instead, Hestia and Flora opened the back door and settled together in the back seats, linking their arms. It was much more comfortable.
Aurelian sat behind the wheel, adjusted the rearview mirror so he could see them, and started the engine with a deafening roar.
"All right, make yourselves comfortable. Our first stop will be Salem, in the state of Massachusetts," he informed them as he merged into city traffic.
Upon hearing the destination, Hestia visibly perked up. Her eyes sparkled with that curiosity so characteristic of her.
"Oh, Salem!" Hestia exclaimed, leaning forward slightly. "What a fascinating town. It'll be incredibly interesting to see the exact spot where the Muggles burned all those witches and wizards at the stake. I want to see if you can still feel the residual magic from that tragedy."
Flora, on the other hand, frowned, looking far less enthusiastic than her sister.
"Aurelian… are you sure it's safe to go there?" Flora asked cautiously, clutching Hestia's arm. "Our mother once told us that place is very dangerous for wizards and witches who aren't from there. According to her, the land is cursed, and very bad things happen to outsiders."
Aurelian looked at her in the rearview mirror and gave her a smile full of confidence—a confidence that only the most powerful wizard in the world could possess.
"I assure you that absolutely nothing will happen to us, Flora," Aurelian reassured him in a deep voice. "I'm almost certain those stories are mere local superstitions meant to keep the curious away. And if it turns out to be true and we run into something dangerous… I'll take care of protecting you from anything that dares to cross our path."
Hearing her husband's promise, Flora's worries vanished like smoke. Hestia and Flora smiled sweetly at him, completely smitten by his protective and dominant demeanor, and settled back into the leather seats, watching the cityscape change outside the windows.
With his wives safe in the back and the road clear ahead, Aurelian floored the gas pedal. The Mustang shot down the highway with a glorious roar, and a grin from ear to ear spread across the young wizard's face.
This car was definitely a true marvel. The road trip had just begun.
The Ford Mustang's powerful engine devoured the kilometers on the highway. Aurelian drove along, genuinely happy, with one hand resting casually on the steering wheel as he hummed along to a catchy rock song playing on the car radio.
In the back seat, Hestia and Flora seemed to have finally come to terms with the strange Muggle contraption. With the windows slightly rolled down, they were both enjoying the refreshing breeze ruffling their hair, and surprisingly, they also seemed to be enjoying the lively beat of the song.
Aurelian was so absorbed in the peace of the moment and the adrenaline of driving that he simply ignored his surroundings. He didn't realize that he had just zoomed past an unmarked police patrol car pulled over to the side of the road, traveling at a speed considerably higher than the speed limit.
A few minutes later, the annoying, unmistakable flash of red and blue lights lit up his rearview mirror, accompanied by the brief sound of a siren demanding that he pull over.
Aurelian frowned and cursed under his breath.
"Shit," he muttered.
He eased off the gas pedal and gently pulled the car over to the shoulder of the road. He glanced in the mirror toward the back seat, where the twins had already tensed up.
"Stay in here, my darlings," Aurelian whispered calmly. "I won't be long."
Aurelian got out of the car, closing the door behind him. From inside, Hestia and Flora watched him go. Both peered out the window, narrowing their cold black eyes with obvious annoyance and deep disdain for those two insignificant men in strange clothes who had the audacity to interrupt their trip and inconvenience their husband.
Aurelian struck a relaxed pose, tucking his hands into his pockets, and greeted the approaching officers.
"Good morning. Is there a problem, officers?"
One officer, who was somewhat overweight and sweating profusely under the midday sun, adjusted his belt with a stern expression.
"You've far exceeded the speed limit in this area, son. You were flying."
The other officer, younger and with a grim expression, stepped forward, pulled out a notepad, and held out a gloved hand toward him.
"Driver's license and vehicle registration, please."
Aurelian made no move whatsoever to reach for a wallet. Instead, he looked up and stared directly into the eyes of both men.
With precision, he let his Legilimency seep into the officers' minds, cleanly erasing any memory of the last few minutes, the traffic violation, and the black Mustang. Immediately afterward, Aurelian cast a subtle but effective Imperius Curse on them.
"Get back to your patrol car," Aurelian ordered, his will crushing the Muggles' minds as if they were mere insects. "Get in, start the engine, and return to your police station as quickly as possible. Don't look back."
The officers' faces went completely blank. All emotion vanished from their features, and their eyes became vacant. Without saying another word and nodding robotically, both men turned on their heels. They hurried toward their patrol car, got in in total silence, and sped off, driving away down the highway until they disappeared from view.
Aurelian let out a sigh, shaking his head with some irritation at the absurd number of times he'd already had to alter minds on this trip, then returned to the car.
No sooner had he closed the door than Hestia peered over from between the two front seats.
"What happened, my love?" she asked, studying his face. "What did those Muggles want?"
Flora leaned over beside him, her brow furrowed and a dark spark in her eyes.
"Was there a problem?" Flora asked in an icy voice. "You just had to give us the signal, and we would have torn them to pieces."
Aurelian let out a small chuckle, appreciating, as always, his wives' loyalty and affection. He caressed their cheeks tenderly, settling back into his seat.
"Relax, my loves. Everything is perfectly fine," he assured them, downplaying the matter. "They just wanted to ask for some directions and give me a few pointers."
Aurelian started the Mustang's growling engine again. He floored the gas pedal and got back on the highway. He continued his journey toward the dark and mysterious secrets of Salem, this time keeping an eye on the speed limit, but without losing the satisfied smile that came from knowing that, in the world of non-magicians, he remained the most powerful force.
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