The queen gave Jacob a brief nod before her attention changed to the remaining items on the desk.
Three shiny, official-looking badges rested atop sealed envelopes, and beside them was a single, small booklet. The badges, with their unmistakable designs, clearly resembled those used by law enforcement, while the booklet was unmistakably a passport.
The queen placed her hand on one of the badges and fixed her gaze on Maverick.
"United Kingdom Criminal Investigation Department CID," she explained, her voice calm and straighttothepoint. "Commander rank, with the corresponding clearance level." She paused and gestured to the second badge. "This one—Military Intelligence, Section Six. MI6 agent credentials."
Her hand moved to the third item. It was red and gold, its design more ornate than official. "This signifies your agent status in the Double-0 squad," she said, her tone measured and precise. "It will be invaluable, both within the military and when working with international agencies..."
If there was one thing Maverick appreciated most about Queen Elizabeth, it was her no-nonsense approach. She didn't waste time. She didn't leave you hanging. She always got straight to the point.
She sat up straighter, her tone changing slightly. "With these, most doors will open for you. I trust you've been briefed on everything over the past few weeks, so I won't go into the details."
Maverick nodded. He had indeed been thoroughly briefed on everything—from standard operational procedures to the off-the-books protocols. He understood the privileges these identities granted, and just as importantly, the limits of what he could and couldn't do.
Finally, she focused on the last item. "I know wizards like you can hop across borders with a flick of a wand," she said with a slight smile, "but if you ever need to travel the old-fashioned way, this will come in handy." She pushed the passport toward him.
"This grants you hassle-free travel within NATO, the Commonwealth countries, Europe... well, you get the idea."
Maverick picked it up. The passport was red, much like any other, but he knew this small booklet would be vital for the many tasks he needed to accomplish over the next two years.
The handover was quick and efficient.
Maverick didn't raise any questions. He simply transferred everything into his ring. All he needed to know had already been covered.
It was time for the real conversation.
This meeting wasn't just for the queen to present Maverick with impressive weapons and gadgets. She had asked to see him alone, without Edward. Maverick had expected this moment, and he was curious to see if she would ask anything different now that his mentor wasn't present.
As an excellent host, Queen Elizabeth had arranged a private dinner. The three of them sat together, engaging in casual conversation, until the queen finally steered the discussion back to the matter at hand. Once again, she inquired about Maverick's future plans. Maverick's response was unchanged, as he gave the same answer he had before.
Then she delved into more serious topics. She asked Maverick what he thought about the magical world, its future, and if it could ever live openly alongside the non-magical world. She even brought up the Statute of Secrecy, asking if he had any ideas about changing or ending it. These were bold questions she wouldn't dare raise in front of a magical minister or a speaker.
Maverick wasn't bothered, though he was a little surprised she asked him. He decided to be even bolder and shared his real thoughts about it.
He explained his hypothesis that the Statute of Secrecy likely wouldn't last another decade, given the rapid advancements in Muggle technology. It would be wiser, he argued, to gradually control the narrative and introduce the magical world to Muggles in a measured way, rather than let the truth explode on the front page of some random newspaper.
He then laid out how he would approach this task, explaining his strategy step by step. The queen listened attentively, occasionally raising questions of her own, while his father too joined in, sharing his own thoughts as they talked.
The conversation then shifted to the consequences of such a change. Maverick gave a simple example, comparing it to how nuclear weapons had stopped nations from going to war. He said the magical world had its own kind of deterrents in the form of powerful witches and wizards.
Each Arch-Magus, he explained, was akin to a nuclear powerhouse, and no country would dare provoke such strength.
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This, he explained, would help prevent the chaos that could come from merging the two worlds.
The queen brought up some serious concerns, including the potential trouble from religious extremists. Maverick responded confidently, explaining that the information age was already changing how people thought. Over time, he said, those groups would likely become a small, isolated minority.
His honest insights seemed to strike a chord with the queen. From her expressions and the emotions he picked up on, it was clear she appreciated his openness.
The longer they talked, the more Maverick felt like sharing with her. After thinking it over for a moment, he shared some of his ideas for changing the outdated ways of British noble wizards.
He explained his approach, detailing how he planned to encourage the nobles to accept Muggle-born wizards and even non-magical individuals.
The queen wholeheartedly supported his vision. She encouraged him, emphasizing that once the magical world inevitably stepped into the open, she didn't want Britain to lag behind as a backward, divided nation.
The dinner stretched on for more than two hours, covering a wide range of topics.
This was her opportunity to ask all the questions, opinions, and requests she hadn't voiced during their first meeting, restrained then by Edward's presence.
Maverick answered everything thoroughly, addressing her concerns and expectations. Her requests were reasonable and aligned with the conditions he had set when agreeing to work with her government.
As the conversations unfolded, Maverick realized the queen truly held no prejudice against wizards. She genuinely wanted to bring together all aspects of her nation—magical, non-magical, superhuman, and supernatural. A united nation was her ultimate goal.
Of course, she wasn't a saint. There was selfish motive behind it: she would remain the supreme authority of this unified nation.
From what Maverick could tell, she also seemed convinced that the wizarding world's secrets wouldn't stay hidden for much longer. It was clear she was already preparing for that eventuality.
Before that, the queen wanted Maverick firmly on her side. By now, she had grasped the scope of Maverick's potential, understanding how powerful he could become. It was evident she saw him as a future trump card—someone who could ensure that even after the magical world stepped out of hiding, she or her descendants would retain ultimate authority over the nation. Maverick's strength, she believed, would be key to keeping that power close to her.
Maverick didn't care about any of the politics. He valued order, and her vision aligned with his. He had no desire to rule or concern himself with who governed the nation. In fact, if it were up to him, he'd prefer a non-magical leader to hold supreme authority over both the magical and non-magical sides.
After all, wizards were a minority, and they weren't the only ones with extraordinary abilities. More importantly, Maverick firmly believed that technology, not magic, would be the most reliable force for maintaining order in the long run.
And even if a future monarch tried to twist things and play dirty politics, well, Maverick knew how to handle that game too—and he wouldn't leave anything to chance.
They dined and talked, their conversation spanning a wide range of topics, until the clock approached nine.
Before they parted ways, Maverick offered the queen a personal reassurance, promising to stand by her side as long as her intentions and actions prioritized the good of the nation—for both magical and non-magical people.
This didn't mean Maverick was willing to become a puppet, nor did it suggest he had any sense of nationalist ego. Far from it. He had big plans for the future—plans that included amassing wealth and building his own force. What he needed most was order, and he knew he had to stay close to the ones enforcing it.
The magical side would take time, but Maverick had plans to enter the higher circles of magical authority as well.
Everything he did, every decision he made, was calculated. But only time would reveal whether his choices today were right or wrong.
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Author's Note:
Just a quick update — up to Chapter 74 is already available on P AT r30n!
PAT r30n [.] com / RyanFic