A Dark And Stormy Night
Black fades to a grey flashback of Mary Lou Barebone laying on the ground, eyes unseeing. The footage looks fuzzy and shadowed. Shots of the orphanage falling into disarray. The back of Chastity as she takes care of the remaining orphans. We move away out the door, and the door creaks closed. A light flickers above. It goes out, and then flickers back on over another door deep underground, in the wizarding prison of New York. It opens and two ministry officials-the president of MACUSA and another official looking man- walk down the long hallway. They walk quickly and speak in professional tones, despite the argument the two seem to be having.
They come to a stop in front of the cell containing Grindelwald. He looks more haggard than when we last saw him, hair long and unkempt, and his wide pale eyes unseeing. He does not seem to respond to anything going on around him.
“You'll be glad to be rid of him, I expect,” The man says, not sounding too happy at the prospect of being the one to receive him.
President Picquery shakes her head, looking nothing less than entirely put together, yet there's a tired and unbalanced nature to her. “We'd be more than happy to keep him here in custody.” Her tone of voice suggests that she’s made this argument several times, and the man's response confirms it.
“Six months is long enough. It's time for him to answer for his crimes in Europe.”
“He committed murder on our land-”
“Ours too. Not to mention blood vows, unforgivables, sev-”
“President Picquery, Mr. Spielman, sir. Prisoner is secured and ready to travel,” a lower level employee interrupts, handing over the list to the President. The man looks irritated by this.
Seraphina Picquery nods, and after scanning the list hands it to the man next to her. With one last blunt remark - ”Due to several mishaps, we had to cut his tongue out.” - she walks off, the employee keeping step. The man, eyes on the list, waves his guards forward. They take Grindelwald out of the cage without struggle. When he fails to walk on his own, they levitate him through the halls, past many cages of jeering and clamoring prisoners.
They load him into a large black carriage, driven and flanked by many highly trained aurors and guards, dressed all in black.
The soundless, nearly invisible transfer unknowingly has a spectator. A man stands tall on a building, impeccable posture. He seems to be precariously balanced on a roof, yet shows incredible balance. The wind ruffles his short black hair and long black coat. He’s unsmiling, yet his grey eyes show amusement at the sight before him. He seems unsurprised by the voice from behind.
“So that’s him?”
“Yes. He was all too happy to take the fall for my crimes. I presume he was under the mistaken impression I would be breaking him out of there.”
“Mistaken-?”
“Well, of course. I have no intention of letting them realize the truth before I’m sitting comfortably in Paris.”
The woman fidgets, her eyes following the carriage getting farther and farther away. It’s nearly impossible to see in the black sky, but she follows it as if it’s a neon sign. “Yes, Grindelwald,” she says, her voice hoarse.
“Now, I have set up an illegal portkey for us- I have found the most lush place for our hideout.”
~Title Screen~