The Cause
a few months later...
I looked around making sure Bunty was in the basement. Everything was safe, nobody was around. I'm glad I got the letter on the day Newt went out to try and get is travel documentation in order.
I hastily opened the letter that I had been expecting from quite some while.
Drew,
Paris.
GW
Was all it said, I gulped... I had to go to Paris. I didn't know how I'd tell Newt that I had to go to Paris without him knowing I would be meeting with my brother.
I quickly folded the letter and walked into the basement. Bunty was trying to apply ointment to Kelpie.
I walked past her towards Newt's desk. I opened my drawer and for a second I stared at all Tina's letters I had collected. I hadn't heard from her in months.
I sighed before hiding Gellert's letter between Tina's letters.
"Ouch" Bunty's voice called out in pain. I turned around immediately and saw that Kelpie had bit Bunty. Her hand was bleeding.
"Bad kelpie!" I told the animal as I ran over to Bunty.
"It's nothing really," Bunty said her face in a pained expression. I helped her get up, together we walked to Newt's chair.
"Wait here," I told the woman who nodded staring at the blood. I quickly ran to the other side of the room where I knew bandages were. I grabbed a view while also grabbing a cloth and a bucket of water. I returned to the woman. I dipped the cloth in the water and cleaned her wound and applied pressure on it.
"You're lucky you didn't lose a finger," I said knowing Kelpie was capable of doing way more damage. I apply the bandage to her wounded fingers.
"Next time I'll help you with Kelpie alright?" I promised the woman, I didn't want her to get hurt. She nodded gratefully,
"Thank you Drew"Suddenly from upstairs a voice called out,
"Bunty! Bunty! Bunty, the baby Nifflers are loose again!"Bunty jumped up and immediately ran over to the stairs to help Newt with the Nifflers. I grinned at her reaction, she was so hopelessly in love with Newt, such a shame Newt cared about his animals more. I heard the two talk as both wizards came into view.
"Hmm, I've fed nearly everyone, Pinky's had his nose drops and-"
"- and Elsie?" Newt finished her impatiently.
"Elsie's droppings are nearly normal again"
"Wonderful you can clock off now" I saw Newt's eyes fall onto Bunty's freshly bandaged fingers.
"I told you to leave the Kelpie to me"
"I'll be fine, Drew helped me get bandaged up and Kelpie's wound needs more ointment" Bunty tried convincing him.
"I don't want you losing fingers over it!" Newt disagreed. I watched my friend march over to Kelpie's area.
"How did it go at the ministry?" I asked him curiously.
"Terrible!" Newt breathed, he turned to Bunty.
"Seriously, you go home now, Bunty. You must be exhausted"Bunty's desperate eyes found mine,
"The Kelpie is better with three, Newt. Better safe than sorry" I tried. Bunty gave me a thankful look. We all approached the water. Newt unhooked a bridle hanging beside the pond.
"Perhaps you should take off your shirt?" Bunty suggested hopeful. I snickered at that but neither of them heard it.
"Don't worry, I'll dry off quick enough" Newt told the woman oblivious. He sent us a smile before he jumped backwards into the water. We both knew he'd now calm the animal.... if the Kelpie didn't drown him first.With a whoosh Newt burst back out the water as the Kelpie was bridled. Now docile, it shook its mane.
"Someone needed to let off some steam. Ointment?" Newt asked. I handed the ointment to Bunty, who handed it to Newt. Newt applied the ointment to a wound on the Kelpie's neck.
"Bite Bunty again and there'll be trouble, mister!" Newt warned the animal. Suddenly there's a loud crash upstairs.
"What was that?" Bunty asked alarmed.
"I'll go look!" I offered running up the stairs. I heard Newt and Bunty talk before Newt followed me. I drew my wand as I entered the living room expecting the worst.
My eyes fell on two people.
I stopped abruptly.
Jacob and Queenie stood in the middle of the room with their suitcases beside them. Queenie seemed nervous and excited while Jacob was unfocused and over-merry... was he drunk? I frowned.
Jacob was holding the remaining pieces of Newt's case which he had just broken.
"If you could just give it to me... just give it to me," Queenie told Jacob oblivious to me. Newt had joined me at my side looking at the duo as well.
"If you could just give this to me, sweetheart. oh" Queenie suddenly noticed us.
"He doesn't care. Hold it" Jacob said looking up at us, then he realized we were there.
"HEY! NEWT! DREW! Get over here, you maniacs!" Jacob ran up to us and flung his arms around both of us, delighted. Both Newt and I were a bit taken back by this.
"We hope you don't mind? We let ourselves in - it's raining out there! Cats and dogs! London's cold" Queenie told us, a small smile appeared on my face as I remember her sister saying something familiar.
Wait hold up, where Queenie was was Tina, where was Tina?
My eyes shot all around the room trying to find the woman.
"But you were supposed to have been Obliviated!" Newt called out totally in shock. Queenie gave me a look, "you didn't tell him?"
I shrugged, "it wasn't my story to tell"Queenie sent me a grateful look.
"You knew?" Newt asked me shocked, I just nodded.
"But-"
Jacob interrupted him, "It didn't work, pal. I mean, you said it, the potion only erased bad memories. I didn't have any, I had some weird ones. But this angel" the muggle sent Queenie a loving look, "this angel over here, she filled me in on all the bad parts, and here we are, I guess, huh?"
"This is wonderful!" Newt was overjoyed now. I smiled at him before walking into the hallway towards the front door, where was Tina? Queenie noticed me,
"Oh, it's just us, honey. Me and Jacob"I should've known, of course Tina wouldn't be here, why would she.
"Why don't I make us some dinner, huh?" Queenie suggested becoming uncomfortable.
"Yes!" Jacob cheered. I helped them deck the table, Queenie had even brought food with her in her suitcase, I had no idea how she managed to get that past Duane. Once dinner was ready we all sat down, the food smelled amazing.
"Tina and I aren't talking" Queenie started surprising Newt and I. Tina wasn't talking to Queenie, her sister?
"Why?" I frowned, that didn't sound like Tina at all.
"Oh well, you know, she found out about Jacob and I seeing each other and she didn't like it, cause of the law'" Queenie mimed quotation marks.
"Not allowed to date No-Majs, not allowed to marry them, Blah Blah Blah. Well, she was all in a tizzy anyway" She looked at me,
"cause of you"I frowned surprised, "Me?"
"Yeah, you! Drew, I told you. It was all in Spellbound here - I brought it for you" the wizard pointed at her suitcase. A celebrity magazine zoomed to her. Spellbound: Celebrity Secrets and Spell Tips of the Stars it read. She opened the magazine, it showed a picture of Me, Leta, Theseus and Newt standing at a wedding table.
"Leta LeStrange, with fiancée Drew Grindelwald and ex-fiancé Theseus Scamander and brother Newt Scamander" Queenie read, showing me the article. My mouth fell over, the magazine made such a stupid mistake!
"No!! Theseus married Leta, not Drew" Newt said standing up to me. I looked at Queenie in disbelief,
"and you didn't tell Tina that it wasn't the truth?"Queenie shrugged,
"I tried but she didn't believe me as you and I quote 'Wouldn't just come to New York without saying hi to her'"my heart broke once more, I should've confronted Tina back in New York.
"It doesn't matter anyway, she's dating that Archilles guy" I sighed sadly. An uncomfortable silence grew around the table. Queenie was the one to break it,
"Anyway... we're really excited to be here Newt, this is, well it's a special trip for us. You see, Jacob and I, we're getting married" Queenie announced excitedly. She showed us her engagement ring. We watched as Jacob tries to toast the moment... by pouring beer over his head.only now I realized Jacob was under a spell, what had Queenie done?
"I'm marrying Jacob!" Jacob cheered. I gave Queenie a 'seriously?' look. Newt was glaring at her as well.I noticed Newt concentrating on the woman, were they talking telepathically?
"Oh, that is an outrageous accusation. Look at him. He's just happy. He's so happy!" Queenie defended Jacob. I wondered what Newt had accused her of. Newt suddenly stood up and drew his wand, "then you won't mind if I-"
"Please don't" queenie interrupted him pleadingly. She jumped up and tried shielding Jacob from Newt.
"Queenie, you've got nothing to fear if he wants to get married. We can just lift the enchantment and he can tell us himself" I tried telling Queenie, she gave me a painful look. I knew that look all too well. She slowly moved aside.
"What you got there? Whatchu gonna do? Whatchu gonna do with that, Mr Scamander?" Jacob asked Newt enchanted.
"Surgito!" Newt spoke, We all look at Jacob suddenly came back to himself, he looked around confused.
"Congratulations on your engagement, Jacob" Newt awkwardly told the Muggle.
"Wait, what?" Jacob asked confused. Jacob suddenly realized what was going on,
"Oh no" He got up to his feet and turned towards Queenie. The moment he came face to face with her she ran to close her case, sobbing.She had read his mind didn't she? I noticed how a couple of things fell out her suitcase as she fleed the apartment.
"Queenie!" Jacob called after her alarmed. He turned towards Newt and I, "It's very nice to see you two. Where the hell am I right now?"
"London," I told my friend. His mouth fell open,
"Oh! I always wanted to go here!" He yelled frustrated.Jacob turned back towards the front door,
"Queenie!" He stormed out the house angrily going after the woman. I shared a worried look with Newt, this might not go well.My eyes fell onto a piece of the postcard that was laying on the ground, I pointed my wand at it.
"Papyrus Reparo"The postcard reconstituted into a whole, I noticed a picture of Paris on it. Then the text became visible.
I didn't know if I was intruding on someone's privacy but I didn't care, I was too curious.
My dear Queenie,
What a beautiful city.I'm thinking of you,
Tina X
the postcard read, I frowned. What was Tina doing in Paris? I handed the letter to Newt who read it too.
"Oh no" he breathed, I looked at him distressed, why oh no?
"She's there to find Credence" Newt explained only confusing me more.
"Isn't Credence that boy who died in New York" I questioned wondering if I'm thinking about the correct boy. Newt nodded confirming it.
"Yeah but he isn't dead. Dumbledore has asked me to go to Paris and find him as well as the ministry" Newt said. For a second I felt jealous that Dumbledore has asked him and not me, but I could understand it. Where Credence was involved my brother was likely to be involved as well. Now I understood why my brother wanted me to come to Paris.
"Maybe we should go to Paris then? Make sure Tina doesn't get hurt?" I suggested covering up the real reason why I wanted to go. Grindelwald might not be able to hurt Tina but his followers might and Credence could do some real damage as well.I looked at Newt hoping he'd tag along, he seemed to be conflicted for a second before he finally nodded,
"sure"as on cue, we ran down to the basement, Newt immediately grabbed his suitcase and started putting things into it.
I wrote a couple pieces of paper with instructions for Bunty - with the help of Newt of course.
I didn't need much for myself, I didn't know if I would be coming back as I really didn't know what Gellert's plan was.I walked to my drawer and grabbed Tina's picture out of it. I sighed before pocketing it.
I noticed Newt grabbing some Nifflers as well, this could either go well or really wrong.
"Newt?" A voice called out from the upper staircase.
"Down here, Jacob. I'll be with you in a second" Newt answered. A soaking wet Jacob appeared a minute later, I could sense the sadness coming from him.
"Here" I raised my wand at him, a second later warm magical air blasted out of it, it dried his rain-soaked clothes.
"thanks" he mumbled gratefully, I gave him a nod.
"Queenie left a postcard. Tina's in Paris looking for Credence" Newt told the Muggle.
"Genius. Queenie's gonna go straight for Tina. Okay, we're going to France pals! I'll go get my jacket" Jacob was about to run back upstairs, instead, I pointed my wand at the ceiling,
"I've got it" Jacob's coat, hat, and suitcase came flying down, dropping onto the floor in front of the man."Oh beautiful" Jacob said impressed. We all finished up packing our things and left, ready for Paris.
-
We were walking over the white cliffs of Dover. I wished Newt had his travel papers in order but that, unfortunately, wasn't the case so we had to be really careful with crossing the border. My eyes fell on Pickett, whose head stuck out of Newt's pocket. He was watching me curiously, I grinned.
"Hey Drew" Jacob started, I looked up at the Muggle.
"That man Tina is seeing I immediately got an uneasy feeling, of course, he had to bring that up.
"Don't worry about it. She's gonna see you and she'll see the five of us together, it'll be like New York all over again. Don't worry about it" Jacob finished trying to soften the situation.It was too late for Tina and I anyway, I had already made a blood pact with Grindelwald, plus she's dating an auror, way more in her area.
"What d'you think I should say to her if I see her?" I asked the guy. I had been wondering about it for a while. Should I give her a compliment? Tell her how much I've missed her? Or should I be distant as she had unconsciously hurt me...
"Oh well, it's best not to plan these things. You know, you just say whatever comes to you in the moment" Jacob offered, I nodded that made sense.
"You can tell her she has eyes like a salamander" Newt smiled, Jacob and I gave him a weird look,
"A salamander?" I laughed, my friend could be so silly something. Jacob turned to me,
"Just tell her that you missed her. Right, and then you came all the way to Paris to find her. She'll love that. And then yell her you're losing sleep at night for thinking of her. Just don't listen to Newt and start talking about salamanders" Newt grunted annoyed, I smirked at that.
"I'll figure it out, thanks guys"
"We're in this together, pals. I'm gonna help you find Tina, find Queenie and we'll be happy again. Just like old times" Jacob motivated us. I could still sense the sadness coming from him.
"It'll be okay for you too Jacob, you're a good friend" I smiled at the guy to cheer him up a little. He nodded thankfull before he spotted the slightly sinister figure on the edge of a cliff.
"Who is this guy?" Jacob wondered suspiciously.
"He's the only way I can leave the country without documentation. Now, you don't suffer from motion sickness, do you?" Newt asked the man. We had arrived at the figure now.
"I don't do well on boats, Newt" Jacob answered looking slightly worried.
"You'll be fine" I promised him.
"Stir your stumps - it leaves in one minute!" The portkey tout called out. I watched as Jacob looked around confused searching for our ride.
"Fifty Galleons" The portkey tout told us. I frowned, it wasn't that expensive right?
"No, we said thirty" Newt disagreed.
"Thirty to go to France, twenty not to tell anyone I seen Newt Scamander leaving the country illegally with Drew Grindelwald" he gave us a stern look, I rolled my eyes, of course. Newt grabbed the coins out of his pocket and angrily paid the guy.
"Price of fame pal" the man checked his watch,
"Ten seconds!"I grabbed a hold on Newt's arm, Newt gave Jacob a look,
"Jacob" He offered his free arm to his friend. Jacob grabbed the arm and we were all pulled into thin air.
We appeared again in France, Paris even. I was thankful that the portkey had been accurate. Jacob curiously grabbed the bucket. He looked pale and sweaty.
"I don't like that portkey" he mumbled clinging into the bucket.
"So you keep saying" Newt said distracted, we were both looking at the same thing.
"Come on" We walked over to the statue of a robed woman. Newt enchanted the policeman who was standing in front of us as we snuck through the magic wall. We came in a new street, this one was filled with wizards.
I got out my wand,
"Appare Vestigium"the tracking spell materialized as a swirl of gold, it illuminated the traces of recent magical activity in the square.Newt pointed his wand at his suitcase,
"Accio Niffler!" the case busted open and the Niffler jumped out.
"Get looking" I called out. We all ran all over the square trying to find Tina's traces. We also found a bunch of animals impressions which surprised us.
Suddenly I saw a flash of Tina,
"Tina?" I frowned, Newt and the Niffler came running over.
"What have you found?" Newt asked the Niffler that was sniffing the area where we stood. Before waiting for a response, Newt bended down and licked the pavement. I scrunched my nose in disgust.
"and we're licking dirt now," Jacob noticed as well surprised. Newt ignored him and put his wand to his ear and listened to a terrifying roar. I pointed my wand at the street,
"Revelio"Gigantic law marks became visible overlaying everything else.
"What made those?" Jacob asked worriedly, I looked at Newt expectantly, I bet he knew which animal it had come from. I just hoped it was an animal that wasn't so aggressive.
"That is a Zouwu. It's a Chinese creature. They are incredibly fast and incredibly powerful. They can travel a thousand miles in a day... and this one could take you from one part of Paris to the next in a single leap" Newt explained to us. My eyes fell onto the Niffler who's smelling another spot. I walked closer and discovered Tina stood there as well.
"Good boy, Guys I think she was here" I called out. The two joined me. "She has incredibly narrow feet, have you noticed?" I spotted bending down and tracing her footsteps with my fingers.
"Can't say that I have" Jacob shrugged, a vision of a man appeared.
"Then someone came towards her" Newt noticed. Newt grabbed a feather that came from the hat of the man from the ground.
"Avenseguim" Newt whispered, the feather turned around like a needle of a compass, it pointed us the way.
"Follow that feather!" Newt told is, I immediately walked towards it following the item.
"What?" Jacob asked confused not really getting it.
"Come on Jacob, we're following it" I waved Jacob over.
"Where is he?" Newt looked around until he spotted the Niffler.
"Ah, Accio Niffler" The Niffler flew back towards the case which Newt grabbed and joined us.
"Let go of the bucket!" Newt told Jacob, I only now noticed Jacob was still carrying it. Jacob dropped the bucket and we all chased after the flying feather.
After a while of running around the streets Newt abruptly stopped, Jacob and I nearly ran into him.
"I think it's him" Newt nodded towards a guy who was sitting at a café.
"How do we approach him?" I wondered out loud, Newt just shrugged and sat down at an empty table, we followed his lead. I quickly caught the feather and trapped it beneath a glass.
"You know what I miss about Queenie? Everything. I even miss the stuff that drove me nuts. Like the mind reading... I was lucky to have someone like her even interested in anything I thought. You know what I mean?" Jacob started talking. I listened to the man, everything he said reminded me of Tina. It pained my heart.
"Sorry?" Newt asked distracted not really listening. Jacob gave him a sad look that I recognized all too well.
"I agree Jacob, I feel the same way but about Tina," I told the guy, he nodded.Jacob turned towards Newt changing the topic,
"I was saying, you're sure the guy is here that we're looking for?"
"Definitely. The feather says so" Newt confirmed, I let myself relax a bit. We'd probably find Tina soon. I hadn't gotten a signal from my brother yet, I didn't know where I was supposed to meet him, it's probably best to first make sure Tina was safe.I spotted the guy from the vision.
Newt spotted him as well and let the feather free which instantly flew towards the man's hat. We all jumped up and ran towards the man.
"Bonjour. Bonjour, monsieur" Newt tried speaking bad french. The man ignored him and continued walking.
"Oh wait, no, sorry! We were... we were actually just wondering if you'd come across a friend of ours?" Newt tried again.
"Tina Goldstein!" I immediately said impatiently.
"Monsieur, Paris is a large city" The man answered, this answer didn't satisfy me though.
"She's an Auror. When Aurors go missing, the Ministry tend to come looking, so... No, I suppose it would probably be better if we just report her absence" I lied smoothly.
"She is tall? Dark? Rather-" The man started,
"Beautiful?" I cut him off. He watched me suspiciously for a second.
"Yeah... what I meant to say, she's very.. very pretty"I nodded agreeing with the man.
"She's intense, too" Jacob added with a small grin.
"I think I saw someone like this last night. Perhaps if I showed you where?" The man suggested.
"If you wouldn't mind" I smiled, "That would be lovely" Newt added.We joined the guy as he showed us where he had seen Tina. I had an uneasy feeling about him, something wasn't right.
I comforted myself with the knowledge of there being three of us and only one of him.
We entered a narrow alley, to everyone surprised he stopped just in front of a dodgy looking door.
He quickly opened it and let us in. We entered the new room, it was pitch black and there even was the sound of water dripping.
It made me feel very uneasy.
There was another door, the man opened this one as well and let us in.There was a brief shaft of sunlight in the room, it shone upon a person who was laying on the floor.
I frowned.
"Tina?" I called out hoping the person was indeed Tina.
The person woke up, she looked up and our eyes locked. It was Tina.I felt shivers down my spine but that could also be because it was cold here.
"Drew!" Tina cheered in disbelieve, she quickly jumped up. Suddenly a loud bang came from behind us.
I turned around and discovered the guy had locked us in, imprisoning us.