December 9th, 1925.

The Scamander brothers were now on a train that was going across Europe. They were accompanied by Bunty, Newt's assistant, and Yusuf Kama, whom they met already at the train station. 

Theseus found himself reading the Daily Prophet while Kama was looking out the window admiring the snowy countryside. Theseus wondered why was the man here, but it was all part of Dumbledore's plan, so he had to trust the process. Even when he felt like was walking through a mined field blindfolded.

"What did they say at the Ministry?" Asked Newt all of the sudden. Theseus stopped his reading and looked at the front page, where Newt's eyes were glued. 'Who will triumph? Liu or Santos?' could be read as pictures of them moved on the page. The elections were soon, in a few days, actually. "Liu or Santos?"

"Well, officially, the Ministry takes no position." Theseus answered. "Unofficially, smart money's on Santos." He added with a smile. "Although anyone would be better than Vogel."

"Anyone?" Asked Yusuf as he looked at the back page, Theseus turned the paper to have a look, it was Grindelwald's wanted poster.

"I don't believe he's on the ballot, Kama. He also happens to be a fugitive."

"Is there a difference?" Theseus frowned but, when he was about to answer, the chimney of the wagon they were in started rumbling.

"Spinning!" Said our friend Jacob Kowalski as he stepped out of the chimney, accompanied by a tall woman with dark skin and long black hair. "Always with the spinning." He complained and Theseus stood up, leaving the newspaper on his chair.

"Jacob!" Newt exclaimed and rushed to hug his friend, something Theseus did resent a bit. "Welcome. You brilliant man." They smiled at each other. "Sorry. I was absolutely sure that Professor Hicks would convince you."

"Yeah. You know me, pal. I can't pass up a good Portkey." Said Jacob, chuckling.

"Mister Scamander." Said the woman to Newt.

"Professor Hicks." Newt greeted. "At long last." Both spoke at the same time. "So, Professor Lally Hicks and I, we've corresponded for many years, but we've never actually met." Newt explained with a smile. "So, her book in advanced charming casting is a must-read."

"Newt is far too kind." Said Hicks. "Fantastic Beasts is required reading for all my fifth years." Newt smiled brightly.

"Now, let me make some introductions." He turned towards his assistant. "So, this is, um, Bunty Broadacre, my indispensable assistant for the past seven years." The woman wearing a green hat and a green coat with strawberry blonde hair, that had two baby Nifflers on both her shoulders smiled at him.

"Eight years." She corrected. "And one hundred and sixty four days." She added and Theseus smiled to himself as he rose his eyebrows.

"Hmm." Hicks said.

"As you can see, indispensable." Newt added. "And, this is-"

"Yusuf Kama." The man introduced himself. "Pleasure."

"And you, obviously, already made Jacob's acquaintance." With that Newt seemed to wrap the introductions, to which Theseus frowned and cleared his throat.

"Newt?" Said man turned around and nodded.

"Right. So, this is my brother Theseus, and, um, he works for the Ministry."

"Actually, head of the British Auror Office." Theseus commented.

"Ah! Well, I'll have to ensure my wand registration's up to date." Newt smiled at Lally's words.

"Yes. Although, strictly speaking, that doesn't fall within my purview." Newt moved towards the opposite side of the wagon and the rest followed after him.

"Well, I imagine that you're all wondering why you find yourselves here." Newt spoke and everyone payed close attention. "Um, and in anticipation of that, Dumbledore asked that I convey a message. So, Grindelwald has the ability to see snatches of the future. Therefore, we have to assume that he'll be able to anticipate what we do before we do it. So, if we hope to defeat him and to save our world, to save your world, Jacob, then our best hope is to confuse him."

"Uh..." Bunty exclaimed as Jacob placed his hand up.

"'Scuse me." He said. "I'm sorry, how do you confuse a guy that can see the future?"

"Countersight." Said Kama.

"Exactly. The best plan being no plan." Newt commented.

"Or, many overlapping plans." Hicks added.

"Thus, confusion."

"It's working on me right now." Said Jacob and Theseus chuckled to himself.

"In fact, Dumbledore asked that I give you something, Jacob." Newt told him and pulled from under his sleeve a wand. Jacob, amazed, left the pan he had somehow brought on the counter of the cantina and stepped forward to grab the wand. "It's snakewood. It's, uh, somewhat rare."

"Are you kiddin' me right now? Is this thing real?"

"Yes. Well, it doesn't have a core, so sort of, but yes."

"It's sorta real?"

"More importantly, where we're going, you'll need it. Now, there's something for you too, I think, Theseus." Theseus' attention went from a fascinated Jacob with his fake wand to his brother. Newt was rustling with someone inside his coat's pocket. "Teddy, please let go now. Teddy, please let go." Bunty sighed. "No, Teddy, will you behave? This is Theseus'." Newt gave a final pull and Teddy flew out of his pocket, thankfully, Jacob caught him. Newt handed over the object to his brother. "This is-"

"Of course." Said Theseus. It was a tie, the fabric's colour was wine red, and it had golden touches that shimmered whenever the light hit it, hence Teddy's need to have it for himself. "Now everything makes sense." Theseus smiled at Newt knowing very well none of this was making sense.

"Um, Lally, I believe you were given some reading material?"

"You know what they say, a book can take you around the world and back, all you have to do is open it." Said Lally with a smirk.

"She ain't kiddin'." Jacob commented.

"Yes, uh, Bunty." Newt pulled out of his jacket's pocket a small envelope. "This is for you, I was told it was for your eyes only." Bunty looked at everyone in the wagon and they all looked away. Theseus looked at his feet until he heard Bunty exclaiming 'oh', that's when he saw the paper burned by a pink flame and it was reduced to nothing but thin air.

"And, Kama-"

"I have what I need." Theseus breathed in and sighed through his nose, Kama is not his favourite person for some reason.

"What about Tina? Uh, is Tina coming?" Asked Jacob.

"Tina's not available." Newt answered. "Um...Tina's been promoted, she's very, very busy from...well, from what I understand."

"Tina's been made Head of the American Auror Office." Hicks commented, Theseus nodded. That was something he already knew, he knew how much work it was and it didn't surprise him if Tina couldn't make it. As a matter of fact, he wasn't supposed to be there, he was supposed to be at his office working as much as Tina was working. "We know each other, she's quite a remarkable woman."

"She is." Newt said with a bright smile.

"Alright." Said Jacob. "And what about Miss French Witch?" Theseus gulped. "Is Amélie as busy as Tina?"

"I don't know." Newt turned to face Theseus, whom frowned and shrugged.

"What?" He asked.

"I don't suppose you know if Amélie's joining us, do you?"

"No. Why would I know?"

"I don't know, I thought you were close."

"We were close."

"If you were fond of each other, why don't you know?"

"We haven't seen or talked at all in years, Newt. We...fell apart. I haven't even seen her in meetings at the Ministries."

"Oh." Theseus cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. It's part of life, you know?" A sigh he tried to make seem less heavy than what it actually felt like escaped his lips. "She's certainly busy, though. Plus, if she was going to be in Dumbledore's plan, he would've told us, right?"

"Right." A short but not less awkward silence fell upon the group.

"So." Theseus called the attention. "This is the team that's gonna take down the most dangerous wizard we've faced in over a century. A magizoologist, his indispensable assistant, a schoolteacher, a wizard descended from a very old French family, and..." He popped his lips. "A Muggle baker." He breathed in sharply after pointing with his eyes at every single one present. "With his fake wand."

"Hey, we got you too, pal, and his wand works." Theseus scoffed as Jacob chugged down a drink he had poured himself.

"Who wouldn't like our chances?" Jacob crackled and Newt chuckled and the trip continued.

"Theseus, a word, please." Said Newt and his brother nodded. Jacob offered drinks and cocktails, Kama accepted one and the rest only drank firewhiskey but Theseus only had water.

"What is it?"

"So, the place we're going...it can be triggering for you." Theseus frowned.

"Why?"

"Germany." Theseus held his breath for a second, he left his glass on the counter. "If you need anything do let me know. Anything, Theseus." He nodded.

"Yeah." He turned towards Jacob. "Could you pour me some whiskey, please?" Jacob nodded and poured him his drink. "Thanks, mate." He took a big sip. "Germany." He said, pensive. His brain overwhelming him with terrible memories.

"This war is nothing like that war. It's going to be okay." Theseus nodded knowing very well that, even if the war he was fighting now was different from the Muggle war, it was a war nonetheless.

"It's going to be okay." He repeated and took another sip of his drink.

At nighttime, they arrived in Germany. Theseus replaced his navy blue tie for the red one with nervous hands. The memories he has of Germany aren't pleasant, he feared the accent, the voices of the people, the places were going to trigger his memory.

  That made him remember someone, a person he knows understands him in that way, a person he knows would help him. But she wasn't here. Theseus pushed away the thought of a certain redhead as the train stopped.

"Wonderful." Said Lally as Kama stepped close to the gate that was about to open.

"Kama." Theseus called. "Stay safe." The soldier spirit woke, he remembers all of the friends he made that would go out to scout, he said those words to, and they never came back. At least not alive. Without saying any words, Yusuf walked out.

"I must be going too now, Newt." Bunty told Newt as she held on to his suitcase, his grip grew firmly around the case's holder. "No one can know everything, not even you." Seconds later, he released the suitcase and Bunty walked out of the train, both friends walked away in different directions and the rest of the party finally stepped out.

They made their way downtown. Theseus was nervous. Every person that got too close with their hands in their pockets seemed like a threat, so he had his wand firmly held in his hand under his sleeve. He walked closely behind Newt, who was leading the way. Soon enough, they arrived at an alley.

"Right. Well, here it is." Said Newt and they walked down the dark alley. As they approached the dead end, the briks shifted and they walked right through it.

"The German Ministry of Magic?" Asked Theseus once they were on the other side of the wall. Posters of every candidate hanging from the walls, fireworks going off, even if the placed seemed to be full of life, in Theseus' eyes it was very dead. The fireworks made his muscles tense.

"Yes." Said Newt.

"I take it we're here for a reason."

"Yes. We have a tea ceremony to attend, and if we don't hurry up, we'll be late." They all started moving forward.

"Even if you do hurry up, how do you plan on getting in with no invitations?" Asked a female voice, making them all turn around.

"Amélie Rosier." Said Newt. "What are you doing here?" Amélie smiled while Theseus sighed.

"You swear you didn't know she'd be here?" He whispered, turning towards his brother.

"I swear, but it's not like it's going to be a problem, am I right?" In a way, yes. It would be a problem. Why? Because, when it comes down to Amélie, Theseus' heart will always focus on her, making his head follow its lead.

It happened years ago in France, he'd try to protect her above anything or anyone else. He could risk the sake of the mission for her and he would do it with no hesitation. Although he hopes the professionalism he has learned over the years could help him focus on everything that's at large. Not only on her.

Theseus cleared his throat as he looked back at Rosier. She was wearing a fancy blue dress, almost the same shade of blue as Theseus' suit, her hair was short again, only a few inches below her ears, her lips adorned with crimson red lipstick, so scarlet it was maroon, almost as red as Scamander's tie.

"Nice to see you all, too." Her eyes traveled from the Newt, Lally and Jacob towards Theseus. "After all these years, it's good to see your faces." She added looking at them all again.

"You didn't answer the question." Said Theseus. "What are you doing here?"

Élie sighed. "Dumbledore sent me." The Scamander boys looked at each other.

"Why didn't he tell us?"

"Because you'd complain about it." Theseus scoffed. "Now, I suggest you appear...a bit more formal." With a flick of their wands the wizards and witch changed their clothes into tuxes and a golden dress. "Nice dress, Hicks."

"Thank you, Rosier." Lally looked at Jacob and his clothes shifted into a tux too.

"Much better. Here are your invitations." She handed over the envelopes one by one, her fingers brushing Theseus' for a second. She cleared her throat as he gulped. "Shall we?" Newt, Lally and Jacob started walking while Theseus stayed there. Amélie stopped and turned around to face him. "Are you coming?" He blinked. It's been years, and she still had the same effect on him. The air lacked, his knees felt weak, his heart beat very fast, his hands felt sweaty and shaky. Damn her.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Amélie thought the very same thing. How can he look so good? How can he be this pretty? Why is he such a constant in her life? Are they meant to meet over the years and feel their hearts jumping in their ribcage whenever their eyes met? She'd say she's gotten tired of it, when in reality she's grown fond of it, for that beat her heart skips when he calls her name is a sensation she'd live with forever.

Theseus' presence was just as intoxicating. But both are professionals, they know they must get this mission accomplished. The mission always comes first, at least that it should come first, so they'll try. Even if their minds are thinking of all the possible ways they could say 'you look beautiful and I have missed you, I'm sorry'.

"Yeah." Amélie started walking with Theseus beside her and they joined the group. "How are you holding up? Being here?" She sighed.

"Not good. I thought I'd be able to handle it better but...What about you?"

"I'm anxious." She nodded. A firework going off in the distance made her flinch, she gulped and breathed in as she hoped he hadn't noticed. But, of course he did.

"We just need to get over with tonight and everything will be fine." He nodded.

Walking between thousands of people chanting Liu or Santos' names, the fireworks, the screams. Suddenly, Amélie froze. Theseus looked at her and approached her side, making everyone else stop too. Rosier's hands covered her ears.

"Élie? What is it?"

"I can't do this." She said out of breath. A woman yelled as a firework went off, both tensed. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can. Look at me."

"It feels like the war." Her breath was fast and her hands trembled. "I'm back in the war."

"No, no. Amélie, look at me." Her eyes were closed and she was shaking her head, in a second, his hands flew to her cheeks, cupping her face. "Look at me." Her green eyes seemed blue because of the dark makeup on her eyelids. "You can do this, Rosier. You survived that war, you're strong, and you will finish this. You're here with me. With all of us. And you're safe." She looked around and she didn't spot any german soldiers anywhere, no wounded people, no dead people. She could only see Theseus. "Let's get inside and get this over with, okay? Let's survive tonight." She breathed out and nodded. "We've got this." His hands fell to his sides but she quickly grabbed his hand and hooked her arm with his.

"Don't let go." She asked.

"Never." He assured.

"How are you so calm?"

"I'm not calm at all, I'm just better at hiding it than you." She almost laughed and he smiled at her side profile. "When you're with your men in the front lines you have to appear fearless for them to feel fearless too, no matter if you're shitting your pants." She chuckled and he smiled to himself as he managed to make her laugh, it was always a victory to make her laugh. Both walked until they were at the front of the line, where the Aurors were. "Evening!" He greeted.

"That's Luka's brother." Élie whispered.

"Luka?"

"Luka Hoffman, one of Grindelwald's sympathisers we sent to prison back in New York." Theseus looked at her and remembered that night.

"This could complicate things a bit. Although I don't think he knows it was us." Amélie sighed, convinced Helmut knows, for his eyes looked coldly at them, as if he could kill them with a stare. "Helmut."

"Theseus." The man looked at Rosier. "Amélie."

"Hello, Hoffman." They walked past the line of German Aurors easily while the other three were stopped.

"Hey, hey. They're with us." Said Scamander.

"And they've been invited." The group showed their invitations and the Auror moved aside, letting them in. In a moment, they arrived at the gate and walked into the building, the door behind them closed and the noice that tormented the war heroes was muted, the relief they felt allowed them to breathe with ease. Amélie exhaled and her tight grip on the sleeve of Theseus' tux jacket went loose to the point where she was just holding his arm gently. "Thank you."

"No problem." He said as his eyes scanned the room packed with well dressed and important people. "I take it we're not here for the finger sandwiches." He told Newt.

"Uh, no, I have a message to deliver." Said Newt.

"A message? To who?" A door opened and in walked Vogel, the current leader of the Magical Confederation, and Newt's eyes were pinned on him. "Oh, you're joking."

"No."

"And how do you plan on approaching him? Just like that?"

"That's precisely why Amélie's on our team."

"You know him personally?" Theseus' surprise made Amélie chuckle and smile. A chuckle he knew very well, it was the 'of course I do, idiot' chuckle, she'd do it whenever she answered a question faster than him or beat him on a duel back in the day. A part of Theseus was exasperated by it while another one was glad she did it. Nostalgia is like a drug he's addicted to when it remind him of Amélie.

"I believe I told you once I had a good network of contacts." Said Rosier and Theseus chuckled. "Follow my lead, boys." They started walking towards Vogel at a steady pace. "Monsieur Vogel." She called and he turned around with a smile.

"Miss Rosier." She smiled back and waved at his attaché before shaking Vogel's hand. "I'm glad you decided to join us."

"I'm glad you've invited me." Vogel's eyes looked at the men that accompanied her. "Do you happen to know my husband?" Theseus almost choked with air at the words and the thought while Newt coughed to hide a chuckle. He laughed because, ever since that Christmas in which Thes brought Élie home, Newt knew she'd be the one he'd marry; for Theseus had only brought her and Leta to their mother's house and we all know the love stories of Theseus' past.

"Theseus Scamander, nice to meet you, sir." He introduced himself offering his hand, Vogel shook it.

"Scamander?" You could see the gears of Vogel's head moving fast through his eyes. "I've heard of you, young man. The war hero. It's an honour to finally meet you."

"Likewise, sir." When they let go, Scamander's hand fell over Élie's hand on his arm to appear more convincing.

"This is my brother-in-law, Newton Scamander." They shook hands too.

"Herr Vogel." Said Newt.

"Merlin's beard, Mister Scamander. I have heard of you too."

"Sir-" When Newt gave a step forwards, Vogel's bodyguards stepped forward too. Theseus and Amélie also tensed and moved in a protective way, but Vogel asked his men to step back and the French and British Aurors could relax their muscles a bit. "Sir, I have a message from a friend, and it cannot wait." He whispered and Vogel stepped closer to Newt. "Do what is right, not what is easy. He said it's important that I reach you tonight, that you hear them tonight, the words."

"It's time, sir." Said his assistant and Amélie frowned. Why would they be on a rush? There's a dance first.

"Is he here?" Vogel asked Newt. "In Berlin?" A beat. "No, of course not. Why leave Hogwarts when the world outside is burning?" Vogel smiled at the young Scamander. "I thank you, Mister Scamander." His eyes soon landed on the 'couple'. "Feel free to drink up some tea, dance. This is your home tonight." With that, he walked away being followed by the rest.

"Husband?" Theseus asked as watched Vogel walk away, making Amélie shrug, giving the comment no importance.

"Don't let it get to your head." Amélie told him and he shrugged this time.

"Please, as if you hadn't enjoyed saying it." She scoffed, rolled her eyes, dropped his arm and punched his abdomen, making Theseus cough and laugh while Amélie's cheeks turned red and she looked away. A waltz started playing and Theseus breathed in to recover his breath. "Could I have this dance?" He offered a hand, Amélie looked at him and took it.

"Uh, guys?" Asked Newt. "Is it really time for dancing?"

"We gotta keep up the appearances." Said Amélie. "Undercover 101." Newt sighed.

"Be right back, Newt. Gotta dance with my wife."

"You definitely enjoyed saying that, too." Theseus smiled while Amélie scoffed and they started dancing alongside everyone else, without looking to each other at all, only watching one another when the other wasn't looking.

"So...it's been a while."

"Indeed."

"You cut your hair."

"Oui, I went shorter this time for some reason."

"Well, it suits you."

"Merci, Monsieur Scamander." He groaned, annoyed.

"How's Ed doing, Miss Rosier?" She rolled her eyes.

"Here we go again."
"We're not going anywhere."
"You know what? You're a man-child." Their eyes finally met.

"What?" He asked, chuckling; and, no matter how annoyed she felt, a smile curved in her lips.

"Yeah, you're fun and you're wild, you don't know half of the shit that you put me through, and you act like a kid even though you stand six foot two." A pause. Theseus looked at her and started laughing, which invited her to laugh alongside him. And she loved laughing alongside him just as much as he adored her laugh. "You're just a man, it's just what you do."

"What do I do?" She sighed and her green ocean met his blue shore.

"Nothing." He wouldn't understand. They spent a second in silence. "And to answer your question, I don't know. I haven't spoken to Edward in over a year."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we broke up a while ago." He nodded. "How's Angela?"

"Haven't seen her in two years and a half." She nodded. "So, Dumbledore sent you?" She nodded again. "Why didn't he tell us?"

"I really don't know, I said what I said earlier to annoy you."

"Believe me, I know." Élie chuckled.

"All he told me was if I could get four invitations for this tea party, I said yes and asked for whom should I get them, and he said 'you'll know, see you in Berlin', but he didn't show, only you did." Theseus nodded. "I assume the message Newt had to deliver had to do with it."

"Indeed."

"And there's more to that."

"Yeah."

"But you won't tell me."

"No."

"Got it." He chuckled.

"If I had a clear idea of what we're doing and the plan we're following, I'd tell you, but I have only a part of the information."

"Understandable. I mean, that's a strategy I'd use."

"I know, me too." He sighed and they kept on dancing.

"Would you like a drink? Something that's not tea, I mean."

"I quit drinking."

"Oh? That's good."

"I mean, I still drink when the situation calls for it, but if I don't want to or don't need to, I stay away from it. Specially whiskey." She nodded. "Although I had a glass on our way here when I found out we were coming to Germany."

"I understand." A beat. "I'm trying to quit smoking."

"Has it been tough?"

"A bit. I still have a cigarette from time to time but not as often as before." She shrugged. "I had one right before you arrived." He nodded. "Can you smell it?" She asked all of the sudden. "I hate it when it smells." He chuckled and shook his head.

"I can only smell your perfume." She nodded, he hasn't told her that her signature Miss Dior scent drives him insane —in the good way—. "It's...delightful, if you don't mind me saying." She smiled at her feet and he smiled at her, when Amélie's eyes moved up and caught him staring, they got lost in their glances for a second. Theseus' eyes moved from her eyes, to her cheeks, to her lips. He wanted to kiss her and see if she'd taste like strawberries and cigarettes, like she used to taste a few moons ago. "You know? I missed this."

"What thing?"

"This. Talking to you. And laughing with you." She looked at him and smiled. "I guess that's what I missed the most. Your voice, your laugh...your presence." She cleared her throat when she felt butterflies in her tummy. Theseus felt them fluttering in his chest.

"Thank you." The waltz stopped and she sighed. "I have missed you too." He smiled and kissed her knuckles. From the corner of his eye, Theseus saw Vogel's attaché staring suspiciously at them.

"Please don't hate me." Scamander whispered. Rosier frowned as he stepped closer and kissed her lips tenderly, his hands travelling her exposed back, her hands finding his shoulder and cheek. It surprised Amélie how, even after people gossiped and whispered about them, he decided to make such a public and risky move, like kissing her hand and now her lips. Sure they were playing to be a couple at the moment, but she couldn't avoid feeling her skin on fire, not just her knuckles, but her cheeks and neck.

  He broke the kiss and held her hand as they walked away from the dance floor to meet with Newt, he had a surprised look on his face. He confirmed she still tasted like strawberries and cigarettes. And he still loved it.

"Why'd you do that?" She whispered with a natural smile written on her features.

"Someone was staring." She breathed out. "And I wanted to." Theseus looked at Amélie. "I really wanted to."

"Oh." He breathed in and out. "I could never hate you."

"Really?"

"Well...maybe just a little." He scoffed and she smiled.

The Aurors returned by Newt's side and stood by the staircase, just watching. They were offered a cup of tea that they kindly declined as Vogel's attaché started hitting her porcelain cup with the spoon, calling the attention of all the guests. Everyone gathered in the middle of the room and looked at Vogel, whom stepped forward to give a speech, the whole crowd applauding him.

"Thank you, thank you." He smiled. "I see many familiar faces here tonight." His eyes landing on Amélie and the Scamander's. "Friends, colleagues...foes." The crowd laughed. "Within the next forty eight hours you, along with the rest of the Wizarding World, will choose our next great leader. A choice that will shape our lives for generations to come. I have little doubt that, no matter who should triumph, the Confederation will be in able hands. Liu Tao." Some people clapped for the man. "Vicencia Santos." The room clapped louder for her, even Theseus and Amélie applauded. "It's in moments such as these we are reminded that it is this peaceful transfer of power which marks our humanity and demonstrated to the world that, despite our differences, all voices deserve to be heard." His eyes locked with Newt's. "Even voices which many may find disagreeable." Rosier frowned. As Vogel spoke, Theseus' eyes moved around the room, as he always does. Auror and soldier habits. His eyes soon caught some people walking around in synchrony, something quite odd.

  When one of the women he was watching looked over her shoulder, he recognised that twisted smile adorned with violet lipstick immediately. Theseus gave a step forward to stand in front of Amélie strategically as to serve as a shield in case she tried to do anything. 

"What are you doing?" Élie whispered.

"Nothing." Theseus whispered back, Amélie frowned as she looked at him. "What is he saying?" Scamander asked Rosier as she carefully listened to every word Vogel spoke.

"I have no idea." Thes' eyes were pinned on Vinda.

"Hey." Theseus called Élie's attention, as well as Newt's. "Something's happening." She followed Theseus' eyes and saw her sister. Her hair tied in a bun, a blue coat over her body. Amélie exchanged looks with Theseus and one look was enough to know both were going to act. "Newt, stay here."

"Like hell." Said Newt.

"I'm serious. Stay." Theseus looked at Amélie, her wand in hand already. "Come on."

Both Amélie and Theseus started moving slowly and at a steady pace to reach Vinda. With a flick of their wands, their fancy clothes transformed back into their navy blue suits and coats. Newt didn't stay behind as he was asked, instead, he moved just like his brother amongst the crowd of people. Only that not as smoothly as the Aurors. Vinda locked eyes with Amélie and smiled at her older sister.

"And so." Vogel continued. "After an extensive investigation, the Confederation has concluded that insufficient evidence exists to prosecute Gellert Grindelwald for the crimes against the Muggle community of which he was accused." Élie stopped on her tracks for a split second and she looked at Vogel with eyes opened as plates before looking back at Vinda as the people gasped. "He is hereby absolved of all his alleged crimes." The crowd clamoured and both Aurors walked faster.

"Vinda!" Amélie called as she spotted Carrow and many of Vinda's allies. "You're under arrest, all of you!" Vinda smiled as Amélie and Theseus rose their wands against the group. Rosier and Scamander were outnumbered and surrounded by Aurors that were part of Grindelwald's alliance, but numbers have never been a complication for these two.

"Wands down!" Theseus ordered. Suddenly, he was stunned, for someone fired a spell from behind.

"Theseus!" When Amélie turned around, she found Helmut. In an instant, she sent him backwards but Vinda was the one to throw a jinx on her, but not any jinx. It was the Cruciatus curse. Amélie yelped and fell to the ground in pain.

"Élie." Theseus called weakly, his hand reaching out for her when her face hit the ground. When her hand extended for him, someone stepped on it, causing her to scream again. The tips of their fingertips almost touching. "Get off of her!" Yelled Theseus as he tried to stand up, in a second, Helmut hit his face repetitively.

"Stop!" Amélie spoke. "You're hurting him." Theseus' nose was bleeding and he was almost unconscious.

"That was for my brother, arschloch." He said and looked at Vinda. "I'll take him. She's all yours."

"Theseus, get up." Élie whispered. "Theseus. Theseus, get up. Please, get up. Get up, goddamn it." Theseus blinked a few times and looked at her, his sight was blurry, he could barely see her.

"Thank you." Said Vinda to Helmut. "Pick her up." She commanded and two strong arms picked up Amélie from the floor and Vinda picked up Élie's wand to keep it in her coat.

"No, no!" She fought her way out but she was unable to free herself and she had dropped her wand. She couldn't do anything. The people started to rush out of the Ministry, the buzz of the crowd quieting Amélie's screams and cries for help. "Let go! Theseus!" Theseus' eyes tried to adapt but failed. Amélie's screams were the only thing he could hear and they echoed in his head as they became distant and she was dragged outside. He groaned when some men picked him up. "Theseus!" Amélie saw how Helmut ordered something to his men and they dragged Theseus away. "Get off! Theseus!" The person that was holding her made her kneel.

"Oh, won't you just shut up?!" Asked Vinda once they were outside. "You're giving me a headache."

"Why don't you ease yourself the burden of my screams and just kill me, then? After all, that's what you want, am I right?"

"I won't kill you, no matter how much I'd like to do it now because, maybe and just maybe, you could be of some use to us." Amélie groaned. "At least that's what Geller says."

"When I get my hands on you I will-" Vinda stunned Amélie with a hex and she fell unconscious over the cold snow in the blink of an eye.

"Much better." She looked at her partners and at the sky as green fireworks and symbols that represented Gellert Grindelwald appeared above their heads. "Mobilicorpus." Amélie's body started floating as if she was a puppet. "Let's get going." It took them a minute to disappear from Berlin's soil and appear in Austria, at their base.

When they arrived, Vinda made her way towards Gellert's studio, dragging through the air her unconscious sister. When she arrived at the room, Grindelwald was looking out the window. Vinda left Amélie's body behind her as she approached her leader.

"There are thousands in the streets chanting your name." She said. "You're a free man." Gellert just nodded.

"Tell the others to prepare to leave." He said.

"Tonight?"

"Tomorrow. We'll have a visitor in the morning." Vinda nodded.

"I brought a guest with me." Gellert turned around and met her eye, then the person behind her. "I figured she could tell us what she knows, that way you'll have all the pieces together."

"You thought well." That's when the cry of a phoenix called their attention, Vinda moved closer to the window.

"Why does it stay with him?" She meant Credence.

"It must sense what he's about to do."

"And you're sure that he can kill Dumbledore?"

"His pain is his power." He turned back around when he heard a gasp.

"Theseus." Whispered Amélie as her eyes adapted to the dim light of the room. She tried to move as she didn't recognise where she was at, groaning desperately when her body didn't respond.

"There, there." Said Grindelwald and her green eyes snapped towards him. "Hello, Miss Rosier." His wicked smile on his lips, his white eye twinkling in the dim light, his white hair perfectly brushed back.

"You." She tried to move again, but she couldn't.

"Put her down." He asked Vinda, whom simply let Amélie fall. She complained after her body had collided with the ground with a loud thud, but wasted a second before throwing herself at Vinda. Vinda didn't have much time to think, for Amélie was already taking her down. The head of the black haired woman hit a step of the stairs when Amélie tackled her before punching her cheek, cutting the skin of her cheekbone with a ring she was wearing that once belonged to her mother.

"Where did you take him?!" She asked, gripping the blue collar of her sister's coat. Vinda didn't answer, so she punched her again. "Where is he?!" Grindelwald just laughed as Abernathy and Krafft walked in to pull Élie away from Vinda, who panted on the ground. "Where is he?!"

"Enough!" Grindelwald yelled and looked at Amélie, then at his peers. "Lock her in a cell." Amélie tried to fight her way out again but it was useless, Krafft's grip on her was too strong. She just watched how Gellert healed the cut on Vinda's cheekbone with magic.

After she was dragged down hallways and staircases, Amélie was thrown into a dark, humid and cold room with no windows at all. The men were fast in closing the door and leaving her there all alone.

"He'll know you have me here! He'll come for me, and when he does, I will take you all to Azkaban! You hear me?! You can't keep me in here!" Slowly and gradually, she stepped away from the door and broke down into tears.

They could keep her in that filthy and cold cell, Amélie didn't know if Theseus would know, nor if the rest of the Army Dumbledore had assembled would know where she was; she didn't even know where she was. Merlin, she didn't even know if they were alive, if Theseus was alive. The thought of him not breathing anymore made her chest physically ache.

  That night, in that freezing room, she remained awake telling herself that she'd be fine, that Theseus was fine, until her tiredness caused her to sleep the sleepless night.