Tides of Turmoil (NEWTINA)

Chapter 29 - The Heart

The voices quieted down until nothing was left but Grindelwald's footsteps, echoing around the circular room. His hands were behind his back, and he strolled around the stage, like a man in a park without a care or worry in the world. I followed his every move, my body tensed up and my heart drilling my chest with its beats.

Dumbledore hid behind the pillar next to me. He leaned in and whispered to my ear; his eyes were also locked on Grindelwald. 'Newt, listen to me carefully - No, don't move too much, just listen.'

'What is it?' I answered in a whisper, though a bit distracted as Grindelwald began to speak, addressing everyone in the audience as if they were part of a just brotherhood. The audience absorbed each of his words and promises with their eyes bright, holding some contained admiration. It was blood-curdling to watch how much of the wizarding community believed in him. My eyes wandered around the audience to Jacob and Queenie, and fear crept into my heart once again mixed with guilt.

'Look around his neck. Do you see that?' he said.

Following his words, I looked back to Grindelwald and noticed the long silvery chain hanging from his neck; a diamond-shaped vial was dangling from his suit pocket. A gasp escaped my mouth, making the moustached man in front of me to turn and glare at me. I looked down, embarrassed, which seemed to satisfy him; he sneered and turned his attention back to Grindelwald.

Dumbledore sighed in relief before continuing. His voice was full of nostalgia, melancholy and an infinite bitterness. 'Now you know, Newt. You see, with that vial in his possession, I cannot attack him.'

'A blood pact,' I whispered in shock.

'Yes,' he sighed again.

'Dumbledore -'

'I would apologize, but there's no time,' he interrupted, his voice shook no more and was as firm as iron, 'the Ministry in on its way and, believe me: when they do, Grindelwald will turn this around, putting blood on their hands instead of himself and his followers.'

I was silent for a while, digesting it all and deep in thought. Yet, at the end of it, I knew I needed to trust Dumbledore. His motives for being there were not clear to me, but I knew that he had come a long way to warn me and help out as much as he could. If that vial was gone, I thought, Dumbledore could fight him... but first, I need to find Tina...

'Dumbledore,' I began, uncertain but hopeful, 'what do you know about a fourth Unforgivable Curse?'

'What?' he said, louder and more afraid than I'd ever heard him sound. I looked both ways, making sure that no one had turned at the sound of his voice. Unfortunately, they were all too consumed into Grindelwald's speech to pay attention to anything but him.

'So you know it,' I whispered, trying to contain both a light hope and a wave of kindling anger.

'Newt, who was hit by it?' he asked.

'Tina,' I answered, 'Grindelwald hit her while we were in the ministry.' Suddenly, all of Grindelwald's followers began shouting damnations to Muggles. We were running out of time. 'Dumbledore, please tell me something. If you do, I'll help you. Tell me, what's the counter-curse?'

Dumbledore had gone mute. From the corner of my eye, I could see him lost in thought, sweat appearing on his temples. He stayed like that, thinking really hard on what I could only hope was a way to fight back that curse. I had to - for Tina's sake... and for my own.

I turned away from him, panic growing inside me like a fire. Grindelwald had stopped talking, now turning to his hooded followers. He extended his hand to one of them - Credence. Shaking, he took off his hood and let his face show around everyone. Gasps and murmurs circled the room as he moved towards Grindelwald. My heart bled when I looked at him. He looked so uncertain of every step he took and greenly pale; like an eleven-year-old about to get The Sorting in their first year in Hogwarts.