The next chapter! I hope you like it and please let me know what you think, that would be awesome!

I don't own the characters or places!

"We have to act fast. The Aurors will arrive soon and then there won't be a chance for you to look at this anymore. Actually, I'm not even allowed to show you this, but I think it's the best shot we have. The people here never do anything about those incidents, as they call it. They just make it look like nothing happened at all." The man, Vladimir, grimaced. "And everyone who's seen it isn't allowed to speak of it anymore. It's infuriating! People are dying and they aren't doing anything!"

Albus and Gellert exchanged a look. Those things weren't new to them. In the past years, many so-called incidents happened in the East and no one was willing to speak of them. Or allowed to, as they heard now.

"The couple didn't have many friends?" Gellert asked now.

Vladimir shook his head. "They weren't living in the village but here, on this mountain. Does that look like they had friends?"

No, it didn't, Albus thought and buried his hands deep in the pockets of his cloak. Right now, he wished that he had something warmer to wear.

It had started like every Saturday morning at Hogwarts. Albus and Gellert had slept longer than usual and after breakfast in Albus' room they secretly shared for years now, they'd gone out for a walk. They were going to visit Ariana and Aberforth in the afternoon and the couple wanted to enjoy the weather first.

They were still keeping a close eye on the events in the world, just like they did for years by now. However, not many things happened. Of course there were more rumours about a dark wizard in Eastern Europe called Dimitri, but so far, no one had managed to catch him. He was getting more and more followers and tortured or killed everyone who spoke against him openly. And not to forget the attacks on Muggles that happened more and more often.

Nevertheless, Albus and Gellert didn't get a single chance to confront him. It seemed impossible to find him. That they were kind of famous by now didn't make it easier. Everyone had heard of the two brilliant teachers at Hogwarts and every time they appeared somewhere, it was known by others immediately. Maybe this also made it easier for Dimitri to avoid getting too close to them.

More than five years had passed since Newt Scamander's time at Hogwarts ended, but Albus was still in contact with him. He'd helped Newt to get a job at the Ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and next to that, Newt was collecting information for a book now. He was travelling through the world in search for rare magical creatures. Sometimes, he visited Albus and Gellert at Hogwarts or they met him somewhere else. The last time they'd seen him had been in Hamburg where he'd been looking for a creature that preferred living in the water.

Right before Albus and Gellert wanted to leave for their visit at the Hog's Head, Gellert had received a message from one of his contacts in Eastern Europe. Vladimir. Two Muggles had been killed and there were signs of Dark Magic. Of course Albus and Gellert had agreed to come immediately.

Which was why they were standing in the mountains now and Albus was freezing. Gellert had urged him to leave without hesitation and Albus had just enough time to tell Ariana and Aberforth that they weren't coming. A change of clothes hadn't been on Gellert's mind then. But when Albus glanced at him, he saw that he was also shivering. It had been a warm day in England.

When they arrived at the small house, Vladimir turned to them again, a warning look on his face. "This won't be nice."

"We can deal with that." Gellert said simply, but when Vladimir turned around to open the door, he glanced at Albus.

Albus smiled at Gellert reassuringly. This wasn't going to scare him. He'd known for a long time that they would have to see horrible things to stop Dimitri. Before they entered the house, Gellert took Albus' hand and squeezed it.

Inside, it was dark and warm. Albus was relieved to be out of the cold weather and looked around curiously once his eyes got used to the dim light. There weren't many things in the small house. He thought that it had two rooms. They were in the living area now. A small table with two chairs, a cooking area and a shelf with some books. Nothing else.

"They're in the bedroom." Vladimir's voice cut through the silence. His face was grim and Albus knew why. In the past years, he'd seen many things like this. He was Gellert's best contact. He was also an Auror which made it easy for him to get information even about cases he hadn't seen himself. However, he'd never had the chance to show them the place where something happened before. This time, he'd arrived here before his team. They were still busy somewhere else. That gave them the time to have a look at the crime scene now.

"Why didn't they defend themselves?" Albus asked once the shock of the two bodies had worn off a little bit. The woman was lying on the bed, her husband in front of her. It looked like he'd tried to protect her. He looked around for their wands, but couldn't see them.

"The wands aren't here, I've also been searching for them." Vladimir threw in when Albus and Gellert started to look at everything more closely.

"Why would they take their wands?" Albus asked incredulously.

"This didn't happen before, did it?" Gellert added.

Vladimir shook his head. "No, never." He pointed at the bodies. "They didn't even defend themselves."

Now that he said it, Albus noticed it as well. He muttered a diagnosis spell. "The killing curse. And they've been tortured."

"They knew something." Gellert said. "Something that was important for him." He was still looking at everything in the room closely. "Otherwise, he would have never come here. This couple lived in the middle of nowhere, far away from the village." He glanced at Vladimir. "Are there wizards in the village?"

"No, not anymore." He explained. "They've all moved to other towns in the past years. Those two were the only ones left."

"So why didn't they leave as well?" Gellert muttered. Albus saw that something bothered him here.

"I'll have a look at the other room." He offered. However, he didn't find anything there. He also looked at the books, but most of them didn't even have magical content. Only one and that was a book for children. The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Albus already wanted to turn away again, but then he stopped.

"Gellert?" He called.

"Yes?" He appeared in the doorway after a few seconds.

"Do people read the Tales of Beedle the Bard here?" Albus asked. As far as he knew, that book was only popular in England.

Gellert shook his head. "No. Before I moved to my aunt's place and saw that book in your house, I didn't even know it existed. Why do you ask?"

Albus pointed at the shelf. "It's the only book that wasn't written for Muggles."

"Do they have children?" Gellert asked when Vladimir joined them.

"No. They couldn't get children, as far as I know." Vladimir said with a frown. "Maybe the book was a present?"

"Only one way to find out." Albus cast another diagnosis spell, but nothing happened. Then he took the book and looked at it more closely. Next to him, Gellert waved his wand to get some light. The book looked very old and like it had been read many times. Albus skipped through the pages, but he couldn't see anything of interest. It looked just like the version they had at home, with the only difference that this had more pictures on the pages. They looked like someone had drawn them.

"Maybe one of them got it from his or her childhood?" Vladimir suggested after some time.

"Can you find out if they have ancestors in Great Britain?" Albus asked and Vladimir nodded.

"It might take some time, though."

"Won't be a problem." Gellert replied absent-mindedly. When Albus reached a certain story, Gellert placed his finger on the first page. The Tale of the Three Brothers. Albus exchanged a look with him. Many years ago, back when they'd both been living at Godric's Hollow, they'd found out that this tale was connected to the Deathly Hallows. Just like those three brothers really seemed to exist, right in the place where Albus had been born.

Now that they'd reached this story, Albus turned the pages more slowly. However, they saw nothing unusual. He closed the book with a sigh. "Nothing."

However, Gellert had seen something since he knelt down. He held up a small piece of paper. "This fell out of the book when you closed it."

Albus' heart began to beat faster. Of course this didn't have to mean anything, but he couldn't stop his excitement. "What does it say?"

"I am grateful for your help. Without you, I would have never found it. It is good to know that other seekers are by my side. -G" Gellert read and showed the paper to Albus and Vladimir. However, Albus saw in the last moment that he covered something with his thumb. A symbol.

"Who's G? And what does he mean with other seekers?" Vladimir asked slowly and frowned at them.

Albus and Gellert exchanged a look. Of course they both had an idea what this meant. And Albus also assumed that he knew who the mysterious G was. However, he wasn't sure if they could tell Vladimir about this. After all, his presumptions were also based on rumours.

Gellert seemed to have the same doubts since he shrugged. "No idea." He told Vladimir and actually sounded frustrated.

"Then the book is useless." Vladimir muttered. "I would like to know what happened here."

"It's strange that the wands are missing." Albus agreed to change the subject.

"Maybe we'll find them somewhere." Vladimir didn't sound very hopeful. "And I fear that you will have to leave now. My team will be here soon and if they see you, I'll be in lots of trouble."

"Thanks for showing us all this." Gellert said with a smile when they left the house.

"No problem. I know that you're our best chance to make all this stop. I'll write you a letter when I find out more. And when something else happens." Vladimir shook their hands.

"Thank you." Albus said with a smile before they left.

"What are you thinking?" Albus asked when they were back in their room at Hogwarts, drinking tea.

Gellert sighed. "The same as you, I think." He leaned back and wrapped an arm around Albus' shoulders to pull him closer. "They helped Gregorovitch to find the Elder Wand."

"If he meant that by finding it." Albus noted. "And if G is really for Gregorovitch."

Gellert searched for something in his pocket and pulled out the piece of paper. In the light, it looked even older and more worn-off, like someone had folded and unfolded it too many times. Now Albus could see the symbol as well. "The Deathly Hallows." He whispered and touched the necklace he was wearing under his clothes thoughtfully.

"They helped him to find one of the Hallows." Gellert nodded. "And I think it's the Elder Wand. The others are impossible to find."

"Maybe we should really look for Gregorovitch then." Albus said thoughtfully.

"I think I know where he lives." Gellert smiled slightly. "One of my old friends could help me with that." The way he said friends made it sound like an insult. However, in their search for information, Gellert had also contacted a few people he didn't like that much. Of course only the ones who seemed trustworthy.

"Then Dimitri will also know it. If he's seen this paper, he'll know where to look for the Wand." Albus muttered.

"Wouldn't he have taken it if he'd seen it? Just like we did?" Gellert asked with a frown.

"They could also have told him about it." Albus noted. "He tortured them."

"We have to act fast." He decided.

"But will we really be able to talk to Gregorovitch? You know what happened the last time we tried this." Albus reminded him. Right after Newt Scamander's graduation ceremony, they'd tried to look for Gregorovitch. However, they hadn't been able to find him first. When they did, he'd refused to speak to them and vanished again. Ever since, they didn't hear a single word about him anymore.

"My friend was sure that he knows his hiding place." Gellert emphasized. "Maybe we should have been more convincing when we'd talked to him the last time. Then we could have the wand and there wouldn't be a chance that Dimitri gets it."

There was a frustrated look on Gellert's face now and Albus leaned closer to him. "You can't change the past, love." He whispered.

"I have to keep you safe. When Dimitri has the wand, there's no way that I can do that." Gellert muttered unhappily.

"We will defeat him together." Albus said softly. "Stop worrying." He took the cup from Gellert's hand and placed it on the table. "Let's go there tomorrow. It's Sunday so no one will miss us."

Gellert wanted to protest, but Albus cut him off with a kiss. Then he pushed Gellert back on the couch and straddled him. "Don't think of it anymore."

"Albus..." Gellert tried weakly, but he was already starting to unbutton his shirt.

"Yes?" He asked innocently.

"You'll be the death of me." Finally, Gellert gave in with a sigh and let Albus make him forget about everything.

Once they knew where to look for it, the house of Gregorovitch wasn't difficult to find. It was hidden in a forest far away from the next town. Albus doubted that anyone would find it by accident and the fact that there weren't even protective charms confirmed this. This or that something happened to the owner.

"There's light behind one of the windows." Gellert muttered and when Albus looked at it more closely, he saw it as well.

"So someone's home." He whispered. Together, they walked towards the house, both of their wands raised. However, nothing happened. No one attacked them. Everything was silent, even peaceful.

"What will we do now? Just knock on the door?" Albus asked once they were close enough.

"Why don't we just go in?" Gellert replied.

"Or you could just go away again and leave me alone!" A loud voice from above shouted and they both reacted immediately. Albus raised his wand, ready to cast a protecting spell, while Gellert moved behind the next tree. "I've already been robbed, there's nothing more to get!"

"We don't want to steal anything from you!" Albus said loudly and ignored Gellert's gestures that he should also search for a hiding place. "We are just here to talk, Mr. Gregorovitch!"

"I also don't make wands anymore!" The man shouted.

"We also don't want a wand. We are just here to talk." Albus repeated calmly. "It would be very nice if we can come in, but we cal also leave again if you insist."

Slowly, the man leaned out of the window so they could see his face. Mykew Gregorovitch had a grim face with long, gray hair that framed it. He was holding onto the window frame with both hands and Albus noticed that he wasn't holding a wand. Slowly, he lowered his own, but was ready to raise it again. Now Gellert also left his hiding place and stopped next to Albus. "We only have a question, sir." Gellert added politely. "We don't want to harm you."

After looking at them for some time, Gregorovitch sighed. "Alright, I'll open the door for you. But your wands stay in your pockets!"

A minute later, they heard footsteps and the front door of the house was opened. Gregorovitch looked at them with crossed arms. He still didn't have a wand in his hands. "Who are you and what do you want?" However, he'd only finished his question when his eyes landed on Gellert and widened. Then he looked at Albus more closely and the tension seemed to vanish from his body. "Let me change the question. What do you want, Gellert Grindelwald and, I assume, Albus Dumbledore?"

Albus and Gellert exchanged a look. "We're here to find out more about the robbery." Gellert explained.

After a few more seconds, Gregorovitch sighed. "Come in. Would you like tea?"

They followed him into the house. "Tea would be nice, thank you." Albus replied.

Once they were in the kitchen, Gregorovitch gestured for them to sit down. "It was Dimitri, wasn't it?" Gellert asked once they were all seated with cups of tea in front of them.

"Of course it was." Gregorovitch muttered. "Threatened to kill me if I followed him." He laughed dryly. "As if I'd be so stupid."

"And what did he steal?" Albus asked, even if they already knew the answer.

"So the rumours that you're looking for him are true." Gregorovitch ran a hand through his hair. "Don't look so surprised! It already made me suspicious that you were looking for me years ago. So was Dimitri, by the way. That's also why I went into hiding. And now you arrive here, only a day after he came to steal from me."

"Can we assume that he stole a certain wand from you?" Gellert asked.

"You can." Gregorovitch nodded. "I always knew that you were a seeker, Mr. Grindelwald. Especially after I heard that you placed the symbol of the Hallows at Durmstrang." At this, his face lit up a bit. So the Hallows still excited him, in spite of everything that happened.

"So Dimitri has the Elder Wand." Albus muttered, knowing that they didn't have to hide it anymore. At least not here.

Gregorovitch nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. This will make it more difficult to stop him."

"We will manage that." Gellert said determinedly.

"You have no idea what this wand can do. It is extraordinary." Gregorovitch said seriously and Albus could hear sadness in his voice.

"Do you know how Dimitri found out that you have it?" He asked.

Gregorovitch laughed dryly. "Next to the fact that I couldn't stop myself from emphasizing that I have a very powerful wand for years?" He shook his head. "No."

Gellert asked if he knew the couple that was killed the previous day. At this, Gregorovitch paled. "Mia and Stig." He muttered and closed his eyes. "So that's how he found me."

"You gave them the book. The Tales of Beedle the Bard." Albus noted.

"I did." Gregorovitch nodded. "It's connected to the Hallows. But you already know that, I assume. After all, you're from Godric's Hollow."

"The Peverell Brothers."

"Exactly." He nodded. "Mia and Stig were also seekers. Her sister married someone in England. It's a very long story and I won't bother you with it. Let me just say that they gave me the last hint where to find it."

"Why didn't they look for it by themselves?" Gellert asked curiously.

"They were a very peaceful couple. That's also why they chose to live separated from others. And both terribly curious." He smiled slightly, though his eyes were still sad. "They would have never taken it. So they told me about. I really liked them."

"Is there any chance that you might know what Dimitri will do next?" Albus changed the subject. "We have to find and stop him."

"We didn't talk that much." Gregorovitch muttered and frowned. "But now that you say it, he mentioned something about America. That it would be only the first step in his long journey with the Elder Wand."

Albus and Gellert exchanged a look. America could mean anything. It was a very big country. However, MACUSA was located in New York. Maybe they could find out something there. Or not at all since the Americans didn't want others to interfere in their business.

"I think that will help us." Albus said in the end.

Gregorovitch sighed. "I wish I could tell you more."

"It's fine." Albus threw in quickly. "You've already helped us."

"Please never mention my name again." Gregorovitch said. "I had enough unbidden visitors for a lifetime."

"We won't." Gellert promised and Albus nodded in agreement.

"This is a horrible plan!" Gellert complained.

"It's a plan and that's what we need right now!" Albus argued. "Since you don't have better ideas, it's our only chance."

"He will get caught the moment he leaves that ship." He crossed his arms.

"He won't." Albus said simply. "Newt is a very clever young man."

"You can't just send him to America. We don't even know if Dimitri plans something there."

"In your dream, you saw him in a New York subway tunnel. Together with Newt Scamander, two women and another man!" Albus ran a hand through his hair.

"But in my dream, Dimitri also escaped." Gellert threw in. "You also know that not all of my dreams come true."

"It's the best idea we have at the moment. And besides, Newt wrote me that the rescued Thunderbird has to be brought back to Arizona anyway." He knew that this wasn't the perfect plan, or a plan at all, but he didn't have a better idea. Albus had been thinking about it for days now.

Gellert sighed. "We can't tell him about Dimitri yet. He might get caught by MACUSA."

"I know." Albus agreed. "But everyone here has heard the rumours by now. I am sure Newt also knows about him and how dangerous he is."

Gellert closed his eyes. "So you want to say that we'll just send this young wizard with his suitcase full of magical creatures to the United States. Officially, he should rescue the Thunderbird and bring him back home. But secretly, we hope that he finds out more about Dimitri's doings there. Is that correct?"

Albus nodded. "That's the plan."

"This will never work." Gellert said thoughtfully, but his lips twitched.

"It will." Albus said simply. "I have faith in Newt."

Gellert chuckled. "I saw him grow up so don't blame me for being sceptical."

"I just hope that nothing will happen to him." Albus muttered. That was the only thing which bothered him about his plan. He liked Newt very much and would hate to see him get hurt.

"He'll be fine. He's not a bad wizard." Gellert tried to calm him down. "So when will you tell him the news?"

"He'll be here in half an hour." Albus said and grinned. "He brings the Niffler. Get some milk and hide the spoons."