The walls of the ancient castle rumbled from the overhead explosions. Theseus squinted up at the ceiling as dirt rained down upon their heads. If he didn't know any better, he'd think they were being shelled.
"What do you think is happening up there?" Polly's query drew only a frowned head shake from Theseus.
They'd been left to their own devices for so long that the half dozen wizards captured alongside him had given up hope of a rescue long ago. All of them had known the risks. All of them knew they were expendable compared to finally capturing and containing Grindelwald. Their captors only ventured into this dank dungeon long enough to ensure they were still alive, at least mostly so, occasionally exert some painful tricks upon them and then neglected them in favor of whatever other nefarious business their dark lord had them doing.
"You don't suppose its finally happening?" Tom, the youngest wizard of their group called from the darkened corner they'd shackled him in. "The war has come here?"
Based on the sounds of gunfire and explosions, Theseus knew it certainly wasn't a magical war being waged overhead. He recognized those sounds and had hoped never to hear them again. A howling cry from the spiral staircase leading into the dungeon assaulted their ears, each wizard shifting against their shackles as they readied themselves for whatever fate they had in store. A body came rolling down the steps, slammed against the metal door leading into the dungeon, and pushed it open with a thudding stop at the bottom. The click-clack of booted steps followed after. At his side, Theseus heard Polly gasp as they watched a shadow materialize on the wall of the staircase. Whoever it was, they were armed with a handgun, and based on the lack of movement of the body decorating the dungeon floor, they knew how to use the weapon.
"I never thought I'd die from a muggle weapon," Polly whispered to Theseus, a desperate tone tinging the edge of her words.
Theseus shook his head, "We aren't dead yet, Polly."
The shadowed figure stepped into view and paused. Overhead they could still hear the shouts and cries of violence, the walls still occasionally rumbling from an explosion. Theseus raised his chin and glared at the newcomer.
"If you're going to kill us, be quick about it."
He thought he heard a snorted laugh before the figure bent over the body to retrieve the keys to their shackles. The figure bypassed Theseus and Polly and moved first to the far wall, where they began the process of releasing the other wizards. Theseus was the last to be released, the figure leaning in close as they unlocked his shackles.
"If I'd wanted to kill you, Mister Scamander, I never would've sewn up your wounds straight back in the War."
Theseus' eyes widened, "Helen?"
"A slow and painful death for the likes of you, Mister Scamander, for all the trouble you've caused me over the years." His arms dropped from the shackles and fell limp into his lap. Leaning over him, Helen's face was only marginally visible in the dungeon's dreary light. "Now, how about we finish this jailbreak in one piece, eh?"
Theseus didn't care that the other wizards were cowering near the staircase, waiting for them to join them. He didn't care that the explosions were getting fewer in between and the cries above were getting more desperate. He needed to ensure that his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. Wrapping a hand around the back of her neck, Theseus pulled Helen close, pressing his lips against hers, tasting her for the first time in months. Though her skin was cold from the elements, her lips were warm, her taste familiar. The coil of uncertainty in his gut released as he pulled back from the impromptu kiss. She was real. And she was alive.
"They'd told me they'd killed you." Theseus accepted Helen's hand as he moved to stand, swaying slightly at his first steps.
Helen snorted, "I'm a pretty good kisser for a ghost then if I do say so myself." She held out the handgun for Theseus, quickly pulling another handgun out from the holster on her hip. "You know your skills won't work while I'm here, but we still need to get everyone out."
"Yes," Theseus frowned, "that's why you're here, isn't it?" His frown increased. "Did Dumbledore send you?"
"I don't know who that is, so no. Your brother fetched me. Said he had a bit of a problem that only I could help him solve." Helen put a reassuring hand on Polly's shoulder. "When we get to the top, you keep low and run straight for the gate; some of your friends are in the trench just outside it. They'll help you down the cliff face if we make it that far."
"IF?" Tom's voice rose in fear.
It was Theseus' turn to reach out and grab hold of the boy's shoulder. "They won't be using magic against us, Tom. Just whatever muggle weapons they have on hand. So run as fast as you can." He moved to take point leading up the stairs but stopped to look back to Helen, who had taken up the rear, "You'll tell me more about how this came about after this?"
Helen smirked. "After this, I'll tell you everything you want to know, and we can pick up where we left off back on the cliffs."
His smile was bright despite the gravity of the situation as Theseus led the way up the spiral staircase, fully intending on surviving the day if only to kiss Helen one more time.