Summary: A choice is made.

Note: Chapter starts right after Newt leaves.


With a few steps from the door, Anna made her way to the empty couch and threw herself on it, the muffled 'thwump!' of her body hitting it loud in the quiet room.

Her wand jumped into her hand as she gently rubbed her thumb over the carving of the Hydreigon head, a myriad of thoughts running through her head.

"Expecto Patronum," she whispered softly, the feelings of Pina's egg hatching, the joy of defeating Lance by a hair all rising up from the corners of her memory. The sight of Newt's reverent petting of Sal's head, his windswept hair and flushed cheeks after riding on Brian made her heart feel warm, rising unexpectedly.

A bright light streamed from the tip of her wand, and then a silvery creature burst out of the light, flying around the room.

The first time she created a physical Patronus, the shape was of a Ho-oh bursting out, beak open in a silent caw. Now she identified her Patronus as a Ukrainian Ironbelly, smaller than the real deal, that flapped in the large room. It then rested on the floor, its silvery eyes looking at its caster.

Anna looked back at it, raising her empty hand toward it. The dragon blinked before leaning its stout towards her palm. If she touched lightly enough, the Patronus wouldn't fade, and both of them knew it.

"You're gorgeous," she whispered, spellbound as its head reared back again, and then dissipated, the faint wisps of light creating a silvery sheen before also disappearing.

"I am so doomed," the Trainer groaned, her wand vanishing back into her magicked holster. Her hands palmed her face, her hands calloused from years of taking care of Pokémon scratching her face.

"Why meeeeeeeeeee?" she whined loudly, before her hands were moved to rest near her stomach. It was unsettling that she liked Newt so much, even though she only met him for even less than a handful of hours.

Her memory went back to the Book she left back in Canalave, deciding that whoever needed it would be better off with it. She remembered that it said people with magic in her world tended to stay with Pokémon instead of other human beings due to the connection they held for each other through magic. It also said that because of that, magical humans were less inclined to form meaningful relationships with other people, leading to most of them remaining single for life.

Newt was a contradicting person. He held a somewhat steady relationship with the law while also breaking most American laws by smuggling his creatures into New York back when the "Obscurus Incident" happened, and his brother had a high ranking Ministry position. Newt loved his creatures enough to do high concept magic with his briefcase but was expelled from Hogwarts.

The way he allowed her to introduce him to Salazar and Brian, how he looked with his hair wild from flying at a high speed. Anna never noticed other people's faces more than just recognizing them, but there was something about Newt that made her look closer.

From afar he looked ordinary, a redhead with blue eyes. Closer examination had her realize he had a smattering of freckles across his cheeks and nose, his eyes were more than just blue, and how he always seemed to have a calm and gentle aura.

There was something else about him that drew her in. He was overwhelmingly kind. Even as she had Pina shock him back then, even when her fight against N brought out his phobia of lightning, he was still as kind when she woke up in the hospital.

If anything, her Patronus spoke for itself. She read that it was supposed to symbolize the caster's soul, but in some cases, if the caster was in love or obsessed with someone or a creature, it'd change its form. The history of the Great War was all over the Flourish and Blotts, especially over the attempted use of dragons was clear in her mind, and after infiltrating the Ministry, she was able to get all the gory details.

Considering Ukrainian Ironbellies were a very, very aggressive species, she was impressed with how dangerous they were, and how they'd only respond to Newt and not try to eat him.

It was official. She was either very intrigued with Newton Scamander, or she was in love.

This was a curse. Anna was sure of it. Building a loving relationship wasn't one of her strong suits, especially with people.

The Trainer debated if it was wise to pursue her affections or let him run away. There was no way she'd be able to get back to her world without Palkia. None of the people here would ever understand Pokémon, and the wizards here didn't hold even their own magical creatures in high regards.

Newton Artemis Fido Scamander…she felt like never letting go of him when she thought about the magizoologist. She…she had to have him. Or at the very least, have him by her side.

Green eyes shone with determination, and unbeknownst to her, Anna grinned.

It was time to make a new plan.


Weeks passed as Anna started with her new obsession, finding absolutely everything she could about the youngest Scamander. She brought Hansel the Noctowl to help hypnotize the Ministry officials into allowing her access to school records.

She read up on Newt's home life and exactly why he had been expelled and found herself more and more interested in him. He was compassionate and loyal, a true Hufflepuff. He was perfect.

It led to more future seeing, Anna going through every possible future related to Newt. In one, Newt married the Auror who once arrested him in New York, Porpentina Goldstein, another had Newt perishing in blue fire. With every bad future, she could feel a quiet rage building in her heart.

Newt was one of the kindest people in existence, with a love for creatures that rivaled her own love for Pokémon. It was really too bad he was expelled to cover for Leta Lestrange, someone he had feelings for. She read the Daily Prophet, and knew it was wrong. Newt was very, very single. When he was here, she couldn't feel any traces of romantic or sexual love in his aura. Especially because he wouldn't possibly marry the woman he covered for. If it wasn't for Dumbledore the magizoologist would've lost his wand.

Even more interesting was the history Newt had with his older brother. They had all the signs of a strained relationship, and she even went around stalking Theseus Scamander for about a day before nearly getting caught by Lestrange. Luckily, she was able to teleport away with Adam, the Anti-apparition wards not working with the Pokémon's move.

Thinking back, she wasn't lying when she called the Professor a cancer. He used others for his dirty work, never leaving the castle and was fond of using people as chess pieces. The man would have to learn that not everyone was willing to be played with, and he better change his view on the "Greater Good".

On the other hand, Grindelwald was one step away from being completely insane, with his hatred of ordinary people and his manipulative nature. He was a master of false emotions, and promises, and she trusted him as far as she could throw him.

Anna was now lying in her basement, surrounded by the noise of Pokémon moving around the space. She flicked the card Grindelwald had given her between her hands, the little bit of card stock fixed with charms that prevented it from tearing, burning or soaking. The date was coming closer, and she still didn't have a concrete plan on what to do with either side of the impending war. She also worried about the fate of her Pokémon if she opposed Dumbledore or Grindelwald.

However, she couldn't die. Wouldn't die. Her Pokémon couldn't just live their lives hidden in her basement, hatching and dying in there like dirty secrets. She had to choose a side, and with how the wizarding population didn't care for non-human beings, there was very little choice.

Anna had to side with Gellert Grindelwald, the darkest wizard in current history.

What a daunting thought.

So she had to watch his futures. It was fascinating, how their present and futures will intertwine. Anna couldn't escape the war and wouldn't be able to escape the leaders of the conflict. What an Arceus damned headache.

The meeting was in a few days' time, and she prepared the basement, creating a Fidelius charm to hide it from prying eyes. It took many psychic and aura sensing Pokémon to even create the charm, finding difficulty in the power the charm required for it even to be cast. She also made Luke her secret keeper, so even she couldn't remember the Secret before he told her.

She also made it the only Floo entrance in the house connected to the fireplace in her shop's backroom, giving even more restrictions to unwanted visitors. The only ways into her home was either through her shop's Floo or the front door.

The card fluttered to the grass, the Trainer staring up towards the 'sky'. She hadn't talked to Newt since he left her house, but she thought about him constantly. How he was doing. What he was doing. If he was safe. If only she placed a tracking charm on him before he left, she would know what the man was doing.

While breaking into the Ministry's records, she knew he was being monitored and restricted to London because of the ministry thinking he had stirred too much trouble in New York. At least he wasn't getting killed saving Occamy or Nundus or other creatures from poachers.

The woman sat up, feeling a small Pokémon amble towards her. It was a Shaymin she saved from Team Galactic, a very timid little flower hedgehog she called Silvius. She scooped it into her arms, holding it close. Its flowers created a gentle scent, and she extended her aura, feeding feelings of gratitude to the Pokémon.

"Do you want to come with me, little darling?" she whispered, lowering her voice so the other Pokémon couldn't hear. The Shaymin nuzzled into her clothing, and she knew what it conveyed. She stood up, recalling the grass type into its pokéball.

What team should she bring to the meeting? Anna still hadn't forgiven Graves for even daring to entertain the idea of taking her Pokémon, and she could feel a grudge forming against the man. It was uncommon for her to even hold a grudge, but it was there. Coming to this world had given her a lot of firsts, it seemed.

Anna went through her list of Pokémon that were currently on hand. Her Dragon team would be alright, but they weren't exempt from the power of magic. Luke should stay in the basement, since he was the secret keeper, but he was powerful in Aura.

He took the first spot.

Second would be Jolt. Her small size would be great if she had to carry the small bug around. Third was going to be Hela, her Houndoom. Hela had a high stat in special attack, as well as immunity to magic. Fourth was Pina, because she wanted to meet Newt again. Anna's fifth Pokémon would be her Charizard, Charlie. Her sixth and last Pokémon would be Zariah, Zachary's mother.

The dream team. More or less. Maybe she'd also bring Garchomp and Hydreigon as backup. Perhaps a few ways of transportation?

So what, if she had to join Grindelwald. She didn't care about whatever the humans did, but if they put both creatures and Pokémon in peril…it was a sacrifice she'd have to make.

At least Grindelwald was more or less a man of his word. Anna did say she'd do anything to keep her Pokémon safe, even if she had to destroy herself.

It would be worth it, even if she could never get home, or if she had to give away the purity of her soul. She didn't want to die nameless, going against every promise she ever made. Grindelwald wanted to destroy the muggles. With how her Search was going, she could agree that there would be another World War, which would take many lives, hundreds of thousands or even millions of non-magical and magical lives alike. She'd have to kill the mustached muggle first. Or at the very least have Hela eat him.

"I said I'd do anything for my Pokémon," she said out loud, "No matter the cost."

Glancing down at the business card, she reached for it, the paper flying into her hand.

"Paris. Time to go."