Mid 1929

"You're addicted to those things."

She peered up from her plate of croissants to see Corvus standing next to her with an amused expression on his face. "They're so buttery!" she exclaimed, patting the chair next to her own.

He joined her at the outdoor table, looking up at the pole tent above their heads. "You don't think it's a little early?"

"I just wanted it to feel like summer," she said with a shrug, breaking her third croissant in half. "It's been so cold this year."

"They said February the fourteenth this year was the coldest winter day ever recorded in Gelles," he mused, taking half of her croissant from her. She smiled, remembering that that Valentine's Day had been the day she first set foot in Lestrange Manor.

"Those poor couples," she commented, imagining multiple pairs of lovers freezing outside in the cold. She snuck a glance at Corvus, still not sure whether he had actually been in the house that day. She wondered if he had been out with some girl. "Where were you that day?"

He raised an eyebrow at her as he finished his half croissant. "Why?"

"No reason," she quickly replied, biting her lip. She reached out for the last croissant but he got there first, swiping it off the plate and taking a large bite out of it. She pouted, swatting him on the arm but letting him keep the croissant.

It felt good, sitting out here with him in the comfortable spring breeze. It reminded her of the times they huddled together in the circus, often in companionable silence, too wrapped up in each other to pay attention to the whispers of the others until the ringmaster stomped over to them and either dragged her away or told him to go and attend to some sort of task. She inched closer to him, looping her hand into the crook of his arm. There was no ringmaster here to keep them apart from each other. He turned to her and the pair of them shared a smile. This was the happiest she had ever seen him.

When she had first arrived at the manor, he had actively avoided her until the night—rather early morning—he carried her unconscious form to bed after discovering her lying outside. After that, he had stopped pretending not to be around but kept his distance from her until one day when he told her of his guilt over abandoning her. It had taken time for her to fully forgive him but she soon understood that he had never meant to leave her for dead; he simply hadn't thought that Grindelwald would try to kill people with his blue fire. It hadn't taken too long for them to grow close again after that.

"I was at home that day," he spoke, placing his hand on top of the one curled around his arm. She looked up at him, relieved. "Where else would I be?"

She said nothing, leaning her head on his shoulder.

.:. QK .:.

She inspected herself in her floor length mirror, admiring Corvus' newest gift to her: a smart set of dress robes in dark green and a matching fascinator. She wasn't sure why he had felt the need to buy her clothes at all when she already had the sets of robes she'd asked Dot to collect from Newt's place when she first moved into the manor but the seamstress he'd hired for her had done a good job. She had never been one to keep up with the latest fashion trends but she did like to dress up, even when she'd lived in the forest.

"Mademoiselle!"

"Entre!" she called, smiling at her reflection. She looked rather pretty for someone who had transformed into a snake mere hours ago.

"Monsieur Grindelwald est là," Dot said from behind her.

She whirled around to face the house-elf, a sense of dread filling her. She'd been living at Lestrange Manor for a few months now and while she had briefly met some of Grindelwald's inner circle such as Vinda Rosier and Abernathy, she had never come face to face with the Dark wizard himself. "Tu lui as dit que Monsieur Lestrange n'est pas là?"

Dot twiddled her thumbs awkwardly before nodding. "Monsieur Grindelwald a dit à Dot qu'il veut parler à Madame Lestrange, pas à Monsieur Lestrange."

"Quoi? Moi?" she asked hoarsely. There was no Madame Lestrange. She understood that she was the closest there was to a lady of the house but she never thought she'd have to behave like one and receive guests on Corvus' behalf. The very notion terrified her, especially given who her current guest was.

"Oui, mademoiselle."

She took a deep breath, trying to ease her buzzing nerves. "Je comprends. Escorte-lui à la Grande Salle."

As soon as Dot was out of sight, she stumbled towards her bed and gripped the ornate bedpost, releasing a shaky breath as she steadied herself. This wasn't a case of Grindelwald dropping by and asking for her because Corvus just happened to absent. This was a premeditated act. Corvus was currently away running errands for Grindelwald himself, errands Corvus had told her were usually carried out by the others; his main job for Grindelwald being to train until he was ready for some great task. She hadn't been scared of the Dark wizard the previous times she'd seen him because Credence had been there, other people had been there, but this time it would be just the two of them alone together.

After taking a moment to compose herself, she left her room and walked across the gallery which led to the stairs and overlooked the Great Hall. The portraits on the wall threw her suspicious glares and whispered about her with one another but she paid them no attention as she peered down into the Great Hall and spotted someone sitting on one of the sofas. She took her time going down the stairs and saw Grindelwald stand up, hands folded, when she reached the last few steps.

"Bonjour, Madame...?" he trailed off, a humble expression plastered on his face as she approached him.

"Mademoiselle," she corrected, gesturing for him to sit down as she sat in the armchair opposite him.

"Mademoiselle," he repeated, half of his mouth curling up as he took a seat. "You look radiant."

Grindelwald was dressed rather elegantly, donning an expensive looking black waistcoat and cape. She wondered if he employed the same seamstresses as Corvus. Just how did he afford his expensive lifestyle? Corvus used his inheritance but she wasn't aware of Grindelwald being from a rich family. However he acquired his money, it was unlikely to be through any legal means.

"Thank you. Now, to what pleasure do I owe this visit?"

.:. QK .:.

"How long do you plan to stay here?" Grindelwald asked lightly.

She cleared her throat, hoping her voice wouldn't come across as shaky. "As long as Corvus wants me to."

"You are aware that Corvus is training to complete a task that is imperative to my cause?" he questioned, sipping the tea Dot had brought him. "Has he told you what the task is?"

She would've liked to confidently answer in the positive but the truth was that Corvus simply hadn't told her. He had told her everything else about Grindelwald's cause from the role of the rest of the inner circle to how Grindelwald planned to build more support but he rarely spoke about his own all-important role save for a few mentions of how he was faring with training. "I can't say that he has."

"He truly is loyal to me," the Dark wizard affirmed, giving her pause. It almost sounded as if he was reassuring himself. "What about you?"

"What about me, monsieur?" She couldn't see where this conversation was going.

"Are you loyal to me?"

She was surprised by the question. Grindelwald had to be a lunatic. He had seen her stand her ground after Credence walked into the fire. She would've joined Credence if she believed in Grindelwald's barbaric cause. "I believe you already know the answer to that."

He smirked in response, confusing her. "Mademoiselle," he crooned, leaning forward. She tried not to stare at his odd eye, glad that there was a fair amount of space in between their seats. "I only want what you want." She blinked, remaining silent. "A world where people like you and I can be free."

She scoffed at that, narrowing her eyes at him. "You and I are not the same," she pointed out, disgusted that he would imply such a thing. Moral stances aside, she was sure that his Legilimens had told her she wasn't a normal witch. "What do you know of what I want?"

"I, too, am cursed, mademoiselle," he confessed, almost sincerely. "As a seer, I am burdened with knowledge—terrible knowledge—I did not ask for. I understand what it is to be an outcast like you... like Corvus. I believe I can help you like I am helping Corvus... if you would only allow me to."

He reeked of persuasion. She could understand his appeal. If she hadn't known he was a Dark wizard beforehand, she would've been tempted to join him right now. "There is no cure for what ails me. I know it well. This curse has been in my matrilineal line for at least thirty generations. It will end with me."

"You intend to cut off this pure-blood line?"

Her mother had clearly intended for her to be the last of her line. "How are you so sure that I am a pure-blood? Pure-bloods like your supporters kill creatures like me."

"Corvus is the last of his pure-blood line," Grindelwald said smoothly. She refrained from rolling her eyes. Who was he trying to fool? They both knew that the real Corvus was long dead. "I know a way you can preserve your soul. You would ultimately end up in a new body but you would be free of your curse. You could start a family. My supporters would not stand in your way."

Grindelwald was a cruel man. He knew how to dangle one's dreams right in front of them when he knew they couldn't fulfil them. No doubt he had done the same to Corvus. She wondered what lies he had told him. "I can't believe in a cause that supports the enslavement and annihilation of the Non-Magique."

"Your eyes are not open," Grindelwald said, his voice full of apparent remorse. "When we succeed, you will see that it was all for the greater good."

Just for a second, she considered his revelation of there being a way to overcome her curse. She shook her head. Grindelwald was a Dark wizard; his method of 'curing' her would definitely involve the Dark Arts. "I'm not interested in your dark magic or your cause."

"You are making a mistake," he warned, his face betraying no emotion. "You will rue the day you made the wrong choice."

"I will succumb to my curse too soon to see that day!" she retorted, rising to her feet. "I think it is time you leave."

Surprisingly, Grindelwald stood up. "Corvus is integral to the cause. I cannot have someone like you corrupting him." She almost snorted at his audacity. "Leave him and go back to Dumbledore. You don't belong here."

Dumbledore had been the one to give her the idea of staying with Corvus in the first place. Whatever you must, he had said at the meeting all those months ago. The meaning had not been lost on her. By staying at Corvus' side, she was slowly but surely stabilising him. She had already seen the change in him, primarily the effect his Obscurus had on him.

"You know, I think I'll stay right here, Monsieur Grindelwald," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. He couldn't force her to leave nor could he kill her. Corvus would ask questions. Judging from the indignance on his face, he was well aware of the fact. "You may leave now."

Grindelwald Disapparated. She immediately dropped back into the armchair, catching her breath. She had impulsively said a lot of things to the darkest wizard of all time. Would he punish her for it? Only time would tell...