Hello everybody, hope you enjoy!

xoxo Leviosa

Chapter 15

Other people would have told him that there were absolutely worse things than words. He should worry about war, about people dying and others being tortured, instead he constantly had to think about words. Nobody understood that words were the only thing that could show what happened between him and Grindelwald. Manipulation didn't necessarily mean lying, but there was only a small barrier between both. Wounds could heal, but words could stick in his head forever, only to come into his thoughts, when he didn't need them. All these promises, all these dreams of what things could be, that would never happen. He had thought about putting his memories into the pensive too often, but he knew that he couldn't. Thinking about it hurt him, but losing it all would break his heart, as if if there was something left that wasn't already. Dumbledore knew that he could learn out of his past, that knowing Grindelwald would help him fight against him. But it didn't always help. There was always a moment, a second, a minute, sometimes even hours of every day when Albus Dumbledore couldn't help but think that he would never win this endless fight, where he was lost in the bad sides of everything that had happened, that he wasn't made for this. He knew that he had no chance of winning against him now, there would be a time when he was ready and before that time had come, he would need others, others that were capable, to help him. And often, when he was about to drown in his own thoughts, he remembered meeting Gellert Grindelwald for the first time. The highs and the lows, and it all came together in a huge mix of the magic Dumbledore felt. As if he would carry a giant rainbow in his heart, the rain and the sun together, a mix of the bad and the good memories. And it made him feel better, walking around with this rainbow.

"You and me. Against the rest of the world", he said. There was no one else except them, no one important enough to be there, no one who could halfway understand what connected them. No one would believe Albus, but Grindelwald and him were almost the same. He had never understood anyone as much as he understood him and at the same time never argued so much with someone. But when he argued with Grindelwald, it didn't feel as if they were arguing. It was more of a discussion of their both opinions, a new form of communication. There was no one in this world like Gellert Grindelwald for Albus. No one would believe him if he told anyone, but it felt as if they had the same soul. Being with Grindelwald was like a wild fire — it was the best thing in his life, loving Gellert was moving the world. Their love really felt as if it was a fire — too bright to be stopped by anyone except themselves. As if suddenly, the world had changed and now the only thing that counted, was them and only them. Everything was possible, if they were together. The world was turning around them, not with or without them. And over everything stood the belief that they could change anything, that they would create a better world, because their love was the only thing they needed, as the kings of the universe. Albus couldn't count the amount of times, were they both couldn't sleep, and sent each other letters. "You know, your idea is right. We just have to find a way, to peacefully make them understand the right in our words" "We have to find a way, so wizards and muggles accept each other, even though muggles aren't our equals, we should treat them politely as if they were. And the most important thing is that no wizarding children should suppress their magic" "You are absolutely right" "This is why I love you so much. You understand that I'm right", Gellert whispered. So many days, just them, their books and their crazy theories and it was better and brighter than everything they ever had experienced. The thing that was important to them the most was the other person. And just like they thought, that the universe would spin around them, they were the center of the universe for each other.

"Do you really think this is a good idea, Newt?", Tina asked. She was still skeptical about how Leta Lestrange escaped, but she didn't want to ruin the short peace between her and Newt. "We'll have to try. I'll send a letter to Dumbledore, he'll help us. You know if we never try, we will never get the chance to help Credence" She nodded, he was totally right, but she didn't think that it would work. No one had seen Flamel in years and the chance of him healing total strangers just because one was an obscurial seemed not very high. They walked through the whole city, Newt stopped at every corner, because it reminded him "of his youth". Picket almost escaped, because Newt was so deep in thought. "What does Paris have to do with your youth? Do all wizards travel as much as he does?", Jacob asked. He was the only one except Newt who could speak french, he had learned it in muggle school. That was no problem for Queenie, because she could read all minds and it didn't matter which language it was because she understood them without words. But Tina was quite annoyed by having to cast a spell before understanding others. "Oh, umm, I often came here in my school years. And, no, I don't think all wizards travel that often. What's do you think about that, Tina?" But Tina didn't listen to him. In her thoughts, she was somewhere else. She remembered too much of her youth. The day, her mother died and the day her father died too. She and Queenie, sitting on the stairs of their old apartment, crying, before they were told to leave it, because it was no longer belonging to them. Her first day in Illvermorny. Illvermorny was such a beautiful place, it had made her life special, it had made her become the human, she was now.

"This is the right road" "It can't be" "Why not?" She didn't want to say it, but the street looked too empty, too dark for one of the greatest wizards of all time to live here. She realized why it was so dark. All lights had been put out, the lanterns were dark. Jacob was the first one, to step to the giant door with the golden lion carved into it. "What are you doing? It could be a trap" "Everything could be a trap. He's just knocking, nothing more", Queenie said. And really, Jacob slowly knocked on the door. "And did it help us anything? No it didn't", Tina murmured. "Stay quiet", Newt told her. Nothing happened. They all, this strange group of people, stood in front of the door and waited for someone to come out. Tina, Queenie, Jacob, Newt, Credence and Malena. Leta Lestrange said that she wanted to travel back to London, to see Theseus again. And honestly, Tina felt better without a Leta Lestrange next to her, who destroyed every plan she had ever made. She was about to give up. They wouldn't be able to cure Credence, Nicholas Flamel wouldn't come out. She looked at him, he held Malenas hand, so insecure, almost as if he wanted to be invisible. Every time she saw him, she thought about how lonely he had been. Credence seemed a lot stronger, just because Malena stood next to him. As if she would give him the strength he needed, there was no one who could divorce them. They both seemed so lost in this strange big world, but together they were strong."Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. What are you doing here, on this cold evening?", a tall man in a long blue coat said. He had auburn hair and a bear in the same colour. He seemed strangely familiar to Tina. "Are you Mr. Flamel?", Credence asked. Tina saw the hope in his eyes. The men smiled, and as he smiled, his light blue eyes smiled with him. "No, he's Albus Dumbledore"

"It's good to see you, Newt. I wanted to talk to you about Grindelwald and it's good that you brought Mr. Credence and your friends. We all have to talk about what happened in the last few days. Some things are new for me and for you, some may surprise you, but all together, we'll have to have a strategy against Grindelwald, it can't stay as it is right now. May I introduce to you, Mr. Nicholas Flamel and his wife, Mrs. Perenelle Flamel!" A woman with long black hair and a charming smile guided them into the Flamels living room. There, on a couch, next to a table with tea on the desk, sat a handsome man (almost as pretty as his wife, even though they were supposed to be hundreds of years old), and Tina thought that she could see the wisdom in his eyes. Maybe she really could, but she was sure to imagine that he looked as if he was just a bit older than her. But he didn't look at her, the only person who deserved to be seen by this person was Newt. Wasn't he? At least Tina thought that he had sacrificed enough to be noticed. Instead, Nicholas Flamel only saw Credence and Malena at his side. He spread his arms and smiled. "Come here, children. I am here to help you against the pain and against your dark fate" Slowly, Credence walked into his direction and Nicholas Flamel really hugged him, and after Credence had been hugged, he hugged Malena, as if he could destroy their disease just with a few hugs. But Tina shared the opinion that they both needed hugs more than anything.

There was nothing worse than believing one thing and finding out, after years, that everything had been different out of the eyes of the other person. Dumbledore thought, that everything he had said, only was manipulation. But for Grindelwald Manipulation didn't necessarily mean lying, just saying what others wanted to hear to make them do what they should do. it didn't mean that the things said were lies, just that there had been a purpose, why the person said these words, it wasn't just because of love or friendship, even if it was true, but in the purpose of getting someone to do something. It didn't mean that their relationship was build on lies, was it? At least he thought that. But his opinion didn't really count much for the brightest wizard of the century, Albus Dumbledore. Grindelwald hated his decision sometimes, but he had decided, and he knew that he had to fight until the end, it was in his nature. And, even though he had never confessed this, he wasn't able to tell it to himself, only in silence he could feel what he really thought. Everything he said was true and it hurt him, to keep this secret, but he would never be able to tell it. At least he had thought that he never would.

"It's your decision, Leta" "You don't have to do this" "Why did you do this to me" "You betrayed me, from all people, you had to betray me" "It is the only way you have" And it really was. She wanted to be free, free above all. Instead, she was stuck in a marriage, everybody wanted her to do the things they wanted. No one asked her opinion. And to really be free, she had to make her own conditions. To make her own conditions, she had to tear everything apart. "It will be a new beginning", he smiled at her. And she now knew why so many people followed him. She would be happy, finally. And all the tears would be washed away by years of true happiness. But wasn't she happy with her life now? She was engaged to Theseus, and he loved her more than anything. And she loved him. Why did she have t be this way? Why couldn't she accept her life as it was, why did she have to make every one around her sad with her decisions? But it was her life, she shouldn't live it for others, should she? One word and her brain went back to reality. She didn't know why she was here, next to all these people that wanted to be part of Grindelwalds army. They all listened to Grindelwalds words, as if he was the only one who could lead them to their new world. Leta didn't even realize how fast she came here. She had told Newt that she would travel back to London, while she told Theseus that she wanted to stay with Credence for a few days longer. "I will ask everyone of you and you will make your final decision", Grindelwald said. It felt like eternity, while her thoughts tried to attack her. If you do this, you won't come out of it alive. You will never be as happy as you could have been. Do not do it. You know what he did to Credence. You know that he would have killed you, if you weren't useful for him. Grindelwald doesn't care about you. He doesn't care about anybody. But the voices of her friends in her head blended into Grindelwalds. I thought that I would have been happier if I had decided differently. "Leta Lestrange, will you follow me and swear, with your life, to help me build or new world? For the greater good. It is your decision and only yours. I won't try to hold you back, if any of you want to leave. Just know, if you do, you will think about what could have happened for the rest of your lives", he said. And then Leta remembered why she had fought with her father. Because he wanted to join Grindelwalds ranks, while she wanted to marry an auror, responsible for the hunt of Grindelwald. She would not be better than him, if she would say yes now. She would be the same as the person that left her half brother to an evil magic-hating woman. Leta did not fight to be free, she did not try to be different from the rest of her family for so long, to join Grindelwald now. Leta didn't feel her own lips saying no, it felt as if someone else was saying these words. Leta quietly stood up and left, she left Grindelwald behind. She wouldn't look back and with Grindelwald, she left behind all the what-ifs and the person she could have been. And as she had left the hiding place, she had lost the doubts and the voices of her ancestors. She wasn't a Lestrange, she was her own person. Leta realized that it had not been her desire for freedom that had forced her to do this. It had been everything her father stood for, the obsession over pureblood superiority. Her family didn't rule her nor did Gellert Grindelwald.