November 7, 1938
Five more days remained until the deadline was up. With new strength and vigor, the group took the afternoon Portkey to Netherlands. If Theseus had been on his own, he would have left as soon as possible, but Dumbledore wisely stated that everyone was tired and needed a little break. So that's what they did, and this also gave them time to plan out what they were going to do, with possible places to run should they get attacked again.
Giethoorn was truly a beautiful place. Small, thatched cottages lined the streets with quaint little gardens; there was also a beautiful little river running through the entire village. Theseus felt a little like he had a Time Turner and traveled back to the 1700s. Dumbledore sent off Pheonix Patronus to Yusuf, letting him know they were there.
"Let's get out of the middle of the street," Tina murmured, "Some people are watching."
Theseus looked around and spotted a few shady characters sitting under a porch, looking at them. Moving along with the others, they stopped at a small bar. As they opened the door there was a little twinkling sound. A little, old lady stepped out from the back.
Smiling she called, "Hallo, hoe kan ik u helpen?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Mijn lieve vriend, ik wist niet dat je hier van hield." He spoke. The older lady squinted at Dumbledore for a second, then her face lit up, cracking into a wide, toothy smile.
"Albus! It truly has been a long time!" she said in a thick, Dutch accent. She walked out from behind the counter, "Let me get a look at you."
The lady was short, but she didn't seem to mind as she stood and gazed at the ragged group.
"Anneliese Bakker, how are you, my dear Professor?" Theseus looked at Dumbledore curiously and a little surprised. Professor?
"I've seen better days, Albus." She answered, "but enough about me! I heard from Nicholas that you sent a certain Newt Scamander to Paris to retrieve a friend of his. Speaking of Newt, where is he? He usually sends me a letter every week, but I haven't got one yet. He is incredibly intelligent, Albus. Almost like you, but he doesn't really show it."
"You know Newton?" Albus asked.
"Why yes, of course I do! He comes can stops here to check up on me occasionally. Unlike you! Bathilda Bagshot said that you check up on her more often than you check up on me. Seems as if someone slipped from your mind. Hmm?" Anneliese said, poking Albus, "You know Newt too?" she suddenly changed the topic again.
"Yes. That's why we're here. I'm his brother, Theseus." Theseus stepped forward, "It has come to our attention that Grindelwald has…kidnapped my brother."
The old professor stopped in her tracks. She looked at Theseus in the eye. "No…" she whispered, "No…that can't be right."
"Unfortunately, he is right, Professor." Dumbledore said grimly.
"Schieten!" she exclaimed, "Hoe kon dit gebeuren? Grindelwald, jij vieze Kleine…" she continued muttering in Dutch, pulling her wand out of her sleeve, "I have let this go on for too long! Show me where Grindelwald is, and I will end him before he knew what hit him!" Anneliese started to march out the room, until she stopped abruptly.
"No, no…I can't do that." She sighed, turning around, and sitting down at a chair. "Do you even know how powerful Newt is?" she asked finally, looking up at Albus.
Albus nodded slightly, "I know he is powerful, but I'm not sure how powerful."
"Let me put it this way." Anneliese explained, "If Grindelwald was able to harness Newt's magic, all he had to do would snap, and everything he needed would be done. Just like that."
Dumbledore muttered, sitting down too. Lally looked confused; she wasn't the only one. Jacob and Queenie were also looking lost, while Tina and Theseus seemed to have a slight inkling of what was happening. "What happens if Grindelwald harnessed Newt's magic." Asked Lally.
Albus took a deep breath, collecting his mind. "If Gellert was able to do that, he would be taking all the life force from Newt's body, meaning he'd die. But it wouldn't be painless. It's said, that if one's mind was so strong, that person would survive, but wouldn't be able to do magic, living something like a half-life. If Gellert was able to harness Newt's magic, like Professor Bakker said, if he just snapped his fingers, everything he ever wished could be his. But you must be a very, very powerful person to be able to do this, and the spells to do this are ancient, and hidden away securely."
"That's how powerful Newt is?" gasped Tina. Albus nodded solemnly. Theseus swore, then apologized for swearing. There was a pause, then Queenie spoke up very quietly, "Perhaps that's why Grindelwald told you Newt would die, and that it wouldn't be painless. Perhaps Grindelwald has found the ancient spells to do this unforgivable crime. Perhaps…perhaps Grindelwald just wanted to give you false hope…" A small tear ran down her cheek before she brushed it off.
"Merlin's ever blessed beard…" Dumbledore looked at a loss for words. "This just escalated very, very drastically."
The door to the small bar opened, and a tall, dark-skinned man walked in. He met the group with unsurprised eyes, looking around. "Where's the skinny one?" he asked at length. This time he was surprised to find that everyone was looking…sad?...or maybe weary? He wasn't sure. Did the kind man die recently? Yusuf looked in Queenie's direction, who shook her head slightly. Finally, Dumbledore explained to Yusuf everything going on.
"Gellert has something dirty planned. We need to warn the Ministries what's going on. Mr. Kama, are you willing to tell the Miniter of France?" Yusuf nodded. "Good. We need to finish this 'little' mission here, then we'll make some plans when we know what's going on."
After thirty more minutes of talking and discussing, Lally left the bar. She knew were she needed to go, and the others were being a bit slow. Walking quickly through the dirt lane, Lally finally found the Owlery.
Walking inside, Lally was confronted immediately with the smell of bird droppings and hay. Glancing around the dimly lit building, Lally studied the map in her hand. The red pin told her she was in the right place, and the map then folded up and disappeared. Humming softly, Lally walked quietly to the desk, where a plump, white-bearded face man stood.
He looked at her, his brown eyes twinkling. Speaking in a Dutch accent, "Hallo my friend, how may I help you?" he asked, haltingly.
Lally smiled, "I'm looked for an owl, specifically one who had recently delivered its message to a barn owl?" The old man frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then his eyebrows raised up to his hairline, "Ahh, yes, yes. I know who you are speaking about. Come, come." He beckoned her, walking around the desk towards the back of the room.
Lally frowned slightly. She didn't exactly feel comfortable walking with a complete stranger to the back of the shop, so Lally pulled out her wand, just in case. She walked to the back where she found the old man holding an owl on his forearm. "Here we are, just the one you were talking about." The man smiled toothily.
"Thank you very much, Mr.…?" Lally spoke enthusiastically.
"Mr. Brown, ma'am." The man answered. "Ah, erm. Mr. Brown, do you happen to know where this owl may have come from?"
"Yes, yes, I do know where he came from. Why do you ask?" Mr. Brown questioned, his face showing a little suspicion.
"I'm afraid to say that that is classified information." Lally came up with quickly.
"Oh, I see. Well, to answer your question, this owl came from Australia. Now, don't ask me where in Australia, I do not know."
Thanking the man for all his help, and leaving a few Knuts for a tip, Lally ran from the Owlery and down the street. By the time she made it back, she was breathless.
A/N: That's where I paused, seems like a lame ending. Tell me what you think! SHould I keep going, yes or no... Or will you be stuck here wondering what on earth I have planned for the poor guys.
