Closed RP with @regretismyconstantcompanion
Seeing Hogwarts for the first time in years brought back bittersweet memories of his expulsion and heart felt nostalgia of being a student sneaking out of the castle and into the forbidden forest hunting all manner of creature he was lucky enough to come by.
It was a shame he was now back under unfavourable circumstances.
The aftermath of Paris was just beginning to make headline news around the world, soon the entire globe would see the British Ministry painted by two different pen strokes. They either attacked innocent bystanders under the pretence of upholding the law or they intervened at Grindelwald’s illegal rally encouraging the suppression of muggles by any means necessary and innocent Aurors were incinerated in retaliation.
Needless to say the journey home had been sombre.
Leta had sacrificed herself, she had died fighting for a world that had rejected her very essence in order to save them.
Newt had been forced to wrench Theseus from the fight and his brother had crumbled in his arms; his heart had scattered into pieces and barely spoken a word since.
Jacob had been sat quietly next to Tina with unspilled tears in his eyes, reeling with loss and rejection. Queenie had been persuaded by Grindelwald's charms and was now lost in his network of followers, being a natural legilimens she was valuable, which meant getting her back was going to be next to impossible.
Meanwhile Newt was once again battling his own failures, he had failed Credence, he should have tracked him down sooner. Then perhaps Paris would never have happened. Leta would be alive, Jacob and Queenie would have been happy in New York. Newt could have prevented all this pain.
A quiet sniffle and gently pawing brought Newt back to the present and away from his pitiful thoughts. Teddy had been at the battle in Paris and suffered his own war wounds, Newt had scooped him up and managed to heal his superficial scraps.
Really, Newt should have predicted that with a coliseum full of people wearing their best, Teddy would have gone hunting for every shiny object his beady eyes could see. Grindelwald had apparently been no exception to this rule and Newt discovered the blood pact in his pouch as he spelled him better.
Suddenly, Dumbledore's lack of physical intervention all clicked into place
Everyone knew the rumours that Grindelwald and Dumbledore had been close once, not that Newt cared, he never put stock in gossip but their was no denying a blood pact made between two of the most powerful wizards in living memory. The necklace was identical to a trinket Dumbledore himself owned.
With this knowledge Newt had asked Nicolas Flamel to send an owl to Albus stating they needed to meet immediately, under the guise of relaying the events of Paris just in case the owl was intercepted. Teddy had unintentionally given them a silver lining and perhaps with both halves of the necklace Dumbledore could find away of breaking the pact.
There was an unspoken tension rippling between the group as they waited for Albus, together they had been through so much in an incredibly short space of time, they all demanded answers to questions that seemed too painful to speak of right now. The battle was still raw.
Emerging from the fog, Albus came towards them and Newt met Dumbledore half way. What they needed to talk of required some privacy.
Nevertheless news of Leta had already travelled to Hogwarts, Newt confirmed she had passed away and distracted Albus with the pendant instead, if he spoke of Leta aloud Newt would become visibly upset. No one had had the chance to morn, now was not the time.
Watching his plan worked as Dumbledore's face went from bewilderment to blossoming delight was satisfying. Newt felt pleased he had managed to do something right, even if getting hold of the pendant was a happy accident. He explained that Teddy had swiped the pact and Grindelwald was none the wiser.
"Do you think you can destroy it?" He asked, if anyone could find a way it would be Albus. If they could break the pact, Dumbledore would be able to move against Grindelwald freely.
