We Got Lots Of History

A Deal with the Devil (Theseus' POV)

From the moment he entered the auditorium a weird kind sense of energy settled in his bones. The room was filled with people of various ages. In the center of the room stood a man. He was short, with white blonde hair. His eyes were different one was light blue and maybe with a bit of gray and the other was brown. He had high cheekbones and commanded an aura of power around him. Everyone's attention was stuck to him.

His eyes scanned the room. He counted five entrances and with some quick calculations over a thousand people. He noticed Newt with his friends just a few steps away from him. He grabbed Leta's hand and he smiled at her reassuringly before guiding her to them.

"Not another war. That is what we are fighting! That is the enemy. Their arrogance. Their power lust. Their barbarity. How long will it take before they turn their weapons on us? Do nothing when I speak of this. You must remain calm and contain your emotions. There are Aurors here among us. Come closer, brother wizards! Join us. Do nothing. No force. They have killed many of my followers. It is true. They confined me tortured me in New York. They had struck down their fellow witches and wizards... For the simple crime of seeking the truth. For wanting freedom... Your anger, your desire for revenge is natural. No!" Pure hatred ran in Grindelwald's words. It was ironic how he claimed that he liked Muggles and that he never wanted to harm them, yet he was ready to unleash war on them.

An illumination filled the room and everyone seemed to collectively stun themselves. He had forgotten that many people despite their knowledge of the war, they had chosen to ignore it. Claiming that it didn't affect them and why should they care.
They were fools, the lot of them because now powerful stupid people were moved by his words. His blood boiled as it coursed through his veins. How could they be so ignorant?

Grindelwald materialized a green blue fire in a ring around him and his followers. Beckoning people closer to him. "Aurors, join me in this circle. Pledge to me your eternal allegiance. Or die. Only here shall you know freedom. Only here shall you know yourself. Play by the rules. No cheating, children." He taunted them, manipulated them to behave just the way he wanted. And Theseus was petrified as he noticed people falling for his act. Could they not see the truth like he did? Or were they simply so scared of him that it felt inevitable?

Many people in their passing lost their lives while others betrayed their ideals successfully just for power. The commotion around him was too loud to give him the chance to comprehend properly what was happening around him. Relief clung to him as more and more people, powerful people both in the Ministry and with their magic, turned and fled. Soon enough way too little people remained in the room. The French Aurors had already left. Cowards,  he thought bitterly. Their job was to protect their species, they had taken an oath. How could they just turn their backs in the biggest threat of the century?

Grindelwald turned his attention at them, specifically Newt, his baby brother. "Mr. Scamander. Do you think Dumbledore will mourn for you?" He protectively stood in front of his brother. Ready to fight for him to the death. They may not get along any longer, but he was his family.

"Grindelwald! Stop!" Leta's voice sounded from somewhere too he side. He turned his head towards her, trying to get her attention to leave, it was too dangerous. Yet she held her head high, as she approach the man in the center of the room. Leta... she had to live. She had spent too long from her life grieving her brother, carrying the burden of his death as if she had been his murderer. Leta who had broken off their engagement mere hours ago but still kept up the facade as she was not ready to be alone in society once again.

"This one I believe I know."

"Leta Lestrange." She answered calmly.

"Despised entirely amongst wizards.Unloved, mistreated... yet brave. So very brave. Time to come home." Grindelwald smirked as he extended his arm to her. His words cut harshly but she promptly ignored them. She left her hand hovering over his for a few seconds before she turned at them whispering 'I love you'.

In the next second she was gone. Turned into ashes. He approached Grindelwald. Revenge ringing in the cells of his body as tears slipped down his cheeks. But he was faced with the raging fire. Grindelwald turned his attention from them moved to the other remaining person in the room. Cassandra. Her hair was billowing in the air and the fire illuminated her form. She had never been more beautiful.

He yelled her name as he tried to get closer to her. He wasn't going to lose her tonight. He wasn't going to lose her ever, period. If someone had to die tonight that would be him. He never wanted to live in world without her. It just didn't make sense to him. His brother was grabbing his arms trying to calm him down, to get him to leave. There was no chance he was leaving her there alone. He had her back.... always.

At that moment she locked her eyes with his. Her face was pained and her eyes looked different. He couldn't tell from this distance but it was almost as if they had changed colour in a few minutes. Next thing  he knew he was outside, breaking in his brother's arms. Trying to get back inside. The fight wasn't over. He would not accept anymore casualties. He had already lost Leta.

I love you. The words rang in his ears. Everything after that was too hazy, his emotional turmoil letting him work based on muscle memory alone.  They placed a protective shield over the auditorium, waiting for the inevitable hit.

It never came.

Had she stopped him? What was the price of that victory? Her life? Because then he would so rather chose to lose. Several times if he had to. Anything for her. He touched the stone walls, trying to locate the entrances he had spotted before. There was no way in. There was no way out. He started to hit the walls, to claw at them. He needed to get in. He needed to be sure she was fine. People yelled his name from somewhere in the back. He didn't care. His hands were bloody and scratched raw. He didn't care. He was losing control. He couldn't care less. He yelled her name over and over until his lungs burned and he collapsed in the ground. It couldn't be real.

A hand was placed in his shoulder and he flinched. He had thought that he had heard her voice. "I am already losing my mind." He said as he rocked back and forth and she grabbed his face, turning him to look at her. He sniffed before he pinched his arm, he had to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. He had to make sure that she was real. Cassandra. His wonderful Cass had done it again. She was here and nothing seemed so glum anymore. There was still hope. He immediately threw himself at her, drawing her into his arms as he cried in her shoulder. "I thought I lost you too. Leta she's ... she's..."

"Shush. Everything is alright. Everything will be okay." She said as she combed her hands in his curls, just the way she used to do back then, she knew exactly what to do to calm him down. He always lived the way her fingers trailed the ringlets that formed there.

"I don't think I could ever live without you. We called it off. The engagement. A few hours ago. ... because ... because of you. Because I still love you." He rumbled. He had to let her know. He loved her. She had to know.

She blinked rapidly her tears back. He had finally said it. And he meant it with his heart. "I still love you too. I'm sorry. One day I hope you will understand."

At that he finally let go of her and sat back in his heels to get a good look at her face. Her beautiful face that was civered in ashes and a deep scratch was at the top of her cheek. "Understand what? What did you do?"

"I'm sorry. Truly." She whispered at him. She pressed a feather light kiss in his lips and in the blink of an eye she was gone.

He nimbly patted the ground in front of him. Had he imagined her? He wasn't sure. Newt sat besides him and he patted his back, in an attempt to comfort him. "She was here. I saw her too."