We Got Lots Of History

The Turning of Tides

She wanted to pretend that nothing happened. That the incident of January 15th was just a hallucination, a nightmare, it wasn't real. Yet it haunted her every waking moment. The proud glim in Grindelwald's eyes, Graham careful moves around her as if she was an imprisoned animal ready to attack him at any moment. She had gained respect along the ranks. People feared her. No one had confirmed the speculations but the rumors that circled her and they were enough to give her a certain reputation. She felt powerful but she had to be careful.

Every day she was faced with a test. Grindelwald was sure of the ruin she could cause but he still didn't trust her. He was a smart man he had to give him credit for that. And he should be wary of her. After all she was send to spy on him. The only person that seemed to suspect her was Quennie Goldstein. A beautiful blonde woman that for some reason always dressed in black clothes which didn't suit her. It was as if they washed out the happiness that once resided in her. Her file said that she had fallen in love with a muggle named Jacod Kowalski, a friend of Newt's. They had wanted to get married but magical law forbidden such a union, which was utter bullshit. She was a smart woman that had the same powers as her but to a much lesser extent. One of people that consisted all of Rowena's chosens through the years. Apparently all the people that had any affiliation towards the power of the mind, how to breach it, how to control it and how to manipulate it had her favor to an extent.

She was communicating with Dumbledore as much as possible, trying to deter as many attacks as possible without jeopardizing the plan and her position. Late at night she would sit in Graham study and mull over all the books she could have found that related or hinted to anything with old magic. Most of them talked about potions and how to use the earth, the environment to make yourself more powerful. She could understand the thirst of power that seemed to overcome many people but she had no interest in power however weird that may have sound. She wanted to be in control of the power she already had and how to use it properly. Maybe that was the reason that Rowena had chosen her and had given her her power.

Dumbledore nudged her in the right direction when he chose to position her close to Grindelwald. He was powerful and knew the extent of his power. He was destructive and arrogant in his pursue of more power and more knowledge. It was the best way for her to understand that power wasn't everything, but wisdom and knowledge was. Strength and raw power eventually would bow down to wisdom. Many people were not able to understand that sentiment and maybe it was for the better. Because know it helped her serve her cause.

In two hours later she found herself sitting in a small cafe nursing a huge cup of hot chocolate. It would always be her favorite drink no matter how many times Theseus and Thomas tried to convince her that coffee and tea were the best beverages. Their opinion didn't matter because one was always sleep deprived and the other was just English. A tall man entered the small shop with ease and sat by the counter. He was tall and handsome for his age. He had a gray beard and watchful eyes. Dumbledore seemed different from the last time she had seen him. It was only a year and a half after but he somehow looked older, as if the events of the previous year had taken a toll on him. They had on everyone.

You look well. He said in her mind and she suddenly flinched at the intrusion. She knew that this would be the way they would communicate and that was why she had a left a sliver of her mind unguarded, yet it was still something that unnerved her.

Don't flatter me. I know it's not true. He had been lying. He could see that she had lost a ton of weight and she looked more hollow as the days past. She had trouble sleeping, the memories of that night haunting her and she tried to find solace in the thought of her friends. Too many a times she had been ready to blow everything to porposion and go back to her old life. And then she would remembered the way she wanted to beat the shit out of them. She had fought in a war damn it. She was a high ranking officer, a respected captain in the Air Force and a general in the Army. She had won many battles before and she would win this one too. She had wounded people before deadly  but she had always given them the chance to fled to safety before an attack or protection for those that surrendered. Especially to mothers and children. But otherwise she had been brutal and lethal to the field and she was going to be again if she had to. If this would be the way to end this all. But she was planning to stop the war before it happened.

I am recruiting more people in our cause. I believe some of them are your friends. You have done well and you must hold on a few more months. I know Gellert and he is planning something. She didn't miss the way that Dumbledore referred to their common enemy. There was a softness in his voice when he called him by his first name that put her on edge. They had known each other, she had suspect as much but ... not the fact that he would care about him to this extent.

I have recruited Graham. He has been a great asset and ally. I want you to promise me that you will do anything in your power that you will protect him when we win. She had said when and not if . Because she knew that they were going to win this. She stood up and let a few change on the table before she looked at him, who simply nodded and she exited the shop heading back to hell with her chin held up proudly.