We Got Lots Of History

Ruined Carpeted Floors

Alarm bells had been ringing in Theseus' office for the past quarter of an hour, yet the young wizard only became aware of them too late, after being held up at a tedious meeting for the better part of his day. He knew it was Cassie's day off. That she would probably be home with Graham or Minerva lazing around. The alarm shouldn't be ringing, dread was rushing harshly through his veins as he run in the London street.

She is safe. She is safe. It is just a mistake. He repeated those words to himself like a mantra, trying to ease away his nerves. It was too early. He couldn't lose her at the start of their shared life. They were going to grow old and grey and wither in the wind together. He had always been afraid of his inevitable death, of not accomplishing to live his life, but with her, he dreamed of the sound of the crashing waves in the shore as their grandchildren played in their yard, laughing and causing mischief.

No. This couldn't be the end. He wouldn't allow it.

He took the door of its hinges as he entered their home, not caring about the damage and the definite bruise that would form in his shoulder. The lights were on and his shoes sank into the cream carpet they had bought only two weeks ago, now stained red. He took in the scene around him. And at the center of it all was her.

Covered in blood.

His heart stopped.

It seemed like an eternity, but it could only have been a few seconds.

Her hands, her face, her chest were bloody red. He sank to his knees next to her and tried to find the wound only to come up short. He hugged her desperately, trying to calm his racing heart, but to no avail as she started sobbing into his chest and he felt his heart break at the sight in front of him.

Graham. Laying on a pool of his own blood, deathly pale and scared. He may not have had a fondness for the man but he brought a smile in her face and he had protected her in the past, he had been her only companion in her darkest times. And he would always be grateful. It wasn't hard for him to connect the dots. It was a sacrifice, one of the most noble he had ever seen.

The rest of the night moved at a snails pace. It had been impossible to calm her down and put her to sleep, and he had felt terrible when he had to give her a potion to calm her down. But the shock had taken its toll on her and her fragile state left him breathless.

She was pregnant. The medic that appeared along with three Aurors dropped this bomb in his hand as if it was a mere greeting and the gravity of the situation weighted him down.

Pregnant.

If Graham hadn't been there... not only would he have lost the love of his life, but his baby too.

It wasn't a simple mission anymore for Grindelwald but a personal vendetta, an endless thirst for revenge for the one that was a direct threat, the one that almost brought him down willing to lose herself in the process.

He had ordered every Auror available to drop their case for a while and track the number one public enemy, to bring him to justice. It was a good thing that his Cass had such a reputation nationwide, be abuse truly people admired her for her courage and her wisdom and they were willing to do anything to help.

The next days moved incredibly slow and fast at the same time. He stayed in the office after hours, taking Cass with him sometimes  and letting her sleep at the plush couch in the corner of his office. He stole glances at her every other minute. She seemed more and more tired in the passing days, a sure sign of her condition but also because of Graham. They had thrown a beautiful ceremony in his memory and they made sure to visit him every day. His family had barely attended the event, only his little brother that sniffled and wiped his eyes behind his parents, trying very hard to appear stoic and nonchalant. He pitied the boy.

In the end his saviour was one Vinda Rosier, a pureblooded witch that appeared at the Ministry late at night bruised and teary, claiming to know the exact location of Gellert Grindelwald. And true to her word, she led them to him. His capture had been easy. Too easy for Theseus' liking. The bastar was better than that, cleverer than that. He had been captured before and managed to escape without breaking a sweat.

It was all wrong. He had to have an endgame even if he knew he would lose, he wouldn't go down without a fight. He had seen the man be brutal and merciless to get his way, such behaviour was so out of line, out of character.

Even now. He sat directly in front of him in the dark grey room, chaining at the metal desk in between them, looking completely at ease at the stone cold room, smiling and looking like a million bucks as if everything was going a ccorsing to his plan.

"Theseus Scamander. I finally have the honour to meet you. You have quite the reputation. You and your wife of course. Congratulations for your nuptials. I hear it was a beautiful ceremony, so sad I had to miss it. I also hear you have a little bun on the way. My my have you been busy..."

He had tried to keep a calm demeanor. He had promised himself he would control himself. But the moment he mentioned the baby his blood run cold and he felt the colour drain from his face. Only he and a medic knew. No one else. Not even Cass. He hadn't had the courage to bring up the otherwise joyful news. With the move of his hand the two Aurors standing guard at the door let him exit the room. The last sound he heard before the door sealed shut was his sinister laugh as he sung a lullaby.