Obscure Occurrences |C. BAREBONE|

☛ Forty-Six ☚

• August,1927 •

It was late afternoon when the threesome had fell into a derelict attic. It was an abandoned building and far from practical but it gave Credence the space to think. The woman who he had met earlier that day was the closest clue he had to who he was. And in an instant, she was pulled from life and dead at his feet. He could clearly remember her small arms wrapped around his head, holding him close in a mother's embrace. It filled the gap that he felt while Genevieve held him.

While Nagini remained silent upon the roof, Genevieve but on her nails as she stood behind Credence's crouched form. Before him was a small chick, so fragile looking as it nibbled on the birdseed Credence provided. With each peck at Credence's finger tips, Genevieve felt the crunch of her nails between her teeth. It was a clear sign of building anxiety until Credence raised his arm and pulled Genevieve's hand to his shoulder. He knew she was there fretting over him like he was a child, he could see her nibbling at her fingers while his riveted palm weighed her hand against his body. Instantly, like she was using magic that moment, an electricity shot through him body and ricocheted under her breast.

"There is always another way" she whispered from the silence, crouching down beside him to rest her forehead against his jaw. It sent tantalising shivers across her body just to touch him- even only slightly.

"There is no other way-" he emphasised in a murmur, "- we've got nowhere to go... And it's my fault".

"I don't care-" Genevieve chuckled as she shook her head, "- me, you, Nagini... We're free. All because you were strong enough to protect us".

"How? I'm anything b-but strong " He whimpered before finally turning toward Genevieve, pressing his deep, brown eyes into her silver orbs.

"Credence... Who protected me from Catriona?".

"I-I did".

"Who let the firedrakes loose so we could escape Arcanus?".

"I did".

"And who survived it all?".

"We did".

At those words, Nagini appeared from the roof, her features drenched with fear as her eyes scoured the attic to see the witch and Obscurus in perfect harmony.

"Credence!" She hissed urgently before suddenly pulling the boy outside, with Genevieve following closely behind. There, the witch laid her eyes upon the Eiffel Tower which day in the distance, emanating the pride of Paris. However, the calm that seeped under her skin from landmark quickly disappeared when Genevieve panned her gaze around to Grindlewald (who was sitting comfortably upon the rooftop, in front of them all).

"Shh" Grindlewald cooed against Nagini's anger, forcing Genevieve to quickly take her hand into hers.

"What do you want?" Credence whispered against the wind.

"From you?-" Grindlewald rhetorically asked, "- Nothing. For you?... Everything I never had-" he promised then, his eyes flickering to Genevieve before returning to the Obscurial,
"- But what is it you want, my boy?".

"I-I don't know who I am" Credence replied as his hand searched for Genevieve's sneakily behind his back.

"This is where you will find proof of your true identity". With that, Grindlewald pulled a mysterious piece of parchment from his jacket pocket and threw it leisurely into the air between them allowing it to carefully flutter into Credence's scarred hands.

"Come to Père Lachaise tonight-" Grindlewald ordered in disguise of a suggestion, "- and you will discover the truth".

That's when the wizard with stark, white hair bowed deeply and disapparated, leaving Credence to hold the map of Père Lachaise cemetery gently in his hands. He was silent for what seemed to be hours, drowning in wonder as Credence trailed his eyes over each inked line upon the paper.

"You do realise who that was?" Nagini questioned with a worry.

"Of course, that was Gellert Grindlewald; the most respected and powerful wizard in the wizard world" Genevieve gushed like a school-girl with a crush.

"A Dark Wizard... Who practices the Dark Arts" Nagini corrected.

"I know that, sister, I just refuse to care" Genevieve smiled suddenly before pulling Credence from Nagini and under the shelter of the roof. But Nagini remained upon it, awestruck about what the witch had just announced. That's when the maledictus could finally question who Genevieve Burnett truly was.

Meanwhile, as Nagini pondered Genevieve's identity, Credence was attempting to track down his own. Upon the parchment was the Père Lachaise cemetery which was expertly printed in map form with an effective bird's-eye-view. It had Genevieve entranced as she and her lover traced the marked passageways and walkways slowly with their fingers.

"See... I told you there was another way" Genevieve spoke. But, Credence was too invested in the map to hear.