Chasing Grindelwald

21: A Woman In Blue

TINA
     That afternoon, after they had gotten another bottle of dittany from the infirmary and some food for the road, Tina relayed to Madame Prix that they had to leave.

"We really have to get going," she said politely. "Mr. Scamander and I have to meet another one of Dumbledore's colleagues soon. Thank you so much, it has been a pleasure to stay in the acclaimed Beauxbatons."

"Of course, of course!" Madame Prix said, her French accent as thick as honey. "But where is Mr. Scamander now?"

Tina patted the case lightly. "Treating my sister's leg," she replied. "I may have taken a course on medicine... But it's safe to say Mr. Scamander has more hands-on experience. Have a good day, Madame."

"Oh, my pleasure. Watch out, though, zere have been squirrels snatching jewelry throughout the school. Our gamekeeper is at it again, I swear!" Madame laughed it off, but Tina thought she felt a bead of sweat roll down her forehead as she laughed along.

     After Tina finally got out of the school, a wave of exhaustion rolled over her like a thick blanket. It was like the stress of Queenie's leg, the professor's memory, Newt's arm, and the entire mission just hit her all at once, accented with a hint of sweet, raspberry wine.

     After making it to the edge of the school grounds, Tina disapparated to the top of a hill she could see from the doors of the castle. It wasn't snowing or icy, but a bitter, still cold hung in the air with no intention of leaving soon, and Tina could feel her fingers and ears turning numb. She set the case at the base of a birch tree with flaky, white bark, and opened it up, climbing gratefully into its warm depts.

"You make it out all right?" Newt asked distractedly, his sleeves rolled up to expose his new bandage as he dropped dittany and smeared ground herbs on Queenie's leg, which was healing surprisingly fast.

Jacob looked impressed. "If this whole 'Dumbledore's secret agent' thing doesn't work out, you could always be a wizard doctor."

"I am not his secret agent," Newt grumbled as he wrapped new gauze and bandages around Queenie's leg. "And we call those healers."

"Well, you're a damn good one," Jacob said. "Ever since I met ya, come to think of it. 'Member when your murtlap thing bit my neck?" He chortled and rested on the edge of Queenie's cot. "Simpler times."

Tina laughed, walking up behind Newt as he washed his hands and put away his bottles of herbs and pastes. When she wrapped his arms around his torso from behind, he seemed to relax a bit, which made Tina feel a little accomplished at least.

"I...." Newt turned around to face her. "Am quite tired, honestly."

"Exhausted," Tina agreed, her voice muffled in his shoulder.

"Yeah, I could barely sleep last night," Jacob pitched in as he covered Queenie's leg.

"I have a place where we'll be safe for the night, but we have to be quiet," Newt said, leaning back onto his desk, letting Tina lean with him. "Nicholas Flamel, he lives up near Somme. We should be able to get there in under an hour by broom. Dumbledore told me he was as open to his companions as Beauxbatons is."

"When did he tell you this?" Inquired Tina.

He shrunk a bit. "When I was still in school, but you have to understand. Nicholas Flamel is an alchemist. He's the one man who's-"

"Sorcerer's stone guy?" Tina stoo straight up, suddenly alert. Every country's schools of magic taught about Nicholas Flamel. His name never faded with time, because he never faded with time.

"Exactly."

"Deliverance Dane..." The Auror breathed, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "He must be like, five hundred years old."