Tides of Turmoil (NEWTINA)

Chapter 28 - The Secrets

We arrived into this underground amphitheatre, rows and rows of wizards and witches standing, some seating on stone benches, and facing the stage. This place had a very tenue light hovering over all, leaving us and those still arriving in a shadow of invisibility. 

'I don't like it,' whispered Jacob faintly, 'I don't like this one bit...'

'Feeling is mutual,' I mumbled, still looking how auditorium was filling up with more purebloods. My eyes swarmed over the faces of those nearest to us but I recognized none of them. 

And then, my eyes landed on a structure on the middle of the stage. It was an altar, made of silvery stone, big and large enough for an adult to lie on; it was so uncannily clean, it made my insides recoil onto themselves.

Queenie's voice was on edge as she leaned in. 'He's here.'

'That dark wizard?' asked Jacob, 'Grindelwald?'

She nodded; her lips were turning almost blue. 'I can't hear Tina, Jacob....I can't...'

'She was unconscious when he took off with her. I-I still think she's out cold,' I cut in, trying my very best to remain calm - for all of our sakes. 

'What did you say?' she asked in a squeaky voice. Uh-oh, I thought.

'What aren't you telling me? Jacob?' she went on, though a little louder this time. Some red-headed witch turned to us with a glare before resuming her way to her place in the crowd.

'It's a long story, sweetheart,' said Jacob calmly, a soothing smile on his face.

'What? But-'

'Right now we need to find Tina, and somehow prevent this bad guy from harming her.'

My nod was automatic at this point. Just the thought of Grindelwald being any closer to Tina, or hurting her in any way, made me sick and furious. 

Satisfied, Jacob turned to Queenie. 'We need a plan, so these people here that are this guy's minions don't come to give us trouble. And quickly, before the curse takes full effect...'

Queenie's gasp of horror made him stop. Jacob and I exchanged worried looks; he had said too much, and Queenie looked even more upset. We were hanging from a cliff, and Queenie needed more answers so we could get out of it. I was out of reach from the right words to tell Queenie about Tina.

'What did he do to her?' she asked weakly.

I felt my heart sink when she asked that; I was just barely trying to make sense of what Grindelwald had told us last night. The whole French Ministry chaos; reuniting with Tina, despite still not sure how she was there; our near-death escape with Sera; and then Grindelwald... 

He hugged her... They hugged - Grindelwald and Tina... he shot that fourth curse at her - an Unforgivable Curse... It should've been me...Not Tina but me...

Before I could've stopped the memory and those thoughts, that'll for sure haunt me in the future, Queenie had already grabbed hold of them. She turned to look at me, her eyes widened and watery like those of a Mooncalf. 'A fourth Unforgivable Curse? But, there's no way that's possible...'

'Sweetheart,' whispered Jacob, 'we don't understand it either. But right now, we have to get through these people. Something tells me the speech is about to begin.'

'But where do we look?' I asked as I look around. There were acolytes on the stairs and on the gates of the auditorium; most of all the chairs were filled with Grindelwald's followers. Behind the stage, there was a small door that seemed to lead to a backroom. To its sides, there were two pairs of followers - the most devoted ones, it felt - stood guard, wearing black coats and hoods over their heads. Yet, only one seemed to be either really uncomfortable in this sort of place.... or because they were shaking.