|Allure| Gellert Grindelwald-ON HOLD

11-BRACKIUM

Theodora landed with a swift crack just a few feet away from the ministry premises in an inconspicuous spot. She checked the time on her watch and dashed inside just before the final five seconds of her granted time were about to be exhausted. Upon spotting Abernathy, she gave him a disarming smile while making her way towards him. The short wizard returned her smile with a flustered one, flushing with embarrassment as the raven-haired beauty graced him with a simple action of her lips. Her staggering charm and unfaltering elegance combined with striking features were enough to make anyone worship at her feet; and he was just a demure wizard.

"Abernathy?"

Realizing that he had been staring, he quickly composed himself and frantically looked for a means of distraction.

"I-uhm... I'm sorry, I was...um...thinking." He managed. His voice had a furtive undertone which he desperately hoped would go unnoticed by Theodora. The young witch scrunched her brows in confusion and smiled in bewilderment.

"About what, may I ask?"

Abernathy opened his mouth to answer but all that escaped his mouth was a breath of air. Hastily, he changed the subject.

"Di-did you find any...um... leads?"

Theodora squinted her eyes playfully at the sudden change of topic, she knew he liked her and though she realized that teasing him was wrong, she couldn't help herself sometimes.

"Yes and...No. I did come across someone who I think...maybe is our intended target. But, I felt approaching him directly would be abrasive, so I managed to find another way to confirm my suspicion."

"Okay...well, that's some advancement. Regrettably, I couldn't find anything,so... at least you're one up."

Theodora smirked amiably whilst pushing back a lose strand of hair that had made its way to the front of her face making her companion blush profusely. She touched his arm and moved closer just an insignificant amount. She could feel his muscles tense with her touch and as she spoke his pulse quickened considerably.

"Abernathy?"

His ears perked up as his eyes were glued to the ground from the apprehension, "Yes?"

"Can we leave? I'm honestly starving"

SCENE-BREAK

Upon apparating back to their premises, Theodora rushed to the dining area leaving behind a still very-red Abernathy. The Tudor witch slithered her way across the corridor and almost bumped into a very displeased Vinda. She seated herself at the dining table and bit into the scrumptious piece of steak that was placed upon her plate. Too engrossed in satisfying her famished stomach, she didn't notice the individual leaning against the door frame staring bemusedly at her. As she moved to take a second helping, the person spoke out causing Theodora to drop her utensils in a deafening clangor on the wooden surface.

"You know we aren't going to run out of food. It'll be alright if you go a little easy on the meat."

Theodora glared up at the wizard, his lips were adorned by an exuberant smirk, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Grindelwald let out a small chuckle as he sat down next to her, watching intently as she cut herself a decent portion and loaded it onto her plate. Her manners were impeccable but at the moment she was having quite the trouble cutting out an eatable bite from the meat. Her features were concocted in furious desperation as she ferociously ran her knife about the dish. At a point, as if realizing his gaze upon her, she turned to face him with an indignant look, "What?"

Gellert smiled in an enliven manner making him seem more innocent than he usually appeared. His eyes were alight with mischief as he answered, "Nothing. You seem too preoccupied to talk right now, please go ahead with your meal."

Theodora glared at him and went back to her task exasperatedly only to be stopped by another chuckle from Grindelwald. She opened her mouth in aggravation and closed it again.

"You do it then, if you're so clever. Go on." She fired, shoving the plate in his direction.

The wizard raised an eyebrow and picked up the knife and the fork, almost effortlessly cutting a fine piece of meat, leaving a disbelieved and displeased Theodora. After finishing, he passed the plate back to her and she dragged it back forcefully making a face that resembled one of a child when they were told someone ate all of their candy.

"A small thank you wouldn't go amiss."

Getting no response,Grindelwald reached across the table and fashioned himself a glass of wine. The contents spilled themselves into the glass and appeared to be redder than blood as Gellert gripped the thin body with his pale hands.

"I trust you completed the task I initiated to you?" He demanded, taking a sip of the blood-red liquid.

Theodora wiped her mouth with a napkin before she turned to face the dark wizard, "It is in the process."

Gellert stopped his sip midway, abruptly putting the glass down, his eyes emanating a menacing glare that was directed towards the raven-haired witch.

"I thought I told you to finish it today itself, Miss Tudor. I warned you of the consequences of failing me." His voice had turned into a low growl and his face was etched with fury. His nature changed quicker than the ferocious waves of the ocean during a storm and he looked prepared to hex her at any given moment.

Theodora sat unfazed apart from the invisible fidgeting of her hands. She had learned long ago that the only way to gain Grindelwald's respect was to not appear afraid and right now she was attempting to do exactly that.

"Look, we had no information whatsoever about this person, not so much as their bloody shoe size! You basically asked us to look for a very specific needle in a stack of needles. Nonetheless, I tried my utter best to get a lead and if you would just listen to me instead of acting like an impractical half-wit, which I believe you not to be, then you would understand what I found out!"

Theodora had anticipated the worst case scenario where he would just tear her tongue out of her skull and was quite relieved to be graced with a simple nod, urging her to continue her speculations.

"We went into the ministry and were obviously overwhelmed in the beginning. Later an individual, who did not appear to have any business there, entered the atrium and I found him conspicuous. So, I followed him outside but thought it unwise to confront him directly. So, I am currently obtaining information about him through a trusted source." She finished with satisfied breath of air and cautiously waited for Grindelwald's response.

The dark wizard arched an inquiring eyebrow as he rested his chin on his folded hands, "And who is this 'trusted source'?"

She had been awaiting that painfully anticipated question and had hoped against hope that he wouldn't go to such specifics. She obviously couldn't give away Newt but she had no alternative story to tell him.

"I don't believe that is important. I will relay the information to you once I receive it." She pushed back her chair and prepared to leave the room but her action was cut off by Grindelwald as he firmly gripped her wrist preventing her from moving any further. He radiated the aura of a feral predator as his grip around her wrist tightened. He stood up to tower against her and whispered darkly, "Miss Tudor, you are testing my patience very subtly and I implore you not to do so because I assure you, the consequences will be severe."

Theodora tightened her jaw to prevent the trembling breath of air from escaping her lips. She wrenched her hand away from him and made her way out of his sight.

Suddenly, she felt a searing pain in her abdomen and a poisonous acid brimming in her mouth. She gripped the table in an effort to steady herself and rule out the black dots appearing before her eyes. Gellert rushed to her side as she let out a choked sob and let herself lean against him completely. He gripped one of her hands as his face wore a look of confusion and surprise, "Theodora? What's the matter? Talk to me."

The witch's face was contorted in anguish as she managed to give out a pained response, "My-my potion- it's in my room, I forgot to take it in the morning, I-"

A painful sob escaped her lips as another nerve-wrecking spasm shot through her body and she gripped Grindelwald's coat tightly, she felt him carry her up into his arms and the last thing she remembered before everything went dark was the same burning pain she had experienced eighteen years ago.