Now outside the mausoleum, Jeanne and I had Apparated next to my brother Theseus.
Hot, searing flames the color of an afternoon sky shot from within the tomb, lapping up the walls, narrowly missing my wife and I as we ran backwards towards the cemetery.
The flames had now formed into three ghastly dragon-like beasts, spitting fire down upon us. Merlin, was it hot.
Theseus yelled out a spell, blocking the beast's attack.
Jeanne let out a hiss of pain. A bit of fire had caught the base of her feathered wings. I cast a simple healing spell, the same one I had done the first time we'd met. Jeanne yanked me by the arm, pulling me out of the way of another attack.
As we continued towards the gates, a figure dressed entirely in white caught my eye, starkly juxtaposing the dark grays of Père Lachaise. The man held a small hand of a child at his side.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Amelia!" Jeanne realized, running up the stairs. She scooped up our little girl and held her close, letting her wings fall around the two of them softly and protectively.
Amy nuzzled into her mothers shoulder, obviously very frightened by our current predicament.
"Oh, good," Flammel began, shuffling for. "I was hoping her mother would be here. Now, everyone gather in a circle!" he ordered. "Your wand into the earth, or all of Paris will be destroyed!"
The three blue flaming dragons rose up over the various headsones, gnashing its teeth, setting the various greenery ablaze.
"Finite!" we all yelled at once, planting our wands into the ground.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Jeanne too had done the same, Amy held close in her arm, wrapped tightly in her mother's feathers.
A golden crack began to break through the ground, travelling farther and farther around the circle as more wizards yelled the counterspell.
The dragons were trapped by a wall of orange fire surrounding the cemetary.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The wind grew immense as the ring of fire tightened and the dragons became anrgered at their dimishing amount of space as they flapped their wings furiously.
Then, they were gone. The air grew silently cold once more.
Jacob held his face in his hand as realization set in; Queenie had left with Grindelwald.
I immediately rushed over to check on Jeanne and Amelia. My wife was shushing the baby and rocking her softly, getting Amy to calm. As I approached, Amelia reached for me, her face wet with tears. As I took her in my arms, Jeanne snuggled around the both of us, thankful we were still together and well. I kissed the top of her head, then Amy's, and stood up still swaying Amelia softly.
Theseus moved over to us somberly, watching our little family. Leta had perished.
"C'mere," I said, opening my arms to hug him.
Theseus took a deep breath before accepting, sniffling into my shoulder.
And for the first time, Amy met her uncle.
As we pulled away, Jeanne softly took Amy from me, pointing over to a small creature moving in the grass. The Niffler was limping towards me. I scooped him up in my hands gently, rubbing over his bits of singed fur. A small object fell from his pouch: the vial containing Grindelwald and Dumbledore's vow of peace.
***
Upon the bridge of Hogwarts, I met Dumbledore. Jeanne and Amy came in attendance because we wouldn't be separating any time soon. Theseus had to come along as well with Tina and the men from the Ministry. And of course, Jacob was always along for the ride.
"Is it true . . . about Leta?" he asked.
"Yes," I responded softly.
Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm so sorry."
I produced the vial the Niffler had nicked and presented it.
"It's a blood pact, isn't it?" I asked. "You swore not to fight each other."
Dumbledore nodded, taking it from my hand. "How in the name of Merlin did you manage to get"
I pulled the Niffler from my coat.
Dumbledore laughed shortly.
"Grindelwald doesn't understand the nature of things he considers simple," I explained.
Dumbledore raised his hands above his head expectantly.
Theseus removed the magical handcuffs.
"Can you destroy it?" I asked.
"Maybe . . ." Dumbledore breathed, "maybe . . . Would you and your wife like to come in for a cup of tea?"
"Yes of course," I said, waving for Jeanne and Amy to come forward. "He'll have some milk," I said, referring to the Niffler. "But hide your teaspoons."
