With a dark wizard's rise to power, the International Confederation has assigned two aurors from the British Ministry to apprehend Gellert Grindelwald. The responsibility to protect the wizarding world and to stop an outbreak of war lay on their sho...
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Sitting down in the Great Hall, the conversations were loud as everyone caught up, experiencing the first dinner since Christmas Holidays. The Slytherin table was always quiet for Ariadne. Everyone around her talked, always ignoring the young girl. This had never been a problem for Ariadne, for she hated everyone around her too. However, there usually wasn't a lot wandering in Ariadne's mind as she sat at the wooden dining tables.
This time, her eyebrows furrowed together. Ariadne didn't know what was going on. Theseus had shot her a hard glare as she passed his group of friends at the platform. She thought about what she did: nothing, which meant it was something she didn't do but how would you have any idea about the things you never did? Before the holidays they had been fine. What on earth could have gone wrong during it? She was locked up for most of it, never straying far from her captors. Maybe he had heard about how truly deranged she was. Or maybe, he just never wanted to befriend her at all.
Overthinking everything, she didn't notice the boy who sat next to her, until he started talking.
"Fancy seeing you here," Edwin Flint smiled at her and she almost panicked. Words of her fathers warnings repeated in her head. 'Don't associate with him,' but his kind smile was almost irresistible and she felt oh so alone. Within the storm in her mind, there was a clearing as she came to the realisation, 'I am not afraid of them, anymore.'
"Hi," she cautioned, using her fork to pick at some food. Ariadne didn't know what weapons he was carrying. At the ball, they were two different individuals who met for the first time. Here, things were a bit different. He hung out with boys like Malfoy while the only respectable thing about Ariadne was her status. And here, her father had no power over how immature boys treated her. He was not here to scare them off.
"Malfoy's trying to charm Bella," they both glanced down the table to see the poor raven-headed girl sitting next to an arrogant Malfloy.
"Same girl at the ball?" she wondered, watching as Bella hesitantly glanced at her friends.
"Yes, although I think her parents have gotten her engaged already," and when Ariadne made a face, Edwin laughed, "Don't like the idea of love?"
"I don't like the idea of my parents choosing my husband," she corrected, shaking her head.
"Not much of a choice, is there?" he replied softly.
"I won't let them," she finished. Ariadne had one conversation about that particular topic. She remembered it ending in screaming and tears. She didn't bring it up again but she sure wasn't going to let an arranged marriage fall through.
"How are you going to manage that?"
"I'll run. Far far away," she shrugged, "Want to join?"
"I would be delighted to," and for a moment she forgot about the brunette boy who threw her dirty looks. She forgot about everyone else sitting around her. In this moment, it was him and her against the cruel world they were placed in.
☆
FLINT AND CYPRESS ESCAPED.
That was the Prophet's headline. Her eyes skimmed through the long article before she threw it away, not liking the way Flint stared back at her. It almost didn't surprise her. Grindelwald wanted to show the world his power. If his acolytes could break into the French Ministry so easily, he could do so much worse. Ariadne made her way to her desk, ignoring the other stares she got from the aurors.
"I suppose you've heard?" Theseus questioned.
"And why's that?" she shot back, tired of all the accusations thrown her way.
"There's a letter from Head Auror D'aureville," Melinda interrupted, handing Ariadne a letter sealed with red wax.
"What'd he say?" Theseus asked impatiently.
"He says not to worry about Flint and Cypress," she read, the cursive writing of Mathéo almost a little too difficult to read. It was clear that he wrote this in a rush, busy due to the escape of two of Grindelwald's followers. "He also says that his sources have seen Grindelwald in London," so it was real. He was closeby. He could be lurking behind every alleyway, every corner, every building.
"So he's here?" Melinda breathed out, her voice slightly higher than before.
"We should go over the plan again," Ariadne jolted up. Before Theseus could retort, Melinda softly put her hand on Ariadne's shoulder.
"You've been over this plan 50 times. They know what they're doing. Relax," she responded softly, "It will work. I believe in this plan," Melinda glanced at the two aurors, smiling gently at them. But, deep down, there was a secret sinking feeling that all of them were experiencing. Grindelwald was a powerful wizard with powerful followers. The Ministry was filled with determined wizards and witches that wanted order and peace. Although, isn't that exactly what the other side was fighting for?
[833 words]
a/n
just a little filler chapter before we get to the good stuff :) dont forget to like and comment anything!
