"John, no! What are you doing?" cried Newt.529Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlQ4lLkn7u
"Something I should have done a long time ago, Newt. I should have known that one day you two would find each other again. It seems that I shall have to kill the two of you to keep you out of my way."
I was shocked. "But why would you do this? You lied to me!"
John laughed. "Of course I did! I knew how the news of Newt's death would affect you. Anyone with two eyes and ears could tell how much you loved each other, so it fell to my reasoning that you would do exactly what you did - leave the magical world behind you completely. That took care of you; Newt was away on his ridiculous journey, so he wouldn't be bothering me, either."
"John, be reasonable. What could we possibly been in the way of? You had no reason to do this!"
"Oh, Newt, you should know me better than that. I never do anything without a reason. Have you heard of the Three Hallows?"
"What? Of course I have! But surely you don't believe those exist outside of a children's bedtime story?"
John smiled. "See, Newt, that is where you and I differ. I know they exist, that they are three very real objects that, together, will grant power over death."
He's mad, I realized. Completely insane. "But that still doesn't explain why you tried to separate us!"
John was patient. "Dumbledore was always trying to brainwash is students into thinking the most ridiculous fantasies, one of which is that Gridelwald was a powerful wizard to be feared. While I will agree that he is a great wizard, he isn't to be feared - I admire him! Oh, Newt, we've nearly found it!
"What are you on about? Stop talking nonsense, John." Newt raised his wand to John. "You don't mean to say . . . that you're in league with him?"
"And why shouldn't I be? Together, we can be masters of death!"
Graves stepped forward at this point. "Unfortunately for you, though, John, there can only be one master of death, and it won't be you."
John's confidence seemed to wane. "Wh-what? But you said -"
"Yes, I know what I said. But you said that they wouldn't interfere."
"Well, yes, but obviously there was a bit of a misunderstanding . . ." John was definitely nervous - if that was a strong enough word - about this change in events.
A strange look appeared on Newt's face. Before I could say anything, he directed a nonverbal spell at Graves.
To my amazement, Graves' hair paled, his head widened slightly, and a sparse mustache appeared. "Grindelwald?" I said. "You're Grindelwald?"
I wasn't the only one who was stunned. The MACUSA witches and wizards - including the president - were speechless. The president was the first to regain control. "Seize him!" she ordered.
Grindelwald chuckled. "You think you can hold me?" No one answered him.
"Wait!" John called. "What about me?"
"Yes," Newt said. "What about you? What should we do with you? It seems like you've been disappointed. It happens when you put your trust in the wrong people - as I seem to have done." He kept his wand trained on John.
"You're right about that. So I suppose this is it, then? We go our separate ways?"
"Not before you've done your time," said the president. "You're no more innocent than Gridelwald."
As a group of people approached him, John said, "Hey, wait, I didn't do anything, he's the one doing the terrorizing, you can't take me!" His pleas went nowhere; they continued to drag him away. Would he face execution? I found that I didn't care. He had caused my year-long suffering, so I had no room for pity for him.
"Well," said Newt. "I think that went quite well. Frankly, I was expecting him to duel, but he talked himself into a space in a prison cell."
"Don't feel dwell on it, dear," said Queenie. "It's not worth it."
"She's right," I said. "He doesn't deserve it." I touched my hand to his cheek. I knew that it would bother him no matter what we said, but I hoped to comfort him nonetheless.
He smiled. I knew that he understood my intentions. "Well," he said. "What you say to a good night's rest?"529Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyKX9EV2vX
