Chapter 9 ➛Ups and Downs

                                    

                                          
As I promised, I was done planning the rally by midday. 
                          
Grindelwald and I had been discussing the location and date and decided to use an old amphitheater in Austria. 
                          
The rally would take place in a few days, which was why it was really important I would be finished before the day was out.
                          
I sighed and looked down at the parchment in front of me. My hand ached a bit, but I was happy with the result. I had just finished writing the invitation to some of Grindelwald's most trusted followers. It was important that many people would be present, as always, but this rally was all about one special person. 
                          
The Maledictus, Nagini needed to join the Greater Good in order to get Credence emotionally stable. I wasn't surprised he felt like that. I'd felt the same for a long time after I ended up in the orphanage. 
                          
I closed the lid of my ink bottle and took the parchment to Grindelwald's office. I knocked several times but didn't receive a reply. ''Sir?'' I said, slowly opening the door. He wasn't inside, so I left the parchment on his desk and returned to the corridor. 
                          
I was thinking about what had happened the night before when I rounded a corner and ran into Gellert Grindelwald himself. ''(Y/N), I was just looking for you,'' he said, taking a step back. 
                          
It felt weird to see him fully clothed again, especially now I knew what he looked like without a shirt. 
                          
''Look what I've found,'' he said holding up a greenish black feather. I shrugged. ''If you don't mind me asking, sir. What is it?'' I asked. ''Come on, I'll explain it to you later,'' he said taking my hand and pulling me towards his office. 
                          
Once we were inside he settled down behind his desk. ''You've finished writing the invitation, I see?'' he said carefully placing it on a pile of books. ''I'll read it later,'' he said taking a bottle of ink. He opened it and dipped the tip of the greenish black feather in it. He pulled it back out and leaned back when the tip was just as clean as before he dipped it into the ink. 
                          
''This,'' he said holding up the feather. ''is proof. I know what creature attacked Owyn." 
                          
Suddenly I grew more excited and interested. ''It was an Augurey*,'' he said. ''An Augurey? But they aren't hostile, are they?'' I asked uncertainly. 
                          
*(An Augurey is a thin and mournful-looking bird. It is greenish black and intensely shy. Also, Augurey feathers repel ink.)
                          
''They aren't,'' he agreed. ''Which is why I think you were right about Scamander. This might be his fault. If he has a bond with the Augurey that is strong enough to make him do what he wants, there's a big chance that this was his doing. I wonder why. He isn't the type to hurt an owl,'' he said thoughtfully. 
                          
"Except if the owl did something that might hurt him or his loved ones." 
                          
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. After some time he sighed. "What could Owyn have possibly done that caused a creature obsessed person to hurt an animal?" 
                          
He looked up at me. "I will return to the forest and investigate further after we settled the matters concerning the rally," he said taking the parchment from the pile of books. "You're welcome to join me if you want," he said glancing at me. I nodded vigorously; I would do anything to find out what happened to Owyn.

                          
The white layered branches hung above our heads as we strode across the snow, following the trail of dark red spots to the big blood stain where, just the night before, Owyn had laid, half-dead. 
                          
Grindelwald abandoned the tracks and started investigating the right side of the puddle. 
                          
I waited and watched him search the ground. I looked around and from the corner of my eye, I saw a black spot.