Strings Attached

Chapter 19

After getting ready, she fastened her holster on her arm, and placed her wand in it. She checked herself before leaving her room. "Bunty, are you still here?!" Celeste exclaimed, standing in the middle of her spacious living room.

"Ah yes, I am." She responded, peeking her head through the door. "I am going for a mission. It's kind of dangerous. So, look after those creature and you can stay here if you like." Celeste said, looking at the woman.

Bunty fully entered the room, looking worried as Celeste relayed that information. "Is it Grindelwald?" She asked, her voice was merely above the whisper.

"Yes. Now, I will have to leave. But you can contact my or Newt's mom if you need anything." Celeste said, nodding her head towards the woman before stepping inside the fireplace.

"I will see you soon, Bunty." Celeste said, smiling at her. "Yeah." Bunty answered with tears in her eyes. Bunty worked for the Scamanders for 4 years now, and they were extremely friendly with her, maybe considered her family now. She blinked her eyes as Celeste vanished behind those green flames.

Celeste appeared in her office, thinking it would be empty. But she was wrong. Her mother and her father along with Theseus, her mother-in-law and Gilbert were in the office as well.

They were talking with each other, with Celeste's mum and Newt's mum on the verge of tears. "Celeste's here." Albert spoke up, making the two women look at her.

"Oh my child." Stefanie spoke up, tears running down her face. She approached her daughter before bringing her into a tight hug. "Please be safe." She whispered to her, sobbing on her shoulder.

"Mama, I will be fine." Celeste said, hugging her mother back. Stefanie pulled back, looking at her daughter. "I know, i just, i am just scared." She said, and looked bothered.

Newt's mum approached her, looking like she would just bust crying any second. "Mum." Celeste said, before being pulled into a hug by the lady. "I don't know where my Newt is, and now Theseus, Gilbert and you are going on a deadly mission. Do you have any idea what you children do to your mothers?" She sobbed, hugging Celeste tightly.

Celeste wrapped her hands around her, and rubbed her back soothingly. She knew it was like waiting for a bomb to drop when your children are out on the battle field, fighting for their life.

She wished Helena was here too, but the girl was heavily pregnant, and couldn't leave her house.

"Hey, we will all return in one piece. Promise. And I will have Newt with me as well." Celeste uttered softly, pulling back.

"You better." Newt's mum said, wiping her tears. Theseus and Gilbert were standing beside Albert. "You are coming with us on the mission?" Celeste asked, hoping it would be a no.

"Yes, I am. You all need experienced aurors." He said, fixing his glass, that he recently acquired it due to his old age. "Papa, you are not coming with us on this mission! It's time for you to retire and sit back!" Celeste exclaimed, looking exasperated with her dad.

"No can do." Albert said sternly, not ready to accept the alternative answer. "I tried Ces, he won't budge." Gilbert sighed defeatedly.

"It's my order for you to stay back, and be temporary head of the department of magical law and enforcement." Celeste simply said, making Gilbert grin widely.

"Celeste! Why would you do that!" Albert exclaimed, his eyes going wide. "Because I want you to stay back. And be safe." Celeste simply uttered, shrugging her shoulders.

Albert sighed frustratedly, letting his finger mess his perfectly tousled hair. "Fine, but you better be safe." Albert addressed his children and Theseus.

"We will. Now we have to leave. Gotta address aurors." Celeste said, giving her mothers a smile. Albert nodded his head and walked out with Theseus and Gilbert.

"Use my floo network if you like." Celeste said, looking back when she was walking out. Stefanie couldn't stop from letting out a sob when her children stepped out.

She kept her hand over her mouth to silence the sob, but she couldn't help but worry about them. "They will be fine, Stefanie." Newt's mom said, laying a soothing hand on Stefanie's shoulder.

Celeste was standing in front of aurors ready to take down the dark wizard. She could see some young faces, and some very old faces. She had her hands behind her back as she addressed the crowd.

"This is our very important and dangerous mission. This is a do or die for many of us here. There are new faces and there are old ones too." Celeste spoke up, her voice ringing out in the corridor, for everyone to listen.

The people who were walking by to get to their work, stopped to listen to what the head of magical law and enforcement had to say. Her words were effective and awe worthy as everyone looked at her.

"But remember, we go there, we fight. We die for this country, that was our oath when we started to work as an aurors or a hitwitch or hit wizard. Country above everything. Grindelwald has been terrorizing this world for a decade now. We cannot sit and watch it unfold. We need to take action before he exposes our world to muggles." Celeste continued, her posture radiating power and everyone listened to her attentively.

There was a hush fallen over everyone as they exchanged glances and realized how serious this situation was. "Muggles are our non magical counterparts. We cannot let them fall victim to Grindelwald's cruel politics. We cannot let them be the victim of his prejudice and discrimination!" She ended her speech, and it was welcomed with loud cheer. She looked at everyone as they nodded their heads and many of them were moved by her speech.

"Grindelwald's threat ends today." She said, looking directly at everyone. "Yes, it ends today." Everyone reciprocated before everyone moved towards the floo network that will take them to Paris where Grindelwald had already laid his plan.

Newt was caught up with Yusuf Kama, who caught them and closed them in the cellar but was rescued by Pickett, his bow truckle.

Currently, he was dealing with the parasite that resided in Yusuf's eye which caused his sudden unconscious state.

"Keep the wand steady please." He requested Tina, who was holding her lighted wand.

"What is that?" She was horrified as she saw a minute creature with a tentacle appear in Yusuf's eye.

"There must be a water dragon in there. They carry this parasite." He informed me as he looked closely. "Jacob, can you grab me a tweezer?" He asked, looking at where Jacob sat with Queenie.

"Yeah sure." He said, standing up from the couch and walking towards the case to grab tweezers.

Once Newt got the tweezers, he carefully grabbed one of the tentacles, and started to remove it. It was a struggle to get that parasite out, but Newt was successful in getting it out.

Jacob almost threw up as he was handed the tweezer with the parasite. "I must kill him." Yusuf muttered before falling unconscious again.

"It will take him a few hours to recover. The poison from the parasite was strong." Newt offered as he stood up, dusting off his traveling cloak.

"I need to go back to ministry. I need to tell them what I know." She said, before grabbing her traveling cloak and wearing it in a haste.

Newt's brain clicked at the mention of ministry. Maybe Celeste is there too. The threat is bad. He thought to himself. He moved towards his case, shutting it.

"I am coming with you." He informed, as he picked up his case. "But-" Tina tried to convey, but Newt didn't wait to listen, making Tina groan before following him out.

"What do we do?" Jacob asked, looking surprised. "I guess we'll wait." Queenie said unsurely, as she herself didn't know what to do.