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.

A small, black box lay in the snow, a few feet away from the blood. I called Grindelwald over and approached the box. I took it from the ground. Examining it, I rolled it over in my hand and shook it slightly.

When he had reached me he looked at the cube in my hand. He took it and examined it closely.

''Where did you find this?'' he asked. I nodded toward the ground. ''Here.''

He looked down and back at the box. ''Curious. Very, curious,'' he muttered. ''It wasn't here when I investigated here earlier,'' he said. ''We should return to the castle, I think we've found what we've been looking for.''

We were back in his office, the small, black box standing on his desk. We hadn't opened it yet, because we had no idea what to expect.

I was holding my wand out, pointing it directly at the box. He placed his hands around it, ready to open it. ''Remember, if it might be anything dangerous, don't hesitate to destroy it,'' he reminded me.

He slowly lifted the lid. I looked inside and saw a small pitch black ball inside. ''What is that?'' I asked softly, staring at the sphere. ''What?'' Grindelwald asked confused. ''It's empty,'' he said looking a little disappointed.

I shook my head. How could he not see it? It was right there! ''No it's not. There's a small, black ball in there,'' I said taking a step toward the desk. ''Look,'' I said scooping it into my hand.

He stared at the dark sphere in my hand and then at me. ''That just appeared,'' he said softly. ''You're playing tricks on me, aren't you?'' he asked suspiciously.

How could he think I would be tricking him if this meant so much to me. ''I swear, sir. I'm not. This was inside when you opened it,'' I said, placing it down on the wooden desk.

I watched him expectantly. ''Do you know what it is?'' I asked. He slowly shook his head. ''I don't,'' he said. ''But before I find out what this is, I need to uncover another mystery,'' he said quickly taking a book from the pile and placing it on the ground.

He pointed his knobby wand at it and muttered, ''Evanesco.'' That was one of the first times I had ever heard him say the incantation aloud. Despite him clearly denouncing the incantation, the spell had failed. Evanesco was the vanishing charm, and the book was still visible to me. ''Tell me, has it vanished?''

''No, sir,'' I said, shaking my head. ''Remarkable,'' he muttered dumbfounded. ''It's not a bad thing if you fail a spell once in a time,'' I reassured him. ''It's not that. The spell worked fine,'' he said. ''To me, it has vanished. But you seem to be able to look right through vanishing spells,'' he explained. I watched him astonished.

''Which means, you will have a great advantage for the rest of your life, and it will be of great value to our cause,'' he said. ''I wonder how this has occurred to you.'' He watched me thoughtfully.

''Do you remember any strange encounters or experiences in your past?'' he asked. I shook my head. ''When I graduated Hogwarts I wasn't able to see through vanishing spells, because there were some classmates who played a trick on me using Evanesco. It wasn't really funny, I had bruises for a few months afterward.''

I thought back into my past. I remembered the first day I walked through the doors of Hogwarts; that had been the best day of my life until I realized people thought I was a freak and started bullying me. That's especially one of the main reasons why I grew so lonely.

I suddenly remembered the day I met Owyn. ''Maybe the one time when I found Owyn in a forest,'' I said. ''Or, better said, when he found me.''

''Can you tell me about it?'' he inquired. I nodded and started recounting how I met my best friend.

''I had run away from the orphanage when I was eleven, just before I received my Hogwarts letter. I went to a forest close by and hid there. I had always been lonely, even before I ran away. I was laying against a tree, freezing from the cold, when I saw Owyn descend from the black sky. He landed close to me and, I'm not sure what he did, but he spread his wings and closed his eyes. The next moment I fell asleep and when I woke up he lay against me. Since then, I had never really been bothered by the cold.''

''Hm. That's fascinating. I knew Owyn was different from the other owls, but now I know this I'm sure he's extraordinary.''

''It seems that Owyn, our magical owl, has given some of his magical energy to you,'' he said. ''When you grew up, this magical energy stayed in your system and grew with you, developing new skills on the way. Like now, you can see through the vanishing spell.''

It hit me like a train to hear Owyn was not an owl. ''Do you know what Owyn is if he's not an owl? '' I asked nervously. I was disappointed to hear myself ask that question. Was I really doubting my best friend? ''I have heard rumors of a myth about a creature that sounds like Owyn; a shape-shifting creature, but I have never really encountered it. I have searched for it but never been able to find it, so I supposed it was nothing more than a myth.''

''It's said that once it found its life lasting companion, they will share their abilities and create an everlasting bond. He's your guardian, (Y/N). He will be loyal to you and to no one else.'' he explained. ''When you say shape-shifting, what shapes do you mean?'' I asked.

He shrugged. ''It is said it's able to turn into an enormous black dragon with scales as dark as the night, pearl-white teeth as sharp as razors and dark red eyes, glinting like rubies.''

It was weird to imagine the snowy white owl turning into a pitch black dragon. ''They call it the Libra. It will do as you say and never doubt your choices. Though it can grow a little cocky once it gets to know you better,'' he said grinning. ''Finally, something I did know,'' I mumbled.

"But if Owyn is the Libra, then why didn't he just turn into a dragon when the Augurey was attacking him?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I have to investigate on the subject. I had merely heard rumors about the Libra," he admitted. ''I know this might come as a shock, but it's also very important that you tell me when you discover a new ability, we might be able to use it for the Greater Good,'' he said smiling. ''If you want, you may go and relax the rest of the day. You deserve it,'' he said.

I nodded appreciatively and left the room.

I was walking slowly, not sure how I was supposed to feel. Of course, it was cool to know I had a pet shape-shifting dragon-owl, but realizing I was developing several unusual skills and having magical energy flow through my veins was a bit unsettling.

I lay down on my bed for several minutes when Queenie stormed into the room. ''(Y/N)!'' she said grinning broadly. ''Tell me about last night,'' she said, plopping down onto the bed. I pushed myself up and acted confused. ''What are you talking about?''

''You can drop the act, (Y/N). I know you were with Grindelwald last night,'' she insisted. I shook my head. ''I was outside."

I sensed she was trying to break into my mind, but failed.

''Come on, (Y/N)! I heard you. Stop lying,'' she said almost disappointed. I sighed. ''Fine. Yes, I was with Grindelwald last night,'' I confessed.

Her grin grew even wider. ''Shirtless, huh,'' she teased. I knew where she was going and I started going into the defense. ''No! No, no, no, no. No, Queenie. We did not do that."

''I believe you,'' she said, but her still in place smirk said otherwise. ''He likes the cold. That's why he sleeps without a shirt,'' I said. She watched me smugly. "What were you doing in his room then so early in the morning, and if I'm not mistaken, in his bed?"

My cheeks grew hot. Suddenly anger flowed through me. It was none of her business why I was in his quarters, and her questions were starting to become annoying so I explained the situation to her. "I had a terrible nightmare and then I found Owyn almost dead in the forest and Grindelwald helped me heal him but I was too much of a chicken to sleep alone again so he offered I could stay with him," I said in one breath.

"Wait, Owyn almost died?" Her grin faltered. "Oh my, (Y/N). What happened?" she asked concerned.

"Newt Scamander happened," I sighed.

She watched me perplexed. "What? Newt's a creature lover, he would never hurt them," she said, holding back her chuckle. I stared at her, my face hard. "You're serious?" she asked unbelievably.

I nodded curtly. "Grindelwald thinks it has something to do with a small, black box we found near where Owyn had laid."

"Now we're on the subject," she said conjuring a piece of parchment. "Tina replied to my letter." She held it out to me and I read it slowly.

Queenie I have to warn you, if you don't stop this we will come and take you. Once your senses have returned to normal, you will be grateful. We won't stop until we have brought you, and the old Queenie back. Be warned and choose the right thing now you have this information.

Tina

The tone in which the letter was composed was angry and frustrated.

"We need to report this to Grindelwald," I said urgently. "No. If he knows, he might hurt them." Her eyes grew fearful.

It pained me that she thought so badly of him. "He won't, Queenie. I'm sure. I'll make sure he won't," I promised solemnly. She shook her head. "Don't tell him, please," she begged.

"Are you going to leave us?" I asked suddenly suspicious. She shook her head. "The Greater Good means so much to me, I won't leave."

She placed me in a really hard situation because Grindelwald had asked me to report any messages from Tina Goldstein immediately, but I couldn't betray a friend like that, could I?

I sighed. "Queenie, I'm sorry. He needs to know."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I thought you said we were friends," she said standing up and stomping out of the room.

I watched the closed door in grief. Had I just lost my only human friend? Or is Grindelwald also my friend? Maybe Owyn really is the only friend I have in this world?

I sighed and leaned back against my pillow. "I'd better not make any more friends, it will only hinder me."