After finishing lunch at the Burrow, Aiden returned to the old Prewett mansion.
"Sibby!" he called for his house-elf.
"Master Aiden." With a flash of displaced air, Sibby appeared beside him.
"Listen, Sibby. For the next while, if anyone sends letters or comes visiting, just tell them I'm conducting magical experiments." Aiden placed his hands on Sibby's shoulders. A dream slipped quietly into the house-elf's consciousness, protecting him from potential mishaps.
"Yes, Master." Sibby felt shy under Aiden's direct gaze and didn't notice anything unusual.
Entering his room, Aiden sealed the entire space with layered wards.
The Bone Church descended, quickly transforming his bedroom into the interior of an ancient cathedral. At the centre, a massive clock dominated the space—Aiden's unique creation, crafted using remnants of the Deep Realm King of Entropy.
Its function? Recording and opening passages to eras he'd previously visited.
"So I need to go to an era when wizards were generally active, right? When emotions were running high and violently turbulent?" Aiden tilted his head thoughtfully.
Behind him, a phantom touched his head. "Yes."
The clock hands turned. Waves of mechanical gears spread outward in perfect synchronisation.
A strand of golden flame danced at the centre as space-time and causality bent inward under his magic's influence. The surrounding environment stretched backward, and once again Aiden felt that intoxicating sensation—everything under his control.
His vision kept pulling back, witnessing the shape of the entire world for the second time. Before he could marvel at the aesthetics of natural creation, that familiar falling sensation hit.
He was dropping from the sky.
Order reorganised everything around him. Aiden opened his eyes to find himself sitting on someone's office desk.
Casually reaching out, he stuck his hand into a nearby Pensieve.
"Prewett!" and "Aiden?" Two familiar voices rang out simultaneously.
Aiden turned. The Dream Weaver's perfect memory identified the first speaker—Hector Fawley, fifth-previous Minister of Magic. The other was his old acquaintance.
"Newt! Long time no see." Aiden reached out, and Newt simply lifted him from the Pensieve like he was extracting a curious creature.
"Oh, you've grown up. Only three months?" Newt bounced him experimentally, testing his weight.
"Hey, you're not still treating me like some magical creature, are you?" Aiden complained.
"Enough!" Hector Fawley, who'd been ignored throughout this reunion, finally roared. "Playing tricks on me repeatedly—do you want the Prewett family to break relations with the British Ministry?"
"Really?" Aiden tilted his head innocently. "But didn't the British Ministry rely on cheap Prewett alchemical items to maintain its never-setting-sun facade internationally?"
"You..." Hector got angry for a moment. Then just... stayed angry. Nothing happened.
"Uh, young Prewett friend, could you step out first?" Theseus Scamander, who'd been working overtime to mediate between his brother and the Ministry, offered both sides an escape. "We're holding a hearing. Newt'll come out to play with you afterward."
"Okay!" Aiden raised his hand like an eager child, then obediently left.
Outside in the corridor, a man in platinum robes waited.
"Whoa, you guys are impressive. You could even foresee this?" Aiden raised an eyebrow.
"No, your concealment ability's too strong. It's just that arriving in a specific era creates ripples in space-time. We followed those." The Director touched his nose—a gesture that revealed his guilt to Aiden's trained eye.
A mischievous smile curved the dragon's lips.
"Oh, come on. Don't be so distant. We're good friends." Aiden familiarly threw an arm around the Director's shoulders.
He could clearly feel the older man trembling slightly.
Bang!
The nearby door burst open, interrupting their reunion.
"Newt! Newt!"
Newt rushed ahead with Theseus chasing behind, calling his name desperately.
"Newt, do you think I like Grimmson's methods either?" Theseus spread his hands in frustration.
"Theseus, I don't want to hear your lectures about good and evil." Newt kept his head turned left, avoiding eye contact.
"You should raise your head and face reality!" Theseus grabbed his brother's shoulder, spinning him around.
"Fine! I'm selfish, irresponsible, evasive..." Newt's head swayed randomly as he listed his supposed faults.
"You know damn well that when the time comes, everyone'll have to choose their position. Dumbledore included. No one can transcend this!"
Theseus released Newt and tapped his own chest with a clenched fist, trying his best to reach his stubborn brother.
"I won't choose!" Newt raised his head to look directly at Theseus.
The brothers fell into heavy silence. Then Newt turned and walked away.
"Newt!" Theseus opened his arms. "Come here. Quickly."
He stepped forward and embraced his brother tightly.
"They're watching you," Theseus whispered urgently, then watched Newt leave with resignation.
"Oh, did you forget to bring me along?" Aiden popped up on Newt's left with practised timing.
"Don't appear and disappear like that." Newt rubbed Aiden's head affectionately.
The two protruding dragon horns were somewhat bothersome, but the hair was still wonderfully soft.
"I need to go home and write a book. The editor's still waiting for me to send the new manuscript." Newt winked meaningfully at Aiden, who immediately caught his meaning.
The two Disapparated at the next intersection while Ministry employees quietly followed behind.
On the other side, in Paris.
Grindelwald, with help from new followers, had broken free from the Magical Congress's constraints. Old followers helped him clear out residents from the Paris stronghold.
Green light flashed. Two coffins were carried out.
"Phew." Grindelwald exhaled deeply. "Indeed, after thorough cleaning, this place has become much more comfortable."
He paced back and forth, then approached his subordinates.
"Take my letter to Credence. Begin his journey."
The man in the beret nodded and left.
"When we succeed, thousands will flee the cities. Their final act will arrive." Vinda Rosier supported her chin thoughtfully.
"No need to make such a big deal of it." Grindelwald moved among his followers. "All we want is freedom—the freedom to be ourselves."
"Then, to the elimination of all non-magical people?" Vinda crossed her arms.
"Not all of them. We're not that cruel." Grindelwald smiled at his surrounding subordinates. "Beasts of burden are still quite necessary."
Suddenly, a child's cry echoed from the room. Everyone's faces changed.
Quietly pushing open the door, they discovered a baby had been left behind.
Grindelwald walked out. Green light flashed once more in the room behind him.