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Strange, suppressed rumbling sounds awoke Tina in the middle of the night.
The little girl reluctantly squinted her eyes open, still nothing but darkness filling the room, until she saw her window. Where white lights constantly flashing behind the curtains as the rumbling sounds follow. It grew clearer, louder, to the point Tina could feel it in her chest. She raised her head from her pillows to get a better view, while tightening her hold around her baby sister, who kept whimpering in her sleep.
It wasn't rain. Nor any kind of weather's work.
A sudden tug on her shoulder caused Tina to almost scream and sat straight up. Finding her mother hushed while covering her mouth. She'd never looked so terrified.
"Wake your sister up. We're going downstairs." She whispered in such urgency. Her voice trembling.
"Momma, what happenㅡ"
"I'll explain later, Teenie. We need to go now . Come on!"
Tina had no choice. Though Queenie was barely awake, Tina managed to get her on her feet. Grabbing their hands, Mrs. Goldstein brought them out of the room. Stepping as quick and as quiet as she could. Her head lowered down, moving from shadows to shadows as if she was keeping them from being seen. But from what? From who?
They made it to the basement, where they saw their father, accompanied with a small handle on an old table next to him. He looked so relieved seeing them three as he ran and hugged them one by one.
"Oh, thank merlin! Is everyone alright? Are you hurt?"
"We're alright, the protection charm's still there, but it wouldn't hold them much longer." Said Mrs. Goldstein, "I'll go get their things."
"Papa, what's going on?" Little Queenie finally spoke when her mother left. "Why are we here?"
"I don't know any better words to explain this, sweethearts, but, " He said, "The rumbling sounds, the white lights you saw out the windows, they are spells. Striking spells. There are bad people outside trying to attack us. And you girls need to get out of here before they get you."
"But, butㅡ Wh-why are they attacking us?" Asked Tina.
"That's-"
"They broke the charms!" Her mother cut her sentence as she came back. "Rolf, do it now!!"
Her father stood, and next thing Tina knew, her mother replaced him, kneeling in front of her and her sister while holding up an old small bag.
"Teenie, Queenie, i need you to listen to me," She pushed the bag towards Tina, "This bag has clothes, and coats. There's also money to buy food. Use it very, very wisely. Don't give it freely to strangers, only for things you absolutely need-"
"Where should we go, momma?"
"Away from here. You two are no longer safe in this house-"
"You mean.. We're going alone? Aren't, aren't you and papa coming with us? " Tina stuttered. Her body began to tremble at the thought. Queenie on the other hand, was even more scared and confused. Tears began to fill her eyes.
Mrs. Goldstein lowered her head, did nothing else for a few moments until she looked up to her daughters. She let out a quivering sigh, and placed her hand onto Tina's cheek. "No, Pumpkin. We're not coming with you."
"You can't do that! We're just children!" Tina began to sob. "Please, Momma. I'm scaredㅡ"
"I know, Pumpkin, i know." said Mrs. Goldstein softly. "But we can't give anything except this chance for you both to live. It's the only way you two are safe from them ."
Tina held her mother's hand tight. She was too overwhelmed that she didn't know what to say, or even think. Nine years of her life she had never, ever seen her mother crying. She looked so terrified, and heartbroken. Is this really a goodbye? Will they not see each other again? Tina refused to believe it. They're her and Queenie's parents . They can't leave their own two kids alone.
They shouldn't.
"Now, when i say 'go', i need you both to run as fast as you can through that doorㅡ"
"I don't want to!!!"
"Queenie, listen to Momma, sweetieㅡ"
"No!!!" Queenie wailed in a high-pitched voice. "I wanna be with momma and papa!! I don't wanna go!! I wanna be withㅡ"
Without their knowing, behind their backs, Mr. Goldstein raised his wand. The two sisters instantly stopped crying. Calming down under their father's spell. Their eyes vacant, vision blurred, completely drawn out from reality. The only thing they could do is listen to the vague, sweet voice of their mother,
"We love you both so, so much. More than anything in the world. Be strong. Keep each other safe. Stay with each other, and you will be safe. I'll pray we will meet again."
CRASH!
"Show yourself, Goldstein!!
"Go!" Mrs. Goldstein cried.
Still confused in between haze and reality, the two poor little girls ran to the metal door in the ceiling, like their mother has instructed. Mrs. Goldstein collapsed to the floor, sobbing. While her husband knelt and pulled her into his embrace. Trying to comfort her and holding back his own tears, as they both mourned watching their daughters slowly disappearing from their sights.
They heard several footsteps approaching them.
"Where are they?"
Mr. Goldstein tightened his hold on Mrs. Goldstein. They slowly rose to their feet. Facing the one they have expected; a white-haired man, with one eye different than the other. It was none other than the dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald. Standing behind him was a man and a girl. Seemed a little too young, yet just as cynical and as passionate as their leader.
"We're the ones you're looking for, Gellert. You did your experiments on us ㅡ"
"Which had done nothing to either of you, but your daughters."
Mr. And Mrs. Goldstein went silent.
Gellert smirked. He folded his arms behind him, his usual gesture, while walking slowly around them. "Natural born animagus and natural born legilimens. Imagine how much power they have, Rolf. How important they could be in pursuing our greatest cause," He said. "Now tell me. Where are they?"
"They're just children!"
"Two very powerful children."
"Whose powers you're going to exploit!" Mrs. Goldstein snapped. "We can't let you do that. Not for this, this ridiculous causeㅡ"
"Ridiculous?"
Mr. Goldstein reached for his wife's hand, squeezing it tightly. He was even more terrified he no longer dares to look at Gellert. Realizing she spoke too far, Mrs. Goldstein stopped. Trembling in fear as Gellert's expression hardened.
"Wanting to be free to be ourselves, no longer hiding from those weak no-majs. To change those foolish laws your country has made and take our rightful place as the more powerful being," Gellert stepped closer to the point his face was only a few inches from hers. "You call that ridiculous ? Amelie?"
He sounded gentle and very well spoken. But they knew he was threatening them. Trying to make them feel intimidated. But Mrs. Goldstein took none of that. Different with her husband, she managed to look at him in the eye. Disgust replaced her fear. "You're not taking our children. That is final."
The dark wizard tilted his head, smiling amusingly. "Well, i can't either way, can i? Because you helped them escape."
The couple's eyes widened.
"You think i wouldn't know?" Gellert chuckled and turned around. Back facing them. "And don't worry, my dear friends, i won't bother to search for them,"
He nodded to the young wizards. They stepped forward, pointing their wands at Mr and Mrs. Goldstein, who have lost all of their hope.
"Because they will come to me."
Through the dark streets, Tina and Queenie hasn't stopped running. Their father's grey coat covering their heads. Fear of being seen and getting caught by those wizards who were surrounding their house made them forget about their sore legs and how they're out of breath. Get out of here and don't let them get you , they repeated their parents' sentence over and over again.
When it felt like going on forever, Queenie suddenly dragged Tina's arm, pulling her into another direction. It turns out, her sister brought them to a dark alley.
They sat behind the walls, hiding behind trash cans while holding each other tightly. With rapid breaths and trembling bodies, the two poor little girls were sobbing as quiet as they could. Grieving over their parents, whom in their memories, died because of dragon pox. And those wizards who were chasing Tina and Queenie are bad wizards who tried to spread the virus to them.
"Teenie, i'm hungry.."
"I know, Queenie, me too." Tina looked down at the coins in her hand. "Just wait a lil' bit more, okay?"
"Okay.."
It's been three days. Tina and Queenie stayed in that alley, which turned out was not far from a market. Every morning from 6 to 11 am, the street is filled with sellers selling fruits, vegetables, and many more kinds of foods on their stands. So they don't need to worry much about how will they eat to survive through the day.
But oh, for young children who know so little about the value of money, Tina and Queenie had spent them recklessly. They didn't eat the night earlier, because all they have left is only enough to buy half of bread from Mrs. Wiggins' stand, and that's because the woman was nice enough to give them half price.
After a good two and a half hours, when their stomachs began to rumbling louder, they went to Mrs. Wiggins' stan to buy half of a baguette. After giving Mrs. Wiggins the very last coins they had, they walked along the street. Tina was about to share the bread with her sister when in all sudden, a hand snatched it off her.
The hand belonged to a tall boy, slightly older than the two sisters. With three others standing behind him. Judging from their dirty clothes and unruly hair, they must be from the streets too.
"That's our food! Give it back!"
"Oh, this?" The boy sneered. "You sure you still wanna eat.. this?"
Next thing they knew, the bread was torn apart and was dropped to the ground. As if that wasn't cruel enough, the boys stomped on it repeatedly, crushing the bread until it was nothing but dirty mush.
"No!!!" Queenie wailed and before Tina could stop her, she charged to those boys. Pulling their shirt and shoulders, desperately trying to stop them from stomping. "Why are you so mean to us?!"
The boy who snatched their bread gave her a death glare. He pushed her away harshly. It wasn't too hard, but enough to make a small seven year old girl crashed down.
"Aaah!"
Seeing them taking the bread was one thing, but hurting her little sister? That's where she draws the line. Tina clenched her fists. "Hey!!"
Tina only realized how angry, how loud she sounded when the boys stopped their activities and shifted their focus on her. Tina should've feel scared, not only she was outnumbered, all of them are taller and bigger than her. But somehow, she wasn't. Instinct taking over her body, Tina pointed a finger at the boy who snatched their bread.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Leaving the boys confused. Until the boy she pointed at suddenly shrieked. Out of nowhere, a small fire lit up on his pants, right on the arse. He panicked and dabbed his pants like a maniac, trying to put off the fire with the help of his friends. All of their faces went pale, horrified. They turned their backs and ran away.
"She's a freak!! This is sorcery!!"
Realizing she just used magic, which was strictly forbidden, especially in front of No-Majs. Tina pulled Queenie to stand up. "Run."
"B-but whyㅡ"
"The no-majs will get us! Hurry!"
They ran as fast as they can. Hoping they could lose them before the boys catch anyone's attention. But just when they were about to go around the corner, Queenie tripped. Causing her to fall and scraped one of her knees.
"Ouch!!"
"Queenie! Are you alright??" Tina stopped her steps. Squatting down to check on Queenie, who was already in tears, "It hurts…"
It wasn't a deep wound, but still bleeding. Tina gently wiped the blood with her sleeve. Then blew air as careful as she could to soothe the wound.
"Hello there."
They both looked up, finding a man and a little girl, about Tina's age, standing before them. Both have curly hair and wore fine clothes. By instinct, Tina spread her arm over Queenie, protecting her from these strangers.
"Shhh.. it's alright. Let me see that." The man knelt down and gently reached for Queenie's knee, causing her to wince. The man carefully examined her wound. "Oh, you poor thing. Those boys always bother you two, huh?"
"W-what boys?"
"You know, we saw what happened earlier."
The little girl (His daughter, Tina assumed), who was still standing, grinning enthusiastically at Tina. Her eyes twinkled. "You magically set that boy's butt on fire."
"I don't know what you're talking about! That's impossible!"
"Yeah, Teenie only came to save me, she didn't do nothin' to that boyㅡ" Queenie cut her own sentence with a gasp, as the man brushed his thumb along her wound. Not even three seconds later, the wound dried. Her skin closing in, fading as if it was never there.
"You don't need to hide anything from us." Said the man, flashing a warm smile. "Because we're like you."
Mouth hanging open, the two sisters stared at the man in disbelief; they're wizards! Three days being surrounded with No-Majs, it felt relieving to see someone else doing magic other than themselves. But still, Tina and Queenie didn't let their guard down yet. These people could be anyone.
"My name is Sullivan Hicks. This is my daughter, Lally." The man finally introduced himself, "What do they call you?"
Tina glanced at Queenie. The younger sister had the best intuition, she somehow able to know what people's actual intention towards them. This saved them multiple times during these days living in the streets. So Tina waited for her reaction first. It turns out Queenie was giving in, it seemed they could trust this man after all.
"Queenie. Queenie Goldstein," she murmured. "This is my sister, Teenㅡ Tina."
For a split second, Mr. Hicks was stunned. Goldstein, the surname was far too familiar, it was all over the papers. Whispers going around MACUSA as well; the missing daughters of Rolf and Amelie Goldstein, who died in the hands of an unknown wizard. Mr. Hicks intended to keep an eye on that news, but never did he think he could meet them by accident. Seeing their conditions now, he couldn't help but pity these two girls even more. Have they been on the streets all this time? Without no one but each other?
Nevertheless, the man managed to keep his smile so he won't worry them. He cleared his throat. "Well, Queenie and Tina. What if I tell you, that you can learn how to use and control your magic at school?"
Tina and Queenie's pupils dilated. They were interested right away, for they didn't even know such things exist. "You can do that?"
"Not just any school, of course." Mr. Hicks chuckled again. "It's called 'Ilvermorny'. A safe, secure place for young wizards and witches. Lally is a student there, and I happen to be one of the teachers. You don't have to worry about food or place to sleep anymore, because we're going to provide you those until you graduate."
The two sisters looked at each other. They couldn't believe it, a wizarding school in America! How come their parents haven't mentioned it before? Can they really live there? Will they be able to eat without starving themselves first and sleep in beds? It sounded too good to be true already.
"How do we get there?"
Both Mr. Hicks and Lally's expressions brightened.
"Simple. All you need to do is come with us."
Fin