Chapter 116: Grindelwald... Not Guilty

The old green train lumbered slowly through the bustling streets of Berlin, eventually coming to a halt at what appeared to be a public tram stop.

"So, we’re off to save the world, then?" Theseus asked.

"More or less." Kama was the first to step off the train, offering a brief smile to the group before vanishing with a crack of Apparition.

"Let’s go as well," Newt said, reluctantly handing his inseparable suitcase to his assistant, Bunty, before turning to the others.

"Are we all heading to the same place?" Professor Hicks asked with a smile, eyeing the group.

"It would seem so." Theseus chuckled, then turned his gaze to Xiwen. "And where will you be going, Mr. Ghost?"

Xiwen found himself at a loss once again. He had absolutely no idea what "do what you think needs to be done" actually meant.

"Whatever. If I have to decide what needs doing, I suppose it’s necessary to protect this defenseless Muggle," Xiwen muttered to himself.

Unfortunately, his self-talk was overheard by said Muggle.

"Hey, pal! I’m not 'defenseless,' I’ve been to war!" Jacob retorted indignantly. "I was part of the Expeditionary Force!"

"Right, my apologies. Poor choice of words," Xiwen said, shrugging off a casual apology.

Just then, Newt walked past them and quietly interjected, "Defenseless against a Diricawl, perhaps."

"That’s a fair description!" Xiwen nodded in agreement.

Jacob: "..."

...

The streets of Friedrichstraße were slick with melting slush. Pedestrians trudged through it, trampling the pristine white snow into a wretched, grayish-black sludge that made the road treacherous and muddy.

Xiwen, Jacob, Newt, Theseus, and Professor Hicks—three wizards, one Muggle, and one ghost—arrived together at the German Ministry of Magic.

"Remember to keep a low profile. Our mission is simply to observe the candidates during the International Confederation of Wizards event and gauge the current Supreme Mugwump’s stance on Grindelwald," Newt instructed the others.

Xiwen gave a silent nod and promptly faded into invisibility.

"In that case, I’ll leave the scouting of the Ministry interior to me," Xiwen whispered from the empty air. "Make sure you keep Mr. Kowalski safe."

With that, Xiwen drifted into the German Ministry of Magic.

The Ministry was located on the main thoroughfare of the city, Friedrichstraße. A hidden brick wall served as the gateway to the wizarding street within.

Behind the wall lay a wide, bustling thoroughfare packed with people. Supporters held banners and flags, cheering passionately for the two candidates running for the position of Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards.

The candidates were a man and a woman. Xiwen recognized the man, who had a yellowish complexion. His name was Liu Tao, a wizard from China. Xiwen had seen him in Flamel’s Phoenix relief book and had taken note of him due to his heritage. However, judging by the atmosphere, the other candidate—a Brazilian witch named Santos—seemed to have significantly more support.

Shaking off his thoughts on the election, Xiwen slipped through the wall and into the main hall of the German Ministry of Magic.

The hall was decadently decorated, dripping with gold and luxury. Ministry officials from various countries and high-ranking wizards milled about in formal attire, chatting in groups with champagne flutes in hand. Trays floated through the air, laden with drinks to keep the guests well-supplied for their socializing.

Xiwen hovered in the air, scanning the room below, and frowned slightly. Having no interest in such noisy social affairs, he quietly slipped into the office wing.

The lighting in the office area was clearer than in the hall, with uniformed staff busy at their desks. A few guests were wandering about, casually admiring the interior of the Ministry.

"Is that... Vinda? Why is she here?"

Xiwen’s eyes widened as he spotted Vinda Rosier among the guests. He hurried closer, scrutinizing the faces of the group, and realized most of them were familiar figures who had been seen in Grindelwald’s inner circle.

Grindelwald’s followers appearing openly in the German Ministry of Magic—the implications were self-evident!

"This is bad!"

Realizing the danger, Xiwen dashed back toward the hall. When he arrived, he found the place in total chaos.

Hicks and Newt were locked in combat with a swarm of German Ministry employees. Spells flew wildly, and several unfortunate high-ranking officials from other nations had been struck and knocked unconscious. Thanks to the brilliant spellwork of Professor Eulalie Hicks, she and Newt were holding their own against the onslaught, even while shielding Jacob. They fought their way back, desperately looking for a chance to escape.

Xiwen materialized and immediately conjured a golden-red Shield of the Seraphim, intercepting several vicious hexes aimed at Newt and Hicks.

"Where is Theseus?" Xiwen shouted to the embattled pair.

"No time to explain, we have to go!" Hicks yelled back, stunning an Auror before finding a moment to speak.

Xiwen nodded. He rubbed his hands together in the air and pushed them forward.

A violent gust of wind swept across the hall, sending the floating trays spinning and causing the crystal glasses to shatter on the floor. The aggressive Ministry employees were knocked off balance, unable to cast effective spells.

"Whoa, that big-area move is really cool!" Jacob exclaimed, seemingly unfazed by the life-or-death situation.

Xiwen then used a gust of wind to lift Jacob and shove him through a newly opened golden portal.

As the portal closed, Xiwen and the others appeared in a small alleyway off Friedrichstraße.

"What just happened?" Xiwen asked urgently once they were out. "Why didn't Theseus come with you?"

"Theseus was captured by the German Ministry Aurors," Newt said, his voice heavy.

Professor Hicks looked equally grim as she added, "There is one more thing you need to know."

"Anton Vogel, the current Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, has declared Grindelwald innocent!"