Where the Blackbird Flies
written by Dora Scamander
Beth Blackbird is a fifteen year old girl living in the dark year 1924, when Grindelwald is slowly growing in power. She roams the New York streets, homeless, a witty, quick-tongued girl who pickpockets and steals food from marketplaces for a living. Then she gets offered a position as a recruit and spy for Grindelwald himself... Please let me know if you enjoy this story so far. I would love to hear your feedback!
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
3
Reads
520
A strange saviour
Chapter 2
Beth awoke suddenly, as she always did. Life on the streets had taught her to be wary and alert, so everything she did was quick, purposeful, and planned. She sat up. A ray of early morning sunlight was creeping under the bridge, and it promised to be a fair day. A day that promised lots of people outside. Lots of people to pickpocket.
Beth yawned, and scrambled to her feet. Her cloak, which she used as a blanket, fell off her, and she picked it up and fastened it loosely round her. Then the left the shelter of the bridge into the bright day, where New York was awakening all around her. Men in top hats walked briskly to their work, ladies with baskets went about their shopping and coaches rumbled by. Beth leapt lightly up the bank and slipped into the business of the street, ducking low when she caught sight of a policemen.
She was just starting along Bell Court road when she sensed it.
Someone was following her.
She could tell by the flicker of shadow that came now and then out of the corner of her eye, and by listening very closely to make out the sound of similarly paced footsteps just behind her. She did not turn. She would discover this mystery person without attracting attention. Purposely she walked by the glass window of a toyshop, and saw the reflection of her tailer. It was a tall man with a long black tailcoat and a top hat that was pulled low over his eyes. Beth tried not to gasp. In the man's pocket she could just make out a long, smooth stick.
"Ouch!"
Beth, in her examination of her stalker, had bumped into someone. She cursed inwardly at her foolishness of not being more careful. She turned to apologise to who she had knocked into, and found herself face to face with a policeman. And swore instead.
The policeman stared at her. Then he said slowly, "I know you...."
Beth smiled. Sweetly. "Oh yes, I work in the flower stall down yonder." She pointed ahead of her.
The policeman scowled. "Don't you try that one with me, girl. You're a liar, I know it."
Beth cursed under her breath. So this one was smarter than most. She would have to do it the hard way.
She ducked down and dashed under the constable's arms, but she was too late. He caught her arm and swung her around. "Not so fast, you vagabond." He snarled.
"You - have - no - proof - of that -" Beth struggled within his grasp, but she could not escape.
"Oh yes I do, many a time have a seen you snaking your hand into someone's purse or bag, you don't fool me." The policeman began to drag her away. "Pretty though you may be, it's off to the station with you."
"Excuse me." Said a clear smooth voice from behind them.
Standing next to them was the tall gentleman - Beth's stalker. She drew in her breath, and her eyes flicked to the smooth stick, which was still just visible in his pocket. She felt drawn to it, and she had no idea why. But somehow, when she imagined herself holding that slender thing in her hand, she knew it would feel natural. The gentleman saw her looking. Beth thought she saw a triumphant look in his eyes. Then the moment was over.
"I am rather busy right now." The policeman said. "If you will let me -"
"No." Said the tall gentleman. "I wish you to release her."
The policeman seemed taken aback. He stared at the tall gentleman for a minute, but then he managed to regain himself. "This is a pickpocket, sir - I am taking her to the station for theft."
The tall gentleman smiled. "And I wish you to release her."
The policeman huffed. "I do not think that is -"
Only Beth saw what happened next. The tall gentleman placed his hand gently on his smooth stick, raised it ever so slightly, and murmured something under his breath. Beth heard 'Imperio.'
The policeman, who had been in mid complaint, suddenly stopped. His eyes went dreamy and unfocused, and he relaxed his grip on Beth's arm. The tall gentleman whispered something that sounded like a command, and the constable completely released Beth. Then, with a floppy salute, he walked off into the crowd.
Beth watched in amazement.
"Come with me." The tall gentleman said quietly.
Surprising her own self, Beth followed without protest. Who was this strange man?
Beth yawned, and scrambled to her feet. Her cloak, which she used as a blanket, fell off her, and she picked it up and fastened it loosely round her. Then the left the shelter of the bridge into the bright day, where New York was awakening all around her. Men in top hats walked briskly to their work, ladies with baskets went about their shopping and coaches rumbled by. Beth leapt lightly up the bank and slipped into the business of the street, ducking low when she caught sight of a policemen.
She was just starting along Bell Court road when she sensed it.
Someone was following her.
She could tell by the flicker of shadow that came now and then out of the corner of her eye, and by listening very closely to make out the sound of similarly paced footsteps just behind her. She did not turn. She would discover this mystery person without attracting attention. Purposely she walked by the glass window of a toyshop, and saw the reflection of her tailer. It was a tall man with a long black tailcoat and a top hat that was pulled low over his eyes. Beth tried not to gasp. In the man's pocket she could just make out a long, smooth stick.
"Ouch!"
Beth, in her examination of her stalker, had bumped into someone. She cursed inwardly at her foolishness of not being more careful. She turned to apologise to who she had knocked into, and found herself face to face with a policeman. And swore instead.
The policeman stared at her. Then he said slowly, "I know you...."
Beth smiled. Sweetly. "Oh yes, I work in the flower stall down yonder." She pointed ahead of her.
The policeman scowled. "Don't you try that one with me, girl. You're a liar, I know it."
Beth cursed under her breath. So this one was smarter than most. She would have to do it the hard way.
She ducked down and dashed under the constable's arms, but she was too late. He caught her arm and swung her around. "Not so fast, you vagabond." He snarled.
"You - have - no - proof - of that -" Beth struggled within his grasp, but she could not escape.
"Oh yes I do, many a time have a seen you snaking your hand into someone's purse or bag, you don't fool me." The policeman began to drag her away. "Pretty though you may be, it's off to the station with you."
"Excuse me." Said a clear smooth voice from behind them.
Standing next to them was the tall gentleman - Beth's stalker. She drew in her breath, and her eyes flicked to the smooth stick, which was still just visible in his pocket. She felt drawn to it, and she had no idea why. But somehow, when she imagined herself holding that slender thing in her hand, she knew it would feel natural. The gentleman saw her looking. Beth thought she saw a triumphant look in his eyes. Then the moment was over.
"I am rather busy right now." The policeman said. "If you will let me -"
"No." Said the tall gentleman. "I wish you to release her."
The policeman seemed taken aback. He stared at the tall gentleman for a minute, but then he managed to regain himself. "This is a pickpocket, sir - I am taking her to the station for theft."
The tall gentleman smiled. "And I wish you to release her."
The policeman huffed. "I do not think that is -"
Only Beth saw what happened next. The tall gentleman placed his hand gently on his smooth stick, raised it ever so slightly, and murmured something under his breath. Beth heard 'Imperio.'
The policeman, who had been in mid complaint, suddenly stopped. His eyes went dreamy and unfocused, and he relaxed his grip on Beth's arm. The tall gentleman whispered something that sounded like a command, and the constable completely released Beth. Then, with a floppy salute, he walked off into the crowd.
Beth watched in amazement.
"Come with me." The tall gentleman said quietly.
Surprising her own self, Beth followed without protest. Who was this strange man?
