Days passed quickly while Andy practising Alchemy; before long, the Yule holiday came.
The night still stayed bright in Berlin, with stores welcoming last-minute customers and couples.
Slight snowflakes danced in the air, lowering the temperature even more, causing passersby's breath to freeze and skin to take on a pinkish hue.
"Pop."
With a crackling sound, Andy and Grindelwald appeared on the dark, snow-covered cobblestone alley.
Andy tightened the Phoenix ash-dyed temperature-regulating scarf around his neck, a normal magical item he recently made, and looked around in anticipation and curiosity.
Today is the day Grindelwald promised to take Andy on tour to the German Department of Mysteries.
He had been impatiently waiting for the night to come, so now he is quite eager to make his way to the Ministry.
"Okay, okay. Be patient; the Department of Mysteries won't go anywhere. Eliza should be waiting for us now." Grindelwald shook his head in amusement and then said in a serious tone, "Let's go."
As they both quickly made their way through the labyrinth-like streets, Grindelwald's silver hair flew behind him as he briskly made his way to the meet-up spot.
Since this was his first time being in Germany, Andy wanted to sightsee famous Gothic-style buildings and other attractions on the way, but someone was already waiting for them, and the person who knew the way was walking fast, so he could only follow along quickly.
While they walked, the shadows of the buildings loomed over them like silent guards. Soon, Grindelwald slowed down and made his way to an old Gothic and Baroque cathedral a few blocks away from the German Ministry, with Andy silently making his way behind him, looking at the cathedral in awe.
After slightly adjusting his overcoat, with a sceptre in his hand, Grindelwald entered the brightly lit cathedral.
The interior of the cathedral was adorned with bright-coloured glasses that pictured mystical and magical creatures, with statues of magical creatures like Unicorn sculpted in the right place.
A few muggles sat on the benches sparsely, praying to God, seemingly unaware of a forty- to fifty-year-old-looking lady in a witch costume standing beside the confession booth and looking at an old gentleman among the two people who just entered.
Andy looked at the sculptures and pictures curiously as they made their way to the center of the cathedral.
When they stopped, a silver-haired, sharp-eyed witch with a sense of authority, dressed in a deep green robe, greeted Grindelwald.
"Welcome, Mr Grindelwald," the witch said in a smooth and measured tone. "I am Eliza von Stralheim, Deputy Head of the German Department of Mysteries. I've been expecting you."
Grindelwald gave a respectful nod and said in a serious tone, "Thank you, Eliza; this is Andy Collin. You should have been briefed about our purpose, right?"
"Ye-yes." Eliza nodded and looked at Andy with widened eyes.
Only after Grindelwald introduced him did she become aware the person accompanying him was the genius Andy, whose fame started to spread throughout the wizarding world recently, a person who gave Grindelwald a reason to step out of his 'prison'.
It is impossible for her to ignore such a person and treat him like just someone accompanying Grindelwald.
Confundus charm?
Did he cast the spell before entering the cathedral?
But there's no wand in his hand; did he cast the spell wandlessly?
"Hello, ma'am, I am Andy Collin." Andy greeted her with a bright smile. Happy because his magic is working on her.
Yesterday, when he was familiarising himself with his True Soul powers, he found out the powers of mind and soul-related magic improved, and he can cast them easily and instinctively.
When Andy tried to touch a rat with his thought-tentacle, he found out he could pull out a grain-sized light – the soul – out of its body.
Later, he cast different mind and soul-related spells wandlessly and became shocked at how effortlessly he could cast them now; all it took him was just a thought.
Now, tiny tentacles extended out of the edge of all his head hair, like an extension of his hair – it might look creepy if someone could see them – emitting field-like mind magic, causing everyone to treat him like an extra in the script until he or someone who was already aware of who he is introduces him.
Eliza instantly snapped out of her thoughts.
"Hello, Mr Collin, I am happy to meet you." She quickly gathered her shock and said in a calm tone.
"Me too, I can't wait to see the wonders of the German Department of Mysteries." Andy nodded and replied with a smile.
"Mr Grindelwald already briefed about the restrictions, right?" Eliza asked in a serious tone.
"Yes, ma'am. I am aware you are an Unspeakable and can't answer many questions." Andy spoke quickly, eager to look at the Department of Mysteries.
Grindelwald told him that other than the project handed over by the Ministry, which is a collaboration between Unspeakable and the Ministry's research personnel, they can't look into the data and knowledge gained from other research, which was something Andy was already aware of from his frequent visits to the British Department of Mysteries.
The knowledge here was hidden away using ancient magic; no matter how you looked, you couldn't find the real Archive room if you were not an Unspeakable.
Only the spells that the Unspeakables deem harmless and helpful to society will make their way to the Ministry.
Like the spell that lets the Ministry know when a spell or accidental magic is used in their territory, they would even know the approximate location where magic is used; it is a spell every Ministry knows to enforce the Statute of Secrecy.
"Very well, Follow me." Eliza nodded at the two with a faint smile and led them to the confession booth.
After the trio entered the booth, Eliza tapped her wand a few times on the wooden wall, and the floor beneath them started to descend instantly.
Andy looked at the big birdcage-like lift that moved swiftly to the right side in darkness for a few seconds, then descended slowly until they arrived at the brightly lit Ministry.
"If you want to know more about our research later, you can join us and become an Unspeakable." Looking at the darting eyes of Andy, Eliza invited him.
Then, thinking about the British Department of Mysteries, she added, "Our Department of Mysteries is better than the British one; the Unspeakables there are old-fashioned, stubborn fools, refusing to study Muggle technologies."
"You will have better colleagues with open minds in our department."
Whether colleagues are friendly or open-minded doesn't matter to him; what he wants is knowledge.
"I will consider it, ma'am." Andy nodded at her with a smile, thinking about the old man he had met at the British Ministry before.
Then he looked left and right at the German Ministry from the glass-encased lift.
The German Ministry looked more artistic compared to the British one, with art and sculptures at every suitable place.
The floor seemed to be made of black marble that reflects light.
At the centre of the Atrium, a holographic image of that day's headlines was showcased, with a moving image of Grindelwald, in classic coat and suit, smiling at everyone.
Wizards and witches come and go through the fireplaces and other entrances, moving in an organised manner, with mechanical birds carrying letters and documents flying overhead.
The lift slowly descended from the Atrium and entered the first level, and after a short while finally stopped at the tenth level.
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