David stood frozen in place, his mind racing as the man in the swallowtail mask grew increasingly impatient. The tension in the room was palpable, and David could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
"You haven't lost it, have you?" the masked man asked, his voice tinged with anxiety. "You're not the careless type, so don't tell me it's gone."
David forced a calm expression. "No, it's in the bedroom. I'll get it for you."
The masked man nodded, seemingly satisfied, and returned to eating the food on the table. "Hurry up. I'll save some for you."
David entered the bedroom, careful not to close the door completely. He leaned against the wall, his heart pounding as he rummaged through Terry's leather bag. "What is this bird? Why didn't my informant give me this key detail?" he thought, frustration mounting.
He sifted through the contents of the bag, his hands trembling slightly. "Is this it? Or this?"Nothing seemed to match the description. "Should I just kill the man outside? Claim he's an undercover agent? But how would I explain that?" The idea seemed absurd even to him.
Finally, his fingers closed around a small golden ball, reminiscent of a Quidditch snitch. "This must be it." He took a deep breath and stepped back into the main room.
"Found it," David said, handing the golden ball to the masked man.
"You took your time," the man grumbled, inspecting the ball. "Alright, I should go. Stay alert—there are some dangerous people here."
With that, the man left, and David closed the door, exhaling deeply. He was drenched in sweat, the encounter having taken more out of him than he'd expected.
Just as he began to relax, another knock echoed through the room. "What now?" David groaned inwardly. "Who is it?"
"It's me, Tariq. What are you doing in there? You sound exhausted."
"Nothing, just reading," David replied, using a quick spell to dry his sweat before opening the door.
Tariq stepped inside, eyeing David suspiciously. "Are you okay?"
David nodded, though his mind was still reeling. Tariq noticed the scattered cakes on the table and frowned. "Who brought these? I thought I was the only one delivering your food."
"Maybe they came early," David suggested, picking up one of Tariq's cakes and taking a bite. It was delicious.
---
Three days later, with the sale just two days away, David was abruptly awakened by a loud rumbling. The walls shook violently, and objects around the room clattered to the floor. "What's happening?" David grabbed his wand and dressed quickly, his heart racing.
He opened the door to find wizards rushing toward the cave entrance. "What's going on?" David asked, grabbing a passing wizard.
"We've been betrayed!" the man gasped. "Be careful. The bosses are in the office. You should join them."
David nodded, his mind racing. "It's time to act." He joined the crowd, his plan forming as he moved. He needed to send a message to Newt and free Bai Ze to create chaos. The magical animals couldn't fall into the wrong hands.
As he neared the cave entrance, the scene outside was chaotic. Spells flew through the air, and the forest was being decimated. David spotted Professor Dumbledore among the attackers, his presence commanding and powerful. "Why is he here?" David wondered.
The R organization's wizards retreated into the cave, their defenses holding for now. David slipped away to a dark corner, intending to send his message. But before he could, Sori's voice rang out, urging everyone to fall back.
David was swept along with the retreating wizards, his eyes darting around as he tried to make sense of the situation. Dumbledore's magic was formidable, and the fire lion he conjured sent the R organization's forces into a panic.
As the chaos continued, David found himself face-to-face with Tariq in a secluded passage. "Ron, did you betray us?" Tariq asked, his voice cold and steady.
David's heart sank. "What are you talking about?"
"We caught the messenger. He's been to your room," Tariq said, his eyes narrowing. "Tell me the truth."
David sighed, realizing the jig was up. "He took the message from me. But I don't know him. My identity is fake. I infiltrated to see if you were conducting biological experiments."
Tariq stared at him, disbelief etched on his face. "Prove it."
David removed his mask, his body shifting until he stood as an exact replica of Tariq. "Believe me now?"
Tariq's eyes widened, and after a moment, he lowered his wand. "I was ready to believe you were with them, but this... this is something else."
David reverted to his disguised form. "My real name is David Scamander. Newt is my grandfather."
Tariq's expression softened. "The Thunderbird... that was you?"
David nodded. "I'm sorry."
Tariq chuckled, punching David lightly on the shoulder. "You're a good actor, I'll give you that. But don't go around causing trouble with my face, alright?"
David smiled, relieved. "I won't."
Tariq handed him a compass. "Follow this. We've hidden the magical animals, including Bai Ze. Take care of them. Pavel didn't want them falling into the hands of the other group."
David took the compass, puzzled. "Why?"
"He didn't say, and I didn't ask," Tariq replied. He opened a hidden passage and turned to leave. "Goodbye, David. I hope we meet again as friends."
"Definitely," David said, watching Tariq disappear. He adjusted the compass and set off, determined to protect the magical animals and uncover the truth. The battle was far from over, but David knew where his loyalties lay.