Meeting with the Ministry
Black darkness. The sound of rain. Something creaks, and shuffles, then a soft lumos is uttered in a small stuttering voice. The cupboard lights up, and Newt lowers his wand over the tiny creature in front of him. He has many being taken care of here, several of whom he’s found in the forbidden forest. The only light in here is from Newt’s wand, but he makes it work, bandaging the right leg of the creature. It looks to be a small, light blue puffball, although hints of darker plumage can be seen. He strokes the creature’s head while he finishes wrapping it, simultaneously brushing bits of dirt and debris from his body. The creature lifts his head, showing the long snout of a niffler. He looks up at Newt, but curls back up into a ball when the door slams open.
“Shhh, Leta. Don’t disturb the creatures.”
“Sorry, Newt,” says a black girl around Newt’s age. She grasps around for the cord to the lightbulb. “How can you work in the dark like this?” She pulls on the chain, and a clicking noise is heard, but it doesn’t turn on.
“It’s been broken for about a week and a half now,” Newt explains shyly as he pets the little niffler, who is clutching onto his hand now.
“I’ll replace it later, but it’s time for DADA, Newt. You need to go to class.”
Newt sighs and points to the niffler clinging to his hand. Leta rolls her eyes, gently sets the niffler in Newt’s pocket, and then drags him out of the door. The door shuts behind them, going back to darkness. The scene shifts to where Leta drags Newt into DADA with Dumbledore.
“Ah, finally decide to join us, did you? Well then, Newt and Leta, would you like to be our demonstrators for the day?” They nod, knowing they could back down but not wanting to get on Dumbledore’s rarely seen bad side. “Good. Today we’re looking at boggarts, they show what one fears most. We’ll be practicing the spell riddikulus, it should transform your boggart into something funny or whimsical of your own design. Now, everyone form a line behind Newt and Leta.”
Newt stands bravely in front of the closet, which opens up to a whirling beast. It settles into a rickety desk and a chair that spins with the momentum of the transformation. An overfull cup of coffee, miscellaneous writing utensils, a stack of paperwork several feet high, and other knick knacks sit on the desk. Dumbledore looks amusedly taken aback.
“Well, that’s an unusual one. Mr. Scamander’s greatest fear is...?”
“Having to work in an office, sir.”
Dumbledore chuckles. “Go ahead, Newt.”
“Riddikulus!” Newt flicks his want and the boggart transforms itself into a dragon-made out of office supplies. There are laughs, cheers and whistles. Newt ducks his head bashfully as the tips of his ears go red.
“Well done, Newt,” Dumbledore says, and clasps him on the shoulder as he walks past. Newt leans against the wall to watch Leta go next.
The dragon stares down at Leta. It slowly starts to whirl, faster and faster, before suddenly the whole classroom darkens. A blue glow shines on Leta’s face, and high up towards the ceiling a bundle of fabric sinks, sinks, sinks
-A door opens down the hall, and Newt looks up, startling out of the memory. He feels a slight tug on his sleeve and sees Pickett, holding onto a black button that’s dangling off of his coat by a thread. The button falls off and rolls across the carpet, Pickett falling onto Newt’s thigh. He looks up, then slowly back at the button. Suddenly he jumps down and runs towards it, but he’s not quick enough. A niffler jumps out of Newt’s coat pocket and beats Pickett to the button, shoving the shiny black trinket into his pouch. Newt chuckles softly and walks over to them. Someone rounds the corner, and Newt, surprised, finds a grown up Leta approaching them. He scoops the niffler and Pickett into his hands, being careful of the scar on the niffler’s right leg.
“Hello, Newt.” She smiles at him, then bends down and strokes the nifflers head. “And you, Jasper.”
“Leta.” he ducks his head. Even though he’s quite a bit taller than her, his shy energy makes him seem smaller than her confident stance. “Long time no see, eh?” He smiles sheepishly. The two had been close friends and still kept in contact; however, with him moving around quite a lot, it had been a long time since they had seen each other in person.
“Yes, you really should visit more, Newt. I’m not the only one who has been missing you-” Newt cringes slightly. “-Even this meeting was just based on sheer luck, as they could have asked someone else to fetch you.” She starts to walk slowly down the hallway, still keeping herself turned towards Newt as he stumbles to keep up with her.
“Yes, speak-speaking of, what are you doing here?”
“Theseus thought it would be good if I became part of the Ministry family.”
“Did he actually say the words Ministry family?” He shakes his head in amusement. Leta joins him in laughing. “That sounds like my brother.”
“He was disappointed you couldn't come to dinner. Any of the nights we've asked you.”
Newt avoids her eyes. “W-well, I've been busy.” Which is technically not a lie, but he knows she can see all the way through him.
“He's your brother, Newt. He likes spending time with you. And so do I.”
Newt doesn’t know how to respond, and is luckily distracted by Jasper reaching for Leta’s bracelet. “Oi, you!” He picks him up and places him in his top jacket pocket. “Hop in, Pick.” Pickett obeys immediately, hopping in as well.
Leta smiles. “Why do strange creatures love you so much?”
Newt looks down at the creatures with fondness. “Well, there are no strange creatures, only-”
“Only narrow-minded people!” Leta finishes, having clearly heard this many times. “How long did you get in detention for saying that to Prendergast?”
“You know, I think it was a month that time.” Newt doesn’t seem at all bothered by this, instead seeming to enjoy looking back on the memory.
“And I set off a dung bomb under his desk so I could join you- do you remember?” Leta laughs.
“Yes, actually. I’m surprised you didn’t get more.”
“So am I.” She stops in front of a door. “I’ll be waiting for you outside, okay?”
“Alright. Thank you, Leta.” He nods at her and then ducks as he steps into the room.
“Of course, Newt.” She waves, more with two fingers than her whole hand, her smile turning sad as the door closes.
Newt sits in a chair in front of a table with four ministry employees. He inclines his head at one of them. “Theseus.”
He nods back, but doesn’t even smile at him.
“Hearing commences…” One of the men says. He picks up a piece of paper, upon which “You want an end to the ban on your traveling internationally. Why?”
Newt laughs uncomfortably, his shoulders curling inwards. “Because I like to travel internationally.” His words leave him a rush, he speaks hurriedly as though wishing for this interaction to be over with.
The man on the right bends down over a piece of paper. “Subject uncooperative and evasive on reasons for last international trip.”
“It was- a field trip, s-sir, I was collecting material for-for my book on magical beasts.”
“You destroyed half of New York.” The man does not shout, but the disdain in his voice is clear. Newt bristles.
“No-uh that’s, that’s actually factually incorrect on two accounts,” Newt says, trying to persuade the others to his side. His brother shakes his head and Newt halts, taking in the unsympathetic looks of the other three men.
“Mr. Scamander... it's clear you're frustrated and, frankly, so are we. In the spirit of compromise, we'd like to make a proposition.”
“What kind of…proposition?”
“The committee will agree to lift your travel ban under one condition.”
“You join the Ministry.” Newt’s already shaking his head, but they go on as if they don’t see him. “Specifically, your brother's department.”
Newt somehow manages to look even more uncomfortable. He smiles grimly. “No. I-that isn't my kind of... Theseus is the Auror...I think my talents lie elsewhere.” He ducks his head, hiding under his hair.
“Mr. Scamander. The wizarding and non-wizarding worlds have been at peace for over a century. Grindelwald wants to see that peace destroyed. And for certain members of our community his message is very seductive.”
“Many pure-bloods believe it is their birthright to rule not only our world but the non-magic world as well. They see Grindelwald as their hero, and Grindelwald sees this boy as a means to make this all come true.”
Newt winces. “I'm sorry. You're talk-talking about C-Credence as if he were still here.” Newt’s voice breaks.
“He survived, Newt,” his brother tells him gently.
“He is still alive. He left New York months ago. He's somewhere in Europe. We believe in Paris.” The committee tells him, much less gently.
“And you want me to hunt Credence down? To kill him?”
“Well, to put it bluntly, Mr. Scamander, yes.”
Newt buries his face in his hands, and when he looks back up they’re shaking. “No. I can’t, I-I won’t. He’s an innocent boy!” Newt rarely raises his voice, and seems to flinch back from it himself.
“Then we cannot lift your travel ban, Mr. Scamander.”
Newt leaves as quickly as possible.
He’s out of the door before they start to speak again.
“It’s a shame he went soft. It’s too bad he’s not the man he was during the Great War.”
Theseus had been staring off towards where Newt had disappeared, only to glare across the table at his coworkers. He gets up and rushes off in search of Newt.
A voice from the shadows speaks. “I suppose the job falls to me, then.”