Chapter 1
It had been roughly two weeks since they’d landed in the future. Two very long weeks. Credence still remembered the rapid-fire conversation Newt had started with him - and lost him with - about how they needed to be careful, because the smallest change could change everything.
Two weeks, however, was enough time for them to get settled and get their feet under them a little better. Not much had changed in the Magical World, thank goodness for Newt, though it did present it's own challenges - a whole other war had been fought, apparently, and if that wasn't an interesting piece of news to chew on when he'd first learned it. The real issue had been how much had changed within the No-Maj community, even in Britain.
For starters, Newt had no experience with that. And Credence only had experience with the American community, not the British.
So it took a little adjusting. And a lot of growing pains. But eventually, they'd settled down in some little home on the very outskirts of a town in Surrey. All in all, it could be worse.
Newt still got to care for his Magical Creatures - he'd spent the first two days after they settled in the case tending to them in an attempt to settle his nerves, Credence thought. It had worked wonders, too, because the next time they'd sat down to talk, he'd been remarkably calmer, his constant movement and fast speech back to a controlled level that was easier to follow.
Two weeks is also exactly how long it took for them to find trouble.
Said trouble came in the form of a child - because of course it did, neither of them seemingly knowing how to do anything by halves. Credence had all but refused to move from the park as they got there while they were out on their usual exploration to get used to the neighborhoods near them, eyes fixed on a scene within the usually serene area, and Newt had stopped talking when he all but ran into the younger wizard.
Eyes following, and then Newt gave a little huh under his breath.
It was just kids. He didn't understand, not at first, what had caught Credence's attention about it.
And then, of course, of course one of those kids had to go and prove Newt's opinion that humans were cruel for cruelty's sake far too often, especially with them claiming to be so much more intelligent than other living creatures - but now was far from the time to focus on that.
But he also couldn't allow Credence to go bursting in like he seemed ready to, all but vibrating where he stood. They couldn't risk that. They weren't at a point where Credence had enough control over his emotions and the outbursts that often accompanied them for that to be allowed.
Not that Newt stopped him when he started towards the kid that got left behind once the others had gone off to find somewhere else to bother people.
And as wary as the entire thing made him, he found himself following, sitting nearby to offer silent support as he listened to Credence settle and just talk until the kid had stopped cowering - and wow, he was small, he looked like he couldn't be more than 7, and an undernourished 7 at that. He was sure Credence recognized the signs just the same as he'd come to.
But they couldn't rush this. All the realization had accomplished was cementing in their heads that they were going to help.
Of course, when the kid admitted that the other kid from earlier had been his cousin - a blood relative, someone he lived with, awful - Newt immediately spoke up, not liking the fearful tone he heard buried under that bland voice when he spoke of his family. No one deserved to feel like that about the people meant to be taking care of them.
So an out was fine. Right? So what if it changed things, he wasn't going to be able to walk away.
"You could let us help. We could bring food, or you could - I don't know. Is you staying with us too forward a suggestion? It seems like it would be, but it's on the table if you truly want it, I suppose. We can figure it out, but you seem like you could use some friends for a change."
The near immediate agreement just sent another wave of sorrow through him. How horribly did someone have to be treated to believe they were better off with someone they'd only just met an hour ago?
But no matter. They just needed to work on fixing it now.