Porpentina Goldstein gazed forlornly out the window of her New York apartment. It had been over a year since she had last seen her friend (and possible love interest) Newt Scamander. He had written a bit shortly after he had left, but he had never really been fond of holding conversation. He was fairly awkward in a social gathering. She smiled sadly to herself, remembering his fumbled farewell to her. She turned quickly as she heard the door click open. Her younger sister Queenie had arrived, and, as usual, was toting goods from J. Kowalski’s Bakery, where she could be found almost daily. But, quite unlike the usual, Queenie’s face, instead of having a playful smile, had a horrified expression.
“Queenie, what's wrong?” She asked, striding towards her.
“Oh, Teeny, it’s awful! He escaped! And killed President Picquiry!”
“No! He was under the highest security possible! Grindelwald couldn't have escaped.”
“And the worst part is, Abernathy wants you to hunt him back down!” Queenie sobbed. Tina suddenly felt ill. If Grindelwald escaped, she knew one wizard in particular he would have a personal vendetta against: Newt Scamander, who fought him in a subway chamber and revealed his identity, for Grindelwald had been disguised as Auror Percival Graves.
“I need to catch him. For the greater good.” Tina said, her face hard as stone. At Queenie’s horrified gasp, Tina added;
“Not that greater good. Not his twisted version of the greater good, but for the good of the world. Meet up with Jacob tomorrow and tell him. I need to leave tomorrow.” She lovingly embraced her sister.
“I know, Tina. I know why you want to do this. And why you need to.” Being a Legilimens, Queenie could easily peer into people’s minds and read their thoughts. After a hasty supper, Tina packed for the long journey ahead of her and slept a restless night. She awoke early the next morning, gave a tearful goodbye to Queenie, and headed to the MACUSA building. She gathered a small force of wizards and witches alike of Abernathy, Sam, Ruby, and Cecily and Disapperated for the search. Little did she know, a person whose arrival she had been awaiting for almost two years had arrived in the city that never sleeps.
Newt Scamander had only ridden the ferry twice before, and never for such a good reason. He was on his way to visit his friends, the first human friends he had ever made. If need be, he could count his human friends on one hand; Jacob, Queenie, possibly Leta, Theseus, and Tina, of course. Always Tina. He had thought about her every day since they had departed. He clutched his magical suitcase in one hand and wrapped his Hufflepuff scarf around his neck with the other. He had promised Tina a copy of his new book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and he had promised to bring it in person. He strode towards the dock officer with the slight limp he had grown accustomed to over the past few months.
“Passport!” Yelled a harsh voice.
“Oh, um, yes, sir,” he said, rifling through his pocket and pulling out a weatherbeaten blue passport.
“This your first time here?” The gruff worker said, frowning angrily.
“No, second time.”
“Luggage check. No livestock?” He said as he reached for Newt’s suitcase. Newt quickly flipped the brass dial labeled ‘muggle worthy’.
“No livestock.”
“None of the illegal items?”
“Nothing illegal.”
“You are free to pass.”
“Thank you,” Newt said, attempting to be friendly. The job certainly couldn't have been easy. The man only glared in response. Newt hurried on his way.
“Excuse me, ma'am, do you know if there is a bakery called Kowalski’s anywhere?” He asked a woman as she walked by.
“‘Course there is, take a right when you get to the bank.”
Newt rushed into the shop, but was surprised to see Tina’s younger sister, Queenie, speaking to Jacob.
“Newt!” Queenie yelled as she ran to greet him.
“Hello, Queenie,” he started, “Hello, Jacob.”
“Why in the name of Deliverance Dane did you have to come today? Any other day would have been fine, but Teeny’s just left,” Queenie shouted, startling him.
“Left, as in for work? I assumed that President Picquery wouldn't be that glad to see me, or my suitcase, so I came here first.” Newt began to explain.
“President Picquery is dead! Grindelwald killed her when he escaped yesterday. Tina’s heading a mission to recapture him,” Queenie sobbed.
“Merlin’s beard! Picquery’s dead? Grindelwald escaped? Tina went after him? How long has she been gone?” Newt looked almost as frantic as when he and Tina had been sentenced to death by Grindelwald himself.
“Not too long, she left this morn-” Queenie began, then stopped suddenly, her face a mask of terror.
“He caught her!”
“Wait, wait, wait. What's going on?” Jacob looked confused.
“Tina got captured by an evil wizard. We're gonna rescue her.” Queenie said.
“Henry, close up the shop. You can go home early,” Jacob yelled to his chief worker.
“Now let's pack. We need food, clothes, supplies, and medical supplies.”
Newt grinned.
“And I have an expanding suitcase.”
Tina and her group approached a dark alleyways. Her mother had taught her that she should never, ever enter an alleyway at night. Right now, she couldn't care less. The sooner she caught Grindelwald the better, as far as she was concerned. As the team entered the alleyway, she heard a noise. It was dark and she couldn't see an inch in front of her, but didn't risk lighting her wand tip for fear of No-Maj awareness. As they stumbled farther into the alleyway, she heard a shot.
“Oomph,” someone said, falling forward and grabbing Tina’s shoulder for support.
“Abernathy, what's wrong?” Tina asked.
“Someone shot me!” He groaned. Tina rolled her eyes.
“Yes, I know. But can you walk?”
“I…I think so,” he said before taking a few cautious steps, “Tina, I don't think I can keep up,” he looked nervous as he sank to the ground clutching his calf.
“Lean on me, then,” Ruby said, striding forward. Even in the dark, Tina could see Abernathy smile slightly, though it soon turned to a grimace.
“We need to hurry. One shot means there may be more.” Tina said, glancing around. Suddenly, a fire escape above them snapped.
“Cecily!” Sam yelled, reaching out, but all in vain.
“Sam, come on. We can't do anything for her.” Tina said shakily.
Another fire escape snapped, and Ruby and Sam fell as well.
“Something isn't right. Someone has to be here, hiding. Three dead, one injured, too big a coincidence.” Abernathy said, looking around cautiously.
“You're right. Let's split up.” Tina said, starting away, but Abernathy stopped her.
“Tina, my leg… I can't walk well.”
“Then limp,” she said, “I'm sorry, but we need to find out what's going on. If it's him.”
“Quite an accurate guess, Miss Porpentina,” came a suave voice as Grindelwald himself stepped out of the shadows.
“You!” Tina yelled as she drew her wand swiftly. “You dare show yourself to MACUSA? We're here to capture you, unless you wish to die now.”
“You're a feisty one,” he said, striding forward and drawing his gun. “ These Muggle weapons are hardly accurate. I aimed at you, but hit the wand clerk instead. I won't miss this time,” he said as he aimed at Tina's head, but then holstered his weapon.
“No, I won't shoot you. I'll use a worthy weapon,” Grindelwald declared as he drew his wand.
“Tina, you need to leave,” Abernathy whispered, “I'm injured already, I'll hold him off.”
Grindelwald flicked his wand and Abernathy flew backwards into the wall. Tina saw he was badly hurt, but alive.
“I need you alive, so don't try to fight.” Grindelwald said.
“And MACUSA needs you dead,” she retorted. Grindelwald laughed softly.
“You are too brave for your own good, Thunderbird, far too brave,” he chuckled as he Stunned her and swept her into his arms in one smooth move and Disapperated.
Queenie, Newt, and Jacob arrived at the alleyway.
“Bodies,” Queenie whispered, her voice barely audible. Newt ran to the end of the alleyway and reached Abernathy.
“Queenie! He's alive!” He shouted as Queenie ran over.
“Hold on, Abernathy. Let's get him to MACUSA.” They stood up the unconscious man and Apperated with him to MACUSA Headquarters. A goblin greeted them and tended to Abernathy’s injuries.
“You three. Abernathy wants to see you,” Red the goblin yelled to them. They tentatively entered the room. Abernathy’s leg was heavily wrapped and so was his wrist and chest.
“It was Grindelwald. He took Tina somewhere. I saw them leave before I fainted.”
Queenie mentally reached out to Tina and gasped.
“She's at Nurmengard. I can feel her presence. He's holding her there as a captive.”
Newt’s eyes widened.
“To get closer to me,” he groaned, “This is my fault. We need to save her. Now.” And with that they Disapparated.
Back in a secluded place, they climbed into the suitcase and gathered in Newt’s shed.
“We can't exactly Apparate directly outside, I bet he'd know if we did, and I'd also bet that he made it so we can't Apparate directly inside it. Merlin’s beard, even Theseus wouldn't have taken this big a chance,” Newt exclaimed.
“Who's Theseus?” Jacob asked, and Queenie nodded.
“My older brother.” Newt said in a voice that showed that the subject was closed for further discussion. Queenie tapped into his mind and drank up the whole story.
“Yeah, I see. Big war hero. Fought on the front line, got awarded a lot of medals. Brave and bold Gryffindor. You were real close as kids, kept writing to each other as adults. More social, popular, ah, but he didn't approve of Leta. Speaking of Leta, where's that photograph of her? Used to be about… there, right?”
“Yes, it, um, used to be,” Newt muttered, nervously rubbing the back of his head.
Queenie grinned to herself, noticing the photograph of Leta had been pushed back and was collecting dust, and a photograph of Tina was there instead.
“We could always use the classic ‘prisoner exchange’ trap,” Jacob added, “That one's a charm.”
“We could, I suppose. I volunteer to be the prisoner, seeing as this all my fault anyways. Queenie, disillusion the suitcase. Jacob, tie my hands together with something. Now.” Newt ordered sternly. Jacob bound Newt’s hands with a length of rope.
“Good. Queenie, you are in charge of the suitcase. Jacob, you're in charge of my rope.”
“What if this doesn't work?” Queenie said, her eyes wide and worried.
“We'll find a way to get in,” Newt assured her. “I'd duel Grindelwald myself to save all of you.”
“And we'd do the same for you,” Queenie assured him.
“Except for me,” Jacob added, “I can't duel him, remember? I'm a No-Maj. But I'd try my best to hold him off.”
Queenie smiled widely at him. Newt saw her eyes brimming with love for Jacob, and he wondered how long it would be until Queenie would become Mrs. Kowalski.
“Queenie, read Tina's mind. Where is Nurmengard?” Newt questioned her.
Queenie tapped into Tina's mind.
“Germany. It's in Germany,” she declared.
“Alright, grab hold of each other and Apparate to it on the count of three. One, two, three!”
Suddenly they were in the woods below Nurmengard, a towering fortress of dull gray bricks.
“Stay serious, everyone. Remember, you are a witch and a wizard bringing in a captive. And be convincing,” Newt added, “We need to do this right.”
They climbed up the hill to Nurmengard and knocked on the door. A stern looking guard allowed them in.
“I thought it looked bad on the outside,” Jacob muttered under his breath, earning a slight laugh from Queenie. They marched past the cells, searching for Tina in each one person cell.
“You there! Where are you taking that prisoner?” Yet another guard said, angrily sneering at them.
“We're taking him to imprison him. In prison,” Queenie stammered nervously.
“They're taking me to my cell,” Newt exasperatedly said.
“Quiet!” Jacob growled, and Queenie, remembering Newt’s reminder to ‘be convincing’, noticed he was standing slightly unbalanced with more of his weight on his left leg, and swiftly kicked his right leg out from under him. He fell hard, unable to catch himself because his hands were tied together. Queenie fought hard to resist the urge to help her friend up, and was startled by the pained expression on his face as he stood, and that he was limping heavily.
“Yeah, we’re gonna take’m to his cell now,” Queenie quickly said, and when the guard was out of view and earshot, she and Jacob untied Newt’s hands.
“Mercy Lewis! I'm so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I didn't try to,” Queenie apologized, stammering nervously.
“No, it's fine,” Newt assured her, and when she opened her mouth to protest, he added, “It really is. Truly. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine, because I did tell you to be convincing, and that was very convincing, but Tina is our goal now. Read her mind, tell us where she is.”
Tina’s hands were shackled to the cold brick wall, and she sat on a stone bench. There wasn't anything else to do but look out the cell bars at the guards. She would have given anything to have been able to reach her wand, which was perched on the wall, or have a Bowtruckle to unlock the locks as Pickett had once done. She wished that, more than anything, she could wake up and be at home with Queenie, Jacob, and Newt, having a great time, catching up with Newt, hearing about his latest escapades. She saw something move outside her cell, saw something green slide into the lock, and suddenly the door flew open, and she saw a tall, slender figure wearing a navy blue greatcoat walk in, along with a blond woman in a pink coat, and a man in a suit.
“Newt?” She whispered cautiously, almost to herself.
“Tina, we're going to get you out of here,” he said, letting Pickett unlock the locked shackles.
“I can't believe it. You came here, to Grindelwald’s layer, Grindelwald, who wants you dead… to save me?” She asked, looking into his kind and handsome face.
“Of course. You'd do the same for me,” he answered. Tina looked him up and down. He looked exactly the same as she remembered. She ran up to him and embraced him lovingly, almost knocking him off balance.
“You're limping,” she pointed out.
Jacob cleared his throat.
“Escape now, hug later,” he ordered sharply.
“Tina needs rest and food,” Queenie added, “Let's get to an empty cell and get into the suitcase.”
“Where is it?” Tina questioned.
“Disillusioned. Queenie’s holding it,” Newt explained to Tina.
They ran out of the cell and into the corridor, scouting desperately to find a safe cell.
They finally located a safe and unoccupied cell, placed the suitcase on the ground, and climbed in. It was exactly how Tina remembered it: organized chaos, with a typewriter, medical supplies, a cot, and numerous other things she couldn't name.
Queenie had already made herself at home, cooking a small amount of the food they had brought. Newt went out to visit his beasts with Jacob. After they ate, Newt entertained them with tales of his adventures. He sat down on the cot, grabbed a roll of gauze and wrapped his injured ankle carefully, but even though he tried to keep a straight face, Tina noticed he winced fairly often while wrapping it.
“You see, I really did try to get back to New York sooner, but after I gave a copy of my manuscript to the Ministry, they alerted me that a colony of knarls in the Andes Mountains were being terrorized by a group of runespoores, so I Apparated to the mountain base and began to climb. Thinking back on it, it was a reckless and actually quite foolish thing to do without the proper supplies and training. Anyways, I ran out of climbing rope and ended up freeclimbing the rest of the mountain. When I got to the top, I was greeted by a colony of runespoores and in the heat of the moment, I forgot that they each have three heads. They startled me, and I lost my grip on the cliff face, and I fell. I caught the rope on my way down, but cracked my ankle against the cliff face. It was a few months ago, July, maybe. I'm much better now,” he explained to them.
“But how did you hurt your ankle that badly?” Tina asked.
“That would be my fault. When we broke in to rescue you, Jacob and I pretended to be guards, with Newt as our prisoner. Another guard asked us where we were gonna take him, and I panicked and gave a very unconvincing answer. Newt then tried to say a more logical answer, and we were supposed to be convincing, so I kicked his leg out from under him. I didn't know any of that, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. Newt, let me say again that I'm so, so, so sorry. I'd never try to intentionally hurt any of you. Please forgive me,” Queenie cried.
“Like I said to you earlier, I forgive you and the blame is on me,” Newt retorted,“I shouldn't have made you ‘be convincing’. Besides, I'll have a much lighter limp by tomorrow,” Newt added, moving his ankle for effect, but he winced as soon as he did.
“Here, let me help you,” Tina said, and ran to wrap a cloth around some ice cubes and pressed them gently against the tender flesh.
“Thank you, Tina. I really needed that,” Newt smiled at her slightly.
“Always a pleasure to help you.” Tina said sweetly back to him.
She went and retrieved a pillow from Queenie’s supplies stash and placed it underneath Newt’s injured ankle. After a few long moments, he sat up.
“I need to say goodnight to my beasts quickly. I'll be back soon.” He stood up, but winced and sat back down.
“Newt, here. I brought these crutches in case someone got hurt.” Jacob offered.
“No thank you. I'm fine.” Newt answered politely. He stood again, then grimaced and turned to Jacob and decided, “May I please have those crutches?”
“Yeah, take’m. I hope I won't need them.” Jacob replied.
“Thank you,” Newt replied. He grabbed one crutch and hoisted himself up on it.
Leaning heavily on it, he limped out to the animal's enclosures. He visited all of the beasts in turn, visiting Dougal the Demiguise’s enclosure last. The beast gazed up at him and his eyes turned blue like they did when he was experiencing a vision. When they returned to their normal color, Dougal leapt onto Newt’s back and refused to leave.
“Dougal, calm down. You're starting to have worse attachment issues than Pickett. Also, I have already injured myself once today and can barely walk, so your weight is throwing off my balance, which really hurts,” he scolded the little monkey, who chattered in response.
“Alright, I guess you can come to the shack,” Newt agreed as they started back to the shed.
“Well, Dougal has picked up some tricks from Pickett. He had a vision and has been clingy ever since,” Newt stated as he sat back down on the cot, placing his ankle back onto the pillow. Pickett clicked at Dougal, angry that another creature wanted to stay with Newt.
“Maybe something bad is in your future,” Queenie suggested tentatively.
“That wouldn't surprise me the least,” Newt smirked. Tina distracted herself by gathering more ice for Newt’s injured ankle. She didn't wish to imagine any more harm coming to Newt. He tried to hide it, but she could tell that his ankle was paining him greatly, and she reasoned that if he hadn't tried to rescue her, he wouldn't have reinjured it. She returned to his bedside with the homemade compress for his ankle. He smiled at her and she felt that nothing could have stopped him from rescuing her from Grindelwald.
“When will we escape? Nurmengard must be cracking down on security by now. I motion that tomorrow we scout for an exit,” Newt interrupted the silence with the question everyone had been thinking but feared to speak.
“I motion that we sleep now,” Jacob suggested, raising his hand.
“I can guess that we all second the motion,” Tina added.
“I'll take the floor,” Newt added.
“No, you will not,” Tina retorted, “You are going to stay there and rest your ankle.”
“This isn't negotiable, is it?” Newt asked.
“Nope. Now sleep.” Tina ordered.
“Yes, ma'am,” Newt replied and drifted off to sleep.
Queenie woke up first, eager to cook breakfast, and Jacob soon followed her. Tina started awake about fifteen minutes later. Newt shifted somewhat in his sleep, but onto his injured ankle. He awoke with a start and a slight cry.
They ate breakfast and got ready to start the day.
Newt refused to bring a crutch along, saying it would make him easy to spot. He climbed up the ladder leading out of the suitcase and peeked out.
“The coast’s clear,” he muttered to the others, who followed him up.
“Should we split up?” Tina questioned the others.
“Yes. We should each go on our own. It's safer that way,” Newt said, and with that
they split up.
Newt walked, or rather limped, throughout Nurmengard, feeling the walls for a hidden, less heavily guarded exit. He had been searching for about five hours when he heard a familiar voice:
“I will not rest until those for fugitives are caught!” Grindelwald bellowed, his voice echoing through the hallway. Newt shrugged off his greatcoat and the second coat underneath and tied them around his waist. If he had to run, at least he would be less likely to be spotted. He heard footsteps heading towards him and flattened himself against the wall. The guards only kept coming closer. He hoped that since he was in an alcove, the guards would pass by, but no such luck. I have a BAD feeling about this, he thought, and then he bolted.
“Hey, get back here, fugitive!” One of the guards yelled. Newt kept running, his ankle crying out in agonizing protest. He heard a gunshot, then felt something small and hard tear into his left shoulder. It hurt tremendously, and he bit down on his tongue to keep from crying out in pain, but he kept running until the guards lost sight of him. Newt sank down against the wall, feeling faint and dizzy from both the blood loss and running. His ankle was throbbing, and his shoulder felt like it had been stabbed with a red-hot knife. He felt the wound, trying to see how large and deep it was. The answer didn't please him. He put his coats back on, for he knew that the crimson bloodstain would be in sharp contrast to his ivory white shirt, and after seeing how worried Tina had been about an ankle injury that now seemed insignificant, he resolved not to let them know he was injured. Newt started back to the suitcase’s cell, and descended down the ladder. The others were all there waiting for him.
“Did you find anything?” Newt asked.
“I found a vent,” Jacob said, “But it's really small.”
“I found a window,” Queenie volunteered.
“I found a door,” Tina added.
“Good,” Newt said, “Tomorrow, we can hopefully leave.”
They all went out of the shed to visit the beasts. Tina was watching Newt carefully, for she realized that he wasn't moving his left arm very much and wondered if something had happened to him while he was searching for an exit. Her belief that he had been injured only strengthened when they arrived at the graphorn enclosure and the beasts lovingly placed its mouth tentacles on Newt’s shoulders and he grimaced, but then realized that Tina was watching him and smiled widely. They went back inside the shed. Tina stared at Newt out of the corner of her eye. His face was deathly pale, his freckles standing out like beacons in the moonlight, and his gaze seemed slightly unfocused.
“Newt, are you alright? You don't look very good. I mean, you do look good, but you seem…distracted, maybe? I'm not really sure,” Tina nervously stammered.
“Yes, I'm fine…” Newt started to say, then grimaced and sat down on the cot. Tina grabbed his hand.
“Newt, your hand is really warm. Are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should take off your jacket,” Tina said.
“No, I'm alright,” he said faintly, and then he passed out.
“Newt! Can you hear me? Newt?” Tina yelled anxiously, tears forming in her eyes.
Jacob and Queenie ran over to her. Jacob rolled Newt’s limp body onto its stomach on the cot.
“Take off his jackets,” Jacob ordered Queenie and Tina, who were startled by the large bloodstains on them.
“Mercy Lewis!” Tina yelled. Queenie looked as though she'd faint any second, so Jacob insisted that she went outside.
“Alright, this is bad. Take off the orange vest,” Jacob said, and when Tina did, he ordered,
“He must have been shot in the left shoulder. Take off the left sleeve of his shirt.” Tina slid his shoulder out of his sleeve. Jacob lifted Newt into a sitting position.
“Tina, tell me if the bullet went clean through or is lodged in his shoulder.” Jacob said.
“There's a large purple bruise, but no blood,” Tina reported.
“Great, then it's lodged in his shoulder,” Jacob groaned, “ If it doesn't come out, he'll get lead poisoning, and the wound is already infected. I'll have to operate.”
“Operate?” Tina gasped, “Do you even know how?”
“I was in the Army, of course I know how,” he snapped, then lowered his face and his tone and said,
“I'm sorry, Tina. This makes me remember things that I wish I could forget,”
“I know, and I'm sorry. It's just that I just found Newt, and I don't want to lose him. Not now, not ever.”
“I know how you feel. If it were Queenie, I… I don't know what I'd do. Please hand me the bag.” She did, and then looked away as Jacob removed the bullet. She wasn’t bothered by blood, but she felt uncomfortable watching an operation, especially one on Newt.
“Alright, I got it out, but I need you to bandage his shoulder up.” Jacob ordered Tina.
She gently wrapped his shoulder with the bandage and antiseptic, and called Queenie back inside to magic away the bloodstains and fix the tear in the shirt before putting Newt’s arm back into the sleeve. She then rolled him onto his back on the bed and covered him with a light blanket.
After a few hours, he groaned and sat up.
“What… what happened?” He asked weakly, taking in too many sights at once.
“After you insisted you were fine, you fainted. Jacob had to operate to get the bullet out. You almost died.” Tina said, a strange combination of angry and…worried, perhaps? He wasn't quite sure, especially in his tired state, with his shoulder still sharply smarting.
“Tina, I….I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that I was injured. I just didn't want to worry you.” Newt explained.
“I know, it's just that…” Tina began, but then her voice trailed off. Newt tried to break the silence.
“Well, I guess I'll go see to my beasts,” he announced, then stood up, grimacing.
“No, you most certainly will not,” Tina ordered him sharply, “You are going to to stay there and rest.” Newt promptly sat back down on the cot. Pickett climbed out of the lapel of Newt’s jacket, which was hanging on the wall, and clicked angrily at him.
“Tina, be glad you can't understand what he's saying,” Newt said, his eyes widening slightly.
“Pickett, calm down. What is our philosophy about worrying?” Pickett clucked at response.
“That's right: it means you suffer twice. Now give me a smile,” Newt responded, but Pickett only glared and stuck out his tongue.
“You're better than that, Pickett. Much better.” Newt scolded the small bowtruckle. The others watched, slightly amused.
“Listen, I know that this isn't what you wanted to hear, but how are we gonna get out of here?” Jacob asked, breaking the silence.
“I do have one last hope for rescue,” Tina suggested, “But you might not like it. I have a friend that will bust us out if I ask nicely.”
“Who is he?” Jacob asked, and Queenie nodded.
“Actually, it's a she. Charlotte Dumont. She's an undercover agent for MACUSA, but a majority of workers don't even know that she's alive. They were told that she was killed when the MACUSA stormed the Blind Pig. But we were friends, working together on cases when I was an Auror.”
“Have I met her?” Queenie inquired, raising an eyebrow.
“Maybe. She used to be Abernathy's girlfriend, he’s probably mentioned her at some point.”
“Well, I'm ready to leave when you are,” Newt said to the others.
“No, you aren't. Trust me. The second day is always the worst,” Jacob said.
“How? You seem to be forgetting that I was in the army as well,” Newt said, raising an eyebrow.
“First of all, you worked with dragons, and second of all, because the shock has worn off by then.” Jacob said in a low voice.
“Calm down, both of you,” Queenie said, her voice cracking slightly, “I hate it when people argue!”
“I'm sorry, Queenie,” Jacob said, lowering his gaze. He and Queenie stared at each other for a few moments.
“Sorry to interrupt you, Jacob, but I think the shock wore off,” Newt said in a strained voice, his face pale and teeth gritted.
“Alright, I've seen this before. Lay down on your stomach,” Jacob began.
“Actually, it does hurt less if I lay on my back. Not much less, mind you, but slightly.” Newt added.
“Fine. We'll place some pillows under your arm. It'll hurt tremendously when I move it, I'm pretty sure that the bone is broken. Has it stopped bleeding yet?”
“No,” Newt responded as Tina walked in.
“Newt, how does your shoulder feel?” She asked, genuine concern in her voice.
“Like it was run into by an Erumpent, except worse. In short, excruciating,” he answered.
“That bad, huh?” Jacob asked, “I'm guessing you weren't wounded in the war, were you?”
“I've gotten my share of burns,” Newt retorted with a glare.
“You two are arguing like Wompases and Thunderbirds,” Tina said.
“My apologies, Tina. Maybe I should rest a bit, although I have been hurt worse than this before.” Newt explained.
“Really? When?” Tina asked, suspecting that he was trying to downplay the pain he was in, or, more accurately, stop her from worrying about him.
“Alright, maybe I haven't, but I'm sure I'll be back on my feet by tomorrow.” Newt tried to roll his shoulder for effect, but gasped and grimaced as he bit back tears. He refused to cry in front of Tina.
“Newt, you can't downplay this. You're seriously hurt and need relaxation and rest.”
“Maybe,” he said between gasps, “Maybe you're right, Tina.”
“Basic medical training is part of becoming an Auror, but Queenie is the real medical woman.”
“No, Tina. You've got more skill than I do in that field.” Queenie modestly replied.
“Tina, do you know how to move an arm with a broken bone without further injury?” Jacob asked.
“I can try,” Tina said. For Newt, I'd try anything she thought to herself.
She cracked her knuckles and then she grasped Newt’s upper arm and carefully moved it up onto the pillow. She looked down at Newt’s face and realized that it was tight with pain.
“Yes, my shoulder’s definitely broken,” he said, biting down on his lip to keep from crying out.
“It's fine. I can stop moving it if you want…” Tina began, but Newt interrupted her.
“No. Move it now. We would just need to do it later if we don't. But please hurry.”
Tina finished moving his arm onto the pillow.
“Did you contact Ducain yet? Can she get us out of this mess?” Queenie asked tentatively.
“Yes, she can come whenever we wish, but preferably soon. Very soon.” Tina replied.
“Can you find any spells to fix my shoulder and my ankle?” Newt questioned.
“I found one for your ankle, but the shoulder will have to heal on its own,” Queenie said, muttering a spell and tapping Newt’s ankle with her wand, healing it instantly.
“Thank you,” Newt said in response.
“When we escape, I did find a spell so that the pain will stop for the duration of the time, but the only problem is that the next day, you'll feel everything that you did.” Queenie replied.
“That reminds me; we should probably redress the wound, make sure everything's fine,” Jacob said, “Tina, you're in charge.”
Newt struggled to prop himself up into a sitting position with his one good arm, so Tina helped him up, placing her hand on his burnt-orange vest between his shoulder blades. He carefully removed his vest and pulled the arm with the broken shoulder blade out of its sleeve. Tina unwound the bandage from around the gunshot wound. It was still wet with blood. She reached for the antiseptic to douse the wound with to prevent infection, and as she cleaned the wound out, she felt Newt’s muscles tense and could tell without looking that it definitely felt horrid to be having an injury cleaned out. His breathing was quick and shallow. She pushed the feelings out of her mind, knowing that worse pain would come for Newt with an infection if she didn't clean it out. As soon as she finished, she grabbed a clean length of bandage and firmly wrapped it, finishing with tape. Newt pulled his arm through its sleeve and put his vest back on. Queenie busied herself by cooking supper, trying hard not to look at the blood soaked bandage. After they ate, Tina thumbed through a No-Maj first aid book to find ways to ease Newt’s pain. She decided that ice would work well to numb the pain, and proceeded to wrap some ice in a cloth and hold it against the wound.
“If we have a spell that can fix my shoulder for a short period of time and a woman on call who can help us escape, why don't we go tomorrow, or even today?” Newt asked, startling everybody.
“He has a good point,” Queenie admitted, “Call up Ducain and tell her how to find us.”
“I will, but it won't take long. She's already here.” Tina replied, and when everyone else looked at her with shock, she added, “No, she doesn't work for him. She's here undercover.” Tina exited the shed to contact Ducain, and re-entered soon after.
“Alright, she's on her way. Queenie, you know what to do.” Queenie whipped out her wand, muttered a long incantation, and tapped Newt’s injured shoulder with her wand. His eyes widened as he felt the wounded area and tested the spell by rolling his shoulder. He didn't feel any pain.
“It worked!” He declared, and Tina placed her arm around his shoulder. They stared at each other for a few precious moments, but were interrupted by the sound of the door to the shed being opened. A tall woman, with brunette-blonde hair tied in a loose bun with her wand sticking out of it entered. She had intelligent ash gray eyes magnified by tortoiseshell glasses.
“Everyone, meet Charlotte Ducain.”
“Call me Char. And these are…” she began, gesturing to the others.
“I'm Jacob Kowalski, I work as a baker in New York City,” Jacob said, extending a hand out to her.
“Jacob, huh? You look more like a Bert,” she said shaking his hand.
“Queenie Goldstein. I'm Tina's sister,” Queenie said with a wave.
“Hi, Queenie. Mercy Lewis, I haven't seen you in ages!” She exclaimed, waving back. She turned to Newt.
“And you are…” she said, prompting an answer.
“Newt. Newt Scamander. I work as a Magizoologist,” he stammered, but she cut him off.
“I remember you. I saw you at the Blind Pig. That was real selfless what you did, trading your Bowtruckle for the information to help Tina.”
“Really?” Newt said, slightly awestruck. She started to reply, but Tina cut her off by clearing her throat.
“Time is running out, remember? We only have as much time as the spell will last.”
“What spell?” Charlotte asked.
“Newt got injured when we were here. He was shot in the shoulder by a guard. We put a spell on it so he won't feel the pain, but when the spell wears off, he'll feel everything he's done to it in the time that the spell was on.” Tina responded, looking directly at Newt. Charlotte walked over to him and grasped his shoulder with a firm grip.
“Broken scapula,” she said with definity, “I can fix it.” She said a spell under her breath and tapped his shoulder with her wand. Tina watched in awe as Newt’s expression changed from uncertainty to relief.
“I…I can't believe it. It's healed,” he said in an awestruck voice, “Not the gunshot wound, but the broken bone. Thank you, Charlotte.”
“No problem,” she replied with ease.
“Now let's get going.” Tina commanded.
When they climbed out of the case, which had been returned to the Muggle Worthy setting and was held by Jacob, they began to walk as nonchalantly as possible through the halls of Nurmengard. As they passed cell after cell of innocent people, one particular cell caught Newt’s eye. The only occupant was a young woman of about thirty, with dirty and matted dark brown hair, who was shackled to the wall.
“Leta.” Newt said with a gasp, nearly under his breath.
“What?” Tina asked in a concerned tone of voice.
“Leta Lestrange is in that cell. We need to save her,” he said, his eyes pleading for the others to agree. When they didn't respond, he approached the cell’s bars with his wand drawn.
“Finestra,” he muttered, causing the bars to shatter. He half-ran to Leta, shattering the shackles that held her wrists to the wall.
“Leta,” he whispered, holding her in his arms, “It's me, it's Newt.” His voice was begging her to respond, commanding her to awake and recognize him. She stirred awake with a start.
“Newt,” she murmured, the stood up with a start. “We've gotta get outta here! It's Grindelwald!”
“Leta, I'm going to get you out of here.” Newt said, steadying her as she stood.
“Newt. Merlin’s beard, I can't believe it's you. He told me that you wouldn't come, he swore you wouldn't come. But you did. You came to save me.” She said, eyes wide with shock. When she saw the others, she asked:
“Newt, who are they?”
“Oh, that's Tina, Queenie, Jacob, and Charlotte. Everyone, this is Leta.”
“Hello, Leta,” Charlotte and Jacob responded, but Tina and Queenie stood silently, Tina staring bitterly at the ground and Queenie staring into Leta’s eyes.
“Newt, can I speak to you for a moment? Alone?” Queenie asked politely.
“I can't see why not,” Newt replied, moving over to her.
“It's about Leta. She's not as insane as you'd think she is. She's…she's hiding something, but I can't tell what it is. Don't trust her. For Tina’s sake,” Queenie whispered.
“Well, we can't just leave her here. We at least need to rescue her,” Newt replied, sounding mildly irritated, “I know that you don't like Leta, but I'll remind you that you didn't attend school with her. You never knew her like I did.”
“But do you really?” Queenie said, and then retreated back to Jacob. Newt scowled to himself. Queenie could be right, of course. Leta could have changed in the time they had been apart, but Queenie was biased. She didn't want him to be in love with Leta, but with Tina. He wasn't sure which he loved more. Leta had been his closest friend for six years while at Hogwarts, but Tina had saved him several times and they had become close. After wandering silently for a few minutes, Charlotte broke the silence.
“You think we should split up? Three and three? If they realize that we're gone, they'll send people out to search for us. They'll be looking for four, not three. Maybe five, if they figure out that Leta’s with us. We have the element of surprise.”
“We might as well.” Tina replied distractedly.
“I say that for groups it should be Queenie, Jacob, and Tina for one, and Leta, Charlotte, and I for the other.” Newt proposed. He hated seeing the dejected look on Tina's face, but if she knew why he had proposed this, knew it was to save her…
Queenie walked over to him.
“I know why you made the groups this way,” she said, an edge to her voice.
“It's not what you think. I'm not entirely sure that Leta is completely trustworthy, or even completely sane. I don't want Tina to get caught up in a trap if she leads us into one. I'm sure that Charlotte is a fine warrior, not that Tina isn't, she is, truly, but I need Tina to stay safe. If we're caught together, Grindelwald will torment her to make me talk. I can't let her suffer for me,” Newt confessed to Queenie, “I couldn't forgive myself if she did. Keep her safe.”
“I know how much you love my sister, Newt, and she loves you just as much. If you die, she'd be devastated. If you'd seen her when you were unconscious, well, she sat by you the entire time, held your hand, stroked your hair, murmured to you that you'd be fine. So keep safe for Tina,” she said with a soft smile. Newt nodded and he and Queenie turned to the others.
“Jacob, Queenie, Tina. If…if we don't meet up again…” he was choosing his words carefully, trying to avoid facing the fact that they may perish attempting escape, “I leave my suitcase and everything in it to all of you,” Newt said, walking towards Tina.
“I know that this isn't the best time for a gift, but I did promise you a copy of my book and I intend to give it to you,” he said, handing her the full manuscript. She opened it, just as he hoped that she would, and he saw her face light up as she read the inscription he had written on the inner cover.
“Newt, I can't even begin to thank you enough,” Tina said, he voice wavering slightly. She held the manuscript in her hands, and he could tell that she realized that it also contain the information to care for his beasts. Her hand drifted to her neck, and she unclasped her long, golden locket and handed it to him.
“In case we don't see each other again, I wanted you to have this,” she said, smiling sadly. She could tell that he couldn't even begin to express his gratitude to her in words. In return, his hand drifted to a pocket in his vest, for he had left his jackets in his case, and withdrew a bowtruckle.
“In case you need a second escape plan during your career,” he stammered awkwardly.
“Oh, Newt,” Tina said, her eyes welling with unshed tears. She hugged him close to her and kissed his cheek.
“For luck,” she said, and then turned and bounded over Jacob, leaving him standing there, blushing slightly, an awestruck expression on his face. Leta cleared her throat angrily.
“I thought that we were escaping now,” she said dryly.
“We are. Do you know a way out?” Charlotte asked, sounding irritated.
“Of course I do! I nearly escaped once!” Leta snapped.
“Calm down, both of you,” Newt said tensely, “If we can't escape on our own, we can at least distract the guards so the others can.”
“Come on! It's this way,” Leta pointed out, nodding in the direction of the hallway.
After walking quietly for a while, Leta broke the silence.
“Newt, what's in your pocket?” She asked.
“Oh, it's…it's nothing,” he nervously stammered.
“Right. It's from the girl who kissed you. Tina, isn't it?” Leta said in a voice demanding a response.
“Yes,” Newt responded in a voice that declared the topic too sensitive for further discussion.They continued walking, until Newt asked Leta a burning question.
“Leta, how could you bear the guilt of me being expelled in your place?” Leta shrugged and responded;
“I tried to think of other things, mostly,” she lied. She lead them to a dark room.
“Leta, where's your wand? It's so dark that I can't see,” Newt said. He could use his wand, but if it was a trap, he wanted to be able to defend himself.
“It's in my hand. And it's also pointed at Charlotte’s back,” she replied, and Charlotte made a sound like a small growl.
“You don't happen to still have your silver knife, do you?” He asked before he realized that he probably didn't want to know the answer.
“I have that, too. It's at your shoulder,” she said, pressing the cold knife blade against his injured shoulder.
“How did you know?” Newt asked, for he didn't remember anyone mentioning his injury to Leta.
“I could tell,” she said, “And unless you want it injured worse, you'll turn yourself in to Grindelwald with no resistance.”
“We both know that you won't kill me, Leta.” Newt said, raising an eyebrow.
“No,” she said, “But I can kill Tina.” She saw him tense, and gently pushed the blade harder against his shoulder injury. Newt gave a slight gasp, but didn't waver. His hand slowly drifted to his wand, and he slowly slid it from its felt half-holster and pointed it behind himself at Leta.
“Flipendo,” he said, and Leta was knocked backwards, but not before leaving Newt with a fairly large and deep cut across his injured shoulder. He ignored the pain and began to duel, Charlotte and Newt against Leta.
“How could you betray me, Leta? I trusted you. I loved you,” Newt confessed, “And I still do.”
“It's quite easy,” Leta yelled, “When you left, it destroyed me. I had no friends, no allies, even, and everyone knew that I was really the one responsible for the Jarvey incident!”
“When I left,” Newt shouted, “I left to save you, Leta. You don't know what it was like, expelled at sixteen. I had to work at the Ministry, making only six sickles a week, until Mr. Worme asked me to write a field guide to magical animals. I sacrificed ever for you. If you had been expelled, it would have destroyed you!” Charlotte charged at Leta, who swung out, breaking Charlotte’s wand in two. Newt aimed a curse at Leta, but she deflected it, causing part of the wall to implode, revealing a tall female in a grey overcoat.
“No,” Newt said, under his breath. Tina Goldstein was armed and ready to join the fight. She drew her wand and ran up to him.
“Tina, you need to leave,” Newt said to her, the look on his face betraying the need for her to leave in his voice.
“I'm not leaving you to die. He's on his way here, I saw him,” Tina said.
“That's exactly why you must go,” Newt said, turning to her. They looked into each other's eyes, seeing the emotions they were afraid to share with each other, and Leta seized the opportunity to strike. She aimed her wand at Tina's chest and fired a Reducto curse. Newt knew what was going to happen before Tina did, and plowed into her, taking the brunt of the blow. He hit the wall, and Tina heard a cracking sound. His arm was bent at an odd angle.
“YOU MONSTER!” Tina shouted through her tears of grief and anger. Leta dropped her wand in shock, and an enraged Tina swiftly Stunned her. Charlotte picked up Leta’s wand.
“She busted my wand,” she complained, but then fully realized what had happened and thought, not the time, Ducain. Tina ran to Newt’s side and shook him, trying to get him to respond. If she had lost him to Leta… He stirred and struggled to sit up.
“Newt,” Tina said, but couldn't find the words to express how she felt, “Your arm is broken.”
“I can tell,” he said with a grimace, “And my scapula is rebroken as well.” Tina frowned worriedly and helped him stand.
“Ducain, what's the spell you used to fix his shoulder before?” Tina asked, her eyebrows creased with worry.
“I forgot. It was special for my wand,” she replied. Tina muttered the spell that Queenie had used to stop the pain in Newt’s shoulder on his broken arm.
“It worked,” Newt informed her, “I don't feel anything except for a dull throbbing.”
Queenie and Jacob arrived, and when Newt realized that they didn't appear to have his suitcase, he asked;
“Jacob? Did you lose my beasts?”
“No,” Jacob replied, “Queenie shrunk it down and put it in her pocket.” Newt gave a sigh of relief, and then turned quite serious.
“I need all of you to get as far away from here as you can,” he ordered, and added, “I'll be right behind you.” Tina looked at him, her eyes full of emotion, and he was afraid that she would begin to cry. She embraced him and held him close to her.
“You're bleeding,”she worriedly pointed out as she felt warm, wet blood on her hand.
“I'll live,” he whispered in reply. And then she gently kissed his lips, and he was no longer the slightest bit afraid of what could happen to him if Grindelwald caught him, only what could happen to Tina.
“Was that for luck as well?” He asked Tina, who grinned in response.
“No. That was for love.” Newt began to respond, but heard footsteps echoing throughout the massive prison’s walls.
“Tina, you need to leave. Now,” he said, his blue-green eyes full of worry. Tina felt panicked. She'd never seen him this worried before. She'd never seen him worried at all.
“No, I'll help, we'll fight together,” she pleaded, but he shook his head no. She knew that he wouldn't let her stay, but she had to at least try, “Why can't we fight together?”
“I don't want anything to happen to you, I'm worried for you, Tina.” Newt said, his eyes full of worry and sadness.
“Whatever happened to ‘Worrying means you suffer twice’?” Tina asked, but Newt couldn't tell if it was an attempt at humor, or a legitimate question.
“Go, Tina. I'll see you again, I promise you,” he pleaded, his voice driven not by his brain, but by his heart. Tina felt like the world had been pulled from beneath her feet.
“Newt, I love you,” she said, her eyes brimming with tears. He smiled sadly, almost to himself and replied,
“I know.” The footsteps were getting closer, and a guard banged on the door. Tina pulled out her wand. Imagining leaving Newt was difficult, but she refused to let them take him without a fight. Newt noticed the sudden change in Tina, and made eye contact with Queenie, silently begging her to understand what he was about to do, and Stunned Tina. Queenie, Jacob, and Charlotte caught her when she fell, and Disapperated. The guards broke down the door, and Newt held his head high.
They roughly dragged Newt through the desolate prison until they reached Grindelwald’s throne room. He was lounging lazily on the stone throne, but sat up very straight when the guards dragged the wizard who had led to his imprisonment at the MACUSA. A guard punched Newt’s bad shoulder and he stumbled forward.
“Well, well, well. If it isn't the great Magizoologist Newt Scamander,” Grindelwald said in a sarcastic monotone, “Here to hand himself over to us to oh-so-valiantly save his friends.”
“I'm not afraid of you, Grindelwald,” Newt said, his eyes full of steely determination. Grindelwald only smirked in reply.
“You will be soon, boy. You will be soon.” Grindelwald drew his wand.
“I believe that you have information that I desire,” Grindelwald said, walking slowly towards Newt.
“I know nothing of the sort,” Newt snapped in reply.
“Right. I wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore put you up to this stunt, breaking into my stronghold,” Grindelwald droned in his scarily calm yet threatening voice.
“Why would Dumbledore use a Magizoologist as a spy?” Newt asked.
“Well, the Americans used a tailor as a spy during the revolution. People always do the unexpected,” Grindelwald replied.
“Not always,” Newt countered, and drew his wand. “Expelliarmus!”
Grindelwald easily countered the blow, and sent Newt a volley of curses to block. When he successfully did, Grindelwald scowled. Newt certainly looked tired and weakened, but he was stronger than he looked. They continued to block each other's curses and cast some of their own. Newt pressed the attack as much as he could, but Grindelwald cast a spell at him that raised him in the air and threw him to the ground. Newt lay there for a moment, his body aching, and searched for Leta’s face in the crowd of hundreds. When he found her, he called out,
“Leta, why did you join Grindelwald?” She gave an evil smile in reply.
“He offered me something that no one else could: revenge. On you.”
“What have I ever done to you?” He asked, his eyes wide.
“You abandoned me at Hogwarts,” she said angrily, “We want you to suffer for what you've done to us.”
“What I've done to you? I believe that it was Grindelwald that tortured me in the subway, not the other way around,” Newt said, trying to convince Leta to take his side.
“Yes, but you got him imprisoned. And I am his right hand woman. That's why I let him use me as bait for after you broke your friend out of prison.” Leta flicked her wand, and her matted hair turned luminous, and her ragged appearance became beautiful. He gazed at her, his eyes wide, but Grindelwald interrupted the moment.
“Yes, yes, very wonderful. Take him away, I'll question him later.” Newt could tell that by “question,” Grindelwald really meant “torture,” but he held his head defiantly high, and resisted the guards attempts to drag him through the prison.
The guards unceremoniously shoved him into a cell, soon followed by Grindelwald himself.
“Mr. Scamander.” Grindelwald droned, “I intend to get the information that I desire.”
“I will never betray my friends for you,” Newt replied, his voice sharp but calm. Grindelwald calmly drew his wand.
“We will see. Crucio!” Newt had heard about the Crucio curse from his time in the Army, but he had never imagined that it would be this excruciating. He heard someone scream as the pain arched through his body, but his senses doubted that it was him. His brain told him that it was. He stumbled blindly and grabbed the wall, the pain blurring his vision. He gave a sigh of relief when it was over.
“You have some level of resistance. That will not do,” Grindelwald said in an inhumanly calm voice. He cast the lightning spell that he had used on Newt in the subway, and Newt fell to the ground, his body racked with pain.
“Now we can talk again. Where is he?” Grindelwald asked, smiling evilly and squatting down to Newt’s position on the ground.
“Torture me all you want,” Newt responded, his voice hoarse and his throat raw from screaming, “I'll never…I'll never tell you where he is.”
“That can be arranged, Mr. Scamander,” Grindelwald said, drawing Leta's silver knife from the pocket of his robes and pressing it against Newt’s calf, when the lightning curse had burned him the worst. Newt gave a yelp of pain, but didn't respond to Grindelwald’s question. Grindelwald pushed harder, the sharp blade pressing farther into the already tender flesh.
“No…no, I'll never tell you where he is, never,” Newt said hoarsely, his eyes wide from the pain, whether trying to convince himself or Grindelwald, he was unsure. He tried to pull himself into a standing position using the wall, and Grindelwald cut deeper.
“I'll never tell you, so stop,” Newt gasped, tears running down his face.
“The boy, I need the boy, tell me where he is,” Grindelwald said, pressuring him to admit where Credence had fled to, “Tell me, and the pain will end.” Newt thought of Tina, imagined her face as clearly as he could through the blinding pain, and knew that he could never give the Obscurial’s location away.
“Never,” he gasped as the knife slid deeper into his leg. Newt tried to pull himself into a standing position using the wall, but to no avail. Grindelwald squeezed Newt’s broken arm tightly, and Newt gave a cry of pain, and avoided his gaze. Grindelwald shook him and roughly jerked his head up to eye level. Grindelwald sneered evilly, but even as he did, Newt pulled out his wand.
“Expelliarmus!” Newt yelled, knocking the knife out of Grindelwald’s hands. He sent several curses at Grindelwald, who was caught off guard.
“Well done, Mr. Scamander,” Grindelwald said as struggled to block the curses.
“I've been practicing,” Newt modestly admitted as he rapidly blocked more. Grindelwald grinned evilly.
“So have I,” Grindelwald replied, and dodged a curse that shattered the wall. Grindelwald tucked the knife back into his robes. The Magizoologist made a desperate attempt at escape through the broken wall, but Grindelwald swung out, catching him on his cheekbone. Newt staggered backwards, but leapt forward in an attempt to Apparate. Grindelwald caught him as he left, and they Apparated to the snowy forest below the prison.
“You can't evade me forever, Mr. Scamander,” Grindelwald taunted as Newt stumbled forward.
“No,” Newt replied, “But I certainly can try.” He cast some more curses at Grindelwald, who only looked bored.
“A foolish remark from a foolish man. No wonder you were placed in Hufflepuff,” Grindelwald sneered, trying to provoke Newt into attacking.
“Who's more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?” Newt said in reply. The attack on his school house had hurt, but at least it wasn't physical pain. He still couldn't put much weight on his leg that Grindelwald had slashed open. The blood was running down the side, the salt agonizing against the burn. Grindelwald ignored the question.
“If you join me, you'll have power beyond imagining,” he offered.
“I would die before I join you. I'm not a Grindelwald fanatic,” Newt said in response.
“Then I suppose that you must die, Mr. Scamander.” Grindelwald said in a scarily calm voice. Newt lunged towards Grindelwald, and Grindelwald slid Leta's silver knife from his pocket and cut across the Magizoologist’s side with it. Newt stood still for a moment, wide eyed, until the pain registered and he gave a sharp cry of agony as he tumbled to the ground. Grindelwald wiped the blood from the blade on his robes before turning to where Newt lay. He gave Newt a sharp kick to the ribs, and Newt gasped.
“Nightfall is here, a new day is dawning, Mr. Scamander. A pity you won't be part of it,” Grindelwald said.
“You'll never win,” Newt groaned, pain coursing through his side with every breath.
“We shall see,” Grindelwald replied, turning his head to the sunset as he Disapparated.
The snow surrounding Newt’s side was crimson. Perhaps it was burgundy. He couldn't tell in the darkness. He could grab his wand and cast a Lumos spell, but that would mean moving. That would mean sitting up and reaching past his injured side. It would, in essence, mean excruciating pain. He had been in pain before. He had the scars to prove it. Nothing this bad, however. Nothing close to this bad before. At least the cold snow had numbed the burn on his leg a little. A little, but not much. He had debated whether or not to tear off one of his sleeves to wrap around his leg to keep his leather boot from rubbing against the burn on his leg, but ultimately decided not to for the same reason he didn't grab his wand, which lay by his thigh. Right now, moving was a euphemism for pain. Also, he reasoned, if he tore off his sleeve, it would mean exposing his arm to the frigid cold. It could mean frostbite. It could mean death. He thoroughly regretted leaving behind his jackets. December nights in Germany were anything but pleasant. You've messed up this time, he thought to himself, and you can't magic your way out. He heard a small clicking noise, and something small, green, and spindly crawled out of his pocket.
“Pickett?” Newt whispered, “I thought that I gave you to Tina.” Pickett clucked in response.
“What do you mean that I gave Finn to Tina? Was he in my pocket as well?” Newt asked, and Pickett climbed across Newt up to his chest. His leaves were slightly singed, as if he had been too close to a fire, but seemed unharmed. He could tell that Newt was not, however.
“Merlin's beard, Pick. I'm so…I'm so sorry. I can't…I can't even begin to apologize,” Newt said, wincing. It hurt to talk. He moved his unbroken arm and clasped his fingers around his side wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. The pain was getting worse, if possible. He shivered from the cold, wet snow that surrounded him.
“Pickett, I…I think I'm dying,” he said, then realized how ridiculous it seemed to be discussing death with a plant. All he wanted to do was sleep, but if he drifted off in his current condition, he feared that he would not wake up. He needed to hold on, he knew. He hadn't escaped Grindelwald and Nurmengard to end up…what, he wondered. Dead from pneumonia? To bleed to death lying in a snowy forest? The latter seemed more likely, he presumed, with the only thing between the snow and his blood his fingers, which the blood wasn't stopped by. Neither were particularly excellent ways to go out. Pickett clucked as he pulled something golden out of Newt’s pocket. Tina's locket. He remembered promising to stay safe for Tina, then laughed under his breath. That was one promise he'd failed to keep. Just like he had failed to save the Sudanese girl. Like he had failed to save Credence. And now he was failing to save himself.
“I'm dying,” he pointed out bluntly and mostly to himself. He was very, very cold, but the area of his left shoulder was quite warm. That's rather odd, he thought vaguely. He could have sworn that only his calf had been burned by the lightning curse. Then he suddenly remembered something vital: he had a lifeline. Queenie Goldstein, if she heard him, if she had forgiven him for Stunning Tina. Queenie, help me, please Queenie. We're stuck, Pickett and I. We need your help, please! He thought, willing Queenie to tap into his mind. He was breathing hard, suddenly, and gave a cry of agony as he clutched his side. He needed to hold on, needed to…
Queenie Goldstein had made her sister comfortable. She had regained consciousness, but still was worried about Newt. Very worried, in fact. Queenie had insisted that she lay down, but she refused to. So Queenie made her a warm drink to calm her down. She was coming in with a mug on a tray, when a harsh cry of No, no, I'll never tell you where he is, never! broke through her mind, followed by screams of pain. She dropped the tray, splattering the drink across the floor.
“What is it, Queenie?” Tina asked, grabbing her sister by the arm and guiding her to a chair. She saw no point in lying to Tina.
“It's Newt. They're torturing him, Tina. He's in terrible pain,” she confessed, and Tina leapt up.
“No, no, we have to save him, we have to!” She said, half to Queenie and Jacob and half to herself.
“No, we have to wait. It's as hard for me as it is for you,” Queenie insisted, “But we need supplies. Jacob, get the spare bedroom ready, would ya, dear? I'll get some medical supplies, I'm sure he'll need tending to.” Tina sank into a chair and held her head in her hands. This is all my fault, she thought, and Queenie turned to her.
“Aw, Teenie, it ain't your fault. It ain't nobody's fault except for Grindelwald’s.”
“He told me to go, and I left. I could have saved him!” She yelled, tearing running down her cheeks.
“No, Grindelwald would have tortured you instead to get Newt to talk. And he would have. He loves you, Tina. Newt Scamander loves you more than he loves any other human on the planet,” Queenie confessed, “He would die for you, Tina.”
“I know,” Tina said, “He's dying for me right now.”
It took a while to get all of the supplies ready, and Queenie couldn't help very much. Newt’s voice kept breaking through her mind, and she recalled a philosophic piece of advice she had once given him. People are easiest to read when they're hurting. She hadn't know that it worked physically as well. His pain was greatening, and his strength was diminishing. He was dying, but not from the torture. His voice, this time more desperate than ever, broke through her mind. Queenie, help me, please Queenie. We're stuck, Pickett and I. We need your help, please! It was now or never, and she refused to let him die.
“Jacob,” she whispered, beckoning him to come to her, “It's Newt. I've got to go. Keep Tina here.” And with that she disapparated.
Newt heard a cracking sound and half expected a tree to crush his legs. It would be his miserable luck. It even hurt to breathe.
“Newt! What in the name of Deliverance Dane happened to you?” A worried Queenie Goldstein asked. She had expected him to be injured, but not this bad. Mercy Lewis, not this bad, not laying on his back in bloodsoaked snow.
“Grindelwald,” Newt groaned in response. Queenie ran to his injured side and ignored the blood, peeling back the cloth from his shirt stuck to the wound. It was deep, but only a flesh wound. No internal damage, thank Isolt. He grimaced, a small cry of pain escaping his lips, and she ran her hand through his hair.
“This is gonna need more medical help than I can give it. We'll have to go to the MACUSA hospital,” she admitted, but Newt looked horrified.
“No…we can't go to…MACUSA. They'll impound…my suitcase…take…my beasts…obliviate Jacob,” he said, and then winced.
“You don't gotta talk when I'm around, dear,” she said calmly, but he ignored her advice.
“Queenie…don't let…don't let Tina see me like this,” he begged her, but grimaced and gasped.
“Ssh, honey, don't talk, you'll hurt yourself,” she muttered, and then heard another crack.
The snow surrounding Newt’s side was crimson. Perhaps it was burgundy. All Tina Goldstein's racing mind registered was that it was the color of blood, and that her beloved Magizoologist lay in it. Queenie walked away to allow Tina and Newt to be alone. Tina's eyes filled with tears. Was he so badly injured that they couldn't save him?
“Oh, Newt,” Tina muttered as she ran to him, “Newt, please don't die.” He was hurt badly, she could tell, but he had to live, he had to.
“Tina…please don't… worry about me… it looks worse…than it feels,” he said, and struggled to sit up. He winced and laid back down.
“Newt, please tell me the truth. How bad is it?” Tina asked. She was near terrified.
“It's…it's quite bad,” he confessed, “But don't worry…it doesn't hurt…too badly.” Tina knew it was a lie, for he winced several times while saying it.
“Newt, I don't want you to get hurt,” she said.
“Tina…I love you,” he admitted, and she smiled sadly.
“I know,” Tina answered simply, “Now let's get you to safety.” Tina and Queenie pulled him into a standing position and Disapparated.
