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It was a sunny afternoon of June 1991, in the garden of the Scamander couple. Newt was sat at the table, recounting one of his many adventures to two of the neighbours' kids. This was rather common, the village's children always loved hearing about fantastic creatures – or maybe they just came for the many sweets and treats that “Mister Credence” offered them.
For his part, Credence was occupied with a pastel painting, a hobby he took up many years ago to calm his nerves, and that he still greatly enjoyed. One of his pet kneazles, Milly, had been laying in the sun for a while and it was too great an opportunity to miss. It was not often that he could make a decent portrait of her. Hopefully, she would stay still just long enough for him to finish painting the highlights of her fur.
Suddenly, a screech of excitement came from behind him.
“Mister Scamander! Look! Look! I got your card!” called little Jasmine as she showed the glossy card from her chocolate frog box to his husband.
Sadly, it had been enough to wake up Milly, who jumped away from her spot to hide behind a wiggenbush.
With a sigh, Credence put his chalk back and scourgified his hands. He would have to improvise the last details before enchanting his piece of work. It's not like he could even be mad at the little girl, she was just too adorable with her pigtails and her chocolate-covered mouth. He thus joined his husband, Jasmine and her elder brother Rowan at the table to serve himself a glass of lemonade.
“Can I see Pickett, please?” Jasmine asked with expectant eyes.
“Yes, but be careful, alright?” Newt said as he took the bowtruckle from under his hat. “He is quite delicate.”
The little girl took him gently in her hands. “Thank you Mister Scamander.” She was now looking at the creature with a big grin on her face.
“When do you think you'll go back on a trip Mister Scamander?” asked Rowan.
“I'm not sure,” he answered, playing with the liquorice wand in his hand, “Maybe we should go to Brazil next month! I've been really interested in fire slugs lately and that would be the ideal time to...”
“Darling, I doubt we have the time for another trip so soon,” interrupted Credence, “We still have to get our travel permits for Tina's birthday party in August. And there's already so much to plan. Also, you promised to help Miss Collins to relocate the nifflers currently digging holes in her garden”.
“But Credence, that would really be the best moment to go there. If we wait for too long there may be too much rain to walk through the rainforest without too much difficulty, and I'm sure you wouldn't like to see your dear husband stuck in the mud once again, would you? Oh ! And we could visit my friends in Mexico just before...”
Credence's glare made him stop mid-sentence.
“Firstly, my dear husband,” he retorted “I hope you're not implying we travel illegally through America. You're lucky you're allowed to travel at all at this point. Or even get out of our house. Secondly, I'm sure there will be time to see your fire slugs before the next high-water season without having to miss Tina's ninetieth birthday. And thirdly, you can only blame yourself for getting yourself stuck.”
Jasmine raised her eyes from the bowtruckle in her hands.“How did you get stuck in the mud Mister Scamander?”
“Oh, I'm not sure you would find that interest...”
“But for sure they would!” Credence cut him, “You see, we were having a really nice time in Scotland, I don't even remember where exactly, but during a walk he asked me to wait for him since he had just seen an “odd looking” snidget and he should absolutely go after it. Well I should have gone with him because he apparently forgot to watch where he was walking and I found him an hour later, neck deep in a bog, and he somehow managed to throw his wand 6 feet away in surprise.”
The children erupted in laughter, and Newt, blushing, suddenly asked: “Shouldn't you two be going home? It's getting a little late, I wouldn't want your mother to worry.”
After finishing their lemonade, and in Jasmine's case, getting her face washed, the children hugged the couple goodbye and hurried home.
“I hope you're not too mad at me for telling them,” Credence asked with a little smirk.
“Of course not, you did save me from that bog after all.” And he swiftly kissed his husband's lips.
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Later that night, after feeding their creatures, they went back to the garden. They often did this during summer. They watched the night sky, with a shawl on their shoulders, their three kneazles on their laps and a hot drink in their hands.
After a while, Newt turned to Credence. “You know I wouldn't have missed Tina's birthday, right?”
Credence took a sip of his chocolate. “Of course I know, you like her way too much for that. I know you just get really excited when talking about your travels.”
“Yes. Yes I guess. Also, I'm sure she would manage to hex me from New York if I don't show up. Or maybe Queenie would,” he chuckled.
After a pause, he continued. “So, how does September sound to you for our trip to Brazil?”
“Oh dear Lord, Newt, you're killing me,” Credence moaned.
“Does that mean you're coming?”
Credence rolled his eyes and put his head on his husband's shoulder, smiling. “Yes. Yes, of course I'm coming. You need someone to get you out of the mud.”