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Newt Scamander gazed out over the Black Lake that shimmered in the last light of the late-evening sun. Dusk had cast a hazy glow over the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The grounds were covered in a thin blanket of snow that gleamed and sparkled when the sun’s rays touched them, like fractals of broken glass. It was nearly supper time, but the young wizard felt anything but hunger. Newt stood by a wandwood tree, his favorite tree of all the ones that littered the grounds of Hogwarts. He’d spent many an hour at this particular tree. Newt had even brought her here before everything that had happened.
Up until the previous week, Newt’s life had been going fairly well. He had just returned from the winter holiday break to complete his seventh and final year at Hogwarts and had just been reunited with his very best friend, Leta Lestrange. He had brought her to the tree numerous times before and had even revealed his secret after a particularly difficult day in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He had shared the joy he felt when he came to his quiet place, and she had stomped all over it, as if it had meant nothing to her. Now, his time here was over.
Today would be one of his last visits to his small friends that resided within the wandwood tree: a family of Bowtruckles. They were plant-like creatures with spindly green legs and leafy heads and they nearly resembled a walking twig. If one did not know where to look, they would miss the presence of the Bowtruckles completely. Fortunately for Newt, he knew more about them than the average Hogwarts student. Dare he say, he likely knew more about them than his own Care of Magical Creatures professor.
Newt trudged through the snow towards the tree and gently pulled back a branch that concealed the entrance to the creatures’ hiding place. The Bowtruckles trusted him and responded to him kindly. They were never afraid to climb onto his hand or into his pocket. Newt smiled slightly and sighed, whispering to the creatures. “I’m going to miss you all. Stay safe, alright?” His plea was met with a chorus of chirps as they gazed at him curiously.
With his wand, Newt conjured a small stool to sit on. Not even the chattering of the Bowtruckles from within the wandwood tree could pull him from his thoughts of Leta, and the grim fate he now faced because of her. As a result of the stunt she pulled by releasing a Jarvey on another student, she was nearly expelled from the school. However, in a moment of weakness, Newt had foolishly believed that Leta could have loved him. He blindly took the fall for her antics and she remained silent. She never defended Newt or his innocence. She had never loved him, and it took an act of betrayal for Newt to realize that.
In the span of a week, Newt had lost his best friend and the girl he thought he loved. He was expelled from Hogwarts, had disgraced his family’s name, and was no longer permitted to do magic once he left the school. He really had nothing good left. His creatures would eventually be taken from him and he was sure that his father and older brother would disown him completely. He considered his options many times. He could run away to America and start over, but how would he get there? He could try to get a job at Hogwarts, but without magic, that was nearly impossible. Maybe his professors would speak on his behalf? It didn’t matter anymore. The last option was a more drastic one. A more...final one.
In his darkest moments, Newt had murmured a quiet “Accio rope” to himself and toyed with the tough, frayed strands that hung attached to his wand. This was one of those moments. Freezing wet tears trailed down his face as he turned the rope over in his hands and looked up at the lowest branch of the wandwood tree. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to leave the magical world and its wonderful creatures behind. Newt had never done anything more than hold the rope, weigh his options, and ultimately push the dark thoughts to the back of his mind. But this time was different...he’d lost so much more than before and his future seemed grim at best.
Newt stood up and wiped away his tears with his warm black and yellow scarf, the colors of his Hogwarts house. He looked once more towards the branch and murmured a quiet “Ascendio”. The rope grew out of the tip of his wand and reached towards the branch, wrapping itself around the tree’s arm as if it were a serpent. Newt tugged slightly and the branch appeared to be firm enough to hold his weight. He then moved the stool closer to the tree. Newt took a deep breath and hopped up onto the stool, gaining a better view of the Bowtruckles. Most of them paid him no mind, but a few were chattering away, watching his every move. It was as if they knew what was about to happen.
Suddenly, as Newt looked down, he saw an unexpected flash of green in the snow. With curiosity, he stepped down from the stool to examine the object that had caught his eye. He knelt down in the cold snow and upon further inspection, saw very small leaves peeking through the white, smooth surface of the ground. Newt pushed the snow away to reveal what was beneath it: a juvenile Bowtruckle.
Newt gasped upon realizing that the tiny creature wasn’t moving. “Poor fellow, you’ve gone and gotten yourself lost haven’t you?” he asked, to no one in particular. Newt murmured a warming spell over the small creature, who was nearly frozen. After a few moments, the creature warmed in his hands and slowly blinked its eyes open, looking up at its rescuer. The Bowtruckle attempted to chatter to Newt, but he shushed the creature immediately. “Save your strength little one. I need to get you up to the school.”
Whirling around to run across the ground back to Hogwarts, Newt ran directly into one Albus Dumbledore.
“Professor!” the boy exclaimed.
“Newt…what are you up to?”
“I was just…” Newt turned hesitantly to look back at the rope dangling from the branch of the tree, then looked at his professor with a terrified expression on his face. “Professor I…there was a Bowtruckle…I need to get a healing potion for him.”
“I see. And this?” Dumbledore asked, gesturing to the scene before him.
“I…er…” Newt’s head dropped in shame, as he couldn’t find the words to speak.
A warm smile spread over Dumbledore’s face as he gazed at his student. “Well, nevermind that.” With a swish of his wand, all evidence of Newt’s intentions were wiped away. “It appears you have a job to do, this little fellow is counting on you, is he not?”
Newt slowly lifted his head up to meet his professor’s gaze. The older man’s eyes twinkled slightly as they made eye contact. “He is,” Newt whispered, hesitantly.
“Then go, I’m sure there’s a potion you can use in the Care of Magical Creatures classroom right now. No one will bother you,” he told the boy knowingly.
“Right, thank you, Professor,” Newt responded, turning to make his way to the castle.
“And Newt?” Dumbledore added.
“Yes, sir?” Newt replied.
“I’ve convinced the Ministry to allow you to keep your wand. You must be able to earn a livelihood, even if you are not permitted to complete your education. So please, no more attempts like today, alright?”
“Yes sir,” Newt nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome Newt, now go see to that Bowtruckle,” Dumbledore responded kindly.
A faint glimmer of hope flashed in Newt’s mind. He’d been given a second chance, thanks to the Bowtruckle and his mentor.
The next day, Newt was to leave Hogwarts forever. He attempted to coax the juvenile Bowtruckle back to his family in the wandwood tree by the lake, but it was no use. The leafy creature was attached to him like glue and refused to reintegrate into his group. Newt was his ‘mummy’ and there would be no changing that. The small fellow had saved Newt’s life when he needed it the most, and it wouldn’t be the last time he did. As Newt gathered his trunk and exited his small workspace to meet his parents in the Great Hall, he caught a faraway glimpse of Leta. She was hiding in the shadows and whirled away before Newt could catch her eye. ‘Coward’ he thought, shaking his head, walking away from the ghost of the girl he’d once loved. He glanced at the Bowtruckle, whom he had named Pickett, and smiled. The creature had settled on his shoulder and was happily chirping at his caretaker. Newt knew that their bond was a special one that would last a lifetime. Newt whispered, “Thank you, Pickett. I’ll never forget what you did for me.”
With that, Newt left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a new purpose for his life and the years to come.