Chapter Text
The ministry was always hot during the summer.
The regulation of temperatures had not yet settled around England, especially not when you’re hundreds of feet underground. It’s why Newt hated coming here. Having to sit on a bench, the fabric of his pants sticking to the wood beneath him, made his skin crawl. Watching people walk in their stuffy pant suits and their silk dresses made the experience even more suffocating. He’d sit there, following the figures as they floated by him without so much as an acknowledgement. Who would want to talk to a magizoologist anyways? At least, that’s what his brother had told him in the howler asking him to come here.
Newt sat back, listening to his back hit the wood. It collided with the metal bars along the walkway. He twisted in his spot. The people looked like ants from this height. They were going about their days, sharing family pictures with their favorite coworkers, sipping on cold coffees on their way from one meeting to another. He sighed, his chin coming to rest on the handrail. They all looked miserable, though he suspected someone down there enjoyed their job.
A soft squeak pulled his attention away from the ant-like-people. Instead, his eyes focused on his jacket. His lapel moved up and down. The sound of stitching ripping caused him to smile. Sniffing was just barely audible from the inside of his coat. He sat rigid in his spot. A fuzzy head peeked its way out, searching for the source of the sound.
The seems ripped, and Newt felt something small hit his thigh before tumbling down onto the carpeted floor. He watched Pickett fall after it, rolling to a sudden halt as one of his golden buttons rolled down the hallway. Teddy held onto his tie. His eyes were attached to the shiny material. Tension hung in the air between the three.
Out of the corner of his eye, Newt could see Pickett looking up at the two. His mouth opened and he yelped, scrambling to run after the button. Teddy let go, jumping after him. Cat and mouse. Newt snorted and pushed himself off the bench. He collided with the ground in a similar manner. His knees groaned and he could assume if they hadn’t been covered, he’d have been suffering from some serious rugburn.
Teddy snorted as well, pushing off the rug to leap after it. Newt's hand shot out to grab him, missing him by a hair. Pickett squealed at the chase, stumbling and shoving at the niffler running alongside him. The button circled, drumming against the floor before falling with a dull thud sound.
Teddy pounced, only to be shoved back by Pickett. Newt snatched the button, seeing the opening between the twos fighting. Silence filled the air. He listened to the two creatures huffing at his side. Newt could only grin, holding it for them to see. He would never admit to gloating, but… well he was gloating.
Footsteps alerted them and they all turned, eyes finding velvet shoes settled neatly in front of them. Newt looked up. A smiling face and gentle eyes were watching him crawl around. Leta Lestrange. He scrambled, hands scratching at the ground as he picked himself up in alarm.
“Hello Newt.” Letas voice was quiet, always filled with a hint of excitement.
Teddy hummed, scattering over to Leta. His tail wagged and his nails hissed against the carpet. Leta laughed. She knelt down, holding her hands out to the niffler. Teddy jumped into them, a smile crossing his face.
“Hello to you too, Teddy-” Leta was cut off by the sound of Pickett grunting. “And to you, Pickett.”
“Hello, Leta,” Newt looked down, his voice trying to mirror hers, “it’s good to see you again.”
“It’s been quite a long time, hasn’t it?”
Teddy climbed up her shoulder, circling around her. He sniffed loudly. Newt frowned. “Leta he’s trying to take your necklace-”
Something clicked and they both watched the pearls fall to the ground. Newt tensed. He studied her face, watching her eyebrows raise and her chest heave. After a moment of silence, a smile spread across her face and she laughed. Newt felt himself breathe again. His anxiety fizzled out.
“Teddy-” She scooped him off his perch, holding him out in front of her. “What did we say about those?”
Teddy hummed again, squirming around in her hands. He was trying to look down at the ground. She lowered him, letting him grab them and stash them in his pocket. Newt snatched him up before he had the chance to scatter.
“Who knows what he’d get up to if he got loose in here-” Newt held him close, holding his elbow out for Pickett to latch onto. “Never be able to find him.”
“A niffler running loose in the Ministry of Magic would certainly be a more exciting day than the one we were having before you showed up,” Leta sighed, her arms crossing over her chest. “I don’t suppose I’ll be getting those back anytime soon.”
“I don’t suppose so, no.”
Teddy smiled bashfully, holding his arms close to his torso. Leta shook her head, waving for them to follow her. Newt scooped up his case with his free hand. Pickett settled back into his lapel pocket.
“Your brothers been quite excited for you to visit,” Leta said. She glanced over her shoulder at him. “He was hoping he could convince them to come to you, so you wouldn’t have to leave your post in Norway. We know how busy you’ve been up there.”
“Right,” Newt nodded. “I was working with a group of wizards to try and figure out where a native group of Norwegian Ridgeback got off to. We were tracking them when I got his howler.”
Leta laughed, covering her mouth. “I remember him making that. He sat at the table and laughed. He couldn’t take himself seriously. He kept insisting he felt like he was telling off a child. Said that feeling was very familiar.”
“He’s probably talking about when our mom sent a howler to Hogwarts.” Newt shivered at the thought. “She yelled for the longest of times. It was quite funny, really. Theseus was in trouble, which wasn’t as normal. Though, I can’t quite remember what for. I was also in trouble-”
“Really?” Leta asked, feigning confusion. “ The Newt Scamander in trouble? No .”
“Really,” Newt responded. He felt real confusion bubble in his chest though he brushed it off. “I’d gotten caught for raising another creature in the common room.”
“Of course it was. What is it-” She turned forward, her arms swinging by her sides. “That makes strange creatures love you so much?”
“Well, there aren't any strange creatures. Only-”
“-blinkered people,” Leta finished his sentence.
“I suspect they think I’m one of the good ones.”
Leta smiled, shaking her head. They rounded a corner and a man came into view. He was pacing quickly. He’d start at a door and then cross to the railing. Newt was sure if he hadn’t heard them coming, he’d be pacing a hole into the ground.
“Newt!” Theseus smiled, his eyebrows raising with surprise. “I didn’t think you’d actually come!”
He opened his mouth to respond before Theseus crossed and pulled him into his arms, squeezing him before shaking him back and forth. A noise slipped past Newt. He tensed. Theseus automatically let go.
“You said it was important,” Newt looked down. “If it’s important to you it’s important to me.”
“Right-” Theseus reached out to place his hip on Letas' waist. He kissed her cheek. “Thank you Leta, darling.”
“You’re welcome.”
She nodded, waving to Newt before turning to set off back down the hall. He assumed she was swamped with meetings. Since Theseus was currently occupied, anything he was supposed to attend that day had probably been spread out between those around the Ministry. Newt assumed Leta was in charge of it all. That, or she was attending appointments that the head of the law enforcement department couldn’t handle.
“She seems quite happy,” Newt whispered, glancing at his brother.
“I hope she is-” Theseus shook his head. “Somethings bothering her. Can’t figure out what it is… Sorry. The meeting-” He cleared his throat. “This isn’t about your travel ban-”
“I was told it was lifted.” Newt nodded to himself. “MACUSA spoke with the minister-”
“Right,” Theseus said. He reached out to fix Newt's tie, to which Newt backed away from. Theseus dropped his hands. “Listen. Whatever they say in there, just try and handle it without…”
“Being me?”
“Well no…” Theseus sighed. “Well yes. Just try and come at them with some sort of understanding. They don’t know all of what happened in New York so they’re trying to listen with an open mind.”
Newt nodded. Theseus turned and opened the door, allowing himself to walk in. Voices drifted out of the room. Newt looked down, fixing his tie slowly before heading in.
The group turned to him. He studied the faces watching him. He could recognize two of them: Rudolph Spielman and Torquil Travers. The third he couldn’t name. Newt awkwardly rounded the table, setting his case down under his chair before taking his seat.
“Newt Scamander, I suppose.” Spielman leaned forward. “I hope you don’t mind that we invited Mr Guzman to the meeting?”
Something in him clicked. Arnold Guzman, an American Emissary. “No, of course not. It’s good to meet you sir.”
“I suspect we’ve met each other before, Mr Scamander,” Guzman corrected, offering a smile. “Back in the subway station in New York.”
Newt stayed quiet, his lips pulled in a thin line. He suspected he should say something to be polite but nothing particular came to mind. He could see Theseus puff out his cheeks in the darkness, leaning back in his chair. Bored, no doubt, Newt thought, or judgemental already.
Travers sat forwards, flattening his shirt out against his abdomen. “Right,” he cleared his throat, “I don’t suspect you know why you’re here?”
“No, sir. My brother has failed to inform me. Just that it was important I make the trip.” Newt looked back at his lap. “I suspect you’re going to tell me, however, if I knew or not.”
Theseus rubbed his chin, looking at the ceiling. The three men shared a look. Newt couldn’t quite read it. They weren’t nearly as easy to decipher as his brother was.
“Well-” Spielman rubbed his hands together. The sound made Newt's skin crawl. He pulled at the hem of his trousers. “It’s come to our attention that… a maledictus has… been stolen from our network of witches and wizards through England recently.”
Newt felt himself perk up. He looked up at the three expectantly. “A maledictus?”
“Yes,” He shifted in his seat. “Her name is Nagini.”
“Nagini?” Newt repeated. He went silent, thinking. “Sorry, sir, if you don’t mind me asking, how was she ‘stolen’ from you?”
“She was in our custody. We moved her to MACUSA to prosecute her.” Guzman looked at him, his smile absent now. “She was tracked down in North America last week. We believed she was in communications with another individual that MACUSA has been anxious to find.”
“I’m sure you’re familiar with Credence Barebones, Mr. Scamander,” Travers waved one of his hands.
“Of course, Mr Travers. The only issue with that is he’s dead,” Newt said, clearing his throat. “I watched the aurors office blow him to pieces. I’m not sure how he could possibly be in communication with your maledictus.”
One of the officers off to the sides walked forward, placing a leather bound journal in Travers hand. The man pulled his glasses out of his pockets. He studied the front before looking back at Newt.
“I don’t suppose you recognize this?”
Newt stared at it. His mind was wracking through what he could remember before he paused. It was his notebook. It had been missing since the attacks in New York. Travers threw it across to him. He fumbled when catching it.
“Your page on obscurials was truly… fascinating. I really enjoyed the part where you mentioned that an obscurial couldn’t die in their obscurus form,” Travers chuckled, tapping his chin. “Quite a shame you’d leave something like that lying around.”
“Sir I’m not quite sure I know what you’re talking about-”
Spielman slammed one of his hands on the table. The room fell silent. There was a light buzzing in Newt's ears as he sunk down into his seat. Theseus was looking back and forth between the group, looking ready to say something. He kept his mouth shut.
Part of Newt wishes he’d stepped in.
“Quit the bullshit, Scamander,” Spielman sat forward. “We know he’s alive. He’s somewhere in England at this very moment traveling with an incredibly important individual.”
Guzman put a hand on the other's shoulder. “Which is why-” He cleared his throat, forcing the other to sit back. “We want to offer you a proposition.”
Newt stared blankly at them. The hem on his thigh was starting to fray and his palms were growing sweaty with nerves. “That is?”
“You find Mr Barebones for us along with Nagini and put an end to them and you’ll walk free. If you refuse, you’ll be heading a new magical creatures department here. Your brother-”
“Sorry-” Newt rubbed the back of his head, looking at them. “You want me to kill two people or take an office job?”
“An office job that would allow you to detain both these creatures and return them to MACUSA for proper questioning. It would benefit both you and them.”
“You’re talking about Credence and Nagini as if they aren’t humans,” Newt squinted, “which I don’t quite understand. I apologize, sir, but they’re both as human as we are.”
“They’re beasts, Mr Scamander,” Spielman responded. His cheeks were reddening. “They’re not the same as you and I are-”
“You’re afraid of them because they’re different?” Newt sat back with a sigh. “Mr. Spielman, sir, I don’t know if that’s a very…. Plausible way to help run the ministries. You’d be afraid of your own reflection at that point.”
His eyes caught Theseus rubbing his cheek, a habit he had when he was forcing himself not to laugh in inappropriate situations. Newt pulled at his hem again, trying not to draw too much attention to how his brothers responded. Spielman opened and closed his mouth slowly, his hands hovering in front of him. If the reference hadn’t been inappropriate, Newt would’ve compared him to the likes of a common goldfish. He bit his tongue.
An awkward silence lingered around the table as the three men shared looks of confusion, bafflement, and satisfaction. Guzman smiled, nodding to himself. The rustling from Teddy inside of Newt's jacket filled the absence. He patted his chest, trying to keep him silent.
The wood next to one of the bookshelves creaked. Newt looked up. His attention was drug back to Guzman, who leaned forward slowly.
“Scamander, if you don’t take either offer we’ll be forced to respond with… drastic decisions.” He laid his hands on the table. “As I’m sure you know, we would prefer to avoid that.”
“D-”
“‘You talk about them as if they’re not humans,’” a mocking voice moved closer to the table, laughing. Newt tensed. “They’re animals that seek the destruction of the fold between the magical and non-magical worlds, Mr Scamander.”
Newt shot up, his eyes connecting with Gunnar Grimmson, well known beast hunter and someone Newt refused to communicate with no matter how desperate Grimmson was for information. Some would call him a savior, Newt would call him a bounty hunter for those who couldn’t defend themselves. He had scars running the length of his face, dipping into his neckline. His hands were bruised and cracked from years of service to the ministries. There was a chunk of his right ear missing and his hair was going gray around his scalp.
“Credence is just a child,” Newt retorted. “He would never hurt anyone. He didn’t mean to do what he did in New York-”
“It sounds like you and I remember New York quite differently. His destruction reigned terror on the non-magic community and he put an end to countless MACUSA aurors,” Grimmson waved his hands. “But none of that matters to you? Does it? So long your precious beasts are concerned?”
“I remember New York fine, and I’m sure the head of the aurors office at MACUSA understands just as well as I do. I don’t seem to understand what you don’t-” Newt blinked, trying to push down his annoyance. “They’re-”
“Not beasts. I’ve heard you.” Grimmson shrugged. “Just like Albus Dumbledore was not a tyrant? Or miss… ah what was her name. Por-”
“Tina Goldstein,” Newt cut in. “She doesn’t concern you.”
“Newt-” Guzman looked at him. “If you don’t take the offers we’ll have to handle the situation somehow.”
“You can’t just let them live?” Newt placed his hands on the table in front of him. “You can’t just accept that some people want to be left alone?”
“That’s not how these issues work,” Guzman sighed. “If they did, we’d understand your frustration. But Credence needs to be brought to justice-”
“Just like you’re doing with Grindelwald? Keeping him locked up in a cell instead of having him answer for his crimes?”
A hush found its way in the room again. Guzman sat back, his expression unreadable. Spielman and Travers were staring at him. Their blank expressions were making his blood run cold. Newt snorted, pulling his case from out under his chair. He snatched his journal off the table and turned abruptly, shoving past Grimmson to leave. He hesitated, his hand resting on the doorknob. He waited, watching them all turn to him.
“Good day to you all.”
He walked out, slamming the door shut.
-
Silence buzzed around the room, shared by the five remaining individuals. Theseus felt his chest tightening. His eyes landed on Grimmson who lingered too far over the table. His eyes were connected with the center. Water bubbled out, spewing itself across the black marble.
“Show me them,” he whispered.
An image bubbled to life in front of them. Two figures, dressed in large, beige coats and caps were boarding a ship. Theseus could recognize the ship. The Forde. It was a ferrying ship that had begun sailing only a month prior. It would take passengers across the English Channel to France. Grimmson smiled again, his teeth an abnormal white against the darkness of the room. The image fizzled out, the water sloping back into the hole at the center of the table.
“I assume I have the job, gentleman?