BLACK PANTHER. ❪ Newt Scamander ❫ ✓

thirty-one

"All he cared about was little Corvus," Kama stated.

"So...this is the truth? I am Corvus Lestrange?" Credence asked hopefully.

"Yes," Kama answered.

"No," Leta answered.

Credence stared between the two. He was waiting for an explanation. They were going back and forth, never talking about who he really was.

Kama turned to look at Leta. "Realizing that Mustafa Kama's son had sworn revenge, your father sought to hide you where I couldn't find you. So he confided you to his servant, who boarded a ship for America," Kama said.

"He did send Corvus to America, but - "

Kama cut Leta off. "His servant, Irma Dugard, was a half-elf. Her magic was weak and therefore left no trace I could follow. I had only just discovered how you had escaped when I received news I never expected..." He turned to Credence. "The ship had gone down at sea... But you survived, didn't you? Somehow, someone had pulled you from the water! A son cruelly banished, despair of the daughter's return, great avenger with wings from the water. There - " he pointed at Leta " - stands the despairing daughter. You are the winged raven returned from the sea, but I - I am the avenger of my family's ruin." Kama raised his wand. "I pity you, Corvus, but you must die."

"Corvus Lestrange is all ready dead! I killed him!" Leta shouted, raising her wand. "Accio!"

A heavy box, hidden in the corner of the mausoleum, flew to her through the dust. The locks moved around like a puzzle, clicking. Then, it fell apart.

Leta touched the book, fingers gliding across the pages. "My father owned a very strange family tree. It only recorded the men... The women in my family were recorded as flowers - beautiful, separate. My father sent me to America, along with Corvus. Irma was to pose as a grandmother with a grandchild. Corvus never stopped crying. I never wanted to hurt him. I only wanted to be free of him, so I switched the babies. Just for a moment. Just a single moment. The ship was sinking. Irma took the wrong baby. The real Corvus died that night - by drowning," Leta explained.

"You didn't mean to do it, Leta. So it wasn't your fault," Newt reassured.

"Oh, Newt. You never met a monster you couldn't love."

They both looked at each other, almost lovingly. Neeki frowned, not understanding the relationship between Newt and Leta. Tina did the same, but she seemed to understand more than Neeki.

"Leta, do you know who Credence really is? Did you know when you swapped them?" Tina asked.

"No," she answered.

Neeki had a feeling that something else was missing - there had to be. It was as if someone gave her a little push in the right direction.

"Why did you call me Miss Tarnovsky?" Neeki questioned Kama, surprising Newt who stood next to her.

"You, black cat, are a surprise to everyone," Kama said. "You have managed to weave through Grindelwald's hands, or so everyone thought. He had been furious at your mother for running away with you. She protected you, and in turn, she was murdered. Your parents were followers of Grindelwald. They were loyal - his left and right hand - until your mother betrayed him because she loved you too much to hurt you. Odd, isn't it? How love works? Your father stayed loyal to Grindelwald until he met his demise. He was sent on a mission to track down someone who betrayed Grindelwald, but he was killed. I'm sure Grindelwald has plans for you, Miss Tarnovsky. After all, there is a reason as to why he locked your memories away."

An opening suddenly appeared in the wall of the mausoleum. They all stared at the steps that led down before walking down. There was a gigantic crowd of people, cheering. Jacob immediately found Queenie and ran after her before anyone could stop him. Credence and Nagini walked side by side. Newt, Neeki, Leta, and Kama were together as they walked around, while Tina followed after Jacob.