The Pain Worth Extending

Chapter 2

Newt woke up to the sound of the birds flying past the Hufflepuff boy's dormitory window. He had spent most of the previous day trying to get answers from Dumbledore, about his unexpected relationship with the most dangerous wizard of his time. As Newt had expected, the niffler desperately tried to escape multiple times from his breast pocket and take over the spoons that stirred on their own arounds the cups of tea. The silver necklace containing their sealed blood pact was floating in the air, slowly rotating in front of them so that Newt could admire it as the professor confessed. The conversation lengthened at the point Dumbledore felt the need to wander around his office in order to continue. He finally asked Newt if he would mind leaving the room and explore the castle as they chatted.

Newt's the one who decided to stop and leave it for later. He really wanted to know, but it seemed like a complex and fragile thing that caused pain to Dumbledore when he talked about it.

'The truth is, our friendship was beautiful, Newt... once.' He said. 'Now it is a terrible thing. Therefore, the truth must be treated with caution.'

But still, he partially couldn't stop thinking about his beasts. He wanted to go down his case and take care of them. It was late in the night when he came back up.

The first thing that came to his mind when he got out of bed in the morning was Theseus. He put on his shoes and ran to the grounds of the castle. The other Aurors that'd come with him the previous day immediately disappeared, but he agreed to stay for the night. Newt convinced him. But he still wanted to stay with him, who was slipping through his fingers. It wouldn't be as easy now.

He tried to use a speech about how they had to stay close to each other more than ever. After all, a war was on its way.

'And that is exactly why I cannot stay in here, Newt' he stroked back. 'We are not talking about just one war among wizards, but also about another war between muggles that could be devastating for us too, and I won't make any progress at all by staying here as if nothing was happening' he added before following his own path.

'But at least, would you help me? You know, you're not the only one who's lost someone.

Theseus stopped and looked back at Newt, angrily.

'No, I'm not... It's not about me and Leta, I'm... Jacob wants to make people happy' he spitted out, confusing Theseus. 'He's devastated because of what happened to Queenie. Now it is our turn to make him happy. To distract him, at least. Theseus, do it for a friend.'

'Sorry Newt, but he's your friend' he corrected in a cold, serious way. 'But you can still give him some advice from me. Tell him not to worry. At least Queenie can still come back.'

And he disappeared.

'All right!' Newt shouted at the emptiness his brother left behind. 'Go and get yourself killed!' He said, making himself feel a little sick.

He returned to the castle, following the birds chant, thinking about the four remaining companions he could ask for help. He did not expect Kama to have a different reaction than his brother's, but he joyfully discovered he was wrong. Some hours passed and Kama woke up. Newt met him — and Nagini — at the entrance courtyard and tried to stop him from leaving like Theseus, but...

'Actually, I wanted to have a word with you, Mr. Scamander.' Newt looked down as always to divert uncomfortable visual contact and noticed Kama was holding something, a book: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He felt flattered. 'Mrs. Goldstein borrowed it to me. It's really good, I must confess. I read more than what I was looking for.'

'What was it that you're looking for?' he asked, curious — and glad to see the interest impact he was waking in his fellow wizards.

'Goldstein told me that, in my unconsciousness, you took out some kind of parasite out of my eye. Thanks for that too.' Kama looked down at the book cover. 'But I wasn't able to find an illustration according to its description.'