The Soft Kitty Chronicles

What's In A Name?

"Aurelius!" Grindelwald hissed, gripping the bars of his cage. "What the devil do you think you're doing?"

The Obscurial had arrived not long after his master had gone missing, with everyone from Abernathy to Vinda Rosier joining in the search. The only problem was that Credence didn't know what he was doing in terms of casting spells, and was now attempting to pick the lock using a twisted piece of wire.

"Aurelius, my boy, use your wand! There are spells for unlocking such things." Though he tried to be patient with this inexperienced yet immensely powerful wizard, Grindelwald couldn't help thinking this was a waste of time, and that he could've escaped by now if the poor boy knew how to cast a proper spell.

"M-my wand?" Credence paused, looking up at him and trembling slightly. He could hear the anger in his master's voice, and he was afraid, not knowing if this man would turn on him like so many others. "B-but I don't know how..." he murmured. "I learned how to do things the No-Majuggle way, s-sir. This is how I freed Nagini when Skender punished her by keeping her locked up."

Grindelwald sighed, covering his face with his hand. Apparently this boy didn't even know what to call nonmagical people. "Aurelius," he said slowly, lowering his hand and taking a deep, calming breath. "The incantation is 'alohomora'. Point your wand at the lock and speak the incantation."

Credence looked at him as though such a thing were impossible. Grindelwald smiled.

"You can do this, Aurelius."

The Obscurial reached into his pocket and withdrew his wand. The smile quickly faded from Grindelwald's face when he saw sparks leaping from the tip of Credence's wand. He remembered how the boy demolished the mountain outside his home, and suddenly he had a vision of Credence accidentally lighting everything on fire while trying to free him from the cage.

"On second thought, perhaps you could try the other method," said Grindelwald, a nervous chuckle chasing his words. "You're more skilled in that particular area, are you not?"

Credence's face fell. Did his master not believe in him?

"I guess so." Credence carefully placed the twisted wire in the keyhole, jiggling it a little before a soft click sounded in the dark. "I think I got it."

The door swung forward, squealing on its rusty hinges. The noise was enough to alert the ringmaster, who rounded the corner just in time to see the pair of wizards sprinting across the tent.

They were joined a minute later by a flaming apparition, its haunting cry causing Grindelwald to double over as the sound met his ears.

"Pancakes!" exclaimed Credence, the magnificent bird flying alongside its owner.

"What? Pancakes?" Grindelwald clapped his hands over his ears, muffling the calls of the phoenix. "Don't tell me you named it Pancakes!"

Credence's face went red with embarrassment. "I can't name my phoenix Pancakes?"

This gave Grindelwald an idea. Quick as a wink, he summoned the flaming kitten he'd accidentally conjured in the Lestrange mausoleum, the cuddly cutie materializing at his side as he called its name.

"Sherbet! Come here at once, Sherbet!"

Before long the tent was ablaze, sheets of crimson and sapphire rising to consume the canvas as the beasts burned the path behind them. Skender had no choice but to abandon the chase, watching as the wizards and their flaming familiars Disapparated outside the tent.

.oOo.

Later that evening, as Grindelwald lay next to his beloved companion, he told Albus about their adventure, and how he was forced to rely on Credence in order to escape the circus.

"Pancakes, Albus! The boy named his familiar Pancakes!"

Albus chuckled, grinning as he put his arm around Grindelwald's shoulders. "Ah, but you chose to call your familiar Sherbet." He tilted his head to the side, his eyes twinkling. "How is that any different?"

"It's short for sherbet lemon!" spat Grindelwald. "You know, sherbet lemon, lemon drops, sweets. It has meaning, Albus. It's significant because it reminds me of you. But that boy," he paused, shaking his head. "He probably blessed it with the name Pancakes because he was hungry."

Albus smiled at him. "What's in a name?" he said simply, thinking this would put an end to their discussion.

Grindelwald raised an eyebrow. "Yes, well, let me tell you the rest of our story..."