#credence barebone x you

[ink-and-blood-goddess]

List of Character Fanfic Requests V

ATTENTION ALL FANFIC READERS! I REPEAT, ATTENTION ALL FANFIC READERS!

My fifth list of character fanfic requests is opened for requests now.

Links to my other lists are down below:

List of Character I

List of Characters II

List of Characters III

List of Characters IV

When making a request through either my inbox, DM, or comments, please include a plot for the character you're requesting for. This will help me out more when I start writing.

I take time into writing fanfic requests and my own, because I have a job and personal life to handle on a daily basis. So please be patient, kind, and courteous, because it takes me time and energy writing fanfics when I've got nothing else going on.

My inbox is opened whenever I post new requests lists, but keep it closed most of the time. I do keep my DMs (Direct Messages) open 24/7 when the request inbox is closed at the time.

If anybody has questions, DM me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can :)...

Loki Laufeyson-MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Vladislaus Dracula-Van Helsing (2004) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Dracula-Dracula 2000 (With Gerard Butler) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Vlad Tepes/Dracula-Dracula Untold 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Queen Akasha-Queen of the Damned (2002) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Jan Valek-John Carpenter's Vampires (1998) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Edward Dalton-Daybreakers (2009) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Prince Daemon Targaryen-House of the Dragon 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Prince Aemond Targaryen-House of the Dragon 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Arthur Curry-Aquaman 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

King Orm Marius-Aquaman 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Durza the Shade-Eragon (2006 movie with Robert Carlyle) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Credence Barebone-Fantastic Beasts Series 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Morgan Avery-Patient Zero (2018) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Archangel Michael-Legion (2010) 🌸❤️‍🔥👐🏻💐💘🖤🔪🩸🔞

Symbols:

🌸-Fluff 

❤️‍🔥-Smut 

👐🏻-General 

 💐-Dating 

 💘-Romance 

🖤-Angst 

🔪🩸-Violence 

 🔞-NSFW

Citrus Scale: 

🍑 (Peach)-No Sexual Interactions 

🍎 (Citrus)-Romantic hug/or kiss 

🍊 (Orange)-Romantic hug/or kiss with a hint of sexual interaction 

 🍈 (Lime)-Heavy making out with light groping 

 🍋 (Lemon) Actual Sexual Intercourse

[kulapti]

Bookbinding of A Wizard's Devotional by @polymathema, March-July 2023.

A Wizard’s Devotional (Fantastic Beasts, Percival Graves x Credence Barebone) is about recovery from depression, some magic politics drama, and the complex experience of navigating whether and how to practice Christianity as a queer person especially if your religion was weaponized against you. Fics about Credence often touch on this, but most of the time religion is either mentioned extremely briefly or the character immediately and aggressively rejects his religious background. Those choices are good interpretive options that have their place. However, AWD leans in to a space where many queer Christians find themselves as young adults. I appreciate polymathema's compassion for this character and the many contradictions between his upbringing and experiences. I also recommend this work for gay yearning and nuanced approach to characters dealing with depression.

— About this project under the cut

I’m very excited to show off this binding now that I have mailed a copy to the author! Huge shoutout to polymathema for answering my questions, he was very nice when I (a random internet stranger) asked him stuff about a fic from years ago.

This binding one of a nearly identical pair I made, and part of my ongoing project where I plan to make four matching bindings of my favorite fics from the Fantastic Beasts fandom. My personal copy is pretty much the same except for the spine decorations. I’ll post more photos when the set of four is done! To be clear this is the copy I mailed to polymathema; whenever I make a ficbinding, I try to contact the author and offer to make them a copy as well.

Can you even imagine my delight when I found obscurus lookin fabric!! The resale store had a lot of colors but for this particular piece I wanted the codex (physical book; the actual “book” is the text) to look somewhat like a religious text considering its themes, so I went for the subtler, not quite subdued navy as opposed to a brighter blue or purple option.

Materials: Textblock is archival paper, laser printed text, scrapbooking cardstock endpapers, with linen and beeswax stitching, reinforced with cotton cheesecloth as mull. Sewn endbands are cotton embroidery floss. Covers are Italian rayon bookcloth (spine) and hand-dyed cotton batik backed with handmade wood pulp paper (ink-like cover pattern). Cover lettering is machine-cut metallic heat transfer vinyl. The case is constructed of archival bookboard, handmade wood-paper, cotton rag paper, and PVA craft glue.

[lichoulychou]

You're losing me

Actor! Credence Barebone x Actress! Reader

Modern! Au

Summarization: You and Credence are actors that had been in a relationship for quite long and one day a new love team surfaces between him and nagini.. The more it had continued on you feel abandoned and unlove so you decided to...

Warning: Angst, mentions of cheating, love team, Reader feels abandoned by credence, arguemeants, Sad ending, cursing, and insecurities.

(I'm bad at english so please bare with me)

Before all the events, Credence had texted you.

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Credence: Love!!

Credence: I got the role for the movie I applied for!

Credence: All tho I'll have to have a new lead actress for this one, would it be okay for you?

(Y/N): That's great for you love!!

(Y/N):Ofcourse its okay! Literally its our job!

(Y/N): Goodluck!! Don't tire yourself out much!

Credence:Ofcourse! I'll never forget you even if I have someone else as my co-star..

Credence: Loveyou!

(Y/N): Loveyoutoo!🩷

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After all that it had been crumbling for you, you felt happy for him at first ofcourse. Then suddenly it just all crashed down, he had been giving more time to the girl than you. It made you feel insecure, you felt as if nagini was prettier than you, she'd always been but it hurt you.

The more time had passed more articles would make rumor's about them being together, and each time it never failed to hurt you. Most of their fans hated you, always commenting how they look better than you and credence being together.

But as you broke down your phone buzzed, a new notification from him. He finally texted you again. He reminded you about something..

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Credence: Hey, get ready we have a date night.

Credence: But we have to be quick, me and nagini's manager wants more publicity action.

(Y/N): Ok careful driving.

(Y/N): Loveyou hun :)

Love🩷 Reacted to your message 👍🏻

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He always said "I love you back" now all he does is either leave you on read or react to your message, your credence had grown distant to you and it made you feel so lonely and cold. How did someone so sweet turn so cold and unresponsive? You sighed as you thought more about how much he's change ever since he got this role. He spent more time with nagini now.

You can't leave him you thought, hey it's for his career right? Maybe he'll turn back sweet again and be the same old credence he was. You tried to re-assure yourself as you got ready in the shower.

After you got done you did your hair and make up. Hoping that psyhically he'd still be sweet and cheerful. As you finally put on your shoes, you hear the doorbell ring. It must be credence, you thought to yourself. After you opened your door it really was credence and he looked tired and cold. But most of all he didn't give you flowers like he usually did. Back then even if tired he'd give you a bouquet or a single flower. Now not even anything, but still maybe it was just nothing maybe he had just forgotten since he had been tired.

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(Timeskip)

You guys had arrived in the restaurant, still Credence still seemed to be un-energetic. You didn't want to annoy him or anything so you decided to stay silent until both of your orders had arrived.

As the more you zoned out, you didn't realize that the food that you guys had ordered finally came to your table. You hear most of the plates clank as it hit the table snapping you out of your thoughts.

"So how was your day today hon?" You finally spoke after the silence you both endured in the car and upon entering the restaurant.

"It was fine, everything was tiring but nagini made it fun atleast" He said mentioning her name again, it made your heart feel like it was shattered for a thousand pieces. So you just nodded and took a bite out of your food.

After he mentioned her you felt like you lost all energy to even talk about anything to him. So you just stayed silent before he finally spoke first for the first time in the past few months.

"Are you fine?" He said, it made you feel happy that he finally noticed something was wrong, but still this was the bare minimum right?

"No, I'm not. Its just this days you can't even seem to spare me a single glance. It feels so cold without you. Even in your day off's it feels like you spend more time with your co-workers" You said finally confessing how you felt.

But instead of re-assuring you he suddenly got annoyed. "Jeez (Y/N), its our literal job that I would risk if I gave you more attention that this goddamn movie! Its like I should give you all of my attention, I just want a goddamn rest mygod!" He yelled at you and it made you feel so upset and it made you more lonely than you ever used to have.

After you both ate, you both just rushed in the car and didn't talk as he drove you back to your house.

Neither of you said sorry, you just got out of the car. He didn't even walk you to the door he just left immediately his car roaring loudly as it left.

You suddenly got a notification from your manager saying that there will be a gala for tomorrow night.. Which also means Credence was invited and it would make both of you look awkward, but hey he'd probably be just hanging out with nagini so what's there to worry about now?

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(TIMESKIP TO THE GALA NIGHT)

As you got ready the more you anxious you get, you tried to re-assure yourself but you couldn't handle it.

Suddenly you get another notification from twitter it was an article.

"Nagini and Credence spotted together last night hugging each other?"

You'd see the whole article and if you said it didn't bring such a huge sting into your heart people would see right through you.

Finally you were done and ready to go to the gala, you wanted to cry and breakdown as the time passes on. You just wanted to call credence and seek for his comfort but you knew not to settle for less so you decided that you'd confront him this night.

You snap out of your thoughts when you remember that your driver had honked his car outside to let you know that he had been there.

------------------------------------------------------------------

You finally arrived in the place that you all had been assigned to, just as soon as you stepped out the flashes of the camera's blinded you but you continued to strut down pretending that you felt confident despite everything that has happened in your life.

"So (Y/N).." You hear a cheerful voice besides you and when you look at them it had seemed like they were an interviewer.

"Oh my! Hello! Rude of me not to notice you were right there.." You said once again faking your feelings as you didn't want to bring anyone's mood down.

"So (Y/N) how do you feel tonight? You looks so stunning... You're so beautiful like a goddess has walked on earth definitely!" She said complimenting you, it had sent a deep wave of happiness to your heart as this sweet girl complimented you so nicely and sweetly. It didn't feel like every other interview where the interviewers had been plastic and all.

"Oh I'm fine for now.. But I hope the rest of the night goes well and I just hope everything turns out happy. Also, thank you for the compliment and oh my gosh you look stunning in your own little uniform" You said to her returning her compliment in a thankful manner.

"Aww thank you Ms. (Y/N) , I hope you really do have a fantastic night at this gala." and with that she left you now starting to interview more of the peoplw that had arrived.

Finally after all of the interviews and photo's you saw him and.. Nagini..? I guess it is for their contract after all. You decided to just finally let yourself be free and start drinking.

------------------------------------------------------------------

(Few hours later)

You were drunk and tipsy, you had drank atleast 10 glasses of vodka and 3 glasses of beer. You suddenly felt yourself march up to someone, It was Credence and he wasn't with nagini or anyone at all.

"You! how could you! after eveything we've been through you're gonna choose her over me Credence!?" you'd yell at him as no one could hear you both. You guys were at the balcony after all, a balcony that no one would know you were both up in.

"(Y/N) leave me alone.. You're stressing me out.." Credence said with a tired tone like he had yesterday

"You're losing me babe" You said in a painful sob

"Do something babe please, I still need and want you" You choked out

"What are you talking about?" Credence said sounding almost irritated now.

"Its me or her Credence." You said in a spiteful yet drunk voice.

"Lose something babe, risk something please" You said as you started to violently sob.

"You cannot make me pick between you (Y/N)! She is my friend! I cannot pick between you both!" Credence argued.

" Is she just your friend or do you fucking love her Credence! Is she just a friend or you fell for her while I was suffering feeling all those thoughts as you were seen happy! It all felt like a knife was cutting me deep inside, I felt so lonely credence. I felt so vunurable! You fucking lost me Credence." You said yelling as you cried feeling all your emotions explode. After that you had not waited for him to respond as you finally ran away and called for your driver.

But after you ran you could hear him call for you, it almost made the world feel like it had slowed down but you didn't let it happen and continue to run.

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Hi! I'm gonna do another on of this where it starts with (Y/N)'s pov but then switches to credence so we finally know how he felt about this whole situation. So I'm probably gonna use more taylor swift's songs to emphasize my stories. In the next part I might use dress or cornelia street;))

[werezmastarbucks]

golden

part two - Silver

part three - Black

part four - Green

credence barebone x fem!OC (platonic)

fantastic beasts x hogwarts legacy crossover = au

at the Circus Arcanus, Credence, who's looking for his identity and is trying to free Nagini, is a witness to arrival of a new 'freak'. She's constantly yelling something about poachers, and and revenge, and has strange golden chains on her arms and legs.

warnings: minor SPOILERS for Hogwarts Legacy!!!! mentions of abuse, active abuse, mentions of animal abuse (very light, I hate it), angsty of course, but not too much, violence

author's note: to combine the game and the movie, I had to insert a prophet type of the character, and do the time jump. Let's assume since the character had ancient magic, and is a witch, time is lenient to her. Also, as this is the insert of a game character, I gave her prophetic powers in part, to make it feel more like a reader. idk if it makes sense

word count: 8300

music: mermaid by skott, moon river by audrey hepburn, nature boy acoustic by aurora, hijo de la luna by mecano, la petite mort by coer de pirate

Credence couldn't stand this yelling. When Skender went on whipping another freak, trying to beat obedience into them, the boy with the mop tried to hum under his breath to phase out the noise. All of them were freaks, otherwise, they didn't have names. For the audiences, they had their circus names: the Bonfire Woman, the Wicked Twins, the Snake Woman. None of them ever said these titles out loud, none felt like artists. He, Credence, not being the one on the stage, was less than a freak; he was a nobody. It served him just well at the time. Skender would usually call him 'boy', or 'hey, you'.

There was also a serving house-elf who got the same portion of Skender love as everybody else. He didn't have a name at all, and everybody called him 'elf'.

There was noise. Sometimes his bones would burn, and his joints felt like they were about to be torn out. Credence didn't know whether he was screaming then, or the noise of the circus just became louder.

He only had one thing to do.

Unlike the freaks, he was relatively free to move around, and that and only that helped him to witness a new object being brought. The noise she created was almost insurmountable. Credence hid behind the curtain, his eyelids heavy from the lack of sleep. The smells of the circus were itchy in his nostrils; sweat, wet rags everybody wore, scat, sour smell of rotten food. The smell of burning flesh from the Zouwu cage.

Skender servants were whipping the horses, hurrying with the big cage mounted on the carriage. The girl inside was sputtering curses so quickly Credence couldn't process half of them. She was all golden and young, she looked like a hostage. But she wasn't a freak. Her long braided bronze hair was discheveled, she was definitely a witch. On her wrists, and her feet, there were thin but hot-looking golden chains. As she swirled around in her cage, jumping at the bars like mad, Credence noticed the same type of chain on her neck, locked so tight it must hurt her. Her eyes were bizarre, mad, like she was not all there.

He had the wonderful ability to hide so well Skender couldn't catch him even when he stood next to him behind a shelf with potions and medications. In the commotion of the newcomer, nobody noticed him.

The new freak was kept in a bird-like huge cage that was lowered from the roof of the tent; three people were needed to keep her in place with long poles while the cage was being put in place. Not because she would catch flames or turn into a cougar; but because she was so wild all the time.

The bars of her cage lit red-hot everytime one touched them; it was done not to let her move too much. There was just enough place for her to lay down in fetus position. Credence knew all that because he cleaned, and could hide like a ghost. To kill the time somehow in here, until he could come up with a plan, he hid around the corners, behind the curtains, below the desks, among the empty cages, and listened to everything. He was like a spirit, more than a man; and like an annoying poltergeist, he was treated.

As the dust settled, after her hectic arrival, Skender had the honors of listening to her interminable flow of curses and threats; all too rude and self-confident to Credence's taste. He would cram himself in between the clothing rag and the row of shelves standing behind the tent wall, and peek out with one eye to take a look.

"When I get out, and believe me, I will", she hissed with an accent Credence would place somewhere between Europe and north of England, "you will regret ever seeing me with your two eyes".

Skender laughed, his face almost hidden behind his uncombed, lush beard, his dirty face with little pig eyes glistening with sweat.

"You're now in this cage with the chains, little monster".

She tried to grab onto the bar, and the bar sizzled with the piece of skin from her palm. She yelped with pain and jumped back, cradling her hand. Skender started laughing again. Dull music of bells flowed into the tent in narrow torrents. Her face was almost covered with her hair, but big, golden hoops were glimmering through it in her ears; she looked like a jinn.

The girl crawled back and took the bars with her two hands, as if the scorching iron didn't hurt her at all. The movement was quick, sharp; Skender twitched with his whole body and held his breath for a second. For some time, the only sound in there was the bubbling skin on her hands as she held the bars.

"I will make you eat your own two eyeballs, poacher. Remember that".

Skender grabbed a walking stick placed against a box further away, and took two steps towards the cage. The girl slowly let go of the bars and sat down at the sharp sound of the strike.

"Sit back, and be quiet".

The man left, and Credence stepped deeper into the shadows. As the sound of Skender's steps faded away, he heard the girl moan with pain. He peeked out again: she crouched on the ground, trying not to scream.

▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹▹

"Mesdames et Messieurs! Come closer, see tonight, at the Circus Arcanus, for your pleasure! The ancient creature of magic! Yes, you heard it right! The old hag looks like a young girl but let it not mislead you! For this creature was caught in the darkest forests of Scotland doing ancient magic!"

The crowd gasped. The girl sat in the middle of the scene, on the ground, seemingly unbothered by the dozens of pairs of eyes watching her. Her gold glimmered in the light of candles.

"These chains on her ankles, her wrists, her neck, and around her waist" - Skender banged his stick on the bars of the stage, and nothing happened. "These chains", he repeated again, louder. Of course, she wouldn't perform for him. Her body was shaking with rage. Skender bared his teeth, motioning to the servants to move into the stage and kick her. Nobody would volunteer. Finally, the house elf stepped into the little arena, trembling with fear.

"The chains you're about to see keep her magic at bay. These mind-boggling locks have been forged by Tubal-cain himself, and present another wonder of the world, recovered five hundred years ago in Jerusalem. Only a fine feature of blacksmith art can really contain power like this".

The elf approached the girl carefully and she lifted her face towards him. Surprisingly, she didn't attack him, but even let him get her up to her feet and lift the hem of her chemise a little, where the chain was seen. Having completed this little task, the elf ran back out of the cage quickly. She stayed standing, observing the audience like a wolf, with no human recognition whatsoever.

How old was she, Credence wondered. And does ancient magic really still exist?

"Now, if you will, ladies and gentlemen, on the sides of the cage, we need a little space", elated Skender continued. The spectators shifted and moved, chattering quietly. On both sides of the scene, two magicians appeared, with their wands ready.

"To prove to you how strong the hag is, we will lit her on fire. And believe me", Skender grinned with his showman's sneer, "no hair on her head will be harmed".

Credence caught himself holding his breath. As the two servants shouted, Incendio!, simultaneously, the long fiery tails flew out of the tips of their wands, rushing towards her. The last the audience saw of her was her unmoving position, her face with absolutely no expression. For several moment, she was burning, standing, like a straw figure they burn at the end of winter. After the fire ceased, the viewers gasped once again: the witch was still there, not a sign of burns on her; her clothes, her hair, her whole body unharmed.

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"The next time you levitate", Skender said. After the show, she was dragged and thrown back to her narrow cage, but didn't lose her spirits. Now was the time for her to laugh.

"Miserable fool. I don't levitate by command".

He waved his fist in the air as if he could do something with it. Credence had witnessed her jump on one of the servants with her feet and her fingers spread, trying to gouge his eyes out. She used no magic, but her anger alone gave her a little headstart.

"You will! You will do as I say".

"It doesn't work like that!" she shouted.

"Next time, you levitate like a fairy, or I will start torturing the elf".

The smile didn't quite leave her face, but her eyes hardened.

"You remember what I told you, Skender? Once I get out of here..."

"It won't happen", Skender spat on the floor in front of him. "You talk big, but you won't get out of the chains. You do as I say, bitch, and stop jumping if you don't want your face burnt like your hands".

Credence later interloped the elf as he was bringing her food, and gave him the ointment, for her palms. It wouldn't rid her of scars at once, but should take away the pain.

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Credence loved no one; Nagini loved him. Because he was braver than he seemed, and cared more than he showed. He was nice to her, he talked to her while everybody else, even the freaks, tried to keep their distance. In this little torture prison, the victims even formed alliances and the closest to Skender, put down the outcasts. Credence was not like them, and he was the only one who treated her with decency.

Only through him did she get any news of, if not the world, but at least the enclosed space of their circus. Who perfromed what, who Skender beat up, who left, who came. About the new freak, the ancient witch, she proposed to get closer to her. Maybe she would help them escape; she clearly desires that. Maybe, if they gave her what she wanted - Skender, - and free her of chains, she would liberate them together with her. Credence agreed, but he didn't know how to handle her.

"Be nice to her, like you are with me", said Nagini. Credence was looking down at his shoes on the dirty floor. He was, in fact, not the best for cleaning.

She did not levitate, the next time. As she said, the owner's requirements were unreasonable. There was no way she would levitate. The next performance was a disaster. She just stood there, disinterested, looking at the people outside like she wanted to crunch on their bones. No matter what Skender did; he poked her with his stick and lambasted her with curses, and screamed at her; she wouldn't leviate. Eventually, the servants were called to repeat the same trick with the fire. Credence asked himself, why she bled when stroke with a slicing curse, but wouldn't burn.

After the show, almost as it ended, he raced through the circus. He didn't know why the witch treated the elf so well, but there was talk of her killing poachers in dozens at a time, before she had been caught. He found the elf in the kitchen, mopping half-heartedly, and, with all the magic he possibly had in him, locked him in a huge locket in his little room at the end of the tent, next to the petty, where he slept. He threw some cheese and bread inside, and swore him to be quiet, and listened, as Skender ravaged through the circus, looking for him. He sat on the locket, shivering. Magically, no less than in a sway of miracle, Skender never made it to his little hole. After several hours of beating, screaming and bludgeoning everyone who crossed his path, Skender finally have gone quiet. Maybe he even left the tent to go to the city and buy a new elf; Credence opened the locket and begged with the elf to stay there for a while. The elf didn't much care and didn't fight back as he shoved him deeper.

She was yelling for Skender. Her voice was shrill and angry and made Credence hold on to his head as he approached her cage. The sharp pain in his temples razored him so deep he couldn't see for several seconds.

He sneaked into the place they were holding her and finally stood in front of the cage and not outside, hiding.

She was sitting with her back to the entrance, cursing.

"You should try to comply", he said, interrupting the torrent of crying.

"You should do what he says, for your own sake, and those around you".

He bowed his head a little out of habit. He was still a little intimidated of her, even though she was in the cage.

The witch turned to him, silenced at once. First, she was frowning, but, as she looked at him, her face lit up with a strange expression. He saw the recognition in her eyes, and it took him by surprise. For some time she was even quiet, and then, in a voice no one has heard her use here before, she called,

"Credence?"

She stood oh ner knees and reached her hand through the bars, careful not to touch them. Credence didn't move, uncertain what it meant.

"You know me?"

"Yes", her hand was reaching for him. The gold bracelet on her thin wrist glimmering. Credence wouldn't budge.

"How do you know my name?"

"It's a long story..." she appeared to be pondering something. Then scowled with horror.

"What year is it?"

She had a very young face; not older than eighteen, maybe. It was difficult to say. Her eyes knew something, there were dark shadows around them. But her face was the face of a maiden. And she asked him what year it was?

"Nineteen twenty seven", he said, observing her. She retreived her hand back, touching her head absently, trying to comb her long hair.

"Oh, no", she looked back at him, "we need to leave this place, Credence".

"Is it true that you have ancient magic? That you're old?" he asked, deciding to leave empty politeness aside.

"Yes, but these chains contain it", she said, looking at her wrists. "This one on the neck barely lets me breathe. And to think that I was back at Hogwarts, poachers' doom! That's what they called me! But I completely lost the track of time. I should've understood, when Dumbledore came to teach... I was away for too long..."

Credence blinked several times, frustrated at her empty muttering.

"How do we get them off?"

For a second she thought, then her face lit up. She was so different, so gentle, Credence noticed, when she wasn't screaming profanities at people.

"You could do it". The way she said it was meaningful.

"You... know what I am?" he asked. Familiar itch in the back of his head made him stoop, trying to contain terror tearing out of him. Suddenly he was expecting a strike, but it didn't come.

"Yes", she said tenderly, like someone who really knew him. Credence made himself look up and examined her face again. He was sure they've never met before.

"How? Is it because you're a... an ancient witch?"

"I am not ancient, Skender just invented it for the sake of effect..." she gasped, "the elf! What is with him? Is he alive??"

Credence watch her almost grab on the hot bars again and hurried to answer,

"I hid him. He's okay".

"Oh, thank you, thank you Credence. How many animals are in this circus?"

"Only Zouwu and a kappu. And, well, the elf", Credence shrugged. It felt secondary to him, but clearly, that's what she was most concerned about. "There also used to be a hippogriff and a couple of half-goblins, but Skender got rid of them".

Credence saw she was about to cry.

"What do you mean, got rid of them?"

He tried to actually pull the memory of them from his head; the months at the circus were blurry, like one big, loud, horrible carnival with constant bashing noise and the mixture of color.

"Look. Will you help us if I release you?"

"Who is with you?"

"A friend. Have you seen the snake woman?"

"Nagini?" she asked. Credence decided not to amaze at her knowing them all. He just nodded.

"We should get her out. And the elf. And kappa, and the Zouwu, very important".

He got agitated at her energy, seeing as the plan was suddenly being pulled at the seams. It wasn't their plan to rescue the whole circus.

"No, listen-"

"Bring me the biggest knife you can find, and a bell, alright?"

Credence listened to the outside, making sure nobody was listening to them like he used to.

"Alright..."

She outstretched her hand again.

"Give me your hand, Credence".

Maybe she was about to read destiny on his palm. He saw the scars on her hand, looking very similar to his own. As he touched her slender hand, he felt the surge of magic, and warmth, at the touch of a human. Strange thoughts howled in his mind. He wanted to slide his fingers up and tear the chain from her wrist away.

"We will get out of here. Believe my rage, friend".

As he returned to Nagini to give her the news, he was still pondering on the touch. It seemed he got a glimpse of what his magic could be; as if he touched something equally strong, and equally dangerous as himself, but more golden.

"The next time she's brought to performance, we escape", he said.

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The circus was readying for the evening show. The fire breather was brushing her hair; she gave Credence a glance of resentment as he passed her room. The twins were arguing about something, and the beasts were nervously pacing in their cages. He was overwhelmed with worry; he was sure the witch was going to complicate everything once she's out. It occurred to him in one of those moments, that he never asked her name; while she knew his and Nagini's. In his mind, she was the golden witch. The hoops in her ears, the bracelets around her wrists, and ankles, and neck, all vaguely symbolic, of what, he didn't know. As they gleamed in the bright candlelight, the flashes were as bright as the sun, almost white and iridescent.

Skender's workers poked her with sticks as she walked calmly towards the arena; she did listen to Credence, and became agreeable, convincing Skender he managed to break her down after all. Nagini had been picking a hole in her own cage, in the narrow, thin bars that kept her even in her snake form. At the right hour, she turned and slid quietly, concealing in the shadows of the drapes, while everybody was busy preparing for the show. The look of her empty room was the signal Credence had been waiting for.

He picked up a kinfe from Skender's empty room - he had been hiding the elf in his room, feeding him; he had to get him on a chain not to let him run back to his master. It was for his own good. He made a mental note to release the elf once the tumult begins. He had gone to see the lock on the Zouwu cage and realized it would be useless to battle with it without magic. The sight of the beast, contained in a small cage, stirred anger in him. He decided that he agreed at least on this with the witch. Zouwu had to be set free.

As she was being led through the corridors, happy Skender walking in front of her, Credence peeked from one of the sections of the tent, sending her a nod. She barely moved her eyes but formed fists of her hands. Credence ran. As he was running, he tore the hat from the clown's head, because it had bells. Nagini sliding beside him, his greatest weapon so far. He sneaked behind the back of the worker, and gave him a jab in the back of the neck. Nagini stroke, and the man fell on the ground.

The fuss began. Skender turned around, alarmed by the shrill scream of pain. Nagini slid between their legs, attacking the next guardian, while the witch kicked the third one. She jumped again - like a monkey, her limbs coarse from all the sitting, and started bashing his head on the ground. The horrified worker screamed. Credence watched as Nagini turned back into human and thought it a mistake; she would be far safer if she just crawled away from the path of the witch to let her deal with Skender. He didn't know why she did that. Behind her back, the witch was making her way towards Credence with her hand outstretched. He ran forward, hanging her the knife. A spell whistled just above her ear, hitting Credence in the shoulder. He caught himself on the wall, sharp pain in his limb crawling down to his fingers. He felt the black whirlwind inside grumbling with rage; he would lose control soon, and then the whole circus, together with his two accomplices would be buried. He clenched his teeth, looked into her eyes. The witch turned around and ducked, missing another spell. She was quite good.

Nagini attacked Skender with nothing but her short, sharp blade; and a green flash lit the narrow corridor for a split second. Credence heard himself scream as Nagini fell. The witch yelped with rage and threw the knife. As Nagini's body hit the ground, the weapon cut the air silently, and lounged in the middle of Skender's chest. He already put up his wand again, but didn't have the chance to yell a curse. The witch followed the knife, a golden lightning, and launched on him as he, too, crashed on the ground.

There were inhuman screams as she bent above him. Credence could feel the salt in his throat, while crawling towards Nagini. She was dead.

"What did I tell you, Skender?"

Skender shrieked with pain as she plunged her sharp fingers in his eyesockets. Then, gurgling sound, in Credence's head it sounded like music. He was half-way turned now, having forgotten about the elf, or anything else, for that matter. The world around him was already in shambles; the other freaks ran towards the noise, and now were scattering in all directions at the sight of what the witch was doing to their master. There was roar, and shrieking, and laughter, and terrified screams; wondering yelling from the spectators already at the arena, waiting for the show that would never begin.

She pulled on his shoulders with force, but was still unable to get him up if he didn't cooperate.

"Credence".

He lifted his eyes on her. Her gold touched her cheeks; long locks flying around her head.

"Please don't come undone; not now. You will kill us all".

He made it to his feet, and only then realized he was clutching her hand. She looked down at Nagini, horrified.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to live... what have I done..."

He bit his lip until his teeth hurt. He split his lip in two.

"Skender killed her".

She pleaded with him to go release the animals. The circus workers were already gathering, unsure what to do. There was no explicit need to fight them for they were unguided without the showman who was now lying on the ground, with his squelched eyes in his open mouth. Credence looked at her hands, covered in blood.

"I'll release the elf".

"Wait", she ran back to the body and recovered Skender's wand.

"I can't do any magic at all, but you can".

"I've never had a wand in my life", Credence mumbled. Her face was in front of him, her hands took his head, covering his ears.

"Magic is in you. You're a natural. You can do a simple Alohomora. Meet me at the Zouwu cage outside".

Credence thought of taking Nagini with them, but couldn't think of any possible way to carry her. The best he could do was, taking her to his hole - yes, it was tiny, and smelly. But he slept there, and there was no other remotely acceptable place for her. Feeling his face twitching with crying, he put her into his bed and touched her face.

He then cut the chains off the elf.

"I'll tell master Skender!" he yelled.

"Skender's dead. The witch killed him", Credence replied coldly, "you can come with us if you want".

The elf glanced at the body in his bed and shook his head. Then he walked slowly away, and Credence followed him into the corridor. As he walked, he watched the ravaged rooms and freaks running away. Kappa's aquarium was now empty; his travelling water bag was gone together with him. As Credence turned to exit the tent, he found the river vampire sitting on Skender's chest and sucking the blood out of a big cut on his face. Credence slithered between them and the wall and ran outside.

The witch was standing next to the cage of Zouwu. It was visibly nervous. The cage wasn't even big enough to pace, so it just rocked from side to side, puffing. Some servants were also outside, trying to get her with spells, but she was hiding behind the stands with colorful costumes.

Credence looked at the wand in his hand and realized he didn't know any offense spells. When he heard someone use them, he didn't pay attention, not even a thought in his head that he, one day, would wield a wand. The flashes were raining on the side of the tent, trying to get her, as she crouched on the ground, yelling at them. It seemed, she had lost her mind completely and was just trying to defeat them with verbal damnations. Credence pointed Skender's wand towards two men and thought, 'go away'.

A powerful surge of air picked up the rags, clothes and garbage from the ground, eventually reaching them. It held them in the air like toys, and then they were pulled with force, thrown away, against the nearby market buildings, like glass figurines. The other two made themselves scarce instantly.

The witch reappeared, a bit dowdyish but in one piece, and, suddenly, there was a big, big smile on her face, making her look like a girl again. She gave him two thumbs up. Credence swayed and ran towards the cage. There was a crowd gathering on the square already; people were concerned, someone yelled something about the aurors.

He ordered, Alohomora!, and the lock cracked, and fell from the bars. The witch made him step back as she opened the door and let the beast out.

"Where's the bell?"

He pulled the clown's hat from behind his belt and handed it to her.

She shook the hat in front of the huge beast. It was big, like all the circus itself; bright-red and fiery yellow, it had two gigantic amber eyes that now followed the tiny clown bell attentively.

"Get his collar off", she whispered. Credence didn't even register it until she pushed him lightly on the shoulder. She continued to shake the bell in front of the monster; Credence was getting angry. He wasn't some spell-ready machine, he didn't know how to get the collar off without hurting the Zouwu. He voiced that.

"Credence", she said assertively, tugging on his collar. Finally, a gesture familiar to him, brought him back to his senses. "Credence, my friend, listen to me. Focus on the collar, and say Evanesco. Can you do that?"

He stummered.

"I-I guess".

"Go on my boy. There are people gathering already, and soon, the people of Ministry will be here, and I don't trust them much".

He pointed his wand at the tight iron collar, barely visible in the beast's lush orange fur.

"Evanesco!"

Instead of quietly vanishing, the collar first narrowed, choking the Zouwu, and then broadened, and exploded.

The beast roared and moved its enourmous body in all directions. People around them shouted and rushed away, but Credence decided to fix it immediately. He tugged on the creature's fur, trying to run behind its moving face. He could hear the witch calling his name, and the sound of bells. A strong push bounced off of his hurt shoulder, and Credence was in the air for a couple of seconds. The Zouwu, and the square, turned upside down, and he crashed onto a pile of rags at the circus entrance. As the whistling in his ears calmed down, he regrouped, and saw the witch trying to calm the beast down. She was just like a little squirrel in front of its face. It didn't pay attention to bells anymore, it was snapping its huge jaws, trying to swallow her.

He couldn't control the obscurial anymore. He could feel, rather than understand, as it lifted him up, tearing his body apart. Black smoke lifted him above the ground and pulled forward, towards her. He only just managed to catch her reaching hand as he soared up, into the sky, losing his consciousness in the roaring vortex of the wind.

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When he woke up, the freshness of the air almost lulled him back to sleep. He saw the stars, glimmering silver, winking at him. The smell of fire near him made his stomach suck its guts with hunger.

He sat up, trying to adjust his eyes to the dark, and the fire, scared. Has he killed her?

"Good evening", he heard. She sat on the other side of the bonfire, comfortably leaned against a stack of hay. Credence looked around. They were far away from Paris; the spaciousness around, and the quiet of the night told him they were outside of the city.

Her face was only lit by the bonfire, and she looked like a fiery ghost.

"How long have I been out?" he asked, his voice rusty.

"Oh, not much. Maybe an hour. You're strong", she said, with a hint of strange admiration in her voice. She was pulling her hair, playing with it, finally relaxed. It was obvious she had been preoccupied.

"I- I never asked your name", Credence said.

"Orlaith Peverell", she replied, simply.

"Oh".

She grinned.

"Did you expect something else?"

He was embarrassed at his reaction.

"No, I just... just thought about you as 'the witch'", he said, bowing his head.

"Oohh, I like it. The Witch. The poachers used to call me the Cutter, but the Witch is much more noble and insidious, I think".

Across the fire, her smile glistened like lightning.

"The Cutter?" he wondered.

"I used to use Sectumsempra on them", she motioned in the air, as if she was slicing the fire diagonally. "It's a slicing curse. It opens up numerous little cuts on the body of the enemy. With time, I mastered it so well I could chop them into pieces with one spell".

"Why did you hunt... the poachers?"

"Yes. Well, when I was at Hogwarts, the Forest was swarming with them. I would walk through it to meet my peers, and there would be voices in the woods. I decided to clean the forest. You should've seen what they did to the animals they caught", her face changed into the grimace of hatred.

"And how did you get caught?" Credence felt like he was treading on top of a thread, asking her further, as if she could snap. He rubbed his neck which was a little sore after turning. In fact, he realized, his whole body ached, but now it was this warm ache of relaxing muscles.

"Oh, it was so simple. I was not being careful. Dumbledore told me to be discreet, but I was so arrogant. I have ancient magic, Credence. I could turn the earth. I could move mountains, almost. I thought I could take on twenty, thirty men at once. And I could. But, well, I hunted poachers, and they knew the strings to pull. They caught me up in between two flames. They said they wanted to put me in chains and one of them, he held this baby deer in his hands, threatening to slice its throat".

Credence frowned,

"Not even a magic beast?"

"Does it make any difference? As I let them put the chains on me, they let it go. I didn't know these were so powerful", she tugged on her wrist. "Can you try to take them off?"

She was, herself, like a magical chained beast.

He shook his head.

"If I tear them off, I tear you apart with them".

"I am useless", she sighed. "If I weren't useless, Nagini wouldn't have died. This wasn't her fate. She was supposed to live on".

Credence felt the knot in his chest, and concealed his face for a moment.

"Who will take her place now?" she mused quietly.

"What do you mean?"

Orlaith gave him a look of significance, as if she was seeing him for the first time. She even stood up and circled the bonfire to sit next to him.

"How are you after the flight?"

He was taken by surprise by her question. Very rarely, maybe once or twice in his life, has somebody asked him how he was. How he felt, whether he hurt. She was visibly unsure whether to touch him or not, and halfway through, Credence wished she did. She touched his hand quickly.

"I'm alright".

"Can I see your arms?"

A vomit-inducing feeling snaked into his stomach. No way, there are these cracks on his skin, through which the black core is seen. His core. He was dying.

He shook his head slowly and moved away a little.

"I asked you", he repeated, a bit colder, "what you were talking about, about the fate".

She sighed and turned towards the fire. Only now Credence noticed that the witch wasn't wearing any shoes. Her feet must be hurting.

"I know things. Like, your name, and what you are. And I know some of the future, although it's uneven. I can't tell you everything now, it's too sad for me. But... I know that, because I was there at the circus, Nagini died".

He was trying to place this kind of magical ability somewhere on the spectrum of what he knew.

"Are you clairvoyant?"

"Not quite. I just... know how the story goes. It's rather useless now, because I've already been changing the course of time. It seems I've bothered everything".

"Do you know who my mother is?" he asked quickly.

Orlaith was expecting this question. Her voice was filled with sorrow,

"No, I'm sorry. I know that you are an obscurial. Or, rather, there is an obscurial inside you. But your family..." she narrowed her eyes.

"You know, I can tell you this. You are the first - and the only - person in the history who hasn't only survived the first years with obscurial, but lived to see adulthood. You know what that means?"

Credence was silent, thinking, how many times he has reflected upon that. It wasn't something to be proud of, or amazed. Clearly, Orlaith thought that. That he was that special, strong, chosen one. She looked at him like that; like he was something.

"Come on, Credence".

"I don't know. I've thought about it. I can contain it now, control it a little. But I don't know what it means".

She rubbed her foot unconstrainedly. The chain on her ankle winked at him.

"I think... well. When you think about it like that... you must really be very strong to fight and even tame an obscurial like that, for so long. You must have some very old blood. Maybe you're one of the very powerful trees, Credence. I've only heard of several warlocks who could theoretically have that much of magical control".

"What's it good for?"

"It narrows the search greatly".

He shook himself up. Cope, he thought. She makes a lot of sense.

"And... who do you think..."

"I don't know American wizard families, I'm sorry. See", an upset laughter shook her body, "I know so many things, but none of them are useful for you".

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In the morning the first light woke him up. A foggy new day was rising above the countryside; Credence had no idea where they were. Chances were, he would need to turn and fly again, only to find out where to move on. While Orlaith slept, snuggled in the hay, he went searching for any houses at all; clutching Skender's wand, he was ready to use it to get some food for breakfast, and shoes, for her.

The remnants of a village were situated not far away, but no people. There was no food; he only found a couple of old, shattered houses, and a big, empty barn. Inside, he found a pair of beaten down boots, small enough for her feet. And a little brown chick, no bigger than a sparrow, peeping softly. He picked up the baby bird in his hand, feeling strangely hollow.

"There aren't even any scraps to give you, little one", he murmured. Together, a chick on his palm, and boots in his hand, they walked across the huge barn. He did manage to find a very old, half-empty bag of crops; but no human food.

As he came back, the witch was already awake, sitting there at the cold bonfire, like someone struck her on her head.

"Sorry, I'm not an early bird", she greeted him. He showed her the shoes, and the chick he found, sure she would love her.

Orlaith was amazed at the little baby like it was the most fantastic thing she'd ever seen in her life. She let it sit on the skirt of her dress, and then handed it back to Credence.

"I think she likes you more".

She was very grateful for the boots, too. Although they were still slightly big for her, she put them on at once, smiling.

The question of breakfast never came up. As they started discussing what to do next, it turned out they had very different plans of action.

"We need to go back to Paris and somehow hop on a train to London. From there, we-"

"No", Credence refused, "I have an address. There is a chance it's my mother's place. That's why I came to Paris in the first place. I have information. I need to go see her".

Orlaith shook her head assertively.

"No, Grinderlwald is looking for you. You won'd find anything in France, Credence. Your best chance is with Dumbledore. We need to seek him. Him, or Newt".

Just the name he recognized stopped him from shaking with anger.

"Newt? Scamander?"

"Yes, you've met him. He has connection to Dumbledore. He'll help you. At Hogwarts, with Albus, you'll be safe".

"I don't need to be safe. I'm looking for my parents", he pressed. Orlaith looked at him with her almost golden eyes. In the light of day she looked more tired, but still mysterious, sparkling. Like a fairy. It was a surprise she couldn't actually levitate; with all her wavy hair, and long dress, and round rings. She was all the light Credence lacked, in his appearance. He knew he was black, bloody and heavy.

"If Grindelwald gets you, you may get the answers, but then you'll die".

"That's what I want".

She stood up, towering above him. Credence was forced to look up upon her. Her face was concerned, unreadable otherwise.

"Don't say that again, Credence", she said quietly. "You will have a better life, without this curse. You will heal, and with healing, you will cast the obscurial out. Hasn't Nagini ever told you it doesn't matter what you were born?"

The sound of her name made him jump out.

"Don't use her like that".

"She was right", Orlaith continued, "you will find your family, but you shall find them not through the alliance with Gellert Grindelwald".

"Is that also a story you know?" he asked with his fists clenched.

"I'm much like you, but my destiny was more gentle with me. I don't know why I have ancient magic; my name only gives me so much to ponder on. But it doesn't matter how I came here, who sent me, why I know what's going to happen. I learnt to control it, it doesn't matter to me anymore. What matters to me is to keep the people I love, safe".

Credence turned away, away from her gaze, that made his spine twitch. He ignored the word she said, it didn't apply to him. Obviosuly didn't apply.

"I thought you only cared about animals".

He heard her chuckle. Her hand laid on his shoulder, and he felt the magic again. They were like two parts of a mechanism, vibrating off of each other. Two sources of infinite magic. It was surprising she didn't feel that, or didn't show. He put the little chick into his pocket.

"I need to go back to Hogwarts. They must be looking for me. They're looking for you, too".

"You go then". Credence hadn't mentioned still that he had no idea what 'Hogwarts' was.

"You don't understand..."

Credence turned back to her and clutched her narrow shoulders. He hadn't touched anyone in years, at all. He could feel the bones under his fingers, and her flesh, warm. He could almost feel her bloodflow, that's how vivid it was. And her slightly open mouth, her flaring nostrils, and her golden earrings, all of it, opened up a gap he didn't know existed in the world. Connection to someone else. She didn't retaliate, didn't scream at him; she didn't get angry or scared. The obscurial inside of him lingered obediently without raising its head. He let go of her, ashamed.

"You don't understand", he managed to utter, "I've been living, without a name, for twenty-seven years. I don't know anything about Grindelwald, and I don't think I care. I can't care".

She put her hands up, with her palms, scarred but much, much healthier than before the ointment; she never got to know that it had been Credence who sent it to her. The elf didn't actually like her that much at all.

She didn't get the chance to say anything, as her eyes enlarged with fear.

The sound of the wind was too swift behind his back, and the smell of someone's presence hit his nose.

Orlaith clutched his shoulder, digging her nails into his flesh, right where the spell hit him yesterday. She held him like she wouldn't let go even if they chopped off her arm. He stood next to her, looking at one man, who had apparated silently and was waiting for their attention.

How much had he heard? Shouldn't be too much, since Orlaith noticed him almost at once. But what if he had been creeping before?

His white face, a face of an old falcon with one glass eye, observed them with quiet contentment.

"My boy", he said softly. His skin crawled. He remembered this person, from before. His suggestive hands on Credence's neck, not warm, but dry and cool, the need to freeze and just comply that always overcame him when this man was beside him. Even when he looked different, Credence was awashed with the sense of importance, and doom, and inevitability. He did care, he thought, deciding the things were much simpler a second ago. Seeing Grindelwald quietly eyeing Orlaith, as he was ruminating. He now got the idea of urgency all of a sudden. A person like this, who had manipulated him to find an obscurial, only to use it, like a weapon. If he got a creature that wielded ancient magic into his arsenal, there would be horrifying things happening.

Her voice echoed strangely in his head. Sure, she would have these chains broken, but then she'll die.

Orlaith just clung onto his shoulder, trying to shove him behind, as the wizard examined them.

"Finally, I found you. Good that you're spending time outside of the city, Paris is so dirty. Who is your friend?"

"She's a freak from the circus. We escaped yesterday", Credence said, which came as a shock to himself. Without a stutter. He knew he could destroy Grindelwald if he really wanted. If he had time to practice, to use this creature inside of him. If he really tried.

As the wizard made a polite step forward, Orlaith barked,

"Don't touch him!"

Gellert's mouth formed an 'oh'. He was entertained.

"A freak, from the circus? And what little tricks do you do, mademoiselle?"

She was about to open her dirty mouth and flood him with everything she could come up with, but Credence took her hand and pulled it away from his shoulder.

"Nothing. She could barely levitate. Why are you here?"

"I have come for you, Credence", Grindelwald cooed quietly, his eyes still on the witch. Credence saw how the old wizard was contemplating her golden collar.

"Or should I take her, as well?"

Orlaith tried to grab him again, but Credence shook her off. He didn't even have space to give her a look.

"You need me? Let's go", he said.

"Credence!"

He closed his eyes and formed a storm. In a second, he turned, letting the obscurial out, and it was so easy, almost painless this time. Encircling her, sheltering her from the wizard, he whispered, hoping that she would hear,

"He can't know what you are".

He couldn't see her face, engulfed in the black and orange vortex of himself. The fractions of his soul were tearing at his eyes, ice cold. Then he moved towards Grindelwald where he knew the man was standing, and they flew, together, like two black swarms, towards the skies.

She kept calling his name.

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Dumbledore was most puzzled, happy, relieved and worried all at the same time. She begged him to go at once, but the blood pact weighed on him. As he worked on the chains, he was thinking.

"You know, Orlaith", he said, musingly, "that chick Credence found in the barn. What was it like again?"

The chains were almost choking her now. In presence of someone who could break them, they started killing her slowly, squeezing her throat.

"Well", she hissed, "it was small. Smaller than a chicken baby. Dark brown, with some spots. Interesting, green eyes, very uneven green".

"And the spots - golden?"

Something snapped. Orlaith already thought it was her own artery. The lack of oxygen made her dizzy, two Dumbledores floating in front of her. As she saw one golden little snake on the floor, she took a deep breath of air.

Albus was shaking his hand, like it burnt.

"Yes, pale golden", she said, touching her neck and feeling a scar with her fingers. "Why?"

The next chain, feeling its sister defeated, started crushing her ribs, and Professor rushed to disenchant it.

"Um... well... I'm thinking. You're right about Credence being uncharacteristically strong to whithstand an obscurial for so many years and even stay sane. It does mean very old and powerful blood".

"Don't tell me he's a Peverell", she squealed. One of her ribs cracked, and Dumbledore cursed the chain several times.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow ow ow ow!"

Finally, it fell down, as well. She could feel magic running through her veins, bright purple, and blue, and red. All her body was shot through with the warmth of it - a feeling she hadn't appreciated before. Albus mended her rib.

"Why?" there was a curious smile on Dumbledore's face.

"Why what?" she panted.

"Not a Peverell", Albus smiled wider.

"Oh, you know. Wouldn't want to find out that I fell for my cousin".

He was gentle with her wrist chains, smirking.

"Oh, no. See, I think this wasn't a usual chick. I'm not sure though - but", it was obvious Albus was uncertain. He gave her a long look.

He was fussing with the third chain, muttering.

"What was it then?"

"If it has pale golden spots, and unevenly green eyes, it might just be a phoenix, and coincidentally, my brother had confided in me, not earlier than three months ago, that he had had a son".

Orlaith let the magic shoot down her limbs, busking in its welcoming tingle. The rest of the chains broke and fell off her. Dumbledore stood up, content that he had no need to kneel down now.

"Professor, you think he's a Dumbledore?"

"Not sure, but he might be. He's the right age. And you can stop calling me Professor".

She looked outside, where spring light glinted on the surface of the great lake. How the boy would have loved the sight of these peaceful mountains.

"My brother met this muggle-born girl in summer of 1899. He only decided to tell me now, because, well, Fawkes left him, all the while Newt brought news of an orphaned boy with obscurial. You know there had already been an obscurial in our family".

She nodded.

"And Aberfot thinks his son ended up in America? How did he become orphaned if he has a living father? How did you not know of his existence these twenty-seven years?"

He laid his firm but reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"All of those are good questions, Orlaith. But do answers really matter right now? If Aurelius Dumbledore is in Grindelwald's hands, we should throw all forces to get him out".

She nodded again, now, in agreement. She rememebered Credence wasn't big on all this philosophy. Aurelius wasn't.

"He only went because he was afraid that Grindelwald will figure out I have ancient magic".

Behind her, Albus sighed with his kind, wise sigh, and it sounded like a smile. Aurelius, she thought. Golden, like her.

[queenmelancholy]

Illustration by Jimmy Liao. In graphic novel The Moon Forgets. 

INTRO POST

Hi! Nice to meet you on here and thanks for stopping by :)

My blog:

Original posts about Thomas Barrow (he got me here)

Reblogs of the things I like (see lists after the break line)

Personal rambles

Me: I’m 26, from Hong Kong. INTP 5w4. In real life, I’m working towards becoming an architect (which makes me a bit tired). But part of me only ever wanted to live in a lakeside cottage surrounded by trees and spirits. So for now, I guess this is the place to unleash my inner demons every now and then. Hope you find something here that resonates with you~

My interests: Cinema, music, art, history, psychology, science, and philosophy

My languages: I can read English, traditional and simplified Chinese, and a bit of Japanese. I speak Cantonese, English, and Mandarin. I sing in Gibberish.

Other notes: My ask box is always open! I have an AO3 account under the same name: QueenMelancholy It’s ok to tag me in tag games or picrew chains XD

You can use whatever pronouns you want to call me. No DNIs here. Just remember to be kind and respectful. 

Finally, things I love that I might reblog:

Favourite films

On self

The Matrix Trilogy

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Her

A.I. Artificial Intelligence 

Ex Machina

Memento

On ideals 

Star Wars (I-VI)

X-Men (Original Trilogy)

The Dark Knight

Cube

Dead Poets Society

The Legend of 1900 [this one holds a really special place in my heart]

On love

Cinema Paradiso

Arrival

Princess Mononoke

The Corpse Bride

Amélie

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Favourite TV series

Downton Abbey

Breaking Bad

Succession

Dark

Black Mirror

Westworld

Fullmetal Alchemist 

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Death Note 

Favourite musicals

The Phantom of the Opera 

Les Miserables

Wicked

Notre Dame de Paris 

Favourite books

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

1984 by George Orwell

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

The Stranger (L'Étranger) by Albert Camus

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Rashomon and Other Stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Twilight of the Idols by Friedrich Nietzsche

Favourite characters

Thomas Barrow

Erik (The Phantom)

Credence Barebone

Anakin Skywalker

Batman & Joker

Xavier & Magneto

Favourite soundtracks

Film music collection by Ennio Morricone

“Ice Dance” by Danny Elfman

“On the Nature of Daylight” by Max Richter

“In the Mood for Love” by Shigeru Umebayashi

“Por una Cabeza” by Carlos Gardel

“Floating Museum” & "Nightstalker" by Kenji Kawai

"Palladio" by Karl Jenkins

Les Choristes OST by Bruno Coulais

Downton Abbey OST by John Lunn

Fantastic Beasts OST by James Newton Howard

Succession OST by Nicholas Britell

Favourite songs

“Piano Man” by Billy Joel 

“7 Years” by Lukas Graham

“The Impossible Dream” by Mitch Leigh

“I Want Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay 

“What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes

“Viva Forever” by Spice Girls

“Space Oddity” by David Bowie

“Beautiful in White” by Shane Filan

“The Dark Side of the Moon” album by Pink Floyd

English songs: Coldplay, Adele, Elton John, Nick Drake

Cantopop: Eason Chan, Beyond, Tat Ming Pair, Faye Wong

French songs: Françoise Hardy

That’s it, I think. Thanks for reading this far. 

[imagineitup]

Ice Fractures : Credence Barebone x Reader

request : Hello! Could I request an angsty Credence fic from Crimes of Grindelwald?? He’s a precious soul and my heart is very much not ok Could the reader attempt to stop Credence from going with Grindelwald and gets injured in the process ? FEEL FREE TO BREAK MY HEART Lots of love to you!! xx

a/n : ahhhh I DID IT xx

masterlist 

- - 

When Credence steps forward, you freeze.  Ice splintering at your heart, choking your breath.

Your hand reaches out to grab his, instinct taking over.  “Credence, no.”

The look that stains across his face is of pure betrayal.  “Don’t — don’t tell me what to do.”  His voice is wavering, quivering as he pleads with you.  A look of regret flashes across his face, his shakes.  “Come with me.”

You stare at him, and suddenly it feels like you don’t know him at all.  All you want to do is pull him towards you, to hold him tightly, but you can’t move. 

Credence still stares at you, eyes wounded.  His face seems to close, as he senses your answer, and he starts to turn. 

“Credence,” you start again, your voice quiet, “Please don’t do this.”

His shoulders stiffen, he stops walking.  He turns to look back at you, shoulders hunched, eyes pained.  “I thought, I thought we were in this together.”

“We are!”  You step forward, reaching for his hands.  “Credence, please!”

He looks at your hands holding his, and he trembles.  “I don’t know who I am, (Y/N).  Can’t you see?”

“You’re you.  You’re kind,” your voice is shaky.  “You’re beautiful, and you’re gentle, and you’re strong.”

It feels like Credence is miles away.  “You don’t understand,” he mutters, angry.  He pulls his hands from yours.  “You don’t know what it’s like.  I don’t even know who I am.”

He starts to walk down the steps, and as he approaches the ring of blue fire, something snaps. 

You’re tumbling down the stairs, reaching for him, your eyes teary.  “Stop, stop!”

He steps inside the ring, face set with resolve.  As he begins to dematerialize, Grindelwald sends a blue flame towards you, and you lunge to the side, the fire singing your legs.  You cry out, sinking to the stone, and Credence watches with guilty eyes.

You stare at him, eyes exchanging an emotion you can’t put to words.

The blue flame scorches into an inferno around you, and you can see Tina out of the corner of your eyes, trying to reach you.

The flame rushes towards you, consuming.

There’s pain.  Terrible pain.

And then, there’s nothing at all.

[mychemicalimagines]

You Need Love Too, I’ll Be There to Give It.

Not Requested. I saw Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald and I fell in love with Credence. There is spoilers for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

You’re dating Credence behind everyone back and you save him in the trains station.

It all started when when Credence and I were 18 and he was hanging out fliers outside of my bakery job. My boss told me to go outside and tell him to move. 

Flash Back

“Y/N go outside and tell that boy to go away. He knows he’s not suppose to pass them out in front of here.” Mr. Wilson says to me pointing outside.

I sigh and grab my coat walking outside.

“Sir?” I say walking toward him.

The boy keeps his head down still holding out fliers to people. 

“Sir?” I say again walking closer tapping him on the shoulder. He jumps and turns toward me, head still down. “I’m sorry but my boss says you can’t stand here.”

“S-Sorry,” He says looking up a little. His eyes light up a little. I blush looking at him.

“Whats your name?” I ask looking into his beautiful brown eyes. 

He blushes a little then looks down at the ground, “C-Credence.”

“Well Credence, my name is Y/N. Its very nice to meet you,” I say sweetly.

Flash Back Over

Ever since then every time I saw Credence I stopped to say hi and talk to him. After about 4 months we actually started dating. Its been 2 years and we still sneak around so his adopted mother doesn’t know. I found out its him thats the  Obscurus that’s been going around. He only hurts been who’ve hurt him. I wasn’t afraid then, I’m not afraid now. He also found out I’m a witch. We trust each other with everything.

I’m sitting in my apartment building when someone knocks on the door. I look toward the door confused. I wasn’t expecting anyone today. I stand up from my couch, walking over to the door. opening it. Credence is standing on the other side looking down at his feet with tears falling down his face.

“Credence. What happened? Are you okay?” I grab his hand pulling him inside.

“I-I-I k-killed her” he says tearing up even harder. I wrap my arms around him. He puts his face into my neck, sobbing.

“It’s okay Credence. I’m here.” I rub his back.

“I-I’m sorry” He whispers holding me tighter. 

Before I can say anything Aurors burst in my door. Credence turns quickly putting me behind him. 

“Credence, you need to come with us,” Graves says walking toward us slowly.

Credence starts shaking and black vines start coming from his body.

“Y/N, you need to back away.” Graves snaps at me.

“D-D-Don’t you t-talk to h-her like that.” Credence says shaking even harder. Suddenly his body is engulfed into the black vines  and the obscurus busts down my wall and he flies out of my apartment. Graves looks at me.

“Where is he going?” 

“I don’t know. You are the Auror. You find him,” I glare at him. 

All the Aurors runs out my door and I wait a few minutes before I run down headed toward the train station. Credence and I were talking about running away. I know that would be the place he would go. I sneak behind the shield the Aurors have put up. I run down the stairs looking for him. I see a man run past me down the tracks. I follow him knowing were looking for the same person. We find Credence sitting in the tracks holding his needs as he leans forward.

“Credence” The man says innocently. “I’m here to help you. I can help you control it. I can protect you.” 

Credence looks up at him with tears in his eyes. His eyes light up when he looks behind the man. 

“Credence” I say running toward him.

The man stops me by grabbing me behind the waist pulling me toward him, “Don’t”

“D-don’t t-touch her” Credence says standing up his eyes going white. The man lets me go and I run to Credence. He wraps his arms around me his eyes going back to his normal brown color. The Minister of Magic for America walks down with Graves.

“Y/N, do you know this boy?” She asks.

“Yes Ma’am.” I say turning to her. “This is my boyfriend Credence. He can’t help it, His mother beat him and he couldn’t show his magic so the obscurus was formed and comes out when hes angry or sad. He never meant to hurt anyone. Please I can help him control it.” i beg her.

“No we need-” Graves tries to say.

“Well Y/N if you think you can help him, alright.” She says nodding to me then turns toward Graves. He looks at her but his eyes change for a second going from two different colors back to one color. Everyone with a wand raises them. I turn to Credence and wrap my arms around him.

“Thank you,” he whispers into my hair.

“Anything for you Credence”

[orangeyutt]

When Credence realized he loved you

✘ Pairing - Credence Barebone x reader

✘ Timeframe - A couple months after FBAWTFT

✘ Summary - This is the moment Credence realizes that he loves you

✘ Up ahead - FLUFF, implied smut

✘ A/N - Hello Lil’ nuggets! This wasn’t requested, I just started to have creative flow after watching Netflix movies instead of doing homework.. oops? Sorry I have been so inactive on Tumblr, school is kicking my butt with homework. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!!

Ask/Request shizz l fandom list

–

The day Credence realized he loved you started out as a quiet day.

It started out with waking up next to Credence, your long-term boyfriend. The rays of light cast on his face and you both smiled at the feeling of skin on skin rubbing against each other, a reminder of last night.

You cute lovebirds spent the rest of the morning lazily stroking patterns into each other's skin, laughing and listening to each other with carefree smiles like kids.

After finally getting out of bed, you two put on some music and slightly swayed while making breakfast.

After breakfast, you two started to dance and tell more jokes. He heard you laugh, he loved it when you laughed.

Then there was this indescribable feeling of fluttering warmth enveloping his chest. He could barely contain a giddy smile when he realized what that feeling was: immense love... for you. He loved you.

Credence grabbed your hips and turned you around. He pulled you close and you pulled him even closer. He dug his face into the crook of your neck and made a hickey where your shoulder and neck meet. He grunted when you sighed in content.

Suddenly, he pulled away a bit and you whimpered at the loss of contact.

“I love you, Y/n”

After a few moments of soaking the message up and intently staring at him, he spoke

“I understand if you don't know whether or not you love me too but-”

You interrupted him with a chaste but meaningful kiss on those plump lips you adored. You didn't know you could grin so wildly, but you did.

“I love you too, Credence.”

“Oh thank god, I got worried for a second there.”

You both laughed for a bit. Soon, you both put your foreheads together and sighed into each other embrace.

“I’ve been the happiest since I’ve met you, Y/n.”

“I bet I could make you happier.”

He was a bit confused at this, but then caught on and made a scoff. He grabbed the back of your thighs and started carrying you to the bedroom.

“You sly minx, I have to take you up on that statement.”

“Oh please do, Creed.”

With that, he plopped you on the bed and started kissing down your neck and your breath started to hitch. This was one of the best ways you two know to start the day.

A couple of months ago, Credence couldn’t even imagine that anyone would look at him without disgust, he used to be so timid and shy. But now he is confident, dominant, and self-assured. He was happy and he owed it all to you.

[custardcrazy]

Daffodil (Credence)

HEY GUYS so it’s been a hot minute since i’ve written something huh?? anyway so idk if this counts as a reader-insert but i guess you could do that? or just imagine your oc bc i didn’t use y/n or anthing like that, just she/her pronouns. 

anyway enjoy this shitty oneshot. 

inspired by a post from @imaginecredence​ ( HERE ) 

__________ 

A while had passed since Credence had lived in New York City. 

Gone were the harsh cold nights spent in the drafty old orphanage, gone were the loud sounds of the city, and gone were .. well, mostly everything about his pitiful existence back then. He was no longer the scared young man, now confident (and yet still a little awkward) and self-sufficient. His younger self would spend lots of time daydreaming about his future - perhaps he'd be a rich, ritzy businessman, living each day to the fullest with a pretty lady on each arm. Or, perhaps he'd become a researcher, visiting foreign countries to catalog new species, documenting his findings in a well-worn journal. (It turns out that his future was a lot more simple - but he liked that all the same.) 

When he was daydreaming, the possibilities were endless. But back then, he was like a bird trapped in a cage in reality. 

Now? Not so much. 

While it was true that sometimes his mind brought up memories from the past that he'd rather tear from his mind than recall, he wasn't alone in dealing with this. Not anymore. 

The wedding band on his left hand was physical proof to this. 

Sure, Credence wasn't entirely sure if he believed in the "happily ever after" fairytale ending. And he knew that the ending of his story wasn't to be for a good while. But he knew for sure that this was gonna be pretty damn close to that. And if it wasn't? Well, he was happier right now than he had ever been before. So he'd take it with a grateful hand. 

Speaking of right now… 

Rays of sunlight peeked through the closed blinds, and the muffled sounds of birds chirping outside roused Credence from a relatively decent night's sleep. It took him a moment to fully wake up, surroundings fuzzy before sharply coming into focus. 

He felt a weight on his chest, and looking down, he saw her - still asleep, unabashedly using him as a sort of pillow, with her hair tickling his chin ever so slightly. Beautiful as ever, he noted, as the little bits of light streaming from the window gave her a slightly ethereal appearance. She looked utterly relaxed, and he couldn't help but smile a little whilst he gently smoothed a lock of her hair behind her ear. 

At his touch, she began to stir, taking a little while to open her eyes and yawn, burying her face into his pajama shirt. 

"What time is it?" she said, sounding groggy, and Credence glanced over at the clock on the nightstand, putting his hand on the back of her head as he did so. "It's early, dear," he said simply, as to which she answered with a muffled grumble. "I can go prepare breakfast if you'd like, Robbie and Mary will be up soon and clamoring at my heels," he continued with a small chuckle. "We've still got some bread in the pantry." 

"Which they will devour," she responded, looking up slightly at him. "I'll have to go food shopping soon, anyhow. Little devils." There was no venom in her tone, really, only affection. "Let's hope that they haven't depleted Kennebunk's bread storage just yet!" 

Credence knew that she loved their children as much as he did, maybe even more. He could understand that, as they had inherited their mother's eyes. He kissed her forehead gently. 

"They told me that we were going to the beach today, is that true?" She pretended to ponder over his question. 

"Maybe so, maybe not. I'll be happy to go if Papa prepares the picnic lunch, as Mama has a lot of washing to do before we leave the house." She feigned annoyance, which appeared as an adorable pout on her face. 

He smiled. "Gladly will, dearest." 

Kissing her again, he clambered out of bed. He could already hear the sound of hushed voices coming from the children's shared bedroom down the hall. 

Credence would have to hurry to wash up before his beloveds tore the kitchen apart. 

[inhumanetrash]

Doodles because like,, the secrets of Dumbledore was the first movie I was able to concentrate on through the whole thing since like,, a few years.

And it made me feel things I don't usually feel when watching movies 😔

I'm kinda sad now tbh but I'm also happy because I finally got to watch something before I see spoilers

Doodles I made today (excuse the poor quality,I used a calligraphy nib to do lineart 💀)

Also making aestethic sketchbook pages is beyond my control

Also fuck jkr

[kyloxox]

I Can't Lose Her (Credence Barebone x Reader)

Y/n Scamander has just meet Credence. Their similar qualities bring them together to start dating. One night has a bad nightmare and helps him realize he is loved. Warnings: i don’t think that many just fluffy and kinda long (1794 words) Notes: y/n=your name y/h= your house y/e/c= your eye color y/h/c= your hair color y/h/l= your hair length Hope you enjoy:)

3rd person pov

Y/n Scamander was Newt Scamander’s first and only daughter. After graduating Hogwarts and being a proud y/h, she began traveling with her father. Then New York got destroyed. While the whole time in New York y/n became very close with the Goldstein sisters but had a very strong connection with Tina who was like her mother figure. During the obscurus attack Newt didn’t want to put his daughter in danger so he forced her to stay in the Goldstein’s apartment.

 But after Newt, Tina, and Queenie found Credence in the abandoned subway station they took him under their roof. So instead of returning to Europe Newt and you stayed behind in New York to help the sisters out. It was only a week after the incident and y/n hasn’t really met Credence yet since her father was protective and didn’t want her to get hurt, but after Tina convinced him that Credence wouldn’t hurt y/n he finally agreed. Maybe it was good that Credence would get some more company and be more comfortable around people. Also y/n and Credence were very close in age so it could help him talk to people closer to his age.

Credence’s Pov

               I was very scared after the attack on New York. What if I lose control and destroy New York again. No I can’t. Newt, Tina and Queenie will hate me they are all I have left, I can’t lose them.

                Today I was supposed to meet Newt’s daughter y/n. They wouldn’t tell me why I haven’t met her yet but I know the reason it is because they are afraid of me hurting her. I hope I don’t lose control and hurt her and then they will hate me. I can’t make them hate me they are all I have left, I can’t lose them.

I have seen her in a couple of photos that Newt kept around but they were when she was young five or six years old at the time. I hope she likes me and I need a friend around that doesn’t have a job and is always gone, it gets lonely in the apartment sometimes.

Y/n’s Pov

                Today I am going to meet the boy my father and the Goldstein sister have been helping. All of them had to work so they needed someone to watch Credence since he was getting very lonely around the apartment. I don’t have good first impressions. I am a lot like my father shy and socially awkward. I was one of those girls who literally couldn’t talk to boys. I barely talked to boys and if I did I never knew what to talk about and it would just get awkward. I have had a couple boyfriends but not that many, they always ended with the boy saying I was too shy for him. I hope Credence likes me I need a friend, it gets lonely sometimes in New York.

             What if Credence thinks I am ugly? I thought to myself. I had y/h/l, y/c/h hair and y/e/c eyes that people would say were pretty. But am I even pretty? Sure, everyone should love their body but how could someone think I’m pretty I didn’t have the super long skinny legs all the pretty girls at Hogwarts had. I was just a normal, average girl. What if he thinks I am weird and ugly?

                My thoughts were stopped as I reached the Goldstein’s door. Hear goes nothing and I rang the doorbell. It was my father who answered the door.

                “Hello sweetheart it’s good to see you how are you today?” my father said as he went to hug me.

                “Fine-e” I stuttered as I hugged him back. I was never usually this shy around my dad but the nerves got the best of me. After we hugged my dad and I walked into the apartment I was greeted my Tina, Queenie and a tall raven haired boy who was standing awkwardly beside them with his head down. Both Goldstein sisters hugged me.

                “Y/n this is Credence. Credence this is y/n.” Tina said. You both waved at each other very shyly. Queenie looked at her watch and saw what time it was and said “I think it is time to get heading over to work don’t want to be late.” You and Credence just nodded.

                “You kids have, but not too much fun,” my dad said jokingly before grabbed his briefcase and kissed me goodbye and left along with the Goldstein sisters. Credence and I were still blushing at the comment my dad made before he left as I closed the door behind him. There was a short awkward silence as you two just stood there until you broke it.

                “Hi-i. I’m y/n-n.” you said walking up to him and putting your hand out so he could shake it. He took his hand and shook it.

                ‘Hi-I, I’m-m Credence-e.” he replied back. He seemed more nervous then you. I guess he was really shy like you.

Credence’s Pov

               As soon as y/n walked through the door I started to get nervous. She was so pretty. She had y/c/h that glowed in the sunlight that came from the window. The way her y/e/c sparkled when she looked up to me and waved. She was a girl that would never be interested in me who would even like me? I got butterflies whenever she talked to me. Why do I have to like someone that will like me  back, I am unlovable.

3rd person Pov

        ��       After that awkward first encounter and a few awkward silences Credence and y/n became very good friends. They both shared many similar qualities like being shy and reserved. They both enjoyed reading and going on walks around New York. Newt and y/n moved into the apartment so they could spend more time with the Goldstein sisters and Credence. It was only a month after their meeting when Credence confessed his feelings for y/n. Surprising y/n felt the same he did.

                Their relationship wasn’t perfect but it was for them. They both excepted each other’s imperfections, even though they both believed the other was perfect. They both haven’t told Newt thinking it might upset him. It really isn’t that hard to hide the relationship since the others are at work most of the day. Credence and y/n don’t really hang out as much when everyone is around. Until one night Credence had to see y/n.

Credence’s Pov

                “You’re a coward.” I heard these hateful words coming out of nowhere and not knowing who was saying them. That was until I turned around and saw y/n walking towards me. “No one could ever love you. You’re nothing but a coward. You can’t even treat your girlfriend. I am only with you out of pity. I couldn’t care less about you.“ you said harshly.

                “I-I thought-t you loved-d me-e.” I asked with sadness and started to cry.

                “You really believed I loved you. I could never love a monster like you. You’re just a stupid, worthless waste of space.” Before I could say anything y/n asked for my belt.

As I heard those words I cried harder. I did what she told me anyway, maybe it would make her like me more if I let her do what she wanted to me, or that’s what I was telling myself. As I lowered down so I was below her and so I made myself small for her, all I could do was hang my head low and kept telling myself that by letting her do this it will make her like me more. Before I knew it, I felt the first hit it hurt a lot but I didn’t care as long as it made her happy, right? That’s it I wanted to make her happy and letting her do with will make her happy. I can’t lose her.

I woke up drenched in sweat and tears streaming down my face. I was breathing heavily. Before I even thought about it I rushed to y/n’s room. I didn’t care if the other saw us together I needed to see the real y/n, my y/n. The one that would never hurt a fly, the one that used sweet and calming words that made me feel special. Not the y/n in my nightmare. As soon as I reached her room I opened the door and quickly closed it. Y/n didn’t hear me come in. So I went by her bed to wake her up. I can’t lose her.

“Y/n, y/n. Please wake up.” I whispered to y/n. She opened her eyes all I can do is cry.

Y/n Pov

               I woke up by someone whispering my name. I looked up and saw Credence standing over me looking down. “Credence, are you ok?” I asked, it looked like he had been crying. “Were you crying?” He still doesn’t answer. I side up and move over so he can sit on my bed with me. He nods his head. We both lie back down. I start to spoon him by putting my arms around his waist, and he buries his face into the crook of my neck and continues to sob. “It’s ok baby. Do you want to tell me why you are crying?” He lifts his head so it is no longer in the crook of my neck, looks into my eyes with his glossy eyes and nods.

                “I had a nightmare. You were there and you were telling me that I was worthless and a coward. Also that you-ou-,” he couldn’t complete the sentence “you didn’t love me. That you were just with me out of pity.” He starts to cry harder. “Then you told me to give you my belt-t. You started to hurt me with it and I let you because I thought it would make-e you happy-y and that you would like-e me-e.” He says between sobs. You gasp. “Omg Credence baby I could never hurt you and I would never take joy out of hurting someone or something.” He nods but is still sobbing. “You aren’t worthless. You mean so much to me, I love you so much.” I say as I start to cry. I kiss him passionately to show that I do really care about him and love him. He nods and replies “I love you too.

Credence’s Pov .

                After I told her I loved her we fell asleep in each other’s arms. In the most loving embrace I have ever felt. It made me feel loved. That I was lovable and that someone could love me and that someone was y/n. I held on to her so tightly, she’s all I have left. I can’t lose her.

[imaginecredence]

who remembers when credence had a good storyline after fbawtft, and found love and happiness and eventually moved to maine, got married, and had children? because i do

[randomfandomimagine]

hey trish! (oh god i'm so awkward, i don't know what to say) anyways, ships for mha, stranger things, fantastic beasts, mcu, hp (golden trio & marauders), ffxv, mlqc, & kh pls? i'm straight, female, scorpio, slytherin, & INFJ/FP (ambiverted, but more introvert)! looks: 5'4, dark brown eyes, straightish black hair (which is usually down/ponytail) personality: secretive, smart, fast learner, hopeless romantic, daydreamer, more on the mature side, competitive, observant (1/3)

(2/3) likes: helping others, attention/affection/acknowledgement, doing exhilirating/thrilling things, messing w/ others, cleaning & organizing things (but i’m quite messy myself), reading/writing, twins (cuz i have one!), astronomy, mythology, learning new things, testing myself, jokes, sports (but not varsity lvl or smth) dislikes: horror, having a hard time, showing weakness, others being better, not being acknowledged, being under pressure

(3/3) habits: cooping emotions, overthinking, getting jealous, talking bad abt. ppl (but feels bad after), doubting myself srry if it’s a bit long 🤧 anyways, take your time! tysm trish!!

Hi, Jodi! Thanks for requesting a ship, hope you like it :) And btw, sorry about Tumblr eating your asks, that sucks! Send them again or message me if that happens again, I don’t want to miss on them!

I ship you with Bakugo, Jonathan, Credence, Steve, Draco, James, Noctis, Victor and Riku!

[lichoulychou]

Cornelia Street

Actor! Credence Barebone x Actress! Reader

Summarization: After you finally confronted about how you feel to Credence, he finally realised what he had done wrong and its starting to guilt him down to his core.

Warning: More angst!, second chances, realisation, Credence changes, reader is trying to move on but can't.

Again if you haven't read the first one please read it. The first one, the title is "You're losing me"

I'm gonna do the pov for credence in this one🥹😉

Ever since you finally told him the problem it had hit him harder than any punches he had received. It hurt him so much, he couldn't believe himself. Did he really let himself do this to his precious girl? He missed you so much. The situation had changed him to the point he had to take a break in working, he'd been drinking and doing stuff he'd never do when he was with you.

Everytime he got drunk all he could think about was you, all he could mutter was sorry and your name. He couldn't handle it, he misses everything about you. If he could have another chance he promises that he wouldn't let anyone get in both of your relationship's way.

Again he was drunk, and he suddenly thought about how he should text you. He picks up his phone and tried to contact you but instead is met with a "This person has blocked you", he couldn't believe it. This made him sober up quickly. After reading that he began to think of what he could do to talk to you in person or not, when he finally made up his mind he had decided that he needed to talk to you in person.

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To say that you had been devestated was an understatement, you couldn't move on at all.

Everything you had done you could only think of him, every single turn it was full of him. It's been months since you both had broke up, around 5 months ago.

You couldn't move on easily, after all he is your first love, your first kiss, your first partner in crime, Your first everything. As much as it had hurt you, you knew you shouldn't go back, because once a cheater, always a cheater, right?

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Back to Credence's POV:

I went to every place that I think she would be in, where we always would be in. As I looked and looked all I could see is the memories we had created together. God I hate myself for hurting her, she deserves everything. She doesn't deserve all the pain I put her through.

As I though about all the stuff I had regretted, I saw her, My Everything. My Glyndel, As soon as I saw her, I chased after her yelling her name, "(NAME)! (NAME)!" .

She turns around looking around upon hearing her name, when she saw me her eye's turn wide, the phase of her walking going faster like she'd wanted to run away from me. When I catched up to her, I grab her arm and turn her around, so I could see her beautiful face.

"Credence.. " She whispered like my name was a forbidden word to be used, her eyes started to water, her lips quivering. She was trying to fight the grip I had on her, I couldn't let her go, the fear of losing her crept onto me.

"Darling, I-, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry for what I had done. Please forgive me, please give me a second chance, I still love you alot, I'm not ready to lose you." I said trying not to cry, still having the same firm grip i held on her.

She had started tearing up too, she stopped fighting my grip, "C-credence look I'm so sorry, but I think we shouldn't try again, please just leave me be.."

She whispered through the sobs, it hurt me that I had hurt her so much, and that's when I realised, I might not have the chance to be with my girl again, it shattered my heart into pieces.

"Please give me another chance please..? Just give me a month to try again?" I said begging her.

"Fine, one month, that's all you'll get and the last you'll get" She said in a hurried whisper.

I smile softly and hug her gently "Thank you, thank you for giving me another chance."

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I'm finally back!! I had a long break, school has been stressing lately but I swear I'll try to update you guys more.♥️

[werezmastarbucks]

black

part one - Golden

part two - Silver

part four - Green

credence barebone x fem!OC

Then he said to me: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return"

warnings: language

word count: 9056

music: awakening the forest by everrune, fireproof by the national, strange birds by birdy, this will make you love again by iamx, the spirit dragon by mordela morana, ocean rose by tim janis

She mostly spent her days crying and nights, hunting. As she watched the baby run around in vivarium, she realized that the better Qilin felt, the less of Credence there was. Still, this was an exchange on a different plane of reality for her. She couldn't imagine betraying this creature, not even for Credence. This didn't mean he didn't matter. Orlaith needed everything to fall right into place.

Since their last meeting two months have flown by, and Dumbledore's promise of changes within a month might have been just a ploy after all. Grindelwald's acolytes didn't have it easy in the woods. They died in such numbers that it was time for the Lord to get concerned, but apparently, he had other business to attend to, and never showed up. Orlaith was ready to fight him, messy or not; the earth was on her side. As May came, the powers returned to the nature, and it woke up. She was teaching animals to fight back. She was training defense spells on whoever she happened to meet at the Forest in the wrong hour. Speaking of criminals, of course.

Orlaith decided, while she was obediently waiting to Dumbledore's attack! to get the matters in order. Especially she wanted to apologize to Matilda something-porne for her unfriendly demeanor.

She's been to the castle more or less reguralry, with all the baby walks, but rarely in the daylight. As the warm May wind dried everything up, and healed some of her soul, the road to Hogwarts also was made better, without deep pools of water and heaps of dirty leaves. One day, as the baby still slept, Orlaith escaped the house and flew for the castle. On a broom; it was finally warm enough. She flew fast, like she used to; watching the glimmering water below her, rippling with the glimpses of sunlight. The castle stood in front of her an unpenetrable mass. She even flew around it a couple of times, feeling the wind in her hair, trying to stop herself from thinking she could pull quidditch. The field stood, undisturbed, with its flags, bannerols and tabards fluttering in the wind. The world was laughing happily, again for the coming summer. The summer that awaited everyone, no matter where. She had no idea that even at Nurmengard, where the severe weather always held, the ice broke off from the rocks, and the winds ceased just a little, letting the warm air gather. Which made the Lord incredibly concerned at last.

She flew through the hallways of the castle like she was a fifth-year student; gathering surprised looks with her bright hair, and the flowers in it, and with her colorful dress. The poor pupils had still to wear the black uniform, and she looked like a ghost in flesh, unhinged. Children were preoccupied with the exams, drawing near, inevitable. That was one of the things she missed about studying.

She actually encountered the Headmaster himself, as he was pondering at the portrait of a naked hag on a broomstick, flying over a village at night. The moon was yellow in that painting, the witch's hair was obsidian black. She smiled coyly at everyone who looked at her.

"Oh, greetings, Peverell".

Orlaith sometimes couldn't express how proud, refreshed and excited it made her feel, when someone called her that.

"I'm thinking about removing Bella from this corridor".

She gave a look to the witch, who waved in return.

"Are the boys getting too agitated?"

"You have no idea. Always sheer commotion at this exact spot", he turned to her, adjusting his little reading glasses and examining her appearance.

"Isn't this whole summer look too immodest for studies?"

"I have graduated, Headmaster. Under Black".

"Headmaster Black. But didn't he make it known on your graduation certificate, that your results were satisfactory at best, and you ought to still catch up even after?"

"My results were excellent, Headmaster", she forced herself not to laugh, "Black just hated me because I didn't call him Headmaster".

"Headmaster Black".

He shook his head, closing his eyes.

"So, are you still studying, or not?"

"Not anymore, Headmaster".

"But I hear you've been practicing in the woods. Again".

His stern stare made her rise on her tiptoes.

"Uh... yes?"

"Without supervision? A witch of your abilities would act unwisely if she elected to train her duelling skills against the actual criminal, pugnacious enemy".

"Would you like to join me, Headmaster? I think I've located a specific hollow where they think it's absolutely comfortable to plot invisibly. Have you got my owl, by the way? Was Professor Dumbledore made aware of Grindelwald's alliance present so near the school?"

Dippet brushed her off.

"No Grindelwald acolytes have been to Hogwarts yet, thanks to you. Why bother anybody else with it?"

She bid goodbye to him, leaving the wizard next to Bella. If he is so sinile now, she thought, what happens in thirty years' time?

She reached North Tower without other adventure and found the rope ladder hanging suggestively. She shoved her head into the class and looked around.

"Professor?" she didn't want to let her know that she didn't remember her last name.

There was shuffling behind the door, then, Matilda showed up, in a purple trapezoid dress with long, light sleeves.

"Hello?"

"Do you remember me? I'm a Peverell you'd been looking for. We met at Hogsmeade and you gave me a prophecy, and I was rude to you".

Her eyes lit up with recognition.

"Ah, yes! Come in".

She climbed up and found herself in the Divinations class. Of course, with every new teacher the interior always changed, but this time, little to nothing seemed different. There were still crystal balls and books neatly placed on the shelves. The flying candles were now without fire, sleeping. Some empty cages were on the tops, aimless. Maybe it was more purple, understandably.

Matilda offered her a coffee, and they sat at the round table in the middle of the room.

"Were you any good at this subject while you studied?" Professor asked curiously as they made it half through their drinks.

"Complicated. I happen to be a kind of a prophet", she confessed, "but in all the wrong places. Very often, when I needed to glance into the crystal ball, I saw instead what I already knew would happen".

Matilda looked at her knowingly.

"Where have you travelled from?"

"Far away", she nodded. She suddenly felt warm, she realized, she'd underestimated this woman. Matilda didn't ask too many questions, but was politely inquisitive.

"Was it in the form of dreams, or visions?"

"Books", she replied. Matilda was impressed, although, Orlaith always felt sad when she needed to talk about it. The sight of an empty house on the autumn street flooded her head every time. The house she'd left, without saying goodbye.

"So, Professor", she decided to lead the conversation away while it was comfortable, "you told me not to prevent the tree from growing. Have you, maybe, got any more insight into that?"

The soothsayer clicked her bracelets on both hands.

"I'm sorry, but no. The initial message, too, was very foggy, uneven. It looked like something that could be changed, or, on the opposite, set in stone".

"Future can't be set in stone", she argued, "I've already changed it".

"Well. Do you want to try for yourself? If we ask the right questions, maybe you'll understand more".

She nodded. They put away the cups: luckily, Matilda didn't suggest reading the future on coffee grains. She draped the windows quickly and moved one of the crystal balls towards them.

"This is the one where I saw it first. I'm sorry, only I can use it".

"That's fine", Orlaith consented. Matilda touched the ball tenderly, like it was a baby calf. Orlaith thought of her own, sleeping at home. She might have already awaken. But she never got scared when she was alone; she just waited for her in the kitchen, where it smelt the best.

"What do you want to ask?" Matilda offered, looking inside. To Orlaith, the ball looked absolutely transparent.

"Don't prevent the tree from growing. What did it mean?"

There was silence as Matilda peered inside.

"A boy. Dark-haired, thin, very pale, he looks lost. He's alone... do you know him?"

"Credence. What about him?"

Matilda shrugged.

"It's just him. I'm sorry. You know the spirits won't just explain everything to you in detail. The veil is heavy, and it's not easy to hear through".

"I understand", she mused. Matilda looked at her with compassion.

"You look like a person who's had a lot of fights to carry these flowers in your hair".

"I'm about to have more".

Something caught Professor's eye as she moved back to the ball.

"Oh. Oh!" she gave Orlaith a look of amazement, "why are you keeping a Qilin at home?"

Ice-cold fear touched the back of her neck.

"What about it?"

"Someone wants to take it".

She all but stumbled down from the rope-ladder. Damn forbidden zone of the castle, she needed to run so much to even get to the territory where she could fly, to say nothing about apparating! Her breath in her throat, Orlaith told herself that prophecies weren't immediate; and that, in fact, of course anybody would want to take Qilin away. If they knew it existed. Newt made sure nobody, but them four, knew about it. Stairs after stairs she flew, knocking off students and rubbing against the corners; finally, she was in the yard.

"Accio broom!" she screamed, and soon, her broomstick was racing to her with pleasant whooshing through the air. Jumping up, she only made it as far as the field outside, and she disapparated immediately. Then, another course of running through Hogsmeade. Nobody could know where it was, no one, if only Aberfort hasn't lost the match. As she reached the house, her chest was stabbing with pain, knees giving in. She turned the key in the lock and threw the door open.

Qilin was lying on the sofa at the back of the kitchen. Upon seeing her, the baby got down and trotted towards her, happy.

She fell on the floor, hugging the creature. She was trembling.

"I love you. I love you so much, baby, you know I love you".

Just to be sure, she checked the second floor and the wardrobe, and used revealing charms. Nothing came of it which was good. The feeling of unease wouldn't let go though. She felt paranoid. She didn't know what, something still hovered above her. She tried to think what Matilda told her, and made no more of it.

The rest of the day she was just cleaning, letting the birds in, to play with the baby, and feeding cats outside. It was a good day, and she dreamed to take the Qilin to the field, but it was impossible. Evening came, and she decided to go at least to vivarium, the one where she had the ocean, to let the baby play in the water. She put on her evening cloak and made it upstairs to pick up the Invisibility Cloak. Qilin looked a bit tired, so, she was in two minds.

Then someone knocked on the door.

That was not normal. Even understanding it was Aberfort, she felt unhappy. What might have happened that he came himself instead of sending an owl?

Orlaith came downstairs with her wand in her hand, just in case. Waited for another knock, but it didn't come.

She walked up to the door and listened. One time. They knocked just once, scaring her.

She said to herself, you. You, Orlaith, are the Cutter, the Witch. Are you going to be afraid of a guest at your door?

She opened it and stepped back to have better swinging ability.

It was Credence.

Something felt heavy and tragic. Against the homely fire and the light of the house, he looked like a ghost. Still the same face, but white, with blacker eyes than ever. Without a smile, it was mocking her. Orlaith thought he really was a ghost, sent by Grindelwald to break her, and it meant that Credence was dead. He looked like he was resurrected with the Stone.

He stepped into the house quietly, closing the door behind him.

"Hello Orlaith", he said gently.

"What are you doing here?"

It was really him, but very, very barely.

She noticed he had his wand out, too. She instinctively stood her back against the set of stairs where, above, in the bedroom, the baby was already lying in her little bed.

He looked up through the ceiling.

"How did you find my house?"

"Just like I penetrated the dome at the pond", he replied, "I seem to sniff you out easily, even when you try to stay hidden".

She swallowed a scream.

"Credence..."

"I know what you have here. I need it".

She put out her hand and stopped him from coming closer.

"You can't have her".

"When Grindelwald found that another Qilin survived, he was very unhappy with me".

There was something very off with the way Credence spoke; maybe it was already difficult for him. Orlaith felt her ugly helplessness in her throat.

"He told me if I don't get this baby, he'll kill me".

She had to bend her arm because he was now standing closer already. She clutched his shoulder.

"I can't", she whispered, "I'm so sorry. I can't let you have her".

Credence lowered his head to meet her eyes.

"You said you wouldn't give up on me".

And nothing more. If he shouted, blamed her, that would be easier. Credence took the first step of the stairs, moving her with his body. Orlaith clutched on the banister, trying to push on his shoulder, but he was surprisingly strong. There was feverish glint in his eyes. He only looked whithered; in reality, although the obscurial already shone through him, in temples, cheekbones and knuckles, Credence stood is ground very firmly.

"You'll need to kill me, my love", she said. Her head was bowed, his breath on her forehead. She tried to push him as hard as she could, but there was no strength in her limbs.

"I will".

She felt his arm going down with his wand, and their fists touched.

"Look at me".

She raised her eyes.

"Trust my rage".

In a moment something struck her. His eyes expressed nothing, could not. She realised, if Credence has discovered her location, Grindelwald must know it, too. His wand crisscrossed with hers, giving it a light shove. Then he jumped back to the door, and they pointed at each other.

A couple of non-verbal spells met in the air, exploding in fiery flashes. She stepped up to have a better aim and shot, trying to get him; but every spell, Credence broke mid-air, sending one in return. Orlaith ducked, allowing an orange curse bash a hole in the wall behind her. Credence stepped closer, and she forced him to retreive, showering him with superficial blinding curses. He ran deeper into the kitchen, and she followed. Wondering what she is supposed to do next. One, two, three, five, ten curses, bouncing off of each other. They fought symmetrically, guessing each other's movements as they went.

"You'll need to kill me", Credence said, standing in the destroyed kitchen, among the shreds of wood.

"No!"

Credence tilted his head like he was annoyed. She recognized the mist appearing around him, and jumped back as he started to turn into a black cloud of shadow and fire.

"No!"

She ran upstairs. Qilin was trembling in her bed, looking up at her for help as she stumbled next to it.

"You'll be alright, baby, you'll be fine".

She could feel the floor vibrating under her feet as the cloud grew. The obscurial moved with a howl that sounded like a thousand tortured voices. All of those voices belonged to Credence.

She reached for the Invisibility Cloak lying on the bed, holding the baby with the other hand. She just managed to grab it with the tips of her fingers when the swirl of chaos crashed the floor and sucked her inside.

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Aberfort ran like he has never run in his life. He ran and ran through the valley, forgetting he could apparate closer to the gates of Hogwarts. He has completely forgotten he was a wizard, for the first time in his life. He was just human now, running through the heavily scented fields of lupins, skimmias and rapseeds; towards the castle that shone brilliantly above the dark sleeping lake. In the middle of May, Hogwarts celebrated almost every day to prepare students to the rough season of exams. By the time Aberfort finally made it to the gates, it was almost midnight; many teachers have already gone to bed, to say nothing about students. He thundered into the hall, then made it towards the stairs. He was looking for his brother.

He was lucky and knew it as Albus usually went to sleep extremely late. At ten minutes past midnight, he was still in his office, not a sign of exhaustion on his face, in his white and silver jacket, writing something at his desk. However, as he heard heavy steps from the outer class, he was ready for the visitor.

If Aberfort was a horse, he'd be covered in foam.

"She's gone", he panted with a wheeze. Albus got up to his feet.

"They're gone. Aurelius... he found them".

They apparated right to the bridge leading into Hogsmeade. It was even faster than taking the secret tunnel into the Honeydukes. As they ran through the streets, Albus held his brother by the forearm, not to let him fall. Finally, the eastern side of the village was less lit than the center. That's why they chose this house for her. From the distance, Albus could already see the shambles of the dwelling, in the place where the house used to be.

"No, it's not supposed to look like that..." he uttered. They approached hurriedly and Albus sent several Lumos light balls to hover above. The breath was caught in his throat. Something wasn't adding up. Someone betrayed them. He turned to his brother, grabbing him by the collars.

"Where's the match, Aberfort?" he shook him well to stop his eyes from rolling around in their sockets.

"It's here!" Aberfort roared. As he reached for his pocket to demonstrate it. "Here!"

"Did you tell him? Through the mirror?"

"No! He doesn't speak to me, almost never!"

He was gasping for air, thinking, intensely. Something wasn't adding up.

He used the revealing charm to try to peek into what happened here, but the house had been protected too well. It meant, Credence managed to get inside even while the dome still stood. How? If even a Dumbledore spell did not let him see what was transpiring here in the last moments before the explosion.

"Go, send an owl to Newt, gather everyone immediately", he said. Aberfort was panting like a dog. He wasn't tired anymore, but tearing apart. Albus barely thought about how he must be feeling, knowing that his son is in the middle of this.

He stood there for a couple of minutes, deliberating. Then he turned and walked back, towards the bridge.

In fifteen minutes' time everybody was gathered at his office. Newt was the most panicked, understandably. His old ticks were coming out as he paced around. Albus wished Theseus supported his brother a little, even just to stop him from being a moving target. Eulalie was intently watching something on his desk, as she always did when thinking. Her lips moved a little as ideas rushed through her brain. Bunty was staring at Albus, completely lost. She also looked like she blamed him. Jacob collapsed into the chair with red draping, gazing in front of himself, mouth slightly agape. Albus wondered if the muggle had lost his mind.

"Alright", he clapped his hands, and Bunty jumped with surprise.

"Let us not deviate from hope".

"How?!" Theseus exclaimed. "We've just lost both our magical creature and our most powerful asset".

Newt sighed like all life left him.

"Bunty, will you please, give Newt a chair", Albus asked softly. She hurriedly took the zoologist by the arm and led him to sit him down next to the desk.

"How could he have done that", Jacob murmured. "I thought he was... on our side".

"He had joined Grindelwald last year", Eulalie reminded.

"He only did that to protect Orlaith", Newt replied slowly. His eyes were teary.

"Here's the thing I don't understand", Albus said. "There are no bodies and no blood".

Aberfort shrugged.

"He obviously turned. He might have just dissolved them both completely. And died, too".

Theseus was rocking in place.

"The question is", Eulalie said suddenly, "what we do right now. Election is in a week". She looked at Albus intently. He nodded.

"We do what we planned. Everything stays the same.

"But we don't have the Qilin", Newt squealed. Finally, Theseus approached him, and patted him on the shoulder, his hand stiff. That was an endearing gesture from him.

"Grindelwald might not know it. If he had sent Credence to pick up the second baby, and Credence died on the spot, he never gets it, either. We go with the suitcases anyway and see what happens".

"That's barely a plan, Dumbledore".

"The plan was not to have a plan at all", Albus retorted.

"And when we're up there?" Theseus asked. "And we don't have the second Qilin to show people that Grindelwald had been lying?"

"We fight. We do our best to shower him and his acolytes, and we move on as we can".

There was a collective sigh.

The room was sad, divided. The candlelight was dying slowly below the ceiling. Something didn't add up.

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The morning of election was cloudy, a bit cold for a June. The clouds swarmed the sky, promising a storm that would rock the land. Cold winds stabbed the earth and the village, and people, dressed too lightly for this uncharacteristic weather, were bundling themselves tighter in their colorful cloaks. In the middle of the square, where the stairs were leading up towards the Election Podium, was much hotter, the wind unnoticed. People hurdled, crowded, pushed and pulled, paced and yelled their happy slogans, chanting, organizing in separate, orange, red and green groups. Then, on the stairs, the wind ferociously attacked again, tearing the hats from the heads, flapping skirts around the legs, slapping magicians on the faces. A butterfly was struggling to fly up. In this howling vortex of cold air, it flapped its wings with fading strength, thrown around by the gusts of it; the desperate attempts almost paid off as it managed to fly up and up slowly, gradually, while there, on the top of the stairs, the dramatic revelation has already begun. Someone managed to catch it carefully in unclosed fist, and put the butterfly just behind the layer of their black and white striped blanket serving as a coat against the wind. Inside, finally in the warmth, the butterfly landed on a wet, little nose and looked around. A strange creature looked at it back and cooed soflty.

Up there, on the wide round place, Albus Dumbledore locked his eyes with Gellert Grindelwald. The green fireworks were exploding in the air, shattering the sky, as Gellert's face was being translated into all the magical sanctuaries where people watched. He was now the new leader of the magical world.

Newt was wriggling in Mr Pewdence's hands, trying to liberate his working hand. He looked at Eulalie quickly, asking, now what? She stood not far from him, equally guarded, but she wouldn't let them grab her shoulders. Jacob laid on the ground, his face white like snow, a thin trickle of blood dripping from his nose.

There was a soft snap characteristic for apparition. A couple of gasps later, people divided, and a figure stepped up from the last higher steps, towards Grindelwald. He was frail, dressed in all black, his hair covering his face almost completely.

He locked eyes with Grindelwald whose nostrils flared from how livid he became.

"So", he said quietly, "you're alive".

Aberfort shook in his place, his feet scratching the stone, but Albus garbbed him.

Credence said nothing but looked at the wizard for a couple of seconds. Then he raised his wand, slowly, and gently moved it in the air. From the tip of the wand, streams of red smoke flew up towards the wizard and formed a huge word, visible enough for the translation, above his head.

L I A R

Gellert dismissed it with an impatient twitch on his hand.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"He's lying to you!" Newt screamed. "This Qilin is dead! It's been resurrected through necromancy, it's corrupted!"

Rumble moved through the crowd, people swayed like one liquid body.

"Bring him here!" Grindelwald snapped. Newt was dragged in front of him, Dumbledore aware of every movement.

"Credence", he asked, as gently as he could. Credence turned his face towards his uncle, pale, with eyes full of hatred.

"Where's Orlaith?"

The boy smiled but said nothing.

Before getting to the zoologist, Grindelwald moved his attention to Credence again.

"You haven't only failed me, but also betrayed? You, who had been thrown out like garbage, a circus freak. I took you in. I gave you what you desired the most, your history. I gave you your name, Aurelius. I gave you a home. And now you're dying, and looking at me, for what? You dare to raise your eyes at me".

Credence was smiling. Not a single time either Newt, nor Albus has seen him smile. Gellert's spell was so quick that no one was in time to react; even Albus. He's been too preoccupied with the unrealistic oddness of this appearance. Credence himself fended it, with a wide movement, sending the red flash away, above people's heads. Albus noticed something extremely curious, familiar, about this movement, the hand outstretched recklessly. And the wand - he's seen this wand before. He's seen this wand, dragon core, seven inches, extremely stiff, red wood. A smile of disbelief curved his lips as he raised his own wand to protect.

"Where's the second Qilin?" he yelled, in the high, shrill voice, to raise the wave in the crowd. He stood a little behind Aberfort, who stared at him curiously.

"Show us the second one!"

"Yeah! Show us the second one!" someone picked up. Several voices demanded the same. Grindelwald smiled like a knife.

"There is no second Qilin. You see the only one, the real one, in front of you. All this", he motioned towards Scamander, kneeled before him, "is just a distraction".

Credence sat on the steps, supporting himself with one hand.

"Excuse me! Goddammit! Will you- hey, thank you!" there was another high-pitched voice, as if from someone very small - a child, or a female house elf. Crowd grumbled, preoccupied, and people were finally making a narrow corridor, to let them through. Another person, covered in a striped back and white blanket, was stumbling upwards on the stairs.

"Oh, the-" Orlaith's hand caught herself on the steps, "these stairs, fuck", she mumbled under her breath, her voice unusually high with exhaustion. From the blanket, a butterly flew out and disappeared in the milky sky.

"Are there... two hundred thousand of them, or something?"

"What is this?" thundered Grindelwald. He was losing patience. She threw the blanket off her shoulders. Orlaith held the Qilin baby in her hands, snuggled against her chest. She was wearing a black shirt, not unlike Credence's, and dark trousers. In all black, which Dumbledore hasn't seen her quite often, she looked ever more menacing. Her long ginger hair flew in the furious wind, like golden Celtic song. She stood straight for a second, but then bent forward, putting her free hand to her knees, panting from the running. Credence watched her attentively. She waved her hand, motioning them to wait.

"These fucking stairs!" she yelled in thin voice, but it cracked. She's never cursed that much, in front of people.

"This is precarious", Grindelwald said with finality. "This is a ploy".

Orlaith let the Qilin jump off her arms, and it trotted joyfully around, paying little to no attention to the chosen leader. It ran around in circles, enjoying the weather, as Newt looked at her with tears in her eyes. Albus, without breaking the gaze from Grindelwald, walked up to Orlaith and helped her to get up. She jerked, suddenly, as if she didn't expect his help.

"How are you holding up?" he whispered. Her gaze was stern as she only allowed him to take her by the shoulder and raise to her feet. She immediately stepped away, closer to Credence. He met her halfway.

Qilin, meanwhile, was making her way through the crowd, towards Santos. The noble witch kneeled before the animal, bowing her head low. People started forming a circle around Grindelwald as his face hardened. He saw that the Qilin had chosen, and his own, barely alive, infernally blue, was now wandering aimlessly at the edge of the platform, unused. He opened his mouth to say something poisonous at the wands ponting at him, but was interrupted.

"Ow! Ah!" Credence talked for the first time. His face was bubbling and he grabbed on it, searching support in Orlaith. She, too, was shaking, grimacing. In front of the amazed crowd, the two seemingly changed places, and Orlaith was now holding onto Credence, and Credence stood where she had stood before. He was the one who had saved the butterfly.

"Ha! The most amazing thing I'd seen in a long time!" Albus laughed. He was so relieved. Meanwhile, Gellert finally recognized the girl.

"You. I knew the chains had meant something".

"Oh", she grimaced, "shut up!"

There was a swirl of spells. Green, blue, orange flashes flew towards Gellert, and he fended them all. Orlaith pulled Credence a little at the side, seeing that he was on his last leg. He was very pale, although visibly holding on. She searched for Aberfot with her eyes. He was making his way to them, but with the pushing crowd, it wasn't easy. She noticed Credence was, although he stood on one knee, looking closely at Albus.

There was a pause in the shootout, as Gellert tried to voice towards the wizards. Albus was impatient, clutching his wand, but he could only fight the servants, not the lord. The chain was choking him.

"You know, I wish I had broken your chains", Credence muttered. Orlaith followed his gaze.

"Accio!" he screamed, in the last burst of energy. Everything seemed to slow down. She felt that, together, they were something more. In between the moving bodies, preparing to attack Grindelwald again, she could see the long silver chain with the blood-red-hearted vile sprung in the air. Dumbledore was pulled along with it, barely keeping himself on his feet. She aimed as well as she could, which was relatively new to her; she just usually shot in wide bursts, hoping to shatter as much as possible.

"Reducto".

Golden lightning flashed out of her wand for she was the Golden Witch. Credence felt her shining next to him, keeping him warm, as he let her lean on his shoulder for support. The spell, released by her, wasn't just a breaking curse. It was her ancient magic that made it incredibly strong. It was so strong that it could destroy the heartbreak, the betrayal, the sorrow. It crashed into the vile, and the little glass bottle exploded in the air.

Dumbledore was free.

Aberfort finally grabbed Credence and carried him ten steps away, holding him in his arms. Their fingers unclutched, and Orlaith moved her wand towards the dark wizard. Dumbledore's blue, and her golden curses flew towards him, as he twisted as best as he could to avoid being hit, dancing like a fencer. She saw some familiar faces, the faces that visited Hogwarts, fall, and stepped closer. Credence's shirt was far too big for her, so, she rolled her sleeves very quickly. That second she spent on it cost her a would on her neck, burning like hell. She rubbed the spot and focused again. Let the surge of magic of the earth itself thunder down on him. She put her wand up, and people stepped back, watching. Gellert locked eyes with her. She threw her hand down, and the pillar or purple fire engulfed him.

"Dumbledore!" she screamed, holding the trap. He wasn't easy to keep, actually. She could feel his pushback, and was horrified. Albus shot through the purple, curse after curse, and soon, the others joined. The howling mass of the pillar held Grindelwald as he was forced to his knees inside. He managed to break the curse with Protego Diabolica, from the third try, no less; by this moment Orlaith had redefined all she knew about her skills. She had never, she realized, met a wizard of such power, and her careless, insinctive use of ancient magic was only good with crooks. Otherwise, focus just wasn't enough to defeat someone so masterful. But the ring of fire grew, fighting the blue flames. She was getting exhausted quickly, feeling the supportive curses around, but the magic drained her for energy. Blue dragon was growing, consuming the purple fire, and her anger was the last thing that still held up. She thought of Credence. Credence, the boy she refused to let go of, dying ten steps away from her. Someone who never knew love and yet, sacrificed his little freedom for her, twice. His sculpted pale face with heavy, dark, intelligent eyes. The way he made her feel as his hand touched her neck softly, almost with fright. She screamed and pushed, she didn't even put any words to the blow. She just pushed Grindelwald as hard as she could, like a child would push another child on the playground. He flew up, picked up by the purple flash, and was thrown off the edge.

Suddenly, it was all quiet. People rushed towards the end of the platform to see, but he was gone. Maybe disintegrated in the fire, or maybe, disapparated in the air.

She bent and held onto her knees, like Credence, while he was parodying her. All was quiet for some time. Someone was scratching their head. Orlaith panted, looked up at the stormy skies, felt the June cold on her face.

"Alright, you were right. And Black was right, I need to learn more", she admitted to approaching Albus. He smiled like she knew he would always smile at children he protected.

"That was quite a spectacle".

"Is he gone?"

"Gone, yes, dead - unlikely".

He patted her on the shoulder lightly. His hand was scarred from the chain.

"Thank you for that, by the way. That was the most exquisit job from you two".

She turned around to look for Credence.

"They had disapparated. To Hogsmeade, I presume".

People were slowly gathering around her, dozens of curious eyes, which she didn't like. She realized the translation into sanctuaries and places of viewership was still happening.

"Can I... also go, please?" she asked, huddling closer to Professor. He embraced her by the shoulder, and she clutched on Newt, too, to shield herself. They both held her.

"Yes, let's go. And you'll need to tell me where the hell you have been".

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A week ago, Credence landed himself, and Orlaith, with the Qilin, on top of the Astronomy Tower where she guided him. He swayed and fell on one knee because his head spun for a second. Orlaith collapsed, too, but managed to keep the baby in her outstretched arms. She quickly stood up and unfolded the Cloak.

"Are you alright? Credence?"

He took her hand and pulled himself up.

"Yes".

He was not. All his body was being bitten off by frost from his bones. The monster inside of him was raging, knapping. He couldn't lift his right arm. He let the night air soothe him a little, and then Orlaith threw the mantle over him. She stepped so close that he could see every freckle on her nose.

"What's that?"

"A family heirloom. You remember when Grindelwald - Graves - gave you that necklace? Doesn't matter. It's the Cloak of Invisibility".

He didn't ask where they were going, just looked around. He had to hold her around her waist not to let the Cloak slip off of his head. He found it uncomfortable and inappropriately fantastic. He couldn't even think while she was in his arms. In fact, the pain ceased just a little, and it became easier to breathe. He was staring around curiously as they sneaked down the winding stairs.

"Oh, so good it's the nighttime" she whispered, tickling his face with her hair. "No students".

He obeyed her motions, stopping when she stopped, and whispering to the baby when it made noises. Slowly, because they were both adults, and with a baby dragon deer, while the Cloak was designed for only one person - made their way to the lower level. Suddenly, Credence heard conversation. They stepped to the wall, the Qilin between them, two of their palms covering its mouth carefully and gently.

Two students in green ties were treading down the hallway. They stood still while the two boys passed, and then, after a while, Orlaith grumbled,

"Of course it's Slytherin".

And pulled him further.

Finally, they were standing in front of an empty, flat wall. She took the Cloak off and rolled in under her arm.

"What is it?" he asked.

She couldn't hide how excited she was all of a sudden.

"This, Credence, is the Room of Requirement. One of the most tremendous places in Hogwarts. Take my hand".

He complied happily. A rare bird, ghostly bird of freedom was flapping its wings in his chest. Excitement for magic, something unfamiliar to him before, contageously, travelled to him from her. For a moment, he wasn't aching, or tired, or on the run. He was just a boy, looking impatiently, in wonder, at the wall which was changing, transforming, into a door.

She pushed the door, and they entered a huge, light, spacious room with thick red carpet on the floor, with high, tall windows in the ceiling, through which the impossible daylight was flowing; the walls were covered in portraits of witches and banners of birds, and animals, and statues of incredible beasts were in every corner. It was warm here, safe, quiet. Something bubbled peacefully on the intricatly ornamented purple potion desk at the wall; it was an amazing place. In front of him, across the room, there was what looked like a greenhouse entrance, which glowed with white light. As Orlaith let the Qilin go, the baby immediately raced towards the entrance and, in the soft pearl glow, she disappeared inside.

"We're safe here. Not even Grindelwald can find us here, the Room is hidden deep inside the castle, and no one can acess it, who hadn't been inside before".

There were steps leading up onto a little balcony. On either side of it, on the platform, were doors. The left one had the same ethereal glow, but it was somehow bluer. On the other side, the door was most usual, but with a sign of a fairy on it.

"You can stay here. Hey, I'll go pick up dinner".

He drew a breath, still looking around.

"Is this all yours?"

"Well, the Room provides me with what I need. But I designed some of it", she nodded towards potion tabel and two botanic desks with some sort of yellow flowers growing.

"Can I... can I sit?" Credence motioned towards a big, dark-red armchair standing next to a bookcase.

"Of course. Of course, hey, do what you want here. This is going to be our home for the next week, I suppose. Are you hungry?"

He wasn't hungry, he was awashed with the feeling he couldn't put to words. Most likely it was savage, reckless hope. As Orlaith disappeared under the Cloak and left the room, he changed his mind against the armchair. He wanted to see what the gates were, and followed the Qilin.

When Orlaith returned, she found Credence in the vivarium, watching the baby play. She brought her dinner, too, and the beast started stuffing her face. She was growing, and ate all the time now. Orlaith munched on banana bread and had left some food for him in the room. She pulled on his hand, breaking his sunbathing in the field.

"Leave her be", she panted, with a smile, "I want to show you the ocean".

They left the first vivarium and took the stairs onto the balcony. Credence awed at how many books there were here. They entered the second glowing gate, and at first, he thought, he had another episode for there was noise in his head. Blinking in the white sunlight, he realized that it was the noise of the ocean. Grumbling pleasantly, licking on the sharp grey rocks, it was reaching its waves towards him. Orlaith was already running towards the water while he stood, and watched her. She threw herself in the water in her clothes like she was suffocating without it.

The sun did not recognize his white, paperthin skin. He felt out of place here, a black ink spot on this harmonious beach. But he walked on, he removed his shoes and felt the sand under his feet, and then walked into the water to make sure it felt real. It was amazing how he had been kept in a dark tower in the land of eternal winter, where iron bit him, and only ravens circled above the chasm below his windows, and suddenly he was saved. He was utterly saved, he was happy, his shoulders bending forwards, as his knees caved in. He sat in the sand and was silent, tasting the salt of the ocean. Orlaith joined him soon, water dripping from her.

"It looks and feels absolutely real, doesn't it?"

He asked himself if it has all been a dream.

"Does anybody leave here? Any animals?" he wondered.

"Only fish and very small crustaceans. And there, in the field, tiny beetles". She smiled. Her eyes were concerned, palpating his face. She gathered her hair into a bun. Credence looked at her neck and the sunbeams from her earrings on her skin.

She laid her head onto his shoulder, and they watched the waves until the sun started to roll across the water. The ocean was quietening, stepping back lightly, the shining changing from white to gold.

Several days have passed, and each day he was coming to the beach. There were cracks on his arms that wouldn't heal, the general weakness which he felt every day right in the morning. He knew what it meant, the boneache and the black visible through his skin. His body was only going to hold on long enough to go through with the plan which they now could finally discuss in detail.

In the bedroom, behind the door with the fairy sign, Orlaith slept in the bed to the left, with the baby curled at her side; and Credence slept in the right. In the evenings, days and mornings, they discussed what they would do. He watched Orlaith cutting the yellow and red flowers off the bushes with thin silver scissors; they dined in the next room where the narrow corridor led. In the oval shaped hall, the knight armour was displayed at the wall, and the banners: red, green, yellow, and blue. She explained that those were the four houses of Hogwarts, but Credence had already known about it. Grindelwald had told him a lot about Hogwarts, the place that Dumbledore had chosen over him. Still, he liked to listen to her as she spoke of Gryffindor. Most of the things in her Room were noble wine-red and orange, in the colors of her house. She said he would make the first Dumbledore who's destined for Slytherin. He asked why. She smiled like it was obvious. Your bravery is quiet, she said, and you're dark. You were right about it, you are dark, but your darkness is the darkness of the room where treasures are hidden. And you're smart, since you're reading my thoughts. In your pursuit of your name you almost turned over the mountains, and nothing could stop you. That makes you a Slytherin, the quiet menace, the undiscovered hero.

"And you're so dark-haired, you look like one", she shrugged. Credence found this playful categorisation entertaining.

"And what exactly makes you a Gryffindor?" he asked.

"Well, I'm super powerful".

He snorted right in his tea and apologized. Her smile turned into a laugh.

"You have- do you have any ancient magic by any chance?" he asked. "I don't think you've ever mentioned".

"That's what makes me a Gryffindor", she nodded, still laughing. "Dumbledore constantly tells me I'm too self-reliant and reckless. But it's really hard not to be, whent he earth itself helps you. Also, I'm a Peverell. All Peverells historically are Gryffindors, and they descend from the Gryffindor himself".

"The founder?"

"Uh-huh".

"But did you ever find who you were?" he remembered suddenly. He saw this question ruined her mood in an instance. She gave him an uneasy, doubtful glance. He got frightened.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

Instead, she moved closer to him as if she wanted protection.

"I never did, no. I'm occupying the name, the body of an Orlaith Peverell who lived in the sixteenth century. She was, it seems, a lot like me, so I guess, I grew into the persona. But..."

She looked at Credence with trusting eyes.

"I have come into this world after I died. But I was born elsewhere". She put her palms up on the table and observed them. Credence, out of habit, dared to touch them, and she didn't pull away.

"I was born in the world with no magic, no magic at all. Just the planet full of... muggles".

She said the last word almost with disgust.

"I don't remember what it is".

"A no-maj. As a child, I used to read books about magic, but it was so painfully unreal. I grew up with these stories about this magical child who defeated the dark wizard. He was born just like me, thinking he was usual, and then found that he was a powerful warlock. That was the most amazing thing that happened to me. As I was growing up, I got so hung on these stories, that I spent all my time in the countryside, in the woods, looking for the special door leading to the world of magic. And I couldn't find it". She was grim as she spoke, as if she was old. What if she was old?

"Then I became an adult and realized it had all been just a story. Just a product of imagination of a writer. In our world, Credence, we didn't have dragons, and broomsticks, and prophecies, no purple enchantments, no elves, no wizarding schools. Just.... work, buses, taxes, relationships. You get up every day and go to work, and then come back and watch TV... and then go to sleep at night and listen to the traffic".

Credence thought of this world as almost amazing. If he had been born to a place where magic didn't exist, perhaprs he wouldn't have been abandoned. He wouldn't have turned out like he did, he would be normal.

"So... that's how you know the future? You read about... us... in the books?"

"Yes. But everything is differen already. Because I didn't use to be in them".

He thought of the concept.

"The worst thing is that I started a family there".

He was taken aback.

"You... had a husband?"

Something like a thorn stung him in the stomach, phantom. Not the obscurial. Other type of pain.

"Yes. But the thing is, that life almost seems like a dream to me now. I forgot my name, or his, and I barely remember anymore... I think, with time, I'll start thinking that that muggle world was no more than a bad dream. A dream".

She looked at him.

"What if it was?" He mused, "just a long dream?"

She shrugged.

"Maybe. The view of the house doesn't seem to leave me. It was autumn, I died in September. I know I left them behind, and I feel... so awful".

He was shaken to his core. He wasn't sure even Grindelwald heard about things like that. There had to be some meaning to her having ancient magic now. She didn't look like a muggle at all, not even in her previous life. He witnessed her lower her shoulders.

"I'm sorry".

"I would not go back", she said quietly, "even if the hellhounds dragged me by my ankles".

They let the thought soar onto the soft carpet.

"Well", she let her hand snake onto his chest and felt for his watch in the pocket. Credence was still getting used to that. He would stay in place, not a muscle move in his body, in concern that she could be scared off. All the while sweat breaking onto his neck from expecting a blow.

"It's late, and tomorrow's the Day", she clicked the watch closed and gave it back to him, "I'll go wash in the river". He nodded, strange feeling of readiness in him. He knew this could be very well the last evening of his life.

Orlaith was thinking about the next morning. They had already decided how they would apparate, how they could avoid being tracked while travelling. And what they would do. Late evening light in her impeccably realistic vivarium made the air relatively cold for the skin straight out of the river. As she walked out onto the grass and picked up he robe, she saw Credence at the gate. She jumped, putting the robe around herself quicky. She called his name, and he started moving. Something eerie was in the way he walked, without the usual stoop, planting his feet firmly into the ground. Unpleasant paranoic feeling crawled onto her skin as she found the baby with her eyes, grazing hundred steps away. She didn't have her wand, she wouldn't think of it. She trusted Credence completely, she knew him. As they approached each other, she decided there was something different. His face was ready and meaningful. He towered over her.

"I was in the river, Credence", she reproached him. He didn't stoop his eyes like he always did, but on the opposite, made them travel onto her neck and then back to her face.

"You need to be ready for tomorrow".

"I am".

"You need to be ready for my death".

He caught her hands which flew to his head.

"Credence, I told you-"

"I know, I know. You won't accept it, and you need me to fight".

In the silence between them his white hand let go of hers, and she touched the side of his face.

"But no matter how long I'm fighting, the obscurial is eating me. And I'm quite tired of fighting it".

Orlaith didn't know what to say. She was childishly opposed. She wanted to shake her head and stomp her foot. He held her wrist so softly, like she was an artifact.

"I want you to know something", he added. Taking her hand, he opened her palm.

"The elf wouldn't think of bringing you the ointment. I made it myself, for burns, from the slug-dragons we used to have at the circus. I sent it with him because I had been listening to your conversations with Skender".

Her throat was caught in a spasm.

"You took care of me".

He kissed her palm like he did before. He kept it to his face as if he was trying to hide. He used to have nothing, he thought. And now he knew who he was, and he had love. He had felt love, he had felt loved. And he was happy.

As his name left her lips again, he touched her neck, traced the invisible line to her shoulder, and back. They kissed, his darkness dissipating a little, with the warm summer fog. The powerful feeling of hope left him through the pores in his skin, for he didn't need hope anymore.

The light was leaving the sky. The need shoved them close to each other, and they held on, watching each others' eyes in the twilight. Now Orlaith didn't know what to say because she had said it many times. She needed him. She wouldn't let him go. She was stubborn, and selfish, and he just watched as she clung on his cooling hand.

"We go tomorrow", he said finally. "Don't be upset".

"I'm not upset", she argued. "Are you upset?"

"No".

The play of words made him smile a little.

"I was thinking. Do you have a Change-Up potion?"

Orlaith frowned.

"What's a Change-up potion?" there was again a spark of fun in her eyes. Maybe he made her drunk a little.

"It's the potion which makes you look like the other person".

"Aaahh. The Polyjuice potion".

"The Poly... juice", he chuckled, kissing her face.

"I don't. You know it takes a month to preapre it, right?"

She thought.

"But I can steal it from Sharp. He must have some in the Potions class".

"Do you need help?"

She looked sheepish but in the end, managed to get it together.

"No, you better stay here. Grindelwald must be looking for you. I'll be quick".

He let her hand slide off his shoulder, and traced her arm with his fingers. What if in a dream, he thought, watching her leave the vivarium, they were both very boring, non-magical? And there would be a lifetime of this, of him being able to hold her like that?

She shoved her head back suddenly.

"Oi! Why do we need Polyjuice potion again?"

"Well, to confuse everybody even further".

"But we'll need to be silent, because voices don't change".

"I know".

"And you'll need to act like me, you know?"

"So, a lot of cursing?"

She nodded energetically,

"A lot!"

[blogofsomenonmagicfolk]

Thinking about writing an angsty Credence x Writer drabble, a no-maj who is herself shunned by the human world meets this boy whom she’d never seen before, scared by the anger in his eyes but at the same time she cannot avert her eyes from his dark ones, his rage, his grief, his sorrow, all of it pouring from his eyes, surrounding her like an ocean. She’s never met anyone like him, the men she’s usually surrounded by are rough to the touch and reek of cigars. But Credence, his finger touch her with such softness as if he might be afraid she might just disappear the minute he feels too good, to warm by her kindness.

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