Newt Scamander Preferences

When You Receive Bad News

"He's in the infirmary. I can't believe that no one told you." Valerian said, worried as to how you would react.

You couldn't quite comprehend what she was saying. Surely she was mistaken? Newt couldn't possibly be in the infirmary, he was at the Great Lake, enjoying his free hour, just like you were about to go and do. "I...I don't understand." you stuttered, fearful of what Valerian would say next. "How?"

The girl paused, looking at the ground, unsure of how to explain what had happened to Newt Scamander. "He...he was at the lake- I don't know all of the details- but something happened and...and he was found by some Slytherin first years, face down in the water."

A sound that was close to a cry of hysteria left your lips, your hands flying up to cover your mouth and tears threatening to stain your cheeks.

"Did you say he's in the infirmary?" your friend intervened when they realised you had momentarily lost the function to speak.

Valerian nodded, glancing at you uneasily.

"Right," your friend linked their arm with yours. "thanks for telling us, Val." and before you could react, your friend was pulling you across the courtyard and in the direction of the main building of the castle.

****

 Bad things happen to good people', isn't that how the old saying goes? Why did things have to turn out this way, hadn't he suffered enough? Your poor, broken Newt.

You analysed the body lying before you, your gaze drifted over his soft brown hair that was mated to his forehead, lake water causing it to curl slightly in random places. Newt's perfect, chiselled face was mottled with bruises and his body, marred with scars and cuts.

You stroked a stray hair away from his greyish toned face. He had dark, deep circles under his eyes.

You averted your gaze from his weary face, hoping to find something to focus on that wouldn't upset you further but everything about him did.

All you could see were the wires attached to various equipment measuring his heart rate, oxygen levels, providing him with the medicines needed to keep him alive. How did such a thing happen to him?

He shouldn't have been here, in the infirmary, attached to an IV. You felt sick to your stomach at the thought of Madame Pomfrey having to revert to muggle medicine, as magic wasn't have much of an effect of his body.

No one- except Valerian- had told you of how exactly Newt had come to be drowned in the Great Lake. It couldn't have been an accident, it just couldn't have been. Newt had been to the lake's edge more times than you'd have potions lessons, he was always careful. Deep down, you knew that this was no simple tragedy, it had been deliberate but without more information from the faculty, you would have to just be content with the fact that Newt was still breathing. Just.

You sat on the edge of the hospital bed, Madam Pomfrey would soon be arriving to administer more morphine.

Unconsciously, you placed a kiss on his forehead, a tear running down your cheek. More and more tears fell. You couldn't stop them. You were crying because he was suffering and there was nothing you could do to ease his pain.

Taking one of his ice cold hands in yours, you ran your thumb along his knuckles, which were marked with various animal bites and scratches, souvenirs from his mini adventures with creatures on the grounds. Despite your evident pain, you smiled at the thought of him running around, most likely with a net, trying to find some magical being.

"Hey," you croaked, quickly clearing your throat. "it's (y/n). I'm here, Newt, I'm here. I..." you looked up at the ceiling, trying to prevent more tears from falling. "You...you better wake up, okay? Otherwise you'll have bigger problems than drowning, you'll have me to deal with. Understand? You have to wake up." you said with more resolve than you truly felt. "And while you're focusing on waking up and getting better, I'm going to find out what the hell happened to you, got it? You better be listening to me, Scamander, you should know by now that I am one stubborn human being and I usually get my way."

"(Miss/Mr/Ms/Your Choice) (y/l/n)." the sudden voice of Professor McGonagall behind you made jump.

You turned your body to look up at her. "Professor?"

"The Headmaster would like to see you in his office."

"Can...can I not stay with Newt a little longer?" normally you would obey anything a teacher asked of you but this time, things were different, your friend was gravely hurt and you didn't want to waste a moment away from him.

"I'm afraid not, Headmaster Dumbledore wishes to speak with you immediately."

Returning your focus to Newt, you gently moved a stray lock back into it's rightful place. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon." and with those parting words, you rose from the bed and followed the Professor away from the infirmary.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: What did you think? Was it okay?