Echos >> Newt Scamander

Bonus Chapter - Christmas with the Kegleys

Barely three weeks after Newt's beasts escaped and Myra met him, Christmas arrived. Myra'd decorated only a week before, Credence and the Ignis loquitur having helped her to hang ornaments on the wand wood trees outside of the cottage, snow slowly falling from the faux sky. The pond and waterfall froze over in a beautiful display, and the cottage itself had been strung with lights. The shop featured the little wooden dragons chasing and being chased by snowflakes.

Myra smiled as Queenie and Tina walked into Wishes, Wands, and Wizardry. Credence and Noctis waited on the other side of the shop while Aurum and Viride greeted the Goldstein sisters; one with a warm puff of fire and the other with a cold stare. Credence had only mastered his first spell a few days ago and was still a bit wary of straying too far from Myra or one of the Ignis loquitur, and tended to stay away from strangers, but upon seeing Tina, jumped up from his seat (which is a loosely used term as it was more of a slow and hesitant getting up from the chair), a small package in his grasp.

Tina smiled, going in for a hug, only for him to flinch back. When she backed up, he relaxed again, giving a hesitant smile before passing over the present. In return she gave him a slightly larger package, about the shape and size of a large book.

Queenie did end up giving Credence the space he wanted, and instead diverted to hugging Myra, the action of which was soon reciprocated. With a large smile, the blonde ushered everyone into the cottage, where Newt was poking his head in the door connecting his case to Myra's cottage When he caught sight of them, he fully stepped in, a large bag in his grasp.

"So," the wandmaker asked, "Would you like to start with dinner or presents?"

Queenie answered for all of them when she said, "Presents! Credence, you go first."

The obscurial's face turned scarlet, but he didn't protest; so, the four of them gathered up their presents for him, handing them to him one by one. The first gift was a book of spells from Tina, then the book One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi from Newt. Queenie gifted him his own Cauldron and a set of glass vials. All that was left was Myra's gift.

Myra's gift was in a bag, the first item was a scarf. The two had gone out to get things for him when he'd first moved in, including clothing and other necessities. The second item was a wooden dragon, which was one of her favorite gifts to give, as they bonded with their owners. That particular dragon was made of Hazel wood, meaning that it would probably end up mimicking a lot of Credence's emotions.

The last thing, at the bottom of the bag, was an envelope. Myra couldn't help but start sweating when he began to open it in the delicate and hesitant way that he did everything. When he pulled out the papers inside, the obscurial remained silent, reading over them. Then, he began to cry.

Eyes wide, Myra pulled him into a gentle embrace, hoping to calm him down, she hadn't meant to make him cry after all. It took a few minutes, but the tears eventually stopped.

"Do you mean it?" Credence asked, his voice wobbly as if he were going to burst into tears again.

"Of course I meant it!" Myra replied, "You're the sweetest kid I've ever met. You deserve the world."

With that, both burst into tears, the other three not knowing what was going on or what to do with themselves. Newt rubbed Myra's back, looking over at the papers that they were crying over. It was a form, that, with a signature, would turn Credence Barebone into Credence Kegley. It was a good Christmas indeed.

I was having so many feels as a wrote this. You guys have no idea. I actually wrote this entire thing today, I've had the idea for quite a while, but just didn't do it. So, here it is! Christmas with the Kegleys. This is the most cannon bonus chapter thus far, and what happened here will effect everything in the next book. And, for when this book hits 200k reads, I plan on doing a Q&A where you can ask Myra and I (or any other characters) whatever questions you want. I'm really looking forward to questions for that. Anyway, I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas (and if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a happy holiday (or just day), too). :)
~ Aria