Truly Fantastic

Chapter 12

Credence Barebone was walking through the busy streets of New York handing out leaflets to anyone who passed by. 

He stared down at the pile of pamphlets in dismay, he hadn't given out enough. Mother would be sure to beat him for this. 

He stared up at the cloudy grey sky and sighed. It was time to return home, it was getting late. 

As he packed up his stuff he noticed a strange man watching him from across the street. The man had dark black hair, thick black eyebrows and a leering look in his eyes. To the boy's surprise the man began walking up to him. 

"Hello Credence."

A burst of flashing memories echoed throughout his head. 

His mother beating him over and over and over again. 

Modesty crying as she watched her paper doll get carried off in the wind. 

Chastity flinching as passer bys would holler insults at her. 

Then the room began to spin as horrible laughter filled Credence's ears.

"Credence..."

Suddenly he woke up with a start. 

In his bed.

Safe and sound in Scamander Cottage. 

He breathed out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes. The laughter still ringing in his ears. Shaking his head and getting out of bed, the tired boy made his way to the kitchen to get a glass of water. 

To his surprise, Hazel was already there sitting at the kitchen table and drinking a cup of tea. 

"Morning Credence!" she said cheerfully

"M-morning.." he stuttered bamboozled. "I didn't think anyone else was up."

"Nope. Just me. I woke up with the most powerful urge to drink a cup of tea." she explained pointing to her steaming mug. "What about you? Got a powerful urge for tea too?"

"I..um.. No I- um." he said flustered and embarrassed. "I.. I had a nightmare."

Hazel's expression immediately turned sympathetic and motherly "Oh those are the worst. You know, I find it help to talk about them, that way they don't seem so scary." she patted the chair next to her and Credence sat down. 

"Well.. it started off as.. As a memory sort of." he explained "But then more started to appear... of.. Ma... Modesty... Chastity... and then this horrible laughter." he shuddered remembering the cold feeling.

Hazel grabbed the boys hand and squeezed it "It's alright now. Your safe here, and by Merlin Credence as long as I am here on this earth you shall never have to go back to that awful past again." she pulled the boy in for a motherly hug. 

His eyes grew wide, he'd only been hugged twice in his life. 

"You're gonna have to get used to this Credence. I hug a lot." 

The boy smiled "I think i'll be okay with that."

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

Somewhere hidden in the catacombs of Paris, France. Two multicolored eyes blinked open. 

"Credence..." he slithered an evil glint flickering in his eyes.

 Getting off the floor and cracking his neck side to side, the man looked down to his reflection in the water and grinned. 

"Ya still got it Gellert, ya still got it." running his hand through a smooth patch of white hair and taking two fingers to neatly part the hairs of his mustache evenly.