Unlikely Companions

Chapter 5 Desperate Measures

Finally, the piece of news that Newt had been waiting, arrived. It was confusing, strange, and more complicated to execute than he would have liked. But it was something.

And something meant that he had go down again and say more than "Hello" to Mathilda Burke. So, he gathered up some courage and opened up his suitcase. It was better to get it out of the way quickly, so they could continue with their plan.

"Mathilda," he said. "When you are ready, I want you to come up with me. Queenie, Tina, and I would like to speak with you."

"I'm not speaking with Tina," she said.

"Please," he said. "It's important for her to be present."

"Then whatever you want to tell me holds no interest for me."

---

Forced to take desperate measures, Newt decided to bring Queenie and Tina down into the suitcase, so they could speak with Mathilda.

Credence, knowing well that he wasn't to be seen, stayed in the cabin.

Newt came down first, and Queenie followed him not long after. Mathilda was friendly with both, but she went completely stiff when Tina appeared.

The shift hadn't gone unnoticed by Credence, who watched as Mathilda rose, wand in hand, and headed for Tina.

"You!" She yelled. "How dare you?!"

"It wasn't my fault," Tina said, raising her hands. "Tilda, you know that I didn't want to hurt you when –"

"But you did!"

The girl was shaking, and her wand was pointed right at Tina's heart. Newt, anticipating that reaction, was standing by, ready to intervene. Queenie was sitting, looking off into the distance.

"You told MACUSA about me and John," Mathilda said, accusatory. "And they killed him."

"We didn't know that he had a weak heart."

Like a fury, she took three steps forward, and Newt jumped to stop her. Mathilda struggled against him, but she managed to free herself quickly.

"Serpensortia!" she yelled.

A giant snake appeared from the tip of her wand, falling to the ground with a thud. Tina stepped back, terrified.

"Vipera Evanesca!" Newt yelled, making the snake disappear in a cloud of smoke. "You'll scare the creatures," he said, taking Mathilda's waist and dragging her back.

She fought him, but eventually stopped moving. Credence, with a broken heart, heard the first gut wrenching sob coming from her. She slipped out of Newt's arms, falling to the ground slowly until her knees hit its sandy surface. Her wand, forgotten, lay at her side.

"I loved him," she sobbed. "I was going to get engaged to him, and we were going to marry, and I was going to have his children. I was going to give up my magic for him."

"Oh, dearie," Queenie said, attempting to reach for her – but decided to stop as soon as Mathilda's fingers tangled around her wand again.

"You took that from me, Tina. You took the person I loved."

"I didn't know what would happen," she said, moved. "I feared for you."

"So you called the Aurors on me?"

"How could I know what would happen?"

"I don't know, Tina! All I know is that you showed up, then they did – and the next thing I know is that John is laying on the ground, dying, with his head in my lap. I saw his life slipping through my fingers, I felt his heartbeat grow slower, until it stopped. And then I was detained and taken to trial."

"I'm sorry," Tina said. "I was in the wrong. I should have asked you..."

"No, you should have kept your nose out of other people's business."

She got up shakily, and turned to Newt.

"Whatever you wanted to tell me, I'm not interested."

She began walking in the direction of the cabin, while Queenie and Newt shared a look.

"It's about Grindelwald," Newt said. "You've heard his name, right?"

Mathilda stopped, and Credence was close enough to see the tear-tracks running down her face.

"So that's why you risked breaking me out of jail..." she mused for a second. "Let him destroy the magical world," she said, shrugging. "There's nothing I know about Dark Arts that could possibly help you with getting rid of him."

"But –"

"Get Dumbledore," she said. "He's more likely to be able to help you. While you are at it, leave me at the Leaky Cauldron – I'll go home."

She stepped through the door of the cabin, and found a handkerchief floating in front of her face, held by Credence's hands.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking down.

Her eyes watered when she took the handkerchief from his hand.

"Thank you," she muttered. "Thank you."

---

"Will you truly leave?" Credence asked.

"I don't know."

Mathilda had barely recovered from that altercation. Her moments of sadness came more often, leaving her weak and desperate.

"I should leave," she said. "I should disappear and pretend like nothing has happened, but..."

"He's dangerous," he said. "Mr. Graves."

"Graves?" she asked. "Who –?"

"He's the man that Newt was talking about."

"Gellert Grindelwald?" she asked.

"Yes, that one. When I met him, he was known as Mr. Graves."

"Was he the one who hurt you?"

He blinked slowly, raising his eyes to meet hers.

"How did you know?"

"I recognize the scars that Dark Magic leaves behind."

"He wasn't the only who hurt me."

"Tina...?" she asked, hesitant.

"No, no... Ms. Goldstein has been nothing but kind to me."

"That only makes one of us, then," she said, pausing. "If I leave, will you come with me, Credence?"

He looked up, startled.

"Why? We barely know each other."

"Because you deserve your freedom as much as I do."

"Will we help Mr. Scamander if we leave?"

"If that will get you to leave with me, yes, I'll help him. It'll keep me away from Tina, too, which is always good."

"Where will we go?" he asked, grinning softly.

"London," she said, relieved. "To my family's house. We don't get along too well, but they can be helpful when needed."

"O-okay," he said. "I'll go."