Lovers (A Newtina Fanfic)

Part 18

"It's Aurelius. Aurelius Dumbledore," Credence- or Aurelius, continued.

"Aurelius, may I come in?" Tina asked. There was a moment of pause, and then the door opened just a sliver more, enough for Tina to slip through.

When she got in, she surveyed the room. It was a large room, with all the standard furnishings of a well-off person's bedroom; bed, dresser, wardrobe, a reading chair, and a desk. As for personal furnishings, Tina could count them on no hands.

"What do you want?" Credence -he would be Credence in her mind for convenience- asked. Tina didn't fail to notice him clenching his hand behind him, most likely around his wand. "I'm armed."

"Just to talk. Can we do that?" Tina asked, keeping her tone gentle and light, like a feather in the wind. She placed her wand on the top of the dresser and bent over to unclasp the sheathes from her thighs. Those she put next to her wand.

"Um, yes," Credence answered, turning around stiffly to lead her to the reading chair. He was avoiding looking directly at her, and from the dim light, she could tell the tips of his ears were turning red. Getting by the chair, she sat down, sighing slightly. Her body still hadn't recovered from the curse, and although she'd hoped it would, she knew it wouldn't. Even she had limitations.

Credence was hastily tidying his half-made bed, and which allowed Tina to get a good sight of him in the lamplight. He was tall, almost as tall as Tina, perhaps a few inches shorter. Not that that was bad, as Tina had an impressive height for anyone, not just a woman. Credence's clothing was miles away from the rough cotton clothing Tina had last seen him wear. It was clean and expensive; a button-down shirt, slacks, and what Queenie had instructed her was a silk vest. Grindelwald had provided both of them well in terms of clothing. Clean-shaven and hair trimmed, she could have thought Credence was one of the well-to-do young men who lived by Central Park if she didn't know his background.

"Do you like it here? Tina inquired.

Credence sat down on the bed. "I guess so. Grindelwald's provided clean clothes, good food, and shelter, which is more than I've ever gotten. He's given me a wand, too."

"Have you been practising?" she asked, like an aunt would ask a niece or nephew.

"Yes, Miss. But the wand- it doesn't respond to me like I've seen other people's wands do. The only time it ever works properly is when the thing inside me acts up. Then it does too much, the wand, and I end up breaking something."

"That might be because it isn't your wand. How do I explain this...wandmakers have a saying, "the wand chooses the wizard". When a wand is yours, it's your best friend. It'll do some things with you, some it'll choose not to, but it will be loyal. The wand Grindelwald gave you didn't choose you, and so it won't do the incantations you say because it didn't choose you, Credence."

"It's Aurelius," Credence interrupted.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Grindelwald. He told me."

"Did he give you a reason?"

"I'll show you." Credence whistled. There was nothing...then the flapping of wings filled the room. A majestic red-orange-gold bird settled on a bedpost, alert.

"It's beautiful," Tina breathed.

"Her name is Felicity. Grindelwald said that a phoenix came to any Dumbledore in need, and she came to me. She is beautiful, isn't she?" Credence said, looking at the phoenix with an affection she had only ever seen in Newt.

"How is Grindelwald treating you?" Tina asked. She was treading on thin ice; she'd have to figure out a way to get Credence out of the castle willingly and safely without imposing too much. Credence seemed different, stronger, this time.