In The Presence Of Family, Wrapped In Love
Disclaimer: All Fantastic Beasts characters, names and locations belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing that you recognize.
The seasons were changing as the year came to a close, bringing with it the first dusting of snow as the moon crested the hilltop.
For Credence, it had been a very long year, one that brought with it several changes, including a new name and some new friends. But the one thing that hadn't changed was the family that adopted him. Dragon was still the kind, caring mother she had always been, while Nagini remained shy and quiet, yet perfectly friendly.
One of his new companions was currently asleep in a shoebox that Credence kept under his bed. The box was lined with scraps of fabric, creating a makeshift nest for the baby phoenix he picked up during his travels. But as the night wore on the chick became restless, waking up and scratching at the inside of his box.
Credence slowly began to wake up, hearing a faint chirping noise from under the bed. The sound was small, a distant cry for food, or perhaps a bit of warmth and comfort. Whatever the reason, Credence quickly decided that it couldn't be ignored. He wouldn't be the type of parent Mary Lou was,
Sitting up in bed, Credence eased the covers off, sliding out from underneath the blankets and swinging his legs over the side of the mattress. He paused when he heard a low hissing sound, looking over at the sleeping serpent on the foot of his bed. When the chick called out a second time, Nagini shifted slightly, coiling herself tighter and flicking her tongue at the cold night air.
"It's alright," Credence whispered, keeping his voice low so as not to wake the sleeping serpent. He lowered himself onto the floor, reaching for the shoebox under the bed. "You don't have to be scared. I'm here now."
A renewed chorus of high pitched chirps filled the air, the chick wriggling and twittering as Credence lifted him from the shoebox.
"Are you hungry?" Credence asked, gently cradling the immortal creature until the twittering quieted down. "Do you want me to feed you?"
The phoenix cooed, blinking up at him.
Credence looked around. He spied a packet of sunflower seeds on the nightstand beside the bed. Nagini was hissing and starting to come awake, so he pocketed the seeds and got to his feet, taking the phoenix downstairs where he could feed him without disturbing his friend.
.oOo.
His adoptive mother was asleep in front of the fireplace, curled on the rug with her wings folded against her back. Like Nagini, she had the ability to transform at will. The only difference was that she preferred being in animal form, and was capable of human speech despite having the body of winged wolf.
Her ears perked up when she heard her son coming downstairs. "Is everything alright, son?" she murmured, opening her eyes and lifting her head off her paws.
"I'm okay, Ma," said Credence, moving to sit beside her. "My familiar is hungry. But Nagini is still asleep and I didn't want to be a bother."
Dragon gave her son a sympathetic lick, her warm muzzle brushing against his cheek. "Sweetheart, don't ever think of it as a bother. You're my baby, and you're Nagini's best friend."
A smile formed on his lips, but he remained silent, grateful that he now had a family who cared about him.
A moment passed before he reached into his pocket, removing a packet of sunflower seeds. "Here you go." Credence tipped the contents of the packet onto the rug, then lowered the chick onto the floor. "It's food. You can eat it, if you want."
The tiny creature looked at the seeds, hesitating before hopping off Credence's palm and onto the rug. He then began pecking at the seeds, taking one in his beak and tilting his head back before swallowing.
Dragon and Credence watched in silence, sharing a moment beneath the starry skies of autumn. Outside the air was crisp and clean, the frost forming delicate patterns on the windows while the world slept in peace and comfort.
"The winter solstice is next Friday," said Dragon, her gaze lingering on the chick as he gobbled up the last of sunflower seeds. "I've invited some of my friends over to celebrate the solstice. Namely Barty, Les and their adopted children."
Credence looked up from feeding his chick. "That means I can see Modesty again." He then realized that he had spoken out of turn, his shoulders sinking as he returned to watching the baby bird. "I mean, if that's alright with you," he muttered.
"Of course you can see your sister," said Dragon, her tail wagging happily. "I would never think of keeping you two apart. And then, on the morning of the winter solstice, there'll be presents and plenty of good food for you and Nagini to share."
His expression brightened, and Credence called the phoenix back to him, his pudgy little wings flapping as he waddled across the floor. "Thank you," he said, scooping up the baby bird and holding him against his chest. It wasn't long until the chick started dozing off, his eyes closing as he nestled in Credence's arms.
"Looks like your familiar is ready for bed," said Dragon, nodding in the direction of the drowsy phoenix. "You should probably think about going to bed too, Credence. It's cold out here, and you need your rest."
"Aurelius," Credence reminded her.
"My apologies." Dragon shook her head. "Force of habit really. You were Credence when I adopted you, and I have difficulty remembering to call you by your real name."
The Obscurial shrugged, as if to say he was alright with whatever she called him. He then carried the chick upstairs and went to bed, sleeping peacefully throughout the night while Nagini dozed beside him.
