Summary: AU where Dumbledore manages to convince Dippet to send Newt off to Ilvermorny in North America as an exchange student instead of expelling him.
A/N: I kept the summary simple but rest assured, Newt has some exciting (and exasperating) times ahead of him... Enjoy!
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling.
Newt's shoulder ached from Professor Merrythought's iron grip as she marched him down the deserted corridor towards the Headmaster's office. They walked in absolute silence; Newt could practically feel her trembling with barely contained anger and winced when he saw the tight clench of her jaw from the corner of his eye. It was a wonder her teeth hadn't pulverised from the force she was grinding them with.
It has been hours since the Jarvey had gotten loose and Newt's trouble had started. Leta had somehow managed to smuggle the overgrown ferret into the school without detection despite its tendency to scream insults at anything that moved. Newt still didn't know what his friend had intended to do with the creature because Leta would never give him a straight answer. Newt had let the matter go when she'd promised him that she would release the creature when the opportunity presented itself. He had willingly helped her keep the Jarvey hidden in the school for months, providing it with fresh rats and materials for it to make a nest in. Newt held himself responsible since it had been his turn to feed it when the creature had gotten loose and wreaked havoc. Jarveys were usually peaceful creatures when left alone and reminded Newt strongly of their non-magic cousins, the mink, with their similar hunting habits. The animal had attacked a fellow student but thankfully the only one who'd witness the entire scene was Leta and since she was the root of the problem Newt doubted that she would breathe a word about the matter. Leta had gotten away in the nick of time before professors Merrythought and Beery had burst into the room with their wands aloft. Newt had been left alone to try and explain the situation before it got any further out of hand. Since then, Newt had been locked up in the staff room while the teachers frantically tried to bring the situation under control. The Jarvey hadn't survived when the teachers tried to neutralise the threat. The poor thing's heart had given out under the strain of multiple stunning spells. Newt had been distraught by how fast everything had gotten out of hand, and he'd felt compelled to keep Leta's involvement a secret when Headmaster Dippet and his Head of House, Professor Kettleburn, had interrogated him. It had been easy to take full responsibility for the situation since the boy who'd been a victim of the accident hadn't been able to speak, much less point a finger.
Merrythought's fingers tightened their grip on his shoulder, and Newt felt like they would dig through his skin and hit bone. To his relief, her grip slackened when they rounded a corner and came to a halt before the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office. It flared its wings in irritation at the disturbance and Newt instinctively tried to shy away from the range of its great wingspan. Merrythought shoved him forwards in a clear message that he wasn't escaping this. Newt threw his arms out to regain his balance as he stumbled. The gargoyle settled and it eyed Newt with amused satisfaction, obviously pleased with Newt's unease.
"Password," it demanded in a surprisingly nasally voice and Merrythought tsked impatiently. Newt hovered awkwardly between them but didn't dare to make a sound lest he brings the professor's ire down on himself again.
"Caput Draconis," Merrythought snapped, and the gargoyle spread its wings once more, accepting the given password.
"Testy," the gargoyle muttered scornfully, and Merrythought snorted.
This wasn't the first time Newt had been sent to the Headmaster's office, but he never ceased to be amazed to see the circular staircase emerge from the gargoyle's foundation. This time it also filled him with sickening dread. Nothing good would come from this visit and Newt knew that he'd be lucky if they decided to simply snap his wand in half and not send him to Azkaban.
"Up you go, Mr Scamander," Merrythought said with strained civility that brooked no argument and Newt didn't think twice. He hurried up the still moving staircase to put as much distance between himself and Merrythought's cold gaze but regretted his hastiness when he had to wait for the staircase to reach the top. He didn't blame the professor for her hostility. That poor boy would in all likelihood never regain the use of his hand again. The Jarvey had bitten them clean off before going for his throat. Newt shuddered when he remembered how the blood had seeped into his clothes. It had long since dried and crusted over the fabric of his robes and the knees of his pants. The pained screams still reverberated around in his head, and Newt briefly thought about jumping over the edge of the last step to escape what awaited him, but it felt too cowardly for him to actually to go through with it. No, he would face his fate and accept whatever the punishment the Headmaster gave him without complaint. After all, it was what he deserved for harming a fellow student; no matter if he hadn't meant to.
Newt stepped forward when the steps connected to the landing and made his way to the headmaster's office. He hesitated in front of the door to gather his wits and build up an iota of courage. Newt knew that he had no other choice but to proceed and swallow his fear and knock on the door. Before he could strengthen his resolve, an unseen force swung the door and Newt was called inside by the weathered voice of Headmaster Dippet.
"Inside if you will, Mr Scamander." Newt scrambled to comply and closed the door behind him with a definitive 'click', sealing his fate. Newt took a quick glance around the office to prolong the moment before he needed to face the headmaster. The large circular room was covered from floor to ceiling with overflowing bookcases that Newt itched to explore. The room was clean despite the clutter and Newt absently wondered if it was because of the housekeeping standards of the headmaster or if it were the workings of Hogwarts' duteous house-elves. Eyes of former headmasters and mistresses tracked him as he made his slow progress to the current headmaster's desk. Newt knew that he had dallied long enough and took a seat silently when the headmaster indicated to the plush armchair facing him. Newt still avoided his gaze and busied himself by looking at Dippet's inkpot. It was the same type his mother used when she wrote the annual Christmas scrolls to all their relatives and acquaintances.
Headmaster Dippet took a moment to pick up a pair of reading glasses and settled them on the bridge of his nose before he spoke. "Now, you know why you're here, Mr Scamander?" Dippet waited for him to answer. Newt nodded without looking up. He pulled at a loose thread on his sleeve and curled his toes in agitation. The headmaster sighed tiredly, and Newt darted his eyes up to see him rub the ridge of his nose, setting his glasses askew.
"Still not fond of eye contact I see, boy," he said with exhausted amusement, and Newt shook his head instinctively in denial. He forced himself to meet the headmaster's eyes for a moment, to prove him wrong, but all too soon it became overwhelming and helplessly, his gaze fell downwards again.
"Um, no, sir." Newt huddled deeper into his seat and prayed for a quick end. He braced himself for the axe to fall when the headmaster opened his mouth again to speak.
"This is not the first time you've been sent to me regarding your dealings with magical creatures. During your first year it was the Giant Squid; the third year it was a nest of Ashwinders; the fourth year it was merpeople, and last year it was centaurs! You disappeared for a week and when the search party found you; you were participating in some ritual! With centaurs! The most taciturn creatures I've ever met! In all my years as headmaster of this school, I've never had a Hufflepuff who can cause as much mayhem as you, Mr Scamander." Newt slumped deeper into his seat with every word the headmaster spoke.
"I'm afraid this time you've gone too far, and I will have to-" Dippet broke off with a frown and looked towards the still closed door. "What on earth is the meaning of this?"
Newt looked at the headmaster in bewilderment, but Dippet wasn't speaking to him anymore and was still frowning at the door. Newt turned around in his seat to peer over the back of his chair as it opened. Professor Dumbledore stormed in, looking sterner than Newt had ever seen him before; his presence filled the room and demanded everyone's attention. Newt felt a sliver of traitorous hope blossom in his chest at the sight of his transfiguration professor. Dumbledore had always seemed fond of him for reasons unknown to Newt and had let Newt study and interact with his phoenix companion, Fawkes, to his heart's content. He'd even answered all of Newt's questions with patience if not pleasure.
"I'm sorry to disturb, Armando, but I cannot in good conscience allow you to expel Mr Scamander." Newt's breath caught in his chest, and he felt faint. Expelled from Hogwarts? Was he really going to go through with this? Yes, he would never be able to live with himself if he betrayed Leta like that.
"Allow-" Dippet spluttered in confused outrage. "What is the meaning of this, Albus? You know that I am honour bound to protect this school and as headmaster, it is my duty to protect Hogwarts' students from any harm."
"This boy is no killer, headmaster, and he should not be treated as one," Dumbledore reasoned calmly. Newt eyes widened, and the headmaster seemed to agree with Newt's assessment of Dumbledore's choice of words.
"A killer? I very much hope not but he has committed an egregious crime, and he must be punished accordingly." Dippet straightened as much as his spine would allow him. It didn't make much difference since his body seemed permanently stooped with age.
"I agree with you wholeheartedly, but expulsion won't help anyone," Dumbledore asserted with a fervour that surprised Dippet.
"It would certainly calm the Board of Governors. They are baying for blood, and I can't blame them! Bringing a wild animal into the school is no joke, Albus. Mr Scamander nearly killed a student with his carelessness." The words were like a blow to Newt, and he felt his lip tremble. He bit it viciously and clenched his hands into fists. He would not cry in front of the headmaster and his professor. No one seemed to have noticed the tears that glistened in Newt's eyes, and he discretely blinked them away.
"If I may offer an alternative, headmaster, this could all be resolved without irrevocably destroying Mr Scamander's prospects." The words were met with a moment of thoughtful silence as Dippet mulled over Dumbledore's words.
"All right, I will consider this alternative, but I will make no promises, Albus," Dippet conceded with a weary sigh. "I have had quite enough of this nonsense."
"Thank you, Armando. That is all I ask of you." Professor Dumbledore turned to Newt and said with a kindly smile, "If Mr Scamander would be so kind as to step outside for a moment while we discuss the alternatives." His confident manner almost allowed Newt to start to breathe again.
Newt looked at the headmaster for confirmation and Dippet waved him away with a harried air. Newt pushed himself out of his chair warily, and Dumbledore shooed him out of the office with a pat on the shoulder. They were quiet until Newt had stumbled out of the room and nearly jumped out of his skin when the door slammed at his heels.
Newt's heart was pounding in his chest as he loosened his tie; bile rose in his throat when he saw the dried blood splatters standing out vividly against the yellow and white of the material. He tugged it off with shaky hands, hyperventilating as it caught at his nose and the knot constricted. His trembling hands tugged at the tie more frantically, and Newt finally managed to break himself free after what felt like hours of panicked pulling. He took a minute to calm his breath. No one had thought to use a cleaning charm in all the panic and Newt had always been awful at performing the simplest of household charms.
"T-tergeo." Newt pointed his wand with an unsteady hand the knees of his pants where the stains were worst. To his relief, some of the dried flecks seeped away and disintegrated along with some of the fabric, leaving his pants slightly singed and mottled. Newt fell back against the stone wall and sank to the floor in exhaustion. His wand dangled loosely between his thumb and forefinger as he stared sightlessly at the opposing wall. His mind was already miles away.
Expelled from Hogwarts. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes again, and he screwed them shut to prevent the tears from flowing. Men weren't supposed to cry. His father had told him, so countless times but Newt never seemed to get the hang of controlling his emotions. He was a sensitive soul, his mother would say in his defence. Newt knew he was innocent, but every bone in his body protested the idea of letting his best friend take the blame when he could prevent it. The Jarvey was dead and the boy, who'd simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, had almost died, and now Newt would have to leave Hogwarts. It had all been for nothing.
Time seemed to have come to a standstill, and Newt didn't know how long had passed when the door swung open, and he was called back inside. The headmaster was looking more ancient than ever, but Dumbledore smiled at Newt warmly when he entered.
"I didn't mean to harm anyone!" Newt said in a rush, feeling the same unnatural breathlessness as he so frequently experienced when he felt pressured or was suffering from exceptional emotional distress. "I just wanted to keep the Jarvey safe until I could take it back to its natural habitat and let it free. I never meant for any of this to happen."
"I know, my boy," Dumbledore said gently, and Newt let out a shuddery exhale. "This has all been an unfortunate series of events, but there is little we can do to change it now."
"You do understand the severity of your actions, don't you? Keeping a wild beast inside school grounds is highly dangerous and absolutely prohibited by school rules for the exact reasons you have so heedlessly demonstrated!" Dippet slapped a hand on the desk, and his glasses slipped down his nose until they were teetering precariously on the end of his nose.
"Of course, sir. I take full responsibility for my actions and will accept any punishment you decide is fitting," Newt said solemnly, and Dippet pierced him with a grim stare. Newt held his gaze until the headmaster tugged off his glasses and started to polish them with the sleeve of his robe.
"Well, I was going to expel you for what you did," Dippet said with a stern frown, and Newt's heart lurched in fear. Being expelled from Hogwarts was one of Newt's worst nightmares. Despite lack of popularity among his fellow students, Newt loved the castle itself, and many of his fondest memories were of his time at Hogwarts. On one memorable occasion, Leta brought him to the Black Lake to show him a colony of water-walking spiders. Newt's curiosity got the better of him, and he waded into the water to have a closer look at the spiders. He soon found himself in too deep, but the Giant Squid grabbed Newt by the waist and hoisted him back onto dry land.
"However, Dumbledore has seen fit to speak in your defence. You sought out to protect that creature, and Merlin knows you have a history of getting into trouble when it comes to your furry little friends. I believe you when you say that you never meant for this to happen but another student was grievously injured. He has been transferred to St Mungo's, and I've already spoken to his parents. Lucky for you, they said that they would not be pressing any charges, but you will be footing the hospital bill." Newt listened to all this with bated breath. The headmaster had yet to say what his actual punishment was to be but Newt couldn't help the deep-seated relief he felt from hearing they weren't going to expel him.
"You will face immediate suspension as the Board demands, and I have already sent an owl to inform your parents of the incident. A professor will escort you off the school premises tomorrow morning, and you will be boarding the Hogwarts Express at 10 am. Your mother will be there to pick you up when you arrive at King's Cross Station." Dippet raised the glasses back to his face and peered through them for inspection before he deemed them clean enough and placed them back on his nose.
"What about my exams, headmaster? It's only April, sir," Newt inquired. He would have to repeat the year if he failed them.
"Ah, I'm afraid there is no helping you there. You will need to repeat this year but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Dumbledore's proposal comes into play here." Dippet steepled his fingers together and looked at Newt thoughtfully over his reading glasses. "I have been corresponding with the headmaster of Ilvermorny, North America's school of witchcraft and wizardry, this semester. The relationship between the two schools has been latent these past few decades, and Headmaster Fontaine has expressed interest in reinstating the student exchange program to cultivate a better relationship between the American and British Wizarding communities." Newt could remember a very similar speech that Dippet had made at the start of term feast, but Newt had not been interested in participating. He found their American brethren to be somewhat bizarre in their backward, isolative laws regarding Muggles, and their ban on marriage between wizards and non-wizards disturbed him. Such restrictions led to inbreeding, which was already becoming a problem in the pureblood families in Britain.
"Dumbledore has brought it to my attention that the student who was supposed to go has been called home to her family in Munich and will be transferring to Durmstrang next year." Newt had read about the building tension in their neighbouring countries in the Daily Prophet. Rumours would have it that war was brewing, but Newt had always dismissed them as pessimistic warmongering.
"No other student has as of yet expressed an interest in taking her place in the program. You will be going instead," Dippet concluded, and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"You're sending me to America?" Newt yelped in disbelief and added a quick 'sir' when he saw the stern look the headmaster gave him.
"It's either that or expulsion," Dippet offered and succeeded in knocking down any protests that Newt might have made.
"I'm going to America." Newt nodded hurriedly, and Dippet closed his eyes with weary acceptance.
"Good." Professor Dumbledore clapped his hands together, and Newt startled in surprise. He'd completely forgotten about the other man's presence. "I will bring you a Portkey on the 31st of July, so I recommend having said your farewells to your friends and relatives by then."
"You will need a wand permit. The Ministry will see to it that you're sent all the necessary forms." Newt nodded, only listening with half an ear to the headmaster's words. He'd not been expelled after all! Relief rushed through his body, and he let out a sigh as the tension was released.
"I can see you are tired, Mr Scamander. Some sleep will do you good, I think."
Dumbledore patted Newt on his shoulder again, and Newt held back a wince when the hand-shaped bruise Merrythought had left there throbbed.
"One more thing before you leave," Dippet warned as Newt stood up. "You will be representing Hogwarts, so you better be on your best behaviour. This is your last chance to redeem yourself, Mr Scamander. And for Merlin's sake: no more wild animals!"
"Of course, sir!" Newt acquiesced and dithered for a moment as Dumbledore gestured for the door, but Dippet continued to speak, so Newt stayed rooted to the spot.
"Ilvermorny will send you your school books during the summer holidays, and I expect you to have read them before you leave for America. Now get out of my sight before I change my mind, boy." Newt nodded his head in numb relief and thanked the headmaster. He followed Dumbledore out of the office, and they made their way down the spiralling staircase together.
"Well, let me escort you to your dormitory. I think you've had enough excitement for one day," Dumbledore broke the silence with a smile, his eyes twinkling. "Shall we?"
"Erm, yes. Thank you, sir," Newt stumbled over his words.
"Don't mention it, my boy." Dumbledore clapped, and Newt felt wrong-footed as they ambled down the corridor. Dumbledore whistled a song only he seemed to know as they walked but Newt was deep in thought, barely aware of his surroundings. It felt like only seconds had passed, but all too soon, Newt noticed the familiar painting of a bowl of fruit and he realised that they were already in the kitchen corridor and nearing the Hufflepuff Basement. Newt was filled with dread at the thought of facing his housemates, and he was tempted to turn around and visit the kitchen house-elves and ask if they would let him stay for the night.
"Here we are." Sure enough, they'd come to a stop in front of the familiar barrels that hid the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room. "I think it best you try and get some sleep. A little dreamless sleep is just what you are in need of." Dumbledore fished out a small flask of navy liquid from his robe and handed it to Newt with a twinkle in his sparkling blue eyes. He must have noticed the state of Newt's robes because he drew out his wand and cast a quick cleaning charm to get rid of the dried blood crusting Newt's robes.
"Here, have a Lemon Sherbet. I always find them to be a comfort after having a long day. Don't mind if I have one as well." Newt accepted the offered candy without a word but clutched it in his hand instead of popping it into his mouth as the professor did.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" He didn't want to sound ungrateful by questioning the man's motives but had to ask the question.
"My dear boy, it's all for the greater good. Now, I think there is a steaming cup of cocoa and a tray of ginger newts with my name on it. Have a pleasant evening, Mr Scamander." The professor bids him goodnight and set off in the direction of the kitchens, whistling along the way. Newt watched the professor disappear down the corridor, musing about his paradoxical nature; Dumbledore was in his prime and rumoured to be one of the greatest wizards of their time yet he behaved as if he were already reaching his one hundreds; full of cryptic riddles.
Newt wondered why Dumbledore would carry a sleep tonic in his pocket. He had no way of knowing that Newt would be in need of one tonight. It made little sense, and Newt would have pondered over it some more if he hadn't been so tired. Instead, he ended up writing it off as another one of Dumbledore's oddities.
Newt shook off the daze that had settled over him and stifled a massive yawn that left his eyes watering. He rubbed at his eyes despondently and tried to dispel some of the bone-deep exhaustion the day had left him with. Turning around, Newt found the barrels completely unchanged. It felt unsettling to see his surroundings untouched despite his whole world having been turned upside down. He'd come way too close to being expelled, and Newt was determined to turn over a new leaf. His resolve collapsed in the face of his exhaustion. He'd face what would come tomorrow when the time came.
Despite having settled his mind, Newt's hand hovered over the correct barrel in indecision. All he needed to do now was to knock on it in the right rhythm, and he'd be in. The trouble was, Newt didn't want to go in at all. His first choice would have been to avoid it all together, but he couldn't stand outside like an idiot without drawing suspicion. His housemates were bound to have heard something and put two-and-two together. It wasn't as if Newt wasn't already known as the strange kid with the obsession with animals. He'd been the butt of their cruel jokes often enough to know that most of them wouldn't believe a word he said. Not that all of Hufflepuff house were bullies, most of them were decent enough, but unfortunately, they did include an unpleasant crew of degenerates who took pleasure in reminding Newt of his unpopularity. They could all stuff themselves with hippogriff dung for all that Newt cared, but he didn't think he could handle another verbal assault without going to pieces.
"Merlin, get a hold of yourself," Newt muttered in self-disgust and knocked on the timber. The barrel lid slid open like a door and granted him entrance to the tunnel that would lead him to the Hufflepuff common room.
Most of the students were still in the common room despite the late hour. Probably waiting for some news, or maybe they were waiting to question him personally. Newt dearly hoped that they weren't. A hush fell over his housemates the moment Newt came into view. Newt strode resolutely towards the male dormitories, avoiding everyone's gaze and felt a flush crawl over his face when the whispering picked up again. No one called him out, and Newt took the steps down to the sixth year dormitories two at a time.
Newt's classmates were getting ready for bed. To his dismay, they all stopped what they were doing and eyed him with a new air of nervousness. Macmillan was the first to break the silence. He cleared his throat awkwardly and lowered his toothbrush, spitting into the sink before turning towards Newt.
"Is it true that you killed that Booth boy, Newt?" He asked, cleaning the froth away from his mouth with a wave of his wand.
"What? Of course not!" Newt exclaimed. It hurt to hear how little they thought of him. Did he look like a killer?
"Sorry, that's just what everyone's saying," Macmillan shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant but his eyes betrayed how unnerved he was. He stepped around Newt, giving him a wide berth as if he might catch something by coming too close. Newt watched silently as Macmillan settled down on Brown's bed, declaring on which side he was on. Us against them, and them, in this case, was the murderous Newt. The others stayed silent but were apparently just as eager to know the truth. Macmillan, who Newt was starting to think, was chosen by the others to be their undisputed leader to question him.
"They say that you set a feral animal on Booth and it ate him." Macmillan peered at Newt, obviously feeling much safer now that there was a four-poster bed between them and with the other boys at his back. Newt spluttered for a moment. Ate him? Despite being overgrown ferrets, Jarvey's preferred prey were rats and the occasional gnome, not humans. It was evident how little attention they paid to Care of Magical Creature, or they would have known that but Newt wasn't keen to enlighten them.
"I don't want to talk about it," Newt muttered in irritation and strode over to his bed. He crawled into it fully clothed and drew out his wand. There was a rustle from the other side of the room as the others shifted anxiously at the sight of it. Newt ignored them and stuck it between his teeth as he pulled at the laces of his shoes and tugged them off.
"So, you did do it," Macmillan prodded, but Newt knew he'd already made up his mind. Newt was the culprit here, and there was little Newt could say to dispel that idea. Newt spared them a glance as he threw his shoes onto the floor before turning onto his side and with a flick of his wand the curtain drew shut with a snap, casting Newt into darkness. He put a sticking charm on it and a minor repellent to ward away unwanted attention for good measure.
"I say he did it." The traitorous murmur still slipped past Newt's defences, and he snarled out a silencing charm. He didn't want to hear any more from them. Newt rolled onto his back and held his wand up to his face with a trembling hand. How close he'd come to having it snapped in two. Newt let out a shuddering breath and placed his wand carefully under his pillow. He tried to ignore the tears that slid down his cheeks. He didn't regret his choices, not yet at least.
Newt pulled out the flask from his pocket, shoved his pants off along with his socks and kicked them into the corner. He put the flask down briefly as he made quick work of unbuttoning his shirt. He bundled it up and threw it onto the pile. He didn't waste any time getting underneath the covers and grabbed the flask again, pulling the cork out with his teeth and spitting it out. He downed the potion in one go, grimacing when its sickly sweet taste assaulted his senses and lay on his back. Newt just wanted his mind to shut up and true to Dumbledore's words. He was out like a light before his head even hit the pillow.
A/N: I originally published Rootless on ao3. You can keep track of updates on my Tumblr! (Links are in bio)