"Is that No-Maj still here?"

Jacob started slightly, trepidation fluttering through him that was more than just anxiety at being sort-of named by such a terrifying, powerful lady. Even as he prepared himself to speak, she went on, dismissing him as nothing more than an obstacle, rather than a human being in his own right, with the way she effortlessly decided his future by giving an order to Newt.

"Obliviate him. There can be no exceptions," Jacob felt him breath halt, and he sensed the same shock being mirrored by his friends. Seeing this, the scary lady softened and said apologetically to Newt, "I'm sorry, but even one witness..." She still didn't look at Jacob, before hardening again slightly, "You know the law."

And that was that. The matter of his life was dismissed by someone who didn't have the grace to talk to him. He felt a nauseating hollowness begin to seep through him at the thought of losing the last few days of his life - the amazing world that he had fallen into, Newt and Tina; his friends, Queenie; who might be something more.

"Madam!" Newt protested, and it was the tone of his voice that brought Jacob out of his glum musings, since it was the same tone that he used when defending the creatures that he so loved and Jacob couldn't help but feel touched that he brought out the same loyalty in his new, but great, friend. "Surely that's not neccessary! Jacob can keep this secret, and he's been helping us over the last few days. If anyone deserves-"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Scamander," the scary lady began in an unmoved, but sympathetic tone, "but the importance of the secrecy of our world is too great to risk with even one witness. The law must be upheld. I'll let you say goodbye."

Newt tried, Jacob thought, latching desperately to that comforting thought before he lost it and the whole magical, wondrous world that he had seen. Newt tried-

"We thank you for that consideration, Madam President," Queenie's voice was sharp and determined and oh so beautiful, as she stepped up beside him,"but that won't be neccessary, because Mr. Jacob Kowalski is not going to be obliviated." She glanced at him with a gorgeous smile that made his brain short-circuit for a moment, before returning her fierce gaze to the scary lady and declaring, "He's one of us."

The scary lady looked both surprised and exasperated, as she looked first at Queenie, then at Newt, then back at Queenie again - still ignoring Jacob himself, however, "I understand that Mr. Kowalski has helped our society a great deal in the last few days, but-"

Maybe it was the fact that the scary lady was determining his fate - the fate of the Jacob Kowalski who had discovered a magical world right under his nose, befriended Newt, Queenie and Tina and then fought to save that magical world from itself and its corruption - without deigning to address or even look at him, despite the fact that he was right there. Maybe it was the fact that both Newt and Queenie were arguing on his behalf, against a woman who had so much political power and ran the institute that had tried to kill them earlier. Maybe it was a sense of self preservation - a desire to not lose the friends and joy and hope that had filled him since he had stepped into a world he should never have known about but now did. Maybe it was the aching emptiness that was threatening to consume him, like it had during the war and when his brother died. Whatever it was, no one was more surprised than Jacob himself, when he gently but purposefully interrupted the scary lady.

"Madam, with all due respect, if that is true then could you please do me the curtesy of looking me in the eyes while you determine my fate," Jacob felt the surprise that scattered around those present as stunned gazes slid to him. Taking a quick, but silent, breath, Jacob looked into the scary lady's serene, shocked eyes, before continuing, "I may be a No-Maj, I may not have known about this... this fantastic world until a few days ago, but I am still a human being and I deserve that much at least. If you are going to take my memories and who I have become over the last few days, then you need to look me in the eyes when you talk about it and tell me why, not act as though I am in a different room."

There was silence, and a tenseness that wasn't present before as the scary lady gazed at him. Jacob could tell that she wasn't measuring him so much as considering his words, which he appreciated, and to her credit she did not look away. Beside him, he could feel Newt's nervous anticipation and Queenie's support as she reached down and took his hand in hers.

"Madam President," the entire chamber turned to look at Tina as she broke the silence. Her gaze briefly flickered over Jacob before she once again looked to the scary lady, who waited patiently with a brow raised, "Just a moment ago you said that we owe Newt Scamander a great debt. Perhaps if you wish to repay this debt, you could start by allowing Jacob Kowalski to keep him memories."

There was a conflict in the scary lady's eyes, one that he knew she would resolve soon for no other reason than that she could not look weak. As it was, three seconds of deliberation passed with a a curious audience and four hopeful friends waiting for her to deliver the verdict.

Then, she looked Jacob in the eyes, "Just this once. Just this once, we will allow a No-Maj to keep his memories of the magical world. Mr. Kowalski, I cannot stress the importance of discretion enough, and if you reveal the existence of our world to any other then you will be Obliviated."

Despite the ominous warning, Jacob could only feel relief shakily wash through him as he nodded vigorously. He felt Queenie's hand tighten around his in joy and heard Newt's sigh of relief, "Thank you, Madam. I won't let you down."

To his surprise, the scary lady gave a small, rueful smile, "I am sure you won't."

After that he was dismissed, but it was OK this time, because it was all that needed to be said, and not just because he was a No-Maj. Turning to his friends, he got to see Newt and Tina's smiles and felt it as an estatic Queenie pulled him into an exuberent embrace that ended with a passionate kiss, very effectively dazing him before he was led away by the three of them to wait out the rain.

And as said rain washed clean the streets and minds of those in them, all Jacob could think about was the new and exciting things he would get to experience tomorrow, and the day after that, as his friends promised him more of their world. A world that was now also, sort-of, his too.