Chapter 3

Mathilda Burke

Down in the magical suitcase, Mathilda began to stir awake. She remembered, very vaguely, Queenie's smile and a nice gentleman who had carried her to safety before everything had faded to black.

With a hand over her temple, she attempted to raise her torso, and found herself feeling utterly dizzy. She leaned back down, slowly.

She was sitting on an old but comfortable couch, wearing what was still the standard outfit for all female prisoners of MACUSA – a dull and simple gray dress – when she noticed that her wand was nowhere in sight. Worried, she attempted to get up despite the dizziness, so she could find Queenie, or that man who seemed oddly familiar, but a voice stopped her.

"If you get up, you'll feel worse."

Mathilda looked around, startled. She was alone, she couldn't see anyone else. Maybe all those months in jail had driven her mad.

"He'll come back. He always does."

She nodded, convinced that her consciousness was playing a game on her. Softly, she laid down again, and quickly fell asleep once more.

Outside of the small wooden cabin, the man to whom the voice belonged, sighed. He would care for her, he promised himself, because he could feel that she was as damaged as he was.

Newt came down a few hours later, carrying a cauldron of warm soup in his hand. He magically produced a bowl with his wand, and gave it to the young man outside the cabin.

"I've brought dinner for both," he said. "How is she?"

"Asleep," the other man replied. "She woke up a while back, but seemed very confused."

"It's only natural," Newt said. "I had to stun her to bring her here."

"Is she dangerous?"

Newt's eyes rose, and met the younger man's stare. He was still trying to form an opinion on her, and would be waiting to have a good conversation with her once she had recovered. The Goldstein sisters, although respectable in his eyes, seemed cautious around her.

"No," he said. "I don't think so."

"Then why did you have to stun her?"

"We broke her out of jail."

"She was in prison? What was her crime?"

"There was no crime," Newt said. "Just a mistake."

The young man nodded, unconvinced.

"Am I to care for her?" he said, hopeful.

"For now, since she's weak, yes. But, I'm bringing her wand, and once she recovers completely, she'll be able to care for herself."

"When will that be?" he asked, slightly disappointed.

"I expect tomorrow, or maybe the day after."

"Will she stay for long?"

"That's a question that I cannot answer, not right now. She's hiding, just as much as you are, and down here, you're undetectable."

The young man nodded again, and fixated his eyes on the plate of food in front of him. It was the end of their conversation.

Newt, who was still working on understanding the man's behavior, shrugged and walked inside the cabin. He had a young woman to feed.

When Mathilda's eyes opened again, she realized she was no longer alone.

"Hello!" A man said from above her. "Come on, I'll help you sit down."

Once she was in a vertical position, and had stopped feeling dizzy, she looked at him closely.

"I don't like being studied," he said, laughing uncomfortably.

"I know you," she said. "You're British, so you must have gone to Hogwarts. As did I."

"Really?"

"Yes, and you are so familiar to me..."

"I'm Newt," he said, extending his hand. "Newt Scamander."

"Oh," she said. "Oh, I remember you. You were already in fifth year when I went to my first year. My friends thought you were cute, but we couldn't say it out loud."

He had gone beet red, and was grinning, ashamed.

"The older boys said that you were just a dumb Hufflepuff, and that we were better –"

"Because you were Slytherin, I assume?"

"Indeed."

"Well, I hope you don't hold those same ideas."

"I don't. I read your book about magical beasts last summer. You're bloody brilliant."

He was shocked for a minute, and went red again.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

She nodded but stayed quiet, watching him.

"You are probably wondering why I came here," he said.

"I hope you brought dinner, I'm hungry."

"I did bring dinner," he said, grinning. "And I've brought your wand, as well, with some other things that we found in the compartment under your cell."

"Thank you," she said. "I'm glad, yet surprised, to be free."

"The reason why we brought you out will be discussed later," he said. "Right now, I just want you to eat and get stronger."

She didn't argue when he presented the steaming bowl of soup in front of her.

"Where am I?" she asked, after having a spoonful or two.

"You are inside my suitcase," he said. "Usually, I only keep creatures down here, where they can stay safely hidden. But, right now, I have two human residents as well."

"Me and...?"

"You haven't met him?" Newt asked. "He told me that he saw you when you awoke earlier."

"I, well… I heard a voice, but I thought it was just my inner voice."

"No, no," Newt said. "Here..."

He helped her up, and upon realizing that her knees were still too weak to walk, he helped her down again, and went to find the young man outside.

Her first thought was that he was just a boy. He couldn't have been older than her, at twenty-five, and had the expression of someone who had been badly hurt before – as if he were constantly trying to make amends.

"Mathilda," Newt said. "This is Credence."

"Hello, Credence," she said. "It is nice to meet you."

He was tall, gaunt, and quiet, with raven-black hair and dark sunken eyes. His cheekbones were his most prominent features, since they stood out proudly in his translucent skin. He had a very strong jaw, full lips, and an expression that reminded her of the one found in a scared cat.

He nodded curtly, but stayed in silence. He was looking down at his feet, probably wishing the ground could open and swallow him whole.

"You'll be spending lots of time together," Newt said. "None of you are supposed to be seen up there, remember?"

"Yes," Mathilda said, lowering her hand. "We'll figure it out."

"Good," Newt said. "Now, Mathilda, everything here is at your disposition. There's a shower, a small kitchen, and a bed for Credence – I'm sure you'll have no trouble in conjuring one for yourself.

"You both must remember, however, that sometimes the creatures come near, and you shouldn't be afraid of them. Mathilda, they are nothing that you haven't seen before and if Credence has questions, you can answer him. I'll come daily, and once we have a clear plan, we'll come to see you again, alright?"

She nodded.

"Thanks, Newt. For everything. You can send my regards to Queenie."

"I will. Shall I send them to Tina, as well?"

She spat out a curse that made Newt blink in surprise. If her wand had been in her hand, it would have produced sparks almost immediately.

"Good night, then," he said, pretending he hadn't heard her. "Sleep tight."