"Disappointment you shouldn't have done, you couldn't have done, you wouldn't have done… What a piteous thing, a hideous thing was tainted by the rest." – 'Disappointment' – The Cranberries
Newt was uncertain as to how long he had been left alone, but it felt like an age. After spending fruitless minutes pulling at the metal encasing his wrists - as if sheer frustration alone could rid himself of his bonds - he finally gave it up as a lost cause for the time being. The chains weren't so much what was bothering him; it was the muzzle-like device that was strapped around his face, the metal cut into his skin and he could feel a distinct burning feeling where it made contact. He wasn't entirely sure if the scorching sensation was in his head or if the muzzle was actually burning him, but either way it was enough to cause a pit of tight, constricting anxiety to form in his chest.
Being separated from his creatures was another ache that was becoming increasingly difficult to bear. Newt could go weeks or months without interacting with other humans, but more than a few hours without his magical friends and he could feel loneliness eating away at him. When on the ship to New York, he had spent most of the month-long voyage inside his case, relying on the locked door to his specially requested private cabin to hide the magic comings and goings from prying Muggle eyes.
The case had become more of a home to him than any other place he had ever been – even Hogwarts - and his creatures were the main reason for that. He hoped that they would not be left alone too long before the friend he had sent them to, discovered them. Not only for the sakes of their survival, but also because that upon their discovery, help would likely soon follow – anyone who knew Newt knew that he wouldn't send his creatures away unless he had no other choice.
He was becoming increasingly aware of the pangs of hunger and dehydration, alongside the need to relieve himself, but he couldn't really see a solution to any of those problems, so tried his best to put them to the back of his mind. Newt wasn't sure how long Grindelwald intended to leave him here, or if he actually intended to ever return – it seemed just as likely that the wizard had decided to leave him here not rot. There was no way that Newt was ever going to agree to weaponize his creatures for the benefit of anyone – especially not Gellert Grindelwald and his insane campaign.
Surely the man was perceptive enough to realise that?
He was under no illusion that many of the beasts he had collected over the years were highly dangerous, but with the right care, precautions and temperament, the creatures could and did live peacefully amongst others. The young magizoologist would never allow the rehabilitation he had achieved over a decade of care, to be undone by Grindelwald ruining their reputation in his quest for power. Newt didn't believe for one moment that Grindelwald would not allow all magical creatures to suffer and die if he thought it would in any way assist his cause.
Newt was awkwardly nudging at the device on his face with a tentative elbow when he heard the locks on the door begin to click open, the runes glowed briefly before Grindelwald stepped inside, the door closing behind him with another whirr of bolts. Grindelwald looked the same as ever, white-blonde hair slicked back, white collar turned up and dark coat impeccable. However, there was a darker edge to the thin smile he gave Newt as he slowly sauntered forward, a slight crease around his mismatched eyes that hinted to a deeper tension. Newt slowly lowered his elbow from its awkward position and eyed the section of wall somewhere below Grindelwald's left ear instead.
"I trust you have had some time to consider your position, Mr Scamander." Grindelwald's voice was laced with that nauseatingly coaxing quality again, and he stepped so close to Newt that he was forced to meet the older wizard's gaze. "I would not usually resort to such… barbaric methods as this, but I have found that sometimes the only way to ascertain the true loyalty of an individual is to put it under… rigorous testing."
Grindelwald tilted his head slightly, bringing a hand up to gently caress the metal encasing Newt's lips and cheek in such a way that the younger man felt a shudder run through him. His silver eye seemed to burn into him as he spoke in a hard tone. "There is nothing I find more disappointing than false loyalty."
Newt flinched once more as Grindelwald's hand wrapped around the side of his head, almost as if he were cradling it, before there was a series of clicks as the device fell away from his face – much to Newt's relief. He worked his jaw up and down for a moment, wincing as his tender skin pulled at the movement - maybe the burning sensation hadn't only been his imagination after all. Newt drew in a few shallow breaths, still uncomfortably aware of how close Grindelwald was to him, the other man had removed his grip, but was still standing near enough to make Newt feel distinctly nervous.
"Are you going to disappoint me, Mr Scamander?" Grindelwald asked in a deceptively calm tone. Newt swallowed, he knew the answer to this was most likely going to result in another angry outburst that was not going to be in any way pleasant.
Though his name remained unspoken by either of them, Newt knew that when he spoke of disappointment and loyalty, Grindelwald was speaking of Dumbledore. He may not always agree with every decision that his former teacher had made, but he was equally determined to oppose Grindelwald's fanatical crusade… even if it involved having to resort to violence. Try as he may to avoid conflict, Newt had found himself choosing a side, and that choice placed him squarely beside Dumbledore.
"I'm afraid that my answer remains the same as before, Mr Grindelwald." Newt kept his voice as soft and steady as he could, but the natural catch in his speech gave away his anxiousness. Grindelwald sighed, as though truly regretful and took a step backwards, turning to the side slightly and looking down at his wand with a furrowed brow.
Newt was taken aback when Grindelwald lunged at him, grasping his mop of gingery-blonde hair in a tight grip that wrenched his head back to connect with the wall, accompanied by a harsh cracking sound. The Elder wand was pressed against his throat and Newt fought hard to regain control of his suddenly erratic breathing, eyes flicking up to meet Grindelwald's with something close to panic.
"Are you quite sure about that, boy?" Grindelwald hissed, the softer tones from before now absent.
"There is nothing you can do or say that will convince me to allow my creatures to be used to hurt people." Newt stated in as clear a voice as he could manage with the most powerful wand in existence prodding sharply into his Adam's apple.
"If you must insist on remaining loyal to Albus Dumbledore and his misguided naiveites, I shall make sure that everyone else is able to see just who you decided to oppose." Grindelwald muttered harshly, and before Newt could fathom what he meant by that, Grindelwald had removed Newt's bowtie and the first few buttons of his shirt with a flick of his wand. The Elder Wand was then placed against his collarbone, the tip burning white hot as it seared into his skin.
Newt choked on his cries of pain as Grindelwald dragged the burning instrument along his flesh. He could vaguely register that the dark wizard was tracing out a pattern of some sort, but the awkward position his head was being held in prevented him from seeing what it was. His cries increased in volume the longer the wand was in contact with his skin, he could swear that it was being pressed deeper with each line, swipe and movement of Grindelwald's wrist. The wounds seemed to cut straight to his quick, infecting his very magic with the foulness of the curse-burn.
By the time Grindelwald seemed satisfied with his work, Newt was sweating and shaking violently, his wrists burning almost as much as his neck and upper chest did. He had unconsciously been pulling at his bonds in attempt to free himself from both the grip of Grindelwald and his own agony. The Elder Wand was removed from his skin at the top of his chest, presumably at the base of the formed design, which felt as though it was at least five inches in height and probably more in width.
Newt allowed his gaze to drop to the floor as Grindelwald stepped back, but the edge of the burned in outline caught his eyes and dragged them down to observe his own chest. Without even seeing the entire design, Newt recognised with a thrill of shock the symbol the Deathly Hallows.
It confused Newt that he would have been branded with the symbol that Grindelwald had claimed as his own – he had thought that it was usually only reserved for the most devoted individuals who had chosen to follow the dark wizard. He dragged his puzzled, pain strained gaze up to Grindelwald, his dishevelled hair flicking further into his eyes than usual as he did so. "W-what…w-wh-hy…?"
Grindelwald offered him a tight smile in return before speaking "This symbol was not always my own - as you are most likely aware - it was related to the tale of 'The Three Brothers' in a children's book of cautionary tales." He held up the Elder wand, causing Newt to draw back slightly, straightening his back and shoulders to stand up in a more dignified position from his previous slumped stance.
"The most powerful wand in the world, the stone that could bring back the dead and cloak that could hide a man even from death itself." Grindelwald chuckled slightly, though the darkness remained in his mismatched gaze. "The Three Brothers always struck me as a foolish attempt to scare young witches and wizards into not pursuing true power."
"W-what's your p-point?" Newt asked, not really seeing what the recounting of fairy tales had to do with the mark burned into his chest.
"My point, Mr Scamander, is that while I may hold the power over all others in terms of magical prowess, I am not the master of death." His lip turned up slightly in infuriation and apparent distaste. "Albus has been aware of the locations of the other two Hallows for quite some time, but due to the…discord between us, he will not share them with me as he once would have." "The part that concerns you, is that I do not believe that mastery over death can only be achieved by one individual obtaining all three Hallows." His gaze turned unfathomable as he regarded Newt.
"I have come to realise over recent years that while the Hallows may exist in reality, the true powers they represent can be found amongst people – in only the rarest of souls." Newt frowned, still uncertain as to what Grindelwald was getting at with his vague words and speeches on belief. As if sensing his confusion, the older wizard seemed to grow impatient, as if willing Newt to understand. He approached Newt once more and pressed one long, pale finger into the centre of the burned symbol on his chest. Newt gasped in pain, eyes widening, but not shying away from Grindelwald's intensity, this seemed to satisfy the wizard slightly.
"Take you for instance; despite the power I possess and the strength of my illusion, you above all else realised my true identity. I remained undetected within the heart of MACUSA for months without Graves' colleagues or friends being any the wiser. But within a matter of hours, you knew what no others did. Keen instincts, intelligence and magical potential are the elements that make up a powerful wizard." Grindelwald spoke with fervour, finger pressing harder into the wounds on Newt's chest as he spoke. "But the truth behind the Hallows' power is more about perception. Being able to see what others cannot, realising the truth of things is a desperately rare skill - even amongst the wizarding community and even more so amongst Muggles."
He withdrew his finger and Newt was slightly disgusted to see a piece of his charred skin stuck to it, Grindelwald didn't seem to notice this however, as he took a step back from Newt, almost as if trying to collect himself. "The third brother survived because he was able to remain unnoticed while he observed others - learning what there was to know, whilst evading death. The cloak may hold admirable power as a trinket by itself, but the key to longevity is awareness and insight beyond that of others."
Newt felt cold shivers rise in his skin as Grindelwald raised his hand to cup the side of Newt's face. The gesture was an off-putting attempt at familiarity that the Magizoologist wished he could move away from, but his head was already pressed against the wall and bracketed by his trapped arms. Grindelwald looked at him with an almost warm gaze that greatly unnerved Newt, unused to prolonged attention of this intensity from anyone – especially not the darkest of wizards.
"I brand you with this mark, Newt, because I know you are more than you seem. Even without the allegiance you hold to Albus, I would have bestowed you with this honour." Newt's blue eyes widened so much it was almost painful at his words. "The symbol of the Deathly Hallows was not only significant to me. It was a passion that Albus and I once shared. I give you this gift immemorial for your loyalty to a man I once thought to be… everything I considered desirable."
Grindelwald's eyes flickered with a sorrowful sense of regret that surprised Newt, but it only lasted a moment. "It is a gift, as well, for the loyalty I hope you will also show to me one day."
He released Newt and took several steps back to the centre of the room, the younger man feeling a hollow pit of despair widening inside his chest that he couldn't quite seem to ignore anymore. Grindelwald looked back at him again, this time with a familiar hardened look in his mismatched eyes, he raised his wand to point it in Newt's direction.
"Until I can be sure of your true loyalty however, I will have to convince you using more radical methods." There was that glimmer of emotion again, before the silver in his eye solidified once more. "I apologise for this, Newt."
"Crucio!"