Here's chapter 7, hope you all enjoy! It's gonna get crazy!


Downstairs…

Credence sailed down the steps, not knowing exactly where he was going. He'd heard Tina tell Dumbledore that Newt was down in one of the interrogation rooms. There was nowhere else to go, no other way to make things right; he had to save Newt. He finally reached the bottom and found himself in a large, long room, lined with cells on either side. He transformed into himself and ran along the length of the dark room, spotting a large metal door at the end. Intuition told him he was in the right place. He pushed the door opened and prepared for attack, he still thought Grindelwald was with Newt. No attack came; instead, he was faced with 7 different doors lined in a circular shape. Again, he relied on his gut feeling and walked to the door straight ahead, pushing it open tentatively.

His eyes went wide when he saw Newt, who was weakly trying to pull out of his bonds. Credence was amazed that he was still fighting, he looked so beaten and weak. Newt looked up with a start when he heard the door open and saw Credence walk in, breathing a deep sigh of relief.

"Credence."

Credence couldn't speak, he just stared, still standing with the door open.

"Credence," Newt looked at him through one eye, the other black and swollen. "Credence, I know this must be frightening for you, to see me like this. I can only imagine what I look like…but I need you to untie me."

Credence stared at him blankly, in shock.

"Credence?"

Credence nodded his head, pulling himself back to reality.

"Yeah…yes, sorry…"

He stumbled forward, behind Newt, fumbling for a minute with Newt's bonds before he finally untied him.

"Ah, thank you, Credence."

Newt slowly pulled his arms in front of him, gently massaging his wrists and arm, where Grindelwald had broken it.

Credence walked around in front of Newt, prepared to help him in any way he could. He couldn't stop looking at Newt through sympathetic eyes. And he felt so guilty. On one hand he felt like it was his fault that all of this had happened to Newt but, on the other hand, he felt a raging anger toward Grindelwald; he was the one who had started all this. He was the one who had done this to Newt.

The thought made him shiver with anger.

"Grindelwald did all this to you?"

It was more like a statement rather than a question, but Newt responded nonetheless, through a heavy sigh.

"Yes."

The sound of impending footsteps caused Newt and Credence to look at the door, which swung open, revealing Tina and Queenie.

Tina ran forward at Newt instantly.

"Newt! Oh my gosh."

She skidded to a halt in front of him, running a hand through his hair, the other resting gently on his face, inspecting him and his injuries. Queenie stood back, a hand on her mouth.

Tina grabbed Newt's bloodied and bruised wrists in her shaking hands.

"God, Newt."

She tried looking at his eyes, but he was avoiding eye contact.

Tina slowly pushed his sleeve of his long sleeve shirt up on his left arm. Newt made a motion to stop her, but she continued, gasping when she saw the damage underneath. Two ugly, purple and black bruises covered Newt's bicep and forearm.

"What did he do to you?" She asked, breathy.

Newt started to answer but then just shook his head. He finally looked up at her, right in her concern filled eyes. He felt a flash of appreciation for her, for having people that cared so much for his well-being.

"I can't. I'll tell you, someday, but right now, I can't."

He felt a catch in his throat and Tina slowly nodded her head, understanding.

Suddenly, they heard crashing coming from overhead.

Queenie spoke up.

"Dumbledore."

Tina took charge.

"Credence, why don't you stay here with Newt and…"

"No." Credence replied firmly. "I want to go with you. I can control it now, I can help."

Tina looked at Newt, who was standing up with immense difficulty.

"I'll go too. I can't spend another minute in this room."

Reluctantly, Tina nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

Queenie grabbed Credence and they all apparated to the main floor to help Dumbledore.


When the four of them arrived to help Dumbledore, it was unlike anything they had ever seen. Reinforcements had arrived and they, including Dumbledore, were all trying to take Grindelwald down.

Unfortunately, Grindelwald had some reinforcements of his own, making it almost equal on both sides.

They all moved to hide behind a large desk that had been pushed toward the wall. Tina waved her wand, bringing another large desk into the air and atop the other so they were well hidden.

Movement to their left caught Tina's attention and she watched as Jacob ran toward them, Newt's case in hand. He skidded to a halt in front of them, breathing heavy, out of breath.

"Tina…Queenie…Credence…and," He spotted Newt, his eyes going wide, "Newt."

Newt was leaning against the wall, fighting against the urge to sit down and pass out. When he saw Jacob with his case though, it gave him a rush of relief and gratitude.

"Jacob…my case, you have it."

Jacob set the case next to Newt, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, his eyes full of concern.

"Yeah, yeah I got it. Thought you might be wanting it." He chuckled nervously. "Oh, I also have this."

Jacob handed Newt his wand and he cracked a small smile, taking it.

"Newt." Tina was looking out into the battle, watching bodies dropping; some were people she knew and worked with. "Do you have anything in that case that might help take down Grindelwald? Cause it looks like we're losing."

Newt peered between a crack in the desks and, sure enough, Grindelwald's followers seemed to be overtaking MACUSA's aurors, meaning Dumbledore would be on his own soon.

"I'll go…" Credence took a step forward, ready to transform, but Tina stopped him.

"No, Credence. Not yet."

Newt racked his brain, thinking hard and fast. Then, it dawned on him.

"Jacob." He turned to his friend, almost frantic. "Can you go in my case and get the Swooping Evil?"

Jacob nodded and popped Newt's case open, ready to hop inside.

"Oh, and Jacob." Newt remembered something. "There's a vial on my worktable. It's bright orange, not hard to miss. Can you grab that too?"

Jacob looked at him quizzically but nodded, disappearing down the steps.

Then Tina remembered something.

"Oh, Newt!"

He looked over at her as she put a hand in her front pocket, pulling out a squeaking Pickett, who was reaching for Newt.

"Pickett." He breathed, reaching out and grabbing him, holding out his hand flat for him to stand on. "Oh, it's good to see you."

Pickett squeaked in agreement but then made another noise that sounded like concern.

Newt smiled sadly. "I know, I know. I'll be alright, though, don't worry."

He set Pickett in his shirt's front pocket, trying to ignore the dried blood that covered it. He couldn't explain how comforting it was to have Pickett with him once again.

It didn't take long for Jacob to appear with the Swooping Evil in hand, but he looked a little disheveled.

Newt immediately noticed.

"Did he give you some trouble?"

Jacob smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, it took a little convincing that I was your friend. But he came around."

Newt smiled wryly.

"And here's this." Jacob held out his hand, the vial full of bright orange liquid inside.

Newt grabbed it, grateful. "Thank you, Jacob."

Tina eyed it curiously.

"What is it?"

Newt grimaced.

"It's poison from a Doxy. When properly diluted, it can be used as a painkiller." Newt carefully placed three drops on his tongue and shivered, feeling the effects; the pain lessened slightly. "It won't totally get rid of the pain, but it definitely helps."

Tina pulled her gaze away from Newt toward the battle before them.

"I'd hurry Newt; things are getting worse out there."

Newt nodded, taking the Swooping Evil from Jacob and uncoiling it so it was hovering in front of him. He spoke to it softly.

"Now, I need you to do me a big favor. The biggest favor I've ever asked of you. I need you to distract Grindelwald's men. Do not attack anyone else. Can you do this?"

The Swooping Evil responded by shooting out it's long tongue, licking Newt's face.

"Oh, and don't eat their brains, please."

The Swooping Evil nodded slightly and took off, soaring through the air, fast as lightning. Newt looked through the crack between the desk, watching as it proceeded to fly around the room, diving down and striking Grindelwald's men, giving the aurors an edge on them.

Tina watched for a split second before gathering her courage, turning to Newt.

"I have to go out there."

Newt nodded, understanding but not wanting her to do it. Not wanting any of this to be happening.

But he knew that he had to too.

He gripped his wand tightly in his hand.

"Let's go then."

Tina nodded grimly, turning toward Credence and Jacob.

"You two stay behind here. Credence, if things look like they're getting bad, you do your thing."

Credence nodded, eager to prove himself now.

Tina gave a fleeting glance at both her sister and Newt, who was obviously still in pain. Despite the pain, he nodded at them both and they all rushed out into the battle.

Newt watched Queenie joined a nearby battle and he watched as the Swooping Evil did its job, endlessly weaving around the witches and wizards, occasionally diving and striking one of Grindelwald's followers.

Tina grabbed Newt's arm.

"We need to help Dumbledore."

Newt nodded, his blood like ice inside of him.

He was deeply conflicted.

On one side, he didn't want to fight. He'd never been a fighter even though he'd been forced to on a few occasions.

On the other side, he felt this inexplicable hate and anger towards Grindelwald. All of the pain and suffering that they had all endured, especially him, all at the hands of Grindelwald was too much for him to cope with. It brought about a flurry of emotions he'd never felt before.

He wanted justice.

He wanted revenge.

He wanted to just run away.

It was complicated.

As all this flashed through his mind, he followed Tina, knowing that he had to do this. Even if it meant he might die, that they both might die. They were getting closer to Grindelwald and Newt felt his blood roar in his ears, pushing past the pain that was ever present.

They were so close now.

Tina shot out a spell but Grindelwald deflected it. He was amazingly fast. Newt followed suit, sending out a spell, catching Grindelwald off guard. It slammed into Grindelwald's shoulder, sending him skidding back a few feet.

Newt felt grim satisfaction, but it was short lived.

Newt and Tina dodged as Grindelwald shot a flurry of blue lightning bolts their direction. Newt had crossed paths with them on several occasions and he had no desire to do so again.

Dumbledore shot spells at Grindelwald, turning his attention away from Newt and Tina. He then began circling around the room, closing the distance between himself and Grindelwald, trying to trap him in between himself and Newt and Tina.

Newt and Tina followed suit, converging on Grindelwald. It was like a dangerous yet delicate dance as each party continuously shot and deflected spells.

Grindelwald was nearly backed into the wall now, surrounded by Dumbledore, Tina, and Newt. Newt was glad to see that Grindelwald was sweating with exertion.

And then, everything happened at once. Grindelwald sent a great flurry of spells toward Dumbledore, which caused him to fly back across the room, into the swarm of the battle.

Then, he sent a wave of lightning toward Newt.

He saw it coming but he couldn't stop it.

It hit him with a great electric force, knocking him down to the ground on his back. He screamed and spasmed on the ground, trying to roll over and stand up; to rejoin the fight.

He looked up at Tina, her face full of concentration and fear as she tried to stay focused. She was alone in the battle. She was fighting him alone.

Newt pushed himself to his knees, feeling the effects of the shock wearing off. As he struggled to get up, he watched as Tina barely deflected a spell, the force of it sent her skidding backwards.

Then he noticed that she was up against the railing. She was no longer deflecting the spells and then the vicious lightning was striking her over and over, pushing her against the railing.

Newt couldn't stand, he couldn't do anything. He gripped his wand but he couldn't speak or utter a spell. He could hear her crying out but he couldn't stop it. He was helpless.

Then she was hovering above the ground, body limp, but still conscious.

Newt cried out, realizing what was happening.

"No!"

He stumbled to his feet, turning to face Grindelwald, shooting spells at him which he deflected easily. Grindelwald was using his free hand to levitate Tina in the air and he waved his wand through the air, sending more lightning at Newt.

It struck him hard again. He didn't scream this time as it knocked him back, sending his body spasming violently once again.

It was over.

They lost.

He looked up at Tina, who was now hovering above the endless pit; she was crying.

"No…please, no." He mumbled through the electricity coursing through him; he was crying too.

"I love you, Newt."

Newt sobbed as he struggled to regain control over his body. If he could only reach her, feel her warm embrace. All he could see was her. There wasn't a battle raging on behind them. There wasn't Dumbledore or Grindelwald or anyone. It was just them.

It was just her.

"I love you too."

And then, she fell.