Author's note: Hi everybody! Here's chapter 21. Hope you like it.
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"Thought this thing looked familiar," Theseus commented in relief, standing back as his brother climbed out of his case. "Are you alright, Newt?"
"This had better be important, Theseus," Newt told him irritably, causing his older brother to raise his eyebrows.
"Well, Grindlewald just unleashed a horde of Dementors across the countryside, how's that for important?" Theseus snapped, before taking a shaky bite of the chocolate bar in his hand.
Looking around for the first time, Newt realised he was back in the French Ministry. Theseus had apparently seen his case lying in the streets of Paris, and brought it back with him.
"And to top it all off," Theseus continued, "Credence has disappeared!"
"What?" Newt asked.
"What's happened to Credence?"
Theseus turned as Tina, Queenie and Jacob emerged from the case.
"What happened to you lot?" Theseus asked.
"Same thing that happened to you," Newt answered quickly, gesturing to the chocolate in his brother's hand. "Now: what's this about Credence?"
"We told him to stay here, as we thought his obscurus wouldn't cope well with the dementors," Sabine Delacroix spoke up from behind Newt, who started, not realising the woman was there.
"After driving off the dementors, we left the obliviation squad to handle the non-wizards, and we just arrived back to find him gone." The woman hit the desk in frustration.
"He betrays us serve his own goals," she muttered bitterly, and Newt noted the chocolate bar in her hand was uneaten. "Perhaps Grindlewald offered him a better deal."
"I highly doubt that," Newt said firmly.
"We don't know that," Theseus backed up his brother.
"The necklace is gone," Delacroix gestured to the bare table.
"What necklace?" Tina asked, curious.
"Grindlewald gave it to Credence in New York," Theseus was quick to inform her. "He'd touch the pendant, and Grindlewald would know Credence was calling him, and he'd apparate to him.
"If that's the case, then Credence couldn't have used it to leave," Tina insisted.
Drawing her wand, Tina began to cast magical detection spells throughout the room.
"We've already done that," Theseus informed her. "Someone disapparated out of here."
"Then we know it wasn't Credence, for he hasn't learned to disapparate yet," Newt answered.
"Yeah, I'd say someone took advantage of the fact that we'd all be out," Tina suddenly knelt down and picked an object off the floor.
It was a small shirt button.
Studying the button in her hands, considering, Tina waved her wand over it muttering spells under her breath.
"What's that, Tina?" Newt asked, spying the small object in her hand.
"A button that was on the floor," Tina answered distractedly. "I think it was Credence's."
"And, how does that help?" Jacob asked, trying to keep up.
"Don't you see? Credence left us a trail." She held up the button. "We can trace him, now."
"And he'll be where Grindlewald is," Delacroix nodded. "Auror Bennet!" She ordered as she spotted the man passing her office door. "Fetch your Monsieur Graves!"
"Where is Mr Graves?" Tina wondered.
"Recovering," Delacroix answered carefully.
"Of course," Newt nodded, for Mr Graves had been kept prisoner by Grindlewald for months. You don't go through an experience like that without it having a lasting effect.
Newt briefly wondered what memories the dementors made Graves relive, and then figured he'd rather not know.
"You should try and recover as well, Auror Delacroix," Newt gestured to the uneaten chocolate in her hand.
Sabine looked shakily down at the chocolate bar, as if she'd forgotten she was holding it.
Numbly, the woman raised it to her mouth and took a bite.
"We need a map," Theseus considered, taking another bite of chocolate to clear his head. "And a team who's still ready and able?"
Newt and Tina both raised their hands.
~..~..~..~..
Grindlewald dropped his disguise as Credence stumbled and landed hard.
Slowly, Credence got to his feet, slightly winded as he cast his eyes around him.
They seemed to be back in the ossuary, just in a different room to where the rally had been.
"This place is full of hidden tunnels and rooms," Grindlewald explained as torches lit up around them, casting an eerie, flickering light across the stone floor. "The only way to find us is if you know where to look."
As Credence's eyes adjusted to the dim light, he felt his breath catch in his throat as he spied a figure lying prone in the centre of the room.
"Willow!" Credence rushed forward.
"She's just unconscious," Gellert assured him, watching Credence curiously as he checked the young woman over in concern.
"Please wake up," Credence pleaded, sweeping strands of Willow's hair out of her face as he tried to revive her, raking his brain for any spell he'd learnt so far that would help.
But no, he couldn't recall Imamu or Dumbledore teaching him a spell to wake someone from unconsciousness.
Credence hit a fist against the stone floor in frustration as his obscurus shifted in his chest.
What was the point of magic if he couldn't help Willow now?
Gellert pointed his wand at the woman on the floor.
"Enervate," he said.
Willow's eyes flickered open to find Credence leaning over her in concern.
"Credence?" She asked slowly, her foggy brain still trying to catch up.
"Willow!" He exclaimed in relief, flicking a wary glance in Grindlewald's direction, but the wizard continued to simply watch with something like scientific interest. "Are you alright?"
"I… was at home…" Willow blinked slowly as she began to recall what had happened in her flat. Suddenly, everything clunked into place in Willow's mind and she scrambled to her feet.
"Credence, you have to go!" She told him. "You have to get out of here."
"Not without you," Credence told her.
Gellert smirked.
"Neither of you are going anywhere," he told the pair coldly, causing Willow to start, whirling around to spy the man who had brought her here.
"Not until I say so."
Credence swallowed.
"You said you wanted to talk," He reminded Grindlewald. "Why is Willow here?"
"I do want to talk with you, Credence," Gellert told him. "And the squib girl is here for… insurance."
"Squib?" Willow queried in confusion.
"Magical ancestry, but no power," Credence explained hurriedly, not taking his eyes off the wizard before him.
"Credence," Grindlewald gained the man's attention, "I don't think you realise how important you are. I told you of my visions, back in New York, yes?"
"The ones about the powerful obscurial you were trying to find?" Credence nodded. "I thought you were just saying those things-"
"To find you?" Gellert shook his head. "No, Credence. I only told you what you needed to know in order to find, what I thought would be, a child." He smiled, marvelling at the man before him. "But it was you, Credence, the whole time."
"Many people, even amongst the wizarding community, don't give much…credence…to the art of divination," Gellert came forward to explain, smirking. "However, the gift of Sight has always been strong for me. And while it's true, not all prophesies and visions come to pass, for we do, after all have free will," he granted, "when one has a vision, or prophesy, all one has to do is make sure the required people or events fall into place, for the outcome to manifest as it was foretold."
"For I meant what I said at the rally: I have had a vision. And you, Credence," Grindlewald smiled proudly. "You were at the very centre of that vision. My dream becomes a reality, because of you."
Grindlewald continued to approach slowly, arms open, inviting.
"You want acceptance, Credence?" Grindlewald posed. "You want freedom? You want to know who you are? Help me in my cause, and I will give you that," he promised. "You can be all that you are, and more."
~..~..~..~..
"Is this the same spell you did to follow Leta's trail into the catacombs?" Newt asked as Tina scanned the map that had been brought before her as everyone, including Queenie and Jacob, gathered around the table.
"No, not quite," she answered distractedly as she worked her magic. "That spell was to follow where Leta had already been. This spell will be to find where Credence is right now."
"Have you done this before?" Jacob asked curiously.
"Once," Tina answered shortly, as she completed the last charm over Credence's shirt button. "There. Now, hopefully, it'll-"
Suddenly, the button flew out of her hand to land on a section on the map, glowing a pale blue.
"There he is," Tina smiled in relief. "He's still in Paris."
Delacroix noted the location.
"He's in one of the catacombs in the ossuary," she announced.
"Let's go," Graves ordered.
"There aren't many of us left," Delacroix admitted, for Cousteau's team were still dealing with the dementors as they continued to travel. And after the attack on Paris, many of the aurors were still out, helping to obliviate members of the public. In addition, if that weren't enough to cut their numbers, of those who were not working, there were at least a dozen that had to be sent to the hospital for treatment.
And all of them had barely slept since the rally last night, and were still recovering from the dementor attack themselves…
"Then we gather those who are left," Theseus stated with resolve. "This could be our chance to finally capture Grindlewald. Together." He glanced at Graves. "It may not be how we planned, but Credence has indeed led us to him."
"Then let's not waste the opportunity," Graves was determined this time.
Theseus nodded his agreement.
He didn't like to lose.
~..~..~..~..
"Do you think you can truly be accepted by them, Credence?" Grindlewald asked, pointing upwards to indicate the people living in the streets above.
"Do you think everyone has to accept you, to have true acceptance?" Willow countered, stepping forward to stand between Credence and Grindlewald. "Credence has me, he has his friends, he has his teachers… we accept him."
"And you think you're enough?" Grindlewald asked patronisingly. "How sweet. But we both know, Credence, that those aurors will lock you up or kill you the moment they feel threatened by your power."
Grindlewald became suddenly curious as he regarded the obscurial before him.
"Has she seen your power, yet, Credence?" He asked, gesturing to Willow. "Has this girl, who claims to love all of who you are, actually seen all you can do?"
Credence swallowed, but his silence was enough.
"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Grindlewald smiled widely, opening his arms in invitation.
"Come along, then, Credence," he encouraged. "Shall we test your lady's love?"
Credence felt himself tense as the obscurus shifted in his chest. If he released his obscurus this close to Willow…
"Come now, Credence, what are you afraid of?" Grindlewald goaded. "If she truly accepts you, you have nothing to fear. Believe me, my friend," he continued. "It is important to be honest with those you love, for them to truly love you in return. No one," he added, "can truly love a lie."
"Willow," Credence turned Willow towards him to implore her, "I need you to run."
"Not without you," she hissed back, gripping his hand in both her own.
"Perhaps some motivation, then?" Grindlewald asked before drawing his wand.
~..~..~..~..
Graves, Delacroix, Theseus, Newt, Tina, and as many who were recovered enough from the dementors, apparated near the new entrance to the ossuary.
"Set up a perimeter," Delacroix ordered her aurors, signalling Auror Bovary to take charge in Cousteau's absence.
"Hopefully it's better than the last one," Newt muttered.
"Let's add to it, then," Theseus gestured to those who remained of his team.
"Can someone remind me why these two are here?" Graves gestured to Queenie and Jacob.
"Believe me," Tina spoke up, "I tried to tell them to stay behind."
"You need me, admit it," Queenie said aside to her sister. "I'll be okay, Teenie."
"Queenie's skills in legilimancy could prove useful," Newt answered Graves' question. "After all, we know Grindlewald is here, but not his exact location in the tunnels."
"And I'm not leaving my wife," Jacob added firmly.
"So, let's go," Tina nodded towards the entrance and hurried down.
~..~..~..~..
"Do you know how to duel, Credence?" Grindlewald asked curiously.
Credence felt his breathing increase and tried to swallow his rising panic.
His obscurus shifted in his chest, responding to his fear, and Credence tried to remember Professor Imamu's lessons to help him calm down.
"First, we bow," Gellert explained as he swept his arms dramatically, bending at the waist.
Credence stood still, one arm around Willow as she gripped him tightly. He wasn't going to play his game.
"Come now, Credence, I want to see what you've learned so far," Grindlewald encouraged as he smiled in anticipation.
Credence slowly placed a hand on his wand, the obsidian handle was cool and smooth to the touch, considering his options.
He'd never been taught how to duel. To be perfectly honest, Credence hated fighting of any kind. True, he'd been learning various defensive spells in his classes with Dumbledore and Imamu, but still, he knew nothing he'd learned would help him do anything against someone like Grindlewald.
Still, this was the man who had lied to him, taken advantage of him, wanted to use him as a weapon, had tried to hurt his friends on more than one occasion, released dementors onto a city of innocent people and had just kidnapped Willow as 'insurance.'
Credence felt his obscurus writhe in his chest, eager to be let loose.
'No,' he told the monster within him. 'Not yet.'
"Credence," Willow whispered to him. "Don't. Let's just leave. It's okay to run away."
"He won't let us run away," Credence reminded her quietly, warring with his own desire to flee. "A wizard can stop someone running with a flick of their wrist. And this one is very powerful. He'll stop us before we even reach the door."
'I just have to buy time,' Credence thought to himself. Hopefully, by now, someone found the button he left on the office floor and have started to track him down, like Tina tracked down Leta…
"Let Willow leave safely," he put forward, trying to bargain. "And I'll duel you."
"Of course not," Grindlewald chuckled, shaking his head. "I didn't bring her here simply to let her go. She's the one I want you showing off for. But rest assured, Credence," he added, "she will not get a single scratch on her, by my hand."
He smirked again and Credence felt his obscurus writhe in his chest once more.
'Not a scratch by his hand?' Credence wondered at the choice of words. 'Could that mean he expects someone else to-"
Credence felt himself still as he felt he felt he realised what the wizard was up to…
Grindlewald wanted the obscurus to kill Willow.
Credence clenched his jaw as he wrapped his free arm more tightly around the young woman at his side, drawing his wand with his other hand.
He wouldn't release the obscurus near Willow, he determined. He'd prove his control.
"That's it," Grindlewald grinned before stilling. "And just in time too. We're about to have an audience."
~..~..~..~..
"He knows we're here," Queenie announced as the group continued to hurry through the tunnels. "He heard my mind."
"How much farther?" Theseus asked.
"Not much," Queenie answered, a slight tremble in her voice, before turning determinedly down another corridor.
"This way," she called over her shoulder.
~..~..~..~..
Grindlewald turned as the group entered the room, fanning out along the walls.
"My friends," he greeted, completely unfazed at the intrusion. "Welcome. I see you've lost some of your number. Do you think you're enough to stop me?"
"You have attacked my city," Delacroix said coolly. "And it is time you pay for your crimes against the world, Monsieur Grindlewald."
Grindlewald chuckled.
"I hardly think fighting for the freedom of wizard-kind is a crime, Auror Delacroix."
Taking advantage of the distraction, Credence hurried himself and Willow to one side of the room.
"Credence, it's okay," Tina called out to him in assurance, wand drawn. "Are you hurt?"
Credence shook his head in the negative.
Grindlewald turned on the spot, making a sweeping motion with his wand, causing blue fire to flare up along the walls, and cutting off their escape.
"Still think it's okay?" Jacob asked warily as he pulled Queenie close to himself. She'd done her part, now he had to make sure his wife stayed out of the fight. He tried to stay as far away from Grindlewald as he could, without going near the strange blue flames, which were giving off such a strong heat, he was already feeling lightheaded, beads of sweat were trickling down his face.
Newt found himself wishing he hadn't decided to leave his case at the French Ministry. He hadn't wanted to risk the safety of his creatures, but now, realising they now had two muggles in the room made him think his case would have been the safest place for them to be.
'Well, not much to be done about it now,' he told himself. 'We'll think of something.'
Graves clenched his jaw as he stared down at Grindlewald.
"You took months of my life," he hissed.
"Yes, I rather enjoyed my time at MACUSA," Grindlewald smirked at the obvious rise his mere presence was causing in the American auror.
"It was so easy being you," he continued. "The power, the authority… I could access or order anything I wanted, and no one would blink an eye."
Grindlewald's gaze drifted over to Newt and Tina.
"If only you two had died when you were supposed to," he mused. "I'd still be there."
"I'll be happy to take you back in chains," Graves swore as he raised his wand.
Theseus stood, staring down at the man responsible for the dementors loose in Paris.
He could still hear the scream of that muggle man he'd seen fall to his death when he'd jumped off the Eiffel tower in despair from the dementor's horrible power…
This man, who had tried to unhinge the very laws he held dear, keeping peace between the magical and non-magical worlds…
And the man who had tried to sentence his little brother to death…
"Let's take him," he said eagerly.
Smirking, Grindlewald made another sweeping motion with his wand, and more blue flames shot up, surrounding himself, climbing up to the ceiling before condensing together to form the shape of-
"Oh wow," despite being terrified, Willow couldn't help being awestruck, "it's a dragon."
"Fiendfyre!" Theseus called out in warning, but too late.
Grindlewald launched the dragon-fire towards the aurors, who, despite throwing spells, were forced to scramble as the flames burst against the stone floor, sending cracks splintering outward, before the flames began reforming.
The fire around the edges of the room began to shift and twist until several more Fiendfyre dragons had formed.
"Jacob," Queenie drew her own wand, preparing herself, "stay by me, Sweetie."
Spells began flying as the flame-beasts ripped through the ranks, the roar of the fire sounding almost beast-like as they targeted the various people in the room. Tina had to intervene to save Jacob when he got separated from Queenie in the chaos, before Queenie deflected a ricocheting spell as it careened towards her sister.
Grindlewald simply stood calmly in the centre of the room, manipulating his Fiendfyre dragons as though he were conducting an orchestra.
The heat from the flames was intense, and Newt found himself struggling to breathe as he blocked ricocheting spells, dodging fire he raced towards Credence, who appeared to be trying to protect Willow and prevent his obscurus from bursting forth at the same time.
He appeared to be struggling with the effort.
"Credence!" Newt gasped as he finally reached him. "Are you alright?"
Credence couldn't answer as black vapour began to emanate from him.
"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Newt muttered before turning to the young woman who seemed as if she were going into shock, staring numbly out at the battle that was taking place around her.
"You must be Willow," Newt nodded to her. "Newt Scamander. Now, let's get you out of here, shall we?"
The three of them had to hit the floor as a large Fiendfyre dragon roared over their heads, smashing into the wall nearby, the flames bursting along the wall to reveal an auror, who's agonised screams seemed endless as the fire continued to engulf them as they slid to the floor.
Newt tried to put out the flames, to no avail, and Willow covered her mouth in horror as the screams suddenly stopped.
"So, how do we get out of here?" Credence gritted out between his teeth, drawing Newt's attention.
"We'll think of something," Newt assured him, trying not to gag at the smell of burnt flesh, but Credence shook his head, getting to his feet, pulling Willow up with him.
"Already thought of something," he said resignedly, turning to Willow.
"I'm sorry you have to see me like this," he told her.
"It's okay," Willow answered automatically, her wide eyes on the black vapour now pouring from him as his eyes began to turn white.
Credence turned to Newt.
"We'll work with you, this time," Newt told him, nodding his understanding before Credence even opened his mouth.
Gathering his courage, Credence stepped closer to the battle as he felt his obscurus rise closer to the surface.
The Fiendfyre dragon had finished its meal of the poor auror, and was now rising like a serpent before Credence, who stared up at it for a moment, before turning to rest his eyes instead on the man standing calmly in the centre of the room.
'You want them to see me?' He thought, his eyes never leaving Grindlewald as he stood within his circle of flames, orchestrating his creatures of death.
Gellert barely had time to put a shield up as the obscurus burst from Credence's body, flying directly at him.
Theseus had to press himself against the floor as the obscurus swept over his head, flashes of light shone through the whirl of black, showing Grindlewald fighting back.
The swirling vortex that was the obscurus was like an indoor hurricane as black vapour and Fiendfyre whipped around the room, tearing apart the scorched masonry that hadn't already been damaged in the battle.
"Queenie, Jacob, take Willow and get out of here," Newt hurried Willow over to his friends before re-joining Tina and the aurors.
"Credence will be okay, Honey," Queenie whispered to Willow as she took up the young woman's hand.
An ominous rumble filled the room and soon, the ceiling was blown outwards and upwards as Credence and Grindlewald's conflicting powers reached their peak.
The power of the conflicting magical forces was enough to cause something of a vacuum and many people were sucked out through the hole in the ceiling.
Newt felt himself flying through the air before landing hard.
Body aching, he slowly got to his feet to see that he was lying at the edge of a large crater.
"Newt!"
Theseus came running up to his brother in concern as people slowly began getting to their feet, though others appeared unconscious.
Graves cast his eyes over their group. Already exhausted and low in numbers, several aurors had been killed by the Fiendfyre, while others were unconscious from the blast.
There were only a handful of them left.
He considered ordering a retreat, but he looked up to see Credence in obscurus form still battling Grindlewald, the whirling black vaporous mass like a hurricane over their heads, punctuated only by the flashes of light from spells as Grindlewald fought back the ravenous magical parasite.
Theseus squinted against the wind as he looked up at the whirling mass above him and realised something was missing.
"We have to trap him, the perimeter shield's down," Theseus noted quickly. "Help me!"
Together, Newt, Theseus and Graves quickly gathered any aurors who were still conscious and worked to recast the barrier to prevent Grindlewald from escaping this time, as Credence, in his obscurus form, raged through the graveyard atop of the ossuary tunnels.
Queenie pulled Jacob and Willow close to a stone pillar as the wind whipped above their heads.
Willow felt tears trailing down her cheeks as she stared upward.
"That's Credence?" She gasped. "That thing's been growing inside him his whole life?"
"Yeah," Queenie stroked the young woman's hair consolingly. "It's called an obscurus. And it could still kill him, one day."
"What?" Willow's voice went up an octave. Credence hadn't told her that.
"He's got more control over it," Queenie granted, "but that doesn't mean it's stopped doing what it does best."
'No,' was the only thought Willow was capable of, as grief began to fill her heart at the thought.
Credence couldn't die. He couldn't. Surely, after all he's been through, he deserves to have a life.
Looking up, Willow watched the other wizards working together to strengthen a bubble of magic around the area, acting like a cage to try and keep the battle between Credence and Grindlewald from heading out over… where was she?
Willow looked around, and then her ears caught a snatch of French as a blond woman gestured to two men, apparently giving an order, and Willow felt her jaw drop.
Was she in France?
"Get down!"
A woman with dark hair pushed her to the ground as a burst of light shot from the end of her wand, just in time to deflect, what Willow could only assume was, a magical attack that had been shooting right at them.
"You three need to get out of here," the woman hissed.
"We can't go anywhere with the barrier up, Tina," Queenie reminded her and Tina struggled not to roll her eyes. By trying to keep Grindlewald in, they'd trapped everyone else as well.
Willow jumped as the whirling black entity slammed into the ground, spiralling and condensing until Credence reappeared, the black vapour being drawn into his body reminding her strangely of her visualisation from earlier.
'In with Love, out with Fear,' her affirmation reverberated around her mind, and something clicked in her head.
'It's Fear,' she thought. 'That's what his obscurus is: it's Fear.'
Credence stood, shaking with exertion, for he'd never allowed his obscurus so much freedom before, and it was draining…
"Oh, no," Queenie gasped.
"What?" Willow asked.
"Credence is dying," she said.
"What?" Tina yelped.
"Don't talk to me now," Queenie ordered as she focused on Credence's mind, trying to figure out how to help him.
Grindlewald stood up slowly, not far from where Credence landed. It had taken all of his skill and power to avoid death by the obscurus, thought the fact he knew what to expect gave him an edge.
Grindlewald tried to stand tall, however, despite the fact he was as exhausted as Credence.
"Oh, Credence, why must we fight?" He asked the young man, who looked about to faint. "You and I could achieve so much together."
"I may not yet know who I am," Credence admitted shakily. "But I know who I'm not. And I am not like you."
"Mr Grindlewald."
Grindlewald turned as Graves, Theseus, Delacroix, Tina, Newt, and the few aurors who were still conscious and standing pointed their wands at the wanted wizard.
"You are under arrest."
Grindlewald laughed.
"I don't think so," he countered
Credence suddenly fell to his knees, clutching his chest.
"Willow, no!" Tina tried, but couldn't grab the woman before she ran to Credence's side and tried to help him to his feet.
"Willow?" Credence asked dazedly.
"I'm here, Credence," she assured him, glaring at Grindlewald. "I see you, and accept you. You can't scare me away so easily."
Grindlewald raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Interesting," he muttered.
"What?" Willow put forward. "You thought I'd run away screaming?"
"That would be the normal reaction," Gellert had to admit.
"Whoever told you I was normal?" Willow asked. "Frankly, I find that offensive."
"Aurors, take aim," Thesesus ordered his group.
"Wait," Newt held up a hand.
"Why?" Theseus asked and Newt simply pointed to Credence, concerned as Credence continued to clutch his chest.
"Credence," Newt called as he began to approach slowly. "Are you alright?"
"Stay back!" Credence called, feeling the obscurus twist and writhe violently in his chest.
He fell to his knees once more as he doubled over, causing Willow to fall with him.
"Credence, it's okay," she told him. "I'm here. I'm not leaving."
"You should," Credence met her eyes and Willow was shocked by the intensity of the fear in his dark eyes.
"No," Willow stated surely.
'In with Love, out with Fear,' she told herself.
"I don't want to hurt you," Credence told her.
"You won't," she assured him. "I'll find a way to help you."
"Would you like to know what my vision was, Credence?" Grindlewald asked as he stepped forward.
"Visions are much like dreams, they need to sometimes be interpreted," He explained. "It was my vision that caused me to go to America. For I saw your mother there, and this great power that existed near her. An obscurial. You."
Credence felt a tightness in his chest as he looked up at the man before him. He could tell Grindlewald was as exhausted as he was. It was no mean effort to resist the destructive force of his obscurus. But still, Grindlewald didn't have a magical parasite draining him of life…
"I saw this obscurial showcasing it's power, not only New York, but also here in Paris. And other places around the world," the man grinned.
"So, you don't have to worry Credence, you're not going to die just yet," Grindlewald said in a way that Willow assumed was intended to be reassuring. "For you and I have so much work to do."
"No," Credence hissed.
Willow, on the other hand, became curious.
"You said the vision showed his power in Paris?" She queried, gesturing to the havoc around them. "Does this match your vision?"
Grindlewald rolled his eyes at being asked such a question by a no-maj, of all people, but still, he cast his eyes around at the aurors still pointing their wands at him.
He'd forgotten about them…
With a flick of his wrist, all the wands went flying out of their owner's hands to collect in a pile at his feet.
Graves tried to use wandless magic to retrieve them, but Grindlewald deflected the spell easily, causing the wands to be scattered over the rubble, some falling into the large crater, before sending another spell, blasting Graves backwards to land on the uneven ground, unconscious.
"Anyone else?" Grindlewald invited.
However, none of the others were powerful enough to perform wandless magic well enough to take down Grindlewald. And could they even find their wands amongst the rubble before Grindlewald blasted them as well?
Theseus' mind began racing. What to do now?
"Yes," Grindlewald answered Willow's question mildly. "This seems very close."
"What's missing?" She asked.
"It's not 'what's missing,'" Grindlewald told her patronisingly. "It's 'what's unexpected'? I had only seen the obscurial's power, not what they looked like, and so assumed it was a child. I hadn't expected it to be Credence."
"So, what's 'unexpected'?" Willow pressed.
Grindlewald frowned.
"You, actually, Miss Arden," Grindlewald answered. "Though, I doubt that is of much consequence."
Credence fell to the ground completely, convulsing as if he were having a seizure.
"Credence?" Willow tried to help him as black vapour began to pour out of him.
"Stop it!" Queenie suddenly shrieked, clutching her head in agony. "Stop it, please!"
"Stay back," Grindlewald sent a spell flying at Newt and Tina as they made to rush forward, blasting them backward.
"Queenie?" Jacob tried to console his wife as she huddled against him, gripping her head and breathing shakily.
Tina struggled to her feet, nursing her head, before rushing to her sister's side. The legilimens had regained control and was now gripping Jacob's arm tightly as she clenched her eyes shut, the better to stay focused.
"Come on," she gasped through her efforts to concentrate. "Come on, Credence, let me help."
Slowly, slowly, Credence stilled, and slowly, slowly, the black vapour was drawn back into him. Willow was quick to check his pulse.
"He's still alive," she reported, to Newt's great relief.
Queenie slumped into her husband's arms, trembling, and Tina was quick to help him lay her gently on the ground.
"Well done, Queenie," Tina told her sister quietly. "You did great. He's okay."
"Yes, well done, Mrs Kowalski," Grindlewald congratulated the woman's efforts with what appeared to be genuine praise.
"Now, Miss Arden," Grindlewald turned back to Willow as she knelt on the ground beside Credence.
"I need you to step aside now."
"No!" Willow covered Credence's unconscious form with her own, doing her best to shield him.
Grindlewald sneered at the effort.
"Step aside, silly girl," he told her as he approached calmly. "I don't want to kill you."
"Why not?" Willow challenged. "I'm not a wizard. What do you care?"
"Oh, I don't," the man assured her. "But Credence does." He smiled, almost hungrily as he stared at the man lying on the ground. "He's become more powerful than I could have imagined. But, if he's going to join me, I can't exactly kill the woman he loves, now, can I?" Grindlewald regarded Willow for a moment, apparently finding her lacking. "No matter how misguided his affections are."
Willow chuckled humourlessly, holding Credence closer to her.
"You arrogant... manipulative… monster!" She spat. "Hasn't he been through enough? He has suffered so much already-"
"I know he has," Grindlewald nodded. "And it is, indeed, a tragedy that one such as our Credence, has been treated so badly." He gestured to the young man lying on the ground as he came to crouch down in front of Willow.
"All I'm trying to do," he informed Willow gently, "Is give him the opportunity to fight back."
"No," Willow hissed. "You just want him to kill for you."
"Oh, you'll find I'm more than capable of doing my own killing, my dear," Grindlewald's voice was like poisoned honey as he reached out to grip her chin in one hand.
"But if you want to overthrow the current world order," he continued, "you need more than just followers. You need an army. And Credence," he smiled, his cold eyes trailing from Willow's face to Credence's, "he is worth a thousand. He will be a lightning rod, drawing wizards to my cause. And he will ensure my victory."
"You're not having him," Willow hissed.
"And what power do you have that can stop me?" Grindlewald mocked.
"Grindlewald, please," Newt stepped forward once more. He was wandless, true, but he couldn't just stand there and watch. He just couldn't. "Leave her," he implored. "She's important to Credence. You said it yourself," he thought quickly. "there is no way you could convince Credence to join you if you kill the woman he loves."
Grindlewald stood up, never taking his eyes off Willow, considering.
"But if she remains," he countered. "She will be like a chain, pinning him to her side."
He pointed his wand point blank in her direction.
Willow felt a strange calm envelop her as she took her gaze off Grindlewald to instead study Credence.
He looked so peaceful, she noted affectionately, trailing her fingers along his cheek. Willow was so proud of him. Truly he was stronger than she had imagined, to break free from everything ingrained in him, to walk his own path.
So, if he was to be the last thing she would see, before Grindlewald took her life, Willow could surely endeavour to be as brave as Credence.
She raised her eyes back up to face Grindlewald once more.
"I will not leave him," she told the man, tears welling in her eyes as an emotion she couldn't name filled her to bursting point. "I accept him, for all that he is. He deserves his own life and you will never have him!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
"No!" Newt and Tina cried out as green light lanced towards Willow.
But without their wands, they could do nothing.
Jacob covered his mouth to stifle a sob as Willow's body collapsed.
"Grindlewald-" Delacroix began.
Grindlewald cast a spell in her direction, sending her flying backwards.
"What can you do?" He asked the remaining wizards gathered. "You, who claim that the non-magic are worth saving? What can you really do, to protect such weak, defenceless, unworthy creatures?"
He gestured to Willow's lifeless body, still draped protectively over Credence.
Newt felt tears streaming down his face as Tina covered her mouth in horror. Jacob simply held his unconscious wife closer to him, shaking.
'That poor girl… and what will Credence do when he finds out she's gone?' He thought.
Grindlewald used his wand to dismantle the barrier spell the aurors had put up.
"You will never be able to hold me," he announced with surety as he kicked Willow's body aside carelessly.
"Don't touch her!" Tina snarled.
"And what will you do?" Grindlewald asked. "Why would you defend her? She is nothing. Yet, Credence," he gestured to the man lying on the ground. "He has so much potential. And I hate to see it go to waste."
Grindlewald crouched down and gripped Credence's hand, preparing to apparate.
"No!" Newt, Tina and Theseus rushed forward.
But they had barely gone five steps when Grindlewald recoiled, screaming in pain.
Newt stared as Grindlewald's pale skin began to blister before his very eyes, as if he were being horribly burned.
Panting with pain, Grindlewald, for the first time, appeared completely shocked before he quickly made to grab Credence with his other hand, only to howl in agony once again.
"What is this?" Grindlewald stared, aghast, at his burnt and blistered hands, barely able to hold his wand, now. "This isn't the obscurus."
"No," Newt's scientific mind was racing.
"I think... I think it's Willow," he announced, for he was sure there could be no other explanation.
"What?" Tina asked, completely confused.
"She died to protect Credence," Newt reminded them all and comprehension began to dawn in Grindlewald's eyes.
"Oh, Willow, you extraordinary woman. You see Grindlewald?" Newt gestured to the man's blistered hands. "This woman is proof, that you are wrong: Muggles are not lesser. Not disposable. In fact," he began to smile, "this woman has proven an understanding of a magic you will never fully comprehend."
"What?" Theseus asked, none the wiser. "How could a muggle perform a protection spell like that?"
"Emotions are the root of most forms of magic," Newt recalled the lessons Credence spent with Professor Imamu. "Especially ancient magic."
"How could she protect him from me?" Gellert pointed at Willow dismissively with a blistered-covered hand, but still, doubts were beginning to enter his mind.
"Because," Newt answered surely, "you don't have to be a wizard to be capable of love."
Newt gestured to Credence's prone form.
"You can't have Credence, Grindlewald," Newt told him. "You can't even touch him. He's lost to you, now."
Tina began to smile as she stared up at the wizard before her.
"You said Willow was unexpected," she reminded him. "But I guess her presence had more consequence than you thought."
Gellert had a mixture of confusion, shock and pure anger on his face as his eyes moved from Newt, to Tina, to Theseus.
"Don't think this means I'm giving up," he whispered coldly before disapparating.
Theseus made a frustrated yell as Tina and Newt raced over to where Credence lay, Willow's body beside him.
"We've lost him again," Theseus said in exasperation.
"You couldn't have won, Theseus," Newt called over his shoulder as he and Tina carefully arranged Willow's body into a more comfortable position.
Gently, Newt reached out and closed Willow's eyes.
"You truly extraordinary woman," he told her as tears trailed down his face.
"She was so brave," Tina sniffed as she rearranged the woman's clothing and hair until it looked as if she were simply sleeping.
Newt's gaze landed on Credence, who was still unconscious with exhaustion after the battle with Grindlewald and narrowly escaping death by the magical parasite within him.
"Credence can recover in my case," he suggested slowly, feeling completely at a loss as to what to do now.
"How are we going to tell him?" Tina wondered.
"We tell him the truth," Newt answered after a moment. "That Willow died to protect him, and that her sacrifice ensured his safety."
"He'll be heartbroken," Tina whispered.
"Yes, he will be," Newt agreed sadly, his voice barely audible, so deep he was in thought. It wasn't until Tina placed a comforting hand on his shoulder that he seemed to snap out of his reverie.
After a few minutes of searching, Thesesus eventually found his wand half buried in rubble. He used magic to locate and return the rest of the scattered wands to their respective owners before waking Graves, Delacroix and several others from unconsciousness.
And, together, the aurors began rebuilding the site.
Newt and Tina carefully moved Credence and Willow safely out of the way as the aurors worked.
Queenie was still resting with her head on Jacob's lap, and as the ossuary was carefully rebuilt, one by one, the dead from the battle were recovered, and lain down gently beside Willow.
Theseus was not looking forward to writing condolence letters to the next of kin. It was truly the worst part of his job, but he knew it had to be done, so their families could have closure and organise a proper burial.
"What are we going to do about her?" Theseus asked once the work was done, gesturing to Willow's body.
"We need to take her home," Newt stated the obvious. "She needs a proper burial, Theseus."
"I know that," Theseus said slowly. "I meant: what are we going to tell her next of kin? She's a muggle, after all."
Newt hung his head.
"This woman died incredibly bravely and unnecessarily," he announced. "While we can try and uphold the Statute of Secrecy, Theseus, I don't want to have her bravery go unrecognised."
Theseus took a deep breath before nodding.
"I'll do my best, Newt," he promised.
~..~..~..~..
Credence woke to find himself lying on a cot in Newt's potting shed.
Sitting up slowly, he felt a warm weight pinning his legs to the thin mattress before the air shimmered and Dougal the demiguise became visible.
"Dougal," Credence greeted the creature with a hug. "What are you doing here?"
Dougal wrapped his long arms around Credence's waist as the young man looked around, and realised he was alone in the small room.
Carefully, Credence made to stand up just as the potting shed door opened and Queenie rushed in to pull him into a warm hug, Dougal moving to sit further up the bed.
"Oh, Credence, Sweetie, I'm so glad you're finally awake!" The woman held him tightly and Credence sank into her compassionate embrace. "You've slept most of the day. How are you feeling?" She asked in concern.
"Alive," he answered simply. "What happened? Where's Grindlewald? Where's Willow? Is she okay?"
Queenie's expression became sympathetic.
"It's a long story, Honey," she said slowly, wrapping one arm around him. "You'd better come outside."
~..~..~..~..
Newt, Tina and Jacob were trying to wrangle all the nifflers. Newt's original niffler had been horrified to discover so many of his treasures had been stolen from his nest, and, despite Newt creating separate nests for the new nifflers in an effort to stop any altercations, it didn't stop them from continually stealing from each other.
The disputes were already becoming a constant.
"For the hundredth time," Newt told the squirming mammal in his hands, "if you'd just stay in your own home, with your share, there wouldn't be an argument."
Newt placed the niffler carefully back in his nest, this one being near Dougal's tree, and sighed, placing his hands on his hips.
"Hey," a voice called and Newt turned to see Queenie and Credence emerge from the potting shed.
"Look who's awake," Queenie announced.
"Credence," Tina rushed forward to give the man a hug. "That was a really brave thing you did," she told him fondly, stroking his hair.
"You gave us a real scare, Credence," Jacob added, shaking his hand heartily. "Glad you're okay, pal."
Credence cast his eyes around the group.
"Where's Willow?" He asked.
The others glanced at each other warily.
"She had to be taken home," Newt answered, figuring a half-truth would work until they could tell the whole story. "She's a muggle after all, she couldn't stay."
Credence frowned.
"Grindlewald escaped," Queenie spoke up quickly, ushering Credence to a seat.
"We're at Hogwarts now," Newt added. "Dumbledore and Imamu wanted to speak with you. Speaking of which," he added, moving off. "I should tell them you're awake."
"I know you must be wondering what happened, Credence," Tina came to sit on Credence' other side. "But we'll wait until Professor Dumbledore and Professor Imamu get here, that way we only have to tell the story once."
Credence nodded.
"How are you feeling, Credence?" Tina asked in concern. "You just…collapsed."
"I felt the obscurus," Credence began slowly, casting his mind back. "It was moving so violently, and I was exhausted." Frowning, Credence raised a hand to his chest.
Queenie frowned as well, concentrating.
"Well, isn't that something," she commented pensively.
"What?" Jacob and Tina asked in unison.
Queenie was saved from answering, however, as Newt led Dumbledore and Imamu out of the shed.
"Oh, I'm so glad you're alright," Imamu came forward and hugged Credence warmly.
"I heard you were very brave, Credence," Dumbledore grasped the man's shoulder before giving a hug as well.
"You will have to be brave one more time, I feel," he whispered in his ear.
"Now, each of us has only a part of the story," Newt began. "Time for all of us to be on the same page. Credence, why don't you start? How did Grindlewald get you away from the Ministry?"
So, Credence took a breath and explained how Grindlewald had once more taken the guise of Mr Graves to enter the office, claim the necklace and disapparate them both to the ossuary. He'd found Willow, and Grindlewald had tried to encourage him to join before inviting him to duel in an effort to make the obscurus reveal itself, scare Willow away, and prove to Credence that he'll never be accepted for who he is.
"What about you?" He prompted.
Tina quickly took up the narrative, explaining how she'd found the button Credence had left behind - he smiled, glad his idea had worked – and how Queenie's Legilimancy allowed them to locate Grindlewald within the multitude of tunnels.
"Then the battle started," Newt jumped in, explaining for Dumbledore and Imamu's sake how Grindlewald had created Fiendfyre and Credence had finally released his obscurus to attack Grindlewald.
"And Grindlewald survived that?" Imamu asked in surprise.
"He knows more about obscurials than most," Dumbledore granted. "And he is a highly skilled and powerful wizard, who knew what to expect."
"I almost died," Credence confessed, recalling how he'd felt the obscurus twisting in his chest.
"Yeah, it was like you were having a fit or something," Jacob spoke up. "But then Queenie…"
"Yes," Credence turned to the woman. "You were in my head."
"I was trying to help you calm down, is all," the legilimens said modestly. "Trying to find something in you that was stronger than the obscurus, to keep you alive." She smiled.
"I found something," she nodded surely, wrapping an arm around him again.
"What?' Credence asked curiously, for he couldn't remember much of what happened.
As tired as Queenie was, her smile still managed to glow with warmth.
"Love, of course," she answered gently. "What else could be worth living for?"
Tina watched a smile tug at the young man's mouth and she felt tears beginning to well in her eyes as she knew what had to come next.
"And, what happened after I blacked out?" Credence asked. "Why didn't Grindlewald take me? How did he get away?"
"Grindlewald got away, because he broke the barrier spell the aurors had put up, and disarmed all of us who were still standing, so we couldn't fight back," Newt summed up. "As to why he didn't take you with him, well…" he felt his chest become heavy. "That's…" he couldn't even finish the sentence.
Credence felt Tina and Queenie hold him more tightly, and he started to feel dread creeping into his heart.
"What?" He asked, not liking the looks his friends were giving each other. "Please tell me the truth."
Newt took a deep breath, and told of how Willow had stood up to Grindlewald, refusing to leave Credence's side, telling Grindlewald she accepted Credence for all he was and she would never leave him.
"Then Grindlewald simply pointed his wand at her, point blank, and…" Unable to finish speaking, Newt wiped at his eyes before finally gaining the courage to look his young friend in the eye.
"I'm so sorry Credence," he said sincerely. "She's gone."
Credence's expression was blank with shock.
A few moments passed of complete silence that no one was brave enough to break, as Credence tried to absorb the realisation.
"Willow's…Dead?" He asked, having to choke out the word.
"She gave her life to protect you," Newt told him, wanting to make sure he understood that. "She was extraordinarily brave. She wouldn't leave your side."
"And then, when Grindlewald tried to take you away," Tina added, placing a hand on Credence's own. "He couldn't even touch you."
"What's this?" Imamu asked in wonder as Dumbledore, too, became more alert.
"Grindlewald couldn't touch him," Newt reiterated. "His hands became blistered, as if he'd been horribly burned. I've never heard of anything like it, but I'm fairly certain it had something to do with Willow giving her life."
"Batini?" Albus turned to his colleague, hopeful for an explanation. "Have you ever heard of such a thing?"
The woman appeared to be about to cry as she slowly nodded, placing her hands on her heart reverently.
"Upendo wa Ulinzi mwisho," Professor Imamu spoke with wonder, stepping forward to grasp Credence's hands with her own, crouching so as to look up into his grief-filled eyes, gaining his full attention. "Love's ultimate protection," she translated.
"What is that, exactly?" Newt asked, his curiosity piqued.
Batini let out a breath of astonishment.
"Most of wizard-kind believe there is no way to block the Avada Kadavra curse," she began as tears began to well in her eyes. "But there is one way."
"Emotion is the root of magic," Professor Imamu reminded Credence. "Especially ancient magic. And Love, my precious boy, is the most powerful form of ancient magic that exists. And you don't have to be born of wizard-kind to be capable of such powerful love, no," she reached out to cup the man's face tearfully. "You only need a powerful heart, and Credence: your Willow was clearly a woman with such a heart."
Tears were flowing down the professor's face as she continued to speak directly to Credence.
"She loved you so much she was willing to give her life to save you from Grindlewald," she told him. "Her love, her life, now exists in your very skin, protecting you from him until you die. Grindlewald will no longer be able to touch you. He will no longer be able to harm you in any way. Even if he tries to cast a killing curse on you, his spell will backfire, and he will be the one who dies."
Credence was crying now, his body beginning to shake.
"Willow, she…she loved me?" He asked, his voice breaking.
"And her love is still with you Credence," Batini nodded surely. "Now and always, her love will protect you from Grindlewald. He will never be able to touch you, or use magic to hurt you, ever again. This, is Love's ultimate protection: Because it requires the ultimate sacrifice."
This was too much for Credence to take, and he broke down completely, sobbing onto the woman's shoulder in a strange mixture of happiness and grief. Happiness, for realising he'd finally had the love he'd always craved. And grief, for the love he'd lost far too soon.
It was some time before Credence's appeared to have wept all the tears he could, and was left completely spent, trembling as he gulped in one shaky lungful of air after another.
A shimmer appeared beside him and Dougal the demiguise materialised, his large expressive eyes seeming to show understanding as Credence gratefully wrapped him up in his arms like a teddy bear, stroking the creature's soft, silky fur.
"I must say, Credence," Dumbledore began after a moment's silence as the group allowed themselves time to wipe their own eyes. "I'm very impressed about the level of control you now have over your obscurus."
Credence frowned, bringing his hand to his chest, where he usually could feel the obscurus shifting with his emotions.
However, Credence felt a strange…emptiness where the obscurus had once been. For a moment, he simply assumed it was his grief, but as he continued to explore…
"It's gone," he announced, his voice barely above a whisper.
"What?" Newt yelped.
"It's gone," Credence's eyes began to fill with tears again, this time of pure relief.
"H-how is that possible?" Tina asked, dumbfounded.
"I might have an idea," Queenie raised a hand slowly and all eyes turned on her.
"During the battle, Willow was trying to keep herself calm by saying something in her mind, over and over. An 'affirmation', she called it." Queenie explained. "She was saying 'In with Love, out with Fear.'"
"An obscurus is created when a witch or wizard supresses their magic, often due to a fear of persecution or punishment," Imamu mused, nodding.
"You think Willow's love-protection spell saved Credence from his obscurus as well as from Grindlewald?" Dumbledore queried.
"Yeah," Queenie nodded. "Like, maybe, when Willow's love-protection spell entered Credence, it pushed the obscurus out, 'cause the two different types of magic are total opposites: one fearful and draining, the other loving and protective. They couldn't be together in the same body."
"So, where did the obscurus go?" Newt wondered, recalling the dormant obscurus he still held contained in a protective bubble within his case and wondered if there was now a disembodied obscurus drifting throughout the ossuary in Paris. "It couldn't simply disappear."
Queenie shrugged.
"No idea," she confessed. "Like I said: it's just an idea."
"Professor Imamu, Dumbledore," Newt invited, "any other ideas?"
"Unfortunately, no, my friend," Dumbledore confessed, his mind far away.
"Credence is unprecedented," Batini reminded them all. "As is this."
"Where's Willow?" Credence brought the conversation back to something he found more important.
"As I said, she'd been sent home," Newt told him. "Theseus has made up a cover story, to explain her sudden death to the muggle authorities."
"Grindlewald said he wouldn't hurt her," Credence said quietly, a bitter note to his voice.
"Well, from his twisted perspective, perhaps he thinks he kept that promise," Batini granted slowly. "The killing curse takes the life from its victim without leaving a mark."
"Which is why Theseus doesn't want muggle authorities trying to investigate her death," Newt explained. "Her funeral is tomorrow, I believe. It'll be a simple affair. Apparently, Willow doesn't have many close relatives…"
"I want to go," Credence announced determinedly.
"Of course," Tina agreed. "We'll go with you."
~..~..~..~..
Author's note: So, what do you think?
This was, quite possibly, the most difficult chapter to write.
This was an idea that I had from the very beginning of writing this story: If love was the most powerful form of protective magic, and you didn't have to be a wizard to be capable of love, could a muggle or squib still be capable of performing the sacrificial love-protection spell that Lily Potter is most famous for?
Please, please don't think I wrote Willow dying carelessly. I had wanted her to remain alive. In fact, I had written a version in which Credence and Willow had both been unwilling to leave the other, and so they essentially place a protection spell on each other, ensuring they both survived. I had planned on Credence sharing more of the wizarding world with her, even sneaking her into Diagon Alley and Newt giving her a kneazle kitten…all sorts of ideas.
However, I didn't think it was possible for a person to place such a protection spell on a loved one without giving up their life, in J.K. Rowling 's wizarding world.
I had wanted to write Willow giving Credence the protection spell, because, as I said, I felt it could be possible for a non-wizard to do so, but also, I remember wondering how Dumbledore knew how Harry survived Voldemort's attack as a baby and wondered…had he seen something like it before?
I knew Dumbledore had studied ancient magic during his search for the Hallows with Grindlewald, but figured Batini imamu would have a better idea of how the spell occurred, as ancient magic is something taught to African wizards. The Swahili, I got from simply Googling 'Love's ultimate protection in Swahili' so I hope I got it right. If anyone who knows Swahili would like to correct me, please do, as I always try to be as authentic as I can.
Also, I let Grindlewald escape as I knew he couldn't be defeated until 1945 when Dumbledore finally faces him. And if it just ended with Grindlewald getting captured, like in the first movie, I figured it would just seem repetitive story telling and I didn't want to do that.
Also, I had to remind myself that the aurors had barely slept the previous night after gathering evidence from Grindlewald's rally at the ossuary, were low in numbers, as they were spread out so thinly, trying to protect the whole area from a horde of escaped dementors, had just had to endure an attack of said dementors and were battling bewitched fire that furiously attacked any living thing near it, being controlled by the most powerful wizard of the day, who was fighting fit until an obscurus attacked him blowing a hole in the ossuary ceiling in the process.
There was no way the aurors were strong enough to apprehend Grindlewald here.
I can imagine Graves being strongly affected by the dementors, after his kidnapping, so I'm sure he would have required more attention in order to recover from the attack, but, being Graves didn't want to stay behind while the others tracked down Grindlewald once again.
Now, as for Credence's obscurus…
I had originally thought that Credence's obscurus would be let loose as he grieved for Willow, but then I actually considered the two very different types of magic that both the obscurus and the protection spell had, and so felt that it would also 'cure' Credence of his obscurus.
And, even in one of the CoG trailers, I think we see Credence freeing himself of the obsurus, whilst on a rooftop. And even in the first movie, Newt talks about separating the obscurus from the Sudanese girl as he tried to save her. So I think it is possible for an obscurial to become separate from the obscurus, perhaps by fully accepting who they are, as it was their fear and self-loathing that created it in the first place.
So, yes, there is a disembodied obscurus floating around the ossuary at the moment, but what happens to a disembodied obscurus? We know Newt kept one in a bubble in his case, but what if it were free? Newt says it couldn't hurt anyone outside the bubble, perhaps because it's host is dead, but what of the obscurus, if it's host were still alive, just...disconnected?
I think, and- this is just a theory- I believe that this may be how a creature called a 'lethifold' is created.
We read about lethifolds in the textbook of 'Fantastic Beasts.' It is described as a:
'…mercifully rare creature... It resembles a black cloak perhaps half an inch thick…which glides along the ground at night…the Patronus is the only spell known to repel a Lethifold…Once its prey has been successfully suffocated, the Lethifold digests its food there and then…leaving no trace of its victim behind.'
I think a powerful, living, obscurus, no longer having a host body to feed off, may possibly change and condense itself to become a lethifold, feeding on sleeping victims to sustain itself. As a patronus is the only thing that can repel a lethifold, much like a dementor, I can imagine a lethifold also not being able to withstand positive emotions like love and happiness after possibly being a former obscurus, due to the magical parasite being created by fear and self-loathing.
Did you follow my reasoning there?
It's just a theory of course. Only time will tell how close I am, but even if I am way off the mark, this is my story, so I can have a degree of creative license, being a fanfiction writer, sooo…. Who knows?
But, I couldn't find an appropriate place to put that in the actual story, so I put it here.
Now, let's see… what else?
Again, the tracer spell Tina does is one I made up. But, we saw in the Fantastic Beasts movie, the aurors studying a map of flashing lights as it seemed to trace the obscurus' path through New York, so I assume they have some way of tracking magic or people.
And I had Grindlewald kidnap Willow, as I imagine his informants had told him about her, and Grindlewald, preferring coercion, would rather Credence come to him willingly. And if Credence is finding a place with a no-maj girl, that could hardly be tolerated, so yes, I do imagine him try into force Credence to reveal his most terrifying aspect of himself- his obscurus- in an effort to make Willow reject Credence out of fear, in order to prove the point that wizards can never mix with the non-magical community.
But Willow, having believed in magic her whole life and often felt an outcast in mainstream society because of it, while she would have been scared in the battle, as anyone would be, I could see her still staying by Credence, as she herself is 'not normal' and so did not react the way Grindlewald considered a 'normal' non-magic girl to react to magic.
I think that's all the main points in this chapter, though I'm sure there are some smaller points I've missed explaining.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Please leave a review!.