Inseparable
Disclaimer: All Fantastic Beasts names, characters and locations belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing that you recognize.
They wanted freaks. That much was clear. There were posters advertising the variety of beasts and beings who worked there. Although saying that they'd been employed was incorrect. The Underbeings, who were enslaved in conditions unfit for human habitation, relied heavily on the ringmaster for protection from the outside world. And yet he did little to care for them, allowing them to look after each other to the best of their abilities.
Some of them were so hideously deformed that they were unable to walk. Others, such as the infant demonic, scuttled through the dust and dirt like a crab. They did their best to keep up, and were often seen following the snake girl, who had become a mother to them despite harboring her own terrible affliction.
Her name was Nagini. She was one of the kinder, gentler souls, imprisoned for well over twenty years in this carnival of curiosities. And if there was ever someone in need, Nagini was there for them.
Sometimes it was the two-headed baby wanting to be fed and cuddled at the end of the day, or the tormented Zouwu, limping and bleeding as she approached the bars of her cage. Nagini cared for them, beast and being alike, with no concern for her own comfort. It wasn't until the late hours of the night that she succumbed to her affliction, sleeping with her eyes open as serpents often do.
She, too, required specialized care. But with Skender often choosing to ignore the needs of his performers, there was little she could do when exhaustion took its toll, her serpentine form collapsing in the center ring.
Repeated transformations left her weary, and there were times when she hadn't the strength to change back into a human. Her animal form was less complex, easier to maintain. And so during her time off she decided to stay as a snake, sometimes for days, even weeks at a time, especially during long journeys from one country to the next.
This was the case when Credence Barebone first joined the traveling circus. He was given a room below deck, sharing his living quarters with an overly large reptile who had been placed inside a crate.
"Don't mind her," Skender said casually, tapping the crate with his index finger. "The journey will be long, but she is currently in hibernation. Therefore she won't require much in the way of food." A faint smile flitted across his lips, sinister in nature, as though he enjoyed stuffing his workers in a crate and leaving them for several days.
Credence eyed the crate warily, not knowing who or what was inside. There was a faint smell of dust and mildew emanating from inside the crate, but even more unsettling was the scent of blood, thick and coppery, as though whatever was inside had been fed raw meat before being unceremoniously shoved into a wooden box.
As if one cue, Skender looked the poor boy in the eye and said, "Don't worry. She's already been fed."
Hearing this did little to ease Credence's anxiety. He decided it would be better to play it safe, sitting in the corner with his knees drawn up against his chest, listening carefully for any sign of movement within the mysterious crate.
He was surprised when they unboxed the Maledictus several days later, revealing the figure of a young woman stretching and yawning upon a bed of matted straw. Credence had expected some sort of hideous monster. But no, that was wrong, and he shook his head to rid himself of the thought.
He should know better, his gaze drifting downwards, moving over the scars that laced his palms. He instinctively tucked his hands under his arms, hugging himself as he stood alone on the dock. Appearances were deceiving, he had no right to judge, and so he too began to follow her, wanting to know more about who she was.
He watched her using nonverbal spells to heat water and boil herbs, applying a poultice to the Zouwu's injured paw. When the two-headed baby cried, she carefully lifted the child, positioning them so that she could hold them comfortably. She then began humming a lullaby to help them go to sleep.
Sometimes she spoke in English, sometimes the melodic quality of her voice changed completely, hissing and spitting strange words that no one could understand. But these moments were rare, fleeting, as though she were struggling to control what was inside.
Terrified by this sudden change, Credence backed against the bars of the cage, stumbling in his haste and upsetting the bucket at his feet. A mixture of seeds and grain spilled onto the floor, and he quickly bent to sweep it up, all while muttering apologies to irritable snake lady.
Whatever she was, whatever possessed her, it both frightened and fascinated him. Should she strike, he might fall dead in an instant. But the ringmaster, knowing better after years of experience, rolled his eyes and moved towards the Obscurial.
"Listen here, boy," he rasped, gripping the Obscurial and holding him by the shoulders. "You have no reason to fear any of my performers. You are all the same here, outcasts, misfits, and you'd better get used to it."
Credence stood trembling with his back against the iron bars. When he looked back at her, Nagini had begun to shy away. She lowered her head, and Credence could have sworn he saw tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes.
Their next encounter came more than month later. Credence had been tasked with cleaning and maintaining the kappa's living quarters, and was in the process of scrubbing the slime out of an oversized bathtub when the ringmaster approached him.
"How would you like to spend some time with the Maledictus?" he queried, taking note of the bewildered expression on Credence's face. Skender shifted slightly, looking off to the side and nodding in the direction of the snake girl's enclosure. "She is having difficulty with her affliction. And, after careful consideration, I've decided that this would be the perfect opportunity for you to become better acquainted."
"Difficulty, sir?" said Credence, glancing briefly at Nagini's cage.
"She is beginning to shed," Skender replied, sounding rather bored with the conversation. "And she is exhausted. Now, I rather dislike the idea of putting an irritable serpent on display. She has her moments. Surely you've noticed that she slips from time to time."
"Y-yes, sir, I have," Credence muttered, lowering his head and staring at the floor. He'd also noticed how kind she was, the way she gently cradled the two-headed baby, singing them to sleep at the end of the day.
"Good." Skender placed a hand on his shoulder, causing Credence to start. "When you've finished with the kappa, you are to fill that container with warm water and let her soak in it," he said, gesturing with his wand towards a large metal washbasin. "She will require a minimum of eight hours, preferably overnight to relieve the tension. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," said Credence. He was shaking slightly, unsure of how she would react to being in close contact with him.
The ringmaster smiled briefly, patted him on the back then turned and made his way towards the exit. "Popov will serve as your assistant, though I doubt you'll need one," he said, pushing aside a strip of canvas and disappearing behind the red and white fabric.
A moment passed and Credence nearly jumped out of his skin, startled by a house-elf hitting the side of the bathtub with a stick to gain his attention.
"Move along now," said Popov, his hunched figure materializing beside the Obscurial. "The master says she is waiting."
Credence was still a moment, staring at the rippling fabric where, just moments earlier, Skender had passed from sight. He then hurriedly scrubbed the last of the greenish-black sludge from the bottom of the bathtub, filling it with water and checking the temperature before allowing the kappa to return.
When he arrived at Nagini's living quarters, he immediately noticed a thin layer of cloth covering the bars of the cage. Strips of light brown fabric encircled the cage like a cocoon, covering all but a small portion of the ceiling. The upper half was left partially exposed, allowing a bit of fresh air to enter through the gap in the material.
He began to wonder how he was supposed to enter her cage, the entrance blocked by a swath of fabric. This thought seemed to trigger a response, the cloth fluttering as though caught in a sudden wind.
Credence took a step back, unsure of what was happening. That was when the veil lifted, peeled back as though moved by an invisible hand. The bars became visible and the door swung open, releasing a wave of warm air into the tent. Inside, the walls were dripping with condensation, the iron bars slick with moisture. The straw had been replaced with a layer of shredded bark, dotted with jagged rocks and a scattering of tree limbs.
Nagini was sitting on a stool in the corner of her cage, one hand picking at the skin on her neck. Her eyes, once bright and shining, were glazed with a bluish white film. Even her skin had lost its radiant glow, turning dull and flaking off in pieces.
"Nagini?" Credence whispered, moving forward and entering the cage. The cloth materialized over the entrance, sealing him inside with Nagini.
The Maledictus lifted her gaze, her free hand gripping the towel that hung loosely about her shoulders. It seemed too big for her, looking more like a ragged blanket than an actual towel.
"Why are you here?" she hissed, pulling the towel tight around her chest. She had expected Skender to deal with things as usual, though she wasn't sure having Credence here was an improvement. She instinctively crossed her legs, lowering her head and assuming a defensive posture.
"I uh..." Credence began, his voice faltering. He had noticed her bare legs and feet, her toenails painted black to match the makeup she often wore during her performance.
He swallowed hard, suddenly unable to speak.
"The master said it is his turn now," Popov grumbled, jabbing a finger at the Obscurial. "He thinks the boy is better suited to perform the necessary duties."
The Obscurial opened his mouth to speak, closed it and tried once more. "I am?" he squeaked, his face flushing as both he and Nagini exchanged nervous glances. Though he was intrigued by this young woman, Credence couldn't help thinking that this was wrong. She was vulnerable and she was afraid, unsure of what he might do once she removed the towel and stepped into the washbasin.
"Is the snake lady uncomfortable?" the house-elf queried, tilting his head. One of his batlike ears flopped into his face, and he casually brushed it aside.
"No, I'm alright," Nagini lied, her gaze lowering towards the bark strewn floor. "I can transform before we begin, but you'll have to help me..." Her voice thickened, choked with fright and the overwhelming desire to run. There was also sadness, a hopeless longing for something other than this cursed existence. Credence recognized this at once, and it was enough to make him understand.
"Very well then," said Popov, moving towards the Maledictus. "The snake lady will do what feels comfortable." He looked back at Credence, who was still standing near the entrance, and motioned with a nod towards Nagini. "Right. Get a move on then."
The Maledictus shifted slightly, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She gave Credence a pleading look, one that silently begged him not to hurt her, before changing into her snake form.
Popov stood beside the washbasin, and with a snap of his fingers the basin magically filled with water. "After you, sir," he said, bowing before the Obscurial.
Credence's eyes darted from left to right, looking from the serpent to the washbasin and back again. She must have been a good fifteen feet in length, weighing well over a hundred pounds.
He knelt beside her, and once he was close enough, he could see where patches of her skin had started coming off, hanging in loose bunches around her neck and head.
"She must be calm," came Popov's voice beside him. "If the snake lady is anxious, her shed will be incomplete."
'Then why let me do this?' Credence thought, his hands grasping, lifting her off the ground. 'She can't be comfortable around me. I'm practically a stranger, and it's not as if I'd be good at this anyway. I don't even know what she needs.'
The snake's body sagged, drooping in the middle as Nagini hissed and twisted herself around his arm. Credence quickly apologized, the house-elf holding the upper portion of her body as they lifted her off the ground.
His hands slipped, and Credence reached for her base, taking hold of her tail as her midsection vanished beneath the water. If it weren't for Popov he would have found it impossible to handle the writhing serpent, her coils dangling over the edge of the washbasin while only a small portion remained submerged.
Grunting with exertion, the house-elf heaved her into the washbasin, water spilling over the sides and soaking into Credence's pants. The Obscurial sank to the floor, releasing Nagini and allowing her to soak in the warm water.
"What do we do now?" Credence asked, looking to Popov for answers. "Mr. Skender said she needs to soak overnight. Should we just leave her or...?" His voice trailed off into silence, and slowly he turned, looking back at the snake who was flicking her tongue at him.
The sight was unnerving. Credence had never been this close to her when she was transformed, her eyes gleaming in the flickering candlelight. He imagined she must have felt the same, watching through the bars as his body melted into shadows, into rising tendrils of blackened smoke when first they met on stage. But it wasn't polite to stare. He was certain she'd had enough of that already, so he quickly looked away, hearing a faint hiss mingling with the sound of water sloshing in the washbasin.
"That is correct," the house-elf stated, nodding in agreement. "She requires eight hours or more, and we should leave her be. Snakes be solitary creatures, sir," he added, seeing the astonished look on Credence's face. "The master is saying that she desires time alone. To stay is to cause stress and hinder the process."
Credence looked over his shoulder at the massive serpent. Her expression was unreadable, but something in her eyes spoke of loneliness and sorrow. "I want to stay," he said quietly, keeping his head down as he spoke.
"What?" The house-elf was confused. He'd never seen anyone go against his master's orders.
"I-I'm sorry, but I want to stay with her. She looks... lonely. And scared," Credence added.
Popov shook a finger at him. "You is not to be going against the rules, young sir. You is having to perform in two hours time, and the master wishes that she be alone. We is to return in the morning and release her into the enclosure, allowing her rub on bark and rocks to remove her skin."
Credence hesitated before getting to his feet. He didn't want to leave her, not when she was in such a state. But to linger at her side would mean punishment, swift and painful, at the hands of Skender.
He thought for a moment, seeing the light of desperation shining in her eyes, and imagined himself standing before Skender, taking the whip across his face and hands, blood running in scarlet rivulets down his neck and chest. Was she worth it? Was this unfortunate individual worth the pain he would undoubtedly receive should he choose to return?
Yes, she was.
"I'll come back," he whispered gently, the house-elf already halfway across the cage. "Some time around midnight. Wait for me, alright?"
The snake nodded. Credence then followed Popov out of the cage, the door closing behind him as the fabric stretched across the bars, cutting her off from the rest of the world.