House: Ravenclaw
Category: Short
Prompt: Newt Scamander
WC: -22
Newt entered the Great Hall and looked around the room for Leta. He finally spotted her sitting at the foot of the Slytherin table, her head bent over a book. Newt smiled and walked towards her, passing the Hufflepuff table on his way there. It wasn't uncommon for the two outsiders to meet in the great hall to study after classes. In fact, they spent nearly every spare moment together.
"Hello," Newt said.
Leta looked up with a start. "Newt! Don't sneak up on me like that," She said, smiling despite scolding her friend.
"Sorry," Newt said, glancing down at his bag which he was still holding. He quickly set it down on the bench and sat down next to it. "What are you reading?"
Leta looked back down at the book. "I'm reading about Jarveys. My uncle sent me one as a birthday gift." Newt nodded, signifying her to keep going. "I was wondering if they could be tamed."
"Well, they are quite renowned for their sharp temper."
"Yes, but if they could be tamed they would make amazing pets. Think about it, they're like ferrets, only larger and would be easier to keep track of, and you could probably train them to have at least a semi-intelligent conversation."
"It's worth exploring," Newt said thoughtfully. "What book are you reading?"
"'Magical Creatures of Great Britain'."
"Don't read that one," Newt said. "A lot of it's information is inaccurate."
"Well, it's the only book I could find in the library that went into any detail about them at all," Leta responded.
"I have a pass for the restricted section from Professor Kettleburn, I can make notes for you from one of the books in there," Newt said.
Leta smiled and closed the book the was reading. She shoved it aside and pulled her transfiguration book and notes from her bag. "Did you get any good notes from Transfiguration?" she asked, looking over her notes.
"I don't have Transfiguration till tomorrow," Newt said. "I should head off to the library to look at those books, do you fancy coming?"
"Go ahead, I'll stay here."
When Newt exited his common room on Saturday, he was surprised to see Leta standing in the corridor, bouncing with excitement. She hooked her arm into his.
"I did it, I actually did it!" she exclaimed as they walked down the corridor.
"You tamed the Jarvey? That's incredible Leta," Newt said.
"Well, I haven't actually tried it with anyone but me, but it won't attack me. It's also learning speech fantastically…"
Leta was about to continue, but Newt interrupted her. "Can you show me?" he asked, his excitement almost matching hers.
"Of course. We've got the whole day free." She steered Newt towards the Slytherin dorms. When they arrived at the entrance, Leta left Newt to go fetch the Jarvey.
When she returned with the cage in one hand she grabbed Newt's hand and practically dragged him to an abandoned classroom. "Alright Travis, this is my friend Newt. I'm going to let you out of the cage, and I need you not to hurt him. Do you understand?"
"Yes, missie," the Jarvey responded. Leta reached over, carefully unlatched the cage, and opened the door. The Jarvey bolted from his cage and through the classroom door.
"No!" Newt and Leta shouted in unison, leaping after the Jarvey.
"How do we know which way he went?" Leta asked when they'd reached the corridor.
Crouching down, Newt looked at the floor. A loud scream came from the direction of the Entrance Hall. The two friends looked at each other before running down the corridor. They rounded the corner to see a student lying down, trying to ward off the Jarvey.
Newt pulled out his wand and carefully aimed. "Stupefy," he said. The well-aimed spell hit the Jarvey, freezing it instantly. He started walking towards the student, but Professor Kettleburn and the Matron reached the student first.
"Don't hurt him, it's not his fault," Leta exclaimed as Professor Kettleburn carefully removed the Jarvey from the injured student. By now, many of the staff and student body of Hogwarts were in the entrance hall, trying to catch a glimpse of the commotion.
"Not it's fault," Professor Kettleburn sputtered. "Then who's fault is it?"
Leta opened her mouth to respond, but Newt stepped forward. "I-it's my fault," he said, forcing himself to look the Professor in the eyes and trembling slightly. "I brought the Jarvey into the school, and it's my fault it got loose." He looked away. "I dragged Leta into this. She had nothing to do with it. It's all my fault."
Leta stared at Newt in shock, but let the lie stand. She looked over at Professor Kettleburn, and back at Newt.
"Is this true, Miss Lestrange?" Professor Kettleburn asked. Leta nodded, her eyes still fixed on Newt, who was trying not to look back at her. "Really Newt, I thought you were more responsible than this."
"I-I'm sorry, Professor, I…"
"I don't want excuses, Scamander," Professor Dippet said, stepping forward. "Your carelessness has endangered your fellow students. My office, now."
Newt winced slightly at the Headmaster's harsh tone, but turned to head to his office. He locked eyes with Leta for just a second before she looked away. Trying not to feel hurt, Newt hurried off to the headmaster's office. He didn't know what he expected Leta to do, but he didn't understand why she did nothing.
Newt didn't have to wait long for Professor Dippet, Professor Dumbledore, and his Head of House to arrive. When they did, all three were unusually quiet. Newt followed them into the headmaster's office.
Professor Dippet sat down at his desk. "Albus, will you please Floo over to Mr. Scamander's house and fetch his parents." Professor Dumbledore nodded and disappeared into the fireplace. He came back shortly, followed by Newt's parents.
"Mr. and Mrs. Scamander," Professor Dippet said. "Please, have a seat. I apologize for calling you in here on such short notice, but the matter we need to discuss is urgent. Your son has carelessly let a Jarvey loose in the school. We were able to catch the creature, but not before it had seriously harmed a student. As you and your son should be aware, the possession of a Jarvey, or any other magical creature ministry rated XX or above, is forbidden on campus."
"I suppose we're here to discuss his punishment," Newt's father said.
"There's hardly anything to discuss," Professor Dippet said. "The punishment for endangering the life of a fellow student is expulsion, simple as that." Newt could feel his parents' gaze on him, but he kept his eyes on the corner of the Headmaster's desk.
"Headmaster, if I may make a comment," Professor Dumbledore said. Professor Dippet nodded and Dumbledore continued. "Don't you think we should speak with the school board before taking any diaristic action?"
Professor Dippet nodded. "Of course," he said. "You may go home if you wish, I'll contact you as soon as the school board has made a decision," he said to Newt's parents, and then he turned towards Newt. "As for you, Mr. Scamander, you will be escorted to your dormitory where a prefect will supervise you at all times. You are to take your meals in your room and not have any contact with other students until further notice."
"Yes, Professor," Newt said meekly. He stood up and followed his Head of House to his dorm.
Newt barely said anything for the rest of that day, or the next. He knew he was going to be expelled; the Headmaster wanted him to be and he had the final say. Then there was Leta. He hadn't been fully lying when he said that it was his fault; he had gotten her the notes and he hadn't shut the classroom door all the way. Regardless, it still hurt that she'd said nothing.
It was Monday morning when Newt was called back to the Headmaster's office. His parents, Harold Goyle, a member of the school board, and Professor Dumbledore had already arrived. Newt was surprised to see that Leta and her parents were there too.
"Mr. Scamander, please have a seat," Professor Dippet said. Newt sat down, his eyes resting on the corner of the desk again.
Harold Goyle stood up. "We have gathered to discuss the expulsion of Mr. Newt Scamander and—or—Miss. Leta Lestrange."
"Leta's innocent. She had nothing to do with it, I promise," Newt said, glancing up at Goyle quickly.
"Mr. Scamander, I would ask that you not interrupt," Goyle said.
"Sorry, sir."
"We will start by hearing the testimony of Miss Lestrange." Goyle sat down and motioned for Leta to start.
Leta stood up hesitantly, looking at Newt. "Last week… Last week I told Newt an idea that I had about whether or not it would be possible to tame a Jarvey; I didn't know that he would try it. On Friday night he asked me to meet him outside his common room on Saturday. He led me to an unused classroom, carrying a covered cage. When he uncovered it and opened it, the Jarvey just ran." Leta said.
Newt's heart leapt to his throat. Leta had let him take the blame, all of it. She had told them that it was his fault, and yes, he had too, but it hurt.
"Mr. Scamander." Goyle's irritated voice pulled Newt out of his thoughts. He glanced up at Goyle, his head still bent. "Please present your case."
"Of course." Newt stood up, glancing at everyone in the room, except Leta. "As Leta said, on Friday a week ago, she asked me what would happen if you tried to train a Jarvey. I decided to use the restricted section pass I had to research Jarveys and had someone I know send me one. I thought I had the Jarvey trained on Saturday. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt. It was an accident," he said, looking up at Goyle.
"If that is all you have to say, Mr. Scamander?" Goyle asked. Newt nodded. "Then will you and Miss Lestrange please go and wait outside the office."
Newt looked up at Goyle in surprise. "Of course." He stood up and walked to the door, opening it for Leta and following her out.
As soon as they were back in the corridor, Leta turned towards Newt. "Newt, I…"
"No, it's alright, I understand," Newt said, glancing at her several times but never looking at her for long.
"Thank you."
The silence that followed was thick enough that you could cut it with a knife. The great clock outside struck nine o'clock. "You're missing classes," Newt said.
"It won't matter if I'm..."
"You won't be," Newt said. "As far as they're concerned, it's entirely my fault."
"Newt… I'm sorry," Leta said, a hint of desperation in her voice.
Before Newt could respond, the stone gargoyle leaped aside. Instead of speaking, Newt started quickly up the stairs. When both he and Leta were sitting, Professor Dippet stood up and cleared his throat.
"Miss Lestrange, we have decided that because you had no conscious part in bringing the Jarvey into the school, or allowing it to escape, you are to be allowed to return to your studies without punishment." Leta nodded and looked over at Newt, who was staring at the desk. "Mr. Scamander, because you consciously brought a dangerous creature into the school, carelessly let it escape, and in doing so, endangered your fellow students, one of which is currently healing in St. Mungo's, I sentence you to expulsion effective immediately. The house elves will bring your fully-packed belongings up in a moment, after which you and your parents may return home."
Professor Dippet sat down and Goyle stood up. "Mr. Scamander, because you are seventeen and thus a legal adult, you will be allowed to keep your wand." He looked down at the stack of papers he was holding. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go." He walked over to the fireplace and disappeared, back to the ministry.
Newt looked up at his two professors. Professor Dippet was appeared rather pleased with himself, while Professor Dumbledore seemed a little irritated.
"Professor Dippet," Mrs. Lestrange began, "if you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with my daughter before we go." Professor Dippet nodded and Mrs. Lestrange began leading Leta towards the door.
Newt looked up at his friend as she passed and their eyes met. Leta looked away, leaving Newt in the Headmaster's office.