Doorstep
Thwhump. Thwhump. Thwump.
Theseus set down the latest report on Grindelwald's movements, looking confused. He wasn't expecting anyone and it didn't sound like a regular knock. But, something was clearly at the door trying frantically to get his attention.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," he muttered, opening the door slowly with his wand ready before nearly dropping it at the sight that greeted him. A rather large, strange looking, blue, bird-like creature with a long tail was starting to knock against the door again as he opened it. Beneath the creature laid out on his doorstep, was his little brother curled up, unconscious, soaking wet and covered in mud. A bowtruckle was peeking out his pocket. And, unless he was mistaken, there appeared to a be baby qilin curled up in his arms.
"Newt!" Theseus knelt down beside him. He was breathing and shivering, but otherwise not responding at all. Theseus looked around quickly. It didn't appear anyone had followed him. Looking him over quickly, Theseus noticed his hand looked in bad shape; but, he didn't see any obvious injuries that would make moving him worse.
As he went to pick up Newt, the qilin started braying weakly, clearly objecting. "I'm not going to hurt him," he told the creature. The qilin stared at him and he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. He didn't think he had anything to hide, but still, it was strange having a creature know everything you've done and judge you on it. After a moment, it made a gentle trilling sound, appearing to have accepted him as okay. But, the qilin still wouldn't let him touch it. It made moving Newt more difficult, but not impossible as Theseus gently picked up his brother and the qilin resettled higher into Newt's arms. The bird like creature wrapped its tail around Newt's case to follow them inside before it closed the door for them.
Theseus laid his brother on the couch, shaking his shoulder gently. "Newt? I need you to wake up."
Newt didn't move, but the green stick-like creature walked out of his pocket, cradling a bent arm of its own. Theseus sighed, shaking his head at the sight: his soaking wet, unconscious brother, a baby qilin, and a bowtruckle with a broken arm. He looked at the green creature. "I don't suppose you can tell me what happened?"
It just gestured back at Newt and the qilin with a concerned look.
"I know. Or at least…" Theseus started. The wet clothes weren't helping anything. He waved his wand over Newt, drying off his clothes.
Theseus went to his room, grabbing his work pack with the first aid equipment he always carried. Bringing it back to the couch, he pulled out a bottle of dittany and antiseptic, along with gauze. "This will sting," he warned, out of habit, as he applied the dittany. Newt's hand sizzled as Theseus applied.
To his relief, it was enough to startle Newt awake, accidentally knocking off the qilin in the process. "Theseus?"
"Newt!" Theseus exclaimed in relief, "What happened?"
Already, Newt was looking tired again as he laid his head back down. But, he was looking around desperately. Weakly, he muttered, "I need to find her."
Theseus looked in the direction the qilin had run off to and was now hunched in a corner. "She's safe," he promised, "You're all safe."
"Safe." Newt whispered acceptingly before passing out again.
"Newt!" Theseus called, to no answer.
He'd seen that type of scar before and it told him his brother had been in a nasty fight. Piecing together the information he had, he suspected he'd gotten ambushed trying to protect the qilin and had managed to block what had to have been a strong, dark spell; but, not well enough to hold onto his wand before another one knocked him out. A possible infection from the hand and a bump he'd discovered to Newt's head wasn't helping, either. It was worrying and Theseus seriously considered taking him to St. Mungo's. But, even though he wasn't awake, he was at least now reacting when Theseus went back to dressing his hand; and, given that it all revolved around a qilin, he had the feeling broadcasting it all at the hospital, even under a cover story, would not be appreciated. Not to mention, he wasn't convinced he could get the qilin concealed in Newt's case.
Theseus frowned as he looked over Newt, sighing before deciding. "I'll give you today. But, you gotta wake up for me, Newt," he pleaded. "What am I supposed to do with them?"
Almost as if in answer, a Niffler was trying to get out of Newt's case with its beak, looking worriedly at him. Theseus groaned. As adorable as it was, he couldn't have a Niffler ransacking the place on top of everything. "You all did good. I've got him now," he told it, letting the Niffler see for itself before gently closing the case on it, "but, I can't have you out right now, too."
There was only so much he could do for Newt at this point, but he brought a cold towel to clean the caked mud off his face, leaving it on his forehead and draped a blanket over him. It wasn't much, but it at least made him feel like he was doing something. The bowtruckle kept tapping Theseus, seeming to ask for help too. It certainly wasn't his strong suit, but he knew the basics and managed a decent, delicate sling. The bowtruckle smiled its thanks before settling back into Newt's pocket.
In his other pocket, Theseus found a leather bound book that must be Newt's field notes.
The qilin is a remarkably rare creature with the ability to determine the purity of one's soul and see into their future decisions. Solitary creatures, they tend to move only in small, family units and avoid human contact. Qilins are herbivores with the young feeding on the mother's milk until grown enough to eat on local jungle plants. In rescue situations, regular lettuce and warmed milk make a reasonable substitute.
Well, that at least confirmed he'd been out searching for what was indeed a qillin and had been expecting it to be in trouble. Typical, though, Newt was protecting the creatures even in his notes; making no mention of how to approach or handle them or even their exact location, only how to care for them. He'd have to make do with that. Shaking his head, Theseus slowly turned towards the corner where the qilin had fled to, stopping a few feet away. With that sweet, yet unsettling gaze it was clear it had decided it liked him. Still, it was too scared to let him move her. He considered letting her be as the best option, but then a crazy idea came to him out of nowhere. "There was an old muggle who fell down the well…" he started singing. The qilin stopped prancing and tilted its head at him. Theseus smiled and took it as a sign to continue. "But along came a witch…" After another minute, the qilin slowly walked over to him, nudging his hand. Barely daring to believe it, he slowly stroked its back. When it didn't pull away, he kept singing and gently picked it up. He walked to the kitchen, filling a bottle with warmed up milk. Eagerly now, the qilin latched onto the bottle, sucking up the milk happily. When she'd finished, he brought her back to the living room where he could keep an eye on all of them, setting her gently on a chair next to his brother.
Newt woke with a start several hours later, fully alert this time as he looked around, immediately finding the qilin appearing safely asleep in the chair beside him.
"Newt! About time you woke, sleeping beauty." Theseus went over to him, relieved. "Lord, you had me worried."
Newt let out a small laugh, trying to place himself. "Sorry about that. Wh-How did I get here?"
Theseus looked at him. "That's a good question. All I know is some big, blue bird showed up knocking on my doorstep with you unconscious and…" still wanting an explanation, he looked at the qilin. "Newt, is that a qilin?"
"No." He answered far too quickly.
Theseus raised his eyebrows, not believing him for a second. "I'm not going to tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about."
"You have to promise."
"I promise. Newt, what is all this about? What happened?"
Newt glanced down and Theseus sighed. "Let me guess, then. Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore," Newt granted. "It was important she stay safe…." He trailed off and swallowed hard before moving on, "and he knew where I could find…her."
Theseus looked at him, worried. It was obvious everything hadn't gone according to plan, but he knew better than to push for more. "Are you okay?"
Newt took a slow breath. "Sore. But, I'll live." He glanced down at Pickett and smiled. "And you helped Pickett," he appreciated, impressment growing as he looked back to the qilin. "How did you...?"
Theseus smiled then. "You should know they were rather concerned about you, too." He shrugged. "Care of Magical Creatures may not have been my favorite class, but I did pay attention."
Newt laughed, looking at Pickett in reassurance. "So you did. Thank you, Theseus."
What else was he to have done? Still, Theseus tried to shrug it off. "I'm sure there'll be a day when I need the favor returned."
A/N: I did consider it might make more sense for Newt to have ended up at his place or Bunty's, but we next saw him with Theseus; and, I wanted a patch up scene with Theseus finding him with all the creatures, so this is what came of it. Some inspiration taken from a deleted scene, including song credit. Let me know what you think.
