Credence spent the rest of the day exploring the house. It was more beautiful than any place he'd ever seen, and it helped distract him from the images of Mary Lou and Chastity's bodies that kept returning to his mind, unbidden. Nory showed him a bedroom that could be his own, and Credence spent some time marveling at its spaciousness and daydreaming about how it would be like to have a whole room to himself. The house-elf then provided him with a meal, even better than the restaurant Mr. Graves- no, Mr. Grindelwald- had once taken him to. He ate oyster broth, roast lamb with mashed potatoes and cheese, white rolls with butter and steamed marmalade pudding. The china plates and gleaming silverware, complemented nicely by the white tablecloth, nearly made him forget his own loneliness. He thought to ask Nory about Graves, then decided against it. He wanted as little to do with the man as possible.
Night had fallen, and it became later and later. Credence paced the corridor on the upper floor, watching the entrance, attempting to suppress his anxiety. He didn't want to think of what would happen if Mr. Grindelwald didn't come back. If he didn't find Modesty. If the aurors would suddenly break in, ready to kill him...
Finally the oak doors opened. Credence darted back into his room, terrified by the images of his own mind.
"Welcome back, Lord Grindelwald," called Nory. "And who is this?"
"Modesty Barebone." It was Graves's voice that replied. "She'll be staying with us."
Credence advanced slowly out of the room.
"Should I show you my real face, now?" asked Graves's voice.
"Yes." His heart leapt at Modesty's voice.
He took another step and saw Mr. Grindelwald standing by the entrance, disguised as Graves, pointing his wand at himself. Modesty gasped as his features melted away, dark hair turning to blond.
"Well, what do you think?"
Modesty hesitated. "I like it better," she said at length.
"Modesty!" Credence advanced to where she could see him.
She took one look at him and let out a shrill, ear-splitting scream. The chandelier dislodged itself, ripping itself free of its chain, and soared toward him. Credence leapt aside, and it crashed into the wall behind him, a thousand little shards flying everywhere. The entrance became a lot darker, but there was still some light from the candles placed along the walls, so he could see the way Modesty clung to Mr. Grindelwald.
"Credence, stay where you are," said Mr. Grindelwald, cool and cutting like a knife. He then knelt beside Modesty and embraced her, making reassuring sounds. "There, there. Everything's all right, brave girl. I promised he couldn't hurt you, didn't I?"
Modesty gradually calmed down, the sound of her sobs becoming muffled.
"There was no need to throw the chandelier at me," said Credence, shaken and angry.
Mr. Grindelwald stood and waved his wand. The pieces of the chandelier flew up, repairing themselves and brightening the room once more. "You think I did it?"
"Then, who-?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Credence's throat constricted as he noted the soft, possessive way Mr. Grindelwald stroked Modesty's hair. "She's a witch."
Modesty raised her head and glared at him. "I'm not a witch!"
"Mary Lou did seem to have a talent for collecting magical children," Mr. Grindelwald mused. "A pity she isn't here to appreciate the irony."
"Is she... Like me?" asked Credence.
"An Obscurial? No, she started manifesting her powers late, and luckily for her, you drew away most of Mary Lou's ire, so she was spared."
Credence thought of the toy wand that Modesty had hid under her bed. Had she known? Was that the reason she'd secretly defied Mary Lou?
"Modesty, I'm sorry about Ma-"
She buried her face in Mr. Grindelwald's coat.
"She's just seen you murder her mother and sister," said Mr. Grindelwald, severe and pitiless. "I suggest you leave her alone for now."
Credence felt as though he'd been slapped. Heat rose in his cheeks, countless emotions swirling within him. "All right," he bit out at last, retreating to his room and slamming the door.
He lay in bed for a few hours, unable to calm his racing heart and fall asleep. His room was too quiet. He missed the sounds of breathing, Chastity and Modesty's warm bodies lying close by. He counted the seconds passing by, trying to lull himself to sleep in vain. The door opened, and he straightened up at once, startled.
"What are you doing?" he hissed, while Mr. Grindelwald advanced into the room as though it was his own.
"I came to apologize." He sounded anything but apologetic. "I made you feel guilty for the death of that repugnant woman." He towered over Credence, hand reaching out to encircle his chin. Credence tried not to flinch. "Modesty is a little girl. She's not mature enough to understand things the way you and I do. She doesn't understand the necessity of violence." He tilted Credence's head upward, making him meet the blue eyes. "You did well to kill her. That woman kept you caged like an animal. It was your right- no, your duty- to break free."
Credence couldn't breathe. He tried not to whimper when Mr. Grindelwald's thumb brushed against his cheek.
"Why- Why did you treat me like that?" he chocked out. "You told Modesty I murdered-"
"It was the truth. She'll start understanding that it was justified as she grows older. In the meantime let her be. If you're patient enough, she'll learn to trust you again."
Credence felt tears prickling at his eyes. "I didn't mean to kill them..."
"Credence." Mr. Grindelwald's hands snaked around his shoulders, drawing him into an embrace. "Never regret getting rid of filth like them. You should be proud for finally retaliating. They deserved everything you did and more."
"Chastity... Chastity wasn't as bad..." Credence tried to swallow back his sobs, feeling pathetic.
"She was complicit in your abuse. They were both like ugly parasites, trying to crush your spirit." Mr. Grindelwald's hands traveled lower, patting Credence's back. "They were jealous and hateful, sensing that your true place was far above them. In the future, when you take your rightful place beside me, the No-Majs will submit themselves before you, or suffer the consequences."
The words made him shiver with anticipation and fear. "I'm not- I couldn't- They would laugh at me."
"Laugh?" Mr. Grindelwald repeated, incredulous, as though he'd said something absurd. "You're my precious Obscurial. Do you think anyone dares laugh at me?"
Credence took one look at the sharp, elegant features, the icy, domineering blue eyes. He swallowed. "No."
Mr. Grindelwald lowered his head and brushed his lips, ever so gently, against Credence's forehead. The touch was too slight, too fleeting. Credence stretched upward, an involuntary whine escaping his throat.
"Please, I need... I need more..."
Mr. Grindelwald laughed. "You have no idea what you're asking for, my innocent boy, do you?"
Credence bristled. "I do know, I've done things-" He stopped, embarrassed and worried that Mr. Grindelwald would be disgusted with him.
"Mary Lou never found out?"
"Not often." Credence shuddered at the memories. The only thing Mary Lou hated more than witchcraft was lewd thoughts. During his teenage years he'd suffered the worst beatings whenever he didn't manage to hide the evidence. He was fortunate that she had no idea he fantasied about sodomy, or she probably would've killed him.
"Are you ashamed of your desires?" Mr. Grindelwald didn't wait for a reply. "Don't be. It's the same as that nonsense about God and demons and witchcraft. Superstitions invented to keep the masses in line."
Credence remembered the shock he'd felt the first couple of times when Mr. Grindelwald- back then still Mr. Graves- had uttered blasphemy in his presence. It was astonishing, disturbing, and yet oddly refreshing to hear someone casually disregard the most basic principles of life.
"It's unnatural," he protested, half to himself.
Mr. Grindelwald withdrew with a look of revulsion. "Those are Mary Lou's words. I don't want to hear them any longer."
Credence realized his mistake too late. "I didn't mean to say it. Please..." He reached out, grasping at air.
Mr. Grindelwald caught his fingers, then looked down on him for a while. Credence tried fruitlessly to control his breathing.
"You want me to come closer, Credence?"
The words seemed to caress his skin like velvet, like silk, flowing through his arteries down to the pit of his stomach and below.
"Yes."
Mr. Grindelwald smiled, arrogant and cold. "You'll have to earn it. Do as I say, and you'll be rewarded."
He brushed his lips once more against Credence's fingers, and then let them drop.
Credence took a deep breath, willing himself to meet the unforgiving gaze. "I will."