Prison Break

Newt, Tina, and Lorna had made their way deeper into the prison but they had let to find any sign of the former's brother. They kept calling out his name in a hushed voice but heard nothing. All they heard around them were silent but audible scuttling right near their feet. Tina felt sick hearing all that scruffling around them. "What is that?" she asked.

"Something very small," said Newt.

"I can see that," she hissed irritably. Lorna glared at her tone. "Sorry," she sighed.

Lorna found something near her feet. She crouched down very slowly and saw a very tiny crab creature. She bent down.

"What is that?" asked Tina. "It looks kind of cute,"

"It may look cute but it's dangerous. That's a Manticore," Newt said. "A baby one. Still quite dangerous,"

The creature wiggled its antennas. As they raised their lights, they saw numbers of little Manticores appearing everywhere. One of them showed teeth.

Now Tina regretted calling it 'cute'. "What do we do?"

"Don't panic," Newt said quietly. "Stand back slowly," they did just that and when they twisted their heads, they gasped when they felt their toes right over a deep pit. They looked down and saw nothing. But they could sense something down there. "What's down there?"

"I should check it out," said Lorna. "Good thing that jailor didn't know anything about me. I'll find Theseus," she transformed into a phoenix and ascended over the pit.

"What do we do?" asked Tina.

"We just keep walking around," That was all Newt could think of. The critters closed in on them behind. "Tina, follow my lead," The Magizoologist did a crab-like pose.

Tina was confused. "How's that supposed to help?"

"Just do it,"

She huffed fine. She did exactly that and all the little Manticores copied their actions.

Theseus's head was spinning in circles. He had been dangling upside down for so many hours that he felt like he was gonna be sick. His eyes were about to drop closed when he heard gently flapping. Was it Lorna in her Phoenix form?

Upside down, he could see a creature flying towards him. But it wasn't a magical bird. It was a dragon. A small one. It landed in front of him. Its copper-coloured head had black ridge markings and a crown of small horns on its head. It growled. He gulped. It opened its mouth revealing rows of teeth. He recognised it as a Peruvian Vipertooth dragon like his brother's book illustrated but this one was as tall as him. Not a large one.

It was gonna bite him. Its fangs were full of venom that would kill him instantly. It bit but it didn't bite him. It bit the ropes holding his ankles and he fell to the floor with a thump. Luckily he didn't break his neck. He slowly knelt up and faced the dragon. "I suppose this is when I should say thank you," The dragon puffed smoke into his face. He turned around, showing his wrist bindings. "Think you could do these?" The dragon bit him free. He rubbed his wrist. "Thanks again. I take it my brother sent you,"

"Your brother did not send me" it spoke. Theseus's heart jump. He knew exactly who it was.

"Your friends are here,"

"Don't suppose you could give me a lift could you?"

The dragon snorted angrily. "I am not a horse. And besides, we'd attract too much attention from it,"

Theseus frowned in confusion. "'It'?" The dragon pointed its tail downwards. Theseus peered down. He didn't see anything but in the depths of the dark pit, he could hear a distant growling. "Ah," he said.

"Wait here," the dragon said. It flapped its wings gently and flew quietly as a bat circled the round atrium of hundreds of dark levels. He saw nothing. Just then he saw a phoenix. It spotted him and flew to him. Together they landed gracefully on a stone platform, transforming back into their human selves.

"Theseus is just across there," he pointed.

"Newt and Tina are almost at this spot. There's no telling how long we have until that thing might try to attack us. We need to find a way to secure our way out,"

Before Stephen could speak up, they heard a loud blink. They turned around and saw another prisoner with a lantern hanging beside him; it had gone out. Then from out of the depths of the pit appeared a huge tail. It grabbed the prisoner and his screams echoed throughout the prison as he was pulled into the pit.

From where they stood just at the ledge, Tina and Newt's lips parted in shock. Then Tina felt her insides explode when she saw a slimy carcass thrown up to the top and the manticores scurried over like fleas on leftovers. "That is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen," she grimaced.

"Let's just keep moving," Newt insisted. With the little creatures distracted, they swiftly made their way to reach Lorna who guided them again as a phoenix before turning back to a human.

Newt was relieved when he saw his brother had already been untied. But the manticore caught up with them and he and Tina had to keep up that pose they were doing before. The closer they came to Newt, the more visible the dragon shape-shifter was to them. It flapped its wings and they wanted as it dived its way into the pit

"About time," said Theseus. He frowned when he saw them doing that pose. "I suppose that strategy you're both using…is strategic?"

"It's a technique called limbic mimicry. It discourages violent engagement. Theoretically, I've only actually attempted this once before," his brother nervously explained.

"And the results?"

"Um…inconclusive. Also, that was a laboratory setting and the conditions were strictly controlled and the current conditions are more volatile, making it less predictive of the outcome,"

"So, the ultimate outcome presumably is our survival," Tina said plainly.

"You could say that," Newt said, hiding his blushed cheeks.

"Was that your shapeshifter friend?" Tina asked Lorna, wanting to be shore.

"Yep,"

"Mind telling us why he dove down into that pit where that thing is?" Theseus asked.

"He's keeping it distracted. But we'll be seeing him again soon,"

"So, since you're a phoenix, why don't you fly us out of here?" the Head Auror requested. "They can carry heavy loads after all according to my brother,"

"Just because I shape-shift into one, doesn't mean I have all their abilities,"

"Just go back the way we came and do what I do," urged Newt. "Now hold this," he handed the lantern to Tina before cupping his hands and releasing an odd whistle.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" hissed Tina.

"We're gonna need some help. Now come on. Back the way we came," Newt held up the pose again and the others copied, except Lorna who chose to become a phoenix and circle the hole of the pit to make sure her mysterious new ally wasn't in trouble.

As they kept moving, Tina was getting very uncomfortable but did her best to bear it. Newt noticed his brother wasn't doing too much of a good job. "You're not swivelling properly. Swivel, swivel, but delicately," he instructed.

"I'm swivelling like you and your crush are," Theseus realised what he said and received an embarrassed glare from his brother. "Oops,"

"Just keep moving you too," hissed Tina frantically. "I just wanna get out of here before we become food for that…thing down there,"

"That would be a giant Manticore. And it'll only attack us if…" Blink! Newt felt jinxed. The lamp in Tina's hand had gone out. They heard a distant roar. They saw the same tall rising. The Manticores scurried away, frightened.

"That's not good," Theus said. The tail was about to strike when the dragon shape-shift came out of nowhere and bit its end.

"Run!" it shouted.

The three rushed into the prison corridors. The phoenix and little dragon fought against the tail but tendrils appeared out of the pit too and they were forced to retreat after the others as the tails and tendrils snaked in after them.

Newt held Tina's hand trying to keep her close to him. Theseus kept behind them. Suddenly the tail tip started shooting fire at them. They got separated as they ducked and dodged in different directions.

Lorna searched for Tina and Newt. She found them, blasting a piece of rock that was about to land on them from its tail tendrils reaching through the passageways. "Follow me!" they followed close behind.

Theseus struggled to avoid the falling rocks as the tails battered against them. The dragon managed to find him. It led him towards the others. Tina and Newt barely escaped with their lives as a tunnel crashed behind them. Tina found herself clinging tight to Newt. She looked into his eyes. They were kind and gentle. She loved being this close to him.

"Really?" a voice snapped them out of their moment. It was Lorna the Phoenix talking. "Now?"

"There you two are," Theseus panted. Suddenly two tendrils appeared out of nowhere and grabbed him and Newt.

"Newt!" Tina grabbed his hand and tried to pull him to safety. The Peruvian dragon grabbed Theseus and tried to pull him free too but the giant creature's tendrils were pulling the brothers towards the bit. "Don't let go! You two!" she screamed.

Just then they heard skittering coming down the hallway. Lorna turned her head to see Teddy charging towards them, tie in his mouth, Picket riding him, three wands in his hands.

"Get the tie!" shouted Newt.

Lorna flew towards the creatures who were being chased by the angry Warden who drew his wand. Quickly she flapped right into his face and slapped her long fiery feathers against him knocking him down. She then grabbed the creatures up in her claws to fly towards them.

The dragon managed to pull Theseus free but Newt's hands slipped out of Tina. "Newt!"

The dragon dived down to save Newt as he was pulled into the pit by the creature. He looked up and saw its glowing blue eyes, the same ones he saw back in China. Lorna and Theseus tried to help but more tendrils appeared out of nowhere grabbing their ankles. Lorna dived down after everyone, screaming out: "Grab the tie and my tail!"

Newt felt the dragon's claws grab his arm. Then the dragon felt a sharp peak grab its tail. As Tina and Theseus touched her feathers, the tie fell out of Teddy's hands and Theseus's hands and in a flash of white, they felt themselves flashing out of the pit and spinning around in circles until snap! Crash! Thump!

Everyone groaned as they sat up. Newt felt Tina lying beside him. He sighed in relief that she was all right. He felt the ground moss. He heard more moaning and saw Theseus who had landed on his stomach in a painful position. "Is everyone all right?"

"Just fine," complained his brother.

"Get off me!" groaned a voice.

The three turned their heads to see Lorna, human-formed and a man right underneath her, the dragon shape-shifter.

"I'm getting off of you," Lorna stood up, frustrated by his tone. She stood up and swiped the leaves of her hair and clothes.

Theseus lifted the tie in his hand. "That was a portkey,"

"Well done you two," Lorna stroked Teddy and Pickett.

Newt helped Tina stand up. Her relief was cut short when she saw the tendril still coiled around his waist. "Oh my god,"

Newt pushed it off and the piece of Manticore slithered into the nearby bushes like a snake. "That is so gross," she grimaced.

"At least we're safe," Lorna brought back the good mood.

"And where exactly are we?" asked Theseus.

Rolling her eyes, she pointed her thumb behind her. To the Aurors' astonishment, they saw Hogwarts Castle. "Oh. Guess we're safe then,"

Tina focused her attention back on their stranger's new ally. "Who are you?"

Stephen stood up wiping his face. "Don't think I appreciate your tone missy," he was very sensitive to snappy tones.

"She's right thought to ask. Who are you?" Theseus asked more gently.

"Stephen," he said.

"I owe him my life. He saved me from Vogel. And without him, you wouldn't be out of that prison," said Lorna. "He's going to help us,"

"I guess we've already met," addressed Newt. Stephen eyed him carefully. "Thank you. For saving my life,"

"It was nothing. I saw you and your son help that Qilin give birth. I didn't know whether I could trust you or not. But when I saw you protect it, It made me think if you were different from those other wizards. Lorna said you were. It seems she was right,"

"That was some dragon form you took," complimented Tina. "You helped us back there,"

"Call it a blessing if you want but to me, it's a curse," he said. By the way, he spoke, the Aurors and Magizoologist could sense he had been through so much suffering. "I didn't want to trust you all at first or help you deal with Grindelwald but it seems if you can be loyal to people who are different, who are feared by arrogant minsters as Lorna says, then it seems we have a goal in common,"

"What would make you want to fight Grindelwald if you despise many wizards, especially purebloods?" Theseus asked carefully.

"If I have even the slightest chance of avoiding the rest of my life being feared or hunted like an animal, then I'm willing to help you all stop that wizard. If it means showing the world that beings like us do matter, that we don't deserve to be hunted down. Besides, I've spent too much time alone watching a few friends get killed. But if anyone tries to attack me, or Lorna…" he looked at Lorna who stared at him with awe that he was going to lie his life on the line for her even though they hadn't known each other long… "They die,"

Before Tina and Theseus could say a response to that, Newt quickly said, "Only if they attack you," His words earned a glare from the two Aurors beside him.

"Let us return to school," announced Lorna. She glanced at Stephen with a promising look. "No harm will come to you. You have my word,"

Ron and Lucille were walking at a fast pace to Transfiguration. They had spent the majority of the day worried about Tom. Ron kept Cheelo close to him at all times. They were the students to turn a corner when they heard footsteps a few metres behind them. They turned around to see Dumbledore with Tom, slow and a little wounded beside him.

"Tom!" they screamed; they rushed down to him. The baby Qilin chirped for joy seeing her owner. She bounded over to greet him too. She begged for a stroke on the head and he numbly touched her furry head with his fingers.

"Professor, what happened?" asked Lucille.

"Could you two skip Transfiguration please and take Tom to the Hospital?" Dumbledore requested.

"Of course, Professor," Ron said.

"Come on Tom," Lucille led him away from the sad slightly guilt-ridden professor.

"Oh, and I'd like you three to come to Hog's Inn tonight,"

"Tonight?" Ron repeated. "Why?"

"You'll see,"

Tom's best friends took him to the hospital wing. The nurse said they could stay with him for a while. She gave him a special broth to help heal his bruises and settle his nerves. They sat together on a bed and he sipped slowly on the remedy that would quell his aching, both physical and emotional.

"What happened Tom?" Lucille asked.

"Dumbledore took me to Berlin," Tom told them of his encounter with his brother in German's capital, how he had failed once again to convince his brother to come, how Dumbledore truly recognised him as one of his family and had spared his life. Still the anger and dejection, he'd been going through made his best friends sympathise with him.

"We're so sorry you had to go through that," Ron apologised. "At least you had Dumbledore to protect you. But I wonder, why he would take you on such a dangerous mission?"

"That he wouldn't say,"

"So you went along with it?"

"I had to trust him," Tom said. "I know it's crazy and reckless but…this was the only course of action. If there was ever a chance of defeating Grindelwald…it meant trusting him. He may keep secrets but I know he has the best of intentions,"

"Of course, he does," agreed Lucille.

"You should get some rest," Ron advised. "You're worn out and we only have until the evening to head to Hogsmeade. You just stay here and rest,"

Tom lay down and Cheelo leapt up to purr beside him. He fell asleep, feeling her warm fur against his. He wanted to forget what had happened in Berlin but it was just so difficult. What kept his mind spinning in circles were three questions.

Could he ever forgive Credence?

Was it too late for him to turn to the good side?

Could they ever be brothers again?

That's another chapter done. What did you all think? What do you all think of the new OC character Stephen? Please send reviews and let me know what you all thought. Almost done now. About four to five chapters to go and that's Movies 1,2 and 3. See you soon