Between A Shoe And A Dark Place

Walburga had had enough. After all the rice throwing, food fights and pantlessness, she needed a vacation. One could only take so much of those rambunctious rugrats before exhaustion and mental fatigue began to set in. So she decided to pack her bags and go on a trip to Brazil, bidding farewell to her beloved Druella before boarding the plane to Rio de Janeiro.

She didn't know that Nagini had slithered into her suitcase, her serpentine form coiled around an expensive pair of shoes.

It began when the Maledictus wanted to take a look inside Newt's suitcase. She'd heard about his collection of fantastic beasts and wanted to see how the Zouwu was fairing after it escaped from the circus. Only she had chosen the wrong suitcase, lifting the lid and seeing several pairs of shoes nestled between Walburga's neatly folded clothing.

Her mouth watered at the sight of all those delicious shoes. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure no one was around before changing into her snake form and sinking her fangs into one of Walburga's shoes. The shoe was halfway down her throat when the lid closed with a snap, trapping the unfortunate Maledictus.

After a while Nagini started getting sleepy. The flight was long and the suitcase was dark and cozy, so she bedded down in Walburga's clothes, wearing a shoe on her head like a nightcap while she slept.

It was some time before the plane touched down in Rio de Janeiro. By then Nagini had gone into hibernation and had begun to shed all over Walburga's fancy clothes. This did not sit well with the sniffy old lady who, upon discovering the massive snake coiled up in her luggage, let out an earsplitting screech and hurled the suitcase against the wall. This was followed shortly by a slew of unladylike curses, the noise drawing the attention of Credence Barebone, who just happened to be in Brazil running errands for Grindelwald.

The Obscurial paused, lifting his head and gazing up at the third floor of the hotel. His pet phoenix, who had been riding on his shoulder as he walked down the street, sensed that something was wrong and immediately took flight, landing on the windowsill outside Walburga's hotel room.

Credence tried calling his familiar, but the immortal creature was anxiously hopping from foot to foot, looking from Walburga to Nagini and back again. The Obscurial had little choice but to enter the building, running up the steps and drawing his wand as he burst through the door.

There on the bed was Nagini, reared up and hissing at the obnoxious woman. Clothes and shoes were scattered across the floor, along with several pieces of shed skin, some of which was still clinging tenaciously to the snake's face and neck.

"Nagini, what are you doing in there?" Credence pocketed his wand, his gentle tone helping to soothe the irritated Maledictus. "Excuse me," he said, pushing past Walburga and moving towards the snake.

Walburga's jaw went slack, her eyes widening as she watched the young wizard kneel beside the snake and hold out his hand. Nagini, grateful to see a familiar face, slithered up his arm and draped herself across his shoulders.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Credence apologized, now turning to face the sniffy old lady. "I've been looking everywhere for her. I didn't know she'd gotten into your luggage."

There was a pause, just long enough for Walburga to draw breath. She then launched into a vicious tirade, screaming and throwing her shoes at him.

"You miserable little wretch! You probably put her there on purpose! Disgusting, filthy Underbeings! I don't care who you are, or who your family is. Get out of my sight this instant!"

Credence ducked as a shoe went flying over his head. He seized his phoenix by its tail feathers and vanished in a puff of smoke and flames, wondering what Les and Ella would think if they saw this undignified response to finding a snake in her luggage.