The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

Newt Scamander and the Terrible Werewolf

Newt listened through all of this, nodding slowly, "Dumbledore has always held an -uh, uh- tender spot for the misfits." Mr. Scamander smiled meaningfully, "I, too, was one of Dumbledore's rescues."

Ned looked surprised.

"That's a uh tales for another time," Newt said in answer to the questions in Ned's eyes. He cleared his throat, "So you stay because you tire of running, is that it, Ned?"

Ned Veigler closed his eyes and pursed his lips, shaking his head. "No," he said, "I did at first." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "Greyback is my alpha, Mr. Scamander. I'm the omega wolf. You understand."

"You could still run," Newt said, "Even if he commands you stay."

"But he wants to hurt the children," Veigler said, "And I cannot run and protect them..."

Newt nodded. It was as though he'd been expecting these words to come, the way he looked was rather satisfied. "And what do you plan to do to protect them, Ned?"

"I'd die to save them, sir," Mr. Veigler replied. "I... I've been teaching them how... to prepare them."

Newt smiled. "You're a good protector, I can see it in your - uh, your face. You care passionately about it."

"These boys... they remind me of me when I was young. Before Greyback bit me, I was headstrong and impossible to tame, as they are. You can see the fire in the eyes of Sirius Black and James Potter... even in Remus Lupin..." he paused, looked to Newt inquiringly, "I know what the centuars have said, about if I stayed, that it would mean my blood. I know what will happen to me, and I'm prepared to lay myself down to keep Greyback from hurting them... I'm ready to do whatever it takes."

"I respect that. Appreciate it, even." Newt looked Ned Veigler directly in the eyes. "But I am a good protector, too. If you do wish to run, Ned, I have a spot in my briefcase for you, should you choose to hide."

"In your briefcase?" asked Ned.

Mr. Scamander smiled, "Yes."

Mr. Veigler looked questioningly at Mr. Scamander's briefcase, sitting innocently on the table behind him. "What's in ---?"

Newt smiled. "Oh quite a bit." He looked at the briefcase, too, a smile spreading over his mouth, his rather large front teeth showing. He turned to Veigler, "This is part of why I've come to Hogwarts to visit... I've heard of you and I wanted to extend to you my offer."

"Your offer?"

"Safety."

"From Greyback?"

"From any who aim to hurt you."

"Why? Why would you offer this to me?"

"To protect you. For no reason more than that. I have no ulterior motives here, nothing to gain. As a technically classified uh beast, it's my job to protect you, you see," Newt said and he smiled, "I know it's rather awkward as you're only technically a beast, but that should be all the more reason why I should protect you." He wrung his hands a bit, blinking up at Ned Veigler, "So here I am. Offering you this place in my briefcase."

Ned stared at the briefcase.

When Professor Veigler didn't say anything, Newt continued, "Ned, I know what the world thinks of me... as a Ministry man, through and through, but I'm just as misunderstood as you and the beasts are. I am a protector of fantastic beasts, great and terrible, strong and weak, good and bad, and I felt it necessary to uh, uh to offer you my services as I have every other sort of creature I have ever happened upon... each of my - uh... specimens... they're very well cared for in my briefcase. I'd see to it that you were safe, and we'd get you away from Fenrir Greyback, to a place he couldn't ever find you, so that you wouldn't ever have need to - to uh, to run away again."

"But if I run away now," Ned Veigler said, still looking longingly at the briefcase, "Who will protect the Boy?"

Newt shrugged.

Ned Veigler's eyes filled with tears as he continued to stare at the case. His lower lip trembled. He had longed for the promise of a place to be safe for so long. A lump rose up in his throat. "Mr. Scamander," he whispered, "I'd love to go into your briefcase... I've dreamt of an offer such as this..." He paused - thinking of how long he'd dreamed of a place of absolute safety -- Eight years old, cowering from his father's violent anger... Eleven, cowering from Greyback's fangs... older, omega, and cowering from the abuse of any number of the wolves that Greyback had created in his pack... His shoulder ached, as though it was reminding him of his most recent longing for safety. "I've dreamed of this my entire life, Mr. Scamander."

Newt raised an eyebrow, "But?"

Ned Veigler looked Newt squarely in the eyes, "I'm afraid that I am the only one that can stop Greyback from what he plans to do."

Newt nodded, "You probably are."

A tear slid down Ned Veigler's face. "I wish it were different."

"I understand. I - uh - I applaud you. I myself would not be strong enough to make the choice you have made." Newt smiled, "Of course, the centaurs told me what you would choose. But I figured it would not be right of me to neglect offering you the way out." He hesitated, "I mean we, uh, we can only achieve the status of hero if we choose to follow the path that leads us to it... if there were no options to be the coward, then the heroes would be merely victims in the right place at the right time, yes?" Newt winked, "You, sir, made a choice."

"Thank you, Mr. Scamander," said Mr. Veigler.

Newt nodded, and he turned, picking up his briefcase, and he started for the door. He paused, turned back, looking Mr. Veigler over and a smile spread across his narrow face, a spark of pride in his features. "You're a good man."

"Don't you mean werewolf?" Mr. Veigler asked.

Newt shook his head, "No, I meant man; Ned, you're a terrible werewolf."

Veigler smiled.

"My offer stands - should you change your mind." And with that, Newt Scamander ducked out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, leaving Professor Veigler as alone as he'd ever been.