Beasts Within Us | Newt Scamander

19. Letting Go.

He raises his wand and a beam of light cracks from the tip. It wraps around Graves like a whip. Graves struggles to loosen its grip of him, but it squeezes his body tighter. He falls to his knees and his wand clatters to the ground.

"Accio." Tina casts with his wand footing into her hand.

Graves stares at the wizards with resentment in his eyes. Newt stands over him and raises his wand.

"Revelio."

Where Graves kneels, he's transforming into someone else. His dark hair flashes into glistening blond spikes and crisp blue eyes. The man reveals to be the most sought after. The one who's responsible for muggle murders. Grindelwald. Whispers grow from all around him.

Madam Picquery steps towards him. He stares up at her greatness.

"Do you think you can hold me?" He wages.

With a smirk, she responds, "We'll do our best, Mr.Grindelwald."

His menacing eyes fixate on her when two aurors pull him up to his feet to lead him towards the entrance of the tunnel. Grindelwald forces them to stop as he stares at Newt with a seething grin.

"Will we die, just a little?"

He's dragged out of the subway. Newt's bemused gaze lingers at the tunnel.

Two figures shove their way through the aurors standing guard and race down into the tunnel, Jacob and Queenie. Jacob holds Newt's case and Queenie smiles to see her friends alive. Her smile fades once she sees the state Esther's in. Screaming pierces through her mind. The legilimen covers her ears staggering to Esther.

"Hey! Sweetie!" Jacob says, pulling her up.

"Esther! Take me- ah- take me to her." Queenie gasps.

He leads her to the fallen witch, bewildered on what's happening. Queenie kneels in front of her. Her furrowed brow presses comfortably against Esther's.

Jacob raises his brows at Newt as if asking what he's missed.

"There's been a situation with Esther. I'm not really sure what's happened." He informs his no-maj friend.

Queenie stutters comforting words to the witch as she winces through the sharp pains of Esther's thoughts.

Tina approaches the witch's to help.

Loud weeps are heard from Esther.

Jacob flashes a puzzled smile, in a way to lighten the mood, at Newt and gestures him his case.

"Thought someone oughta keep an eye on this."

For a brief moment, Newt beams with gratitude.

"Thank you."

He averts his eyes to the woman once more. Worry consumes him, unable to focus.

They're now standing. Queenie's engulfed in a hug with Esther while Tina's hand rests on Esther's back. It's funny how two unlikely personalities can find comfort in each other. He sees past them and looks at Madam Picquery in the distance. She stares up at the gaping hole in the ceiling to the outside world.

"We owe you a great apology, Mr.Scamander. But we have been exposed. We can't obliviate the entire city." She states.

He follows her gaze. Black flecks linger in the sky of the obscurus. It carries on with the wind disappearing. He snaps back to the problem at hand.

"Actually, we can."

He places his suitcase just below the center of the hole above them. He opens it for all of the worlds to see. The case begins to tremble and raspy screech comes from the opening. The buckles clink against the tile furiously until something magnificent bursts from it. It screeches with pride and it's feathers glow warm shades of orange. The beast flaps it's enormous wings hovering over everyone. The aurors back away, frightened by the peculiar beast.

Esther moves from Queenie's shoulder and shifts towards the sound. She clutches Queenie's hand admiring the beauty of the Thunderbird.

Newt steps closer to Frank to survey his condition. The wizard beams with pride and bursting with tenderness.

"My intentions were to set you free in Arizona, but it appears you are our only hope, Frank." He explains to his creature.

He looks into Franks piercing amber eyes. A silent connection between them, understanding what is at hand. Newt reaches out his arm for Frank to press his chipped beak against in an affectionate exchange. Newt wraps his arms around Frank's head as a final goodbye.

The group stares at them in amazement.

"I'll miss you."

Newt's words are muffled against Frank's feathers. He steps back, brushing a tear from his face then pulls the vial of Swooping Evil from his pocket.

"You know what you've got to do."

He throws the vial through the hole into the sky. Franks screeches a sharp cry and catches the vial with his beak, soaring out of the tunnel into the horizon.

Frank stretches his wigs racing further into the sky, alarming no-majs and auror beneath him. He continues advancing until he halts to flap his wings. Clouds emerge from around him filling the sky. Thunder cracks with each movement.

The Thunderbird shatters the vial with his beak the area around finding flashes a turquoise hue. Rain pours underneath him as the venom immersed itself with it.

The crowds in the streets that gawk at the marvelous creature flinch at the rain dropping on them changing their awestricken faces to docile ones. What they've witnessed within the last hour has been permanently erased from their memories. They all disperse, going about their business before the chaos started.

The aurors take this as their chance to restore the demolished city. All of them cast various repairing spells to restore their home. The streets morph back into solid pieces level to the ground. Upturned tram tracks unfurl and boots screw back into their rightful place. Newsstands papers remove Newt, Tina, and Esther's wanted postings, and headlines of the weather replace it.

Frank soars over the entire capital of New York. His wings shimmer a glorious shade of gold finishing his last waves of cloud columniation. He turns to leave the city, past the thick dark clouds, his silhouette shines with the dawn of a new day.

As Newt watches his beloved friend's departure until the tiles above him block his view. A single tear streams down his face.

"They won't remember anything. That venom has incredible obliviation properties. It seems I found the proper dilution." He sniffles.

Madam Picquery purses her lips in approval, "It seems we owe you a great debt, Mr.Scamander. Now, get that case out of New York." She orders.

He nods in response, "Yes, Madam President."

She begins to walk away with her band of injured auror staggering behind her. She turns back to look at the band of heroes. Queenie reads her mind and tries to hide Jacob behind her. Her effort is futile as she possesses a petite frame and Jacob is the opposite.

"Is that No-Maj still here? Obliviate him. There are no exceptions." She orders reading the sorrow on their faces. "I'm sorry, but you all know the law. And Esther," she continues. Esther looks up at her boss frightened. "I will see you in my office tomorrow morning. I'll let you all say goodbye." She turns to leave.