Persephone walked down the cobbled streets of New York, the skies overcast and gray. The streets were slightly damp from a light sprinkle of rain but still made a satisfying tap as she made her way through the crowd in her black high heels. Her head was held low as her eyes darted around, observing each and every single thing about the people littered around like ants. That man was a banker and that woman was a flapper while her boyfriend was enlisted in the Army. It was interesting to watch and see what people did. No-Majs were so interesting.
As takes her place at a little coffee shop on the corner of an intersection, Persephone asks for her usually while watching one particular No-Maj through the glass. She knew anyone and everyone. It was apart of her job description. Not exactly a job, though. Persephone was a source to her older sister, Tina. She was an Auror at MACUSA, the Magical Congress of the United States of America. Persephone did her dirty work, talking and interviewing the locals. She did her best to fit in as a normal No-Maj, a local herself. She was not paid anything, but Tina and Queenie made enough. Persephone was simply a way of getting information. Important information that would always aid in the mission that Tina was appointed. She was quite proud of her job.
The No-Maj she was watching was quite a peculiar one, an adopted boy who lived with his mother at a little orphanage that they owned. His mother was a horrible woman from what she saw, always treating kids horribly but making them think that she was simply doing what she needed to do. She also trained them for the radical life of the Second Salemers. They were all her minions, but there was one that was different from all of them.
Credence was his name. He was a teenage boy, around Persephone's age. The way he acted in public was interesting, though. All he did was hunch over as if someone was going to come over and smack him. He was taught to be submissive to everyone and Persephone wanted to help him. She found him while doing research for Tina. She had to watch the Second Salem group, making sure that they were not being too radical. She wanted to hug him, to help him and to take him out of the toxic environment that he was living in. She wanted to, but she could never do it.
The No-Maj and magical community live together in symbiotic harmony. The No-Maj's had little to no idea about the magical community, and it will stay that way forever. No engaging with them, no trying to help them, and especially no dating them. These rules were apparent and Persephone knew that. There was just something about Credence that was special.
She simply sipped on her cup of coffee as she watched him through the large glass window that saved her from standing outside in the wet and cold air that filled New York. Credence continued to hand out pamphlets, or rather try to hand them out. He was mostly rejected by the public of New York, most people ignoring him. It was pitiful to watch, but that was all Persephone could do. Watch.
The young girl watched for a while, reading a newspaper for the duration of time that her eyes were not trained on the boy. Her peaceful afternoon was soon interrupted by a man yelling outside of the shop.
"Leave me alone, freak!" the man yells and takes the pamphlets, throwing them all over the ground.
Credence quickly falls to his knees, trying to pick up the many pieces of paper that have already scattered in the wind. Persephone abandons her coffee, walking out of the shop to help the boy. She kneels down as well in the middle of the pedestrian traffic, doing her best to grab the many slips of paper.
"I'm sorry that happened to you," the words come out of her mouth quicker than her mind can comprehend.
He looks up in slight shock but quickly shrugs it off, continuing to pick up the remaining papers on the ground. He looked cold. He must be, standing in one place for such a prolonged amount of time.
"Do you want to come inside for some cocoa?" she asks, a friendly smile appearing on her face as she hands him the papers that she had gathered.
A cup of hot chocolate would not hurt. The boy was basically bones, his pale skin transparent. He needed warmth and a good cup of chocolate, Persephone could hardly think about allowing him to stand out here for the rest of the day. He was shivering.
"Why?" he asks as if there was a hidden agenda.
"You're freezing out here, you deserve some cocoa," she turns around and begins to walk back in, noticing that Credence was not following behind her. "What are you waiting for? C'mon!"
She smiles and grabs Credence's hand gently, pulling him into the cafe. He follows, silently enjoying the warmth that the cafe brought him. To be inside was good enough for him.
"One cocoa," she says to the cashier and then pulls Credence over to her little table by the window. The two sit in an awkward silence as they stare at each other, waiting for one of them to make a move.
The hot chocolate arrives and Persephone smiles slightly, motioning him to take a sip. He does so and she smiles, watching as life returns to his face. He was so pale and it worried her to see him so frail in the cold afternoon of New York.
"Feel better now?" she asks and takes a rather large swig of her cold coffee.
Credence nods and simply stares at Persephone, his eyes wide and large with curiosity.
"You're a witch, aren't you?" he asks and Persephone freezes in place, the gears in her brain turning as she tries to think of a response. "I've seen you, you've followed me."
Persephone does not know what to do. She could obliviate him easily, but something inside her tells her not to. She wanted him to know, she wanted him to trust her so that he could have a friend. It was not right, she knew the rules. She also knew that this boy deserves someone to lean on and she was willing to do that for him. It may be her life at stake, but who would find out?
"Do you think I am?" she asks simply and he nods. "Then, I am."
"What's your name?" he asks, clutching the hot chocolate close as if it was the last thing he was ever going to drink. Persephone believed that, partly.
"I'm Persephone," she says simply, sticking her hand out for him to shake. He took it, the inkling of a smile appearing on his face.
"Credence."
-
REWRITTEN
A/N: Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying the story. I'm working super hard to make this story even better and so I hope you can excuse me if the chapters don't flow smoothly. I love you all. <3 The Small Teaspoon