Chapter 311: Dumbledore and News of Credence
On the streets of Britain, Newt held Aiden's hand as they strolled happily through the busy district. Behind them, a Ministry agent wearing a bowler hat followed closely, trying his best to look inconspicuous.
The agent followed closely, followed closely... then got completely lost in a sudden mist, spinning around and looking in all directions like a confused tourist.
Meanwhile, passersby were curious why this well-dressed gentleman kept making frantic running motions inside a red phone booth.
Aiden and Newt leaned against a wall corner, watching the agent desperately trying to find the right direction.
"Your abilities seem to have become even more terrifying!" Newt exclaimed with obvious admiration.
"You bet they have." Aiden raised his head and licked the vanilla ice cream Newt had bought for him.
While the two were chatting comfortably, a disembodied glove appeared in front of them and waved cheerfully.
Newt sighed. "....."
"Dumbledore's come for us. Let's go." Aiden grabbed Newt's hand and gripped the floating glove directly.
With a flash of displaced space, they arrived on an empty London rooftop.
"Dumbledore, couldn't you find a less conspicuous place?" Newt looked at the headmaster helplessly.
"I do enjoy admiring the scenery from up here." Dumbledore turned around with a smile, drew his wand, and cast a powerful fog charm.
All of London was instantly enveloped in thick, unnatural smoke.
The smoke carried particles from fossil fuels, which Aiden could see with perfect clarity. Then his ice cream got dirty.
Looking accusingly at Dumbledore, Aiden watched as the older wizard actually drew his wand and cast a cleaning charm on him like he was some messy child.
"What the hell!" Aiden complained, flames flickering in his small hand as he incinerated the contaminated ice cream.
Dumbledore Apparated all three of them to a quieter small square surrounded by Georgian townhouses.
"They keep insisting that you sent me to New York," Newt spoke first, his voice carrying frustration.
"And then you told them it wasn't me?" Dumbledore smiled carelessly, like this was all some amusing game.
"Yes, even though you did indeed send me to New York." Newt's tone grew sharper.
"You told me the exact whereabouts of that trafficked Thunderbird, Dumbledore. You knew I'd definitely bring it home, and only using Muggle transportation methods."
Newt's words came out rushed, clearly carrying blame and growing resentment.
"My family's always had a special connection with magical birds, you see. There's an old legend..."
Dumbledore was about to launch into one of his characteristic long speeches, but Aiden cut him off impatiently.
"When a Dumbledore family member needs help, a phoenix will appear. Your great-great-grandfather had a phoenix that later flew away." Aiden finished what Dumbledore wanted to say with obvious boredom. "I've heard this story dozens of times already."
"I'll tell you the rest another time when we have a proper chance." Dumbledore winked at Aiden with good humour.
"So this family story doesn't convince me that you somehow knew about the Thunderbird's location," Newt said, his suspicion growing stronger.
He was beginning to suspect whether Dumbledore had deliberately arranged for the Thunderbird to be captured and transported to America. But if Dumbledore had extra manpower available, why would he need to send Newt himself to New York?
"I..." Dumbledore started to speak, but suddenly turned around sharply. A familiar figure was following them through the square.
"Let's go." He grabbed both Aiden and Newt, preparing to Apparate, but was immediately interfered with by Aiden's conflicting magic.
"??" Dumbledore cast a puzzled look at the young dragon.
"No need to run. He can't see us anyway." Aiden explained with casual confidence.
Indeed, the confused agent just walked right over foolishly and then walked back just as foolishly, his eyes sliding right past them.
The three sat on a nearby stone bench, watching him pace back and forth like a wind-up toy.
"If he likes following people so much, let him walk more. It's good for his health." Aiden winked at them mischievously.
Dumbledore ignored Aiden's antics and continued his conversation with Newt, his expression growing more serious.
"Credence is in Paris right now, Newt. He's trying desperately to find his real family."
"I understand that much." Newt nodded grimly.
"Have you heard any rumours about his true identity?" Dumbledore asked carefully.
"No, nothing concrete." Newt shook his head.
"I have." Aiden gave a different answer, his young voice carrying unexpected weight.
"How did you—oh right, you're from the future. You must've heard this intelligence somewhere." Newt was first curious, then understanding dawned on his face.
"Not entirely correct. The future doesn't record everything about the past comprehensively. For instance, regarding Grindelwald's plans, we only know... mmph?"
Dumbledore first quietly cast a silencing spell, and when it had no effect on the dragon, he directly covered Aiden's mouth with his hand.
Aiden looked at Newt and gave him a helpless, wide-eyed expression over Dumbledore's fingers.
"He's special, but Newt, you'd better selectively absorb information from our young friend here," Dumbledore warned, then released Aiden.
Knowing that saying the wrong things might actually harm Newt in the long run, Aiden wisely shut his mouth.
"Pure-blood wizards believe he might be the sole survivor of an important French family. A lost baby from a prominent bloodline."
Dumbledore looked at Newt with unusual seriousness, sharing his carefully gathered intelligence.
"Isn't he Leta's brother?" Newt remembered something important, his face lighting up with sudden realisation.
"Shh." Dumbledore made an urgent silencing gesture with his finger. "I know, so we can only discuss this in complete secrecy."
"I feel like your way of spreading this 'secret' information isn't exactly secret," Aiden complained and was lightly tapped on the head by Dumbledore in response.
"I can't confirm his exact bloodline, but I know that Obscurials are born from lack of love. They're twin-born with darkness itself, with no other possible origin."
Dumbledore paused, his blue eyes growing distant. "But if Credence has a brother or sister who could potentially accommodate the Obscurus, he might still be saved from his fate."
"Impossible." Aiden spoke up bluntly to crush their hopes.
"Even if siblings truly could replace the Obscurial's identity, it just means his siblings become new Obscurials instead. Are you planning to rob Peter to pay Paul?" Aiden raised an eyebrow sceptically.
Dumbledore shrugged with disturbing casualness. "Perhaps we could find examples of two people simultaneously accommodating one Obscurus, allowing both to survive the process."
With that single statement, Dumbledore had effectively volunteered two wizards as test subjects, which was indeed somewhat... unhinged.
"I didn't expect you to be so radically experimental when you were young," Aiden frowned with obvious disapproval.
"I've already restrained myself considerably from what I used to consider." Dumbledore adjusted his hat brim, then looked directly at Newt with piercing intensity.
"In any case, Credence is extremely dangerous in Paris right now, both to himself and to countless innocent others. I'm hoping you can find him before something terrible happens."
Dumbledore pulled out an elegant card and handed it to Newt with careful deliberation.
"This is where an old friend of mine lives. It's heavily fortified with the strongest protective magic and completely safe from outside interference. It can serve as your secure base of operations while you're working in Paris."
After speaking, Dumbledore stood up gracefully to leave.
"Wait!" Newt hurriedly chased after him, panic in his voice.
The two Apparated through space, leaving Aiden still sitting peacefully in place.
"They've banned me from international travel now. If I leave Britain again, they'll definitely arrest me immediately, throw me into Azkaban, and toss away the key forever."
Newt hurriedly grabbed Dumbledore's arm, desperation clear in his grip.
"Do you know why I admire you so much?" Dumbledore suddenly turned mysterious, his eyes twinkling with that familiar dangerous gleam.
"Because among all the people I know, you're one of the precious few who doesn't pursue power and fame for their own sake. You're the type who genuinely struggles with questions of right and wrong."
Dumbledore bounced lightly on his toes, swaying back and forth with barely contained energy.
"I'm happy that you praise me like this, but I promised Theseus I wouldn't..." Newt began earnestly but was interrupted.
"Well, if you don't want to help," Dumbledore said with theatrical disappointment, taking back Newt's card and preparing to disappear with a flash of magic.
"Come on, Dumbledore, you manipulative bastard."
With their former professor gone, Newt was left standing there in complete frustration, knowing he'd been expertly manoeuvred.
However, a disembodied glove suddenly appeared before his eyes again, holding up the same card with obvious smugness.
Newt watched helplessly as the enchanted glove stuffed the card directly into his coat pocket, sealing his fate with typical Dumbledore efficiency.