Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald by J. K. Rowling Page B

was disappointed you couldn’t come to dinner. Any of the nights we asked you.
    NEWT
    Well, I’ve been busy.
    LETA
    He’s your brother, Newt, he likes spending time with you. And so do I.
    NEWT spots Pickett climbing onto his lapel and holds out the breast pocket of his coat.
    NEWT
    (to Pickett)
    Oi, you! Hop in, Pick.
    Pickett snuggles down.
    LETA
    (smiling)
    Why do strange creatures love you so much?
    NEWT
    Well, there are no strange creatures—
    NEWT & LETA
    “—only blinkered people.”
    She is smiling again. NEWT—just—reciprocates.
    LETA
    How long did you get in detention for saying that to Prendergast?
    NEWT
    You know, I think it was a month that time.
    LETA
    And I set off a Dungbomb under his desk so I could join you, do you remember?
    They have come within sight of scary, official doors leading to the meeting room. THESEUS SCAMANDER emerges.
    NEWT
    No, I actually don’t remember that.
    Rebuffed, she comes to a halt. NEWT walks away toward THESEUS, who is very like NEWT, but more outgoing, easier in manner. THESEUS winks at LETA before turning to
NEWT.
    THESEUS
    Hello.
    LETA
    Theseus. We were just talking about Newt coming for dinner.
    THESEUS
    Really? Well . . . Look, before we go in there I—
    NEWT
    —It’s my fifth attempt, Theseus. I know the form.
    THESEUS
    This isn’t going to be like the other times. This is . . . Just try and keep an open mind, will you? And maybe a little less—
    A wordless gesture indicates Pickett, NEWT’S blue coat, and his messy hair.
    NEWT
    —like me?
    THESEUS
    (not without affection)
    Well, it can’t hurt. Come on, let’s go.



SCENE 19
    INT. MINISTRY OF MAGIC, HEARING ROOM—AFTERNOON
    NEWT and THESEUS enter the room, where TORQUIL TRAVERS (harsh, mean-spirited), ARNOLD GUZMAN (American), and RUDOLPH SPIELMAN (who is still bruised from GRINDELWALD’S
escape, the bloody bite visible on his neck) are already sitting.
    Two empty chairs, which NEWT and THESEUS take. The corners of the room are in darkness.
    TRAVERS
    Hearing commences.
    The quill begins to write. TRAVERS opens a file in front of him, which contains pictures of NEWT’S Wanted pictures and of the post-Obscurial devastation in New
York.
    TRAVERS
    You want an end to the ban on your traveling internationally. Why?
    NEWT
    Because I like to travel internationally.
    SPIELMAN
    (reading from his own file)
    “Subject uncooperative and evasive on reasons for last international trip.”
    All look at NEWT, waiting.
    NEWT
    It was a field trip. I was collecting material for my book on magical beasts—
    TRAVERS
    You destroyed half of New York.
    NEWT
    No, that’s actually factually incorrect on two counts—
    THESEUS
    (quiet but stern)
    Newt!
    NEWT stops, frowns.
    GUZMAN
    Mr. Scamander, it’s clear you’re frustrated and, frankly, so are we. In the spirit of compromise, we’d like to make a proposition.
    NEWT glances at THESEUS warily. THESEUS nods: Listen.
    NEWT
    What kind of proposition?
    TRAVERS
    The committee will agree to lift your travel ban under one condition.
    NEWT waits. SPIELMAN leans forward.
    SPIELMAN
    You join the Ministry. Specifically, your brother’s department.
    NEWT digests this, then:
    NEWT
    No, I—that isn’t my kind of—Theseus is the Auror. I think my talents lie elsewhere—
    GUZMAN
    Mr. Scamander. The wizarding and non-wizarding worlds have been at peace for over a century. Grindelwald wants to see that peace destroyed, and for certain members of our
community his message is very seductive. Many purebloods believe it is their birthright to rule not only our world but the non-magic world as well. They see Grindelwald as their hero, and
Grindelwald sees this boy as a means to make this all come true.
    Hearing this, NEWT frowns, watching as CREDENCE’S face emerges in the surface of the table.
    NEWT
    I’m sorry. You’re talking about Credence as if he were still here.
    THESEUS
    He survived, Newt.
    NEWT stops cold, his eyes fixed on THESEUS. THESEUS nods.
    THESEUS
    He’s