The confirmation was everything Percival had hoped for and dreaded. The man that was sitting in their hospital wing had a name, had a family who cared about him. It would have been terrible to never be able to identify him.

In a way, knowing was worse. To find out that the man who had been so badly hurt when discovered was Theseus’s brother. Percival nodded sharply.
“Alright. Like I said, he isn’t speaking, and he doesn’t seem to know who he is. He understands English. I’d guess that there’s some kind of charm blocking him from speaking. Maybe from his memories as well. But we didn’t want to rush in – the medics said they needed something to act as a scaffolding for the memories if they are going to bring any back.

“A scaffold?” Theseus asked, shifting a little in his seat impatiently. “You mean you need to know – look, Perce, that’s my baby brother. If anyone is going to get through to him it’s me, and I need to see him. You can’t stop that-“
“I don’t want to.” Percival answered. “But like I said, we can’t be certain he’ll know you. He might not recognise you. If your presence makes him more agitated, we will both leave.”

Theseus hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
“I don’t suppose a case was found with him?”
“No. All that we found of any relevance was a dead woman who had also been hurt, a murdered unicorn, and the unicorn foal that he’s been looking after. Why?”
“Newt would never let go of that case if he could help it.” Theseus answered after a moment. “I need to know what’s happened. I want to know how long he was here under MACUSA’s nose.”
“We are investigating.” Percival said, careful not to sound too unkind or angry at Theseus’s words. Theseus was hurting, and Percival made an easy target. After a few seconds Theseus turned away slightly.

Theseus stared down at the photograph and frowned, lifting it up to his face for a closer look.
“So where did you get Pickett?”
“Pickett?”
“The bowtruckle. Newt got him to help open locks. Because he picks it.”
“That’s terrible.” Percival replied automatically then frowned. “You sure it’s the same one?”
“He is. The leaf pattern-“ Theseus shrugged. “You listen to enough of Newt’s letters, and you get very sure about things like that.”
“Oh.” Percival nodded. “There was an attempted robbery at the premises of one of the wand makers. We found him there.” He paused for a moment, balancing out his options before speaking. “Are there any other creatures we should be looking for?”

“A few. But you’d have to ask Newt who was there when… when it happened.” Theseus paused, staring at the photograph a little longer before pushing it into his pocket and standing up.
“I want to see him.”
“He might not know you.”
“I don’t care.” Theseus said firmly. “I need to see my baby brother. Now take me to where he is.”
“Take this.” Percival pulled a copy of ‘The Monster Book of Monsters’ out from one of the shelves, where it was securely tied closed with two leather belts. “He likes creatures, it might pass as a peace offering.”

Theseus hesitated for a moment and then nodded, holding the book to his chest as he walked with Percival to the medical wing.
“He hasn’t spoken to you about what’s happened?”
“He hasn’t said a word.” Percival reminded him. They walked into the room where Newt was sat up in bed, the bowtruckle perched on his shoulder and Spot cuddled up in his lap.

Newt looked up, eyes wide with fear, before he looked at Percival and relaxed a little.

Percival reached out to stop Theseus rushing over, but his hand closed on empty air as Theseus rushed forwards to his brother’s side.
“Hello Newt…” Theseus greeted him, before pulling Newt into a tight hug. Newt didn’t respond, staying still, his gaze focused somewhere far away. Percival could feel his heart ache as he walked over towards him, guiding Theseus away.
“Why don’t you show him your gift?” Percival prompted, able to see Theseus was too busy staring at his brother in wonder to do anything productive. Newt meanwhile was curled up on himself, shaking a little.

Theseus nodded, placing the book on the sheet beside Newt, and then reaching out for the copy of ‘A Den of Dragons’.
“You always used to complain about this…” He murmured, half to himself. “You used to say they cared more about rhyming than about the creatures…”

Percival smiled a little at the recollection, before gazing more closely at Newt. Newt hadn’t reacted to the story at all. But he picked up the Monster Book of Monsters, and ran his fingers along its spine before smiling triumphantly as he undid the belts and it fell open on his lap.

Newt was busy looking through the book, but the bowtruckle had moved from observing Newt to observing Theseus with some confusion. Percival tried not to give it too much thought, but he couldn’t help wondering if somehow the bowtruckle understood what had happened. It wouldn’t matter anyway – a creature couldn’t give evidence in court.

Theseus placed his hand out towards Pickett, and the bowtruckle jumped forwards onto his hand. Theseus lifted him up carefully.
“He doesn’t normally look like this. Newt takes… Newt takes good care of them.”

Percival was startled when that comment was met by the tiny bowtruckle blowing a raspberry and hopping back onto Newt.
“Lot of personality in that one.” He murmured, and Theseus managed a faint laugh.
“There is.” He agreed, leaning in again, waving his hand in front of Newt’s face.

Newt looked up at him, eyes wide with terror. There was no sign of recognition, and Theseus flinched away. Percival rested his hand on Theseus’s shoulder.
“It’s okay…”

Theseus swallowed dryly.
“I want him to see your best legilimens. And I want…I don’t care about America’s laws Perce, he needs to stay with that unicorn for now.”
“I have no intention of separating them.” Percival said firmly. “I can see about getting him talking to the legilimens, but…There’s always a risk that … that he won’t still be in there.” It was painful to admit it, but he couldn’t let Theseus hope only to find that hope shattered.

“He’s in there. He still knows the creatures.” Theseus answered, and then took a deep breath. “I… I think I should be there when the legilimens interviews him.”
“It’s your choice.” Percival answered. “But you might find it easier to see him after? The woman we have working with him, she’s the best that MACUSA has got. Sister of one of my junior aurors. He’ll be safe with her and I don’t want him to feel crowded.”

For a moment, he thought that Theseus would argue, but instead he nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a faded grey and yellow scarf, which he charmed to full size. He leaned in and placed it around Newt’s neck. Newt reached up, touching the fabric and smiling a little. Theseus stepped away and walked from the room, not glancing back. When Percival caught up with him, he was desperately blinking back tears.

“Promise me. Whoever did this to him, you’re going to make them pay.” Theseus muttered, his voice edged with anger far sharper than anything Percival had heard from his friend before. He paused only a moment before he nodded.
“I will make sure they don’t do this to anyone else.” Percival sighed. “Did you get permission to stay?”
“Not for long.” Theseus muttered. “I don’t want to go back but I’m lucky to have been granted permission at such short notice.”
“I’ll make up a guest room for you at mine. That way if you can stay for longer you don’t need to worry about a hotel-“
“Thank you.” The pain and sadness in Theseus’s eyes was obvious. But he still managed a smile. “You brought my baby brother back to me. Thank you.”

“I should see about getting the legilimens to speak to him.” Percival said after a moment. “Healer Bernard Kettering is the one in charge of this case, if you want to talk to someone about how he was found. But I have to warn you, it wasn’t pleasant.”

“Nor are the thoughts that have stopped me sleeping peacefully for two years.” Theseus answered after a moment. “I would rather know than not.” Once Theseus had gone to speak to the Healer, Percival sent a note to summon Goldstein Junior.

She arrived quickly, her eyes a little damp.
“Hello Director.”
“Are you alright?” He asked her, a little startled that she had turned up crying.
“Oh, I’m fine, I just…I passed this man on the way here, and he’s worried about his brother, it was all… well, the important thing is that I’m here now, and you think I can help.”

“Goldstein.” Percival reprimanded her. “You’re not meant to be reading my mind. The man is Newt, bowtruckle is Pickett, his brother is Theseus. Theseus is one of the top British aurors, and Newt worked with dragons in the war and studies creatures. He was a Hufflepuff. Will that be enough for a scaffolding?”
“I’ll try my best sir. But he is very damaged.” Goldstein Junior answered, before heading in. She smiled so brightly Percival almost missed her flinch of pain.

“Hello there Pickett.” She began, addressing the creature. That seemed to be sufficient to encourage Newt to glance up towards her. “Hello Newt. My name is Queenie, and I need to see if I can help you. I’m a legilimens. With your permission Newt, I would like to look inside your mind and see what I can do to help.”

There was a pause, during which Percival thought he would get no response, before finally the man nodded and closed his eyes.
“Thank you.” Goldstein Junior smiled and sat down in the chair beside him, reaching for his hand.

Percival went to guard the door.