"I told you not to disobey me! I told you not to disobey me!"
In the dimly lit church, Mary Lou Barebone raised a worn leather belt and brought it down viciously on Credence's outstretched hands. Each strike echoed through the empty sanctuary like a gunshot. Blood welled on his palms, his skin raw and broken, but Mary showed no sign of stopping. Her face was twisted with rage, but underneath that fury was something even more unsettling—glee.
Credence trembled violently under her blows. His face was contorted in fear and silent pain, but not a single word of protest escaped his lips. He had learned long ago that crying out only made things worse.
Suddenly, a calm voice broke through the tense silence.
"I have to say... you're more twisted than I expected."
The sudden interruption startled Mary. She turned with a jolt, stepping back as she spotted the figure stepping into the dim light.
"Who are you?! I'm disciplining my child! This has nothing to do with you. Get out of here right now!" she barked, grabbing a pair of scissors and clutching them to her chest like a weapon.
Carl stepped into the room, unconcerned by her threats. He walked over to Credence, knelt down, and gently took the boy's hands. With a flick of his wand, a soft glow mended the wounds and bruises.
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that I'm taking him away from you," Carl said evenly.
As soon as the words left Carl's mouth, Credence's eyes widened. His head, previously bowed in pain and shame, lifted with a glimmer of astonishment and fragile hope.
Mary narrowed her eyes, her voice turning venomous.
"I knew it. You're one of them. You think you're so special, with your magic tricks and evil blood. The world will hear of this—I'll expose your kind! The world will hunt you down again like they did before!"
Carl's wand twitched slightly.
"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?" he said softly. Then, almost casually: "Imperio."
Mary's eyes glazed over. The scissors dropped from her hands with a clatter.
Carl watched her silently for a few seconds, then turned to Credence.
"Honestly, the Ministry's stance on Muggles like her has always baffled me. They'll imprison a wizard for using a Stunning Spell in self-defense, but someone like Mary? She gets her memory wiped and is sent on her way. And we wonder why Grindelwald has followers."
He looked down at Credence's confused expression and softened his tone.
"You wait here. I'll be back in a moment."
With a sharp crack, Carl disappeared with Mary, only to reappear two minutes later alone. He straightened his coat.
"All taken care of. Come now. It's time I introduced you to the wizarding world."
He reached for Credence's hand. The boy hesitated for a heartbeat, then grasped it.
They Apparated out of the church.
---
They landed in an alley just off Times Square, hidden between flickering neon signs and the roar of traffic.
Credence, pale and shaken, clutched Carl's arm. His eyes darted around in awe.
"W-where are we?"
"New York. The real New York. Not the prison you've been trapped in."
Credence blinked up at him.
"Mr. Graves… aren't we supposed to find that girl you told me about? The one I'm supposed to help you find?"
Carl chuckled. With a wave of his wand and a shimmer of light, his appearance shifted—Percival Graves melted away, revealing Carl's true face.
"About that... I'm not Graves. Never was. I'm Tom Foley . You can call me Mr. Foley if you prefer."
Credence stumbled back in shock.
"What—what is this? Who are you really?"
Carl gave him a patient look.
"This is just magic, Credence. A simple illusion. You'll learn it too, soon enough. But first, there are a few rules we need to establish."
Credence nodded, eyes wide.
"Yes, Mr. Foley. I'll listen. I swear."
"Good. First: Never mention the name 'Percival Graves' to anyone. That man is dead, and impersonating a Ministry official is a serious crime.
Second: Your adoptive mother is dead. As far as anyone knows, you ran away after she died and met me on the streets. I took you in, trained you. You never knew me before that.
Third: We're leaving New York and moving to London. Never talk about your past unless I say it's safe to."
"I can do that! I promise!" Credence said quickly.
Carl smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Then from this day on, you're my student. My apprentice. Let me show you what being a wizard truly means."
---
They walked through a magical stone archway hidden behind a bookstore and entered Magic Street—America's version of Diagon Alley.
Credence's eyes lit up like a child seeing sunlight for the first time. The cobbled street buzzed with wizards and witches dressed in vibrant robes, enchanted signs floated in mid-air, owls hooted from shop windows, and cauldrons stirred themselves behind glass displays.
Carl watched him carefully. Despite Credence's excitement, his posture remained reserved. It was obvious—years of trauma didn't disappear overnight.
They visited a robe shop first, where Credence was fitted with his first formal wizarding robes—a deep navy color with silver embroidery. He stared at himself in the mirror, unable to hide the awe in his eyes.
Next, they stopped at a wand shop. Carl let Credence try several until one—a slender darkwood wand with a dragon heartstring core—sparked in his hand. The moment he held it, a soft hum of power vibrated through his arm. He gasped.
Carl grinned. "That's the one."
They moved on to a sweets stall and tried cauldron cakes, fizzing whizbees, and jelly beans that changed flavor every few seconds. Carl made sure Credence experienced every delight he had once missed himself.
Finally, as twilight fell and the lamps began to glow with magical light, Carl took him to the Tauren Bar, a discreet inn that catered to powerful wizards and international travelers.
As they checked into their room, Credence looked around at the cozy space. For once, he wasn't trembling. His eyes were bright with curiosity. Safe.
Carl watched him silently. He knew there was a long road ahead. The boy was broken, yes—but inside that quiet shell was an Obscurus, a storm of suppressed magic so powerful it could rival even Grindelwald.
If trained properly, Credence would become a wizard the world had never seen.
And Carl intended to be the one to guide him—shaping him into something stronger, freer... maybe even something better.
Because in a world still ruled by secrets, power, and control, Carl had just found his greatest weapon—and maybe, just maybe, a way to change everything.