Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Read online

  The tracking spell materializes as a swirl of gold, which illuminates traces of recent magical activity in the square.

  NEWT

  Accio Niffler!

  The case bursts open and a Niffler jumps out.

  NEWT

  Get looking.

  NEWT climbs onto the case and inspects impressions of creatures revealed in the air, while the now-trained adult Niffler sniffs out clues.

  NEWT

  That’s a Kappa. That’s a Japanese water demon—

  The Niffler sniffs around some shimmering footsteps. The Niffler has found the place where TINA stood in front of the Zouwu.

  NEWT sees a vision of TINA.

  NEWT

  Tina? Tina!

  (to Niffler)

  What have you found?

  He bends down to lick the pavement.

  JACOB

  (glancing around)

  And we’re licking the dirt now.

  NEWT puts his wand to his ear and listens to a terrifying roar. He points his wand to the street.

  NEWT

  Revelio.

  JACOB sees what NEWT is looking at: gigantic paw marks overlaying everything else.

  JACOB

  (intensely worried)

  Newt . . . what made those?

  NEWT

  That is a Zouwu. It’s a Chinese creature. They are incredibly fast and incredibly powerful. They can travel a thousand miles in a day . . . and this one could take you from one part of Paris to the next in a single leap.

  The Niffler sniffs around more shimmering footsteps—another place where TINA stood.

  NEWT

  Oh, good boy.

  (intensely worried)

  Jacob, she was here. Tina stood here. She has incredibly narrow feet, have you noticed?

  JACOB

  Can’t say that I have.

  NEWT sees a vision of KAMA.

  NEWT

  Then someone came towards her.

  NEWT points to a feather from KAMA’S hat, sniffs it, and looks troubled.

  NEWT

  Avenseguim.

  The feather turns like the needle of a compass, pointing the way.

  NEWT

  Follow that feather.

  JACOB

  What?

  NEWT

  Jacob, follow the feather.

  JACOB

  Follow the feather.

  NEWT

  (of the Niffler)

  Where is he? Ah, Accio Niffler.

  The Niffler is carried by the spell back into the case. NEWT takes the case and dashes off.

  JACOB gestures toward the bucket in his hand.

  NEWT

  Let go of the bucket!

  JACOB drops the bucket and chases after NEWT.

  SCENE 49

  EXT. PARIS—DAY

  Establishing shot.

  SCENE 50

  EXT. PLACE DE FURSTEMBERG—MORNING

  QUEENIE approaches the trees in the middle of the square. She coughs. The roots of the trees rise up and form a birdcage elevator around her, which descends into the earth.

  SCENE 51

  INT. MINISTÈRE DES AFFAIRES MAGIQUES, MAIN LEVEL—MORNING

  QUEENIE descends into the beautiful Art Nouveau French Ministry of Magic, its domed ceiling patterned with constellations. QUEENIE approaches reception.

  RECEPTIONIST

  Bienvenue au Ministère des Affaires Magiques.

  QUEENIE

  I’m sorry, I don’t know what you just said at all—

  RECEPTIONIST

  Welcome to the French Ministry of Magic. What is your business, please?

  QUEENIE

  (loudly and slowly)

  I need to speak to Tina Goldstein, she’s an American Auror working on a case here—

  The RECEPTIONIST flicks through a few pages.

  RECEPTIONIST

  We have no Tina Goldstein here.

  QUEENIE

  No, it’s . . . I’m sorry there must be some sort of mistake. See, I know she’s in Paris, she sent me a postcard. I brought it, I can show it to you. Maybe you can help me find her here?

  QUEENIE reaches for her suitcase, which falls open.

  QUEENIE

  It’s just in here. Oh rabbits! If you can just wait one moment! I know it’s in here somewhere. I definitely packed it. Where is it?

  As the RECEPTIONIST gives a Gallic shrug, a genteel ELDERLY LADY crosses into the shot behind QUEENIE. She has a distinctive bag in her hands—we follow her into the elevator—where ROSIER stands waiting. As the doors close, the ELDERLY LADY transforms into ABERNATHY and he pulls out an elaborate box . . .

  SCENE 52

  EXT. PARIS BACK STREET—DAY

  QUEENIE stands sadly on the street, holding an umbrella. Then—a double take—did she just see NEWT and JACOB hurrying from one side street into another?

  JACOB

  Could we at least stop for a coffee, or like a—

  NEWT

  Not now, Jacob.

  JACOB

  I don’t know.

  NEWT

  This way. Come on.

  JACOB

  Pain au chocolat? Half a croissant, or like, a bonbon?

  NEWT

  This way.

  QUEENIE sets off down the street, trotting in her haste to catch up with NEWT and JACOB.

  We follow her, drawing ever closer, as she chooses from a bewildering number of side alleys. So absorbed is she in trying to follow NEWT and JACOB—she can now “hear” JACOB’S thoughts.

  QUEENIE

  (calls aloud, joyful)

  Jacob! Jacob?

  But he has gone. Exhausted and lonely, QUEENIE drops down to the curb in the rain, deafened by the clamor of the thoughts of those in the crowd around her.

  A hand falls onto QUEENIE’S shoulder. She turns, beaming. Her expression turns to puzzlement.

  ROSIER

  Madame? Tout va bien, Madame?

  SCENE 53

  EXT. BIRD MARKET—LATER THAT DAY

  CREDENCE and NAGINI walk into shot, looking around. CREDENCE steals birdseed as he passes a stall.

  GRIMMSON watches them, unnoticed.

  SCENE 54

  EXT. RUE PHILIPPE LORAND—SHORTLY AFTERWARD—DAY

  CREDENCE and NAGINI peer around the corner at the distant Number Eighteen. A light shines in the attic. A shadow moves in front of it.

  CREDENCE

  (scared)

  She’s home.

  Now he is here, he is rooted to the spot. He dare not proceed. NAGINI prizes his hand from behind his back.

  She leads him across the road.

  SCENE 55

  EXT. REAR OF 18 RUE PHILIPPE LORAND—MINUTES LATER—DAY

  A door stands open into the yard. They slide through it into a servants’ passageway. NAGINI’S nostrils flare. Her eyes dart around. There is something wrong. They proceed toward the stairs.

  SCENE 56

  INT. 18 RUE PHILIPPE LORAND, LANDING OUTSIDE MAID’S ROOM—DAY

  CREDENCE and NAGINI reach the landing. A door stands ajar. A shadow cast by lamplight: what seems to be a woman, sewing. The shadow pauses in its work. NAGINI is edgy, nervous, looking around.

  IRMA (O.S.)

  Qui est là?

  CREDENCE can neither move nor speak. NAGINI realizes this.

  NAGINI

  C’est votre fils, madame.

  She takes CREDENCE’S hand and pulls him gently into the room. Mended and freshly washed clothing hang from racks on the ceiling. They can see the shadow of a woman. NAGINI’S senses are hyperalert. She can smell danger. The shadow stands.

  IRMA

  Qui êtes-vous?

  CREDENCE

  (whispers, terrified)

  Are you Irma? Are you . . . ? Are you Irma Dugard?

  No response. They move through the hanging fabric toward her.

  CREDENCE

  I’m sorry. Your name is on my adoption paper. Does this make sense? You gave me to Mrs. Barebone i
n New York.

  A beat.

  A tiny hand pushes the last piece of fabric aside. There stands IRMA: half-elf, half-human. CREDENCE’S face reveals confusion, awful disappointment.

  IRMA

  (to CREDENCE)

  I am not your mother. I was only a servant.

  (smiling)

  You were such a beautiful baby. And you are a beautiful man. I have missed you.

  ANGLE ON GRIMMSON, watching them from a doorway.

  CREDENCE

  Why didn’t they want me? But why is your name on my adoption paper?

  IRMA

  I took you to Mrs. Barebone because she was supposed to look after you.

  NAGINI’S fear is increasing.

  ANGLE ON THE DARK WALL BEHIND SWATHES OF FABRIC.

  The perfectly camouflaged GRIMMSON emerges from the wall, raises his wand, aims for the silhouetted figures, and dispatches a Killing Curse that sears through the sheets and clothing, leaving smoldering holes. We hear a body fall. NAGINI screams. CREDENCE’S shadow has vanished.

  Grinning, certain of triumph, GRIMMSON slashes away the smoking fabric until he stands facing—

  IRMA, dead on the floor, and NAGINI, who backs away from him. Slowly, his grin fading, GRIMMSON looks up at the ceiling. The Obscurus is swirling there like thick black smoke.

  In a flash, GRIMMSON conjures a domed Shield Charm around himself and IRMA’S body.

  And the Obscurus dives, pelting the Shield Charm like a million bullets, rising and re-forming and diving again, but though the magical barrier trembles, it is not broken.

  Now the Obscurus expands in fury, smashing apart the attic like a tornado.

  GRIMMSON smiles up at the Obscurus: We’ll meet again. He Disapparates.

  Mingling with the debris of the destroyed attic, the Obscurus slams inward and CREDENCE re-forms. He stands looking down at the tiny body.

  SCENE 57

  EXT. ALLEYWAY—AFTERNOON

  Fresh from IRMA’S murder, GRIMMSON stands in a covered alleyway beneath a bridge over the Seine. GRINDELWALD appears.

  GRIMMSON

  She’s dead.

  GRINDELWALD walks toward him and halts when they are face-to-face.

  GRINDELWALD

  How did the boy take it?

  GRIMMSON

  (shrugging)

  He’s sensitive. The Ministry won’t be happy when I tell them I’ve missed. They know my reputation.

  GRINDELWALD

  Listen to me. The disapproval of cowards is praise to the brave. Your name will be written in glory when wizards rule the world. And the clock is ticking faster. You watch over Credence. Keep him safe. For the greater good.

  GRIMMSON

  For the greater good.

  SCENE 58

  EXT. PARISIAN CAFÉ—EVENING

  A pair of lovers sit over coffee. NEWT is scanning every man who leaves the café, checking the reaction of the feather trapped beneath the glass. JACOB stares at the lovers.

  JACOB

  You know what I miss about Queenie? Everything. I even miss the stuff that drove me nuts. Like the mind reading . . .

  (he notices NEWT’S inattention)

  . . . I was lucky to have someone like her even interested in anything I thought. You know what I mean?

  A beat.

  NEWT

  Sorry?

  JACOB

  I was saying, you’re sure the guy is here that we’re looking for?

  NEWT

  Definitely. The feather says so.

  SCENE 59

  INT. PARISIAN CAFÉ, BATHROOM—EVENING

  A cramped and dirty bathroom. KAMA stares into the mirror, his featherless fedora perched on the tap. Suddenly his face twitches. He raises his bandaged hand to his eye and rubs it, shaking his head. He removes his hand and stares at his reflection. We close in. A tiny tentacle is visible at the corner of his eye. He whimpers in distress and gropes in his suit pocket for a small bottle of bright green liquid, which he drops into his eye with a dropper.

  Another whimper of pain as the tentacle withdraws. He looks at his reflection. It seems normal. He puts his hat back on and leaves.

  SCENE 60

  INT. PARISIAN CAFÉ—EVENING

  KAMA leaves the café. The feather points at him. NEWT lets it out and it flies to KAMA’S hat.

  JACOB

  Is that the guy we’re looking for?

  NEWT

  Yes.

  NEWT and JACOB jump up to confront him.

  NEWT

  (to KAMA)

  Er—bonjour. Bonjour, monsieur.

  KAMA makes to carry on walking, ignoring NEWT.

  NEWT

  Oh wait, no, sorry. We were . . . we were actually just wondering if you’d come across a friend of ours?

  JACOB

  Tina Goldstein.

  KAMA

  Monsieur, Paris is a large city.

  NEWT

  She’s an Auror. When Aurors go missing, the Ministry tend to come looking, so . . . No, now I suppose it would probably be better if we just report her absence—

  KAMA

  (deciding)

  She is tall? Dark? Rather—

  JACOB

  —intense?

  NEWT

  —beautiful—

  JACOB

  (hasty, off NEWT’S look)

  —Yeah, what I meant to say—she’s very—very pretty—

  NEWT

  She’s intense too.

  KAMA

  I think I saw someone like this last night. Perhaps if I showed you where?

  NEWT

  If you wouldn’t mind. That would be lovely.

  KAMA

  Sure.

  SCENE 61

  INT. KAMA’S HIDEOUT—EVENING

  The interior of KAMA’S hideout is pitch black. The sound of water dripping. A brief shaft of sunlight reveals TINA, sleeping lightly on the floor in her coat.

  NEWT

  Tina?

  She wakes. A moment as NEWT and TINA stare at each other. Each has thought of the other daily for a year. With no sign of KAMA, it seems she has been rescued.

  TINA

  (joyful, disbelieving)

  Newt!

  TINA notices KAMA entering in the background and raising his wand. Her expression changes.

  KAMA

  Expelliarmus!

  NEWT’S wand flies out of his hand into KAMA’S. Bars form across the door, imprisoning them.

  KAMA

  (through the door)

  My apologies, Mr. Scamander! I shall return and release you when Credence is dead!

  TINA

  Kama, wait!

  KAMA

  You see, either he dies . . . or I do.

  He claps a hand to his eye.

  KAMA

  No, no, no, no. Oh no. No, no, no.

  He jerks convulsively and slides to the floor, unconscious.

  NEWT

  Well, that’s not the best start to a rescue attempt.

  TINA

  This was a rescue attempt? You’ve just lost me my only lead.

  JACOB launches for the door, trying to break it down.

  NEWT

  (innocent)

  Well, how was the interrogation going before we turned up?

  TINA throws him a dark look. She strides to the back of the cave.

  Pickett, who, unnoticed, has hopped out of NEWT’S pocket, successfully picks the lock, and the bars swing open.

  JACOB

  Newt!

  NEWT

  Well done, Pick.

  (to TINA)

  You need this man, you say?

  TINA

  Yeah. I think this man knows where Credence is, Mr. Scamander.

  As they bend over the unconscious KAMA, they hear an earth-shattering roar from somewhere above them. They look at each other.

  NEWT

  Well, that’ll be the Zouwu.

  NEWT grabs his wand and Disapparates.

  SCENE 62
>
  EXT. PARISIAN BRIDGE—NIGHT

  In the middle of the bridge is the Zouwu, terrified and lethal. It is too badly hurt to keep running, but it is swiping at passersby, who are screaming and running out of the way. Cars screech to a halt.

  NEWT Apparates in the middle of the bridge, fifty yards from the Zouwu, holding his case. A second later, TINA Apparates too, holding JACOB’S arm. JACOB is sagging under the weight of the unconscious KAMA.

  JACOB

  (calls)

  Newt, get out of there!

  NEWT stoops down slowly and opens his case. The Zouwu snarls, crouches, and begins to advance on NEWT.

  Very slowly, so as not to alarm the Zouwu, NEWT lowers his arm into the case, feeling for something. It takes him longer than he expected. Frowning, he reaches deeper inside. The Zouwu advances. It bares its teeth.

  NEWT has found what he was looking for. He raises his arm. He is holding a fluffy toy bird on a stick and rope.

  A beat. The Zouwu’s eyes start to follow the bird.

  The Zouwu’s tail twitches. It crouches lower than ever. Then, with a sudden bound, it soars through the air toward NEWT. Screams from the onlookers—NEWT will surely be crushed—

  But at the last moment he lets the bird fall into the case and the Zouwu sails after it in a flash of rainbow color, python tail flailing and—WHAM—NEWT slams the lid shut.

  Uproar from the crowd, sirens approaching, police cars converging on the bridge. FLAMEL’S card flies up out of NEWT’S pocket.

  TINA and JACOB, still carrying KAMA, run toward NEWT, and all four Disapparate.

  SCENE 63

  EXT. HOGWARTS—DAY

  An ominous procession of AURORS marches up the drive toward the castle, among them, THESEUS and LETA.

  CLOSE ON AN UPPER WINDOW. STUDENTS staring down at the strangers, nudging one another. The AURORS enter the school.

  SCENE 64

  INT. DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASSROOM—DAY

  DUMBLEDORE is teaching. A space in the middle of the room, all students enjoying the spectacle. A large boy—MCCLAGGAN—is braced for attack, his robes covered in dust, his tie knotted around his ear. He and DUMBLEDORE circle each other.

  DUMBLEDORE

  What were the three biggest mistakes that you made last time?

  MCCLAGGAN

  Caught by surprise, sir.

  DUMBLEDORE

  What else?