Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (20 page)

LETA (V.O.)

Irma was to pose as a grandmother with two grandchildren . . .

The lights suddenly flicker on and off—CHILD LETA hasn’t moved, she is still looking at the screaming BABY CORVUS.

LETA (V.O.)

Corvus never stopped crying.

In the background there is a commotion as figures run along the corridor outside the door. As CHILD LETA approaches BABY CORVUS, who continues to cry, IRMA wakes. She goes
to investigate the fuss and noise in the corridor.

LETA (V.O.)

I never wanted to hurt him.

CHILD LETA is transfixed by the baby.

LETA (V.O.)

I only wanted to be free of him. Just for a moment . . .

SCENE 107

INT. SHIP’S CORRIDOR—1901—NIGHT

The door of the opposite cabin is ajar. BABY CREDENCE is inside, fast asleep. CHILD LETA slips inside. She swaps the babies.

LETA (V.O.)

Just a single moment.

SCENE 108

INT. SHIP’S CABIN—1901—NIGHT

CHILD LETA enters with BABY CREDENCE.

IRMA

Give him to me!

The ship lurches again. IRMA snatches BABY CREDENCE, not noticing the switch amid the confusion. The cabin door bangs open to reveal a dark-haired young woman wearing a
nightdress and life jacket.

CREDENCE’S AUNT

Irma? They want us to put on life jackets!

She slips and slides into her own cabin and picks up BABY CORVUS, also not realizing the babies have been switched.

SCENE 109

EXT. LIFEBOAT—1901—NIGHT

CHILD LETA, IRMA, and BABY CREDENCE are in one boat, CREDENCE’S AUNT and BABY CORVUS in another.

A huge wave is approaching. CHILD LETA watches as the lifeboat bearing CREDENCE’S AUNT and BABY CORVUS is overturned.

CLOSE ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. A few survivors reappear, including CREDENCE’S AUNT, but not BABY CORVUS . . . CREDENCE’S AUNT pulls off her
life jacket so she can dive too . . .

She does not reemerge. We close in through the surface of the water, past the drowning woman, and see the dark shape of a drowning baby trailing bubbles of magical light as
he sinks . . . and his figure becomes . . .

SCENE 110

INT. LESTRANGE MAUSOLEUM—NIGHT

. . . the drowning baby falling through sea-green light, hanging in the air in the mausoleum. LETA has conjured it. It has haunted her all her life and now she shows it to
them.

The orchid representing LETA on the Lestrange family tree twists around the branch labeled
CORVUS LESTRANGE
until the leaves wither and
die.

NEWT

You didn’t mean to do it, Leta. So it wasn’t your fault.

LETA

Oh, Newt. You never met a monster you couldn’t love.

A long look between them, a look full of memories.

TINA

Leta, do you know who Credence really is? Did you know, when you swapped them?

LETA

No.

CREDENCE reacts.

An opening suddenly appears in the wall of the mausoleum. All stare at the steps leading down into the earth. The sound of a gigantic crowd rumbles beneath them.

JACOB

Queenie?

Before anyone can stop him, he runs down the steps. NEWT and TINA dash after him. LETA looks at KAMA, then follows NEWT.

KAMA hurries after her.

SCENE 111

INT. UNDERGROUND AMPHITHEATER—NIGHT

JACOB steps out of the narrow staircase into an underground amphitheater and is confronted by a terrifying sight.

Thousands of witches and wizards mill around, some already seated on stone benches. The atmosphere is edgy. Some are nervous but curious. Others excited, still others ready
for a fight. Masked ACOLYTES steward the crowd.

ANGLE ON CREDENCE AND NAGINI entering the amphitheater.

Awed and intimidated by the sight, they are swept along in the swell of people moving deeper into the auditorium.

NAGINI tries to hold CREDENCE back.

NAGINI

They’re purebloods. They kill the likes of us for sport!

He carries on walking. NAGINI hesitates, then follows too.

Looking around, JACOB spots a familiar blond head—QUEENIE, being accompanied to a front row seat by an ACOLYTE.

JACOB

(whispers)

Queenie.

He pushes his way into the crowd.

ANGLE ON JACOB running toward QUEENIE.

She turns. Utter delight—

QUEENIE

Jacob! Honey, you’re here! Hi!

She flings her arms around his neck.

QUEENIE

(reading his mind)

Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, I never should have done it, I love you so much—

JACOB

And you know that I love you, right?

QUEENIE

Yeah.

JACOB

Good, now let’s get the hell out of here.

He tries to pull her back the way he came, but she tugs him back.

QUEENIE

(serious)

Oh, wait. Wait a second. I just thought maybe we could hear him first. You know, just listen, that’s all.

JACOB

What are you talking about?

She pulls a confused JACOB into a seat beside her in the front row, clutching his hand. JACOB looks around nervously at all the purebloods.

ANGLE ON NEWT AND TINA.

They are already in the crowd, TINA looking around for those they have followed, but NEWT, perturbed, is starting to see the bigger picture.

TINA

It’s a trap.

NEWT

Yeah. Queenie—the family tree—it’s all been bait.

He looks around. ACOLYTES are moving to cover all the entrances.

TINA

We have to find a way out of here, right now.

NEWT

You go find the others.

TINA

What are you gonna do?

NEWT

I’ll think of something.

He sets off. She moves more slowly into the crowd, looking for JACOB and CREDENCE.

ANGLE ON AN ACOLYTE watching NEWT’S progress.

The lights dim. The crowd begins to cheer.