The antenna retreats down and a giant, scorpion-like tail plunges into the now-dark cell, retrieving the cocooned body that’s in there and pulls it down into the pit below. A beat. Then:

  The body is CATAPULTED back up from the darkness, landing with a SLOPPY THUD feet away. Newt raises his lantern to reveal it’s been disemboweled, food now for the horde of Manticores that tumble over to feast. Newt grabs his moment and sidles into the cell, clawing away at the fibrous yarn encasing Theseus’s ankles.

  Newt claws the last remaining strands, and Theseus drops to the ground.

  THESEUS (CONT’D)

  Well done.

  The brothers step out of the cell to face a further ocean of Manticores, blocking their exit.

  THESEUS (CONT’D)

  And the plan is?

  NEWT

  Hold this.

  He passes his lantern to Theseus. He cups his hands and emits an ODD WHISTLE akin to a whippoorwill.

  Newt is not a social animal. He is much more at ease with his creatures. He’s not inherently someone that’s good at being part of the system and he didn’t really fit in at school. In fact, he ended up being thrown out! Whereas Theseus is very much the schoolboy hero who’s gone into a life within the Ministry, was a war hero himself, and has a physical authority and a facility with people that Newt just doesn’t have. So they’re sort of chalk and cheese and yet because in this movie they have to work together they begin to realize that actually they complement each other quite well.

  — EDDIE REDMAYNE

  (Newt Scamander)

  57 INT. ERKSTAG PRISON—SAME TIME—NIGHT

  As the Warder SNORES, feet up, Pickett unlocks the padlock on his cubbyhole and opens the door.

  58 INT. ERKSTAG—SAME TIME—NIGHT

  THESEUS

  What the bloody hell was that for?

  NEWT

  We’re going to need some help.

  Newt strikes a BALLETIC limbic mimicry pose. The baby Manticores immediately copy him.

  NEWT (CONT’D)

  Follow me.

  (a beat)

  Come on.

  Theseus assumes the same position, and Newt and Theseus start to shuffle away.

  NEWT (CONT’D)

  You’re not swiveling properly. Swivel, swivel, but delicately.

  THESEUS

  I’m swiveling like you’re swiveling, Newt.

  NEWT

  I don’t believe you are.

  Between them, a second LAMP outside a cell entrance goes out, and the tail comes up and takes another body.

  After a beat, it too is deposited sloppily at their feet. Theseus and Newt share a look.

  THESEUS

  Swivel.

  In the Erkstag sequence, the whole thing is lit by these lanterns that each contain a glow-fly. And the story is that the Manticore really doesn’t like those bugs, so they’re hung outside everybody’s cell. When a lantern goes out, the Manticore attacks. So as soon as you see your bug die, you know you’re dead, because the Manticore will come and skewer you.

  — CHRISTIAN MANZ

  (Visual Effects)

  59 INT. GRAND HALL—GERMAN MINISTRY—NIGHT

  Queenie sits quietly. A TEAR trickles from her eye, tracking down the side of her face no one at the table can see.

  Across the room, Jacob stares intently at her. We HOLD on them, lost in each other, the surrounding world irrelevant and fading, until . . .

  GRINDELWALD

  Go to him.

  Queenie jumps, finds Grindelwald leaning close. He nods over her shoulder to where Credence lingers near the entrance. Queenie rises . . .

  GRINDELWALD (CONT’D)

  Queenie. Tell him it’s all right. I can see he’s failed. He’ll have another chance. It’s his loyalty I most value.

  Grindelwald’s eyes are locked on hers. She nods and, disengaging from him, heads off.

  NEW ANGLE—LALLY

  Lally watches Queenie cross the room. Jacob stands as she passes by, but Queenie, steeling herself—we can see it’s hard for her now—blanks him again. Jacob, crushed, sits once more.

  Lally looks over to Grindelwald. Rosier enters the room with the Dark-Eyed Waiter. The Dark-Eyed Waiter pauses, then moves toward Santos’s table.

  Lally starts to track the Dark-Eyed Waiter’s journey across the room with a glass of ruby-red liquid. Tossing her napkin down, Lally rises and turns to Jacob as she goes.

  LALLY

  Stay here.

  Jacob gulps another glass of wine.

  Lally pushes past waiters and picks her way through busboys.

  LALLY (CONT’D)

  Apologies.

  Lally watches the Dark-Eyed Waiter draw closer to Santos . . .

  . . . the Dark-Eyed Waiter leans over Santos, setting the glass down. Lally approaches but is stopped by two bodyguards.

  JACOB

  Oh boy . . .

  Jacob approaches Grindelwald’s table like a man on a swaying ship.

  As Santos raises her glass, the ruby-red liquid rises into the air menacingly. Lally discreetly sends a spell, and the liquid hovering above Santos’s glass zooms down the high table and hits a door, corroding the wood.

  As Jacob arrives at the table, Grindelwald, only just now aware of him, eyes him mildly.

  JACOB

  Let her go.

  GRINDELWALD

  Excuse me?

  Jacob draws his wand.

  NORWEGIAN MINISTER

  Assassin!

  Lally turns, looking back in disbelief as Jacob now holds up both hands.

  WHOOSH! Lally flicks her wand again, and Jacob’s arm holding the wand is thrust vertically into the air. A tornado-like VORTEX consumes the room, as if the contents of the room were tossed in a blender.

  Lally quickly sends another spell, tying the bodyguard’s shoelaces together.

  Guests flee as each and every chandelier is TREMBLING and the draperies are billowing along the wall, the tablecloths are pitching to and fro, and napkins are taking flight like doves.

  A FIGURE can be sensed—a suggestive BLUR—in the distance beyond. As Jacob’s eyes adjust, we RACK FOCUS and see the FIGURE is . . .

  Queenie.

  She stands much like him, still amidst the chaos, staring at him. Their eyes lock. . .

  . . . as Queenie begins to slip from view, pulled on by Kama.

  Helmut and his Aurors enter the room.

  Queenie, just before vanishing, FLICKS her own wand and sends a chair careening toward Helmut, temporarily obscuring his view of Jacob.

  Lally pulls out her book and flips it into the air. She drops a chandelier on Helmut and his Aurors as the pages cascade forth, causing a series of steps to appear. Jacob turns and takes them at pace as Lally rushes toward him on the pages, firing spells at the Aurors.

  Helmut shoots a fiery blast, setting the steps alight as Jacob rushes toward Lally. WHOOSH! They are sucked into the book.

  60 INT. ERKSTAG PRISON—SAME TIME—NIGHT

  The Warder SNORTS, his chair tipping backward. Teddy—one end of the glittering necktie clenched in his teeth—skates forward, the pads of his tiny feet SQUEAKING across the surface of the desk.

  Above, Pickett precariously balances on the edge of one of the cubbyholes, trying to retrieve Newt’s wand.

  BELOW, as the Warder wakes, the chair steadies. Then . . .

  It falls back as the knot in the tie is finally pulled undone and the Warder crashes like a tree that’s been felled, SMASHING into the cubbyholes and launching Pickett forward.

  Teddy leaps up, ignoring Pickett in midair, and grabs some falling coins before crashing to the ground.

  The WHISTLE echoes again.

  61 INT. CELLBLOCK—ERKSTAG—SAME TIME—NIGHT

  The lamplight in Theseus’s hand is frittering in and out. We hear a crunch, and Theseus stops.

  The baby Manticores suddenly pause, staring. Theseus looks down and slowly, delicately, lifts his right foot, under which we see a squashed baby Manticore.

  He looks at Newt.

  In that instant, the light in Theseus’s lamp fizzles out, plunging them both into darkness and sending the baby Manticores running away.

  The HUGE tail lifts up, starts to recoil to strike.

  As one, the brothers bolt, the tail smashing into the cell walls feet away from them.

  Newt and Theseus race through corridors, the Manticore’s tail and antennae whipping, SNAKING, smashing, and sending fiery bolts after them, followed by the GIANT MANTICORE itself, squeezing through crevices, close in pursuit.

  Theseus swings right and races precariously along a ledge as the Manticore ferociously bears down upon him. Eyes, claws, limbs of the beast flail toward him, before Theseus trips left, just avoiding the limb that has almost skewered him.

  Newt and Theseus reunite and rush forward as the ceiling collapses behind them, trapping the Giant Manticore.

  Theseus breathes a sigh of relief just before one of the Manticore’s antennae snakes around his waist and drags him away. Newt desperately follows, grabbing at his brother.

  Racing toward them is Teddy—Theseus’s tie clenched in his teeth, Pickett riding atop like a cowboy—carrying Newt’s wand. The Warder fires spells after them before hitting Teddy and causing Pickett to be jettisoned forward into the air with Newt’s wand.

  Newt holds on to Theseus as he is pulled toward the edge of the pit by the Giant Manticore. Pickett lands at his feet with his wand.

  Newt sees him, retrieves his wand, and Pickett quickly grabs hold. Newt casts a spell toward Teddy . . .

  NEWT

  Accio!

  . . . who is lifted into the air and tumbles toward them.

  NEWT (CONT’D)

  Grab the tie!

  They begin to tumble into the pit.

  . . . And they are gone.

  The Warder chuckles to himself until his lamp starts to flicker and extinguish. He looks out in alarm into the inky darkness.

  62 EXT. WOODED AREA—CONTINUOUS—NEXT MORNING

  Newt and Theseus crash down through a thicket and land heavily on mossy ground. Covered in leaves, they rise, still holding hands.

  Theseus pushes the Manticore antennae from his waist. It slithers toward the lake.

  NEWT

  That was a Portkey.

  Theseus hands Teddy, still clinging to the tie, to Newt.

  THESEUS

  Yeah.

  NEWT

  (to Pickett and Teddy)

  Well done, you two.

  Newt and Theseus emerge from the trees and look across a shimmering lake. A CASTLE rises beyond. Teddy and Pickett peer out of Newt’s pocket. Pickett COOS with delight.

  Hogwarts.

  Above the castle, a QUIDDITCH PLAYER pursues a GOLDEN SNITCH.

  63 INT. GREAT HALL—HOGWARTS—MOMENTS LATER—MORNING

  Lally sits with a few students finishing breakfast.

  LALLY

  Not that either of you asked but I would highly recommend learning charms.

  Newt and Theseus walk in.

  NEWT

  Lally.

  LALLY

  What kept you two?

  HOGWARTS EXTERIOR LOCATION RENDERING

  NEWT

  We encountered some complications. And you?

  LALLY

  We encountered some complications.

  She hands Newt the Daily Prophet. Theseus peers over Newt’s shoulder. On the front page is a PHOTOGRAPH of Grindelwald and Jacob under a SCREAMING HEADLINE:

  MURDEROUS MUGGLE!

  THESEUS

  Jacob tried to murder Grindelwald?

  LALLY

  It’s . . . a long story.

  Jacob sits at a House table with a group of students. He is showing them his wand.

  REDHEADED RAVENCLAW

  Is it really snakewood?

  JACOB

  Yes, it’s really snakewood.

  PRELIMINARY GRAPHIC FOR THE DAILY PROPHET, WITH SPACE LEFT FOR MOVING PHOTOGRAPH OF JACOB KOWALSKI

  A TINY SECOND YEAR WITCH leans close.

  TINY WITCH

  Can I . . . ?

  She begins to reach out toward the wand.

  JACOB

  Uh-uh. It’s very dangerous—it’s very powerful. It’s rare, if it got in the wrong hands—you know, it could mess you up.

  WITCH

  Where did you get it?

  JACOB

  I got it for Christmas.

  LALLY (O.S.)

  Jacob! Look who I found.

  Jacob turns to see Lally, Newt, and Theseus.

  JACOB

  Hey! It’s my wizard friends.

  (to the kids)

  Newt and Theseus. We’re like this.

  HUFFLEPUFF NOTEBOOK COVER DESIGN

  Jacob crosses his middle and forefinger and sticks out his thumb.

  JACOB (CONT’D)

  And that’s me right there. I gotta go. All right, have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.

  As Jacob and the others come together.

  JACOB (CONT’D)

  Can you believe this place, they got pint-sized witches and wizards running around here.

  THESEUS

  Uh. You don’t say?

  JACOB

  (to Newt)

  I was the assassin.

  LALLY

  Newt and Theseus both went to Hogwarts.

  JACOB

  Oh. I knew that. Well, they’re being very nice to me. The Slytherin boys over there, they gave me these. They’re delicious, who wants one?

  Jacob takes a packet from his pocket and tips a DARK CLUMP into his mouth, offers it to the others.

  NEWT

  I never cared for cockroach clusters much myself. Though Honeydukes are supposed to be the best.

  As Jacob blanches, a COLLECTIVE BURST OF LAUGHTER rises from the Slytherins. They proceed to the back of the Hall. The others turn to see McGonagall, who ushers students away. Dumbledore approaches.

  THESEUS

  McGonagall. Albus.

  DUMBLEDORE

  Well done. All of you. Well done. Congratulations.

  THESEUS

  Congratulations?

  I think Hogwarts is the place that Dumbledore feels most at home. It’s his sanctuary from the world.

  — JUDE LAW

  (Albus Dumbledore)

  In this film, Dumbledore is looking a little more refined than we’ve seen him previously, particularly with regard to materials and fabrics. The tweediness of his costumes conveys the idea of luxury and comfort, and the very soft grays hearken to the lavender that he wears later in the Potter films.

  — COLLEEN ATWOOD

  (Costume Designer)

  ALBUS DUMBLEDORE COSTUME SKETCH

  PRELIMINARY GRAPHIC FOR TRANSFIGURATION TODAY FRONT PAGE

  DUMBLEDORE

  Indeed. Professor Hicks managed to foil an assassination. And you are alive, and you are well. The fact that everything did not go precisely to plan, was precisely the plan.

  LALLY

  Countersight 101.

  THESEUS

  Albus. Forgive me, but aren’t we back where we started?

  DUMBLEDORE

  Actually, I would argue that things are a great deal worse.

  (to Lally)

  You haven’t told them, have you?

  Theseus and Newt turn to Lally.

  LALLY

  Grindelwald has been allowed to stand in the election.

  THESEUS/NEWT

  What! How?

  DUMBLEDORE

  Because Vogel chose easy over right.

  Dumbledore sweeps his wand into the air, etching together IMAGES of hand-drawn MOUNTAINS and VALLEYS as though he were a street artist. The images start to MATERIALIZE out of smoke all around them and then slowly transform into a beautiful landscape. The others stare up in wonder.

  Jacob looks around, disoriented.

  THESEUS

  It’s all right.

  NEWT

  Bhutan.

  DUMBLEDORE

  Correct. Three points to Hufflepuff. The kingdom of Bhutan sits high in the Eastern Himalayas. It’s a place of indescribable beauty. Some of our most important magic has its origins there. They say if you listen carefully enough, the past whispers to you. It also happens to be where the election will be held.

  CLOUDS form under the Hall’s ceiling. Amidst them an EYRIE can be glimpsed, visible one moment, gone the next.

  THESEUS

  He can’t win, can he?

  DUMBLEDORE

  Only a few days ago he was a fugitive from justice. Now he’s an official candidate in the International Confederation of Wizards. Dangerous times favor dangerous men.

  Dumbledore turns and begins to make his way back down the Great Hall. The image of Bhutan begins to fade away into smoke behind him.

  The others stare after him.

  DUMBLEDORE (CONT’D)

  And by the way, we’ll be dining with my brother in the village. Should you need anything before then, Minerva is here.

  As Dumbledore exits, Lally leans in, speaks quietly.

  LALLY

  Dumbledore has a brother?

  64 INT. HOG’S HEAD—LATER—NIGHT

  Aberforth offers the Qilin a saucer of milk. Instantly, the Qilin perks up, making all manner of happy sounds as it leans over and slurps. Bunty looks on.

  Just then, the front door RATTLES and the rush of wind and scatterings of snow sail into the pub. The sound of VOICES and the STAMPING OF BOOTS precedes the entrance of Dumbledore, Newt, Theseus, Lally, and Jacob.