Modesty Barebone

"My momma, your momma, gonna catch a witch, My momma, your momma, flying on a switch, My momma, your momma, witches never cry, My momma, your momma, witches gonna die! Witch number one, drown in a river! Witch number two, gotta noose to give her! Witch number three, gonna watch her burn, Witch number four, flogging take a turn."

- Modesty singing anti-witchcraft rhymes Modesty Barebone (b. 1918 ) was an American girl who lived during the 20th century. She was the adopted daughter of Mary Lou Barebone. Mary Lou was the leader of the New Salem Philanthropic Society, a No-Maj anti-witchcraft group. Modesty was the youngest of three adopted siblings. Her older siblings were Credence and Chastity Barebone.

Early life
"Ma adopted Modesty out of here. From a family of twelve. She still misses her brothers and sisters. She still talks about them."

- Credence regarding Modesty's early life

Modesty was born around 1918 in the United States. She lived in a tenement in the Bronx with her mother, father, and nine siblings. However, she was adopted by No-Maj, anti-witchcraft activist Mary Lou Barebone. It is possible that her parents put her up for adoption because they had more children than they could care for. She deeply missed her brothers and sisters and would often talk about them to her older adoptive brother Credence.

Life


Under Mary Lou's rules, Modesty spent much of her time singing anti-witchcraft rhymes while playing hopscotch. A precocious child, Modesty learned to hide disobedient behaviour from her strict mother, as she was aware of the abusive treatment that her older brother, Credence, received. Out of sight of her mother (and her similarly zealous older adoptive sister) Chastity, she rebelliously threw away New Salem Philanthropic Society leaflets.

Langdon Shaw, a believer in magic. Brought Modesty and her family to his father Henry Shaw Senior's office. Mary Lou asks Henry Shaw for support, asking if he could mention in his newspaper about a weird dark mass in New York to warn other people about that danger of witchcraft. But Henry Shaw refused, sending Modesty and her family away. When Modesty her brother Credence drops his leaflet. He becomes offended by Henry Shaw's his other son, the Senator who called him a freak. Modesty took protective her brother's hand and leave the office with her family.



On 7 December 1926, Credence went into Modesty's room and found a toy wand under her bed. Modesty arrived and protested the it was just a toy, but as they argued Mary Lou entered and was appalled to see what Credence was holding. As Credence removed his belt so his adoptive mother could punish him again, Modesty confessed saying the wand was hers. Suddenly, the belt whipped out of Mary Lou's grasp, injuring her hand. As she went to pick it up, it was magically flung away.

Turning to confront the children, Mary Lou was attacked by an Obscurus, flung against the rafters of the chapel and fell dead with tell-tale scratches covering her face.



Terrified of the incident, Modesty ran away to her old childhood home to hide. With the help of Credence, Gellert Grindelwald in disguise as Percival Graves found her, believing her to be the Obscurial he was after. Graves found Modesty hiding in a corner, shaking, terrified, and confused, whimpering at the sound of Credence's name. When Graves said to Modesty that she must come out, an opening in the walls broke open revealing Credence to be the true Obscurial. Confronting Graves for his betrayal, Credence quickly lost control of his power and became a fully corporeal Obscurus flying away with Graves following, leaving Modesty all alone once more.

Personality and traits
"A bleak room. A single bed, an oil lamp, a sampler on the wall: AN ALPHABET OF SIN. Modesty’s dolls lined up on a shelf. One with a little noose around its neck, another tied to a stake."

- Modesty her room

Modesty was described as a "haunted" girl with "inner strength and stillness." She also possessed an ability to see into people's psyches and understand them.

A bit precocious Modesty knows what she should and should no to do according to her strict mother, Mary Lou. But sometimes Modesty feels compelled to do against her mother. Modesty manages to hide her disobedience from her strict mother, aware what happens to her brother Credence.

Modesty is extremly rebellious, breaking sometimes the rules behind her mother's back. As revange for her mothers evil wrath and unloving behavior. Such as leaving the church to throw the Second Salemers leaflets into the four winds when her older sister Chastity said to not dump the leaflets before she left the church.

Modesty likes to play her favoriete game of hopscoth, while she sings anti-witchcraft rhymes. She also had to memorize several religious verses, poems, and other forms of anti-magical media at her mother request as nothing else would have made Momma happier than to save the souls of children with magical ancestry.

In public, Modesty her eyes are twinkeling. She becomes easly curious in crowds about things and people around her, and looks curious at them in silence. Modesty is wellmanered (probably by Mary Lou's strict upbringing). But given the occasion in which someone publicly snubs her or a member of her family, she will merely glare silently, but not prove herself to be a threat to them.

Modesty doesn't show that she is hurt or sad, only to people who she trust. Emotionally, she is much closer to her brother Credence who listens to her heart about her siblings who she really misses.

While Modesty doesn't say much, she is the bravest of the household. She is determined and has strong perseverance. Modesty has the courage to fight and to defend herself or others to say what she thinks. She doesn't give up. How hard it is, Modesty tried to see the things positive.

Modesty posses an ability to see into people's psyches and understand them, protective of those who also receive unloving treatment from others and knows how he or she is feeling, especially her brother Credence.

Behind the scenes

 * Modesty Barebone is portrayed by Faith Wood-Blagrove in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
 * It is very likely that Modesty is a No-Maj
 * It's confirmed by the directors that Modesty wouldn't appear in Fantastic Beasts 2 http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2016/11/08/davids-yates-heyman-spill-fantastic-beasts-secrets-paris-dumbledore-credence/
 * The anti-witchcraft rhyme Modesty repeatedly sings were all references of non-magical people's stereotypes of and against witches, as well as the Salem witch-trials that were designed to "persecute" them with.
 * "Flying on a switch" is a reference to broomstick flying ("switch" was a type of thin stick of wood), a stereotype from the Middle Ages.
 * "Witches never cry" is a reference to the stereotype of witches almost always cackling.
 * "Drown in a river" is a reference to the myth that witches never cross bodies of water.
 * "Gotta noose to give her", "Gonna watch her burn", & "Flogging take a turn" were all references to punishments meted out against suspected witches (i.e. the Medieval Inquisition and their respective autos-da-fé, and the Salem Witch Trials).

Notes and references
Modesty Barebone Modestie Bellebosse Модести Бербон