Newt’s boggart was revealed in the trailer for Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald. What does his deepest fear tell us about his character?

With all the aftermath from the first Fantastic Beasts movie, the wizarding circus, hot Dumbledore, Grindelwald’s crimes, and maybe even a few beasts, Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald is sure to be packed with action from beginning to end.

The official Comic-Con trailer for Fantastic Beasts showed us tons of amazing morsels from the film, but the opening scene was one of the most intriguing. The trailer could have jumped into one of undoubtedly many showstopping scenes that would have hyped us up for the excitement of the film, but instead, it began much more quietly.

If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, check it out here.

The trailer opens at Hogwarts, with a younger Newt and a much younger (and much hotter…depending what you’re in to) Dumbledore. Playing out, is a scene we’re very familiar with. Newt’s class is learning how to defeat a boggart, the beast that transforms into an embodiment of your deepest fear.

Unlike most students, Newt’s boggart doesn’t take on the form of a clown, a tall building, or a big hairy spider. In fact, he’d gladly welcome the latter. Instead, his boggart takes the form of something that looks all too familiar to many muggles. An office desk. Because Newt’s deepest fear is working in an office!

Based on what we’ve seen from Newt so far in Fantastic Beasts, this isn’t exactly shocking. His chosen profession really couldn’t be further from a cubicle. However, we can also glean some new information about his character from his boggart’s form.

His abhorrence for the routine nature of office work probably means that the path he’s selected has more to it than just a love of magical creatures. Newt needs the adventure and the danger that comes with his lifestyle. He craves the surprises that come with raising and caring for wild beasts.

This might also say something about his communication skills. There’s a reason Newt prefers the company of creatures that don’t speak his language. He’s a very kind man, but he’s not the greatest at talking to people. The small talk shared around the water cooler at most offices would certainly bore Newt to death.

Taking one look inside Newt’s case (not the muggle version with the adorable Hufflepuff scarf) will tell you that Newt wasn’t made for the office life. He has paper, plants, books, and all kinds of oddities strewn about everywhere. Maybe he has some elaborate, meticulous filing system, but it’s not quite what you’d expect to see in an office, which can often have strict rules about how your work station should look.

Lastly, Newt’s aversion to all things desk-related could point to a deeper disregard for authority and rules. He likes to make his own path, and doesn’t enjoy fitting himself into other people’s agendas. This could be an issue for Dumbledore, moving forward in the series, and may have something to do with why he was kicked out of Hogwarts. (if he was…?)

So what does this all mean? That Newt is exactly where he wants to be. Whereas Harry, Ron and Hermione were often forced into their adventures or ill-equipped for those that they entered willingly, Newt is ready and willing to take on whatever might come his way in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Newt is so good-natured and seemingly innocent that it would be easy to mistake him for a passive guy who prefers to live life inside his case. Based on his boggart, we’re betting The Crimes of Grindelwald will make it even more clear that Newt is brave, intelligent, powerful and unafraid of toil. He may be a Hufflepuff (and a damn good one), but he embodies the best of all the houses.

Make no mistake, Newt is much closer to the strong, silent type than the shy and squeamish type. His boggart is just another piece in that puzzle. We hope his character continues to prove himself throughout the Fantastic Beasts movies, as he helps Dumbledore take on Grindelwald!