Into the Newtcase

Nine

I sat up, sweating. "Oh my God!"

Newt jumped next to me. "Hazel, what's wrong?"

"She- his wife, and then that kid, and then- but- it's not fair!"

I began to cry, hugging my knees to my chest. Newt looked absolutely lost. A familiar voice tickled my brain. Aw, Hazel...

Still crying, I reached out and picked up Oliver, hugging him close. "I'm s-sorry," I gasped to both of them. "B-but..."

Hazel, my cat scolded me. Get it together. The talking stick told me that you did this willingly?

I am a bowtruckle! Pickett snapped. Oliver hissed. Whatever, stick.

Boys, play nice, I sniffled, wiping my eyes with Oliver's tail. He sighed, but didn't stop me.

I looked up at Newt, who looked torn between running and giving me a hug. His face made me smile. "You're not used to crying women, are you?"

"Not in particular, no."

"We need to go back to Wisely. I think I know what I'm doing now." I sat up, and Newt yelped, pushing me back down.

"What- Hazel, you were out for six hours!"

Six hours?

"I don't care," I said, pushing against him. "I need to go talk to Eu- Wisely."

Newt gave me a look. "No."

"Yes!"

"Fine, but I'm carrying you."

Newt picked me up again, and we set off. I hopped out of his arms. "It didn't hurt this time," I said, both to the obscurial and the Hufflepuff.

Interesting, Wisely mused.

Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell me the first time?

How much did you see? He countered.

Up until when Harper told you that you were an obscurial.

Ah. There's more coming. I suggest you carry a pillow around, or, better yet, just let Scamander carry you everywhere. He doesn't seem to mind.

Aha. Aha. No.

Very well.

But Wisely, why? Why did Abigail do that?

Wisely heaved a great sigh. Miss Kirton, I've been an obscurial for almost 400 years, but I don't know what Abigail Williams was. But there was something inside her, and her cousin, Betty, that was neither obscurial nor human. It was darker.

Than an obscurial?

Much darker. It's still alive, but it sleeps, oh, thank goodness, it sleeps. It shan't wake up for another thousand years, so it's no matter of yours. You humans have weakened.

You say that as if you weren't once one of us.

At first, yes, I held on to what made me human. But then I let go. I let go of my grief, I let go of my fear. Fear doesn't do anything for you, Miss Kirton. It just holds you back. Once I let it go, I could concentrate on what mattered- keeping myself from forgetting magic. Using those children to beat back the Muggles, remind them who is truly on top.

You disgust me, Eugene Wisely. What kind of a man are you?

I'm not.

I huffed, turning back to Newt. "Come on. I think I have an idea where we might find one."

Newt and I crawled out of the case, back into the tree. We climbed down, and I led us to Historic Salem.

"Sir, where's the church?" I asked of a park official. He sighed, then pointed. "Thank you," I said, briskly pulling Newt along.

I threw open the door of the church. A few NoMajs looked up, puzzled. I drew a knife out of my robes. "Everyone out."

Everyone left the church without a sound. I stowed the knife, and Newt looked horrified. "You would have stabbed them?"

I sighed, pulling the knife out again. "It's a butter knife, Newton."

"Why do you have a butter knife in your coat?"

"In case I needed it, say, to clear out a small church building to find a possessive remnant of human soul."

"Fair enough."

I stared around the rafters, and one shadow looked particularly darker than the others. I took a confident step forward. "Newt, lock the doors."

Hello?

Who are you? A voice hissed back after a moment. I was surprised that this one was feminine.

My name is Hazel. Did you know Eugene Wisely?

How do you know Eugene Wisely?

He's in my friend's suitcase- it's a long story.

Why have you come here? How can you speak with me?

I've got a gift, and, frankly, I'm not sure. But I need a favor.

Why should I help you?

Because. We don't want to harm you, we're just asking that you join Wisely in the case for a short spell.

No!

Suddenly, I heard Wisely's voice in my head, too.

Catherine Orwell?

Wisely?

Catherine, as much as I hate to say it, trust the girl. I'll tell you everything.

"Newt, open the case."

Hurriedly, Newt pried his case open.

"In you get," I told Catherine Orwell.

The obscurial hesitated, then soared past me into the case. It snapped shut after her.

Newt looked at me. "That was bizarre."

"Come on, we've got to go."

"Why?"

I gave him  my best 'really?' look. "I just threatened a room full of NoMajs with a butter knife. We have to go. Grab my arm."

Newt took my arm, and I twisted us out of Massachusetts.

"Where are we?" Newt asked, pressed uncomfortably close to me. I opened the door of the broom closet, peering into the hall. "Yes! Come on."

I pulled him into the hall after me. "But where are we?" Newt whined.

"We're at Ilvermorny."

Y'all knew this was coming. Love you! - Xandra