Into the Newtcase

Twelve

Tina and Queenie insisted we spend the night with them, so we turned down in the bedroom with twin beds.

I slept fitfully, because every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Eugene Wisely's distraught face as his wife died. When the sounds came, his agonized whispers, I sat up, heart beating. I looked over at Newt, who was fast asleep. His freckles stood out in the moonlight.

How would I feel if he died?

How would he feel if I died?

My feet slipped out from under the covers, and before I knew it, I had slipped under the covers with him. Newt didn't wake up, but he shifted in his sleep so that I was wrapped in his arms. I curled into his, and this time when I closed my eyes, I was able to rest. Just as I drifted off to sleep, a hand stroked my hair ever so gently.

- - -

When I woke, Newt was standing in front of me getting dressed. He was buttoning his shirt, and, thankfully, his pants were on already. I yawned and sat up in bed. "Morning."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Once I got in with you."

Newt smiled. "Glad I could be of service."

I stood, got on my tiptoes, and kissed him. I pulled on my blouse, my pants, and my gray trench coat. I wrapped my blue-on-blue scarf around my neck, then cuddled Oliver as he jumped into my arms. "Hey, kitty."

I'm going to miss you, Oliver admitted, brushing against me. I kissed the top of his head. I'm gonna miss you too.

Don't get up to too much with this Scamander guy. I don't like him.

You don't like anyone except me.

And Queenie. She makes good fish.

And Queenie, I laughed. I set Oliver down, and he wound around my ankles once before raising his tail and trotting down the hallway.

Newt shrugged his blue coat onto his shoulders. "Are you ready, love?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Tina and Queenie stepped into the room. "You're leaving?"

"Yes, we're departing for the next ship to England."

"Why aren't you Apparating?"

"This gives us a lot more time to think of our course of action," Newt explained. "This way, we don't just dive in head first."

"We're still doing that in the essentials, but at least we'll be wearing a helmet this time."

Newt laughed. "Right."

Tina smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Right," she echoed. "Well. Good luck. Newt, keep her safe, and Hazel?"

"Yeah, Tina?"

"Take care of him."

Tina gave me a quick hug then fled the room. Queenie clicked her tongue. "Sorry about her," she sighed to Newt. "Toodles!"

Newt grabbed my arm and twisted us into the alleyway next to the building. I looked up to the floor where Tina and Queenie were staying.

"Let's go, then! Ship to catch, NoMajs to save!"

Newt smiled, kissed me, and allowed me to put my hand in his. We stopped a buggy on the street to take us to the shipyard. The driver needed to make a quick stop ("Sorry for the inconvenience, I'll cut your rate"), so we waited awkwardly in the carriage. I decided to get out and speak to the horses pulling us.

Hello, I said pleasantly. The horses looked at me blankly. You speak horse?

In a sense. Lovely day, isn't it?

No, said the white horse. No days are lovely.

What do you mean? I asked, stroking his nose.

The bay tossed his head. We have blinkers, we have too-tight reins, and we get one bucket off mash every three days. We work from sunrise to after dark, and he never grooms us.

My fists balled. How dare they. You stay put- I'm going to have a word with your owner.

I opened the door to the carriage and glowered at Newt. "Get out."

Newt scrambled, clutching his case to his chest. "What'd I do?"

"It's not you.  Stay by those horses. Comfort them. I'm going in."

Before Newt could do anything, I stormed through the door the horseman had just entered. "Pardon, where is the man who just entered?"

The clerk to my left pushed her glasses up her nose. "He's selling his horses to this glue factory."

"He's what? Which room is he in?"

She pursed her lips. "I can't tell you."

I reached in my pocket and slipped a ten dollar bill on the counter. She peered around, took it, and returned to her notes. "Directly behind you, the door with the couch on one side and the plant on the other."

"Thank you ever so much."

I wheeled around, located the door, and blazed towards it. I threw it open. "How dare you."

"Miss, this is confidential-"

"How dare you sell those animals when they are malnourished and overworked, and it's your fault that they can't function?"

The horseman, a broad shouldered man, who was at least six inches taller than me, stood and glowered at me. "How 'bout you mind your own business, miss."

"Animals are my business! Look at them!" I gestured out the window to my right, where we could all see Newt standing awkwardly with the poor beasts.

The manager slid out of the room.

"Look, lady," the horseman growled, "What I do is my business."

"Unless it interferes with mine," I retorted, drawing myself to my full height of five foot three.

He snorted, then lashed out, grabbing my by the throat and slamming me into the wall. The thump made Newt looked up, and he locked eyes with me through the window.

I choked. "You- let- those horses- alone."

"How about you let me alone," he growled, tightening his grip. I began coughing, hacking, convulsing. "Not- until you- treat-"

"Stupefy!"

The man was thrown away from me. Unfortunately, I was still in his grip, so I flew to the floor with him. I hit my head on the floor and blinked, seeing stars.

"Hazel! Oh God, are you okay?"

I stood up, massaging my throat. Newt hugged me. "I'm not letting you out of my sight again. Why is it you can't stay uninjured for more than three hours?"

"Maybe it's a side affect of the talking thing?" I suggested, pressing myself into Newt.

"Come on," he said, leading me out of the room.

I looked at the horses. Do you want to be free?

More than anything, the white one answered.

I waved my wand, and the straps unraveled. I'm going to ask that you carry us to the shipyard, and then you may go wherever you want.

Of course.

Newt helped me settle on the smaller bay's back, and then he mounted the white one. With a triumphant whinny, the horses took off, cantering down the cobblestone streets of New York City.

Free horses

Live happy. I just... 375 reads. Thanks to EVERYONE.

-Xandra