𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖙𝖜𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖊 ⋆ newt scamander

the fifth chapter

"Isn't this wonderful?" Cora called to them as she shed her coat, warm from the amount of mooncalves surrounding her. "Merlin, Newt! I wish I could spend my days travelling the world and mucking around with creatures like these!"

He smiled as she moved towards one of the habitats, a desert.

"What's in here?" She asked.

"Er- that'll be Frank," Newt said, squinting his eyes as he moved from the dark area of the mooncalves to the bright, sunny desert. "Careful now," he added on when Cora walked into the centre of the area.

"What's Frank? Where is he?" She questioned, shielding her eyes as she look upward. A dark shadow came over her head and she hoped backward as the magnificent thunderbird landed before her.

"There he is."

She looked over at him with a sarcastic smile. "Thanks, I wouldn't have seen him with you. Hello," she turned to the creature, who had tilted it's head sideways in an analytical stare. "Does he like me?" She whispered to Newt, not daring to take her eyes away from the shining gold feathers of the bird-like beast.

"He isn't fond of strangers."

"Oh," she said, crestfallen. She waved the bird goodbye and left the area. "This place really is incredible, Newt."

Newt opened his mouth to reply but Jacob interrupted.

"Hey, guys?" They both turned to look at him. "I think we're being moved."

The ladder leaded to the exit was bouncing slightly, and Cora suddenly got the sensation of being at sea. The ground swayed gently beneath them, barely enough to notice.

"Are we being stolen?" Cora asked, reaching up to hold onto the necklace. Newt had noticed she'd done this, both when he and Tina discovered she was a witch and when the erumpent had charged Jacob.

"Why do you hold your necklace?"

She avoided his eyes when she replied, "It's just... It's a source of comfort when I'm scared. Grounds me."

A knocking sound came from the shed, so the trio moved towards it. The case had been opened and Newt climbed out first, then Jacob, then Cora. They were in a large room filled with official-looking witches and wizards. Tina was standing beside them, giving a sheepish look. Cora frowned and went to say something, but was interrupted.

"Scamander?" A voice asked. He wore a pin of the British flag on his lapel, and had a weathered face.

"Oh," Newt mumbled softly, "Hello, Minister."

"That's Theseus Scamander? The war hero?" Another voice asked. Cora was confused but was relieved to see Jacob looked as she felt.

The British Minister replied, "No, that's his little brother. What in the name of Merlin are you doing in New York?"

"I- I came to buy an Appaloosa Puffskein, sir."

The British Minister didn't believe a word of it. "Yes, and what are you really doing here?"

A woman Cora recognised as Madam Picquery, the president of MACUSA asked, "Goldstein, who are the other two?"

"This is Jacob Kowalski, Madam President," Tina said. "He's a No-Maj who got bitten by one of Mr Scamander's creatures. And this is-"

"Cora Ketterstone, Ma'am," Cora introduced with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you."

Nobody seemed to care, as they all began shouting about Jacob's lack of magic. Cora became lost in the scenery of the room, from the decorative tiling of the floor to the strange mist hanging above the room. It was there that she saw the body of a Senator floating among the mist.