Home Again [Newt Scamander]

Chapter 6:

We ran across the bridge over the iced over pond. An ostrich ran past us and we stopped and turn to see it as it run away. The sound of a creature roaring made us turn to face the zoo again.

"Put this on." Newt said.

I turned my head to see he had handed Jacob a helmet.

"But why would I have to wear something like this?" Jacob asked confused.

"Because your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force." Newt said as he tightened the helmet strap under Jacob's chin.

He grabbed my arm after picking up his case and we took off running down the bridge closer to the zoo. We ran down the pathway a bit and I looked behind me to see Jacob running after us, helmet on head. We came to a stop at a hole in the wall and the growling noise became louder.

"Alright." Newt said putting his case down on the ground once more.

I watched as he pulled a chest plate out and started putting it on Jacob.

"Here. You just, um, pop this on." Newt said as Jacob slipped his arms through the holes.

"Okay." Jacob said unsure.

"Now there's absolutely nothing for you to worry about." Newt said, securing the chest plate to Jacob.

"Tell me. Has anyone ever believed you when you told them not to worry?" Jacob asked as Newt stepped back to his case.

"Well my philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice." Newt said picking up his suitcase.

He took off towards the hole and we took off after him. We stopped at the other hole and I saw a big creature on the other side of the fence.

"She's in season. She needs to mate." Newt said.

He pulled a tube out and spit the lid out before putting the liquid on his wrists.

"Erumpet musk. She's mad for it." Newt said as he handed me the tube and started to rub his wrists together.

I sniffed it and looked at Jacob. Newt took his case and walked out to stand near the creature while Jacob and I his behind a sign on the nearby fence. I peered from behind the sign to see what Newt was doing. He opened the case lid and slowly approached her while pulling his sleeves up. Quickly, Newt bent his knees til he was low to the ground and a couple seconds later started making a weird calling noise. The Erumpet made a noise back and Newt bent back down.  Jacob moved out from the sign he was hiding behind to look at what was happening.

Newt started making an oinking sound and I covered my mouth to keep from laughing. He slammed his foot down making the Erumpet turn around to face him. Newt dragged his foot back, making an s shaped design on the ground. The Erumpet walked closer and stopped, Newt responding by stomping his foot down and lowering to the ground again. He started hopping around making noises. The Erumpet started moving closer.

Newt was still hopping and making noises. He leaned his shoulder to the ground and rolled until he was back onto his feet. The Erumpet fell to the ground and rolled onto its back. Jacob took the bottle from my hands gently and soon the smell was surrounding us. I turned to look at him and heard a noise. Turning, I saw a seal bouncing away.

"Get!" Jacob yelled trying to get the seal away.

I looked back at the creature to see it was now standing and looking at us.

"Jacob." I muttered.

He turned and saw what was happening. "Oh no."

The creature made a noise and Jacob took off running. I ran around the fence as the Erumpet took off after Jacob who was screaming and running. Newt ran over and grabbed my hand in his, pulling me along as we ran after Jacob and the Erumpet. We stopped to watch what was happening and he let go of my hand. As it ran through the entrance to the zoo it broke it even more and mote brick fell from the structure.

"Reparo." Newt said but a noise stopped him.

I turned to see a babboon run past us.

"Newt?" I asked.

"Merlin's beard." Newt exclaimed grabbing my hand, making us take off after it.

The babboon stopped on top of a pile of bricks and had Newt's wand.

Newt broke a stick off of the pile and held it out to the monkey. "They're exactly the same."

He put his hands up and the babboon made a noise.

"Same thing." Newt repeated.

The babboon started hitting the wand on the bricks.

"No. Don't." Newt said.

The babboon stabbed the wand into the pile and a blue light came out of it, sending the babboon and wand flying Backwards in opposite directions.

"I'm so sorry." Newt apologized as he got his wand.

We climbed onto the brick pile to see the Erumpet ramming it's horn into the trunk of the tree Jacob was in. The tree trunk started glowing and the Erumpet retreated slightly only to turn and watch the tree. The tree trunk started bubbling and soon exploded out, making the tree slowly fall to the ground and Jacob go down. The two disappeared onto the frozen over pond and Newt and I ran over to watch what was happening. Jacob was running across the pond with the Erumpet following close behind. The Erumpet fell and started sliding across the ice.

I grabbed Newt's wrist and apparated us onto the ice while Newt had his case ready. We landed right in front of the Erumpet, Newt going with her with his case ready while I flung to the side. I scrambled to my feet and started to chase after until I lost my footing. From sitting on the ice I looked up to see Jacob falling and Newt sliding with the Erumpet. Jacob stayed where he landed and waited for the impact from the Erumpet but it never came. Just as they had reached Jacob the Erumpet was in the case.

I quickly scrambled to my feet and slid over to the two. As I reached them I fell to the ice and Newt reached out to me.

"I'm fine." I waved my hand.

Newt looked from me to Jacob who was still panting. "Good show Mr. Kowalski."

As Newt fiddled with his case Jacob held his hand out.

"Call me Jacob." He said, hand to Newt.

They shook hands and I crawled over.  I shut one of the latches. The three of us stood up and walked across the ice towards the bridge. We almost slipped a couple times but somehow didn't fall.

"Well. Two down, one to go." Newt informed us.

He put his case down on the ice and opened it. "In you hop."

Jacob went down first, then me, with Newt following after me.