Home Again [Newt Scamander]

Chapter 11:

"Here she comes." Newt said.

Jacob was returning the Demiguise to it's habitat while Tina was returning the Occamy to it's nest. I was beside Queenie watching all of this happen. We all went our separate ways but Newt pulled me along with him. We started walking to the first exhibit.

"I wouldn't let him keep you Pickett. Think I would rather chop off my hand than get rid of you after everything that you've done for me. Now come on." Newt started talking to Pickett.

A small smile spread across my face.

"Think we've talked about sulking before, haven't we? Pickett? Come on give me a smile. Pickett give me a..." Newt started to push.

Picket blew a raspberry and I started laughing slightly. Newt glanced at me and I looked away. Looking back at the two I saw Newt look back at Pickett with a small smile on his face.

"Alright. Now that is beneath you." Newt said before putting Pickett on his shoulder.

I turned and saw Tina looking into the Erumpet's habitat. Walking over, I walked over to the ramp and walked up it, joining Tina's side.

"Hey." I greeted as I reached the entrance beside her.

Tina turned around to look at me. "Hey."

We started watching the Erumpet move around it's environment. A small smile spread across my face once more at the sight of the beast.

"You like him." Tina said breaking the silence that was surrounding us.

"What?" I asked looking at her.

She turned her head to look at me. "It's quite obvious. You two held hands, kissed."

"It's...." I started to say before I was cut off.

"Fine. It's fine if you like him." She looked at me pointedly.

I looked down. "It's just because we haven't seen each other in a long time. It's nothing."

"There was something back then, wasn't there?" She asked amused.

"No." I shook my head. "We were just best friends since we didn't have anyone else."

I decided against telling her about Leta. Looking up, I saw her looking at me with a look of disbelief.

"Clearly it's something. Best friends don't kiss." She took her jacket off.

"Come on." She gestured with her head away from the Erumpet exhibit.

We walked down the ramp and over to Queenie and Newt who were talking. Their conversation stopped once we were in earshot distance.

"What are you two talking about?" Tina asked as we reached them.

"Nothing." Newt said before looking up at us.

"School." Queenie said.

"School." Newt agreed.

He was looking around awkwardly and his eyes would land on me for a few seconds before he would quickly look away. The four of us stood in silence for a moment, unsure of what to say. I walked over to the habitat behind Newt and sat down on the stairs. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Newt's arm reach behind him as if he was searching for something but his arm quickly returned back to the table he was at.

"Did... Did you say school?" Jacob asked walking up. "Is there a school? A wizardry school here in, uh, America?"

"Of course. Ilvermorny. It's only the best wizard school in the whole world." Queenie said.

"I think that you'll find that the best wizarding school in the world is Hogwarts." Newt said as he flicked something out of a bowl in front of him.

Queenie crossed her arms and looked at him. "Hogwash."

Newt's head snapped to look at her and I looked at her as well. Thunder rumbled and lightning went off in the habitat behind us. I turned around to look at it as Newt ran past me onto the platform. Standing up, the creature overhead continued to screech as the thunder continued to rumble.

"Danger." Newt said.

I looked at him confused.

"He senses danger." Newt finished.

I looked back at Jacob, Queenie, and Tina to see them also looking at the bird.