Tea and magical animals
Newt Scamander was used to people finding him annoying. It had always been this way for his whole life so far, even with the few friends he had managed to find among his fellow wizards and witches over the years. In fact, since the events in New York, he even could count a Muggle among those few friends. Still, he could trust them to back him up if he ever got in trouble with the law or high-ranking people. Again. Being expelled from Hogwarts had only been the start of the many troubles in his life.
However, at this very moment, he was searching for a building that normally was hard to find. Not the Leaky Cauldron, the person he was to meet would not like that place. Rather, they had agreed on a place in the Muggle part of London.
"A petshop? Well, I should not be that surprised, not with my own fantastic beasts…"
The outside was of Chinese design, and Newt entered the pet-shop.
"Welcome to the petshop of Count D. Is there any special animal you look for...oh, mr Scamander. It is good to see you again." the owner, dressed in Chinese robes, spoke, a small smile gracing his dark eyes at seeing who it was.
"The same, Count D."
Newt had met the mysterious Chinese man during his travels around the world for his book. He was not sure if they could be called friends, but they had bonded over their shared love for animals and how difficult it was to see rare breeds of animals or magical beasts risk becoming extinct because of the human race.
"Do you have some time for tea, mr Scamander? This morning I finally got hold of an ordered packet with the most delicious paczki and other pastries from a non-magical bakery in New York that opened just two months ago."
That caught Newt's attention, and he smiled at seeing the name of the bakery in question: Kowalski Quality Baked Goods
"Of course, it is nearly time for afternoon tea after all...excuse me, I need to save your lamps over there!"
Oh great, the Niffler had escaped his suitcase AGAIN despite his new locks on it. Rather than being angry, Count D seemed more amused at seeing Newt clamber all over the floor cages trying to retrieve the little thief, smashing various articles, and at one point, swinging from the shop's chandelier to try and coax the Niffler back into its cage. While Newt caused chaos in the background, Count D took the time to set the table with tea and pastries.
Finally, Newt had enough and just chose to use magic to catch the magical creature.
"Accio!"
As expected, there was a small amount of valuable things that the Niffler had tried to store away in its pouch. Borrowing a small cage that he enchanted to not open despite what the Niffler may attempt to do in order to break free, Newt could finally relax a little bit.
"Sorry for that, he is a tricky one to not escape and steal things."
"One cannot expect wild animals to be obedient in the same way as domestic pets, that is something you should be very familiar with, yourself," the Count just smiled.
For some minutes, neither one of the two men spoke as they enjoyed the tea and pastries.
"How was New York? Filled with too many humans and too few magical beasts?"
"And yet I think it was wonderful, there is a truly strong woman I met there, and new friends…" Newt admitted.
"Good for you. Perhaps you even can finally manage to find a wife and escape the nagging of your mother wanting you to settle down."
Newt spit out his tea at the words, having not expected that. He shuttered a little, trying to find the right words.
"Tina and I are… not...like that. I don't even think that MACUSA would be pleased to see me in America again so soon after this winter. I tends to bring chaos with me, after all."
Count D snorted in distaste.
"Sometimes people needs a little chaos to enrich their lives from sheer boredom, and chaos may be the right key to find love in the most unexpected situations. Just look at those Pure-blood families here in Great Britain that you have told me about, they fail to realise that if they do not add new blood from the Muggle-Born soon their families will go extinct in both the male and female line if there is too much inbreeding. Anyone working with animals should know the dangers of too close relatives having offspring together. It is not just serious illness and deformity that will show up in the long run, it will end up in stillbirth and infertility soon enough. Wars are not the only way to lose the male members of a family."
Newt nodded in unease, The horrors of World War I had been horrible for both the Muggle and Magical world in Europe. So many lives lost when they could have been alive here and now nine years later.
"Thanks for the tea and pastries, I needed some time away from people at the Ministry of Magic that tries to keep an eye on me since I returned home from America."
"Pff. As I said, they need a little chaos so they do not get bored. It is not like they know how to handle magical beasts without your help, mr Scamander."
Once the tea was finished, Newt respectfully thanked his old friend for being allowed to come there. When he was about to leave, the Count suddenly spoke:
"Keep your eyes and ears open for news from Japan. There seem to be some worries about the Silver Queen there."
The Silver Queen. The codename for the currently oldest surviving dragon female in Japan, who was said to be the last survivor of her generation from the Muromachi period.
"I have heard that she is not in the best of health anymore, yes. If the Japanese Silver Dragons are in need of my skills that their own caretakers can not, then I will travel to Japan to see if there is anything I can do for the Queen."
It was all Newt could promise. He had always wanted to study the mysterious dragon breed of Japan, but very few westerners had been allowed to have that honor, simply because of a centuries-old scandal where eggs and baby dragons from the Silver Dragons had been smuggled out and sold on the black market in Europe.
"I hope that we shall meet again, mr Scamander. Just do not run into any Dark Wizards again. The world would be horribly tedious if you were to die."
"I will try," Newt answered before opening the front door and leaving the pet-shop. After checking one final time that the Niffler had not managed to escape from his suitcase again for the fifth time already this day alone.
~X~X~X~X~X~X
Author's note: The Muromachi period lasted between the years 1336-1573 in Japan. The Japanese Silver Dragon is a breed of dragons that I originally created for a original story, and wanted to use in Newt's coming adventure. This Count D is the grandfather of the main character from the manga Petshop of Horrors. Credits for beta-reading goes to addyforth.