Eloise sat at her desk with her glasses perched on the edge of her nose starring down at a stack of worn paper and writing down notes in her journal. She mumbled to herself twirling her quill between her fingers as she thought over everything that had happened in Mordred's tomb.
She did not like the thought of anyone being trapped in Clarnet, even Jarabelle and his minions, but there was no way to revive them, they were all dead. She had studied out the rest of the tomb taking more etchings and logging them away in one of her journals while Newt had searched for more Saturni's.
They had found that Jarabelle had illegally imported them in order to get around the traps of the tomb. Newt hadn't located anymore, just the five they first encountered. Newt set them up in his case and they had taken to him once they found that he was no threat, that he was a friend. They had been poorly taken care of so Newt decided to take care of them for a time before they made a trip back to Africa to release them back in their homeland.
So absorbed in her work she didn't notice the door to her study opening and closing silently, allowing Newt to step from his case into hers. He smiled as he watched her mumbling to herself, her hair in disarray from the multiple times she ran her hand through it, and an ink smudge on her cheek. She had buried herself in her work since the tomb and had done little else since.
Newt quickly shook his head realizing that he had been starring at her, his cheeks flushing slightly. He walked over to his desk clearing his throat, but Eloise didn't notice so he repeated the noise a little louder causing her to startle.
"Newt!" Eloise yelped, clumsily trying to grab at her glasses which had slipped off and were now hanging off her head by one ear.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Newt said apologetically.
"It's fine." Eloise said waving her wand in the direction of her piano taking the charm of that made it play for her. "Did you need help with something?"
"No...Well yes...kind of..." Newt stuttered out before clearing his throat to continue. "Would you come with me for a moment?"
"Sure." Eloise sat her glasses to the side and standing up. She ran her hands down her long sleeved shin length dark green dress with black accents and slipped her feet into a pair of black flats. "What do you need help with?"
"I need to show you first in order to explain properly." Newt replied.
"Alright, lead the way." Eloise smiled as Newt led her into his case stopping just before they reached a new enclosure Newt had been working on. Newt faced her opening and closing his mouth a few times as if trying to decide something.
"Would you close your eyes for me?" Newt asked nervously.
"Why?" Eloise asked slowly with a raised eyebrow.
"I just...well. Please?" Newt stumbled over his words.
"Not an answer, but ok." Eloise gave him one more look before closing her eyes, a faint blush coloring her cheeks when Newt took her hands into his guiding her forward. His thumbs were gently rubbing circles on the back of her hands unintentionally distracting her so she didn't realize when the terrain had changed to a grassy field under her feet.
"Don't move and don't open your eyes." Newt said letting her hands slip from his.
"Why do I have a feeling you didn't really need my help with something?" Eloise asked as she heard Newt shuffling around.
"I might have told you a small fib." Newt allowed and Eloise could hear the smile in his voice. "Ok, open your eyes."
Eloise did so and let out a soft sound of wonderment as she took in the new enclosure before her. It was a gorgeous wild garden made up of all sorts of plant life, but what really caught her attention was the beautiful white oak in the center surrounded by her favorite flowers, Stargazer Lilies, wild flowers, and all sorts of different kinds of roses.
"Oh Newt…this is…" Eloise breathed out in wonder.
"I needed a place for the fairies that we found and I thought that perhaps you'd like a garden filled with your favorite flowers." Newt shrugged then held up a picnic basket. "How about a break?"
"Newt, you are wonderful. I really needed this." Eloise smiled as Newt set out a blanket and they spent the rest of the evening in each other's company watching the fairies explore their new home. Newt stole glances as Eloise often, admiring her smile and the way she laughed, but always looked away when she turned to him, a dark blush on his cheeks.
-0-
Eloise hummed as she read over an older book while writing notes on some parchment, dipping her feathered pen in the glass ink well from time to time. While she was working five fairies flew about her head putting her hair into braids while using flowers from her atrium to decorate with. She had told Newt she would watch them since he was busy with some of his other creatures, he said they had been feeling neglected.
Once they had finished with her hair they began to flit around her room, mainly where she had her floral garden sat up. The tended them, but were looking rather board so with a wave of her wand Eloise started her piano up, a beautiful melody playing much to the enjoyment of the fairies. The flew in time with the music, a beautiful dance to watch, but then two of them flew over to her pulling her from behind her desk to the center of the garden. They danced around her coaxing her rather into their dance and though her steps weren't as graceful as the fairies flowing movements she was having fun and so were they.
This is how Newt found her when he stepped into her study ready to relieve her of her baby sitting duties. A smiled graced his lips and his eyes lit up as the sight of Eloise dancing with the fairies. He looked from her golden hair tied up in various braids, the flowers in her hair swaying with her movements. It was an enchanting sight to see, the pure happiness that radiated off of Eloise warmed his heart, the way she interacted in general with his creatures made him happy. She got along with them so well and was always willing to lend him a hand.
Of course he was always willing to help her with her work as well, something she thanked him on every occasion that they worked together. They had been through so many adventures since they started traveling together, weather it was engaging with a strange new beast or exploring the untold depths of a new ruin of some kind. They each were always willing to listen to the others rambling about their passions, neither ever complaining, and it was nice for both of them to have someone like that around
The song had just ended, Eloise doing a final spin before curtsying to the fairies who curtsied back, the piano trailing off. Eloise laughed along with the fairies only stopping when they heard the sound of clapping. The fairies made excited noises rushing over to Newt and pulling him over to Eloise pushing them together making them both go red in the face. Newt had his hands placed on her waist to keep her steady while Eloise's hand gone to his shoulders. They were about to step apart when the piano started up again, playing a soft tune.
"I believe they want us to dance." Newt commented.
"Seems so." Eloise hummed in return.
She was starring resolutely at Newt's bow tie, unable to lift her eyes to meet his. Newt was in a similar situation of nerves as he starred over her head at the opposite wall. Eloise found herself inhaling the scent of pinewood and fresh rain while Newt breathed in the smell of books and warm vanilla. Hesitantly Eloise started to raise her eyes while Newt lowered his, their gazes just about to meet when there was a loud noise from inside Eloise artifacts room. They both looked to the source while the fairies let out annoyed groans.
"What was that?" Newt asked as they ran over to the doors, stepping into the vast room.
"I've no idea." Eloise took note of her missing guardians. There was another crash that sent the duo running down the aisles as fast as they could the sounds of her guardian's low growls spurring them on. They rounded a corner in Eloise's ancient Egypt department where they found the guardians had cornered a thief in the process of stealing a silver dog whistle. "No one move."
"Eloise..." Newt said in worry, eying the Niffler who held the whistle securely in its paws, eyeing the two guardians who had cornered it, but made no move to attack.
"Don't worry Newt, Ron and Ronda are under express orders to do no harm to any of your creatures no matter what their safety comes first. I always figured they might find their way in here sooner or later." Eloise walked over to her guardians placing her hands on their head. "They only contain or corner, never engage." Eloise knelt down holding out her hand to the Niffler. "Nif, that is a very touchy artifact and it has abilities that I'd rather not have unleashed right now so if you could just..." The niffler darted away without a backwards glance. "Oh for the love of…"
They took off running after the niffler as fast as they could, passing by priceless artifacts that covered years, cultures, and lands. The niffler cut to close to a pedestal that held a rare Chinese urn causing it to wobble dangerously. It was said that it held the souls of an ancient mysterious army of darkness, what it really held were a bunch of wraiths that did the bidding of the holder of the urn.
"Aresto Momento!" Newt called out, his wand pointed at the urn, allowing it to harmlessly land on the ground. "Eloise, what does that whistle do? Will it hurt anyone?"
"That depends on how many farms we are near right?" Eloise replied whip out her wand to stop a suit of armor from falling over.
"I think we passed quite a few on the way here, not sure how many exactly, why?" Newt asked as they entered the wardrobe section of her artifact room.
"Well that whistle is not a dog whistle it is a locust whistle." Eloise said ducking through wracks of clothing. "If blown it will call a horde that will devour all in its path. The Germans were going to use it on our farms to cut off our food supply, but we were able to recover is before they could use it."
"Bugger." Newt mumbled as Eloise nodded.
"Nif, that is not a jewelry box!" Eloise cried out jumping for the Niffler, who dropped the box in order to scramble away. She barely caught the box letting out a relieved sigh holding it tightly to her chest as Newt helped her back up.
"What's in there?" Newt asked as she placed it back on the shelf making sure the chain around it were still secure.
"Pandora's box, it took me forever to capture the last of the evil creatures that were released and lock it back up." Eloise said as they started after the Niffler again.
"But there's still evil in the world, shouldn't it all be gone if it's all captured again?" Newt asked.
"Unfortunately no, they had been out for far too long and everything was already too infected by them to be reversed." Eloise glanced around the large room. "Now where did he get to?"
"There!" Newt pointed to the furry little beastie as it scampered around a corner.
"Oh no." Eloise groaned.
"What? What is it?" Newt asked as they rounded the corner in a panic.
"I have of the years obtained various treasures and keep them all in one room." Eloise said as she sped up.
"Are they cursed?" Newt asked straight out knowing that hardly anything in Eloise case was safe.
"Some yes, mostly causing eternal greed to those who touch them, but it's the Arabian stuff I'm worried about." Eloise and Newt slid to a stop in front of a vaulted door.
"Dare I ask why?" Newt glanced at her.
"Let's say I met various creatures connected to magical treasures throughout my travels." Eloise explained as she started to unlock the vault. "Most were good and kind, but one was an ancient evil sorcerer who had been tricked by a good Genie into becoming one, inadvertently binding himself to a lamp that had been locked away for centuries so no one would ever foolishly rub it in the hopes of gaining wishes. Once released I doubt the wishes of the lamp rubber would be high on his to do list."
"Bugger." Newt muttered as Eloise undid the charms on the door that the niffler so easily bypassed.
The door flung open revealing a dome shaped room with a high vaulted ceiling. It was painted stark white with gold accents and black marble floors. Spiraling around the walls of the room was a series of stairs and landings. At each landing was a vault with a gold plaque that told what was locked within it.
Following the scampering of tiny nails on the marble floor they started up the stair case as quickly as they could. They passed a room that held the entire collection of Black Beards treasure, Aztec treasure, ancient Egyptian treasure, and much more.
Newt had once asked her how she was able to amass such an amazing collection of artifacts all on her own and she had let him in on her secret. Her case was a family heirloom that was passed down through generations of Curse Breakers, all of them adding to the collection and keeping it safe from anyone who would use them for their own gain at the expense of others.
"There! No, not there!" Eloise called out as the niffler made straight for the vault labeled Arabian Nights. "It's like he knows that exactly where I don't want him!"
"I have him." Newt flicked his wand summoned the niffler back to himself, various artifacts and treasure falling from his pouch as he was pulled straight into Newt's hands. The niffler gazed up at Newt breathing hard as he looked for a way out. "Niffler, we've talked about this and I expressly forbade you from coming into Eloise's case." Niffler looked down. "It's dangerous."
"Newt's right Nif, some of the things in here could really hurt you and neither of us want that sweetie." Eloise gently scratched the top of his head gaining a coo from the fluff ball. "Now please return what you've taken and I will let you have a special treat."
The niffler perked up and started to take various things out of his pouch, Eloise using her wand and inciting a spell that sent everything back to where it was supposed to be.
"It always amazed me how much could fit in their pouches." Newt commented as the niffler went pulled out a long jewel incrusted dagger, the sheath in the shape of a dragon.
"Is it like a natural extension charm?" Eloise asked him sending the dagger off.
"In a way." Newt nodded.
"Isn't that your pocket watch?" Eloise asked as the niffler held it up.
"You are a sneaky little beastie." Newt muttered taking the watch back, unable to stop the fond smile from blooming on his lips. Eloise also revered some of her own personal jewelry with an amused and exasperated shake of her head.
"Is that all?" Eloise asked as the niffler finally looked up at them, opening his pouch to show it was empty. "Very good." Eloise reached into her pocket and took out a gold music box engraved with various flowers, on the all an ordinary looking music box. The niffler looked it over in interest, noting that it was not overly shiny, but then Eloise opened it and it released a multicolored light that was projected all around them like a cavern of jewels accompanied by a pleasant melody. "What do you think nif?"
The niffler snatched it from her holding it up as it gazed in wonder around itself.
"I believe he likes it." Newt surmised.
"Seems so." Eloise nodded as the Niffler curled up round his new treasure with a contented yawn.
"I think it's time we put him to bed." Newt gently cradled his creature as they walked back out of her case, fixing a few things as they went. Ron and Rhonda greeted them as they passed, eyeing the niffler distrustfully.
"It's okay guys, he's taken care of and I'll double the protection charms so we won't have any more unexpected visits." Eloise assured them patting the top of their head and gaining content rumbles. "You both did a good job, I'm so proud of you both."
"Yes, indeed. Thank you both for taking care of the situation so carefully." Newt added, the stone pets nodding to him as he and Eloise left back to Newt's case putting Niffler to sleep in his nest with his new treasure.
Unconsciously Newt slipped his arm round her waist while she leaned her head on his shoulder watching as the niffler drifted off to sleep. If anyone had seen them at that exact moment they would have mistaken the two for a couple watching their child as they slept, but not all moments in the case were this nice.
-0-
Eloise carefully made her way into Newt's shack gently pushing the door in allowing a shaft of light to cut through the darkness of the room. Her brows were furrowed in concern as she took in the gloom that permeated every part of the small area, all emanating from the man curled up on the small bed against the wall.
The boards creaked beneath her feet as she padded her way over to Newt who was starring resolutely at the wall, tears streaming form his eyes. She sat down on the edge of the bed and placed her hand on his arm rubbing it soothingly.
"I'm so sorry Newt." Eloise said, tears gathering in her own eyes.
"She was so young, too young." Newt said in a strained voice.
"These things happen, she was sick." Eloise tried. "You did everything you could."
"It wasn't enough." Newt said bitterly and Eloise sighed, not knowing what she could say to make him feel better.
"Scoot over." Eloise said nudging him over so that he was no lying on his back on the far side of the bed. Eloise then laid down next to him also on her back, their shoulders pressed together so they could both lay on the bed. Eloise reached down entwining her fingers with his, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. "Tell me about her." Newt glanced over at her with red rimmed eyes that took in her own tear stained cheeks and she smiled softly back in encouragement. "Tell me all the good things, all of the good times you had with her."
"Well..." Newt turned his gaze to the ceiling, clearing his throat and taking in a shuddering breath as he gripped Eloise's hand tightly in his own. "She was one of the first creatures that I took in, she was only a baby at the time and had been captured by some traders." Newt shook his head. "She was in poor shape and it was some time before I got her healthy again. She was so happy, loved to play and swim about when given the chance." Newt started to laugh fondly. "One time she had managed to get into my shack and had stolen my clothes, when I got back into the case she had distributed them out all of my creatures. Imagine my surprise to see them all dressed up, it was like out of a picture book."
"That must have been quite the scene." Eloise laughed with him and before he knew it Newt was feeling much better. He was still sad at the loss of his of his creature, of something that he held so dear to his heart, but remembering all of the good times he had with her helped a great deal, Eloise helped him a great deal.
-0-
Eloise paced back and forth as she tapped her chin with her index finger, her other hand resting on her hip. She was deep in thought, trying to come up with the best idea she could, something that would blow everything out of the water.
It was Newt's birthday and while it was still a little over a month away she was already thinking about it, mainly because buying gifts for the man was a task to be sure. She had always been able to get him the perfect gift though, well at least something that he really appreciated, but this year she felt like she was drawing a blank.
Trying to spur her thought process she went over to her books, her eyes trailing down their spines and reading off the countless titles, but no luck. She was just about to give up when she spotted a book she had not cracked open in a very long time. After she had mastered its content there was really no reason to take it from the shelf again.
She shook her head turning back to her desk nearly jumping in fright when she saw Dougal sitting on top of it looking at one of pictures.
"Dougal, you startled me." Eloise sighed, long having given up trying to find out how the mischievous creature would get into her case. Dougal looked up at Eloise setting down the picture frame before making her way over to her and climbing up so that he was resting on her hip with Eloise's arm supporting him. Eloise smiled hugging Dougal. "And how is your day going Dougal?" Dougal blinked owlishly at her. "That good huh? Mines about the same, can't think of anything to…give…Newt…." Eloise looked from Dougal to the book and back as a wide grin made its way onto her face. "Dougal, I need your help. We are going to give Newt the present to end all presents!"
Time flew by fast for Eloise and Dougal as they worked every chance that they got, making sure that Newt never caught them though he was beginning to get suspicious that they were up to something. Eloise replied that of course they were and it was none of his business that they would tell him in their own time. Of course this had done nothing to dissuade Newt from trying to find out, acting like a child trying to get a peek at their present before it was time to open them.
"Ok, keep them closed." Eloise said in excitement as she led Newt through the habitats.
"You didn't have to get me anything Ellie." Newt told her once again.
"Of course I did, after what you did for me for mine, I couldn't just let it pass." Eloise thought back to the lovely time they spent ice-skating and drinking hot coco in front of a lovely fire. Then he had given her the most lovely knee length wool jacket of deep dark green that she now wore at every opportunity. Eloise smiled as they came to a stop and positioned Newt before taking a step back. "Ok, and open."
Newt did so glancing around himself to find that they were in Dougal's area, said Demiguise sitting on boulder gazing at him. He looked over to Eloise, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"What...what exactly am I looking for?" Newt asked hesitantly.
"Why don't I let Dougal tell you?" Eloise gestured to Dougal who set up straighter before raising his hands.
'Hi mommy.' Dougal signed and Newt let out a soft gasp. 'Eloise taught me sign language so I can talk to you.'
"He was a real fast learner, picked it up in no time." Eloise smiled as tears filled Newt's eyes.
"This is brilliant." Newt wrapped Eloise up into a tight hug spinning her around.
Once he had set her down he kept his arms around her, her hands resting on his shoulders as they finished laughing. In the silence that followed Newt admired the way Eloise's flushed cheeks brought out the sparkle in her eyes. Eloise herself was taking in the color of his ginger blonde curls in the light of the artificial sun set. There was a tug on Newt's pants causing him to look down at Dougal who climbed up settling between them.
"I do believe that Dougal is looking for his thanks as well, it was a joint effort." Eloise giggled
"Well thank you as well Dougal, this was a lovely gift." Newt smiled as Dougal nuzzled against him. They rest of the evening was spent with Newt and Dougal talking to one another as Eloise watched in amusement. Her only worry was how she was going to surpass this gift on holidays and birthdays to come.