Sorry guys, these are shorter chapters than I'm used too, still trying to get a feel of the period, the characters, and the world I'm in. Thank you for all the follows and favourites!
D.D: I'm trying! I've got the start of the next chapter already written but it just didn't feel like it belonged in this one.
"And whatever for?" I raised a brow, wondering what creature could possibly make its home near the Swiss. Maybe it was the Alps they'd gone for, much less people up there.
"Oh, Graphorns. I've heard that the last two reside there." He shrugged, looking at me with mild confusion. As though this should be quite obvious to me. I'd heard of these beasts before, a greyish purple hide that repelled nearly all sorts of spells and incredibly valuable horns. Such horns could be used in a number of anti-jinxing potions, very powerful...
"You...Please don't take this to be an offense, but surely you don't mean to hunt them?" I viewed him through an incredulous look as his melded into shock at the idea.
"Of course not!" He sputtered, shaking his head. I have to say, I feel kind of just...awful for even wondering that? I'd searched for him for a year, specifically because of the amount of concern he'd shown for his creatures and his study of them throughout school.
"No. I'd much rather...save them. I know poachers are quite interested in their hide and their horns." He seemed mildly reproachful, making me feel a touch awkward as I sank down into my seat. I think I'm quite done making a fool out of myself.
It was almost a tad difficult to run as fast as Mr Scamander did, especially through customs before we got onto our streamliner after travelling nearly 10 hours from Waterloo to Brighton. Despite the long silences and nothing but the train, I didn't want to abandon the trip entirely. T
hough, I felt a little awkward the entire time anyways half from the question about him hunting them and half because of the constant silence and his peering glances. It felt as though he was trying to figure something out about me. I'd distracted myself with going through my bag, and sorting everything.
I had nothing but my bag on me and it'd come in handy many an occasion. Of course, what couldn't a purse with an undetectable expansion charm be good for? Such a little thing, the men at the borders between England and the rest of Europe didn't bother paying it any attention but it still carried so much. Much better than Mr Scamander's suitcase.
It would take us only a few hours to cross the water but, in those few hours, I'd snapped his suitcase shut again nearly 12 times. I was going to sew it shut soon, or at least wrap something around his little snaps to stop whatever wanted out, from coming out.
"Oh, right. Thank you." He nodded to me, sitting down at the metal benches that were available to passengers on the top floor. Merlin's beard. This was an experience, just traveling with the man and I didn't even know what he had down in there.
"Has anything ever...simply escaped from there?" I questioned warily, worried about having to chase down particularly rambunctious creatures.
"Oh no, not to date anyways. Well. Outside of the niffler. But he's harmless, really." Mr Scamander shrugged slowly, I could see him thinking to himself as to what had truly escaped and what hadn't.
"What's his name?" I wondered as I watched Newts face fade into a pinched look.
"He...doesn't have one." Scamander answered slowly, almost as though he'd been embarrassed about it.
"Would you like some suggestions?" I inquired pleasantly.
"Certainly, Miss Maximae but I suppose we ought to wait until he can weigh in as well." He nodded, almost looking excited at the thought while his eyes flickered from in front of him to the suitcase that sat between us.
"You can call me Ara, or Araminte if you really want to get formal, Mr Scamander." I smiled at him softly, his crooked nose seemed to twitch as he glanced at me then quickly forwards again.
"I'd quite honestly forgotten your name but remembered your accent." He had the decency to at least sound a bit apologetic. I pursed my lips as I thought about little of an irish accent I had left from when I was 16. After my parents passed, I stayed out and away from Ireland.
"It's not that it isn't a memorable one, its simply that I was in quite the rush when you'd introduced yourself." He exclaimed quickly afterwards, bringing another smile to my face.
"I hate to ruin a perfectly good reason but, I never actually introduced myself." I recalled with amusement as the tips of his ears turned a shade pinker than usual.
"Right." Mr Scamander acknowledged that little lack of instance with a shake of his head.
Silence drifted between us, making me feel awkward. As though I needed to chatter to keep it from being so silent with this man. Honestly, now that I'd found him, I didn't quite know what to do with myself. I'd forgotten to turn the page in my life's book to another.
I looked up as he stood. He sped off towards the stairs, taking the leather case with him. I had to guess these were to go onto the ground floor as I followed him down towards the exit. I was quite sure we'd landed ourselves in France, possibly Calais. It was an interesting language, French, but not so interesting in their culture. I did appreciate their wine, however. I suppose if it had to fall off the face of the earth, I'd only want to keep the country's wine.
"Another railway?" I wondered out loud to Mr Scamander. My thoughts were typically voiced as soon as I had them, a terrible habit of mine but it'd also allowed me to make great marks in my school years.
"It goes all the way to Rome, but we'll simply step off when need be." He nodded, explaining his plans to me finally. I scrambled about, grabbing a ticket for myself and slipping onto the right passenger car.
This was almost fun, riding the railways with him. We'd hit trains and boats, all that was left were those new Automobiles. I didn't fancy a ride on those though, too bumpy. I was simply sitting on the red fabric seats, looking out the window when I heard...a scuttling. Like little paws tapping over wood, it caught my attention.
I glanced quickly over, trying to not look strange to the man that sat on the other side of me. It was truly only my luck of the draw that I'd spot what I assumed to be Mr Scamander's Niffler. He'd been caught midway in his efforts of removing the man's watch next to me.
I stared at him for only a second until I looked quickly back at Mr Scamander who was in front of me, facing the opposite of the train's direction. He'd been kind enough to do so when I looked a little ill about a 30 minutes into the journey. He eyed me with a questioning look as I stood quickly and mouthed the word Niffler. I began searching where I'd last seen him to find that he'd disappeared.
Lovely.
My search started rather low until I spotted a single clawed toe scuttle under another seat and suddenly decided that I needed to both fall down conspicuously and to be able to pass under the detection of these muggles. I thought and thought and thought until I came up with the ingenious idea of merely fainting over in a stumble.
"Oh my." And with that dainty cry I took my fall. In fact its probably the most graceful one I've had to date. Slipping my hand under the seat what I thought was best to find the minute creature that couldn't seem to understand how easily he'd been mistaken for a rat and exterminated as such.
A little foot scraped my hand as I tried my best to softly slip it under his legs and capture the little beast. I brought him back as my hands shifted to pull myself up. Concerned individuals went to help me but Mr Scamander seemed to catch my need rather quickly.
"Love? Oh, she's quite alright." Mr Scamander laughed unceremoniously to not alarm any of the other passengers as though I was merely his clumsy wife or lover. He was focused on getting the Niffler back into it's home in his case. A home away from those who could harm him, I couldn't blame him as he walked me back to my seat and we exchanged the creature conspicuously as possible.
I watched with a bit of amusement as he frustratedly glared at the niffler and pushed him back into the suitcase, locking it for sure this time. I let out a breathy laugh and turned towards the window, I was lucky enough to have gotten one, honestly. I just kept reminding myself I was here to learn and to thrive in a new environment, to do more than just adapt.