Oh my gosh. I still can't believe how much this story took off! Thanks to all my wonderful followers/reviewing people. You guys know who you are and don't think I don't read them. You've reviewed almost every chapter I've put out which honestly, is why this chapter is out right now!
In fact, you guys are the reason I've joined up with the BallyCastle Bats team for something called The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition but I did it by accident under my other profile, Mister Evil. Theres a forum there which you'll often find me chatting with the others on my team in the Changing Room for the Bats.
If you ever get a chance or you're just bored, I have a bit of a horror story called "Silence is Golden" on Mister Evil that was actually written for the competition's prompt of writing about a creature I've never written with before...I almost did the Niffler. Can you just imagine the cuteness?
Thank you again everyone. Seriously! Thank you so much.
"Miss, please." A rather tall gentleman waved me forwards to take his seat.
"Oh, I'm okay to stand." I waved him off with a forced smile as I felt Newt's eyes on the side of my face.
"I insist. A lady shouldn't have to stand." It was kind but I didn't think it was a great plan to take the seat considering that Newt's case wouldn't stop opening itself again. I felt like I was back in the same boat from when we'd just started this adventure though this time I had a feeling the Niffler trying to get out was more interested in taking his customary spot in my pocket.
"Um..." I searched my mind for a reason as to why I'd be hanging off the side of this boat with a tall gentleman and his suitcase. "I get rather sick on these so I'd really like to just stand over here." I finished slowly, attempting to act like I really was nauseous.
"Oh! I'm sorry." He seemed taken aback that I'd even say I got sea-sick. Right, I wasn't around just Newt anymore, gentleman expected me to be lady-like. I think I'd actually forgotten that was a thing until now. Suddenly all those looks from the customs officials in England made a lot more sense now. We'd apparated back to the last place I could remember a ship heading for America and that was England's port.
"You know, I think I forgot what you looked like without a bit of dirt on your face." Newt's voice was quiet compared to the sounds of the waves and seagulls surrounding us but it made me chuckle.
"Right? I forgot how much I hate having my hair down too." I snorted but regretted my choice of words almost immediately. I didn't dare to look at Newt who I imagined took this to heart. The only reason that I had to leave my hair curled neatly around my shoulders was because of the scars. They attracted all sorts of suspicious glances and pitying looks. I hated them all enough to just not put my hair up, no matter how much my neck was sweating under it.
The case snapped open again as soon as land was in sight, making me kneel down to somehow scold Aurelius without attracting attention. I was about to just yank him out of there and be done with it but I wasn't wearing a jacket with enough space for him. This one was form fitting as it was one of my nicer pieces and the little bugger refused to travel with Newt for some reason.
"Stop it!" I chastised him in a whisper. A second later, I heard some annoyed clicking that me feel like he was grumpy about this and he felt shouldn't be in there with the rest of the creatures.
"Yes, you will come out soon but we need to get away from muggles first." I whispered to him again, glancing around to make sure no one saw me talking to a suitcase. Another round of clicks came as if he was saying he wanted out now.
"You can't just come out whenever you want! Theres rules and regulations and thats the end of it." I reminded him before I snapped the case shut again. More people began to gather near the railing as we came closer to New York so I took Newt's hand calmly and led to the seats that had been abandoned now.
We'd sat for some minutes in a comfortable silence before I realised I was still holding his hand and immediately dropped it. Maybe it wasn't the hot climates that had my brain seeping out of my ears, perhaps it was just me. Being around Newt Scamander made me think less about what I was doing and that felt a touch dangerous.
A buckle popped open on his case again but this time I didn't hear any clicking, rather I heard the sounds of Dougal whose favourite was definitively Newt. That meant I didn't have to snap it shut this time and he knew it too, picking up the case after he'd pressed the piece back down.
"Passport?" I handed my passport to the tall american man with a small smile, hoping I looked as harmless as possible. Newt had made it past these American customs agents with a bit of ease, though he'd had to show off his case which made me break into nervous sweats. At first he stopped right after he'd passed, appearing to wait for me when I tried to motion for him to continue on so we wouldn't draw any more attention
"Irish?" He raised a brow, drawing my attention back to the agent.
"Yup." I nodded quickly, watching Newt's blue coat disappear into the crowds. It made my anxiety raise as he was essentially the only person I'd been around for the last few months.
"First trip to New York?" He continued his questioning as I ran my hands through my hair, trying to alleviate some of the sweating on my neck and back.
"It is." I nodded again, hoping this would be over soon and forced myself not to play with my hands.
"What happened there?" His tone was gruff as he nodded to the right of me. I raised a brow as I looked down, noticing that I'd idiotically shifted my hair away from my shoulder. I'd left the very tips of the scars on my upper-body uncovered.
"Uh...bit of run in with a-a feral cat." I declared unceremoniously. I was silently cursing myself with all my heart. Why didn't I wear a shirt that covered my shoulders entirely?
"Uh huh. You carrying anything edible in there?" He motioned to my little back as he handed my passport back to me.
"Oh this little thing? I can barely fit my hand in here." I laughed loudly, a bit too loudly. What are you doing, Ara? Are you trying to get tossed out on your arse?
"Mhm." He nodded slowly, eyeing the purse for another second. Why was this man so bloody suspicious?
"Any other luggage?" He seemed to glance around my figure as if trying to see that I'd somehow hidden a giant box of bombs up my arse.
"Nope." I shook my head.
"Welcome to New York Miss." He nodded, allowing me to pass. I gave him a small smile as I slipped past and started searching for the head of blonde hair that I'd come to know so well. Newt was rather tall but it seemed nearly impossible to see him right now so I continued on, picking a random direction and searching until I found myself at an exit.
I glanced around again and found him no where. Panic was starting to set in as I took the largest street I could find and hurried down it. Were there multiple exits? Which one had he taken? How was I supposed to find him again? This was giant city!
I traveled along streets upon streets with signs I didn't recognize and people that couldn't give less of a toss about me. I'd almost given up hope entirely until I heard a bell ringing...an alarm bell that wasn't in my head so I followed the sound until I came upon an intimidatingly large building with a giant Steen National Bank engraved in the stone.
I swallowed heavily, the thought of my Niffler running through there and having a bloody field day. I stood in front of it for a second watching the chaos unfold before my eyes. Police were sectioning off the area and crowds of people had gathered to watch it all go on. I watch a woman in a grey coat run down the stairs as though she was trying to go unnoticed but a bit of blue caught my eye.
I peered at an alley way for a quick second as a heavier bloke almost ran out of the alley until he noticed me watching him. I eyed him as he came to a more casual pace, going past me into the crowd. Suspicious, yes, but he was no Niffler. I watched as the woman in the gray coat began going down the apparently popular alley and almost lost interest until I spied the familiar face of my Newt.
"NEWT!" I almost screamed his name, making him stop for a moment and look around until he noticed me. I began pushing through people to try and get closer to him while he smiled at me. He stopped right as the woman touched his arm and suddenly they were gone. I stopped suddenly, a cold fear rushed through my veins. I'd just found him and this-this bloody bitch had apparated away with him.
That just simply wouldn't do.
I began pushing past people, trying to see where on earth they'd gone with a fury that matched a bloody Hungarian Horntail. I was going to find him and when I did, I was going to punt his arse across America. Or at least scream at him for a quick minute...probably. I just really needed to find him. I paused as a small jet of light rose above the building next-door to the bank and practically ran for it, hoping it was Newt.
I ran near the building, running my hand along it and ignoring the stares from passer-bys until I spotted another alley and promptly dashed down that one. The same woman was earlier was speaking rapidly to someone in the corner and I wasted all of 0 time to push myself into her conversation to check who it was.
"Merlin!" I was almost screeching as I almost butted heads with Newt who looked happy but startled to see me.
"Ara, I-" He seemed to try and get some word in but I wasn't letting that happen, I was so worried about him.
"What on earth do you think you're doing disappearing like that?" I was really angry but I was more relieved to see him.
"I-" He started but I held up a hand and spoke again.
"No! Do you have any idea how worried I wa-" I was about to chew him out more as I kissed him without thinking and choose to pull him to me in a tight hug quickly after I realised what I'd done, but the same bitch from before cut me off.
"Who are you?" She looked absolutely bewildered to see me as I slowly let him go to narrow my eyes at her, all awkwardness at the fact I'd just kissed the man yet again was gone in a flash.
"Who in the bloody hell are you?" I raised a brow, watching her expression twist from confusion to exasperation as she shook a piece of plastic at me. I glanced down at it, quickly noticing the symbol and scoffing at the fact we'd been here for less than an hour and we'd already had a run in with the law. She was apart of the MACUSA. Terrific.
"What the bloody hell did you do?" I spun back to Newt who had the decency to look slightly ashamed this close to my face.
"He let something loose in the bank at a very bad time!" She answered for him, irritating me a bit. I'd calmed down now that I'd found him again but I still didn't like her one bit.
"Your Niffler." He sighed, moving back from me to see the case was nearly open now, a rapid clicking sound came out of it...but he sounded quite muffled. Confusing since I knew the case to be very much expansive on the inside.
"Why in the name of Deliverance Dane did you let that thing loose? What is it doing now?" She spoke up again sounding panicked.
"Hes...talking." I pursed my lips as I glanced at her, realising the seriousness of the situation. "How did he even get out?" I turned back to Newt, looking for an answer as I snapped the case shut.
"I didnt mean to, hes incorrigible, you see and he was mad, anything shiny, hes all over the place." Newt exclaimed, waving to the case.
"You didnt mean to?" She seemed to almost scoff at that.
"No." Newt repeated, shaking his head.
"You could not have chosen a worse time to let that creature loose!" She almost stomped her foot as she spoke, I took a step back and sighed. I should have known Aurelius would have some sort of a tantrum without being let out.
"Im taking you in." She declared, shaking her head as she put away her badge.
"Youre taking me where?" Newt raised a brow, glancing between my face of shock and her.
"Magical Congress of the United States of America." She explained, still shaking her head.
"Are you serious? So what? A Niffler got out and found something shiny, its what they do!" I wrapped my arm around Newt's refusing to let her take him.
"What are you, some kind of investigator?" Newt was bewildered right now, I could tell from the way his brows were knitted together.
"Can you please tell me you took care of the No-Maj?" She paused for a moment, looking guilty but ignored his question almost entirely. This raised several alarms in my head but she still had the badge which meant she had some sort of power.
"The what?" Newt and I were both confused at the moment, asking the same thing at the same time.
"The No-Maj! No-magic... the non-wizard!" She was very animated in her explaination, like she couldn't believe that we didn't know what a 'No-maj' was.
"Oh, sorry, we call them Muggles." Newt supplied the irate witch with his answer but he did so slowly. I wasn't nearly as eloquent, instead I continued to simply stare at her incredulously.
"You wiped his memory, right? The No-Maj with the case?" She seemed to just get even more irritated and huffy as we glanced at each other then shook our heads, I was more surprised she hadn't tried to take me away for being so bloody rude.
"Thats a Section 3A, Mr. Scamander. Im taking you in. Come on." Oh jeeze, I spoke too soon.