So I decided to put my responses to reviews at the bottom of this chapter because, well...its a giant one. Sorry for totally dipping out on the 2 weeks, my grandmother was having health issues-no worries though! She's all good now.
If you want to read my personal experience with a plastered guy in the Hog's Head pub, it's here.
Just to set the scene here, I've been in the park for a good bit of the day and me-being the ever prepared park-goer I am-checked the weather to see that it'd rain in the next few hours. So, my parents and I all head into what we thought was the Hogs Head pub (it was not.) Accidentally yelled at the poor girl who was taking my order because my ADD doesn't give me much leeway for voice control when everything is loud around me or I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.
But eventually we get our food and sit down in the pub portion of this eating arena. This is where my story actually starts and it's actually quite short!
We were eating and noticed that the servers were quite adamant that you needed to be eating in order to sit at a table, what do we do? We eat as slow as humanly possible.
The server had sat us down at the table closest to the gigantic fireplace, across from the bar and closest to the door which led out to a patio seating sort of thing. Basically, I figured that my apologising to the girl I'd yelled at before meant that we got the best seats! We were close to the bar, but not too close and near the door which mean a constant cool breeze.
It rains-like my phone said it would-and dozens of people start coming in the front door. In wanders in a guy that I didn't realise was as drunk as he actually was, like how do you actually drink enough to get drunk at an amusement park? How can you afford such a thing-outside of bringing it in with you, of course.
He gets into the booze line after nearly falling onto me in his haste and I figured out that this dude was not only drunk but also high as balls. Well it wasn't so much of a slight fumble-it was closer to a collision, if I'm being honest with you guys. I mean we genuinely almost had an issue where my face was going to taste my chicken pot pie and I was going to just out right lose my bloody head with him.
We're all good though. My eye's aren't scalded by chicken and the line moves up. Now he's by the patio doors (you'll recall the ones I mentioned earlier which gave us the awesomely cool breeze.) I guess, in his head, that meant it was the perfect time to pull out his vape and just go to down on blowing clouds out into the pub.
Two puffs down and a girl that doesn't look much older than me comes stomping down and they share a few words, we all assume she's the manager. He nods, puts away his vape pen and she goes away to wherever she'd come from. Maybe a minute later, this dude pulls out his freaking vape pen again and the girl comes back but she's not just speed walking-she's almost sprinting towards him.
I don't know about him, but I was actually worried for a second that she was going to tackle me for eating too slow or something. Hell hath no fury like this gal did.
She's yelling, he's confused and my parents and I-along with half of the room-are now watching the show. She's not very big, perhaps 160-165 cms, but holy crap-she's scary when she yells.
Anyway, a bit of pushing goes along with the show. He's not allowed inside the pub any more, curtsey of the two bigger guys that seemed to just suddenly come out of the walls.
I got to chat with a rather charming bartender, who informed me that "fire-whiskey is only produced in the Wizarding world" when I asked if it was just Fireball (who knew, right?) We also got a lovely show and got to beat most of the rain! Awesome trip all together.
If you reviewed last chapter, see the bottom of this chapter.
Otherwise, Enjoy!
Suddenly, I found myself out of my seat with little idea as to what I'd say or do when I got within arm's reach of the Muggle. But, I'm not sure I actually cared that I had all of zero plans. I just knew that he wasn't about to continue his visual exploration-at least not with my inadvertent blessing by lack of action.
Apparently, I didn't need to have an idea considering that the Niffler obviously had one already. A series of growling clicks came from Ara's shoulder-oddly enough, I felt like the Niffler and I were of the same mind for once.
Abruptly she pulled away from the Muggle, "sorry!"
"Uh," she grimaced before twisting her head to peer at the Niffler with worry and confusion, "what's gotten into you?" The thought of the Niffler and I having a similar mindset was was terrifying enough to send my body into a slowed stroll. I'd slowed enough that I joined Ara's side in what I hoped was a casual manner.
Kowalski glanced up at me appearing confused, guilty, and vaguely embarrassed when I'd come to a stop. "Maybe he's just tired as well," I supplied with a pointed look in the man's direction before glancing back to Ara who was still distracted with her pest.
He'd quickly averted his eyes in such a way that I knew he implicitly understood what I'd found to be infelicitous behaviour. "Yeah, no-I definitely need to go to bed." He nodded, standing up warily while Queenie flittered over to fuss over his person and helped him to the bedroom with her sister.
"Newt, I think he needs to go back in the case. He's snappin' at everyone and clawing at my shirt." She murmured her fears to me with a heated voice when she'd noticed me near her.
"Ah," I went to brush a stray blond hair away from my eyes-maybe even respond to her-but found my mind pre occupied by the hand in my pocket. It was grasping my wand with unnecessary force and after a reminder that I still hadn't responded, I focused on my other palm.
Unfortunately, I'd discovered that the other hand was tightened in a fist by my side-but I was determined to be smooth. Maybe I'd somehow pass for being relaxed right now, even if my entire body was set against it.
Apparently my hands were debating between hitting him and hexing him, two things that I hadn't consciously considered until now. I forcibly relaxed the hand on my wand, bringing it out to straighten my coat in an attempt to feel less foolishly compulsive as I turned to face the two that were waiting on my answer.
Unclenching the fist I'd made by my side, I dragged my sweaty fingers through my hair while gazing down at Ara who was peering at me with a furrowed brow. "Well," I paused as the Niffler and I made eye contact-I'd been too focused on playing off my aggression to actually respond to her and he'd spotted it.
In the past, I'd found it extraordinary that Ara could even possibly begin to communicate with the little cretin, but right now his message was clear as day. His beady little eyes and snappish click at my prolonged silence had informed me that he found the Muggle's leering distasteful...I had to agree with him for once.
"Newt?" I blinked, realising that she was still watching me with her brows now drawn tightly together. "Right," I hummed in thought while I stared into her eyes, shaking my head in an attempt to remind my mouth to open.
I finally responded, "no," I cleared my throat warily. "No he doesn't need to go in the case. In fact, I think he ought to get a galleon or two." I wasn't sure who was more surprised by what I'd just said, Ara or the Niffler.
The Niffler reacted first, drawing my stare to his place on her shoulder with his clicking and nickering all at once in a rapid and viciously excited fashion. That was apparently all it took for Ara to snap out of her astonishment.
I watched as she retorted just as rapidly to each one of his sounds, "he's not serious! You're not getting any of those things, Aurelius. Do I have to remind you of your pastry extravaganza? Mhm. You're lucky I don't send you off right now."
Suddenly, I found myself sequestered back to thinking it was extraordinary she could possibly even begin to understand him. But I didn't mind the resumed ignorance, it anything I was happy for it.
In fact, it occurred to me that it felt as though all was right with the world once more. The thought made me smile as they continued to go back and forth now that the Muggle had scurried off towards the bedroom, it was as if we were back in the case once again.
I watched her eyes flare up with a delicate scoff before they rolled and the light caught them. It'd garnered further study when I spotted a fleck of something lighter than the earthy brown I was familiar with when she'd glanced back at me, but the flecks disappeared just as quickly with another roll of her eyes. I'd once compared hers to doe eyes-that hadn't been entirely right.
Hers were far more dark than any doe I'd ever seen-they were closer to a beetle's shell really. It wasn't that I found hers to be disagreeable, quite the opposite really.
She was capable of communicating as much as a creature could with a stare and I hadn't found such a quality in any other human to date. I didn't mind staring into her eyes, something that would have been rather disorienting to know about myself a few months ago but now I'd appeared to have embraced it.
I'd realised they possessed an off-putting veil of melancholy when she wasn't laughing. But hers was a veil so thin that you mightn't always notice it's ability to turn all the glimmers of happiness into a matted sheen. I hadn't actually noticed it at first. Of course I'd been too busy with trying to avoid her eyes and biting back my annoyance at her incessant need for praise.
I'd strived to make her laugh and smile more often in hopes that eventually, she wouldn't have that trait any more. Well-placed jokes and small things like cooking her eggs a particular way were good for curing the brown of any lingering sadness for the most part. Though I often felt as though maybe I faile-
"Mr Scamander?" A soft lilted voice called for my attention, one that broke the fantasy I'd built up of Ara and I being alone once more.
A sigh told me it'd demand my attention, "Mr Scamander?" I brought my head up and my thoughts away from the two I found most interesting in this room to Queenie who was eagerly awaiting my attention as she lingered a little off to the side of us.
"Hm?" Carefully, I placed my eyes just to the side of her face as I acknowledged her. She appeared to be smiling by the dimple in her cheek, "would you be so kind as to help me move the sofa? I'd use magic but I'm worried we'd break some of our mama's knick-knacks."
"Ah," I nodded without really paying her words much attention, still distracted by my companion and her Niffler's lack of disagreement.
I glanced back at Ara when she'd snorted with derision, "sure." She'd raised a brow at a Niffler who had apparently figured out he wouldn't win his mistress's favour by bickering, resorting to petulance.
"Of course." I nodded again at the blond witch.
Placing a guiding hand near Ara's waist, I leaned in a little closer than I knew was necessary. "I'll be in bed shortly."
She glanced up at me with her eyes wide and her voice oddly high, "what?" I took a moment to observe the pink lightly colouring her cheeks before repeating myself, "I said I'll be in bed shortly." I allowed my hand to come up and brush back a blonde curl that hid away a sliver of her right eye.
"Right." She gave me a mechanical nod before turning and almost running away in a mad dash to the bedroom that the other Goldstein was inside with the Muggle.
Ara's hasty departure left me to wonder what part of my actions had elicited that reaction as I turned and began pushing the Goldstein's sofa to one side of their sitting room. Her darting away wasn't new, I'd seen it before on the stairwell at the Muggle's flat, but both times I'd just barely touched her waist and spoken. Was it the physical contact? Or the voice I used?
I knew she was hesitant with physical contact, especially if she wasn't fully awake. But, that development was a more recent one. In the past she'd been relaxed when just grabbing my hand and tugging me along if I didn't move as quickly as her. Had I done something? I couldn't recall anything in particular.
Since last month there'd been several mornings that I'd woken up to find our limbs entangled. I'd continually failed to rectify it with the thought that I found the closeness to be quite helpful for a good rest. Usually I'd just shut my eyes again only for her to wake up a short while later and jerkily roll away from me-typically into my desk's leg.
Perhaps I could start varying my tone from lower to higher and not touch her. I'd have an obvious answer for any reaction from my voice and I could repeat the experimentation with only touching her, not speaking at all. By then I'd be able to combine the two an-
"She's just a person, you know." I stopped my slow push of their sofa and turned my head, giving the witch a look I knew she'd understand well enough, "stay out of my head."
Ara wasn't just a person, she was-well...She was her. I couldn't find the right words to describe her, only particular actions. She was someone who'd unknowingly fought their way under my skin. While no one knew what she actually thought, I'd eventually learn all of her quirks well enough that we wouldn't have to talk about every little thing-like the kisses.
"I'm just sayin' Mr Scamander, I might not know what's goin' on in her head," she pointed over me towards the bedroom with a shrug. "But I know how girls in love act, and she's-" I shook my head, cutting her off. "She's not like you, or your sister, or any one I've ever met really. It's foolish to try and perceive her actions for her." I continued pushing the sofa until it'd touched the wall and my job was done.
"Anything else?" I turned, keeping my eyes just on the side of her face out of habit.
She shook her head, "no. I've got from here." It registered that her tone was clipped but I didn't particularly care, she shouldn't have tried to tell me how Ara was acting. It wouldn't be authentic, only her body could tell me how she was acting and a Legilimens had no place in the matter.
I didn't respond to her, turning and going straight into the bedroom. I passed by the other Goldstein on my way, who I could feel giving me an odd look while I deftly pulled my arm against my side in an effort not to graze her skin.
It wasn't done out of disgust or disdain, if anything I'm sure she was very hygienic; I just simply didn't care for the contact from her. She'd been more of a passing consideration while I focused entirely on the care with which Ara was currently attempting to convince the Niffler to slide into the case. We'd already discussed our plan away from prying eyes and curious ears but if he didn't oblige, it was possible he could derail the whole thing all together.
Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967/ firemadein789/ LoveFiction2019/CrystalVixen93/ guest 17/ acetwolf94: Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement! I hope you enjoyed the second part of Newt's POV just as much :)
bored411: Ironically I have the whole death potion scene done already, somehow I forgot about the mating dance! And yes, I figured him studying her would be a good option for how Newt goes about romance in his head.
4: Oh no! I hope you've been focussing on school! Yes, we did just see Newt get jealous (in his own way, of course.) I imagine that Jacob will be brought on the creature recapture missions, but he may not play as much of a part depending on how I decide to do this next bit. Also, as for the occlumency and all that jazz-you read essentially what I read whilst researching the concept. So, to put it plainly, yes. He could invade her mind because she was constantly upset or anxious as her ability is one that she doesn't really have to think about constantly to be able to do it-she just does it! Very good on your deductions! As for Ara's ex-boyfriend, well...no spoilers just yet!
KaylaWilton: Awe! I think this might be the first time I've ever been happy to infect someone with something. :) Don't go too hard on Jacob though, hes still 90% delirious. I have to be honest, I kinda used the fact that he constantly leered at Queenie whilst sick to have him leering at both Ara and Queenie (though Queenie definitely takes the cake for him!)
Guest: So unfortunately I never went on the minions ride, mainly because I rode revenge of the mummy so much that I didn't even think about it. Though I do wish I could have seen some snow this season. I think I miss seeing snow and the leaves change the most. Also, don't worry about the TMI! You'd be surprised to know how many people get on their phones right after a shower.
Axarell: Confession time...I didn't get the hot butter beer. But I did drop by Hogs Head (after being incredibly confused when I got food and they said 'we don't serve alcohol in The Three Broomsticks') I know you're not supposed to do it technically but I ended up combining fire-whiskey with my butter beer. Actually I believe it was at the recommendation of a particularly charming bartender! I never got to see Queenie's wand, I think maybe they were all out of hers? I'm not sure, but I did get a look at Newt's and Grindelwalds. Thanks a bunch for your tips and I hope you got to read my story above!
TheWonderfulShoe: It was a bit perilous for sure! But, don't mind him-he's harmless, just sick.
GreyMoonHuntress: I'm sure that if Ara actually realised what was going on in Newt's mind half the time, they'd have slept together already.
XxRikela-chanxX: I've always wondered this, which is actually more polite? Bum or arse? Does anyone actually put them on different levels? Sorry, rambled a bit there. Newt getting jealous was fun to write, only because he doesn't really show it on the outside.
mutedsymphony: I'm happy you've enjoyed all the details! I do spend quite a bit of time wondering if they're truly in character or not but often enough, I hope they are.
Gina: Somehow, when I first read your review I read 'geht' as the German word for 'go'. I realise this technically has nothing to do with your review so I'll stop going off on a tangent and just say thank you so much for the review! :)