Cleaning all the flour all over the floor and the apartment, and cleaning ourselves, we put in the effort to prepare the dinner and the desserts that we were destined to make before the slaughter with the flour.
Sitting down at the table, we finally eat. The first bite is something wonderful.
My face lights up, a smile blooms from my lips. "This is delicious Queenie!" compliments the chef.
Choruses of agreement rise from the table.
"You could prepare and have them taste the pasta you made last time… Now what was it called…"
says Percy, trying to remember.
"Carbonara" Creed and Gellert answer.
"Yes, exactly! Thank you" he nods remembering.
I blush and say: "It was nothing.."
"Don't be so humble. It was a very tasty pasta." continues Percy
"You made it. And you prepared it with love." Credence speaks.
"Carbonara… I've never heard of it." Jacob says thoughtfully.
"It's an Italian dish." I reply promptly.
"Next time I'll make it so you can enjoy it," I promise.
After the conversation, we continue to dig into our plates, enjoying the good food.
We get to the long-awaited desserts. Jacob has drawn some of the fantastic animals he saw in Newt's suitcase.
Us again: Gellert, Percy, Credence and I haven't had the opportunity.
"I hope you'll show us the puppies someday!" I exclaim towards Newt, who, surprised to be spoken to, stops slightly with his fork halfway to his mouth.
He recovers quickly, and not meeting my gaze, his head slightly turned to the side in his characteristic way.
"Sure, if you like," he speaks slowly, shyly.
"Of course! I'm very curious to see them. I love animals, whether they're magical or non-magical."
"Even though I've never seen a magical animal…"
"They're not much different from muggle pets, except for their magic," he chuckles softly, excited that someone is interested in his precious babies.
The conversation continues on this front, Newt's pets. Newt tells us about all of them, the ones he has in his suitcase, the ones he's saved and freed or kept with him, their characteristics and what they look like, what they eat. Basically everything.
His emotion for his creatures, as if they were his children, the devotion he feels for them is palpable. This is the first time I've seen Newt talk a mile a minute, content, happy, joyful and proud without being blocked by shyness.
It's nice to see him.
Jacob gives a few comments on his impressions. I think he is still in disbelief of the turn of events, of having found Queenie, us and the other fantastic world that is hidden from the eyes of muggles. They are sitting close together holding each other with one hand and with the other they eat.
Tina and Newt are also sitting next to each other, they are much more shy, but they keep close.
Gellert is at the head of the table, I am next to him and, immediately after me, there are Credence and Percy.
I gently move closer to Creed and softly take his hand in mine, I feel his goosebumps, but he does not jump at the touch.
His hand gives a squeeze to mine, and with a small spark of pride that betrays me by being noticed only in my eyes, his other hand grabs Percy's who welcomes the gesture immediately.
I take a deep breath. I feel happy, at ease, I feel like I'm in the right, in the right place.
We are not all together yet, but we will be soon. Very soon the family, I already feel everyone is like family: Jacob, Newt, Tina, Queenie and Gellert, they are my family, it will grow. Many people will be our new allies and others will become part of this family, and I will anxiously await each and every one of them.
Shortly after finishing dinner Creed, Percy, Gellert and I return home. We go straight to bed given the time. We take turns changing into our pajamas and finally we are ready to sleep, it has been a long day full of peaks of highs and lows of emotions.
These last days before taking action and saving Nagini pass quickly, trying to prepare ourselves and have a plan and a backup in case something goes wrong.
The seats have been assigned.
Today is December 13th, it's time to act.
"Let's go over the plan." I draw the attention of the others who are chattering among themselves.
The chatter stops and everyone turns to me, listening.
"Gellert will act as a diversion, creating panic and dispersing the people, Queenie and Jacob will help him. Tina and Newt will release the creatures, checking for injuries and if they need treatment, this as soon as they have the go-ahead. Percival, Credence and I will go get Nagini."
They nod, each with their own task.
"Jacob you can join Newt right after. We need to try to follow the events"
"Sure"
With that said and having gone over the plan, we each take our partner by apparating to France, where the Arganus Circus will be performing.
Queenie takes Jacob with her. Newt and Tina go together, hand in hand.
Percival, I, Credence and Gellert go together.
We appear directly in the magical side, without having to pass through the statue of the woman that separates the muggle world from the magical world.
We are greeted by the buzz of the crowd just in front of us. A dragon of fireworks flies and turns in the sky stealing the wonder of the paying customers.
Fire breathers, jugglers who use people by making them enter giant soap bubbles, cotton candy that resembles mountains from how big they are. My eyes fill with childish wonder as I think back to my childhood, to those few times my parents took me to the circus to see the animals and some circus shows.
I look at Credence, the wonder and disbelief along with the shock make his eyes shine and light up with joy.
His dark brown eyes are so vivid from the emotions that swirl in them.
His lips are parted. Credence turns to me, observing my expression which is exactly the same as his except for the different subject. His is towards the spectacle in front of us and mine, now, is only for him.
I smile softly, complicitly.
Gellert and Percival wake us up by touching one of our shoulders with their hand.
I nod, Creed copies the movement and we get back to work.
Gellert, Queenie and Jacob go ahead. Those of us who are still there watch as they start throwing Bombarda Maxima(1) in the corners to avoid people, Aqua Eructo(2) is thrown to the fire-breathers, Dismundo(3) is thrown into the crowd to distract from the real target, which is all the circus performers.
The circus announcer, the boss if we want to call him that, is not around and is in another tent.
We need to get to her.
The crowd has been dispersed and the other performers are charmed with a Confundus(4) giving the green light to Newt and Tina, followed closely by Jacob, to check on the animals and release them.
The two men left with me and I enjoy the chaos for a few seconds, then we walk towards where they knew Nagini would be.
We enter one of the tents that I assume is for the artists, or as they treat them, I should call them slaves.
We are in the right tent, there a little ahead of us is her.
Nagini!
"Hello, you don't know us but we know you. We are here to free you." I exclaim smiling at her.
She seems wary and cautious.
"I will try to open the lock" I whisper.
I focus on the lock that closes the gate, trapping her inside.
I take a deep breath giving my complete attention to it. My eyes are fixed, I focus on believing, in me, in my magic, trying to feel it flow through me.
I close my eyes trying to connect to it….. a warmth in my center makes me dive towards it.
My core.
I reach out to the core and say the spell: "Alohomora(5)" my voice is very low and before saying the spell, I open my eyes again.
The lock opens with a click resonating in the tent, dispersing.
The chains wrapped in the bars of the gate held by the lock fall gracelessly to the ground.
"You were incredible!" Credence says cheerfully, giving me a huge smile.
"Magnificent." Percy says slowly and proudly, stroking my cheek and I lean on it for a few seconds.
I turn my attention back to Nagini.
"If you allow me, I would like to show you my memories, we will take you to our home to safety and there you will have time to understand. We will not hurt you, I just want to show you my why, and if you do not want to stay you are free to leave."
He nods, but is still wary.
I can understand why.
"Our companions will join us soon. They are checking and freeing the animals. Let's meet them outside so you can get to know them."
We leave the tent and go towards the center finding Newt who is trying to unhook the collar from a Zouwu, attracting it by jingling a kind of duster.
Once the animal is freed from its chains, Newt drops the object that enchants the animal into his suitcase, the Zouwu dives into it following what has caught its attention.
We go towards them from one side, from the other side come Gellert and Queenie.
Turning to Newt I exclaim: "You were incredible! Extraordinary! You always have some tricks up your sleeve, well done!"
I don't touch him, I know he doesn't like contact very much so I try to find his eyes.
For a few seconds he averts my gaze, but after a while his eyes meet mine.
"It's not ….." he tries to say.
"I know. Everything you know, the tricks, are things you've read and studied to help all animals, regardless of how dangerous or docile they are for other people." I form quotation marks in the air at the word 'tricks' with my fingers.
"What you do, helping animals in need, trying to pass on your knowledge of them to others, trying to show people that there is no difference between harmless and dangerous, you just need to know them, extraordinary and beautiful. It shows your stubbornness, your care for the animals you study, protect and help"
His eyes widen in amazement at my understanding.
"Thank you." he says with such gratitude that it melts my heart.
I don't answer, it's no use, I just nod, softening my features.
"We have to go. We've been here too long." Gellert brings us back to reality.
I nod.
We apparate back to the house. Nagini comes with Percy, Credence, Gellert and me.
We left New York at about 10:00, France is 6 hours ahead of us, and we arrive at 4:00 in the afternoon, leaving at about 6:00. We haven't been there long, only two hours.
It's noon when we get back to New York.
A slight nausea, along with a slight headache, hits me as soon as we set foot in the apartment that I've started to think of as 'ours'.
I let out a small moan, holding on to Percy with one hand and Creed with the other.
"Damn these international apparitions." I mumble.
Credence, I observe, doesn't look good. I feel the bile rising. Anticipating that he too is feeling ill like me.
In need, I frown, concentrating on conjuring two buckets, one for me and one for Creed.
I manage to conjure them just in time. I dive face first into the bucket, out of the corner of my eye I see Credence do the same.
"I hate this!" I gulp, groaning with my head still in the bucket.
A minute later I finish putting away this morning's breakfast.
I lift my head from the bucket and a finely embroidered handkerchief appears in my vision, thankfully before I wipe my mouth on my shirt sleeve.
I thank Percy, grabbing the handkerchief he offers me. As I wipe my mouth I turn my head to Credence next to me. His head still lingers in the bucket, but the chucking sounds have stopped.
I rub his back, comforting him.
I am about to open my mouth but Queenie, always kind and thoughtful, precedes me, handing me two vials saying: "Here and to calm the stomach."
I take them thanking her.
I drink one of the vials, emptying it and placing it on the ground next to me.
I place my eyes and attention on Creed cupping first his cheek and then his neck, caressing there.
I pass him the line and he swallows the potion.
"Thank you," I reply with a caress on the cheek that is still resting on my hand.
"I think it's a good idea to relax and then eat. We all need to calm down, we'll have time to talk after we eat," I say to everyone.
Everyone's stomachs in the room are making themselves felt. We separate and everyone sides with someone.
Newt and Tina on the couch, Gellert on an armchair with his back to the entrance door, Percy, Credence and I sit on the other couch. Queenie and Jacob are in their kingdom, the kitchen, preparing something.
Nagini remains disoriented and uncertain for a few minutes but despite her reluctance she slowly sits down on the armchair with his back to the kitchen.
About half an hour passes while we relax, Nagini remains to look us all over, distrust and curiosity in her gaze.
Another 10 minutes and Jacob and Queenie call us to the table, which has been enlarged and a chair added for our guest.
We eat in a quiet and relaxed silence.
We return to the seats we had before sitting down to eat, the only difference is Jacob and Queenie sitting on the same sofa as Newt and Tina that they have enlarged specifically, to accommodate both couples comfortably.
Basking in the sofas with full bellies, another 10 minutes pass. We are awakened by Nagini: "So? What did you want to show me?" she asks curiously.
Her lips tighten slightly, not in anger or anything else, just in doubt, curiosity and detachment.
"We will give you the summary. I am from the future, I am an Obscurus, like Credence here"
I point to Creed at my side.
"I came to save my soulmates after having visions of the past, of now." I point to Percival and Credence.
She nods slowly: "What does this have to do with me?" she asks.
I nod to Percy, understanding my intent he stands up and pulls out his wand pointing it at me.
A cloud of light blue rises above our heads taking over the entire living room. My memories of my entire life are projected into it. My childhood and adolescence. The murder and the visions of what would have happened if I hadn't come to the past. It's finally from when I came to the past until now.
What the spells do:
1) A more powerful version of the Bombarda spell, it creates an explosion, even more powerful.
2) Produces a huge and violent jet of water.
3) Gives the opponent terrifying visions to distract them.
4) Confuses the opponent for a short period of time, during which they do nonsensical things.
5) Opens locked doors or chests.