Chapter 1
The gentle spring gave way into the warmer, longer nights. This were the kind of days when the creatures were a little bit more restless, and sometimes there was more to tend to, but of course Bunty didn’t mind. I t made her happy to have an excuse to spend a bit more time with Newt, who she was foolishly admiring from a far as he collected some fruits that grew in some of the bushes of the habitats inside the case.
The case, the magical, wonderful, and ever-changing case.
Bunty always thought that even though she had seen and lived around magic all the time, it was still lovely to find things that filled her with amazement. One couldn’t really get bored around with the sort of job that involved the creatures, the problem instead is that it could get you exhausted. And so today specially since the day was hot and sunny. She was finishing a glass of water when she heard Newt calling her.
“Bunty?”
“Yes?” she replied, a bit uneasy about the alarmed tone she heard in his voice.
“Have you seen the baby Niffler’s? they don’t seem to be in the cage where we left them “
Ahh. Those little rascals, always roaming and running around the place. Bunty loved them, but they were very prone to getting lost and going to places where they shouldn’t be, so she tried to stop and think. “The cage wasn’t locked, was it?” she asked.
“No but it did have a charm to prevent them from going more than 2 meters away” he replied.
And so, they looked around, but they found out that somehow the charm that Newt had summed was not a long-lasting magical effect, and unfortunately there were no notes on that on the spell book that he found it, the only thing it had mentioned was that it did not last an entire day, and they had only done it around an hour ago.
Then they had to begin the search, they split around and started searching in the different areas, places like habitats with the larger, more dangerous creatures first made Newt almost go into panic at the thought of one of those little ones being in potential danger. After failing to find them in several places, he started getting more and more stressed, until they reached a small oasis area, and Newt sat down and placed his face in his hands.
“What have I done? I’m such a fool! What if something happened to them, I… I can’t. What if they are…. you know…?” he stammered trying to find words for his concern.
Bunty loved him so, and it hurt her to see him feeling so bad. His eyes were almost watering with tears tempting to start at the thought of those little babies being harmed and her heart felt heavy. Oh, all she could do was sit besides him, and try to give him some comfort.
“Hey, hey, Newt, we will keep looking, it’s going to be alright, we’ll continue. They are clever, they are fast and know how to get away from danger. And I won’t leave you. We are going to find them, and I’ll stay to help.”
She wanted to grab his hand, to put her arm in his shoulder, but she knew Newt isn’t the kind of person that is comfortable with physical contact easily, and she respected that, so she just sat by his side and tried to breath as to see how they were going to solve this. Surely, they had to show up, but how to call to them?
Just as these thoughts came into her mind, there was an unusual noise, coming from a small little fountain in cascade shape that was in the side of the room. Both raised her head to see the source of it, Newt looking at her with his eyes getting an excited spark as he stood up and walked over to see, she followed him quickly, as they gasped , seeing the reason of the sound the heard.
There they were!
Just around the grass and near the edges of the fountain, the little Niffler’s were cheerfully splashing and playing in the shallow parts that hadn’t dried out from the water that flowed from in in the sprouts. Newt gave a sigh of relief and smiled at the sight of all the three fluffy, although now damp creatures, just tossing around.
Bunty let a laugh escape at the sight.
“Guess they wanted to cool down, can’t blame them. They must´ve felt way to warm for them to do this, given how they really don’t enjoy baths”.
“Yeah. Seems like today the summer is going into full swing.” She said.
The look that the magizoologist got afterwards was something that she had already knew how to recognize from the time they had of knowing each other and working together, he was having an idea that he was not sure how to explain to her. At least for now, it seemed.
“Bunty, thanks for today, and for staying around later than your usual.” He said gently.
It would never be said out loud…but Bunty never enjoyed leaving …so it was always a bit sad for her when it was time to walk away from the apartment. Difficult enough as it was for her to hide her feelings for him, she still cherished the time she got to spend with him.
But it was late already so she went on her way to her flat that she rented and made sure that everything was in place. It was a small place, not much honestly, just a small sitting room, her bedroom, a kitchen area to cook and the bathroom, really, but she liked how cozy it was and it a nice and safe. And a perfect place for just lo live normally as a “muggle”. She read a bit and then noticing the time in a watch she went to sleep, since it was later than she expected.
The next morning, she was on her way, bright and early to Newt’s place, ready for the day of work ahead. She blushed a little bit, self-consciously as she fixed her hair a little bit more as he approached the door.
Her heart always beat a bit faster as she greeted her and let her in.
“Good morning!”
“Hope you slept well. Ehm, there something that I wanted to, talk with you.” Newt said in a tone that me her feel slightly nervous, but seemed like it was something good, since nothing indicated the opposite, but, still, Bunty could almost feel her stomach do a flip inside her.
“Come, sit down” he politely set out the chair and pulled it so she could do so. And asked if she would like some tea, coffee, or some juice.
“Oh no, no thank you Newt. I’m okay”. She smiled as he sat down to and drank from a little bit of orange juice.
“So, before we started to get into work today, I wanted to ask you….How would you feel about a trip?”