Ella
═══━━━───• Part 3 — Patching & Collecting •───━━━═══
◈ 6 December 1926 – Afternoon ◈
Elladora and Newt stood on either side of Kowalski, with Goldstein leading the way.
"Take a right here..." Goldstein said as several more retching sounds emitted from Kowalski, the bite on his neck clearly affected him more and more. The group rounded a corner, and Goldstein hurried them to hide behind a large repair truck, and peered at a house across the street.
"Okay–before we go in–I'm not supposed to have men on the premises." Goldstein said.
"In that case, Mr. Kowalski and I could easily seek other accommodations–" Newt said, but was cut off by Goldstein anyway.
"Oh no, you don't!" And with that, the three were pulled across the road by Goldstein. "Watch your step."
The four tiptoed up the stairs, and they'd just reached the first landing when a woman called out. "That you, Tina?"
"Yes, Mrs. Esposito!" Goldstein said.
"Are you alone?"
"I'm always alone, Mrs. Esposito!" Goldstein replied, and Elladora smothered a laugh.
They entered the Goldstein apartment, and although impoverished, there was some workday magic floating about. An iron was working away on its own in one corner, and a clotheshorse revolved clumsily on its wooden legs in front of the fire, drying an assortment of underwear. Upon seeing Jacob stare, Elladora flicked her hand silently at the women's clothes, casting an illusion charm so that only females could see them. Magazines were scattered around, and Elladora saw that they were titled: The Witch's Friend, Witch Chat and Transfiguration Today.
Elladora recalled that Minerva loved to read the transfiguration paper, and silently dried her eyes. I miss you, Minnie.
There was another woman in the apartment, and the blonde was standing in a silk slip, supervising the mending of a dress on a dressmaker's dummy. Newt barely noticed, and peeked out the window, impatient to leave.
"Teenie, you brought men home?" The blonde asked. I think this is Queenie Goldstein.
"Gentlemen and Miss, this is my sister. You want to put something on, Queenie?" Goldstein introduced.
"Oh, sure—" Queenie ran her wand up the dummy and the dress ran magically up her body.
The other Goldstein was obviously frustrated, Elladora noticed, and started tidying the apartment magically.
"Here, Miss Goldstein." Elladora said, and flicked her hand casually, sending all the things in their original places. "It's the least I could do—you've taken us in."
Newt gaped.
"So, who are they?" Queenie asked, nonchalant.
Tina sighed. "That's Mr. Scamander. He's committed a serious infraction of the National Statute of Secrecy—"
"He's a criminal?" Queenie exclaimed, looking impressed. Elladora stifled a laugh, grinning at Newt, who sighed.
"—uh huh, and this is, um—" Tina looked slightly embarrassed.
"Elladora Octavia Black." Elladora smiled. "Not to worry, Miss Tina Goldstein, I hadn't told you my name."
"Why are you covered in blood—" Queenie started, but was cut off by an elbow to the stomach.
"Don't ask." Tina hissed. "She's had a...magical accident."
"Oh, you poor dear. And who is that?"
"That's Mr. Kowalski, he's a No-Maj—"
"A No-Maj? Teen—what are you up to?" Queenie said, looking worried.
"He's sick, it's a long story—Mr. Scamander has lost something, I'm going to help him find it — and Miss Black needs somewhere to stay until she figures something out."
Elladora stuck out a hand, using magic to lower the Muggle man onto the couch as he staggered, very sweaty and looking unwell. Queenie hurried over as Tina hovered, both worried as well.
"You need to sit down, honey." said Queenie. "Hey— he hasn't eaten all day. And—aw, that's rough, he didn't get the money he wanted for his bakery. You bake, honey? I love to cook."
Newt was staring at Queenie and Elladora. "You're a Legilimens?" He asked Queenie.
"Uh-huh, yeah. But I always have trouble with your kind. Brits. It's the accent."
"You know how to read minds?" Kowalski said, appalled.
Elladora smiled and shook her head.
"Aw, don't worry, honey. Most guys think what you were thinking, first time they see me." Queenie playfully gestured towards Kowalski with her wand. "Now, you need food."
Elladora saw Newt looking out the window, and saw a Billywig fly past. She poked Newt in the arm, and tiptoed to whisper to him. "Is that a Billywig?"
"Yes." He whispered. "I've got to find them all."
"Hot dog...again?" Queenie said to Tina.
"Don't read my mind!" The latter protested, pointing her wand at the cupboards. Dishes, assorted cutlery and glasses flew out, setting themselves on the table with a little prodding from Tina's wand. Kowalski staggered towards the table, looking slightly fascinated yet terrified. Newt shuffled closer to the door, and his hand was on the doorknob, when—
"Hey, Mr. Scamander, you prefer pie or strudel?"
The others turned to look at Newt, who looked embarrassed, and removed his hand from the doorknob. "I really don't have a preference."
Tina stared at Newt, confrontational, but also disappointed and hurt at the same time. Kowalski was already seated at the table, tucking his napkin into his shirt.
"You prefer strudel, huh, honey? Strudel it is." Queenie read Kowalski's mind.
Kowalski nodded with enthusiasm, and Queenie grinned back, delighted, and sent raisins, apples and pastry flying into the air with a flick of her wand. The concoction neatly wrapped itself into a cylindrical pie, baking on the spot, complete with ornate decoration and a dusting of sugar.
Elladora turned away, sadness wrapping her in an embrace. I miss you, Minerva, you used to make us these biscuits...She sniffed quietly.
There was a small squeak, and something green poked his head out from Newt's pocket, curious. Pickett, Elladora thought.
"Well, sit down, Mr. Scamander, we're not going to poison you." Tina said, and Newt, who was still hovering near the door, looked somewhat charmed by the situation.
"Oh, yes, Miss Black? Pie or strudel?" Queenie said, noticing Elladora's slightly hunched form, but she didn't reply.
There was a moment of awkward silence.
"Elladora?" Newt said, turning around.
•┈┈┈•• ◈ ••┈┈┈•
"I'm fine, you guys go on." She said quietly. "I hope you don't mind? I'll remove this later." She conjured a small table and knelt in front of it. removing her time-turner and dug out the Sands of Time, laying them out. Elladora wasn't particularly hungry. She felt a strange empty hole in her heart, as if something was missing.
I ought to be in mourning. I ought to be kneeling beside my friends, I ought to be there, healing them! That's what a healer should do—not 72 years back in time. She felt...wasted. As if she was useless. I am useless right now, aren't I?
Silently, tears dripped down onto the broken time-turner, and Elladora wiped them away. There was no good in crying—after all, it wouldn't help anything.
Was there any way to fix a time-turner? She wondered. It's not like I need it now...but just in case.
Elladora had no idea how to fix the time turner. This wasn't even in the syllabus—using time-turner is against the law. And so all she could do was to guess.
Should I fill the Sands into the Glass? She tried. She didn't know if mending it could make it work—no one did.
"Reparo." She whispered, tapping her finger at the glass as the Sands of Time magically poured itself in the mending hourglass.
The smell of pies drifted over, and she reminisced about the time when she and Minerva would sit next to the fire at night, eating biscuits. Elladora sniffled silently.
There was a quiet sound of a catch popping open, and Elladora assumed it was Newt's case.
"...the job ain't that glamorous. I mean, I spend most days making coffee, unjinxing the John...Tina's the career girl." Elladora heard Queenie say, reading Kowalski's mind. "Nah, we're orphans. Ma and Pa died of dragon pox when we were kids. Aw...You're sweet. But we got each other!"
"Could you stop reading my mind for a second? Don't get me wrong—I love it." Kowalski said. Queenie giggled, delighted and captivated by Jacob.
"This meal—it's insanely good!" Kowalski commented. "This is what I do—I'm a cook and this is, like, the greatest meal I have ever had in my life."
Queenie laughed. "Oh, you slay me! I ain't never talked to a No-Maj before."
"Really?" Kowalski asked.
There was a moment of silence, and Elladora could practically feel the discomfort Newt and Tina were in the presence of the flirting couple.
"I am not flirting!" Queenie suddenly protested.
"I'm just saying—don't go getting attached, he's going to have to be Obliviated." Tina sighed, embarrassed.
"Oh, hey, you okay, honey?" Queenie said. Most likely she was referring to Kowalski.
There was a scrape of a chair sliding on the floor, and Newt spoke up. "Miss Goldstein, I think Mr. Kowalski could do with an early night. An besides, you, I and Elladora will need to be up early tomorrow morning to find my Niffler, so—"
"What's a Niffler?" Queenie asked Tina.
"Don't ask." Tina sighed, and there were footsteps, then some clinking. "Okay, you guys can bunk in here. Miss Black, will you mind if you bunk with Mr. Scamander and Mr. Kowalski? And would you like some hot cocoa?"
"I'll be fine with them, and no, thank you." Elladora said, tearing her eyes from the now-mended Time-Turner. I won't be sleeping a lot anyway. Elladora dropped the golden chain around her neck and cleared away the table with a wave of her hand.
"Thanks, Tina." She smiled, and went into the ajar door. Newt and Kowalski were lying in their beds, with Newt turned resolutely on his side and Kowalski reading a wizarding book, seemingly confused.
"I thought you two might like a hot drink?" Tina asked, handing Kowalski his mug, but Newt remained turned away, and Elladora knew that he was feigning sleep, so Tina, obviously frustrated, pointedly placed his cup on the bedside table.
"Hey, Mr. Scamander–" Kowalski said, "Look, cocoa!"
He didn't move.
"The toilet's down the hall to the right. Miss Black, do you think you should...clean yourself up first?" Tina asked, looking Elladora up and down. She winced.
I must look horrendous, with all the blood.
"Oh, it's fine, Tina, I'll try to remove the blood stains myself." Elladora said. "You'd better go to bed, you'll have to get up early tomorrow."
"Thanks..." Kowalski said, "Very much..."
Elladora sighed to herself as Newt jumped up the moment the door closed, still wearing his overcoat, and placed his case on the floor. He opened it, and walked down inside it.
"Clever extension charm, Newt!" Elladora called down, and jumped down after him as she heard the faint call of her name.
Kowalski was left gaping like a fish, and there was a sudden thumping noise, and he fell down after Elladora. He collided with various objects, instruments and bottles as he went, Elladora wincing at the sharp sound. She was in a wooden shed of some sorts, which contained a camp bed, some tropical gear, and various tools which hung up on the walls. There were several wooden cupboards containing ropes, nets and collecting jars. There was a very old typewriter, a pile of what looked to be manuscript, and a mediaeval bestiary sat on a desk. Potted plants lined one of the shelves, and rows of pills, tablets, syringes and vials formed a medicine chest, tacked up on the walls are very messy notes, maps, drawings and a few moving photographs of extraordinary creatures. A dried carcass hung from a hook, and several sacks of feed were resting against the wall.
"Will you two sit down?" Newt said to Elladora and Kowalski, pulling a chair out for Elladora as Kowalski plopped onto a crate.
Elladora smiled. "Thanks, Newt."
He moved forward and examined the bite on Kowalski's neck, and immediately went to his plants and the contents of various bottles, creating a poultice. "Ah, that's definitely the Murtlap. You must be particularly susceptible. See, you're a Muggle. So our physiologies are subtly different." Newt applied the greenish cream to Kowalski's neck, and the latter winced.
"Ow..."
"Now stay still." Newt said, handing him some pills. "That should stop the sweating."
Newt then removed his waistcoat, undid his bowtie and lowered his braces, picked up a meat cleaver and started to hack away chunks of meat off a large carcass before tossing them into a bucket.
Meanwhile, Elladora sighed, and conjured a roll of bandages, then proceeded to roll up her robes to reveal her rather mutilated limbs.
"It didn't feel that bad." She mused quietly as she quickly scanned her injuries.
Newt's hand froze in the air as he turned around, smelling the rusty iron stench of blood wafting in the air. Kowalski already turned away, not wanting to see the bloody sight.
"What happened?!" Newt demanded in utter horror.
•┈┈┈•• ◈ ••┈┈┈•
TW #2: VERY GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF BLOOD/OPEN WOUNDS
Newt could see the blood stains on Elladora's robes, but what he wasn't prepared for was that they were all hers, and that the wounds underneath were fresh. The thin scratches on both her arms were long and thin, as if claws had ripped her pale skin apart. There was a deep gash oozing more blood, seeping through the already reddish-brown bandages wrapped around. Elladora's left ankle was slightly swollen, and bandages loosely hung from it. Her right thigh had multiple unfamiliar Runes carved into it, and were crusted with dried blood. But one of them – the one directly above her knee – was glistening scarlet, and crimson mixed with maroon ran slow and thick from the open wound.
"A war happened." Elladora said dryly, conjuring herself a wooden stool to place her legs on for the time being. "Do you have any Blood Replenishing Potions?"
Newt continued to stare at her wounds, spellbound. How could someone stay conscious with so many painful and deep wounds, let alone stand?
"Newt?"
"I—right, yes, I do." He snapped out of his trance, flushing in embarrassment, and turned to his shelves, reaching up to retrieve the dark red vial. "Do you think you need some help?"
"I think I'll be fine, but it'll be nice if someone could help me bandage them." Elladora winced as she tapped her wand against her forearm, and the scratches healed, leaving long yet thin silvery scars etched forever into her skin. She unwrapped the rufescent white strip covering her right arm and Newt almost dropped the vial he was holding.
"What bit you?" He gasped in shock as the large bite mark revealed itself.
"A venomous snake." Elladora grumbled, and mumbled under her breath, "Nagini. But don't worry, it just doesn't heal itself — there's no more venom in my blood anymore."
"Do you think you should...uh...dip your arm in Murtlap Essence?" Newt asked hesitantly, unsure of how to help her. This was unlike anything he had ever seen.
Elladora shrugged. "Sure. It wouldn't hurt. Thanks, Newt."
He hurried to one of the cupboards, transferring the yellow substance from a vial into a glass bowl, handing it over to Elladora to soak her arm in.
She waved her wand, and Newt assumed that she had made a special sticking charm of some sort as she bent down to heal her legs, the bowl didn't fall off.
"Vulnera santeur." She murmured, brushing her wand against the Runes carved into her thigh. "Vulnera santeur. Vulnera santeur."
She smiled at her handiwork, and turned to her ankle. "Hm...Episkey." Her ankle deflated slightly, and she did it again. "Episkey."
Newt bent down to her legs and started wrapping some bandages around her ankle.
"Um, Newt, I don't think I need these. My ankle is healed already." Elladora protested, shaking her head.
Newt continued to wrap the bandage around Elladora's ankle. "Just in case."
Then he stood up, swished his wand and banished all the blood away from their clothes, turning to his table, attention now focused on a spiny cocoon, which he started to squeeze.
"Are you two done yet?" Kowalski groaned. "I'm tired of staring at a blank wall."
"Sorry." Elladora said hurriedly, pulling on her robe, which still had minor bloodstains. "Yes, there isn't any blood anymore, Mr. Kowalski."
•┈┈┈•• ◈ ••┈┈┈•
Newt was now squeezing a spiny cocoon, and it emitted a luminous liquid, which he collected into a glass vial. "Come on..." He muttered to the cocoon.
"What've you got there?" Kowalski asked, staring at the vial.
"Well, this—the locals call "Swooping Evil"—not the friendliest of names. It's quite an agile fellow." Newt flicked the cocoon, which unravelled, dangling...elegantly from his finger. Wait, what was I thinking? Elladora scolded herself. "I've been studying him. And I'm pretty sure his venom could be quite useful if properly diluted. Just to remove bad memories, you know." But suddenly Newt threw the Swooping Evil towards Kowalski. The creature bursted out from its cocoon and Elladora span around, startled. A bat-like, spiky, colourful creature howls into Kowalski's face and Newt recalls it almost immediately. Elladora stifled a laugh at Kowalski's horror. He had recoiled dramatically, but she knew it was just Newt's idea of a little joke.
"Probably shouldn't let him loose in here, though." Newt said, and Elladora could see that he was smiling to himself. He opened the door of his shed and offered an arm to Elladora. "Come on."
Elladora took his arm and limped through.
The leather case had swollen to the size of a small aircraft hangar, and it contained what appeared to be a miniature safari park. Each of Newt's creatures had its own perfect, magically realised habitat. Jacob stepped into the world behind them, completely amazed. Newt led them to the nearest habitat – a slice of Arizona desert. There was flapping noises, and Elladora looked up, gasping quietly as a magnificent creature like a large albatross with its glorious wings shimmering with cloud and sun-like patterns filled her view. It was a Thunderbird.
Elladora raised a hand to her lips, eyes glistened with unshed tears as she saw that one of its legs were rubbed raw and bloody – it was obviously chained previously.
As the mystical creature flapped its wings, the habitat filled with a torrential downpour, thunder and lightening. Elladora flicked her hand to create a magical umbrella, shielding her and Newt from the rain.
"Come on–come on...Down you come...Come on" Newt chastised, eyeing the Thunderbird up high. Slowly the Thunderbird calmed itself, lowering down to stand on a large rock in front of Newt and Elladora. As it did so, the rain died down and was replaced by a brilliant, hot sunshine. Newt stepped forward a bit in front of Elladora, producing a handful of grubs from his pocket. The Thunderbird stared at them intently, and Newt stroked the Thunderbird with his free hand, calming him affectionately. "Oh, thank Paracelsus. If you'd have got out that could have been quite catastrophic." He turned to Elladora and Kowalski. "You see, he's the real reason I came to America. To bring Frank home."
Kowalski stepped forward, still staring, but the Thunderbird got agitated, flapping its wings. "Oh, sorry. He's a wee bit sensitive to strangers.
Elladora slowly stepped forward, lowering her head and bowing down to the Thunderbird. They were similar animals, weren't they?
-DISCONTINUED-