Fantastic Beasts And The Trials of Scamander

A Mirror in a Sense

The sun was barely over the horizon when Newt awoke to the two aurors of the group already involved in some sort of conversation involving a lot of important gesturing and weighted statements. Usually, it was Newt who was up before the sun rose and he'd usually have tended to all the creatures, done a brief health check, drank two cups of tea and made a start on breakfast before Tina ventured out of her bedroom. It wasn't even as if she was a late riser either but she did take substantially longer to wake up meaning breakfast was usually a quiet affair. However that morning the sound of his brother's exasperated sigh and Tina's frustrated exclamation beat his body clock to the wake-up. Slowly he got out of his hammock, careful to not jostle the rest of his sleeping companions suspended in the copse of trees and padded over the dew-soaked grass to where Tina and Theseus were talking, still clad in pyjamas. To his surprise the maps that had been the main focus of bickering were absent and from what Newt could grasp with his minimal understanding of body language (and experience with Tina in 'disagreements') Theseus had suggested an idea Tina found utterly ridiculous. Seeing he hadn't been noticed he waited quietly for the argument to continue.
"Theseus we can't be certain he won't try to run again"
"Yes but at the end of the day we have no grounds to detain him Tina, nor do I particularly want to duel the man capable of duelling Grindelwald"
"I'm not saying we attack the guy! I'm just saying that with all this garbage we're having to do to catch him I'd rather not have it go to waste. Unless you've forgotten we've left auror departments unsupervised to manage this" The last part was hissed then she cleared her throat, venom still present in her voice "And unlike some of us I have people in my department that would use this mission to class me as 'too emotional' to be in charge"
His brother seemed sobered by the fact and gained a more sympathetic tone
"Tina, your job will be safe..."
"As long as this asshat doesn't decide to make this more of a problem than it already is"
Theseus' face fell into an expression he knew well and was usually followed by him being exceptionally patronising, even for his standards, so Newt cleared his throat. Both turned to him and while Theseus looked relieved, Tina looked as annoyed as she did five minutes ago.
"Newt, how long have you been awake?"
Tina asked and he offered her a small smile as he walked to the shed where his clothes and buckets sat.
"Not long." Seeing Theseus about to continue Newt added "And I believe we have a chance with Albus before wands have to be drawn" before continuing over to the shed.

Around half an hour later, with the help of Tina and rather surprisingly his brother, the creatures were sorted and Pickett was happily talking to Tina on her shoulder while she nodded along mending a bucket that he'd managed to put a rather spectacular hole in while watching the Hippogriffs (and definitely not Tina feeding them.) Theseus was transfiguring a pair of his old boots, an item that had been used as a teething toy for several baby creatures, into something less hole ridden and chewed so he could avoid going "arse over teacup". This left him organising seeds for the more picky residents of the case. These activities kept them quietly occupied until Queenie and Jacob sprang awake, followed by Bunty and then a subdued Eulalie Hicks meaning they were climbing out of the case and disassembling the tent before the dawn chorus had ceased.

Thankfully they weren't far from the village and as they set off Jacob piped up
"So, how'd ya know this guy?"
He'd already gotten into his walking headspace and began consulting his compass when the question was asked so there was a beat before he answered
"I was here looking for Dugbogs, they flourish in the waterways here and there's a lake not too much further North." He then murmured to his feet as they continued onwards "I was heading this direction when I fell Ill. I'm still not entirely sure what it was but I was struggling to keep anything down then I went through the village, obviously not looking my best, and he beckoned me in. I don't remember much of the following few days but he gave me potions and as I got better we discussed creature flea treatments" He hadn't been particularly talkative, something that suited Newt perfectly, but after several months of no human contact being in the vicinity of another person had been welcome.
"What is he like then?"
Theseus probed, very much sounding as if he was compiling information for a case and Newt resisted the urge for the hundredth time in three days to roll his eyes as he replied
"He wears a shawl to cover his face and is quite quiet"
"Quiet by your standards?" Lally asked and when he nodded he heard her mumble "That does not bode well"