The Tribrid and Her Prison {Book One - Complete}

A Letter From the Ministry

The Owls flurried that Monday morning, dropping letters and parcels off to students and faculty. Hope sat next to Newt at the front, eating grapes as she looked over the pages to the rough draft he'd been working on. Helping creatures relocate to other environments safely. Hope had been given the task of illustration, which she took very seriously.

Her sketchbook was in front of her now, depicting an image of a Puffskein. It was just pencil drawings for now, but Newt seemed enthused by the detail she'd captured, down to their personality depicted through their expression.

Albus sat down on the other side of her and glanced over at the sketchbook with a smile. "Those are lovely." He said, sipping his tea.

Hope grinned as a heavy envelope landed on her plate, the owl swooping away with a squawk. She frowned, looking down at the envelope. She'd never gotten a letter before, but she supposed she had been meeting more new people recently, and it appeared to have come from the Ministry.

"This is a first." She said skeptically as she picked it up, but a little happiness slid through her chest. Maybe people see her as one of them, accepting her into their groups. She smiled at the prospect.

"Would you mind if I open it?" Albus asked, dabbing his mouth with a napkin.

Hope looked over at him, brows pinched in confusion. "Oh," she murmured as realization set in as she looked down at the envelope, "maybe a wolfsbane explosive party pack?"

Albus offered a sad smile. "I would just rather be safe than sorry."

She handed it over, knowing it was for the best. She and Newt watched him tap his wand to it and say. "Revelio." When nothing happened, he carefully opened one side. He peeked inside before reaching in and carefully taking out a neatly folded stack of papers.

Hope watched his expression shift into one of confused concern.

"What is it?" She asked. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked over his shoulder to read the letter.

Ice stroked down the back of her neck. It was the Registry, but it wasn't from Thomas.

"Why would Fawley send me the Registry? I thought he said I was an exception."

Newt moved closer now, eyes widening as he read over Albus' shoulder.

"It seems," Albus began in a tight voice, "he has changed his mind."

Hope gave him a scathing look, but it wasn't toward him. "You mean Thomas manipulated his mind."

Albus clenched his jaw; he didn't have to verbally agree for her to know she was right.

Reading further, it seemed Thomas had convinced him that even if she hadn't shown signs of being forced to phase under the total mean, it wasn't a risk he should be so quickly willing to take, especially with students at present.

"They'll be coming to the next full moon to ensure we take the appropriate precautions."

Hope let out a scoff and shook her head in irritation. Why was everyone continually trying to put her in a cage?

"When's the next full moon?" Newt asked.

Albus was silent, obviously not wanting to answer.

Hope's heart sank as she skimmed down to the date. February 14th.

"Valentine's Day?" She asked, her voice smaller than a whisper. Tears filled her eyes. She knew it wasn't the end of the world. Nobody was dying. She wasn't back with the Poachers. Things could be so much worse, but the sickening in her stomach made her want to curl up and lay there.