The Potions Master and the Magizoologist

Chapter 4

​ I struggled wildly against the guard holding me. I was not going to allow them to hurt Henry and Remy. Minutes later we reached the holding block in the basement. Newt, Tina, and Jacob were all thrown in, defeated.
But I pushed against the guard with everything I had. I felt a wand come in contact with my neck. A sharp jolt of electricity went through my body and I cried out in pain and stopped struggling.
​ "DON'T HURT HER!" Newt shouted and banged on the bars of the cell. I, too, was thrown in the cell. I regained my senses when the door slammed shut. I roughly shoved my hands in my hair, frustrated. I paced back and forth around the cell. Newt was in the corner with his head down.
​ "Elliott, Newt, I'm sorry-" Tina said lightly.
​ "Sorry? You're sorry? Tina, they could very well kill Henry because of this! You of all people know that it's illegal to have a chimera! Only say you're sorry after we get out of this with my chimera in my possession!" I blew up in her face.
She looked heartbroken, but nodded slowly. I stormed over to Newt and sat next to him. He immediately jumped.
​ "Elliott, you're freezing! I thought you had that potion," Newt exclaimed. I stared ahead blankly.
​ "It wore off about fifteen minutes ago," I answered in a monotone voice. He quickly engulfed me in one side of his overcoat. I sighed and let the warmth seep into my body. Newt gently rubbed circles into my back to calm me down.
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​ Five guards dressed in white came to retrieve us. They chained our arms behind us tightly and led us out of the cell. I looked back and saw Jacob waving forlornly at us. I gave him a sad smile and turned forward. We came up to a boring white room.
A table sat in the middle with two chairs on one side and Percival Graves on the other. Newt and I were shoved into the chairs opposite of Graves. The chains were bound around the backs of the chairs, and in turn the chairs were bonded with the floor.
​ "Alright, let's start with you," Graves said and turned to me. I glared harshly at him. He tutted softly, as though speaking to a child.
​ "Miss Romanoff, I understand that you graduated Hogwarts with the highest marks in your potions class." He said. I nodded and squinted. "But, I also see that you are quite adept in alchemy."
​ "So?" I asked sarcastically.
​ "So, that is illegal in America. You know this. But I suppose you ignored it. Because when looking through your bag, we found this." He waved his wand and a large cage raised from the ground. Inside was Henry. My eyes widened.
​ "Henry! Remy!" I shouted and pulled against my restraints slightly. Henry mewled sadly at me and Remy hissed viciously at Graves.
​ "You gave that abomination names?" Graves cried, outraged. I glared at him. I saw pure fear in Henry's eyes. I would not stand for this.
​ "Let! Them! GO!" I growled and fought furiously against the chains. Graves leaned closer to my face and smiled innocently.
​ "Oh, you and I both know that isn't possible," Graves whispered and backed up. My eyes widened and I just about dislocated my shoulders to get to Henry. He looked terrified, even with Remy trying to comfort him.
​ "Please!" I desperately cried, tears stinging my eyes. Graves shook his head lightly. He flicked his wand and in a flash, Henry and Remy were unmoving on the floor of the cage. My breath caught in my throat. I felt my heart shatter into nothing.
​ "H-Henry...? Remy...?" I softly called out. Nothing. Tears flowed down my cheeks. A cry that sounded animalistic ripped from my throat. I continuously pulled at the chains. I wanted to be near them. Cries of anguish and sorrow rang from my body again and again until my throat was raw.
​ "You... You MONSTER!" I shrieked at Graves and bowed my head, letting my hair fall into my face.
​ "Now that that's taken care of, we can move on," Graves said dismissively. Sobs racked my body. I moved my head from between my legs to Newt's shoulder. I couldn't hear any more of Graves talking. The ringing in my ears was too loud. Henry dying played in my mind over and over again.
​ "...Sentenced to death...." Came through the ringing. "Romanoff and Goldstein... Same punishment..." I felt a wand at my neck. I allowed myself to be lifted and brought to a large room. It had a chair floating over a pool of potion.
I was pushed forward. The wand left my neck and went to my temple, pulling out memories. I stared blankly into the pool as it swirled and showed some of my happiest moments. Potions class, riding a Thestral, memories of Henry.
​ "Doesn't that look nice? Want to get in?" A voice to my left asked me. I smiled and nodded softly. I wanted to be with Henry. Soon I was on the chair, slowly descending. It looked so nice and peaceful.
But it all disappeared in a second. It turned to when I had helped Tina with the Second Salemers. I had cast a spell to help the boy, Credence. His mother threw a fit, shrieking that I was a witch and pointing at me accusingly.
​ I screamed and jumped to my feet on the seat of the chair. Fueled by adrenaline, I was snapped out of my daze. I looked up, wide eyed, at Newt. My breathing was shallow. I watched as a large reptile-like bird swooped around the room. Tina was crying from the doorway, shouting to hurry. The deadly potion was inching closer and closer.
​ "HELP ME!" I cried to Newt. His eyes darted around the room, searching for a solution. His eyes met mine.
​ "Elliott, you have to jump," he said calmly. I could tell he was hiding his panic. I looked at him as though he were crazy.
"Trust me, I'll catch you!" The potion was touching the chair now.
"Jump on the Swooping Evil!" Closer to my boots.
"I promise! I'll catch you!" Just as the potion was about to swallow me, I leaped off the chair. My feet landed on something hard, then I was on the platform in Newt's arms. My eyes met his for a heartbeat. He opened his hand and the Swooping Evil transformed back into the cocoon.
​ Newt grabbed my hand in his, I grabbed Tina's, and the three of us sprinted down the hallway. The adrenaline was wearing off, and I stumbled trying to keep up and dodge the spells of the Aurors. We came to a stop in front of Queenie and Jacob.
​ "Everybody in! Wands and bags are in there!" Queenie ordered and opened the case. We all jumped in and down the stairs.
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Once inside Newt's case, the small group went to just outside the shack. The true weight of everything that happened crashed down on Elliott. She dissolved into tears, wailing her heart out at the loss of her dear friends.
Newt was there immediately. He wrapped her in a tender hug. He led her over to the outer wall of the shack and sat down, pulling her on to his lap. Jacob and Tina sat opposite them. There was a tense silence save for the creatures makings various sounds, and Newt quietly whispering into Elliott's ear.
"Elliott..." Tina started slowly. Her mouth hung open, searching for what to say. One quick and dark glare from Newt made her close her mouth quickly. He knew it wasn't Tina's fault. But right now the only thing that was on his mind was helping the grieving girl in his lap.
"Newt, they're gone. Forever. It hurts," Elliott croaked quietly. She desperately gripped his shirt in her fingers. Her words caused Newt's heart to break. He didn't know why, but he never wanted to hear her say anything like that again.
"I know, darling. I know," he whispered.
"I was supposed to protect them... I failed..." she sobbed and buried her face into Newt's neck. It angered him to hear such a perfect girl utter such nonsense.
"That is not true. You did everything you could to protect them. From now on, Elliott, I'm going to do anything to protect you, too," Newt proclaimed boldly. She cried and hugged him tighter, muttering a small 'thank you'. He rested his head on hers and stared, determined, ahead of him.
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On the rooftop of department store, Newt and Tina stood on the edge of the building. They were discussing who they needed to find and how to go about doing that. Elliott stood with her head on Newt's shoulder, playing with his fingers. Queenie and Jacob were in the pigeon coop, talking about their grandfather's birds.
"Gnarlak!" Tina randomly stated. Elliott raised her head to look at her, resting her chin on Newt's shoulder.
"Excuse me?" The Hufflepuff asked, very confused.
"Gnarlak- he was an informant of mine when I was an Auror! He used to trade in magical creatures on the side," Tina explained. Elliott, despite the feeling of hopelessness ever since Henry and Remy died, perked up at the sound of this. Newt took notice and smiled lightly.
"He wouldn't happen to have an interest in paw prints, would he?" Newt asked. Tina grinned.
"He has an interest in anything he can sell."
"Perfect, let's go!" And soon enough, the group was Disapparated off the roof and into an alley way. To the speakeasy of Gnarlak, a greedy, sly, and double-crossing goblin.