Home Again [Newt Scamander]

Chapter 5:

The three of us were now walking down the New York sidewalk, looking for any signs of Any creature that might've gotten out.

"I was watching you at dinner." Newt started.

"Yeah." Jacob said.

I turned my attention from the buildings across the street to the two men beside me. Newt was walking between Jacob and I as we walked down the empty sidewalks.

"People like you, don't they Mr. Kowalski?" Newt asked.

"Oh." Jacob said. "Well I'm sure people like you too, huh?"

"Not really, no. I annoy people." Newt denied.

"Ah." Jacob muttered.

I let out a breathy laugh and it got quiet. Turning my head, I saw both Newt and Jacob looking at me.

"Sorry." I muttered looking away.

A hand slipped into mine and I looked down to see Newt's hand. I looked up at him, since he was a bit taller than me, but his attention was turned back to Jacob.

"Why did you decide to be a baker?" Newt asked.

"Well um. Because I'm dying in that canning factory. Everyone there's dying. It just crushes the life out of you. Do you like canned food?" Jacob asked looking at Newt and I.

I shook my head.

"No." Newt shook his head as well.

"Yeah. Me neither. That's why I wanna make pastries. You know, it makes people happy." Jacob said before he stopped at the corner of a building.

He turned to the right and pointed across the street. "We're going this way."

"So did you get your loan?" Newt asked as we crossed the street.

"No. I ain't got no collateral. Stayed in the army too long apparently. I don't know." Jacob muttered.

"You fought in the war?" I asked.

"Of course I fought in the war. Everyone fought in the war." Jacob said.

Jacob looked at Newt. "You didn't fight in the war?"

"I worked mostly with dragons. Ukrainian Ironbellies. Eastern Front." Newt said before stopping.

I turned to see what Newt was looking at. He let go of my hand and I followed after him as he started to walk away from us. We followed a jewelry trail down the sidewalk. Jacob and I looked around while Newt continued to follow the trail. Looking at Newt, I saw him stop and back towards a window front. He turned his head to look at the window and he raised an eyebrow.

He pulled his wand out and quickly, making the store window break and shatter onto the ground in tiny pieces. I rushed forward as Newt jumped into the building through the window. Newt started to search the drawers frantically and Jacob joined my side as we watched Newt. A creature jumped out of the drawer and climbed up a display shelf, making Newt climb up after him. He knocked over a glass display and grabbed the chandelier.

He started to dang from it as it spun and I covered my mouth out of both shock and to hold back laughter. More things got knocked over and I looked at Jacob who was looking around frantically to make sure we weren't going to get caught by anyone. The chandelier fell and seconds later Newt was climbing on more display cases as he chased after the creature. A roaring sound made Jacob and I look down at Newt's case which now had an open latch.

"Oh great." I muttered.

I looked back up to see the case Newt was on fall towards the window. The window didn't shatter under the impact of the shelf and Jacob leaned forward to close the latch. As Jacob closed the latch the window broke, sending Newt and, what I assumed to be the Niffler, flying out of the store and onto the street. The Niffler started running away. Jacob and I lunged ay it but to no avail. Soon the three of us chased after it down the street. I pulled my wand out and pointed it at the Niffler as Newt pulled his out.

"Accio!" I said, making the Niffler start flying backwards towards us.

We ran towards the Niffler as it flew closer to us. I tried to dodge the  jewelry as it littered the ground but ended up getting hit in the head by a few pieces. After a bit the Niffler was caught in a window of a store across the street. The three of us came to a stop in front of a Niffler trying to get out of the window.

"Alright. Happy?" Newt asked.

The Niffler tried to get out of the window but failed. Newt eventually pulled the Niffler out of the window with a bit of struggle.

"One down. Two to go." Newt announced as he held the Niffler.

Cars pulled up and I turned to see Jacob, who was covered in jewelry, with his hands up. The cars that pulled up were police and my heart dropped.

"They went that way officer." Jacob pointed, making a piece of jewelry fall off of him.

The officers pointed their guns at us. "Hands up."

Out of slight fear I put my hands up. The window behind us shatter and I flinched.

"What the hell is that?" An officer asked.

I looked at Newt as he tucked the Niffler into his coat more.

"Lion." Jacob said.

A lion growling made us all turn to see it walking up the sidewalk towards us.

"You know, New York is considerably more interesting than I'd expected." Newt said.

I turned at the same time Jacob did to see the smile Newt had from his joke quickly fall from his face. He quickly picked up his case and lifted his wand up. My wrist was grabbed and we apparated away from the officers and the lion.