Home Again [Newt Scamander]

Chapter 10:

Tina, Queenie, and I had changed out of our dresses. The five of us ran up to one of the store windows to see a mannequin's purse sliding off it's arm and floating away. Once inside, we hid behind a Christmas display and watched as the purse was carried away by Dougal.

"Demiguise are fundamentally peaceful but they can give a nasty nip if provoked." Newt explained.

A white furry creature climbed onto one of display cases.

"You two head that way." Newt ordered Jacob and Queenie. "And try very hard not to be predictable."

They shared a look and creeped away. There was a distant screaming sound.

"Was that the Demiguise?" Tina asked.

"No. But I think it might be the reason that the Demiguise is here." Newt said.

The Demiguise crawled off the display case and we followed after it as it walked away. We stopped a bit away from it and the Demiguise turned to look at us before scurrying away up the stairs. Newt laughed and we followed it once again.

"It's sight operates on probability so it can forsee the most likely immediate future." Newt continued.

We slowly crept up on it once it's back was to us.

"What's it doing?" Tina asked.

"He's babysitting." Newt said.

The Demiguise took something out of the purse and put it down on the floor.

"What did you just say?" Tina asked.

"This is my fault." Newt said.

The Demiguise noticed us and frantically looked between us and whatever it was babysitting.

"I thought I had them all but, uh, I must have miscounted." Newt said as he out his case down beside the Demiguise.

Newt was about to open the case when something up above us got my attention.

"Is was babysitting that?" I asked.

A large blue creature poked it's head out to reveal it was an Occamy. It lowered it's head towards the Demiguise who fed it something.

"Occamies are choranaptyxic. So they grow to fill available space." Newt said.

The Occamy lowered it's head towards Newt who had his hand up.

"Mummy's here." Newt said softly.

Something rolled across the floor which caused a ringing sound. I turned my head to see an ornament rolling across the wood. Both Queenie and Jacob were up here with us now but Queenie was more forward. She must have kicked the ornament. The Occamy started screeching and the Demiguise ran back towards us as the Occamy moved away from Newt.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Newt called.

The Demiguise jumped on Jacob and the Occamy started dragging Newt along with him, moving Newt into the air as it went. Tina grabbed me and pulled me out of the way as a shelf fell over and crashed to the floor.

"Thanks." I muttered.

She nodded, acknowledging my thanks.

"We need an insect!" Newt yelled down to us from the Occamy. "Any kind of insect and a teapot."

"Find a teapot!" Newt yelled again after we all hesitated for a moment.

I started crawling with Tina under the Occamy. "I'll get the teapot if you help Queenie and Jacob with the insect."

She nodded in agreement and I quickly looked around. Once my eyes landed on a teapot I started crawling faster to reach where it was.

"Pile!" Tina screamed over the crashing of everything around us.

She dragged me to my feet and I climbed up the apparent pile to get the teapot that I had spotted. Tina was by my side seconds later. We both were now on the pile and looking at the mess unfolding in front of us.

"Teapot!" I screamed to let Newt know I got it.

The Occamy stopped moving and I looked around. Newt was now beside Jacob but still held his grip on the Occamy. Jacob, who was pinned against a pole, looked at me and drew his arm back, the Occamy following his every move. He threw the roach and the Occamy started moving after it. I jumped down off the pile and took off running, holding the teapot and jumping off the Occamy's body. As soon as I landed I kneeled down and the roach landed in the teapot. The Occamy flew into the air a little and came flying back down.

I covered my head and seconds later heard a clinking noise. Looking up I saw Newt holding a lid on the teapot. We both were panting and staring at each other. I couldn't process what just happened so I kept quiet.

"Choranaptyxic. They also shrink to fit the available space." Newt informed me.

We heard the Occamy in the teapot but remained in our positions. It was eating the roach in the pot.

"Tell me the truth." Tina said getting our attention.

We turned to look at her. Her, Queenie, Jacob, and the Demiguise that was still on Jacob were now closer to us. Newt and I were still kneeling and holding the lid and pot.

"Was that everything that came out of the case?" Tina finished.

"That's everthing. And that's the truth." Newt said.

I let out a relieved sigh. Newt and I both looked at each other and I started laughing. A smile spread across his face and I let out another sigh of relief.