Chasing Grindelwald

17: Beasts Are Back In Town

TINA

     She followed Newt up through the hatch of the case, where there were several older students waiting for them, along with a woman who seemed to be well into her fifties. She had platinum blonde hair, a dazzling smile and eyes the color of the sky. Tina wasn't affected by her, but she could tell what she was: a Veela. They had had a Veela foreign exchange student once in Ilvermorny, and she was gorgeous; all the boys did whatever she wanted. It was a kind of trance-like magic that men and boys were attracted to, but only from looking at their faces. Luckily, Newt didn't tend to look at faces, so he was immune. 

"Zees eez your friend?" The headmistress asked Newt politely. He nodded.

"Madame Prix, this is Miss Goldstein, my travelling companion. Her sister, er, Miss Goldstein, is taking a nap in my travel office. She was- she was splinched earlier in our escape from one of Grindelwald's men," Newt explained.

"Anysing serious?"

"No, no, she'll be all right," Tina answered.

"Very well, you may all stay," Madame Prix smiled at Tina, but there was little warmth in her blue eyes. "But, of course, to eensure ze safety of my students, I must inseest we eenspect your bag."

"R-right, of course," Newt said, stuttering.

"That Confundus Charm still lingering?" Tina said sympathetically, trying to make it sound like he wasn't nervous at all about the inspection; just cursed.

"Y-es, a bit," he smiled gratefully at her. "Still t-trying to gather my thoughts."

"Professor," Prix said to a teacher who had been lurking in the shadows. "I'll need you to eenspect Meester Scamándair's office, mercí."

"Of course, Madame Prix," said the professor in a perfect English accent, stepping forward. "I'll get right on it." He pulled his wand out and walked inside the case.

"And once we are feeneeshed, I weel 'ave Professor Smeeth, our English and Ancient Runes teacher, take you to one of ze unoccupied dormitories," Madame Prix said, sounding tired. "A lot of Dumbledore's friends 'ave stopped 'ere for a night or two, so zere eez not much surprise that you 'ave come 'ere after a battle. You said ze man was Spanish?"

"Yes, Madame," Newt said, now masking his nerves flawlessly. The way he did it seemed like an art. "He hit me a couple of times, with a Severing Charm and...well, Confundus, I suppose."

"Ah, he must 'ave been Carlos Vidal," the headmistress said with distaste. "Most know 'im by ze name Don Quixote, 'is alias. Strange man, zat one. Stay clear of 'im."

Newt frowned and brought his fingers to the spot where the curse had grazed his arm. "Right. And if there's anything we can do to make it up to you, let me know, and I'll do whatever I can."

"Me too," Tina said quickly. "We can help you with whatever you might need."

"Zat eez very appreciated." Prix inspected them, her icy eyes scanning relentlessly. "'Owever, eet weel not be necessary. Be our guest."

"Je vous remercie," Newt said, nodding to her.

The English professor climbed up the stairs. "Well, everything seems to be fine," he said. "No weapons or anything, just a bunch of notes and a sleeping woman." He looked at Tina. "Don't worry, I didn't wake her." Then, he turned his attention back to Newt. "Also, the wall behind that map is pretty creaky. I'd reinforce it, if I were you."

"Right, of course," Newt said with a flicker of a grin, leaning down. He closed his case and latched it

"Now, come with me, I know the perfect empty dorm..." The professor said, leading them away. Tina followed quietly, her hands folded in front of her mellowly. Finally, things seemed to be going smoothly.