𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐓 ━━
✧˖*. | ❝Hey there, sweet-pea.❞ | ✧˖*.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome our main attraction, The Phoenix!" the ringmaster announced.
The curtains drew back to reveal a naked woman trying to cover up. Her usual sunrise ombré...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Tina, Newt, and Cora were on a busy street on the lower east side. She was carrying the case, complaining and on the verge of tears about how Newt didn't Obliviate Jacob and that he humiliated her.
Cora was furious. Tina humiliated herself by bringing in them in during Madam Picquery's meeting - by storming into MACUSA when she was no longer an Auror. If she hadn't grabbed them and Disapparated, the two would have gone after Jacob to properly Oblivate him. A Billywig flew over their heads, catching Newt's horrified attention.
"What was that?" Tina asked.
"Uh - moth, I think. Big moth," Newt answered.
She didn't believe him, but she let it go as they rounded a corner to find a crowd of people in front of a crumbling building. People were shouting and evacuating. One policeman stood in the middle, being harassed by the people of New York.
"I'm telling you it's a gas explosion again! I ain't taking the kids back up there until it's safe!" a housewife yelled at a policeman.
"Sorry, ma'am, there ain't no smell of gas."
A drunk hobo spoke up, "It wasn't gas. Hey, Officer, I seen it! It wuzza - a gigantic - a huge hippopotto -"
Newt pointed his wand at the hobo without Tina noticing. She was too occupied with the ruined statue of the building.
" - gas. It was gas," the drunk hobo finished saying.
The crowd agreed. "Gas! It was gas!"
Taking advantage of the distraction, Newt grabbed Cora's hand and ran up the stairs of the building. They walked into Jacob's room and looked around. There was broken furniture and broken glass everywhere, along with a large hole in the opposite wall. Newt crouched beside Jacob, who was lying on his back with his eyes closed. He tried to examine a small red bite on Jacob's neck, but Jacob kept batting him away.
"Mr. Scamander!" Tina shouted from downstairs.
Newt had desperately performed a Repairing Charm. The room and wall was repaired, just in time before Tina walked into the room. Newt was trying to look innocent and composed by sitting on the bed with his case on his lap. He calmly sealed the latches on his case.
"It was open?" Tina incredulously asked.
"Just a smidge..."
"That crazy Niffler thing's on the loose again?" she questioned.
"Er - it might be - "
"Then, look for it! Look!" she demanded.
"You're not being very helpful, Miss Goldstein," said Cora.
Newt patted her thigh. "Cora," he warned.
She pouted, looking away to glare at the wall. Jacob moaned, causing Tina to drop Jacob's case and walk to him.
"His neck's bleeding. He's hurt! Wake up, Mr. No-Maj..."
With her back turned, Newt tried to escape with Cora, but she suddenly screamed when a Murtlap ran out from under a cabinet and clung onto her arm. Newt spun around in shock and caught the creature by the tail, then shoved it into the case.
"Mercy Lewis, what is that?" Tina asked, breathing heavily.
"Nothing to worry about. That is a Murtlap," Newt answered.
"What else have you got in there?"
Jacob opened his eyes. "You!" he accused.
"Hello," Newt replied.
"Hello, sweet-pea," replied Cora.
"Easy, Mr. - "
"Kowalski, Jacob."
Tina shook his hand. Newt raised his hand, ready to Obliviate Jacob.
"You can't Obliviate him! We need him as a witness!" Tina exclaimed.
Newt's eyebrows furrowed in as he put his wand away. "I'm sorry. You've just yelled at me the length of New York for not doing it in the first place."
"He's hurt! He's ill!" Tina exclaimed.
"I wish you were ill," whispered Cora.
"He'll be fine. Murtlap bites aren't serious. Though I will admit that this is a slightly more severe reaction than I've seen, but if it was really serious - he'd have..."
"What?" asked Tina.
"Well, the first symptom would be flames out if his anus. It'll last forty-eight hours at most! I can keep him if you want me to - "
"Keep him? We don't keep them! Mr. Scamander, do you know anything about the wizarding community in America?" Tina asked.
Newt shook his head. "I'm afraid not, no. Although, Cora knows quite a lot."
"Well, then, I suggest you educate him," exasperated Tina.
"We weren't expecting to run into an ex-Auror who seems to have a knack for shouting and blaming others," Cora backlashed.
Newt froze, heart hammering in his chest. Cora was always fiery, and it could get her into trouble at times.
