Those Days [Newtina]

Chapter 32: Locomotor Mortis

Newt awoke on the last day of 1927 with a smile on his face. He'd paid for a ticket back to London and was leaving on the 1st at 5pm, but he still had a whole day and a half to spend with his friends.

He looked over to his left, where Jacob was still asleep, cocooned inside the blankets and snoring gently. Newt chuckled quietly to himself.

He then looked to his right, where his peacock-blue coat had been hung on a stand next to Jacob's, and his case was propped up against the wall adjacent to the stands.

Newt was about to turn over, when he spotted the clips on his suitcase.

They were open.

"Merlin's beard," he muttered, and hauled himself out of bed for the last time that year.

Tina woke around the same time, though it wasn't a magical creature that caused her to drag herself out from under the covers.

Oddly enough, it was Artemis, who woke her up by trying to snuggle underneath the blanket with her.

"Huh? I... cat? Uh- I mean, Artemis?" She croaked, blearily eyed and trying to figure out what furry abomination had buried it's way into her bed.

"Ah! Who let you out of the closet?"

Artemis promptly used her face as a springboard and leaped onto the carpet, giving a content purr as she landed.

"Mercy Lewis," she muttered, sliding out of her bed.

"Only Queenie is allowed to let you out and she's sleeping. Come on, let's put you back before she thinks I've done it."

She gently lifted up the kitten and settled her on a shoulder, holding her with her hands. Artemis poked her tiny face over Tina's shoulder and looked back at the room. She let out a gentle "Mrraaoww" and swished her tail in Tina's face.

"Shh. Artemis. We can't have anyone hearing you."

The little black kitten, to her credit, stayed quiet as Tina carried her down the hall in her blue-striped pyjamas.

She stopped at the sound of another voice. She knew this voice. She could pinpoint it in a sea of millions.

"Come on, how many times? You should've learnt your lesson by now."

Carefully, she tiptoed into the living room.

"Now- What's this?"

Newt looked up just in time to see Tina holding Artemis on a shoulder, standing uncertainly at the end of the corridor.

He placed the queer little object he was holding on the floor and picked up his Niffler, who was trying desperately to stash a pile of shiny things back into its pouch.

"Um... good morning, Tina..."

She couldn't help but smile at the Niffler, now perched contentedly on his shoulder like a parrot.

"Morning, Newt. Niffler troubles?"

"Yes, actually. I think he's pulled off the doorknob to the closet door," he replied, bending down to take the little bronze handle from the floor.

"That's how you got out," she murmured to Artemis, lifting her off her shoulder and placing her on the carpet.

"I'm sorry Tina, she must've snuck out before I found my Niffler, I didn't think-" he cut himself off then started again.