goodbye
"See you soon!" Jaune called after the woman leaving with a small box of lemon cake. The brunette turned sharply to wave back only to run into the door accidentally, the box nearly falling out of her hands. Her cheeks flushing bright red before sending back one last wave. Jaune sent her one last farewell, watching the woman walk awkwardly through the crowd out of the window.
The muggles in the shop return to their book finding, almost ignoring the oddities and inconsistency throughout the shop. There was no organisation throughout the books. Poetry mixed with history and education, and odd titles while some weren't even in English. Jaune glances around the shop once, ignoring the little glances sent her way and before anyone could approach her she disappears down the hallway to the back of the shop. Observing the two men sitting across from one another, drinking tea.
Mr Graves had first objected, asking for coffee but both siblings had glanced at him strangely before insisting he tried the tea, "Do you know anything else about Credence? Did he say anything?"
"He was very shy, he didn't say much else," Altair informed the Auror, both men glancing at her appearance as she grabbed her brothers cup. Taking a sip of the tart lemon honey tea. A creamy feeling running down her throat as Mr Graves hummed in understanding.
"He left through the kitchen, too nervous to leave out the front door. Perhaps nervous someone would see him?" Alistair asked, probing for information about Credence himself.
"Most likely his mother, she's the leader of the Second Salemers." He informed them, the siblings share a glance before he continued, "We've known about her and the New Salem Philanthropic Society for a while, we've been keeping tabs on them from time to time — when it calls for it. Especially, until an Auror interfered between the boy and his adoptive mother. Revealing us to them. We had to do an extreme obliviation of the both of them but ever since she's taken more drastic action against witches and wizards."
"Drastic Action?" Alistair asked in confusion, wondering what take words could possibly mean.
"Starting rallies, trying to recruit more people. She runs to a soup kitchen, often feeds the poor children only if they take her fliers and distribute them." Mr Graves tells them, watching their expressions as the siblings fell silent. Jaune rested against the benchtop, letting the information sink in.
"I'm telling you this because you don't seem so aware, unlike others here because obviously, you aren't from around here either." He said, pointing around the kitchen where obvious wizard trinkets sat around the kitchen. Jaune glances around feeling her assertion of home trinkets didn't stick out dangerously.
"Meaning?" Alistair asked glancing around like her, Jaune had tried her hardest to blend the muggle world with their magical one and their kitchen had been even more her favourite than back home.
"Meaning you might not know how to protect yourselves with the laws of MACUSA standards." He tells them, gaining both of their attention from observing their kitchen. Jaune raises an eyebrow at the dark Auror before them, "Which is?"
"Look," he sighs standing up straight, grabbing his hat from the bench, "Your lucky your shop is permitted as it is right now. In America, No-Maj aren't allowed to have anything to do with magic folk. No friends, no relationships and no interactions that may reveal the truth between us—"
"–and I stand by, that, that is ridiculous. We might be more lenient towards muggle interactions back home but we have measures to deal with that unlike you. We can handle ourselves even if you Aurors don't believe so, if you have any more opinions like that you'll have to contact the Minister of Magic yourself. We can handle it ourselves, just fine." Jaune finished with a steely glare, her arms crossed defiantly over her chest. Mr Graves holds his hat close to his chest, both men looking down on her tiny figure in shock.
"I just want to make sure that, you're safe. A No-Maj like Credence who reports back to his mother who is the leader of the Second Salemers is a dangerous person to interact with—"
"He's just a kid—"
"—even worse." Mr Graves warns them. Jaune sighs grabbing a stool beside Alistair to sit finally. Her legs aching in relief at finally sitting today. The kitchen falls silent. The only sound entering was the distant steps of the muggles wandering around the shop.
"Thank you, Mr Graves." Alistair finally says, standing up from his seat. Reaching out a hand to shake his. The men shake hands, taking steps towards the back door, curt words are exchanged before the Auror pauses at the door, looking past Alistair at Jaune who sits with her head in her hands.
"Ms Ambrosia?" He calls quietly, she looks up letting her chin rest in her palms. Covering her polite smile. He watches her for a moment, taking in her feature of her. The fluttering curly pieces of hair that floated around her head to the splotches of flour marking her forehead and cheek. Something about her aura felt naturally bewitching, he found it hard to remove his stare until Alistair's chest blocks his gaze, "Yes?"
"Uh, any problems, say with the Second Salemers or anything related — please contact someone from MACUSA. We need reports of every interaction. It's vital." he informed trying to look around Alistair's chest but he was blocked again. A solemn smile on his lips before he told the Auror goodbye with assurance. The door closing in his face as he steps back into the alleyway.
Silence sits with them as Alistair turned to observe his sister. Her artistic fingers rubbing against her skin in an effort to massage the emotions from her body.
"Do you think that boy would...do you think he knows." She asked him quietly, keeping an ear out for any more customers as the bell rings.
"There is no doubt that he knows, Jauney," Alistair tells her with a sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets. Jaune nods in understanding before making eye contact with her brother. Colours shimmering between their eyes in communication.
"What as he thinking?" She asked him, "What does he want with Credence."
"Get to know him. Find him." Alistair informs her with a shrug as he took the seat Mr Graves had previously been sitting in, to look across at her, "He's very curious but I couldn't get much more. He was just thinking about you."
Jaune rolls her eyes at her brother's chuckle. Alistair found it enduring that sometimes he was all people could think about. That the sight of him pushed out any other thought in their head. Jaune felt it too distracting, that having a conversation with someone could never be real enough. Almost like a loop, always returning to how lovely she looked or thoughts she never wanted to head in another person's head. Usually, that's when he would step in and take the spotlight.
"If Credence thinks he knows what we are, he'll come back. Come back for some type of evidence...maybe." Jaune thought out loud. Alistair nodded in agreement before a ding echoed down the corridor. Before Jaune stands to go greet the customer, Alistair stands to place a hand on her shoulder. Allowing her to sit herself down to relax. His charming smile flashing onto his face before he leaves the room.
Jaune listens to the muffled talking of her brother and a customer. The quiet shake of laughter and flirting. Women would frequent the shop for a glance of her brother and sometimes even her, almost unknowingly. None of the muggles knew why they were so enchanted by the quaint little shop. Not even some magic-folk knew why but those who did know who, or rather what, they were would either watch them scornfully and keep their distance or wallow like defenceless children in need of permanent attention.
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Jaune || Newt Scammander
Fanfiction"You are the strangest creature I know." "Perhaps, Fido, a woman is just the creature you need for your collection." "A woman? No, no - I think I'll stick to my Hinkypunks thanks." "Scared Fido? I never thought I'd see the day you would back out on...