Protective

Chapter 11

Gellert isn't sure why hearing how Tina and Newton meet is so interesting to him, but he finds it fitting that his Niffler got out, and Newton had to chase him around a bank. A muggle bank of all things, his creatures are quite the troublemakers.

"What else do you want to know about Newt?" Tina asks, and Gellert snaps out of his thoughts, and has to think about that for a second.

"Do you know what Hogwart house he was in? Why he didn't graduate from Hogwarts?" Gellert asks, and Tina raises an eyebrow.

"That's two questions, so I guess I'll have to only answer," Before Tina can finish Gellert interupts her.

"I'll give you two locations, if you answer both of the questions." Gellert blurts, and almost curses himself for it. Tina stares at him for a minute before shrugging.

"I suppose that works. Well, we talked about schools once with Newt, and that was about it. But I know that he was what they call a Hufflepuff, whatever that's supposed to mean." Gellert smiles fondly, because of course Newton was a Hufflepuff, it makes perfect sense. "As for why he didn't graduate, I'm not too sure. We didn't get into anything like that, in fact I didn't even know he hadn't." Tina admits with a faint blush, Gellert has to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"Of course he was a Hufflepuff, what else could he be. A bit disappointing you don't know why he didn't graduate, just something I'll have to ask him, I suppose." Gellert remarks thoughtfully, and Tina just raises a brow. "Auror Goldstein, do you know what a Hufflepuff represents?" Gellert doesn't wait for a response from her, he answers the question himself.

"Loyalty, hard work, patience, dedication, and fair play. They got along best with Slytherins, because they didn't really believe all the rubbish about all of them being evil menaces, but than again they got along with anyone. Expect for the people that thought Hufflepuff was the left over house, where they went if they didn't fit anywhere else. They definitely had a problem with those people."

"You went to Hogwarts?" Tina questions, and Gellert shakes his head, a sad smile tugging at his mouth.

"Oh no, I was at Durmstrang. I meet a friend at Hogwarts, and decided to learn more about the school. I was curious, and he wasn't very forthcoming with any details, cryptic as he was, so I figured it out for myself." Gellert shrugs, with a grin.

"To get to know this person you meet, or to know what Hogwarts was like? Some of those details seem rather specific." Tina asks, and Gellert shrugs again.

"Both, I guess. Drumstrang doesn't have some of the stuff Hogwarts does, and so I found it interesting, I happened to come across the houses, and I found them interesting too. Some other stuff I asked the friend who went Hogwarts about, once he knew I just found it interesting he filled in a couple of blanks for me. Stuff that wouldn't be in books." Gellert admits, Tina just nods with a small grin.

"The locations, if you please." She requests politely. Her pen hovers over her notepad, waiting to write down the locations.

"Some are in Britain, Diagon Alley, where I have no clue." Tina jots it down quick, and then looks back up expectantly. "Germany, although I'm not too sure where either." Gellert scratches his chin lightly, shrugging.

Tina stares at him, and Gellert thinks if they keep this going, she's going to call him out on not telling her the truth. Today will be a long day, Gellert hopes Newton will recover soon, his company is at least better than Tina's.

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Newt really hates being bedridden, he wishes he could see his creatures. Pickett is always with him, what with his attachment issues, and the Swooping Evil is too, always up his sleeve. It gives Newt comfort to have them both there, he doesn't really understand it, but he supposes that his creatures might feel the same way in his presence.

Newt can't wait to see them today. Hopefully, Credence and Queenie remembered that they promised him a visit today as well, Newt would be terribly disappointed if he couldn't see his lovely creatures. 

Percival has been mostly in Newt's room, keeping Newt company. They talk on and off, but Percival avoids the topic of Grindelwald like the plague, Newt can't say that he blames him. Grindelwald is surely terrifying, and Newt thinks that maybe Percival was tortured by  Grindelwald's own hands, he wonders, but doesn't ask.

The fact that Grindelwald seems interested in him, doesn't really bode well, but Newt thinks that maybe he's just curious about him, or something. Newt is pulled out of his thoughts when the door opens, Queenie and Credence walk in. 

Queenie is beaming, and Credence is smiling too, but he looks nervous. Newt looks at their hands, and there in Credence's left hand is his case. His previous case, with all of his creatures.

"You guys brought my case!" Newt exclaims, and Credence sends him a confused look.

"Of course we did, we said we would yesterday." He responds softly, like Newt is making no sense. Newt just grins.

"Well, come here, come in!" Newt gestures, a little too excitedly. He almost knocks over his glass of water, Newt rubs the back of his neck at Queenie's disapproving look. Credence just smiles softly, and walks over. 

Newt makes grabby hands at his case, and Queenie rolls her eyes fondly, Credence gently places the case on Newt's lap, and Newt's grin widens.

"Have they been behaving for you Credence?" Newt asks carefully, placing a hand on top of the case's lid. 

"Oh, yes. They've all been worried though. But none of them have been mean, or anything of the sort." Credence reassures him, and Newt smiles softly.

"That's good then." Newt pops the lock on the case, and without even waiting  for him to open the top, Pickett is launching himself at Newt.

Newt makes a startled noise, but reaches his hands out and catches him before he can fall and hurt himself. Once Newt's caught him, he brings Pickett to his chest gently, laughing.

"Pick, we've talked about you jumping at people. You could get hurt." Newt states fondly, small smiles on his face.

Pickett chitters, his worried and Newt's face softens.

"Yes, I know. I'm okay now." Newt moves Pickett to his shoulder and lets him crawl into his hair. "You know, he'll be even more clingy now than he was before." Queenie laughs softly at that.

Newt smiles at his friends, he's so thankful they brought his case, he can't wait to see his creatures.