Into the Newtcase

Ten

I took a few more cautious steps down the hall, all the while pulling Newt along. "This way."

I had thought we were home free, until-

"Hazel? No way!"

I winced, turning. "Hi, Lizzie."

A girl with long, frizzy brown hair sashayed over to us. A Pukwudgie, and one of my only friends at Ilvermorny, Lizzie had stayed at the school to teach NoMaj 101.

"Oh my goodness how good to see you!" Lizzie thrilled, taking both my hands. "And who's this cutie?" Lizzie asked, eyeing Newt hungrily. I sidestepped, blocking Newt from Lizzie's line of fire. "He's not available."

"Oh, posh, Hazey, you take all the cute ones!" Lizzie pouted.

"Liz, can you take us to the animology lab? Newt and I need to, um, rent it for the evening."

Lizzie nodded knowingly. "Gotcha. Need to have a secluded space, to, you know, get time to yourself." She wiggled her brows suggestively.

I groaned, my face turning beet red. "For God sake's, Lizzie, it's not like that! It's a platonic relationship!"

Lizzie shrugged. "If you say so. You Thunderbirds just, you know how to get what you-"

I pulled out my wand and flicked it at her. She stared indignantly at me as her voice shut off, but gave a silent sigh of defeat. She started walked, beckoning for us to follow her.

Newt and I followed Lizzie through Ilvermorny's cream-colored corridors before Lizzie gestured to a large oaken door. Animology Lab was emblazoned in the wood. I flicked my wand at Lizzie again. "Thanks, Liz."

Lizzie huffed and strode away.

I pulled Newt inside and locked the door behind us. I took the case from Newt and set it on the ground, unlatching it. "Come on-"

I looked up. Newt had the strangest expression on his face. "Are you okay?"

Newt blushed red. "I was just, erm... do you want it to be platonic?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"No, never mind."

I stood. "Keep going."

Newt fiddled with the sleeve of his coat. "Erm, you called our relationship platonic back there, and, er, I was wondering if that was all you wanted it to be."

I turned almost as red as him. "Newt, that's so sweet, but don't kid yourself. No one sees me as an object of affection. I'm just the Helpful Friend, the Resourceful Friend, the Friend You Go To When You Need Something." I was practically spitting at this point. "All of my relationships are platonic. People have only ever used me, so I'm afraid to go any farther."

Newt stepped closer to me. "Don't be," he assured me. He held the back of my neck gently in one hand and held my waist with the other, pulling me towards him and kissing me tenderly.

It was the first kiss I'd ever had. I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to do. I kissed back, wrapping my arms around his neck.

My kitten's all grown up, Oliver said. I opened my eyes to see my cat's head poking out of the case. Oliver I swear to God.

Smirking, my cat retreated, and I returned to the kiss.

Newt finally pulled away, his blue eyes wide and fixed on mine. "Was that all right?" He asked tentatively.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "I've not had any other kisses to compare it to."

"Me neither," Newt admitted.

I put one hand on Newt's face, brushing my thumb over his freckled cheek. I pulled him to me again, brushing his lips with mine. My mouth pressed against his, sweet yet insistent. I made a small noise as Newt shifted, wrapping around me and holding me tightly.

A supernova exploded in my mind. I screamed, keeling over and collapsing, my hands pressed to my forehead. I dimly recognized Newt panicking. "Oh, God, Hazel, Hazel!"

Newt knelt next to me. "Hazel, love, are you all right?"

I glared at him through a painful red haze. "Look at my face and ask me that again," I snarled through gritted teeth.

"Well is there anything I can do?" Newt asked desperately. "Anything I can get from the case-?" He started to get up, but I reached out and grabbed his arm. "Stay."

Newt sat crosslegged, and, grunting, I pulled myself into his lap, curling against him. I felt his hand stroke my hair. "Shh. Go to sleep. Tell me what you see."

I obeyed.

Wisely hovered next to Harper in front of a massive gathering of obscurials. "What is this?" He asked, horrified.

"This is the Assembly," the obscurials said as one. "Any witch or wizard who has been falsely accused has the chance given to them to join our number. It is a decision made in a second to impact you forever."

Wisley shifted to Harper. "What do they want us to do?"

"We want to avenge us," they said simply. "Travel the world. Find young people of magic blood, and if they are being oppressed for their skill, enter them. Help them. Destroy the Muggles as they destroyed us."

Wisely hesitated, then spoke.

"Where do I need to go?"

My eyes flew open and my feet began to scramble. Newt flinched, then bent, hugging me. "Hey, Hazel, hey. It's all right."

My heart rate began to slow. "Let's go."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"Hazel, you're still hurt. I'll go talk to them."

"Newt. How do you plan to accomplish this feat."

"I've been studying obscurial sign language, and I think-"

"Oh, for the love of all things holy!" I tried to get to my feet and step into the case, but Newt pushed me down.

"Hazel, I won't insist on much, but this is major. You stay."

He kissed my forehead, then slipped into the case. I huffed, sitting up. My head still throbbed, but the sparks were diminished.

I crossed my arms, then curiously called out. Wisely? Catherine?

Wisley's now-familiar voice rebounded to me. Ah, Miss Kirton! Your British friend is entertaining us.

He's trying to talk to you.

And failing, Catherine added. He just told me 'I understand that you died because of an abstract painting.'

He meant 'accusatory prosecutor', I supplied.

I just responded, 'Your girlfriend is lovely'. He seems to think that means 'It was an unfair death.' I'm enjoying this game.

I'm not his girlfriend! I protested. And stop being so mean! I swear we're trying to help you!

Wisely chuckled. Kirton, let us have our fun. It is rare that we laugh. Let us savor it.

HOLY BALLS.

YOU GUYS THIS IS AWESOME THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 316 READS

I KNOW I'M (as the kids say) 'A NOOB' BUT I LOVE YOU GUYS

SO HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT Scamirton? I SHIP THEM. EVERYONE KNOWS HUFFLEPUFFS AND THUNDERBIRDS ARE LIKE PEAS AND CARROTS.

SORRY FOR YELLING IM JUST HAPPY.

OKAY BYE

-Xandra