Obscure

Late Night Shopping

The department store Gnarlak so willingly told us about was immense. Under normal circumstances I would have spent hours sifting meticulously through the rooms and rooms full of designer goods and I would've definitely feasted like a queen in the food hall which was crammed with rows and rows of mouthwatering delicacies. However we were looking for one thing - an invisible demiguise.

"How does one locate an invisible animal?" I queried with a childish tone, turning to the group who was scattered across the room looking high and low for the thing. I had found a really pretty little handbag which I currently had clutched in my hands and I really fancied it. I mean, when the shop reopened in the morning I would come back and purchase it... obviously...

"With great difficulty as it can also see into the future. And can you please, for Jacob's sake, tone down the vampire aesthetic? He keeps flinching every time he lays eyes on you." Newt  sighed gesturing behind him to a quivering Jacob who had started to use Newt as a human shield. 

I fixed my little fang issue and just as I was about to speak again I felt the bag, still held in my hand, being ever so carefully grasped from my hold. I watched in amazement as it floated down one of the isles in the room and out the archway on the other side. Newt had adopted his 'I'm tracking an animal' waddle - as I liked to call it - and the rest of us had to follow quietly behind him.

We pursued the bag for quite a while, through the food hall, several clothing franchises and even the pet store before we came to a halt in a gorgeous library which had a beautiful glass dome observatory with an oddly realistic statue of what I recognised to be an occamy coiled around the glass. It was rather strange to me considering this was a muggle store. I didn't think much of it as I watched its feathers shimmer elegantly in the dappled light. The library itself was lined with bookcase upon bookcase with a few tables at which delicate little china tea sets sat. It looked so serene. 

My attention was soon brought to Newt, who had brought his index finger to his lips and I watched as what was presumably the demiguise slowly materialise. It looked like a silver haired orangutan with kind marmalade eyes and a long tail. The thing moved like an aged man with severe back problems as it extended its arms above its little head raising the handbag up as high as it possibly could.

To my amazement, what I thought was a statue started to writhe and wriggle, the head of the occamy elegantly being unwound and brought down to examine the offering the demiguise was making.

"Dougal - be very careful ok?" Newt whispered - I was surprised I could actually hear him. The demiguise, Dougal apparently, rolled his eyes at Newt as if to say Yes I know Mum shut up. Meanwhile the occamy had started inspecting the handbag, gently nipping and pecking at it chirping happily. It was quite a strange sight to behold.

Unknown to me, poor Queenie was having a panic attack and Jacob was trying to calm her down very very quietly. She was shaking like a leaf and managed to nudge a misplaced bauble with her foot. At the noise the occamy let out a shrill cry and a flurry of turquoise feathers invaded my senses. It was a miracle we weren't all crushed by the thing.

Once the bird calmed it became apparent the beast had grown by at least 400 metres or so, filling the whole room - its body must've been as wide as a bus. I could see my friends scattered in the coils of the animal - each one of us squeezed tightly as if we were being held by a boa constrictor. 

  Queenie had slipped my mind a little and to make up for it I tried to think of some really nice thoughts for her - like how she is so pretty and nice and how Jacob is besotted with her. I swear I heard a soft thank you echo the room.    

Newt waved at us all, "Has anyone got a teapot and a bug?"

"Yeah.... oh good golly I think I left them in my other coat." I replied, really not feeling all too happy about this situation at all. I know it was mean but what can I say? It's been a long few days.

"Tina there's a teapot to your right on that bookcase just behind you and I think I just spotted a roach running for cover over here." Jacob was clearly in a better state of mind than myself and soon enough the objects were obtained after a few minutes. We all sat in amazement - occamy and Dougal included - as the pair held up their items triumphantly. 

Newt told them to somehow get the bug in the teapot, which was easier said than done when they were pinned seemingly miles away from each other by a massive crazy bird thing.

In an amazing, almost slow motion sequence of events I watched as Jacob hurled the poor bug at Tina. Instantly the pressure was lifted as the occamy shrunk and darted quickly after the insect, following it into the teapot, leaving us to fall clumsily to the ground in a sprawled heap. 

After a  few seconds I pulled myself over to look at the teapot to see the tiny little birdie  gleefully munching on the unfortunate roach. 

"How could a cutie like you give us any trouble?" I giggled as everyone laughed. Newt took us all into the case and Dougal threw his arms around me purring happily. I felt somewhat happy although someone was still missing. 

Credence.