Salamander's Eyes

Part twenty-three

Newt's eyes suddenly widened, as if he had just remembered something.

"Oh", he said, raising his finger, implicating her to wait for whatever had just come to his mind, and started rummaging through his coat pockets, searching for something.

"Where is-...?", Tina heard him murmur to himself.
"But it must be-..."

He stopped for a second, spotting Pickett who stuck his little green head out of his breast pocket.

"What is it?", Newt asked him. Pickett chirped something in his high bowtruckle voice, gesticulating with his small branch-like arms.

"Mhmm", Newt nodded, listening concentrated to the little creature.
"Oh, yes, you're right!", he finally exclaimed delightedly when Pickett had finished.
"I forgot..", Tina heard him mutter to himself as he took out his wand and tapped it against his blue coat. Tina just sat there, watching him, while he let his hand slide into the pocket once more, smiling triumphantly when his fingers closed around what he was looking for. As he took it out, Tina could see what it was and her eyes filled with tears again - a small black box, obviously meant for an engagement ring.

"I've been carrying this around for quite some time now", Newt admitted with a shy smile and opened it. Tina held her breath - and let it out again, confused at first, then she tried and failed to suppress an amused smile at the thought that all his searching efforts had been for nothing - because the box was empty.

Newt, realising her expression, looked down at it as well, and his smile faded away.

"WHERE'S THAT NIFFLER?!"

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Tina couldn't hold back a giggle as she followed Newt through the case to the Niffler's nest, where he suspected the ring would be found. They could already hear the Niffler from the distance, digging through all the treasures he had collected in his nest, the unmistakable tinkling noise of rolling coins growing louder as they neared its nest.

"Chmchmm", Newt cleared his throat in an attempt to draw attention to himself. The Niffler stopped in his movement, turning around to look at Newt.

"Could it be possible that you have something that belongs to me?", he asked, calm but inquiring.

The Niffler tilted his head to one side questioningly, trying to look as innocent as possible. Newt raised his eyebrows at him. Both stood there in silence for a few moments, motionless, until the Niffler gave up and raised one paw as if he had just remembered what Newt meant, indicating him to wait until he had found it, just as Newt had done with Tina before. The Niffler rummaged around in his pouch, fishing out several objects from little shiny buttons to a whole gold ingot, throwing them over his shoulder to the rest of his glittering collection. Finally, he pulled out a silver ring, holding it out to Newt with an almost proud expression on his face, obviously quite pleased with himself.

"Thank you very much", Newt said, taking the ring from him, "but you don't have to look this content, you little thief", he scolded him strictly.

The Niffler seemed indignant at this presumption, pointing at himself sanctimoniously.

"Yes, you!", Newt said.

The Niffler started babbling, gesticulating wildly.

"You saved it?", Newt asked doubtingly, eyebrows raised. "To keep it for me?" 

The Niffler nodded enthusiastically, going on with what seemed to be an attempt for an explanation.

"Because it had fallen out of my pocket?", Newt repeated the Niffler's words, unable to hold back the amused smile that played around his lips by now. "That's all very well...", he said when the Niffler had finished his report, "with the one slight problem that the ring couldn't have fallen out of my pocket, because I laid a spell on it", Newt told the Niffler with a smile.
"It was a hiding charm so the ring could only be found or taken out of my coat after it had been lifted...or by some little paws having their very own sort of magic..", he told him knowingly.

The Niffler had frozen, staring at Newt, knowing that he had been seen through. Now, with one last shrug of his shoulders, and something that looked like a mischievous grin (as far as Nifflers are able to grin), he turned around hurriedly and disappeared into the depths of his nest. Newt shook his head in amusement while he turned around to face Tina.

"What shall I do with him?", he asked, smiling apologetically.

Tina laughed, knowing that he didn't expect an answer, for they were both well aware of the fact that the Niffler couldn't be taught, even if he had tried.

"But we love him anyway, don't we?", Tina grinned and Newt laughed affirmatively while he came towards her.

"Of course we do", he said and it warmed Tina's heart that he as well used the term "we". "Although I'd be glad if he wouldn't always pinch especially what is meant for you..", he said, taking her hand in his and gently putting the ring on her finger.

It was thin and simple, but the understated elegance matched Tina's own style perfectly. The silver was matt and slightly uneven, giving it a sort of rustic look, with a single small oval stone - as Tina discerned, in the shade of blue that looked very similar to Newt's coat.

"Newt, it's beautiful!", Tina said breathlessly.

"I'm glad you like it...I made it myself, you know...", he admitted, a combination of insecurity and pride in his voice, "took the silver from an occamy eggshell.."

"Oh really?", she asked, deeply touched that he had made such an effort to give her ring this wonderful personal touch, so it represented everything she loved about him. 

"The occamys are my-"

"Your favourites, yes, I know.." he smiled shyly.

"Of course it's not-...I mean, I'm not very familiar with..rings...", he stammered then, "and occamy silver is not very easy to work on, so it may be a bit-"

"It's perfect", she interrupted him, "I love it..", Tina whispered firmly, unable to take her eyes off her finger.
"Thank you", she smiled at him, and was rewarded with the wry grin she saw so rarely and loved so much.

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Hey, I couldn't find a picture that was similar to the ring I had in mind, but I found two that have an element of it, so you can try to combine them in your imagination..

And please leave a comment, I'm always so excited to read them!