Strings Attached

Chapter 16

Leta was waiting for her. To Celeste's annoyance, Theseus and the minister assigned Leta as her assistant. She could really do with some other person as the assistant.

"Yes Ms. Lestrange?" Celeste asked, her voice strained against her throat as she tried to keep her temper down.

"Minister Fawley wants you to visit the French ministry." Leta said politely as she tried to keep up with Celeste.

"Tell him my schedule is tight. I am supposed to be at the German ministry tomorrow and then at the Russian ministry. I am not some robot for Godric's sake." Celeste said frustratingly.

"Didn't the meeting go well?" Leta aske, making Celeste groan internally. "Nope. They don't understand Newt. He wouldn't hurt a bee, and they want him to take a life. Some pure bullshit." Celeste said, handing the papers to Leta.

"Why don't you come around with Newt to have dinner with me and Paul?" Leta asked, making Celeste close her eyes in frustration.

"Listen, just because you are my assistant doesn't mean I have forgiven you. I am still immensely pissed with you because of your shit stunt you pulled. I was hurt, it didn't matter. But you let Newt take the fall, you never apologized to me. So please, keep this out of the way. Let's be professional." Celeste said, before whirling around and disappearing in the corner leaving Leta alone.

Celeste was extremely angry by the time she reached her home. Fawley berating her had made her want to quit the job. But she knew better.

She entered the home, every room was empty. Might be down. She thought to herself before throwing her coat on the sofa and approached the stairs that led down to their extended part of the house.

But to her surprise, no one was there. Bunty was dealing with some creatures. But Newt was nowhere to be seen. Weird.

"Bunty, Newt didn't come home?" Celeste asked, as she folded her sleeves as she decided she would tend some creatures.

"No Celeste. Why should he be home?" She asked, giving the owl looking creature some eye drops.

"Kind of. Anyways, you didn't try to give the Kelpie the ointment, did you?" Celeste asked as she noticed Bunty's freshly bandaged fingers.

"I- uh- I did try. His wound was raw and I did what I thought was right at that moment." Bunty said, trying to hide her injured fingers.

"Bunty, we want him to be healed fast too. But you can't risk your hand. Come here." Celeste said, as she moved to the ointment tables.

She tended Bunty's poorly dressed wound. While she was doing it, she heard Newt call for Bunty.

"Bunty, Niffler's babies are on loose again!" He exclaimed as he made his way down stairs.

"They probably picked the lock again while I was distracted." She said, as Celeste completed the dressing.

"You are home early?" Newt asked, as he kept the babies in their nest. "Fawley suspended me for a day." Celeste said, as she stood up and dusted off her pants.

"I am sorry." Newt said, as he watched Celeste pull something off the shelf. "Its fine. And Bunty, you should head home. It's pretty late." Celeste said as she popped in a pill and washed it down with the water she summoned.

"Ok. Are you sure you won't need my help?" Bunty asked, as she went to grab her coat. "Yes. Have a nice night Bunty." Celeste said, cracking her neck.

"Are you alright?" Celeste asked Newt as she sat on the stool. "I don't know. You tell me. What's going on?" Newt asked, as he looked at the lake where Kelpie was lazily swimming.

"I don't know what you mean." Celeste said, standing up and lifted the ointment container and followed Newt to the makeshift lake. "Celeste, you are barely in control of your decisions. I don't like how ministry is treating you right now." Newt said, removing his coat, which Celeste took.

"I don't have any alternate choice. People at the ministry are scared and Fawley is barely serious about it." Celeste said, as Newt removed his tie.

"Yeah, I understand that. But why are people forced to choose a side? Ultimately, it's common people who will pay the price of this war." Newt asked, turning his head to look at her.

"Newt. Not right now." Celeste sighed, as she turned around and started to walk upto higher platform.

"Alright." Newt just mumbled before diving into the deep makeshift lake. The lake raised up high as Newt appeared with the horse looking like creature, with Newt chuckling a bit.

"Mr. Kelpie here tried to bite off Bunty's fingers." Celeste said, making Newt look at the creature with stern expression.

"Next time you do it, you will be great trouble, Mister." Newt said, as he took the ointment that Celeste handed him.

After applying the ointment and giving him a potion to drink, Newt stood infront of Celeste, completely wet. "Should've removed the shirt." Celeste said, smirking at Newt.

Newt just blushed and shrug his shoulder. "And catch cold? No thank you ma'am." Newt said, as he lifted his wand to dry himself.

"Well the sight would be appreciated though." Celeste shrugged her shoulder, making Newt blush deeper. "Celeste, you will never stop flirting, will you?" Newt asked, his cheeks tinted blush red.

"Dear husband of mine, if you forgot, let me remind you. We are married. I am allowed to flirt with you." Celeste said, chuckling before a breaking of something resounded across the cottage.

Celeste quickly whipped her wand out and turned around. Newt was alert too. Celeste quietly and stealthily climbed the stairs, Newt nyst behind her.

Celeste grabbed the knob of the door that led to the living room, and quietly turned it and shoved open the door, raising her wand.

"Celeste!" Queenie exclaimed, making Celeste lower her wand in surprise. "Queenie? What are you doing here?" Celeste asked, a smile slowly tugging on her lips.