All I can say is wow. Into the Newtcase has barely been alive for a month, and I've got, what, 250 views? Thank you so much to anyone and everyone who has graced my little book with your eyeballs!
I groaned, rubbing my eyes from underneath the ridiculous contraption Newt made me put on. "Newt, I don't see anything! These things are useless- what did you call them, again?"
"Spectrespecs," Newt informed me. "They're a prototype I'm working on- they can help you see Demiguises, even when you can't!"
"Really intelligent, Newt," I informed him.
"It sounded smarter in my head," he admitted. "But I thought that maybe, it would let you see obscurials, too!"
"Well, it doesn't. In fact-"
I unlatched the briefcase and slipped inside. Anyone who looked into the tall tree we were in would be supremely baffled. Newt followed me as I paced to Wisely's enclosure. I planted my feet, put one hand on my hip, and waved the other around dramatically. "Newton Artemis Fido Scamander, you tell me. Is there or is there not an obscurial floating in front of me!"
"There is," Newt said nervously.
I took off the Spectrespecs and looked at Wisely, who had most certainly not been in my line of vision two seconds before. "Then why couldn't I see him through the Spectrespecs?"
Newt looked dumbfounded, then resigned. He took the glasses from me, and put them on. He took a step back. "Where'd he go?"
"He's right here, Newton," I told him with a sigh.
Newt took off the ridiculous things and blushed. "Right."
Wisely chuckled. He tries.
I'm not buddy buddy with you, mister! I warned him. You could at least tell me where to find one of you! We're trying to help you!
Wisely's voice turned cold. I have told you before. I have told you everything you need to know.
Then give me the visions again! Let me go over it again! I- I need to revise!
Wisely snorted. Your mind cannot take twice. I was astounded you survived the first time.
Thanks, Wisely. But seriously- my mind can communicate with you! I can take it, I promise!
This time will not be as easy as the last, the obscurial warned me. There will be more detail of what I and my fellow magicians were put through.
I understand.
I looked over my shoulder at Newt, who had been standing awkwardly outside our soundless conversation. "Hey Newt?"
"Yes?"
"Catch me, this time."
"Wait, what are you-"
Wisely lunged, again forming spikes. This time, instead of going through my chest, the inky black spear passed through my head. I felt a splitting pain right where the neck meets the skull, and I fell, but not before Newt was standing behind me.
I didn't pass out this time, not yet, anyway. I blinked up at Newt, who had hoisted me up. He winced, but didn't stop, and I knew his chest was hurting. I fumbled to pull out my wand, and I tapped him on the chest. He relaxed, and looked at me, carrying me with ease now. "What'd you do?"
"Healing spell," I mumbled, breaking into a hot, sticky sweat. "From you know, when I was fourteen and all I wanted was to be an animal doctor."
"You'd be a great doctor."
"No I wouldn't. I'd just talk to them the whole time and never get anything done."
"Probably. Why did you let him do it again?"
I struggled to sit up as Newt set me on the table, but he pushed me down gently. "You're laying."
"Because he told me, that, he gave me everything we needed. I just, needed to see it, again." My eyelids were growing heavy. "I might scream. Also, keep that blasted beetle away from me this time."
Good luck, Hazel, I heard Pickett murmur softly. I laughed, and I drifted.
Wisely hadn't been exaggerating. This time was definitely worse.
A man with a chiseled jaw and dark, handsome eyes looked over his shoulder. He wore an old-timey suit, with tall socks and buckled shoes. He held his right hand on the inside of his coat, his long fingers fondling an elegantly carved wand.
"Mr. Eugene Wisely!"
The man turned, his fingers tightening on his wand. "Oh, Abigail," he said, the edge in his voice not quite eradicated. "How... how are you?"
Abigail cocked her head. "Mr. Wisely, shouldn't you be at the trial?"
Wisely took his hand out of his coat, rubbing his hands together as if they were cold. "Um, yes, I just... I wanted to go get a bite to eat, first. These trials take a long time, you know."
Abigail blinked, her long eyelashes batting innocently. "But Mr. Wisely, it's your wife on the stand. Shouldn't you be there the whole time?"
Wisely frowned. "Abigail, I will be there."
"Careful," Abigail said. "Or maybe you'll be on the stand after your witch wife."
"She's not a witch!" Wisely shouted, his voice cracking. Abigail smirked. "But of course, Mr. Wisely. That's why I had a vision of her, floating dishes around your kitchen."
"You didn't have a vision, you little beast! You looked into the window!"
Abigail grinned in triumph, and an evil shadow flicked in her eyes. Wisely realized what he had said. "No. No, I didn't-"
Abigail pouted, then threw her head back and screamed in terror. Instantly, doors burst open, and the people of Salem flooded the streets. Three men pounced on Wisely, pinning him to the ground.
Abigail trembled as several women rushed to her. "Are you okay, Abigail?" They asked.
"N-no," Abigail wailed. "He's one of them! Burn the witch!"
The landscape changed, turning from a worn street to two people, tied on either side of a stake on the end of a barren pier. One of them was Wisely, the other, a beautiful woman.
"Brigid, love, don't be afraid," Wisely assured his wife. Brigid trembled against their rope bonds. Everyone else in Salem was inside the church, maybe 10 meters away, praying.
"Brigid."
"Eugene?"
"Love, I know a spell. Andrew Harper gave it to me before they got him. He told me that it would save us, make it so the Muggles can't harm us. Listen to me- Brigid, listen!"
"I'm trying," Brigid shivered. "I'm just so cold."
"Brigid, take my wand. It's in my back pocket, can you reach it?"
"I- yes, I've got it."
"Good. Now hand it to me."
Wisely felt his wife's cold hand press his wand into his own. "Okay. I'm going to do you first, alright?"
"Yes, Eugene, but hurry," Brigid pleaded.
"Alright. Obscura!" He cried, directing the magic to his wife.
Brigid screamed, arching her back. "Be strong, love," he cried, twisting, trying to see her. It killed him to hear that much pain in Brigid's lovely voice.
Brigid grew suddenly still, and Wisely's heart stopped. "Love," he hissed. "Brigid, they're coming, look alert."
Brigid didn't move. With a lump in his throat, Wisely pointed his wand at himself as best he could and cried, "Obscura!"
It felt as though his soul was being ripped from his body. Every pore burned, every drop of liquid steamed. Wisely groaned, gritting his teeth and shaking all over.
And then, suddenly, he didn't hurt anymore. He looked down, and saw his and Brigid's bodies, tied together on a stake. "Brigid?" Wisely asked, looking around.
"She isn't here," a voice said. Wisely turned. "Harper? What-"
A black cloud was hovering before him, but from the cloud emanated the voice of his close friend. "Come with me, Eugene. We have much to discuss."
"But, my wife-"
"She couldn't stand the spell, not in her sickly form. I'm sorry, Wisely, but Brigid is gone."
Wisely's blood- vapor- being ran cold. "No. You told me it would work. You told me it would save her!"
"She wasn't strong enough," Harper said. "I'm sorry, Eugene, but what's done is done."
"She was my wife," Wisely growled. "She was my wife."
"We've all lost someone to the trials, Eugene. Be grateful it wasn't yourself. Come on."
Wisely was still angry, lost, but he also needed something to do before he went mad. "Where?" He asked hoarsely.
"I'm going to show you what they want us to do, before we become Muggles."
"What- who are they?"
"They're us, Eugene. The obscurials."