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𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗:
𝙳𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝙷𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚜!
𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚠𝚘
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The three found that it would be easiest to go inside the case just under the bridge, allowing them to address the acclimation levels of the Erumpent and see if there was any harm done to her.

However Corin hardly got through the shed before Newt cornered her with a wrap and some sap in hand. "Aren't you tried of healing me yet Mr.Scamander? Look! It's not ever that bad!" She tried, thinking that the wrap was just another damned thing to have itching her.

"It would make me feel much better, Corin, if you wouldn't get hurt on my watch at all. Let me tend to it." She pouted, but Newt was not having it as he was already unrolling the wraps and twisting the cap for the potion.

So she unbuttoned her long coat and shook it off from the snow that managed to linger on the fabric. Once it was off, she sat up on his bench and offer her arm.

He rewarded her with a smile in having convinced her to dress her injury.

"You said you fell on it?"
"Hmm, I doubt it'll bruise."
"And the other—"
"I checked before my nap, they're all healed up too." She quickly erased that memory from the conversation that Newt bit his lip in damnation.

One step forward, twelve steps back.

"I'm terribly sorry, Cory. Truly I—"
"So you keep saying, but I rightly don't remember you pushing me to fall...What did you tell me about apologizing when you've done no wrong?" He remained quiet and still for a moment, it seemed it was another quirk. To stop all movement when he was in a deep thought or truly took something into consideration.

"I've done plenty wrong."
"Not to me, and not to Jacob. I think you're mistaking an accident to you doing something on purpose." He nodded, though that was the last the two had spoke on the matter.

It seemed like the Erumpent was fine in terms of serving the harsh weather of winter in New York. Her heat made it bearable, but that still pressed concern. So it was left to be monitored for the following days.

However Newt offered to wash Corin's clothes as she still had the scent wildly on her coat and such. So it left the witch to get washed up and dressed in the other room.

And the next time she emerged, she caught him hanging her coat onto a line rack along with his other clothes. "If it's a loss coat, Newton, I don't mind. Don't trouble yourself over it." She teased, his little washing station was easily detectable. A washing board and an open barrel hallway filled with water and soap subs caused her to smile once again.

"None to worry, I've gotten plenty of stains out...But I did snag this out of it." He said, the small bundle of parchment he retrieved from inside her coat—And Merlin Corin looked already like a guilty mess, if he simply took a look at any of her work from Hogwarts or her Portfolio...The background she made for herself would diminish instantly.

But thankful, it was a simple map she snagged from the zoo that contained the layout of the surrounding areas.

"Oh! I completely forgot." She said, taking it from him and setting it down onto the floor to spread it out. "I'm not really familiar with Demiguise..." Only what you've written about them."Is there anything specific that Dougal likes?" Her eyes followed him as she kneed down on the opposite end of the map and he sighed, he started to think briefly on what Dougal could possibly be doing outside the case.

"I'm not sure...But it doesn't seem like they've gotten that far from Jacob's flat." "No, the bank from Sterling was robbing is here. Then the zoo. Course the Erumpent is double in size and has a means...What is Dougal's means...?" Newt could see the gearings starting to turn in the Ravenclaw across from him, but she was asking the right questions.

Newt had mumbled something before rising to his feet, but Corin had been so invested with the map that she pulled out her pen and made pinpoints of the direction he could've gone with what she learned of New York.

"Corin." The gal had been nawing at the back end of a muggle pen—From her time—and she sighed. "I haven't made much progress, Dougal could be in an alley aiding a kitten for all we know...Most went north, probably because of the way traffic heads through the city."
"Corin."
"There's the bank that we were already at, but what if managed a whole 'hong kong' moment and wanted to get a better view of the city?"
"Corin." After the third failed attempt of getting her proper attention, he kneed down to get on proper eye level with her.

But he lightly directed one hand to secure a handle onto the cup's mug. "Drink." She looked readily confused as to what he was doing, but in sniffing the brew she smiled. He had gone to look for her tea, just to make her a cup.

"Thank you."
"You're welcome...Though I do admit, you've made a much better lead than I would've. Dougal isn't one for cold weather, he would've taken shelter somewhere. For the night especially."
"That's better, if he kept moving we'd never find him." It was rather good thinking, but just as Newt was about to follow up on that comment. The case jumbled around a bit—And it caused them both to stand up abruptly and hurry off towards the shed.

"It's locked." He said it as though he couldn't believe it. Granted it's never happened on this end for him, but after the case had neglected to lock for the decent number of creatures, surely whatever happened could make the acceptation?

"Locked? What do you mean locked?"
"I mean someone has taken the case, the latches are fastened." Corin gave a look of disbelief before she let out what Newt could only categorize as an almost cry.

"It's locked...?" He hurried down the latter and settled her onto a stool. "It's alright, the wind might've knocked us over." Newt was being an angel, but the sense of being claustrobic startled her. The ability to leave the case had suddenly vanished, and the confinement of the shed only enclosed her further.

"Come." He ushered, and she found herself being tugged along—His hand interlocked tightly with hers as he settled her just in front of Ronan's hut. And close to instantly the fellow knew that his mummy was feeling ill.

Newt had a suspicion on the relationship between the two, but a companion to combatted stress hadn't been on the list. Though Roe seemed to know his mummy's ticks and what signs were for what reaction.

Especially when she started to tear up a bit.

"Anything else I can...What happened?" Jacob called out, and Newt sighed. "The case seems to have been picked up."
"Picked up...You don't think the girls could've found us, could they?" Newt closed his eyes, course it was a possibility—But saying it out loud only confirmed it.

The yips had hurried into the conversation as well, and neither male had felt more relieved at the fact that Corin had giggled at her silly pup. And like a mother hen, Newt scrambled to get together another cup of tea.

Did he put in a calming potion? Perhaps.

But Corin could confirm that he did, though she didn't care. Even if she sat with Frank, it still wasn't enough to trick her mind at the fact that they were locked in.

And in no time at all, there was a knock at the shed's latch. Fear wracked Corin with each step, especially when Newt had been the first up, then Jacob...Then Corin herself, who was a shaking mess at both her inner fears and the fact that all eyes were staring at her with disgust and judgement.

"Scamander?" A voice called from the crowd, but it only caused Newt to hold onto Corin tighter. "Oh—er—Hello, Minister."

Oh bloody fuck, I'm screwed! The witch's inner thoughts were on the haywire as she tried to bite back the tears. Course her anxiety had to spike up now out of all the times before.

"Theseus Scamander? The war hero?" Another voice questioned, and merlin Corin couldn't describe how Newt looked after being confused with his brother.

It wasn't jealousy, no, it was annoyance for sure.

"No, this is his little brother. And what in the name of Merlin are you doing in New York?" After servicing the room, Corin had concluded that this was simply the collected embassy for the world's version of each ministry.

The fear of Grindwald was wracking everyone's mind, especially if the Envoy's around them were targeting them for whatever crime Tina posted on them.

"I came to buy an Appaloosa Puffskein, sir." Newt answered, but clearly it wasn't honest enough for the fellow. "Right...What are you really doing here?" He said in full suspicion.

It reminded the witch out of time the fear the ministry had over the Dark Lord, they wanted to point fingers left and right to capture Death Eaters. Course now would house similar attributes, the magical world was in a chaos.

"Goldstein—Who are the other two?" Corin's eyes widened at Madam Picquery's question, having her blush at the attention now being laid on her. But she was considerably thankful on Newt's hold, as if he knew that she needed the help in standing.

"This is Corin Rosewood, a fresh Hogwarts Graduate...And this is Jacob Kowalski, Madam President, he's a No-Maj who got bitten by one of Mr. Scamander's creatures." Corin was almost thankful that she hadn't been on the butt end of the furious reaction the MACUSA employees had shouted.

But it was the trigger word of 'No-Maj' that truly spiked a roar of defense for the rest of the meeting to throw in their inpute.

However it was Newt's attention off to what the certainpeice of information that caused Corin to follow his gaze. It was the boating of a young man, floating above them a decent bit.

Surely that wasn't a good sign.

"Merlin's beard..." Newt choked, and the fact that his face lost color almost confirmed their incriminating actions.

"You know which of your creatures was responsible, Mr.Scamander?" A woman from the audience questioned, her voice thick with an accent.

"No creature did this...Don't pretend. You must know what that was; look at the marks. That was an Obscurus." Corin could've smacked herself, had her dominant arm not been in Newton's hold.

How could she forget about the Obscurus?!

"You go too far, Mr.Scamander. There is no Obscurial in America. Impound that case Graves!" At the moment, the wizard had followed suit of the order and had the case whisked away from Newt's side.

"No...Give that b—!" Corin had been let go as Newt went for his wand, all in an attempt to demand his case back. The witch had been blindsided, especially when Newt had been levitated into the air—And while her attention had been on the zoologist but her own body had been demanded forward and down to her knees.

Her arms yanked back and her wrist in cuffs. The president's order of arrest had fallen on numb ears as all Corin could stare at was the case. After losing it once, her heart still hadn't recovered. But if they were arrested and prosecuted, what would happen to the creatures?

What would happen to Roe?

Newt and Corin weren't the only ones lined up and tied, Jacob and Tina were also slammed to their knees.

"No—No—don't hurt those creatures—Please, you don't understand—Nothing in there is dangerous, nothing!" The pure panic erupted into Newt, and while Corin wanted to be optimistic, it was clear that it was a misplaced emotion.

"We'll be the judges of that...Take them to the cells." The president ordered and Corin let out a gasp as an aurora off behind her had brought her back up to her feet. "No..." She whispered out, the tears just silently running down her feet.

The idea of never seeing Roe again flashing like a siren repetitively, that he could be hurt or be put down in being wrongly classified as dangerous.

"Don't hurt those creatures—There is nothing in there that is dangerous. Please don't hurt my creatures—they are not dangerous...Please, they are not dangerous!" It took a bit of extra force for the Auror to drag Newt out, while the rest were on their way to the cells.

The spoiled idea of being locked in Newt's case didn't feel so claustrophobic anymore.

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Date: 08-31-2020

Time: 4:45

Words: 2135