4| Apothecary Concerns and Abrupt Returns
Bronwen spent the next few days wandering around the Sanctuary doing the endless tasks needed to be done, she found herself learning more about the beasts from close encounters than she could have ever imagined. Learning about the tricks and habits of the creatures entertained Bronwen, especially with the Bowtruckles of which she had had one glued to her every day.
Although Newt had allowed her to roam free around the first three classifications of beasts, she was not allowed to go near the last two classifications without Newt, Joseph, Amara or Newt's grandson, when he returned. Bronwen sat under a large willow tree with her nose in the pages of a book, reading aloud to the interested Bowtruckle sitting on her coat collar.
She was soon surrounded by a few of the Mooncalves staring longingly at the bucket sitting on the ground to Bronwen's side, she laughed softly as she opened the container and threw a handful of feed into the air watching as the Mooncalves jumped at the food defying gravity. When the food ran out and the Mooncalves went back to roam around the area, Bronwen packed up her belongings from under the tree and headed towards the house where she was told that lunch would be served.
Joe, Amara and Newt were already seated around the wooden dining table when Bronwen arrived into the room, the table filled with sandwiches. She sat down as she tried to tune into the conversation between the other three, as she grabbed a sandwich she began to understand the conversation which seemed to be about Newt's grandson.
"...have been seen trying to find the location of the Nundu by one of my contacts in Africa, so Artemis went to control the situation and make sure that the beasts were protected in their habitat" Newt explained.
"How long is he expected to stay in Africa?" Bronwen asked quizzically, curious as to how such a situation was being handled.
"He should return within the next couple of days; the Ministry of Magic has sent its department to control the site."
"Why would someone want to capture the..." She stopped short, not being able to remember the name of the African Beast.
"Nundu." Newt provided.
"Yes, the Nundu. Why would they want to capture them?"
"The Nundu are a five 'X' classification, with abilities of great destruction." Joe looked at her over his newspaper as he explained the beast's ability to destroy mass populations using its toxic breath. Bronwen was amazed by the power one creature possessed over the lives of those nearby.
The luncheon broke apart as Joe and Amara left the house to continue their responsibilities around the Sanctuary, leaving only Bronwen and Newt at the table. Newt passed over a stack of letters bound in red string stating that they had come with the owl mail that morning, accepting the thick envelopes Bronwen saw that they were from her family.
Bronwen excused herself from Newt as she ran upstairs to her room, sitting on the window she unbound the letters and read through the countless entries. Her father, whom worked as a veterinarian in the no-maj world entailed one of his interesting days treating a feral tabby cat with a bad temperament. Also included was a photograph of the scratches on his arm from the incident. Bronwen's brother sent her a letter wishing her best luck in England, and promising to stop by next time he is in the area. And her sister had sent her a magical letter, with white parchment paper and a blue wax stamp with the Ilvermorny crest embellished on the back. Bronwen opened the letter to hear her sisters recorded voice explode from the now talking paper, explaining her time at Ilvermorny in detail, and the classes she was taking that year.
Bronwen closed the letters and rebound them with the string and placed them into the rich wooden drawer to her desk, taking parchment and a pen Bronwen wrote replies to the letters. Her barn owl Apollo rustled it's charcoal black feathers in his cage, whistling to get Bronwen's attention and let him out.
Bronwen folded her letters and placed them into envelopes, she walked over and opened the cage door reaching into pet the birds silk feathers as he chirped in appreciation. She passed the bundle of letters to Apollo letting him know who and where he was to deliver the letters before opening the window for him. Stretching his wings he clutched the letters and sprung from the room, his wide wings lifting him into the clouds above.
Bronwen walked back downstairs to find Newt coming through the door with mud covering his torso. "Uhh, Bronwen. Could I get you to get a few things from the Apothecary in Diagon Alley?"
"Of course" Bronwen stifled a laugh, as she noticed bits of mud in Newts hair. "What happened to you?"
"The Mooncalves got a little excited." Newt frowned as he inspected the filth. "I should go and get cleaned up, here is the list for the Apothecary."
Bronwen took the list from Newt as he headed upstairs to get cleaned up from the Mooncalves incident. Deciding that the best way to travel to Diagon Alley was by floo powder, she tucked the list into her jean jacket pocket and walked into the lounge room where a large black fireplace sat in the centre of the wall. She took a handful of the green powder from the jar on the mantle and took a step inside the soot covered fireplace, ducking her head as she entered.
Thinking about Diagon Alley Bronwen was careful with her pronunciation, as to not end up in the wrong location. "Diagon Alley."
The floo powder exploded and the floor dropped out from underneath her, she slid down what felt like a water slide before landing in another chimney, soot surrounded her in a cloud of dust. Her vision cleared from the smog, wiping dust from her face she stepped out from the new fireplace and onto the streets of Diagon Alley.
The street looked friendlier than the last time she had visited, a faint sense of direction allowed Bronwen to wander the streets without the worry of being lost. As she neared the Bank, Bronwen found the Apothecary and entered with the list of ingredients in her hand. The door jingled as she entered alerting the store keeper to her presence, an old woman with long white hair and a welcoming smile looked up from her herbal mixture to welcome Bronwen.
"What can I do for you young lady?"
Bronwen stepped forward, her hand held outward with the list in hand for the woman to take. "Newt Scamander has asked me to pick up these ingredients for him."
"Ahh yes, Newt did suggest he would need to be picking up some things from me last time I had seen him." The woman took the paper with a kind smile and begun to package the ingredients.
Bronwen cautiously exited the apothecary peering over the boxed ingredients filling her arms, the storefront was busy with wizards bustling up and down the alley. She made her way back to the Chimney she had come from, the boxes balancing in her arms as she weaved through the crowd.
Bronwen stepped out of the chimney as a cloud of soot spread out across the living room, "Tergeo" she choked out causing the black cloud to evaporate leaving no trace of soot. She placed the boxes on the dining table with the remainder of coins Newt had given her, the sun glinting off the gold surface. Bronwen left the house and sat on the doorway steps with her paperback in hand.
"Ugly toads walking around with their pale skin." The bitter voice echoed in the silence, Bronwen looked around and spotted the animal with the appearance of a large ferret.
"You're a Jarvey." Bronwen smiled at her recall of the creature.
"Well no shit! Looks like we've acquired an Einstein to the cause." The Jarvey seethed as it climbed the first step towards where Bronwen was seated. "Ugly roads. Humans are."
Bronwen scoffed at the Jarvey's insult, "Yeah? Well you're just a talking overgrown Ferret with manner issues!" She felt accomplished by her rebuttal, and the fact that no one had witnessed her arguing with an animal.
"Are you arguing with a Jarvey?" Bronwen froze, her face falling at the voice behind her
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