Penelope and Jacob approached the rest of the group just as they began talking about school, and Kawolski's eyes seemed to light up at the mention of a wizarding school.

"Did you say school?" He asked with a glance towards Penelope. "Is there a school... for wizardry? A school here in America?"

"Of course," Queenie replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, a cheeky smile spread across her red lips. "Ilvermorny; it's only the best wizard school in the world."

"Actually, I think the best wizarding school in the world is Hogwarts," Newt said quietly from where he sat grinding different herbs in a wooden bowl, not looking up from his work.

"Hogwash..." Queenie repeated slowly with furrowed eyebrows, causing Penelope to snicker quietly. This caused Newt to look up from his work, and he looked at Penelope with an amused smile on his face.

Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder caused Penelope to jump, and a loud squawk of a Thunderbird followed shortly after it. Newt immediately stood up from his workbench, running towards the magnificent multiple-winged creature as its cries echoed through the world. Penelope stood beside him, staring up at the bird in confusion.

"Why is it doing that?" She asked quietly, glancing at Newt. The Thunderbird let out another cry, flapping its wings once more and causing the storm around it to grow even more intense.

"Danger," Newt whispered simply, his face lighting up from the flashes on lightning in front of them. "He senses danger."

"What- what kind of danger?" Jacob asked nervously from behind Newt. The No-Maj stared at the Thunderbird with wide eyes, and he was visibly shaking.

"I don't know," Newt admitted as he hopped away from the panicking beast. "But I'm going to find out."

~

Penelope could hear the faint screams of people from where she stood on top of a tall building. Newt stood beside her, staring down at the streets below them with wide, panicked eyes. She had never seen the man like this; he was always so confident, so sure that he could handle the situation he was in. Now, he looked afraid.

Then, Penelope noticed something in the distance- something that made her blood run cold. A thick black mass wove its way through the large buildings of the city, crushing whatever it touched.

"Is that it?" Jacob Kawolski asked from behind them, his voice shaking as he spoke. "Is that the Obscurial thing?"

"Yes," Newt answered simply, his voice so low that Penelope barely heard it over the blaring sirens. "But it's more powerful than any Obscurial I've ever heard of."

Penelope watched with wide eyes as the black mass bounced off the buildings around them, destroying them as it rampaged through the city. The sound of glass breaking and terrified screams followed it wherever it went.

Newt suddenly turned towards Penelope, his blue eyes staring into her own as he spoke. "If I don't come back, look after my creatures," he said quietly, handing her the suitcase that he held dear to him; on top of it was the small leather book that he had given to her back in the prison. "Everything you need to know about them is in that book. Please, Penny, I trust you."

Though Penelope took the suitcase from his hands, she shook her head stubbornly, her eyes wide at what he told her. "I'm not letting you take on that thing alone, no way."

"They're not getting it," Newt murmured as he stared out over the chaotic streets, the amount of emotion he held in his voice causing Penelope's heart to crack. She knew why he was doing this; he wanted to make up for the little girl's life that had been taken in Sudan. He shook Penelope's hand off as she reached for him, causing her to feel a twinge of hurt. "I can't let you come with me, Penny- not you. I couldn't live with myself if something were to happen to you."

"I'm not leaving you," Penelope hissed to him through clenched teeth, feeling a surge of anger towards his stubbornness. "I told you that already- I'm not leaving you to fight this thing alone."

"You're going to have to," Newt whispered, turning to look at the young woman softly. He suddenly took a stop towards her, reaching his hand out and cupping her cheek gingerly. Awkwardly, he leaned towards her, his signature crooked smile spreading across his lips. "You're a giver, Penelope Finch. I like that about you." He then leaned in rather quickly, pressing his lips to hers affectionately. The kiss only lasted a mere second, though when Newt pulled away from her, Penelope was left speechless, a smile creeping onto her face.

Though the smile immediately disappeared as she realized what Newt was doing. "No!" She screamed, reaching out and grabbing the Brit's hand just as he leaped off of the building, disappearing in a flash of light and taking Penelope with him.

The pair appeared in a dark and deserted alleyway down on the streets. It was dangerously quiet, and Penelope felt goosebumps rise on her skin at the silence. Newt suddenly turned around, his blue eyes wide as he stared at her.

"I told you already, you can't get rid of me that easily, Mr. Scamander," Penelope told him with a smirk, crossing her arms across her chest. She was surprised when Newt pulled her into a tight embrace, his hand pressing her head to his chest and he rested his chin at top of her head.

"You make the most rash decisions, Penelope Finch," he murmured, a thick mist forming against the cold around his lips as he spoke.

Reluctantly, Penelope pulled away from the man, staring up at him with her eyebrows raised. "I could say the same to you."

Suddenly, in a flash of light, Tina Goldstein appeared in the alleyway beside the pair, breathing heavily. When she noticed how close Penelope and Newt were to each other, a glint of jealously shined in her dark brown eyes, though it disappeared as soon as Newt addressed her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked frantically, rushing over to her and placing a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Like Penelope said, I can't let you take on this thing alone," Tina said simply, her eyes staring into Newt's intensely. Sighing with defeat, Newt only shook his head, turning back to Penelope once more.

"Well, now that your here, we might as well go," he murmured, reaching out his hand for Penelope to take. The young woman obeyed, her heart fluttering at his touch, though she clenched her jaw as Tina took Newt's other hand. She didn't have time to ponder on the feeling she felt, however, as the trio Apparated away.

They appeared on the chaotic streets on downtown New York. People ran by them frantically, screaming as they attempted to find a place of shelter from the beast that terrorized the city. Newt pulled Penelope behind a flipped over car, Tina joining them moments after, as the Obscurus appeared into sight. The black mass flew into a building, causing a gigantic sign to crumble to the ground in a heap of rubbish.

Penelope suddenly recognized the figure of Percival Graves only feet from where they were hidden; the strange man was walking towards the Obscurus confidently, looking up at the mass with dark eyes.

"To survive so long with this thing inside of you, Credence," he began, shouting over the commotion the Obscurial was causing. "It's a miracle! You are a miracle."

"Credence," Tina's voice cracked as she whispered the name from the other side of Newt, and Penelope remembered what she had said about her relationship with the adopted boy back in the Blind Pig. She had lost her job because she stuck up for him.

"Come with me," Graves continued, stopping just in front of the giant Obscurus. "Think of what we could achieve together, Credence." Though the Obscurial ignored what he said, flying through him as if he were nothing but an apparition.

"Credence..." Tina murmured again as she stared at the monster before them. "Newt, he's not a child."

"His-his power must be so strong that he somehow managed to survive," Newt explained quietly, careful not to disturb the Obscurial as it rampaged down the block. He didn't want to draw any attention to the trio, because if that beast wanted them dead, it would stop at nothing to make sure that happened.

"Newt," Tina whispered again, causing Newt to look at her with wide eyes. "We have to save him, please."

Newt didn't speak for a moment as he stared at Tina, his gaze intense. Though he finally nodded and said, "We will."

~

[ I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever! I've been sick this week and then studying for exams and I've just been soo busy. I promise next week it'll be back on regular schedule.

I can't believe this book is already so close to ending :( I'm thinking about making a sequel, but I'm not too sure yet. What do you guys think? ]