I stood there, with my chair pulled out, wondering who would answer the door. Mother was still setting the table, and my father and grandmother were still in the kitchen. Reluctantly, I realized I would have to answer it.

I trudged into the foyer and grabbed the brass handle of our door. Once I pulled it open, it revealed a curious stranger with curly brunette hair, about my age. Freckles sprinkled his face like stars and his eyes were a debatable blue colour. He was dressed in a blue coat with a white shirt like mine, a brown vest, and a bowtie. In his hand was a suitcase that was wound with a fraying rope, and I thought I spotted something moving in his coat pocket.

"Good evening, sir," I greeted him as my mother had taught me. An awkward smile pulled at his lips and he shifted his case to his other hand in a shy manner.

"Hello, miss. Would this happen to be the Clover residence?" he replied in a British accent like my own.

"It would. You must be our eagerly awaited guest," I said as politely as possible. Opening the door further, I continued, "Come in, we've been expecting you."

Door open now, I stepped away so he could come inside. He stepped inside our foyer somewhat hesitantly, but curiosity lit his eyes. I watched as his eyes jumped from our chandelier to our coat rack to the chest by the door to finally land on... me. His gaze was scrutinizing like he was inspecting me--though it sounds strange. It was almost like... like he could actually see through me. Like he could see my transparency. Or not, for that matter. A shiver trickled down my spine. Nobody could see through me, I thought. So what was going on?

"Um, may I take your coat?" I asked, desperate for his attention to shift to something else.

"Sure, of course," he said, pulling off his coat, his eyes still intent on me. I squirmed as I took it.

"And your case, sir?" I asked.

His attention immediately snapped to his case. "No, thank you."

I nodded and my mother's head appeared in the doorway to the parlour. "Mailee, is our guest here?" she was a tall woman who still believed in 'proper etiquette,' as she called it. Her own hair was a soft auburn colour, but her eyes were a dull grey. Many people said I looked almost identical to her. "Oh, Mr. Scamander!" she exclaimed, "Welcome! Come in, we've made dinner."

As Mr. Scamander left with my mother, I hung his coat on the rack.

Around the table, I sat in my usual spot, with mother on my left, father at the end of the table, and grandmother a seat away from him. Mr. Scamander sat between father and grandmother. I think everyone noticed that a seat was empty.

"Mailee, mother, Mr. Scamander is a self-proclaimed zoologist who specializes in... special creatures." my mother introduced him to grandmother and I. "Mr. Scamander, this is Mailee-Bell, my daughter," she said, nodding towards me. I put on a pursed smile. "And I'm sure you know my mother, Magena,"

"I know him," my grandmother stated in her raspy, southern-English accent.

Mr. Scamander smiled towards me, his eyes still gleaming with curiosity. "Please, call me Newt." My mother smiled. I bet she thought he was just charming. "And, pardon me, but I thought Gabriel Crawford would be here?"

My mother's face turned a smidge regretful. "I'm sorry, Newt, but Gabriel couldn't make it tonight--something about his train being delayed--but he'll be here by tomorrow evening, I'm sure of it."

"Cousin Gabriel?" I piped up. "What's Mr. Scamander want with him?"

Mother glared at me, miffed by my improper grammar. "Gabriel is a veterinarian, as you know, Mai-Bell. He has business with Mr. Scamander--er, Newt."

I put my mouth in an 'o' position and stayed quiet. My mother continued, "So, Newt, if you wouldn't mind, you could stay with us for the night."

"That's perfectly alright, Mrs. ...?" Newt asked.

"Madeleine. Call me Madeleine," My mother smiled again. "Well then, we have an extra room upstairs, down the hall from Mailee's room. I was thinking you could stay there for the night,"

"That sounds splendid, Madeleine. Thank you," Newt's lips twitched into a smile again.

"Wonderful! Mailee can show you after dinner," mother looked at me. I nodded.

After dinner, I led Newt up to his room. His room was almost right across from mine. The corridor was quite dark because I didn't bother to turn on the lights, and the door creaked as I opened it. The spare room was definitely infrequently used, and dust was visible on almost every surface. Newt stepped inside, but I stayed in the doorway.

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Scamander?" I politely asked.

"No, I'm fine, thank you," he replied, turning to me and setting his case down on the bed.

"Alright, then," I said. "If you need anything, you know where I'll be,"

I turned to leave but felt Newt grab my wrist. I turned back to him and now he was close. He held my wrist closer to his face as if to inspect it. I could hear my heartbeat.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Scamander?" I asked, rather irritably.

As if snapping from a trance, Newt let go of my hand and shook his head. "No... it's nothing. You're just rather peculiar, you see," he said the last bit rather quiet, but I heard, on account of his closeness. Or I don't see, I added. "And please, call me Newt."

I became aware I was holding my breath. "Okay, Mr. Scamander. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he said back, and I made my way back to my room.

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