In Her Element

Even while holding her hands up to the roaring fire, Hope shivered. She rubbed her palms together and held them up again, desperate to get a single lick of heat to chase away the numbness in her fingers. 

It was a strange thing, being five inches from a fire and feeling no heat. Truthfully, it was starting to irk Hope more than her growling stomach and aching eyes. It didn't matter what she did. Her skin remained chilled. Once she left this place, she'd never take warm blankets or embraces for granted again.

The door opened and closed, and Hope glanced over her shoulder, watching Albus walk through with a furrowed brow. He and Newt had been taking shifts searching for Hope. While one left, the other stayed in case she were to return.

Little did they know, they'd never find her despite their efforts.

Sighing, she sat on the rug with her knees to her chest and watched her breath plume before her. While they searched and worried, she tried to get their attention with things she had at least a little control over.

For two days, she'd discovered that the fire wavered slightly when she passed her fingers through it. Maybe it was a good thing she couldn't feel the heat.

Hope also realized she could flick water, but only if it was just water. She couldn't turn on the faucet, but she could dip her fingers into an open cup and fling it. Not once was it enough to gain their attention.

Looking down at her nails proved she could interact with dirt, but if she left the room to find dirt, she couldn't guarantee she'd find her way back again. No, she had to use what was in the room.

Newt, from his place on the couch, looked up with tired eyes.

"Anything?" He asked, voice hoarse.

Neither of them had slept a wink either. Mostly, they spent their time in silence, staring at the wall or fireplace. Lost in thought.

Hope would have thought it would feel good to have people care so much about her that their lives were altered so severely, but instead, it twisted her stomach and pinched her chest.

It was painful to watch them grieve.

Albus shook his head as he sat down next to Newt and removed his boots, setting them aside with a quiet plop.

"Hm, I asked throughout Hogsmeade, and there was one person. At Hogs Head, the man in place of Aberforth at the moment," Albus managed a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "said she was there a few days ago, and when another man started getting a bit handsy, she stabbed him with a fork."

"Damn right I did." Hope muttered through chattering teeth, glaring at the memory.

Newt raised both brows and couldn't seem to help but smile. "That sounds like her." He murmured.

Nodding, Albus sighed softly. "After that, he told them both to leave, and she left, but he didn't see which direction."

Hope watched Newt swallow hard and rake his fingers through his hair as he leaned forward, looking as though he might be sick, but instead of throwing up, he let out a strangled sob.

"It's all my fault…" He shuddered in a quivering voice as tears dripped down his nose, splashing the floor.

"No, it's not." She and Albus said at the same time.

Pursing her lips, Hope rested her chin against her knees and watched them. She wished she could be a comfort but knew she couldn't.

Albus took hold of Newt's chin and forced his blurry eyes to meet his.

"It is not your fault. It is not her fault. It is not my fault. Sometimes, people say and do things that they, at the moment, believe are right for them. What's right for them might not seem right for us, but that isn't ours to judge." Albus stroked his cheeks lightly with the pads of his thumbs, chasing away the tears. "It's okay to be sad, but please don't blame yourself for speaking your truth."

Newt relaxed into Albus' touch and released a soft, shaky sigh.

"You need to sleep," Albus whispered lightly before pressing a soft kiss to his lips and stroking his cheek again, watching him with worried eyes.

Newt did look awful. There was deep discoloration under his eyes and pale, but Newt slowly shook his head. "Can't sleep. I want to…I need to, but every time I close my eyes, all I see is her face. That look when I called her selfish," he spat out the last word, "I've never seen her look so hurt, yet she covered it so fast like she's used to that form of defense. I made her feel the need to defend herself and-"

Albus pressed his lips against him again. Harsher this time, cutting him off. When he pulled away again, Newt breathed a little heavier.

"Perhaps we could use a distraction tonight," Albus murmured, gazing into Newt's eyes.

A sudden rush of butterflies swarmed through Hope's stomach and right down to her pussy as she watched Albus skim his fingers lightly along the edge of Newt's shirt.

Hope shivered just as Newt did and knew all too well what it felt like to be on the receiving end of those careful fingers.

Newt swallowed hard before slowly nodding his head. "I think that's a…good idea." His eyes rolled back as Albus leaned forward and pressed his lips against his throat, hands roaming his torso.

Their lips met then, and Albus didn't hesitate to slip his tongue into Newt's mouth, exploring every inch as Newt moaned softly in the back of his throat.

The soft, submissive sound earned a slight growl from Albus, who moved forward, holding Newt's shoulders and pressing him back so his back was against the couch. 

Albus released the kiss, leaving Newt panting as he worked to undress him. His movements were slow and smooth, taking his time as if he wanted to burn every second of this encounter into memory.

Then Albus' mouth was on Newt's stomach, sucking the sensitive flesh and gliding his tongue along the grooves of his lean muscles.

"Albus…" Newt breathed out, looking down at him.

Hope watched with wide eyes as Albus continued undressing Newt until he was completely naked and bare to him on the couch.

Pressing his scruffy cheek to Newt's smooth one, he gruffly whispered. "I want to make love to you, Newton Scamander," he smiled, "the floor or the bed. You choose."

"The bed." Newt shuddered but then broke into a smile as Albus took his hands and lifted him up, guiding him to the foot of the bed, where he nudged him to lay back. "You know," Newt continued, "this might work better if we're both naked."

Albus laughed. "Cheeky much?"

He grinned and laid back on the bed, watching Albus undress to nothing.

Standing, Hope couldn't help herself and walked to the bed, where she sat cross-legged on the edge. She was suddenly very thankful the bed was so wide; this was a show she didn't want to miss. It was rare she got to see just Albus and Newt. Whenever they were together, they seemed to focus more on her.

That would definitely be changing.

Albus pressed down against Newt, their cocks against each other, and as Albus stroked his tongue into his mouth, his hips slightly moved back and forth. Rubbing his erection against Newt's.

Glancing down at herself, Hope realized she felt something change with her body. She wasn't hot all over like she usually would be when so turned on, but she was still flooding in her panties.

"Oh…" She murmured just as Newt moaned. Glancing up, she watched Albus lift Newt's ankles to rest on his shoulders, his middle finger already knuckle deep in him. "Screw it." Hope shivered as she slipped her hand down the front of her pants and gasped softly as the tips of her fingers made contact with her swollen clit.

"Albus!" Newt gasped a little more desperately as he watched the other man pump his finger in and out of him, massaging a spot inside of him that made him want to cry tears of pleasure.

"I know," Albus smiled, pressing his lips against his jaw as he continued his slow but harsh strokes, "This ass is mine." He whispered against his ear, forcing Newt to let out a hoarse whine. "I can punish this tight hole all night if I choose to…" he growled against his ear before taking the lobe between his teeth.

Newt let out a forced laugh that tried to turn itself into a groan. "You always have to be in charge, then?"

Grinning, Albus added a second finger and pumped his hand faster, making Newt's eyes cross.

"Always."

Hope bit her lip as she stroked a slow circle around her sensitive nub. Albus had barely begun, and she was already almost spent. 

When it seemed Newt was relaxed and ready, Albus pulled his hand away and leaned over him. As one hand reached for the side table and applied a fair bit of lubrication to his cock, the other cradled Newt's face.

"Remember, if you ever need me to stop, please tell me."

Newt nodded, his eyes electrified with anticipation, but they rolled back immediately upon penetration. 

"Look at me," Albus demanded in a graveled voice.

Unable to disobey, Newt gazed into his eyes as Albus pumped his hips and entered him entirely.

Albus stroked his thumb lightly along his bottom lip as his hips began to pump in and out, keeping Newt's ankles securely on his shoulders.

"Suck." He ordered, watching Newt take his thumb into his mouth and stroke it lightly with his tongue. "Hm," Albus murmured, watching him with a sly smile, "you're going to take everything I have, aren't you?"

Newt nodded and moaned softly around his thumb as Albus rotated his hips in a circle. His dark, curled hair stroked the underside of his sensitive, swollen cock. The sensation forced a bead of precum to the surface. Using his other thumb, Albus stroked it away and licked it clean.

A few minutes later, they were all panting.

Hope couldn't feel the heat, but she could sense she was nearing release as tingles erupted over her skin. Using three fingers, she rubbed circles against herself while watching Newt take Albus' pounding cock.

Before she knew it was happening, Hope's channel throbbed, sending her eyes rolling back as she moaned. She vaguely heard Albus cry out, and when she focused again, she watched him hunched over Newt, no longer thrusting.

The back of Newt's thighs was a sticky mess, but Albus' fist was now around Newt's cock. Pumping him harshly with his hand while Newt practically thrashed against the bed. He couldn't move away from the position Albus had him pinned in and had to simply take the neverending pleasure.

"Come, Newt," Albus growled.

That order seemed to set Newt off. Only a moment later, his torso contorted into an awkward position. He cried out just as his cock wriggled helplessly before spurting hot cum all over his sweat-soaked skin.

When it seemed Newt couldn't take much more, Albus took his cock into his mouth and licked him clean. However, Newt squirmed like a fish out of water as Albus' tongue worked to clean up the mess they'd made together.

Hope looked down at her glistening fingers and knew Albus would have insisted on Newt sucking them clean so he could watch.

In a few short minutes, Albus and Newt were resting under the covers.

"Try to sleep," Albus murmured while stroking his fingers through Newt's fluffy hair, gliding across his scalp.

"Hm." Newt managed, but Albus' efforts seemed to work because it was all he said.

Rolling over, Newt pressed his face against Albus' shoulder and finally murmured. "I love you."

Albus smiled crookedly, lightly scratched his bare back, and softly whispered. "I love you too."

There was a long silence, and then Newt murmured more thickly. "I miss her."

Albus swallowed hard, fresh tears threatening his eyes as he stroked his back. "I miss her too…"

Newt's breathing changed as he finally fell asleep, and it seemed not too long after that, so did Albus. They deserved to rest, Hope thought as she moved to lay behind Albus' back, facing the back of his head.

How could she have walked away from this?

They loved so profoundly, so freely, and she had let her fear and issues get in the way of that. If she could redo it, if she could just have one more chance to make things right, she'd choose differently.

She wouldn't walk away from Newt. She'd take his hands and tell him to talk to her, to help her understand so that they could do better for each other.

A tear grazed down her cheek as she watched Albus' hair move.

Move? Why was it moving?

Raising her eyebrows, she slowly leaned forward as a realization dawned on her. She blew on the back of his neck, and while Albus didn't wake, he adjusted his blanket from the sudden draft he'd felt.

Slowly sitting up, Hope looked down at her hands. She could touch the earth, water, and fire and produce air they could feel. 

She could manipulate the elements.

The elements.

Hope looked around herself. What elements could she manipulate for them to notice her? What was considered an element exactly? Thinking back to her days studying science with Elijah.

If they could just see her… but how could they see her in the fire?

Maybe the water? It did reflect light, and if she could touch water, surely she could still see herself in it, but there wasn't enough to make a reflection unless they filled the tub.

Reflection. A mirror.

Could she reflect herself in a mirror? Looking up, she stared at where a small oval mirror hung on the wall at the other end of the room. Mirrors reflect light, but light isn't an element like water. 

Hope deflated a little until a thought occurred to her.

No, mirrors weren't made of water, air, or fire, but they technically were made up of the earth.

Silver.

Hope scrambled to her feet and rushed across the room, practically throwing herself in front of the mirror. Most mirrors had a silver coating. Even if this one was made of gold or aluminum or some other metal, they were still elements that she, in theory, should be able to manipulate.

Frowning, she stared at the mirror, which only reflected the room behind her. Taking a breath, she prepared herself and reached forward, touching the tips of her fingers against the smooth surface.

Her world seemed to spin, but it ended so quickly that her brain was a little scrambled trying to understand her new surroundings.

It was pitch-black in every direction except for one. A light in the shape of an oval ahead beckoned to her like an oasis in a desert.

Hope lurched forward and raced to the oval, overwhelmed with joy when it stayed put and didn't move away from her like an illusion.

Gazing through the mirror, Hope could see the room of moonlight. Where she'd just been. On the bed lay Newt and Albus, fast asleep.

"Hey!" Hope shouted, but neither woke.

Clenching her hands into fists, she pounded against the mirror.

Just as Hope was beginning to think her efforts were futile, that she'd forever be trapped inside a mirror world of dark coldness where no one could see or hear her, Albus rolled over. He slowly opened his eyes- squinting across the room.

Albus' eyes bulged open then, and he got off the bed, still completely naked, as he drew nearer. His jaw dropped as he met Hope's eyes.

She watched his mouth form the word "Hope" but couldn't hear his voice. Still, the joy that raced through her forced her into a grin as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Albus' shocked expression morphed into one of pure relief and happiness. He looked over his shoulder and seemed to call for Newt because a few moments later, Newt was standing next to him. Wearing his own amazed expression.

"Can you hear me?" Hope asked, tapping on the mirror with her finger.

They both focused on her lips, so she repeated more slowly.

"Can you hear me?"

Shaking their heads, they frowned.

Okay, so they couldn't hear her, but they could see her. That was much better than what she'd been dealing with for the last few days. 

"I need help," Hope said slowly so they could read her lips. "How do I get out?"

Albus nodded and put a finger up for her to wait. He quickly walked away, and she saw he was searching for clothes, but Newt didn't move. He stared at her with teary eyes.

"I'm so…so sorry, Hope…" His lips formed.

Hope smiled softly and pressed her lips to her fingers before touching them against the mirror. "I'm sorry, too. I love you." 

Even if she never did find a way out of this and she would have to live as a wall decoration, at least he knew how she felt.

 Albus reappeared just as Hope shivered. A cold blast of air sent chills all over her body. It was like being in the center of a blizzard without snow.

Frowning, he looked the mirror over and reached forward, taking the frame off the wall, but as he did and the mirror was on its back, Hope felt herself falling backward into nothing.

As if she were flying through infinite space instead of residing inside a mirror.

The scene of the room and their panicked faces came back almost instantly as Albus seemed to correct the mirror position. Hope pressed a hand to her forehead to stop her head from spinning.

"Sorry," Albus said before carrying her through the room and out the door.

Where on earth was he taking her?