The Stars Speak

Over the next few weeks, Hope slept in different beds, depending on the situation. If Newt needed time to prepare for class, she stayed with Albus. If Albus was busy working - usually Ministry business if he needed privacy - Hope stayed with Newt. If they were both busy and needed to get work done, she stayed in her room of moonlight.

It wasn't always sex.

Sometimes they read different books in silence, and they'd play games or stay up into the early morning hours talking. Hope loved listening to their stories, especially since Hope didn't have many of her own to offer.

Today was a day to herself, and it was too cold to walk to Hogsmeade. She'd already finished working with the creatures and making sure everyone was fed, watered, and loved on. She gave extra love to the Kelpie since Newt wouldn't be able to see them until tomorrow. It was wonderful he had his suitcase back now. He'd been a mess of anxious nerves while it resided in New York.

At first, Hope didn't know what to do with herself. She sat at her chair in front of her art easel, staring at the blank canvas. There was just no inspiration right now. Her heart stuttered at the thought of painting Newt or Albus but then thought better. She wasn't sure she'd ever get their eyes right.

Biting at her thumbnail, she looked around. She couldn't conjure too many images in her head because she hadn't had enough experience to recall them. She may need to explore a little.

Hope just needed to let her creative mind expand.

With that in mind, she gathered a sketchpad and shoved it and a few pencils into a sling bag. Making her way through the castle was more manageable now; she rarely got lost anymore.

She went outside and looked around, her eyes landing on the forbidden forest. Well, it was only forbidden to the students, she was sure she'd be okay to venture just a little. Not too far, just enough to find a lovely focal point for her piece.

Hope crossed the grounds leisurely, watching the snowfall above her. She wouldn't stay out long anyway, it was too cold for that. By the time she reached the threshold of the forest, her confidence had begun to rise, wondering what hides out there. Newt had already explained a few things that resided behind these skeleton trees, but to see them in person would be a treat.

Well, not a troll. Hope wouldn't like to run into one of those.

Hope followed a well-worn path, and the forest seemed to swallow her despite the lack of foliage on the trees. Darkening the further, she went. Once she felt she'd gone far enough, she settled on a fallen log and took out her sketchbook and pencil.

Waiting and watching, she listened to the sounds of the trees creaking, but it didn't bother her. Either her sense of self-awareness had broken, or there were no dangers nearby.

The first ten minutes were fine. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and the cold didn't bother her, but after nearly twenty minutes, she quickly realized she could no longer feel her toes. Sighing, Hope looked around, and as a last effort to have something to paint, she began sketching the trees themselves. How they twisted and curved, scraping the sky with black talons.

Crack.

Hope glanced up, the echo of a twig snapping gaining her attention. She looked all around, searching for the source of the sound, but there was nothing.

"Hm," she murmured, "I think it's time to go."

"You should not be out here." A voice came from behind the trees.

Frowning, she stood and inched forward, trying to see through the snow gloom. The Centaur came forth then, aiming an arrow at her chest.

Her brows raised, and she swallowed hard. "Uhm…sorry for intruding. I was looking for," her eyes flitted to the dagger-tipped arrow, "inspiration. For my art." She nodded slowly.

Newt had mentioned Centaurs lived here, but she thought they lived near the forest's center, far away from others.

Slowly, he lowered the arrow but didn't sheath it.

"You…" he began in a low voice, eyes looking her over. "The stars told me of you."

Hope stared at him. That's right; they're big into astronomy…astrology? She couldn't remember what she'd read. "Of me?" She asked slowly, shaking her head. "What did they say?" It may sound silly to others to take a Centaurs fortune telling so seriously, but any prediction for her was good information. Something else to cling to, especially if it was about her other life.

"Your end is near, Tribrid."

Her face paled. That wasn't the prediction she'd been hoping for, though it was informative.

"Go, now. Out of the forest. More sinister things lurk where you cannot see."

Nodding, she departed quickly. Pushing her legs through the building snow mounds and to the castle, where she lets herself breathe again.

Hope was still shivering as she trekked through the castle and into her room, where Albus sat on her couch with a book open before him. The fire crackled comfortingly.

Albus raised a brow as he looked her over. "I finished early and thought you might like some company with Newt away."

"I would, yeah." She nodded as she absent-mindedly started shedding her snow-sodden clothes. She left them on the floor, an unusual action of hers.

"Hope," he murmured, watching her carefully, "did something happen?"

"I talked to a Centaur, and he said I'm going to die soon, so I'm feeling a little overwhelmed." She continued undressing, dropping her bra and panties to the floor as she made her way to the bathtub in the far corner. Hope didn't bother to block off the area with a privacy screen before turning on the hot water.

She heard his book close and his footsteps nearing her. "You went into the forest?"

Hope turned to look at him, seeing the worried scowl he wore. He didn't seem entirely angry, but maybe a little frustrated.

"I didn't go far or stay long. I was looking for inspiration…" She looked at him. "Don't look at me like that. I was fifty feet from the entrance." Hope sighed softly, running her fingers through her hair, "I have the right to live outside a bubble."

"I'm not saying you don't, but you need to understand there are dangers," Albus took a deep breath and moved closer, hands rubbing her arms lightly, "it scares me knowing you were by yourself unprotected. The Poachers that had you are imprisoned now, but there's no saying who else might seize an opportunity when they see one."

Hope swallowed hard and nodded slowly. She knew he was right, she was just so ready to taste more freedom. Not while holding Newt or Albus' hand the whole way. Maybe it was a childish desire, but it felt necessary.

"There are going to be moments when you can't be there," she murmured, "moments when I'm alone. That's…just life. I'll try to be careful, but please don't ask me to live in a cage."

Albus nodded, swallowing hard, and kissed her forehead. "What did the Centaur say?" He asked as he helped her into the still-filling tub. He picked up a hand towel and, while on his knees, rolled up his sleeve and lightly washed over her left arm and shoulder.

"He said…Your end is near, Tribrid." She frowned. "I've been calling myself a Hybrid, thinking half vampire, half werewolf, but I guess you were right. The magic part might be its separate part."

Albus smiled crookedly. "Ah, I'd say I told you so, but…"

She slapped his hand lightly and giggled. "Shut up," she sighed with a smile, "maybe I was in a bit of denial."

"That happens." He shrugged, lifting her arm and washing the soapy water along her ribs. Making her shudder. "It's difficult to admit to things you wish weren't true."

"I always wanted magic, though. Or at least I thought I did. Maybe what I wanted was to be like everyone else here. To fit in."

Albus chuckled and kissed her temple. "If you ever were to fit into our society like a matching puzzle piece, I'd lose all my sources of entertainment."

Hope gaped at him and laughed. "Hey…"

"It's true," he grinned, eyes sparkling, "it's what you refer to as the abnormalities that make you all the more interesting."

Her skin flushed lightly, making her bite her lip as she leaned her head back against the lip of the tub. Letting him continue to wash her body, she relaxed in her muscles and let the hot water penetrate them soothingly.

However, when he reached her feet, she couldn't help but start giggling. She tried to pull her ankle away from his firm grip as he lightly scrubbed the ball of her foot.

"What?" He grinned with mischief in his eyes.

Hope's giggles escalated and only was interrupted when he stopped by the sound of the door opening.

Newt had returned.

"You're back!" She grinned at him, finally pulled her foot free, and let it sink to the bottom of the tub.

Raising a brow and letting out a chuckle, he nodded. "I am back, but don't let me ruin your fun." He took his coat off and hung it on the wall.

"Ruin?" She asked and grinned. "More like enhance."

"Perhaps you'd like to know what our dear Hope was up to today," Albus said, eyeing Hope as he rang out the rag.

Her eyes narrowed on him, but it didn't stop him from relaying the events to Newt.

"You went into the forest alone?" Newt asked in a panic, walking over to the tub, hands on his hips. "After what just happened in New York?"

Hope pursed her lips and slowly let her head sink under the water, waited a moment, and came back up. Hope slowly opened one eye to see if he had gone.

"I'm still here, Hope." Newt frowned.

Sighing, she rested her arms on the tub and then her chin. "Albus already beat you to it," she looked over at him, seeing him smiling- his eyes lit with humor, "tattletale." She looked back at Newt. "I won't be going in alone again, but think on the bright side I know that I'm called a Tribrid. That's something, isn't it?"

Newt nodded, kneeling next to the tub. "I suppose so, but if you're the only one of your kind, that would mean nobody will have written anything."

Hope wrinkled her nose, but he kissed it away with a small smile. "We'll keep looking, though."

The bubbles hiding most of her body slowly disappeared, revealing her naked figure underneath. Newt's eyes slowly lowered, and she could smell his arousal. Looking over, she saw Albus' gaze had drawn to the exact location, and Hope realized it wasn't just Newt's arousal she smelled.

"Hm, sad, isn't it?" She smiled mischievously, making them both look at her, their pupils dilated. Her toe skimmed the water. "You both are sporting massive erections right now, and neither one of you will take advantage of having a wet naked lady right in front of you. I just find it kind of funny that-" Hope stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she looked down to see Albus' arm had disappeared beneath the water, and his hand now cupped her pussy.

"I'm sorry. Were you saying something?" Albus asked as his fingers stroked slowly up her center.

Hope sucked in a sharp breath as his two fingers plunged into her.

"She went awfully quiet," Newt murmured, watching. "Is she as sarcastic with you as she is with me?"

Albus nodded. "Very much so, very mouthy." He stroked her G-spot slowly, not taking his eyes off hers.

"I…haahhh…" Hope gasped as his thumb brushed against her clit.

"Newt," Albus nodded, "do me a favor and take care of her breasts. I'll work down here. It seems she decided to step into a challenge she didn't anticipate dueling in."

Hope looked down as Newt moved behind her head, and while he kissed the side of her neck, he began to roll her nipples between his fingers.

"Hope," she looked up to Albus, watching her with a smirk, "I think you misunderstood the hesitation we both were facing. Allow me to clarify." It was getting more difficult to understand what he was saying the longer they played with her. "We both care for you deeply and know you care for us. We decided it would be in our best interest, for now, to…" he glanced at Newt, blue eyes sparking something, "leave it at that." Albus looked at her again. "He and I might not give into anything physical…" Hope waited for him to say 'yet,' but he never did. "However, we have zero qualms about sharing you."

"Sharing me…" Hope gasped as Newt sucked a particularly tender part of her flesh.

"Hm," Albus nodded, "taking turns sometimes while other times, if you approved, of course, pleasing you together."

"At the same time…" It seemed all she could do was repeat what he was saying.

Newt kissed her ear. "Yes," he murmured, "I've also been curious to know how he seems to tire you so easily. I'm starting to see why."

Hope gasped and lifted her hips as Albus added a third finger, making her eyes roll back in her head. Was the water getting hotter?

"And sometimes," Albus whispered, taking his wand from his pocket, "you just need a little magic." He touched the water with the tip.

Hope's jaw dropped as bubbles formed in the tub, not just soap bubbles. These bubbles burst and slid over every inch of her skin, feeling like she had a million tingles everywhere. They'd tickle if they didn't feel so good.

Newt held her breasts firmly in his hands, letting the bubbles lick at her sensitive nipples. She could feel them rushing past her clit at an incredible speed.

Crying out, her body nearly lifted from the tub as she came.

The bubbles slowed to a gentle churning, and Hope never felt so relaxed. She let Newt lift her from the tub and dry her off, holding her close as he laid her gently on the bed.

"Hm," Hope smiled, looking over at them and grinned, letting the towel fall away, "I get the two most handsome, thoughtful, and talented men in the world all to myself?" She giggled. "I think I could get used to that."