Chapter Ninety-Five: Newt Scamander’s Suitcase

Like Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Platform Seven and a Half lay hidden behind the wall exactly between Platforms Seven and Eight.

Newt led Siven through the wall and into the wizarding platform beyond.

“Your ticket.” Newt took a red-patterned train ticket from his pocket and handed it to Siven.

Siven glanced at it curiously and saw the words “London King’s Cross Station - Paris Montparnasse Station,” along with the train’s name: the European Magic Star Express.

Newt picked up the suitcase and boarded first. Siven followed close behind with the kitten in his arms, then stepped into the carriage after the conductor punched a hole in his ticket.

The compartment Newt had booked was for two passengers only, and there were just the two of them inside.

It was very private. Once the door was shut, all outside noise was cut off, and after it was locked, no one would come to disturb them.

The more Siven looked at it, the more it felt like a lovers’ compartment, and the corner of his mouth kept twitching.

But Newt clearly did not share his train of thought. The moment he entered the compartment, he locked the door at once, then placed his old brown leather suitcase on the table inside.

He released the catches and lifted the lid. Siven stared in astonishment.

The inside was not merely filled with clothes and other ordinary necessities. Once the lid was opened, the suitcase became a deep cavern, with a narrow wooden ladder rising from below to the opening.

Newt climbed into it with practiced ease, leaving Siven sitting there in a daze.

“What are you waiting for? Come on down!” Newt’s voice drifted up from inside the case. “And don’t forget the kitten!”

“Oh, right!” Siven hurriedly answered. Holding the kitten in one arm and gripping the ladder with the other, he climbed down into the suitcase.

“Could you close the lid for me? Thanks!” Newt called up, by then already changed into a set of work clothes.

Siven shut the lid and climbed down after him.

The place below was a tiny workroom, furnished with a camp bed, several sets of tropical clothing, and an assortment of tools hanging on the wall. There were also many manuscripts and books.

“So we’re going to observe the kitten here?” Siven asked, a little puzzled. This workroom seemed even smaller than the carriage.

“Not here.” A mysterious smile appeared on Newt’s face as he gently pushed open the wooden door at the side of the room.

“Here!”

As the door opened, a whole new world unfolded before Siven’s eyes.

First came a forest, filled with countless towering trees. Hanging from the branches were round bird nests made of bamboo, and all sorts of strange birds were playing among the trees.

Looking farther beyond the forest, he could see entirely different landscapes: a broad stretch of tropical grassland, a patch of rainforest, a moonlit sandy plain, and a small rocky hill. It left Siven dizzy, dazzled, and overwhelmed.

So this really was only the inside of a suitcase?

“Could you bring me the jar of feed from the room?” Newt had already walked into the forest and called out to Siven.

“No problem!” Siven replied. He found a jar full of little meat worms on a shelf in the workroom.

Though he found the worms a bit disgusting, he still picked up the jar and carried it over to Newt, who was standing beneath a tree.

Without a second thought, Newt reached into the jar full of worms and scattered them into the round nests.

Only then did Siven notice several small magical creatures inside the nests, with blue-purple scales, serpentine bodies, and birdlike heads. They curled up in the nest, mouths open as if begging to be fed.

“This kind of magical creature is called an Occamy. Don’t let their size fool you right now; they can actually fill the entire space they occupy. When fully grown, they can reach fifteen feet.” As he fed the baby Occamies with the care of a nursemaid, Newt explained them to Siven.

At that moment, a little creature covered in green fur, with two small brown eyes, poked its head out of the breast pocket of Newt’s coat and hopped down along the hem to the ground. From a glance, it looked as though it had been made from bark and twigs; unless one looked closely, it would be impossible to tell it was a magical creature at all.

“This is Pickett, a Bowtruckle. A clingy little fellow.” Newt’s lips curved into an affectionate smile.

As soon as the kitten saw Pickett, it leaped from Siven’s arms and landed steadily on the ground. The two of them stared at each other, eye to eye.

Apparently offended by being glared at, Pickett puffed out its cheeks and blew a little “purr-r-r” of air at the kitten.

The kitten was not to be outdone. It reached out a paw to bat at the Bowtruckle, only for the little creature to dart away.

Cat and Bowtruckle chased one another all the way up a tree. Only after climbing it did the kitten finally settle down, watched from every branch by the many green Bowtruckles in the tree.

“They seem to be getting along well!” By then Newt had finished feeding several Occamies and screwed the lid back onto the jar. “Then let them play together for a while. We still have plenty of work to do!”

Newt led Siven toward the edge of the forest, where there was a floating clump of earth with a tree growing from it, and beneath it a burrow glowing with golden light. Inside the burrow were many glittering gold coins and metal objects, the source of that shining radiance.

Just then, a small creature covered in black fur, with a long snout, quietly climbed up Siven’s clothes.

“Is that a Niffler? It’s adorable.” Siven reached out and scooped the mischievous little thing into his arms.

Newt’s expression, however, was rather helpless, and he warned Siven, “I’d advise you not to do that. It’s not exactly the easiest creature to deal with.”

No sooner had Newt spoken than the little beast seized the pocket watch hanging from Siven’s neck with astonishing speed and tried to stuff it into the pouch on its belly.

“Stop that, Teddy!” Newt cried at once, reaching out to snatch the Niffler back.

Yet though a Niffler was small, it was surprisingly strong, and it clung to Siven’s pocket watch with all its might.

Siven watched Newt in what felt like a tug-of-war with the Niffler, and the poor magical creature handler truly did not have an easy life...

Then, silently, he drew a gold Galleon from his pocket, shook it before Teddy’s eyes, and tossed it to him.

Teddy’s attention was finally diverted. He stretched out his little paws, eager to catch the Galleon in midair.

Seizing the chance, Newt pulled the pocket watch out of the Niffler’s pouch and returned it to Siven, saying, “A good trick! But I usually don’t recommend indulging these naughty little fellows, or you’ll be bankrupt before you know it.”

“Oh, and remember to keep your pocket watch hidden from now on!”

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