Kapitel 51: Something Wicked in New Orleans: Part 1
Swallowing down the last bit of coffee from her cup, Hope bounced on her toes as she zipped her suitcase up.
"Do you think we'll find anything?" She asked, picking up the Grimoire from Diagon Alley and stuffed it carefully into the suitcase that seemed to store everything with ease.
Charmed, of course.
"Answers about my life maybe?" Hope continued. "Will I meet my family, do you think?"
Albus smiled crookedly as he signed a few documents to be sent to the Ministry before their departure.
"Or maybe-"
"Hope," Albus glanced up with a chuckle, "how much coffee have you had this morning?"
"Four cups, why?"
Biting his lip, fighting a smile, he nodded. "Just checking. Maybe four is your max for today."
Hope glanced over at Newt, who was grinning broadly while feeding his Niffler some extra treats. Pick snacked on woodlice while sitting on his shoulder.
"Fair enough." Hope nodded and continued packing anything extra she might need. They'd be leaving for New Orleans any moment, but she'd procrastinated a bit last night. Procrastinating translated to having Albus' cock in her mouth and Newt's in her hand with his fingers up her pussy. She should probably feel tired, but there was a buzzing in her skull that she was sure wasn't because of the caffeine.
Hope would finally visit where she assumed her life had been before the Poachers.
"Hope," she glanced over to see Albus watching her fondly, but something somber etched his features, "I want you to be able to find answers; believe me, I do, but there is always a chance we will find nothing."
"I know…" Hope trailed off, biting her lower lip. She knew this was a long shot and had to think realistically.
"I hate to fill your head with that kind of doubt. I just want to ensure you understand that simply walking through the city won't answer all your questions. It will take time and patience."
Hope smiled now. "Do I lack patience, Albus?"
"Sometimes." He responded with a chuckle and signed his last bit of parchment. "Are we ready?" Albus asked after sending his Owl off to London.
Hope nodded as she sat on her trunk with a slam and locked the gold latches. Glancing over at Newt, he, too, looked ready.
This was it. They'd be in the Big Easy in just a few moments.
Holding Albus' arm and clutching her trunk, she closed her eyes so she wouldn't be dizzy. Hope would never trust another Wizard to apparate across the ocean like this, especially after Newt told her a horrific splinching story. Still, she trusted Albus with every fiber of her being. As did Newt, she assumed, as he held Albus by the other arm.
It was over in an instant.
Something warm and delicious invaded her senses, followed by something mouthwateringly spicy.
Hope opened her eyes and found they were at the back of a dark alley with one outlet forward to the street ahead. Music greeted her ears as she watched people walk and dance past their hiding spot. Mardi Gras would have been months ago, but the atmosphere was still alive with a buzz of energy she couldn't quite place.
Hope sucked in a breath and let it settle into her soul.
Home.
She was home.
There was no mistaking the sensation that covered her like fuzzy down. It was like this city called her name.
"Hope?" Newt whispered.
She glanced over at him with a grin. "Let's go!" Bolting forward, she skidded to a stop just before she could run into a vendor selling trinkets to tourists. Hope stepped onto the main stretch of road and knew they were in the French Quarter.
"Hang on, Hope," Albus took her by the elbow, "let's stay together." Glancing over at him, she saw his smile.
"Isn't it two in the morning here?" She asked curiously.
Albus chuckled and gazed around. "They don't seem to care."
Getting their sleep schedule back might be tricky, but it would let them search the city and night for a time before trying during the day.
"The Witching Hour begins!" Someone dressed like someone from Hogwarts with robes and bangles shouted from across the street. Quite honestly, the woman reminded Hope of the Divination teacher. "Come and see what secrets the deceased of New Orleans have buried in their crypts. The last tour leaves in fifteen minutes!"
Hope grinned, suddenly feeling thirsty, but not for blood.
"We should do it. Get a tour of the city from a local."
All in agreement, they crossed the street to the woman and stood in the little waiting zone for anyone else who might join. Albus dropped some American Muggle money into her box with a quiet smile.
"Do you think she's really a witch?" Hope asked in a hushed voice, watching the woman scan the crowd.
"Yes," the woman responded, glancing over to meet Hope's eyes with a slight smirk, "but real witchcraft don't pay the bills." She winked.
Hope couldn't help but smile and then wonder. Was she a witch in the world of Wizardry, or was she a witch like Hope was? It wasn't as though she could just ask, but answers could be waiting right in front of her if she just took a leap of faith and asked the risky questions that tumbled through her brain.
Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to ask as a few others came up to take the Ghost Tour. Or, at least, that's what the little brochure said on the front.
"Welcome. My name is Lisette, and I'll be your guide today. I do have a question for you all." Her misty eyes gazed at the crowd and pushed her bouncy dark spirals from her face, smiling through full red lips. "Do you believe in life after death?"
Hope remembered the Grimoire and how it had mentioned a place called the Other Side.
"Well," Lisette laughed deep in her throat, "if you don't. You will after tonight. This way, if you please."
The group followed her. Some laughed nervously, trying to play their shivering hands off as having had too many drinks with supper.
Newt and Albus seemed equally unaffected by the prospect of finding signs of things that go bump in the night. Hope, on the other hand, was trembling with pent-up exhilaration. Her skin was tingling with goosebumps.
"The city of New Orleans was founded in the year 1682. That's a long time for many dark things to occur on these streets. Some even say this very road is cursed with innocent and evil blood…"
The tour guide's words faded to Hope as she looked around, unable to keep her focus on one thing for too long. From signs on the sideroad selling miracle tonics to storefronts with dream catchers and iron statues of creatures she didn't recognize, displayed in the windows.
"Hauntings are a part of life here. We celebrate it all. Life. Death. It's all one big party."
A few chuckled in the group.
"Are you ready to venture into the Guidry estate?" Lisette asked as she stopped in front of a gnarled-looking building. The black warped windows seemed to stare at Hope, its front set into a glare.
"A dark spirit resides here," Lisette went on, "Please, I do ask that you be respectful of this home and its history. If you cannot, you will be asked to leave. No refunds." Stepping back, she opened the door with a large brass key. "After you."
Everyone began to file in, but when Hope was about to step over the threshold, something slammed into her. Or, at least, it felt like something did. Hope sucked in a sharp breath and blinked the glimmer from her eyes.
"Hope?" Newt whispered by her ear. "Are you alright?"
Hope swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah. Yes." Stepping into the house felt more like walking into a jello mold. The energy inside was so thick for a moment that she feared she might be stuck where she was.
Lisette closed the door and nodded slowly. "Some people are more sensitive to the residual energy some spirits leave behind." Hope caught her line of sight. "It's not uncommon for some to even have fainting spells. Some spirits use our energy to supply their own, but I warn you now. Don't open yourself up to it. That's a dangerous game to play."
They were in the kitchen now, which was gray and musty furniture that held a smell. Hope couldn't quite place it but wondered if it was mold.
"This house was built in 1829. One hundred years ago, it suffered its first horrific murder.
"Three," Hope said.
Lisette glanced over at her with her dark eyes. "Pardon?"
Hope looked at her in confusion. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."
It was the truth. The word three had come out before she could stop at herself, like an involuntary act.
Albus took her hand, and she squeezed tightly as nausea began to build in the back of her throat.
"You're right," Lisette nodded, eyeing her watchfully, "Three people were murdered that night. We will visit each room where each atrocious crime was committed."
Lisette continued on. "Watch your step." She said, heading down the narrow hallway to the living room.
Hope started to follow, but Albus kept her back a little. The scratch of his beard stroked her jaw. "If this is too much, we can leave. I don't care about a refund."
Shaking her head, she frowned and looked up at him. "I'll be alright. I want to. It's just…" she took a deep, shuddering breath.
"Just what?" He searched her face.
Hope nodded, looking up at the ceiling. "It's loud."
He and Newt exchanged a look because, to everyone else, the house was so quiet you could hear the wind batter the shutters outside.
"Not in that way," Hope corrected, "in a way I can't explain."
Albus nodded and smiled softly, kissing her ear softly. "I had a feeling you might be a Seer." He chuckled. "Ever since that day in the Divination classroom."
"You don't feel it, too?" Hope asked, looking between them.
They were shaking their heads as Lisette called to them. "No stragglers, please. Let's stay together."
Quickly following, they found themselves in the living room. It appeared relatively undisturbed. An old flower-patterned sofa on one side of the room, a towering bookcase in the corner, and a writing desk at the window where the writer could look out at the street while addressing their letters.
"It was here that Charles Guidry took his last breath." Lisette walked to the writing desk. "An ax to the back of his head."
Most of the crowd gave a soft gasp.
"Oh dear." An older woman murmured while clutching her purse to her body.
Hope tapped her leg six times.
"The murderer gave six devastating blows before moving on to the upstairs, where he took two more lives."
Hope frowned, looking down at her hand, and swallowed hard. She said nothing, but cold sweat dripped down her back.
"I think I need to leave…"
"I know," Albus murmured, taking her hand. He must have watched her nonverbal prediction.
Lisette turned her eyes to Hope and gave a nod and a smile. "Believe me when I say I understand. I left this house deathly sick on the first tour I gave. The energy here does something to the mind. Especially to those who can see past what the fabric of the universe tries to hide from us."
Nodding, Hope offered her hand. "Thank you."
Lisette took it with a smile, but it dropped immediately from the contact. Her hand squeezed tighter, her eyes seeming to age fifty years as she stared at her.
"Wait outside. If you please. This won't take long."
Hope blinked in surprise but nodded slowly as she looked at Albus and Newt with questioning eyes. It seemed they had no answer for her. She let them lead her out, but just as they crossed through the kitchen, Hope could have sworn a dark mass darted past the doorway to what appeared to be the pantry.
Glaring at the now empty space, a part of her wanted to chase after the thing that hid, but another part of her, the smart part, told her to keep walking.
Hope didn't really get a chance to decide as Albus and Newt pressed their hands on the small of her back and together guided her out.
The moment they left the house, Hope was able to breathe. It was like she'd been released from an underwater prison. The nausea disappeared, and the headache that had been growing no longer existed.
"I suppose we'll wait here then…" Hope trailed off, looking over at them with a frown. "I just don't understand what that was all about. I understand I'm sensitive to things like this, but why did she look at me like I'd killed her grandmother?" Her eyes suddenly widened as cold ice sliced through her stomach. "Oh God. What if I killed her grandmother?"
Albus shook his head and took her cold hands, walking her to the bench on the sidewalk. "You can't jump to conclusions, Hope. You'll drive yourself mad doing so. We're going to sit here and wait. Whatever she says to you, we will be here."
Newt sat on the opposite side of her, taking her left hand in his. "Let's just relax for a moment. You're looking a bit pale."
Nodding, Hope sighed. "I didn't like being in there. It was like everything I could feel was somehow suppressed. Like walking through a lucid dream. Everything seemed real and fake at the same time."
The three of them waited patiently, and when the clock struck three, Lisette walked out with the crowd behind her. Some looked pale, while others looked a shade of green, but all were silent.
"This way." Lisette crooked a finger at Hope.
Hope slowly stood, curious but wary. They followed Lisette to the corner of the house, where they'd be out of earshot from the other tourists.
"Listen," Lisette started, bringing a mini notepad from her pocket to write, "Tomorrow morning, come to this address." She tore the paper out and handed it to Hope, who looked at it quizzically.
"Am I allowed to know why?" She asked, glancing up.
Lisette smirked slyly. "You want answers, don't you?" She didn't give Hope a chance to reply. "10 am." Her dark complexion seemed to darken further as she looked at her with serious eyes. "Stay outta trouble till then."
Hope nodded slowly but said nothing as Lisette retreated to the group.
"Isn't it strange?" Hope asked.
"All of it is, yes." Newt nodded with a frown.
"No. She didn't look at either of you. It was like you didn't exist in her eyes. You're Wizards. If she can sense me, why couldn't she sense you?"
Albus pursed his lips and squeezed her hand. "Perhaps we're simply not on her list of priorities to help."
"You think she wants to help me?" Hope asked, looking up at him.
"Perhaps, but we still need to tread carefully." Albus nodded, his eyes not leaving Lisette as she crossed the street to bring the tourists to the starting location down the road.
Finding the place they'd be staying for the next few weeks didn't take long. It was small but nice, with a balcony overlooking the French Quarter. The room, which comprised the living space, bedroom, and kitchen, almost reminded Hope of Hogwarts. Old and ornate.
She sank into the red squishy couch and kicked off her shoes, looking up at the speckled ceiling. "I know it's late morning for our minds, but being here at night makes me strangely tired."
"Not too tired, I hope." Albus chuckled.
Hope looked at him with a raised brow and caught him staring at her with a humored grin. He held up the suitcase.
"We still need to unpack."
Rolling her eyes, she laughed. "Aw, and here I thought you wanted to fuck me."
"Oh, I do," Albus chuckled, "after you get settled, of course."
"Of course." Hope grinned and then looked at Newt, smiling as he was already putting his belongings in the dresser drawers for easy access.
It was a beautiful night, and since none of them were tired, they found plenty to do in their own company.
Hope giggled as she sipped her glass of wine, shaking her head. "You were so wrong for that, you know."
Albus grinned; he and Newt lay on the bed beside each other, propped up by the headboard, while Hope was settled into the cushy couch. "What do you mean? I thought you liked my present."
Hope rolled her eyes playfully, recalling when Albus had tried his new 'present' on her. He'd forced her to orgasm more times than she could count at a public dinner with multiple people at their table. Hope had never forgotten that night.
She was still plotting her revenge, but Albus was sneaky and difficult to catch off guard.
"Yeah, until I was literally dying at the table in front of everyone," Hope laughed, swallowing more wine, "I was trying to have a nice conversation with Theseus. Thank you very much."
"Hm…" Albus smirked, stroking his beard. "Well, actually, it turns out my wand was defective. Sadly, it wouldn't work. That's why I had Newt use his on the train instead."
Hope paused and blinked her eyes. Slowly, she let his words sink in.
"Wait," Hope started and sat up a little taller, setting her glass down, "WHAT!?"
Albus grinned and looked over at Newt, who had a horror-struck expression, and his ears were redder than rubies.
"Well, I…" Newt started, but Hope quickly cut him off.
"You were the one?" Hope's jaw dropped as her mind reeled. "You little sneak! Then you acted like Albus had been behind it all along."
Newt bit his lip but was now smiling. He offered a slight shrug. "I may have let the power go to my head a little."
"May have?" Albus asked.
"A little?" Hope returned.
Newt grinned broadly now, the dimples cutting into his cheeks.
Hope narrowed her eyes on him, and then a slow smirk turned the corners of her lips.
"My turn."
"What?" Newt asked, his grin dropping immediately.
"Albus?" Hope asked, looking at him to see he was grinning now. "Would you mind?"
"Of course." With a wave of his wand, ropes found Newt's wrists and ankles, fastening him to the four corners of the bedposts.
Hope had never seen his eyes larger than in that moment, and it filled her with a new glee. She waited for Albus to use another wave of magic, and Newt's clothing shriveled away.
Leaving him entirely bare for her.
"You edged me," Hope spoke in a slow, low voice as she crawled to sit on his hips, "all night long."
Newt looked up at her, his breathing coming out a bit harsher. "Hope, I realize I may have gone a bit far…"
"I spit water on my plate, and people looked at me like a rabid dog."
A spurt of laughter tried to escape Newt. He pressed his lips tightly together, watching her intently.
Hope raised an eyebrow. "You think that's funny?"
Newt swallowed. "I mean…it is a little funny…"
Glancing over at Albus with an expression of bewilderment, Albus slowly shook his head. "Hm, not quite the best response to have, Newt."
Hope looked down at Newt again, scanning his body over. Appreciating the lines and dips of the lean muscle he had. Her nails stroked lightly along his ribs and sides, watching his face contort as he squirmed, already starting to pant.
"I didn't do this to you." Newt gasped, his fingers and toes flexing.
"Don't dish it out if you can't take it," Hope smirked and used her nails to explore every inch of his body. "Honestly, consider yourself lucky you didn't do it to Albus. He'd have made your ass redder than your ears."
Albus, sitting off to the side, nodded in silent agreement. Chuckling, he watched as if he were attending a well-established play.
Hope sat down on Newt's thighs then and looked down at his cock, which was already full length. Smirking, she locked her eyes with his green gaze as she dragged her tongue along the palm of her hand and took his cock into her fist.
His eyes rolled back, and he groaned softly as she massaged his shaft with slow pulls. There was nothing urgent in how her hands moved, watching his expression. Listening to his heart rate. Hope's nails glided up and down, torturously stroking his cock with one hand while the other tickled the underside of his balls.
"Hope," Newt gasped, eyes pinched tight as he rested his head back on the pillow, "I can't."
Continuing, she smiled as sweat dewed against his brow. He looked down at her now with wide eyes. Then, just as the desperation in his eyes started to crescendo, Hope pulled her fingers away.
Newt gasped as he lifted his head again, jaw-dropping as he stared at her breathlessly.
Grinning, Hope flicked his inner thigh. "Paybacks a bitch, isn't it?"
This continued for some time. Newt would get so close to a release, and then Hope would stop and cut off the circulation in the right spot at the exact time, so he couldn't come.
"Hope!" Newt cried desperately, slamming his head against the pillow, panting heavily as sweat soaked the sheets beneath him.
Hope looked over at Albus, who watched with severe interest. "What do you think?" She asked. "Should I let him? He sounds quite distressed, doesn't he?" Her thumb stroked Newt's angry tip, making his cock twitch as he groaned.
Smirking, Albus tilted his head to the side. "Would you like to try something new?" He asked, eyeing Hope.
Something new? Hope glanced at Newt and smirked. "I would love to try something new on our dear Newt."
"Albus…" Newt looked over at him, eyes wide and brows furrowed. "W-what are you going to do?" He stammered.
Slowly standing, he came to stand by the side of the bed. Using his wand, Newt's ankles, which had been fastened to the bed posts at the end of the bed, were now wrapped around Newt's wrists.
Opening him wide.
Hope smirked; this seemed very familiar. Albus had had her in a similar position a few months prior, and she felt she knew exactly what he was about to do. But, then again, Albus always did have a way of surprising her.
Holding his middle finger to her lips, Hope parted them to let his finger swirl inside. Gathering her saliva before using the same finger to massage Newt's tight hole.
Newt gasped, and his head fell back against the headboard with a thud. His face was flushed and needy.
Just as she liked it.
Hope watched in fascination as Albus worked his finger deeper into him. Going slow, stretching him comfortably until he was in by his knuckle.
"Breathe, Newt." Albus chuckled lightly. It seemed Newt had forgotten he needed air as he sucked in a lungful breath. "Good…" Albus smiled, his eyes on Newt's watery eyes as he began pumping his finger, stroking his insides with firm pressure.
The moan Newt released made Hope shiver.
"Albus!" Newt gasped through his fevered panting as Albus stretched him wider.
"I know." He murmured calmly, and while his finger continued their even strokes, his other hand began pumping his cock. "Hope."
Hope looked over at Albus with hungry eyes.
"Shall I finish him, or would you like to?"
Deliberating for a moment, Hope moved forward. Using her thumb, she stroked Newt's sticky tip in slow, deliberate circles.
It broke him almost instantly.
They watched as his body stiffened and his cock writhed uncontrollably. Newt let out a silent cry of pleasure as his hot cum spewed over his scorched skin. When his whole body went limp, Hope leaned down and dragged her tongue across the mess on his stomach, cleaning him thoroughly.
Pressing a soft kiss to his ear, she smiled.
"That was only round one, darling."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein