Chapter 7

Tina lead Newt, Rayla, and Jacob down a street, now dark. Tina and Newt were trying to keep Jacob steady while Rayla hung back, nervous. She was barely listening as Tina gave directions.


"Take a right here."


Rayla just followed them. She was so lost in thought, she ran into Newt when they stopped in front of her. Newt let go of Jacob and grabbed her arms to steady her.


"Sorry," she said quietly.


"It's alright," he responded.


He quickly went back to helping Tina keep Jacob steady. Rayla stared at Newt for a second. Her skin tingled where Newt had grabbed her and there were butterflies in her stomach. She quickly turned to Tina.


Tina looked at the house across the street from behind the truck she stopped them at. She turned to look at the trio behind her.


"Okay, before we go in, I'm not supposed to have men on the premises."


Newt took a small step back, discreetly grabbing Rayla's wrist also, "In that case, Mr. Kowalski and I can easily seek other accommodation-"


Tina grabbed Jacob's arm and sharply tugged it toward the house after her.


"Oh no you don't!"


Newt and Rayla follow her.


"Watch your step."


The four of them quietly tiptoe up the stairs. They reached the first landing when the landlady called up to Tina.


"That you Tina?"


The group froze, Newt, Rayla and Jacob waiting for Tina to respond.


"Yes, Mrs. Esposito!"


"Are you alone?" suspicion in the landlady's voice.


"Always alone, Mrs. Esposito!" Tina sounded exasperated, as if always asked this.


They enter Tina's apartment. It was homely. An iron working on its own in the corner, clothes drying by the fire, the clotheshorse turned kind of clumsily. There were magazines scattered around. A blonde witch stood in a silk slip, supervising the mending of a dress.


Jacob stared at her, clearly thunderstruck with the beautiful girl. Newt didn't even notice, and for some reason that made Rayla happy. Clearly impatient to leave, Newt looked out one of the windows. The blonde witch looked at the group.


"Teenie, you brought men home?"


Rayla scoffed. Course she'd only be interested in the guys.


Tina looked at her sister, "Gentlemen, Ms. Williams, this is my sister. You wanna put something on Queenie?"


Queenie appeared unconcerned about her lack of modest clothing.


"Oh sure."


She waved her wand at the dummy with the dress and the dress ran up her body. Jacob watched this display, completely dumbfounded.


Rayla rolled her eyes. Tina started to tidy the house. Queenie turned to her sister.


"So who are they?"


Tina waved to Newt and Rayla, "That's Mr. Scamander and Ms. Williams. They've committed a serious infraction of the National Statue of Secrecy-"


"They're criminals?" Queenie's tone made it seem that she was impressed.


"-uh-huh and this is Mr. Kowalski, he's a No-Maj-"


"A No-Maj? Teen, what are you up to?"


"He's sick, it's a long story, Mr. Scamander has lost something, and Ms. Williams and I are going to help him find it."


Jacob suddenly staggered back a bit, sweaty and pale. Queenie rushes to him as Tina hovered, both worried. Jacob fell back onto the couch as Queenie started to talk.


"You need to sit down honey. He- he hasn't eaten all day. And- aw that's rough- he didn't get the money he wanted for his bakery. You bake honey? I love to cook."


Newt had started to watch Queenie, with an interest that seemed purely scientific. He spoke up, "You're a Legilimens?"


Queenie turned to him. "Uh-huh. But I always have trouble with your kind. Brits. It's the accent," she turned to Rayla, "and I can't read you mind at all."


Rayla smirked, "Well, I always have a mental block up. Please excuse me if I want to keep my privacy and don't like my mind breached."


She smiled sweetly. Queenie smiled back. Jacob seemed to have caught up with the idea that Queenie can read minds.


"You know how to read minds?"

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