Forgotten - Queenie Goldstein

Chapter 19 - In Confidence

I'm sat somewhere entirely different to places I have been before. It's a round circular golden office in an English castle. Hogwarts to be precise. And the strange rune and instrument filled room I am in is the office of Albus Dumbledore. I don't know exactly what I'm doing here but Newt needed to return to England and Tina wanted to come with him to see his homeland. Newt thought I should meet Albus Dumbledore and so did Tina.
Honestly I don't really thinks anything can make much difference at this point but it's worth a try. I'm human though. Even if Jacob wouldn't have been right for me anyway I will always regret not having the chance to see that. Anything you miss seems in your mind better than it actually was. Which means you are almost never happy.
I know all this but I can't bring myself to thinks any less of Jacob. Maybe that's just human stupidity but maybe Jacob really was my chance at love. I can't ever imagine anyone else anyway.

Dumbledore walks into the room and I hear his thoughts. But not quite like ever before because unlike anyone else I don't exactly hear his chain of thoughts. He's not blocking them either  it's just that he has multiple streams of consciousness at times and not like unconscious thoughts and what he's thinking but he's really thinking two things at once and is equally conscious of both. It's incredible.
"You can think 2 things at once!" I burst out but quickly regret it. It's not anything he does it was just that I promised myself to keep my talent hidden. But is out now and his response reduces my nervous trembles to near non existence.
He nods and with quiet amusement and slight amazement asks "You're a Legimens?"
I nod.
He closes his eyes "And your name is Queenie Goldstein and you're Tina's sister. You never knew your parents so your sister was the closest you ever had to a mother figure. A few weeks  ago you met a man named Jacob Kowalski and those days with him meant so much to you. He lost his memory and you were devastated.But that was only one of the challenges you've faced recently."
I nod but realise as he has his eyes closed it was a slightly stupid gesture but he can see it in my thoughts.
I close my eyes too.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian. You had a difficult childhood. Your family was torn by your sister and your father's arrest. You and your brother have always had a strained relationship and a childhood friend and the death of your sister made that worse."
His eyes snap open. "How did you do that? I wasn't thinking any of that."
I nod "I heard it in someone else's thoughts."
"Only one other person knows that."
"And his name is Gellert Grindewald. He's the real reason I'm here. Newt thought you might be able to help me with all of these experiences."
"What happened?"
"Can't you hear my thoughts?"
"I have to focus on your thoughts for that and it tires my mind."
"Oh"
"Isn't it like that with you?"
"No. It's the opposite. I have to focus not to hear thoughts. It's like they talk to me. They call out to me."
"You never learnt to be a Legimens did you?"
"No. It's always been there."
"Incredible."
There's a beat of silence and then Dumbledore asks the question that had been occupying my nervous thoughts.
"Jacob Kowalski? What happened?"
I breathe in a shaking breath and my whole body rocks with it. Dumbledore doesn't need to read my mind to know how I feel.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk."
I shake my head. "No. I want to talk I just... it's hard....But it's not his fault...I don't blame him but..."
Dumbledore nods seemingly okay with my slow stumbling and stuttering. The smile he gives me keeps me going.
"I didn't know Jacob for long but everything about him... it was so... I don't really know how to describe it... he was just...."
Dumbledore nods understandingly.
I continue "I only really knew him for a few days but those weren't just days and not just because he was there. A lot happened, the creatures. The obscurus, Gellert Grindewald..."
I stop because of what I see in Dumbledore's eyes. Not his thoughts. That's when I realise that I can't hear his thoughts anymore.
"Gellert Grindewald?" I ask delicately.
He nods. "Yes I heard the first time, Please continue."
I shake my head. "No. Gellert obviously means something to you and you're upset about it after all these years. That's as important as me being upset."
He nods and sighs. "Queenie Goldstein how are you dong this? I'm blocking my mind but you can still hear my thoughts?"
"No but it's in your eyes."
He nods amazed.
"I'm sorry about Jacob"
"I'm sorry about Gellert"
And then we both cry together.