Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them...Continued.

10:Strange Connections

TINA
Queenie had decided randomly that week that it was time for Tina to visit a certain British friend of theirs. Queenie had told Tina that she and Newt needed to talk, (whatever that meant) and insisted that they try the magic. Tina just sort of shrugged, like, "at this point, I'm used to it".
For a moment, though, Tina thought Queenie was suggesting that they take a week or two off work and take a trip to England. No, absolutely not. She had just gotten her job back; she had to work to keep up her reputation lest it fall to the ground again. But Queenie had other ideas.
"Not in England, stupid. In his dreams," Queenie had said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"His dreams?" Tina had asked. "You can take me to his dreams?"
"I think I can," Queenie shrugged. "It would be like Side-Along-Apparition. I hold your hand in your dream, and when I pass over to Newt's I take you with me."
"That's all?" Tina had asked.
"It's more complicated than that, but you get the picture. I might have to cast some charms to keep all our minds from straying apart from one another's. Other than that, though, it should work," Queenie said. "What'd'ya say? You in, Teen?"
"I'm in," Tina agreed.
Whenever it was time to go to bed, Queenie made sure that nothing interfered with their dreams while they were sleeping. She slipped a little bit of sleeping draught into some water.
"Ready?" She asked Tina cheerfully, climbing into her bed.
"Um, I guess so," Tina said. Each woman took the water in her hands, took one drink in unison, and set the glass gently on the nightstand before drifting into a deep, complete sleep.
Tina stood in the gray, cool realm of her own dreams, waiting for Queenie to join her. She looked down and changed her clothes with magic while she waited. The clothes on her back magically changed from dresses of all lengths and colors, until, finally deciding she didn't want to wear a dress, Tina magicked herself a pair of black slacks and a yellow lacy tunic. Perfect.
"Why yellow and black?" Queenie asked suddenly from behind her. Tina jumped.
"Because I was going to wear white and black, but I never wear colors. Wanted to try something new, and what's more colorful than yellow?" She said.
"A mixture of different colors," Queenie suggested.
"Oh, you've stepped over the line," Tina smiled. "I'm comfortable with this, thanks."
"Suit yourself," Queenie shrugged. She took Tina's hand. "Let's go!"
"Wai-!"
Tina didn't have time to finish her word before Queenie pulled her into absolute brightness. It was so dazzling and blinding that it made Tina nauseous and mottled her thoughts. Did Queenie have to go through this every time she transported from dream to dream? What was the meaning of life? Where did everything go when you vanished it? Why did butter make potatoes taste so good?
And suddenly, with a slight shudder beneath her feet, she landed on a great slab of shining white marble. The blinding light was gone, and they stood in a palace. A very extravagant palace, at that. The shining marble floors extended in every directon and merged with hundred-foot high walls that formed a huge circular foyer. Bright sunlight streamed clearly through high windows, and cast colorful shadows across the walls from lower windows made of stained glass. Beautifully painted pots on shelves lined the walls, filled with all sorts of plants with all sorts of colors. In the center of the room was a fountain with a towering, golden statue of a dragon with real fire blowing from his snout and water pouring from the tips of his wings into a glittering quartz pool filled with multicolored fish. Though the floor and walls were white and vast, there was a certain happiness and warmth in the colorful plants, fountain, and shadows that made the room welcoming rather than intimidating.
As Tina gazed around in awe, Queenie let go of her hand and cast charms here in there randomly, murmuring under her breath. Tina walked over to the fountain, looking up at the plume of flame blowing from the dragon's snout. For the first time, she noticed a small, insignificant doorway to the left of the fountain. It was dark on the other side except for a sligth orange glow, like a fireplace, and gave no sign there was anyone in there. Suddenly, though, a small crash sounded from the other room, like china shattering, and there was a scream of alarm.
Tian ran into the room without thinking, whipping out her wand.
The room was a dining room, and in the center of the table was a broken chandelier, which had been holding candles, which was now lighting the tablecloth on fire. Newt hopped up and put out the flames with his wand, and looked relieved for a moment. Until he realized his shirt was aflame. This sent them both into a panic, and he started to wave his arms and pat himself down frantically, while Tina summoned a stream of water and ended uo finally quenching the flame, though not before soaking the carpet and the arm chairs. Newt stared at her, lighting his wand.
"Where did you come from?" He asked. "Is Queenie here? You're another fake, aren't you?" He got uncomfortably close and held his wand to her face, examining her. "Well guess what? I don't want to kiss you just now, though you are very pretty. You can tell Queenie I said that."
And he turned away and began restoring the dining room.
"Hey!" Tina said indignantly. "I am not a fake! Never have been, never will be. Was Queenie making fake versions of me to mess with you?"
"Tina...?" Newt looked around at her, though he was still unsure. He stepped close again, examining her face thoroughly. They were only inches away. "Is it really you?"
"Queenie brought me here. Sort of like side-along-apparition," Tina said, relieved he was finally starting to believe it was her.
"Well," Newt smiled, stepping away and looking awkward. "Hello, then."
"Hello," Tina said, slightly breathless for some odd reason. She still wasn't sure that Newt believed her, but it was great to be talking to him again.
"Well," Newt repeated. "Would you like to help with my palace?"
"Of-of course," Tina said, making some windows to add light to the room.
"Hey, you guys!" Queenie said suddenly from the doorway. "I heard some noise from this room and I wanted to make sure everything was all right."
"Yes, miss chaperone," Tina rolled her eyes. "And what's this Newt said about you making fake versions of me? You know, in real life that's a breach of MACUSA Constitution amendment number-"
"It is you!" Newt cried, throwing his arms around Tina, who blushed deeply. She glanced at Queenie, who beamed at the surprise. "I wasn't sure at first, but now I can really tell it's you! Tina!" Newt collected himself and pulled away, looking slightly embarrassed.
"I missed you, too," Tina smiled. She returned his hug.
"Well, then!" Queenie said cheerfully. "Great news about that book of yours, Newt!"
"What?" Newt looked somewhat lost in thought. "Oh! Yes, yes. I just picked up my order of copies yesterday. As a matter of fact, I'm leaving for Romania when I wake up."
"And you met a certain someone at the bookstore, did you?" Queenie raised her eyebrow. Tina's heart sank; she didn't like the way Queenie had said 'certain someone'. But Newt's response was differemt from what she expected.
"Yes," he said distastefully, wrinkling his nose. "I think I'm well shot of her now. I only hope I don't bave to see her every time I pick up an order of my books."
"Who?" Tina asked.
Newt hesitated. "...Leta. Leta Lestrange. She's the manager at Flourish and Blotts, and we saw each other for the first time in ten years. Not exactly a warm reunion."
"How so?" Tina cocked her head to the side. She was interested now; there was no denying it.
"Well, she wanted to get...back together. With me,"Newt spat, shuddering as though the words left a nasty taste in his mouth. Tina noticed that he seemed slightly less shy than normal; probably because he was lost in thought. "Of course, I told her that it was mental. Absolutely out of the question. She cheated on me in--" Newt caught himself, but not nearly quick enough.
"She cheated on you?" Tina found herself saying indignantly. Newt looked at her, surprised.
"Yes," he said quietly, meeting her eyes for just a second. He looked away. "But it was a long time ago. I forgave her, became her friend again. And look where that got me. No Hogwarts diploma, my family dissappointed, left to live in the shadow of my older brother."
The bitterness in Newt's voice was strange to Tina. Newt just didn't seem like a person that could ever be bitter about anything. But, she realized, he had had a rough life. Yet another thing she could relate to.
"It's a wonder you're not this bitter all the time," Tina voiced her thoughts. She was immediately embarrassed, but tried to hide it by continuing. "If I had been expelled from school and betrayed by who I thought was my best friend, I'd probably be bitter and sullen 24/7."
Newt looked at her curiously. "You think I've had a rough life?"
"About as rough as mine and Queenie's," Tina admitted. Queenie, she noticed, was not speaking, but sitting at the table watching them both intently. Tina was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, while Newt stood at the the other end of the table, absently filling and emptying a teacup with his wand.
"Well, the fact is," Newt said. "I haven't had a particularly bad life. I just made the wrong friends in school...and I paid dearly for my mistakes. Besides, I really shouldn't be bitter about things." He straightened and fixed his bowtie, smiling. "I've finally finished my book."
"Yeah, yeah."
Newt and Tina jumped and looked at Queenie, who had been so quiet that they sort of forgot she was speaking.
"We know about your book," Queenie waved her hand dismissively. "But don't change the subject!"
"Why shouldn't I?" Newt asked, annoyed.
"That was an interesting thing you said to Leta right before you left," Queenie responded silkily. Tina shot him a confused look; Newt had gone very red and obviously knew exactly what Queenie was talking about.
"Um--I don't...I'don't know what you mean," he lied in vain.
"Oh, yes, you do,"Queenie smiled, amused at his embarrassment. Tina would have told her sister to knock it off, to leave Newt alone, but she was too interested.
"C'mon, Newt," she prodded with a smile. "You might as well tell us." Newt took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on the new candle flame.
"Whenever she protested that it had been ten years, I said 'Yes, and that's been plenty of time for me to meet other people.'" He paused.
"And?" Queenie said. Tina's heart raced. Other people?
"And she asked who I met, so I answered honestly. I said that I'd met the most wonderful, beautiful, strong witch in America who had done more for me in a week than Leta had in seven years. I then bid her good-day, and left the bookstore. Excuse me." He added, leaving the room swiftly with a glance at a shocked Tina.
"He really--? He really thinks of me that way?" Tina asked Queenie, breathing heavily and blinking fast.
"Yeah!" She said cheerfully."Only thing is, he doesn't know you feel the same way. Go tell him! Hurry! I'll stay behind."
"Thanks, Queenie," Tina said earnestly, and she ran out the room after Newt.
Her heart was racing, but not from running. Newt actually thought she was wonderful and strong and beautiful...Tina couldn't help but smile. She felt a little braver than usual.
"Newt!" She ran a little faster, trying to find him in the huge room, which now had more doors. Appearantly, he was behind one of them, and it was up to Tina to find him.