Chasing Grindelwald

2: Strange Things

QUEENIE
    "They're great for each other, of course," Queenie said to Jacob as she brushed her hair out. "They're just not sure about moving so fast. Neither of them are comfortable."
"I...didn't need to know all that," Jacob laughed nervously.
"You were wondering, though." She looked around at him. "It's okay to wonder."
"I don't wanna be nosy, though," Jacob said. "That's Newt and Tina's business."
"As long as you stay out of things," Queenie said as she slipped into pajamas. "It can never hurt to know something."
"Kinda like zoologists?" Jacob philosphied. "Newt says most of the normal zoologists observe, but don't interfere."
"Exactly," Queenie said, changing her dress from blue to pink with a ripple of magic. Jacob didn't fail to look amazed; it was always really cute when he did that. "This voyage is going to last four days."
"Ah," Jacob said. "It must have been hard to get us all the same room." He gestured around to the four bunk beds in the small cabin; Newt was in his case presently, and Tina on the top deck looking for any signs of Grindelwald or his followers.
"It was easy, actually," Queenie said. "No one had gotten this room--it was one of the last minute ones, you know--so we just told the ticket guy that we were all family. He gave us tickets to the same room."
"All family?" Jacob smiled. "I think I'd probably consider you guys family."
This is why I love you. Queenie thought. "How much sweeter can you get?" She asked, beaming at him. "I told him my husband owned a bakery, and he was closing up shop and didn't have time to meet us at the stand. Of course, Tina's my sister, so that one we didn't have to fake. Newt and Tina pretended to be married. It was so cute, really. They were both so embarrassed."
Jacob laughed richly. "Your husband?"
Queenie didn't blush often, but that darn Jacob really knew how to make her feel flustered. "Yeah..."
"Maybe," Jacob said, taking off his shoes. "We can make that a true statement, after all this Grindelwald stuff is over with."
"Did you just propose to me?" Queenie smiled.
"It was more like...proposing a proposal," Jacob said.
Queenie laughed as Tina came marching in.
"Nothing so far," she said, frustrated. She plopped down on the bed, shivering. "This coat is getting thin."
"I can make you a new one," Queenie offered. "I can conjure fabric."
"If you want," Tina said distractedly, going through WANTED files from MACUSA of all the faces of Grindelwald's chief followers.
    Newt's head popped out of his case, startling Jacob, who stumbled backward and grabbed his chest.
"So sorry!" Newt gasped, climbing out. "But have any of you felt...anything?"
"Felt anything?" Tina asked, sounding as confused as Queenie was. "What do you mean?"
"Perhaps...like a chill?" Newt said.
"It's cold outside," Tina volunteered. Newt shook his head and focused on the floor as he leaned against the bunk bed frame, deep in thought.
"I mean like...a shiver," Newt said. "Whenever I stand next to the obscurus in my case, it feels almost like dementors; like you can't be happy, and you can only think of your worst memories. But instead of despair, I feel anxious."
Jacob shuddered. "I know what you're talking about. I felt it, too."
"Yes," Newt nodded. "I felt the same way with Credence. And I felt it again earlier, on the deck as we were leaving, and again whenever we walked down to the room."
"I think I know what you're talking about," Tina said, dawning realization on her face. "I just thought it was because of Grindelwald, but..."
"Wait, wait, wait." Jacob made a time-out gesture. "You're saying that that kid is on this ship? Credence?"
"That's exactly what he's saying," Tina realized, beaming. "It's only a possibility, but it's definitely better than nothing."
"Now, we can't go looking for him or anything. That would be extrememly dangerous. I think the best thing to do would be to lie low," Newt said hastily. "Maybe change our appearances a little bit, so that we aren't as recognizable to Grindelwald or anyone who might know of us."
"I do need a haircut," Tina touched the ends of her hair. Newt looked at her, thinking, Your hair is already beautiful, you don't need to change it. But he said nothing and looked away again.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Jacob said. "I've been thinking of growing a beard and changing my name to Jeremy Grovaski..."
Newt snickered and smiled at him, and Tina let loose a bit of tension as she chuckled. Queenie laughed, too. No matter what she said, she was glad that Jacob was coming with them. He relaxed her in a way no one else could, made her genuinely happy in a way nothing else did.
"I can give you a haircut, Teen," Queenie offered. Tina touched her hair again.
"Maybe tonight," she decided. "After dinner would be good. I can't help but wonder about Credence, though...Newt, is there really a chance he could've, you know, survived?"
"I...well, I think so, personally," Newt said, scowling in concentration. "It looked like the Aurors killed him, but we already know that Credence is a special case. Older than most obscurials, stronger than he gives himself credit for."
"But would he want to travel to Europe all by himself?" Queenie asked.
"He might not be alone," Jacob suggested. Newt and Tina looked at him. "That Graves guy, or the guy who was pretending to be Graves, or whatever; he got Credence's trust, and convinced them that they needed each other, right? Maybe there's another person who's won him over. There's just no telling whether they're on the good side or the bad side."
    They let this sink in. Queenie was definitely glad that Jacob had come along. In addition to being funny and loveable, he was also smarter than he gave himself credit for.
"That's a definite possibility," Tina said at last, studying the face of one of Grindelwald's followers on the files in her lap. "Kind of disturbing, but also reassuring. If he is alive, and oh God, I hope he is..." Her voice cracked and trailed off. Her face was obscured by her hair, but Queenie noticed a tear hit the paper.
"To be honest," Newt stepped forward, subtly slipping Tina a handkerchief. "I always had an inkling that he had survived."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Tina asked, drying her eyes and handing his handkerchief back.
"...I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, in case I was wrong," he muttered. By anyone's hopes, Queenie was sure he meant Tina's hopes. Everyone knew that she was devastated when Credence died. Or, didn't die.
"Shouldn't we find him?" Jacob asked. "I mean, if he's with someone who works for Grindelwald, they could take him straight to the big guy, or hurt him, or something."
"Like Newt said, we need to leave him alone, if he's even here," Tina decided.
"If we found him and surprised him, or if he thought we were going to hurt him..." Newt shook his head. "He could accidentally destroy the ship, or kill someone. Tina's right. It's best just to leave Credence alone at the moment, as hard as it is."
"If he's even here," Queenie repeated her sister's words. "We don't know for sure."
"Right," Tight nodded. "And it's for the best that we don't go investigating."
"As hard as that will be for you," Newt muttered with a small smile. "Since investigating is what you do best."
"I'll try to resist," Tina countered, the corners of her mouth twitching. "In the meantime, I'll go through these papers. The number of his followers is just...insane." She ran a hand through her hair, wondering when she would get through all of them.
"There's not as many as there seems, Teenie," Queenie said soothingly. "Besides, we're going to be on this boat for four days. You'll have plenty of time to go over them. Just go through them until dinner in a few hours, then take a break while I cut your hair."
"Yeah..." Tina was distracted. Newt glanced at her, then at Queenie and Jacob.
"Well, I'm going to go get a copy of the ship's map," He said, drawing his coat around him and shivering.
"Shouldn't you tweak your appearance a bit?" Jacob asked. "Before you head out in front of all the other people?"
Newt pressed his lips together. "I suppose...What do you suggest?"
"Well," Jacob said thoughtfully. "whenever I think of Newt Scamander, I think of his blue coat. That's the only thing Grindelwald and his guys have seen you in. I mean, I've seen a few people with that haircut, but that blue trench coat really sort of stands out, you know?"
"Oh my goodness," Queenie said. "I've never thought of it that way!"
"You're right," Tina realized, looking him over. "I never thought of it, but I've never really seen a blue trench coat like yours before, Newt."
"Well..." Newt shifted uncomfortably at being the center of attention. "What color blends in? Black? Red?"
"Red?" Queenie laughed. "Red stands out even more than navy blue. You should try dark grey. It would look good with that vest!"
Newt hesitated. "You think so?"
"Honey," Queenie smiled. "I'm a fashion afficionado; I make my own clothes, and we can all agree that they are fabulous. So you can trust me!"
"All right then," Newt took a deep breath, look down at his coat, and muttered, "Coloportus."
   The navy blue hue of his coat faded quickly to a charcoal grey.
"I...I like it," Newt decided, examining his sleeves. "Yes. I-I'll be back soon."
   He left. Jacob watched him the whole time, wondering just how many other crazy things wizards could do with magic. Then again, it was magic that got him his bakery, so he supposed anything was possible.
"I think," Queenie tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "That you made your bakery happen. Magic helped, sure. But Jacob...you have a magic all your own, and it's even more valuable to this team than our magic, in some ways." She kissed him briefly.
"Thanks," he smiled at her, grateful beyond comprehension for her. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Queenie said,  hoping that one day she could say those same words as his wife, without wondering whether she would survive the next few days.