Those Days [Newtina]

Chapter 34: Periculum

"Queenie, honey? Do we really need this much glitter?"

"It's New Year's Eve! We need more glitter!"

Jacob tried fruitlessly to calm Queenie down, but it was becoming more and more difficult as the clock ticked down the seconds until 1928 began.

She stumbled out of the room, arms laden with wired lights and streamers. Ignoring Tina's gaping expression, Queenie strode across the living room and onto the thin outdoor ledge she deemed a 'balcony'.

Jacob rolled his eyes, trotting outside to help her weave streamers in and out of the balustrade.

A moment later, Newt stumbled out of his own room, no longer wearing the Hufflepuff sweater but clutching it tightly in a fist.

He vaguely held it up, and Tina glimpsed his shocked expression through a ripped-out hole in the grey knitting.

"The- the cat got to it!" She gasped, and Newt nodded his agreement, words still failing him.

"Queenie must've forgotten to lock the closet," she added, and Newt nodded again.

"I can fix it- I... it's not hard-" he stuttered.

Tina shook her head.

"I'll talk to her. Queenie, I mean. And the cat if you want me to?" She tried cracking a joke to lighten the mood, and, needless to say, it worked perfectly.

Newt broke into a grin.

"You don't have to say anything, Tina. I'll just fix it and nobody will know."

And with that, he shuffled down the corridor.

Newt had told her to stay quiet, so Tina did the obvious. She went and talked to Queenie.

"Newt! Buddy! The fireworks are starting!"

"Coming- I'm coming- ouch!"

He appeared in the doorway to the balcony a moment later, Pickett perched contentedly on his arm wearing a party hat that appeared to be a tiny square of paper rolled into a cone.

"Aw, that's cute!" Commented Tina.

"Would you believe he insisted he make it himself?" He answered, which made Jacob choke on a cracker.

Queenie was cradling Artemis in an arm, and she apologised profusely on behalf of her smug little kitten when Newt came outside. He assured her that it was nothing to worry about, and that the sweater was easily fixed, until he was interrupted by a loud shriek from a neighbour.

"FIVE MINUTES 'TIL MIDNIGHT!!!"

And that announced the end of all the quartet's troubles for 1927.

The four of them stood side by side on the sisters' balcony, Tina to Newt's left, and Jacob on his other side, with Queenie on the far right.

She was holding Artemis in one hand, and clutching an unopened bottle of champagne in the other, claiming that they'd pop it open at midnight.

Jacob had one arm around Queenie and the other resting on the balcony ledge, and he was beaming a smile that could light up the world.

If Newt turned to his left, he could see Tina leaning against the railing, her fingers laced beneath her chin. She gazed out at the swirling night sky, the moonlight lighting up her deep brown eyes like tiny fires. Tina looked so peaceful... he'd never seen her like this.