Lovers (A Newtina Fanfic)

Part 14

Renata had shown Tina a way to sneak into the kitchens -that would most definitely be useful later- and was at once bombarded with house-elves. Renata graciously pushed the house-elves away and accepted a tray of sandwiches. Tina was handed two glasses of water. There was a couple of chairs in the corner of the kitchen, and the two women sat down. And promptly attacked the tray of sandwiches. There were about eight sandwiches in all, and six were gone three minutes later. They pocketed the last ones for a snack. Brushing the crumbs off their trousers, the two stood up and proceeded to leave. But not without Tina eyeing where the knives were. I'm coming for you later, she mouthed to the inanimate knife rack.

"Are you coming?" Renata asked out the doorway, hands on her hips in mock annoyance.

Tina rolled her eyes and grinned. "Yes, I'm coming, don't worry." She walked over to Renata and held out her hand, which Renata took.

Renata looked at Tina quizzically. "What were you looking at, anyway?"

"The knives," Tina answered.

"Why? Do you know how to use them? Like, to actually hurt people?"

The question was only out of curiosity, but it must have rubbed the wrong way, because Tina bristled and answered in a sarcastic voice, "Yes, I know that using No-Maj weaponry is below wizards and witches and I should only be using magic and blah blah blah."

Renata's eyes widened in surprise. "That's not what I meant, I- I was just curious, that's all."

The look on Tina's face immediately betrayed her guilt. "I didn't mean to snap at you. But I hear that from almost everyone who knows, except my sister. I even got it from MACUSA. I'm really, really sorry."

"It's okay. A real apology would be answering my question, though."

"Fine, to answer your question, yes, I can hurt people with knives. And I can shoot, and I know parts of lots of martial arts." Tina said it in an embarrassed voice, a voice used when someone wasn't proud of what they could do.

Renata gazed at her in amazement. "Tina, that's incredible. How did you learn? It's illegal to talk to the No-Mágico in America, isn't it?"

Tina grinned. "Yeah, but there's no rules against squibs. Mr Ainsley, his name was. He had a little operation, where he taught kids from Ilvermorny how to fight like No-Majs. There are stricter rules in America, we can't use magic in public very much, so if we ever found ourselves in danger and couldn't use magic we could take someone out without it. And I also did it so I could protect Queenie, but I think she can take care of herself now. One time I, uh, punched a boy in the face after he said...some things. Rude things."

"Oh. The lessons, they seem...well, smart, actually." Renata raised her wand and flicked it, and suddenly two sharp knives came speeding out of the kitchen and landed in Tina's palms. Yelps of surprise were heard from inside the kitchen. One more swish of Renata's wand and two leather sheaths materialized over the knives. Tina smiled.

"Thanks," Tina said. Inside, Tina loathed even the very idea of using them to kill, but she had no qualms about using them for self-defence. She pocketed the knives, them being just small enough to fit in the deep pockets of her trousers. The blades were light, somewhere in between small and medium-sized, and sharp. Perfect. She'd have to figure out a way to hide them, especially under a dress, but she'd do it later.

"Tour?" Renata asked, raising her arms in a shrug.

"Planning, but yes."

"Great. I doubt we'll be overheard, but let's just keep our voices down."

"Okay. Where do we start?"

"We're in the basement...why don't we go upstairs and wander around."