𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖙𝖜𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖊 ⋆ newt scamander

the third chapter

Cora noticed that Newt didn't remove his hand from his case throughout the entire meal. She didn't know what he thought would happen to it in a locked apartment, but she didn't question him. She sat silently through the meal, as Jacob and Queenie conversed about all manner of things.

"The job isn't that glamorous," Queenie said. "I mean, I spend most days making coffee and unjinxing the john. Tina's the career girl."

"What about you, Miss Ketterstone?" Jacob asked, catching Cora off-guard.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What do you do for a living?"

"I work in the Jewellers. I used to work at a sideshow fair, but there was a... there was an incident," she said cryptically. Tina looked up from her plate.

"You were the one Mary Lou attacked," Tina gasped. Cora nodded, giving her necklace a nervous tug. "I'm the one who stopped her from- you know-"

"I never did get the chance to thank you for that," Cora said. "I owe you my life. Literally."

"I hope you're thankful, I lost my job over it," she said in a conversational tone, though Cora could sense sadness behind it. There was silence on the table, nobody knowing what to say after Tina's words.

"Our parents?" Queenie asked, looking to Jacob once more. "They died when we were kids, got a bad case of dragonpox... You're so sweet," she smiled lovingly, gazing at him with her chin resting on her hand. "But we're okay, we've got each other."

"Could you stop reading my mind for a moment?" Jacob said, a dazed smile on his face. "Don't get me wrong, I love it," he added on quickly, so not to offend Queenie. Cora could tell they were instantly smitten with each other, and it made her heart ache for times past. Her necklace was still between her fingertips and she looked down at the initials engraved on the front.

Newt stood up suddenly, still gripping tightly onto his case. "I think Mr Kowalski could do with an early night. And, Miss Goldstein, don't you have to be up early tomorrow to take Miss Ketterstone to MACUSA?"

Tina nodded and stood up too. "You two can bunk here tonight, we have a spare room." She led Jacob and Newt down a corridor, leaving Queenie and Cora alone.

"Isn't he wonderful?" Queenie asked with a loving sigh. "I ain't never spoken to a no-maj before."

"He's something," Cora said. Her thoughts drifted to Newt, who seemed so tense when around the others but so relaxed around her. He also seemed very familiar, from the way he spoke to his mannerisms.

"You got a thing for Mr Scamander?" Queenie questioned, a knowing smile on her lips.

"I- no," Cora stammered, suddenly flustered. "I don't have a- no!"

"Why are you so embarrassed then?" She sent the plates to the sink, where they began to scrub themselves clean.

"I'm not," Cora scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not embarrassed. I don't have a thing for him."

"Sure you don't," Queenie smiled. "It's okay to like people, Cora."

"I don't like him!" Cora cried, sending Queenie into a fit of giggles. "I'm going home, I have things to be done."

"You should come round more often, us witches have to band together in times like these," Queenie offered. "See you around."

"Goodbye," Cora said, waving as she reached the door. "Tell Tina and the men I said goodbye as well."

"Will do," Queenie replied. Cora closed the door behind her, thoughts consumed by Queenie's words.

Ms C. Ketterstone
Apartment 4C
679 West 24th Street
New York City, New York
United States of America