Tides of Turmoil (NEWTINA)

Chapter 13 - The Deal

'What about this one? Have you tried it?'

'Yes, twice now. Nothing happens...Any suggestions?'

'What about this?'

'...'

'...'

'The-The words make no sense... this cannot be it.'

'...'

'I'm sorry.'

'Hey guys. So, any luck?'

We shook our heads; after half an hour, we still hadn't broken the code.

Queenie and I had tried all enigma solving enchantments that we knew, but the words seemed to be glued under some sort of spell that prevented us from solving it. And, if they would move, the order they were put in made no sense. Jacob suggested to transcribe the words into another piece of paper; but, as a quarter of it was written down, that paper had set on fire. We didn't dare to do it again.

Jacob sighed and took the postcard, his eyebrows frowned. 'Well, then that means we have to solve it without cheating.'

'Why would Teenie do it?' asked Queenie, a bit frustrated.

'Because she knew we could,' I said. 'And, if this postcard had gotten into the wrong hands, she must've known they wouldn't bother solving something without magic.'

'Right - sound degrading for any wizard or witch who has been brainwashed by Grindelwald: to do things the No-Maj way.'

I glanced at Jacob as Queenie said this. Most people would've swollen up in pride for knowing to do some things others didn't; others might've gotten flustered and nervous. Jacob, however, had turned his attention back to the message and had this new determined spark in his eyes. As if the message in the postcard was a dragon, and he had to first-handily pet it - and I know how hard that can be.

Yet, before we could start to work on it, we noticed the time and decided to get ready to go to the decks to go to London. I was all set to go, given all my things were in my case, so I stayed over Jacob's as he packed some change of clothes. Queenie, who had no clothes after her apartment was wrecked, opted on transfiguring some clothes out of things she found in Jacob's (with his permission, of course). As the luggage was guarded inside my suitcase - seemed more comfortable that way - we set off to the docks.

After doing all the travelling formalities, as we walked from the platform onto the ramp and into the Front Elizabeth, I couldn't help to remember the last time I was there with Tina. The day was clearer then, yet the place hadn't changed a bit since. Memories of her smile, her eyes, her tears, her hair, her voice - everything about her came flowing into me. I felt my chest warm up as I thought of her as if I had swallowed a bonfire. Sounds painful and bothersome; yet, it felt the exact opposite. I'd never felt that sort of comforting warmth and felt glad to have it as the cruise ship started moving and the breeze got colder.

I only stopped feeling comfortable when Queenie and Jacob came to sit on the bench with me, knowing smirks on their faces. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I decided to shorten the use of this soothing warmth as much as I could.

'How long would this take?' asked Jacob.

'Enough for us to crack the code,' said Queenie, her smirk now gone. 'What do you think it is?'

'I don't really know,' I said gloomily. I then looked around, noticed the deserted yet cold deck, the grey clouds above, and added, 'but we shouldn't discuss it here though; too risky. Let's go to our cabin. It'll be safer there.'