Salamanders and Porcupines

Chapter 2: Charms

Even though the blonde girl, Queenie, is staying in the Hufflepuff common room, Newt doesn't see her until breakfast the next day. She's chatting happily with Tina before they part ways and Queenie sits down next to him at the table, while Tina walks towards the Gryffindor table. When she notices Newt looking at them she gives him a small smile and a wave. Newt blushes slightly and looks away shyly.

Queenie walks up to him and sits down. "This castle is huge!" she laughs. "Took me forever to find this place again."

Newt can't help but smile at that. "You'll get used to it," he says.

Queenie chuckles. "Mercy Lewis, I hope so," she says before she starts eating.

Leta jogs up to the table and sits down on the other side of Newt. He smiles at her. "I didn't catch you last night," she says, then pulls out her timetable. "Anyway, we have Transfiguration together second period," she says, then groans dramatically. "I have Potions with Gryffindor later. But I'm free after lunch."

"I have Herbology," Newt says

Leta sighs. "Bugger." She looks around the hall. "I have to get to class. See you around." She gets up again and walks out of the hall. Newt watches her leave.

More students have also started to leave for class, some of them having to go quite far for their classes. And probably some that just like to be early. Newt should also get going soon when he thinks about it.

"You like her," Queenie says. It's not a question, but a statement.

Newt turns to her. "I - I'm sorry?" he asks, a little startled by her blunt statement.

Queenie smiles at him. "You like her," she says again.

Newt's cheeks redden dramatically, like the the Gryffindor scarf. He looks down at his hands in his lap. He's sure that even his ears are bright red now. Had he really been that obvious? "I'm - how—" he starts. "What - what makes you say that?" he asks.

Queenie giggles. "Don't worry," she says. "You haven't been obvious."

How did she—

Newt looks at her. Something in his brain clicks. "You're a legilimens!" His eyes light up, a big smile breaking across his face. Embarrassment completely forgotten about. Queenie smiles at him, not quite used to responding so positively to finding out she can read minds.

She nods. "Uh huh, yeah," she says. "But I always have trouble with your kind. Brits. It's the accent."

"Really?" Newt asks, intrigued. His scientific curiosity has suddenly been piqued. "How come?"

Queenie shrugs, then looks around the hall. Upon noticing it's almost empty she perks up and pulls out her timetable. "We should get going," she says as she unfolds the piece of paper. "Do you know where Charms is?" she asks.

"Oh, uh - yeah, sure. It's on my way," he says.

They walk out of the Great Hall together. Queenie clutches her books to her chest, looking around the castle excitedly. It's still all very new for her and she soaks everything in. They walk in silence the entire way as the young girl is busy taking in the details of the old castle.

At one point she makes a comment on Newt's height that makes him chuckle lightly. He supposes she's right. He's quite tall. It seems to run in the family. Not that Queenie is short - of course. In fact, she seems to be of average height for her age.

She giggles at his panicked thoughts and assure him it's all okay.

Eventually they stop outside the classroom.

"I'm sorry about Leta," Queenie says.

Newt stops in his tracks, caught off guard, and looks down at her, brows furrowed together in confusion. "Why - why would you be sorry about Leta?" he asks.

She looks up at him. "She likes your brother, right?" she says. "That must really suck."

Newt's face falls. "oh," he mumbles. "yeah..."

Queenie frowns, looking down for a moment. Then her expression turns thoughtful. She looks back up at him, meeting his eyes for a second before he looks away. "Leta is a taker," she says, softly, only for him to hear. "You need a giver. There are better people for you out there, honey."

Newt stares at her for a moment, stunned. Lips slightly parted. He looks directly into her radiant green eyes, he somehow finding himself unable to look away. Eventually he seems to be able to get back to his senses. He blinks rapidly, shaking his head. He looks down at his shoes. "I should - I should get going," he mumbles, slightly embarrassed. "Bye, Queenie."

He gives her a small, tight lipped smile and walks off.

~ ~ ~

Throughout the rest of the day Newt keeps thinking about what Queenie had said to him. No matter what he does he can't really seem to take his mind of it. Leta seems to notice during Transfiguration, repeatedly nudging him throughout class to get him to pay attention again. She appears to grow slightly frustrated at his faraway behaviour after a while, but doesn't voice it.

Perhaps Queenie is right? To only be twelve years old, the little girl is incredibly bright, no to mention the fact that she can read minds. She clearly seems to be better with people than Newt is, which honestly isn't that big of a feat, but still impressive nevertheless.

It's been slightly awkward between them since Leta told him about her crush on Theseus, primarily because of him. Even if he tries to hide the bitter feelings that rise up within him whenever she mentions the older Scamander brother. It's hard, and Newt's never liked a person in this way before.

She's his only friend so he doesn't want to lose her so maybe it's all for the best anyway? He doesn't want to throw away their friendship over a little crush. Though it's not a very little crush either, he thinks.

But maybe Queenie and Tina could be his friends too?

I was gonna wait longer before I posted the next chapter, but oh well...

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