Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter franchise. All rights go to respective owners.
A/N — SPOILERS FOR "FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM." Seriously, if you don't want the ending spoiled, then DON'T read this! Go watch the movie and then come back. Go on! THERE ARE SPOILERS HERE. This story will still be here when you finish the movie.
…Okay. I'm assuming it's just people who have seen the movie (or those who don't care about spoilers) are here now. Right? Good. I just wanted to say that I absolutely freakin' LOVE Queenie! And I totally ship Jacob & Queenie…they're so cute together!
Now onto the story!
Prompt(s): Write a story about Thanksgiving being celebrated by one of the characters in Harry Potter of your choice. Words — turkey, grace, support. (Poem) I Am Thankful (For) by Jessica Goudreault
(Word count, not including title and author's notes: 945)
Remembering You
Jacob set the last dish down on the table, but remained standing by his chair. The meal appeared to have turned out well (they had all decided earlier in the afternoon that they were going to ignore the fact that the turkey was slightly "overcooked"). It had been a long day, but their Thanksgiving dinner was ready. Sure, it was a bit unconventional and the situation sounded like the beginning of a joke (Two witches and a no-maj man sat down in a New York apartment for Thanksgiving dinner…), but it worked for them. That was all that mattered.
Admittedly, that morning had started off a bit rough. Queenie had offered to cook everything for the three of them, but Jacob had to gently turn her down — twice. Not that she was a bad cook, of course! Her pastries were to die for, but Jacob wanted to do something for the two witches who had been partially responsible for drastically changing his life.
And the only way he could do that was the plain ol' no-maj way.
"It's about the process," he had gently said every time Queenie had reached for her wand.
She hadn't understood at first. It had taken Tina showing her support, by rolling up her sleeves and manually peeling potatoes, before Queenie soon followed suit. Jacob knew they were itching to use magic, but they had put that aside because he had asked them to do so.
Before the three of them knew it, they were all smiling and having a good time. Tina had introduced him to the Wizarding Wireless Network, while Queenie made them cocoa. Later, Jacob and Queenie had tried not to laugh as Tina somehow set the turkey a blaze. He had reassured her that it was fine and had stated, with as much grace as he could muster without laughing harder, that a little extra crisp never hurt anyone.
After working all day in the kitchen, it was now time to eat and Tina and Queenie were looking at him expectantly. He felt like he was missing something and looked down at the table, quickly running through the items they had made. Turkey? Check. Green beans? Check. Potatoes? Check. Gravy? Check. His eyes drifted over to the seat beside Tina and he suddenly realized what he had forgot.
Hustling back into the kitchen, he grabbed a spare set of silverware, an extra dish, and glass. Turning around, he quickly went back into the dining room and set the dishes next to Tina. Queenie briefly looked at Jacob with a confused expression, before understanding.
"Newt," she murmured.
"Newt?" Tina said with barely restrained excitement. "Newt's coming? Um, I mean, do you think we have enough food for another person?"
Queenie and Jacob pointedly eyed the feast before them, while Tina blushed.
"Tina," Queenie said, reaching out and gently holding her sister's hand, "you know he's abroad right now…"
"Of course, I know that," Tina offered Queenie a small smile. "I just thought—"
"It's tradition!" Jacob interrupted awkwardly.
The Goldstein sisters turned to look at Jacob, expressions ranging from admiration to confusion.
"Tradition?" Tina asked. "What do you mean 'tradition'?"
"It was something my family did, you know, when I was a kid," Jacob explained. "We set a place at the table for the people who couldn't be with us, for whatever reason. We would go around, say what we're thankful for, and who we wished was with us that day."
"Oh," Tina said softly. She seemed to process the information before smiling at her two companions. "I'm thankful for my sister. And I wish Newt was here." She said the last part rapidly, as if she was embarrassed.
"Aw, sweetie," Queenie said with a smile. "I'm thankful for you, too. I wish our parents could be here."
"They would have hated the adventures we got ourselves into this past year," Tina remarked.
"That they would have!" Queenie agreed. The two sisters shared a laugh, the kind one has when remembering fond events of the past, and then looked at Jacob.
"What about you, Jacob?" Tina asked.
"Well," Jacob leaned back in his chair, thoughtfully, "I miss Newt, too. Wish he was here, but he's off trying to find a Hippo-horse thing—"
"Hippocampus," Tina interjected.
Jacob nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Anyway, I got everyone else I want here with me today."
Queenie blushed and Tina rolled her eyes.
"And what are you thankful for?" Queenie asked gently.
Jacob smiled at her. "Why don't you read my mind?" he teased.
There was a moment of heavy silence, before Queenie spoke.
"I want to hear you say it," she said, suddenly seeming unsure of herself.
Jacob leaned over and held her hand, neither of them noticed Tina silently get up and go into the kitchen.
"I'm thankful for the day you walked into my bakery, and back into my life, as beautiful and radiant as the sun. The kiss in the rain, that I still only half remember. The way you bring magic into my life. Not with your wand, but with just your presence. Most of all: I'm thankful for remembering you."
It was the longest and most emotional speech Jacob had ever given. He started to feel nervous, but his worries were swiftly banished as Queenie's eyes shone with tears and love.
"There's no one else like you, is there, Jacob?" Queenie whispered.
Jacob grinned.
"No. There's no one like me," he replied, echoing their conversation from the speakeasy, in what now seemed like another life.
Queenie slowly leaned in and brushed a light kiss across Jacob's lips.
"I think I understand the process now," she murmured in his ear.