Disclaimer: I don't own Rose Granger-Weasley, Newt Scamander or any other character created by J.K. Rowling. My aim is merely to entertain and play around with them a little.

Chapter twenty-six: In which a mission is revealed

When Rose woke up, it felt like days had passed, when a simple Tempus charm told her that it had instead been about three hours; it was by then dark outside. She'd been woken by a commotion downstairs, and immediately thought that the baby Nifflers had once again managed to escape the basement and raid the dining room. They often did that when Newt wasn't home and Bunty was occupied elsewhere.

She straightened her skirt and chemise before heading downstairs. She could hear Newt's voice. He was home. She felt a small shiver run up her spine at the memory of what had happened in the Ministry; but she could ask him what had occurred there and after without fear of another panic attack. She had a feeling that, for him to run off without trying to find her first, something important had been discussed.

As she descended the stairs, she was reminded of Theseus' actions, of his admission that he'd been through the same struggles as her, of his gentle treatment of her as he took her home. A warmth settled near her heart, and she scolded herself. Theseus was engaged. To Leta, who she really liked a lot. She had to stop feeling things for him in such a manner. It would not do.

When she entered the dining-room, Rose froze. Hand half-poised to grab her wand, she stared pointlessly at the two people who had barged into Newt's home, two people who shouldn't be here, especially not one of them.

"Queenie? Jacob?!"

The blonde witch was the first to turn around, a wide smile on her lips as she hurried to her and pulled her into a choking hug. "Rose! Oh Rose, I'm so happy to see you, I've missed you so much!"

Rose hugged her back for about two seconds before she pulled away, completely awestruck. "But…you didn't tell me… In your last letter-"

"Miss Rose! Come here, darlin'!" She couldn't finish her train of thoughts, because Jacob, Obliviated, Muggle baker Jacob, brought her into a hug as well before popping a kiss on her cheek.

"Hey," she barely managed, staring at Newt over Jacob's shoulder, as if to say 'What the Hell?'. He stared back, visibly as shocked as she was.

When Jacob released her, Rose stood closer to Newt, and kept staring. Jacob was wheezing in laughter, as if the house, or the reunion, was the funniest thing he'd witnessed in his entire life. She may have not seen him in nine months, but she didn't recall him as being this…silly.

"But," Newt started, incredulously, "you were supposed to have been Obliviated."

"I know," Jacob wheezed again, making Rose furrow her brow. "It didn't work, pal! What you said, the potion erases bad memories; I didn't have any." He took off his coat, and carried on. "Don't get me wrong, I had some weird ones and I had some scary ones, but uh…this angel," he dropped his coat to the ground, and Queenie picked it up, puzzling Rose even more, "this angel over here, she filled me in on all the bad parts, and…here we are, I guess!"

Newt grinned then, and Rose felt her heart soar at the sight. He was so happy to have his friend back, while she was trying to find something wrong. She should be delighted to see Queenie again, after so many months writing to each other. But…her gut was telling her something, and wouldn't let her settle.

"It's wonderful!" Newt huffed joyfully as Jacob nuzzled Queenie's neck in a strange, dazed way. The red-haired wizard then had this passing emotion on his face, and he passed their two impromptu guests. "Wait… Tina?"

Rose met Queenie's gaze. She frowned at her friend, pointedly looking at Jacob, but Queenie just blushed and looked back at Newt, who was searching for his crush. Who wasn't there, Rose understood at once. She hadn't expected her to be.

"It's just us, honey, me and Jacob," said the lovely witch, as if she was surprised he'd ask for her sister. "Why don't I make us some dinner, uh?"

Jacob moved away from her and her neck, a wide smile appearing on his lips. "Yes!"

Rose shared another puzzled glance with Newt, and followed Queenie as she entered the kitchen, owning the place as if she'd been there all her life.

The evening stretched on, and things became stranger by the minute. After Queenie had quickly conjured dinner from what Newt had in his cupboards and new fridge – a Muggle invention he rather appreciated – she sat Jacob down at the table as if he was an infant learning how to sit down properly.

Rose, who sat on Newt's left side and Jacob's right, placed her napkin on her lap, studying what was happening with her Healer gears turning in her head. She was by then trying to find a medical reason for Jacob's behaviour, which really was far from normal.

Queenie was placing her boyfriend's napkin around his neck when she muttered "Tina and I aren't talkin'."

Newt looked at her funnily. "Why?"

"Oh, well, you know, she found out about Jacob and I seeing each other and she didn't like it, 'cause o' the law. Not allowed to date No-Majs, not allowed to marry them, blablabla."

She was cutting Jacob's food now. Rose was astounded that Newt hadn't addressed the matter yet. She was about to do so herself, but the conversation carried on as if she wasn't there.

"Anyway, she was already in a tissy 'cause of you."

"Me?" Newt asked, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

"Yeah, you! It was all over Spellbook, see, I brought it for you," she summoned a magazine that looked like the American version of Witch Weekly. Rose sneered.

"You shouldn't read such trash, Queens."

Queenie ignored her – again, odd – and opened the magazine to a certain page. A photograph was displayed there, showing Newt and Bunty at one of his book-signings. Bunty was gazing at him adoringly, and the legend said 'Newt Scamander and unknown woman attend book-signing'.

Rose understood immediately. "Tina thinks Newt is involved with Bunty?" She chuckled darkly. "Bunty is Newt's assistant, Queenie. I told you about her in my last letter."

Queenie shrugged. "Don't remember."

Rose frowned again.

"Anyway, Tina saw that and…she started dating someone else. He's an Auror. His name's Achilles Tolliver."

"Tolliver," Jacob slurred as Newt's face turned into a mask of pain.

"Anyway," Queenie continued as if all was absolutely normal, "we're really excited to be here, Newt. This is…well, this is a very special trip for us. You see, Jacob and I, we're getting married!"

In any other circumstances, if Rose had known beforehand that one of her closest friends in this era was visiting; if she'd known what was wrong with Jacob and why this whole setting was painful in the first place; she'd have been ecstatic. She'd have jumped to her feet to hug Queenie and congratulate her and Jacob, whom Rose was fond of as well.

But no. She just sat there, frozen, gaping like a fish, unable to finally ask what the fuck was going on.

"I'm marrying Jacob!" then exclaimed the chubby baker before he threw the contents of his drink onto his own face.

It was finally too much for Newt, who stared at Queenie very hard. Rose understood that he was conveying a message for the Legilimens she was, because she said, as if answering him, "What? I have not!"

"Will you stop reading my mind," Newt then said.

Again, she answered a silent claim. "That is an outrageous accusation. Look at him: he's just happy. He's so happy…"

Newt stood, taking hold of my wand. Rose was shocked, but did the same. Just in case. "Then you won't mind if I-"

Queenie stood, placing herself between Newt's wand and Jacob. Rose watched the exchange, and finally understood. Newt thought Queenie had enchanted Jacob. Placed a spell upon him that made him…this…slurry and sluggish person he was not.

"How could you, Queens?" she finally croaked. Disappointment didn't even cover what she felt for her friend right then. She was on the verge of exploding with outrage. The Healer in her found it appalling that someone who claimed to love him had bewitched kind and lovely Jacob and made him this…

"Queenie, you've got nothing to fear if you want to get married," Newt continued, not looking the blonde in the eyes. "We can lift the enchantment and he can tell us himself."

Queenie's face turned into one of fear, but she backed off, while Jacob just looked as entertained as he had since entering the house. "What's you got there?" he laughed, looking at Newt's wand. "What's you gonna do? What's you gonna do, Mr Scamander?"

Newt then cast a spell known to few, and Rose was once again surprised to see the extent of his knowledge of Healing spells, when this was one she'd learnt in her last year of studies. "Surgito."

Pink wisps of a love spell surged from Jacob's body, and he trembled for a bit, before being released. Rose dropped her wand and knelt beside him at once, noting the sweat on his forehead and checking pulse and temperature at once.

Newt just said "Congratulations on your engagement, Jacob."

The baker seemed entirely lost. He glanced down at Rose, as if surprised to see her, then asked "What?" Newt pointedly looked at Queenie, who was standing behind Jacob. Said man gently pushed Rose away and turned to his fiancée, and said "Oh no, you didn't…"

Queenie didn't need to hear the rest. She turned to grab the suitcase she'd placed next to the couch, and moved to grab her coat too.

Jacob excused himself from the table, back to himself, as Rose sat on the floor, utterly shocked. "Wait. Queenie!"

But the witch had already gone through the door.

Jacob went to follow her, and turned to Newt and Rose. "It was very nice to see you both. Where the Hell am I?"

Newt stuttered. "Uh…L-London."

"Ah! I've always wanted to go here! Queenie!" He went after her, leaving the Scamanders to stare at each other blankly.

Rose, still on the floor, eyes wide and brain muddled, said "What just happened, Newt?"

He stared at her, equally stunned. "I have no idea."

It was a few minutes before Newt gathered his wits, noticing bits of paper that must have fallen from Queenie's bag or coat. After he uttered "Papyrus Reparo" and helped Rose to her feet, they watched as a lovely postcard titled 'Paris' reformed itself in the air. Newt snatched it, and turned it over to read it.

Rose didn't, but saw the signature all the same. Tina. Tina was in Paris. But why?

She turned to her brother. "Newt, what happened at the Ministry?"

He didn't look back at her, entranced by Tina's writing and name. Smitten. Ugh. "They didn't give me my permit back. I still can't go abroad." Something in his eyes told her he wanted to, though. "They wanted me to look for Credence."

"Credence?" the young Healer asked. "But, he's-"

"Dead, yes, that's what I thought too. But Theseus said he'd survived. And they wanted me to find him. Because Grindelwald is also looking for him."

Rose gritted her teeth. "They want to use you."

"I said no."

"Of course you said no," she said with force, grabbing his arm and forcing him to look at her. "But who are they going to send after him, now? Who could possibly treat him the way he should be: like a person?"

Newt's eyes turned sad. "They'll send Grimmson." She didn't know who that was, but had a feeling he wasn't a good person. "He's cruel, and he's wanted Theseus' job forever. He'd do anything to humiliate him. And me."

"Then I hate him." She took the postcard from him. "What are you going to do?"

He stared at her, determined. "I'm going to go to Paris. If Tina is there, it has something to do with Credence." He added after a moment, "Dumbledore wanted me to go there anyway."

"Dumbledore?!"

"He found me after I left the Ministry."

"This man's meddling nature shouldn't surprise me by now, but it still does." She nodded once. "I'm going with you. I've been to Paris before."

He didn't disagree.

A few moments later, as she was running upstairs to, first, change into a more comfortable outfit, namely, trousers, and packed her Extended bag with what she thought would be the necessities, Rose heard the front door open and close again. She'd expected both Queenie and Jacob to have joined them, having resolved their issues, but when she got to the basement to find Newt, only Jacob was with him.

"Where's Queens?" she asked.

Jacob turned to her. "She left. She left me. We…fought."

"She left?!" Rose felt a cold dread fill her veins then. "To go where?"

"She said she'd go visit her sister."

"Tina is in Paris," Newt provided. Jacob nodded thoughtfully.

Rose stared blankly at a part of staircase.

Porpentina's letter. The reason why she'd had her life stolen from her. She had to save Queenie. About a year from 1926. Could it be that future Tina wanted her to save her sister from herself? From the error she'd made in bewitching Jacob? In fleeing?

"Does she know where Tina is?" she asked, voice laced with terror. Newt looked at her worriedly.

Jacob shook his head. "I don't think so."

Rose gritted her teeth then. "Newt. Newt," she waited for him to properly look at her. "The reason I'm here," she ignored Jacob's curious glance, "that's it. I have to find Queenie."

Newt's green eyes widened, and he didn't say anything for a while.

Then, solemnly, he nodded. "Let's go."