They found Leta engaged in a rather emotional conversation with Credence and a tall, dark-skinned man. Yusuf, Queenie realised as she took in the situation, Leta's half-brother. Leta's, Yusuf's and Credence's thoughts invaded the room like a strong smell, heavy with pain and misunderstanding. Leta was in tears as she knelt down with the records and told her tale, Yusuf blazing with desperation, Credence burning with longing.
It was all so overwhelming; Queenie could barely focus on anything else. Newt and Tina were quiet beside her - she barely noticed them. There were two others in the room too, their thoughts nudging the periphery of her consciousness. One was a young girl, dressed in blue and hovering next to Credence protectively, but Queenie paid her little attention.
Jacob's thoughts were loud - not quite as loud as Leta's - but sufficiently loud. Queenie honed in on his sweet sweet voice.
Queenie...she looks like she's been through the mill. Good, she's found her sister. Oh, Queenie...I should never had said those things. She's on the other side of the room - Yusuf's still holding his wand threateningly. Better not move, someone might get hurt. That someone might be Queenie...
Queenie's eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she listened to his thoughts. He was right. They couldn't move towards one another, or even talk to one another. Leta's story was sacred. She was finally freeing herself from years of guilt, for something she didn't even mean to do. No one could interrupt now. Queenie hastily wiped away her tears, which were flowing all the more quickly as all the emotion in the room washed over her.
Oh no, she's crying. Why is she crying? Oh! Leta's story - of course, she can hear Leta's thoughts. And Yusuf and Credence. Sweet heavens, that must hurt! Oh yeah, she can hear my thoughts too. I've missed it, crazy as that is. Not that I think you're crazy, Queenie, you know that. I swear I'm never letting go of her again. We'll move to London, or Australia, or somewhere. Must remember to ask Tina about the laws. Got to keep her safe.
Queenie was openly crying now. Despite being entranced by Leta's tale, Tina had been keeping a close eye on her sister. She reached out to grab Queenie's hand. Queenie didn't turn to look, but she squeezed her sister's hand gently in gratitude. It felt good not to be alone anymore.
The image of Corvus Lestrange withered away. A delicate flower twisted around the foot of Corvus' branch. Leta stood, her burden shed, her soul opened to all the world.
'It wasn't your fault,' Newt tried to reassure her.
Leta sighed, and faced him with the hint of a sad smile. 'You're too good, Newt. You never met a monster you couldn't love.'
'Did you know, Leta?' Tina asked gently. 'When you swapped them? Do you know who Credence is?'
Leta shook her head sadly. I'm sorry, Credence. I'm so sorry.
It was moments like these that Queenie really thought of her gift as a curse. Normally, when someone was hurting, Queenie could read them and see so deeply inside them that she could figure out how to make them feel better. They say Pukwudgie favours Healers and maybe it was true, because Queenie had a natural talent for Healing - not Healing of the body, but Healing of the soul.
But sometimes, rarely, Queenie looked into a person and saw a pain so deep and so complex that she could say nothing to make it better. That no one could say anything to make it better. This was one of those times.
'I'm sorry, Leta,' she whispered. But Leta, caught up in the emotional aftermath of her confession, didn't hear.
But Tina did. Still holding Queenie's hand, she squeezed it gently. It's okay, Queenie, she thought, knowing Queenie could hear her, you don't have to take care of everyone.