Chapter Two
The Bakery
Queenie's Christmas Eve feast was one of the top three meals Newt had ever had the pleasure of eating; falling second only to the great feast his first year at Hogwarts. Third was a meal of non magical insects he'd eaten in the jungle of South America with a tribe of wizards he'd met while studying magical birds. The odd meal made his top three solely because, at the time he hadn't eaten anything in days and was pleasantly surprised how good bugs tasted under the right circumstances. Thankfully Queenie's meal was blessedly free of crawling critters. For just the four of them she'd prepared a ham with a rich honey-glaze that was so tender it fell from the bone. It had an apple and walnut stuffing with dried apricots, and raisins. In the middle of the table sat a bowl overflowing with fluffy mashed potatoes infused with garlic and rosemary, and a hearty green-bean casserole in a savory sauce of caramelized onions and mushrooms. To top it all off she'd prepared blueberry and peach coffee cake and Jacob's favorite strudel. With the fresh bread Jacob brought from his bakery, their banquet was fit for a king.
"You got your bakery, then?" Newt asked, tearing off a piece of bread and popped it in his mouth. He wasn't about to bring up that it had been him that gifted the case full of silver Occamy shells; he'd never been one to boast.
"Yes!" Jacob's tone was thick with excitement.
The group of friends exchanged stories as they ate their delicious dinner. Tina gossiped about all her recent arrests and how elated she was to be an Auror again. Jacob told them about his bakery, how much he loved it, and how successful the business had been for him. Newt even happily discussed his recent travels, as well as the creatures he'd had the opportunity to work with for the first time. It was such a nice feeling to be catching up with people who he genuinely connected with. He didn't have many friends at the Ministry, and lived alone apart from his creatures; so he welcomed the wholesome interaction. Until that moment, he'd almost forgotten how splendid human company could be under the right circumstances. The wizard was able to talk with his friends instead of at them, like with his creatures.
"So," Tina started, looking across the table to Newt. "Does your family not celebrate Christmas?"
The Magizoologist swallowed his food quickly and looked up from his plate, confused by the sudden topic change. "No, they do," he wasn't sure where to begin with discussing his family.
"I'm just surprised you chose to spend it with us and not them is all," Tina's words flowed from her lips with a curious softness. Her surprise was validated. After all, Newt had spent almost two holidays in the field at work, then chose to spend one more away in the company of friends.
"You don't get along with them." Queenie's question sounded more like a statement.
"In a sense," Newt stated, matter-of-fact. "It's not as harsh as that, though. My mother and I get along quite well. She and I both love magical creatures, you see." The thought of his mother surrounded with all of her Hippogriffs back home made him smile. "My father and brother can be the tricky ones on occasion."
"Oh," Queenie grinned, reading Newt's mind again. "Your mom seems so lovely."
Newt took a bite of his meal and didn't say more until he swallowed. "Mmm yes, I stopped to see her all before I left. Mum was actually very pleased I was coming to see you again." His eyes landed on Tina, who looked away bashfully from the wizard's sudden glance.
"Well, I'm glad she approved of your trip," the dark-haired witch said quietly, with a light smirk.
An impish grin parted Queenie's lips as her light-blue eyes glanced at both of them, obviously knowing something they didn't. Conversation lulled as the group continued their delicious meal. Considering the amount of food that had been prepared for the four of them, much of it was gone. Had it not been for the tiny chirp coming from Newt's vest pocket, none of them would've looked up from their plates. A moment later the Bowtruckle emerged looking as though he had just woken up.
Newt smirked as Pickett crawled down his forearm, "Sleep well, did you?"
Pickett yawned and nodded, making the leafy sprouts on his head sway.
Jacob's eyes grew wide at the sight of the Bowtruckle. "I remember that little guy," he sounded like an excited child. "Pickett, right? That's his name."
"Mmhmm." Newt bobbed his head and he looked at the creature. "Do you remember Jacob?"
Pickett looked around the table before pointing his long twiggy fingers to the man sitting next to Newt. "Yes, good."
With the move of Newt's outstretched arm, Pickett crawled over and placed himself on Jacob's shoulder. The Muggle froze as the creature inched up his arm, letting out a nervous little chuckle. Jacob relaxed when the Bowtruckle sat down and chirped happily.
"Hey buddy," the Muggle grinned at the creature. Pickett returned the smile.
Newt observed Jacob as he talked to the Bowtruckle. He was so at ease with the strange little creature, it was as if he'd never had his memories taken from him. On his journey around the world, the Magizoologist had learned that Muggles didn't usually take too well to magical creatures. It was hard enough for them to grasp that magic existed; throwing a completely new slew of animals into the mix only seemed to upset them further. Jacob was different, however - a trait that Newt admired. The Muggle invited the knowledge of strange and fantastic beasts, which is what made him so special.
"What exactly do you remember before you stepped into that rain?" Newt had been itching to ask that question since he'd arrived.
Jacob's head cocked to one side and his lips pursed as he thought. "Well, let me see…" his eyebrows knit together. "I remember a lot of faces - the three of you, mostly…this little guy right here," he pointed to Pickett. "Don't you live in a suitcase?" He looked at Newt with an arched brow.
"Sort of."
"Yea, okay. And inside is where you keep all your magic animals. Like the uh, invisible one…"
Newt smirked fondly, "Dougal."
"And the snake birds…?"
"The Occamies," Newt corrected.
"That's right. One of them hatched in the bank the day we met." The smile on Jacob's face faded slightly as if he remembered something not as pleasant. "What about the little guy who likes to steal things?"
"The Niffler," the wizard told him.
"You still got that little thief?" Jacob's face soured.
Newt shrugged, with a light hearted sigh. "He is a bothersome little bugger, I admit, but I can't seem to bring myself to part with him." There was no doubt that, for his size, the Niffler was the most unmanageable of all his creatures. That, however, didn't in the slightest hinder how Newt felt about him. The wizard had recently picked up the habit of hiding inexpensive knick knacks around the interior of his case in order to keep the little plunderer busy and hopefully away from the outside world. So far, it was working. "Is that all you can remember?" Newt asked after a moment.
Jacob nodded with a shrug. "There was an eagle, I think. Everything else is a little hazy."
Newt felt his heart sink a little at the vague mention of his Thunderbird, Frank. The wizard wanted to ask Tina about him, yet he knew that Frank would've been a hard creature for anyone – Newt included – to keep tabs on. His home now was the open sky. One would sooner catch a falling star than a wild Thunderbird.
"Frank, he's a Thunderbird…" Newt's voice trailed off as he sunk into his own thoughts. He could feel Tina's gaze upon him, but he kept his concentration on his plate; absently twirling his fork in what remained of his potatoes.
"That sure is an awful lot to remember," Tina sounded worried. "You think the venom stuff wears off?" Her gaze morphed into a more concerned stare.
Admittedly, Tina's fear was the first thing to cross Newt's mind when he originally saw Jacob standing in their apartment. If that was true, then the American wizarding community was about to find themselves shoulder deep in considerable trouble. After speaking to his Muggle friend, a different theory was beginning to form in Newt's mind.
"Maybe not," he offered. "Swooping Evil venom is most commonly extracted to be used in potions to snuff out nightmares – they've been doing that for years. Un-concentrated venom may harness the ability to hone in on one's past negative memories and suppress those specifically. I doubt very much that what Jacob experienced would fall under an unfavorable category. Everything he remembers is because his mind categorized what he remembers as positive memories."
"He's also been around us too, so by default wouldn't that mean any memory with us in it is validated?" Queenie asked.
Newt looked at the blonde-haired witch, impressed. "Yes, exactly."
Tina's expression still held doubt. "So the No-Maj's won't remember anything because their brush with our world negatively affected them?"
"Anything that they recall, if they recall anything, will be nothing more than a dream to them. Don't worry, Tina," Newt assured her.
"'Cause to really make the memory hold, they would have to witness it again," Queenie added. She gently consoled her sister with a touch to her hand. The dark-haired witch softly smiled at her sister, looking more at ease, and went back to finishing her meal.
"Teenie promised she wouldn't," Queenie abruptly said after a juncture. Her quick outburst answered Newt's unspoken question about whether or not MACUSA was privy to Jacob's knowledge about their world. The wizard was somewhat surprised. Tina had been such a stickler for the rules when they first met that it had gotten them both sentenced to death.
Tina shrugged when Newt's eyes landed on her quizzically, "I don't think Mr. Kowalski is a threat to our world, do you?"
Newt simply shook his head.
Queenie grinned fondly at Jacob in the moment their eyes met a million words were spoken, not in voice but in spirit. Newt didn't have to be a mind reader to see the love that flowed between them. He also didn't need the blonde's gift to see that Tina could only ever be as happy as her sister. There was a small part of Newt that envied their immense level of kinship; he and his brother's relationship didn't bloom like Queenie and Tina's did when they were in each other's company.
A soft chitter from Jacob's shoulder broke the silence, as Pickett reached for the piece of ham dangling from the Muggles fork. He glanced at his food and to the creature perched next to his cheek, before moving his confused expression to Newt.
"Can he have people food?"
The wizard sighed, with a slight eye roll. "In minuscule amounts," he instructed. "I made the mistake of allowing him to try my stew on the crossing back to England, and ever since he's wanted to try everything." Newt shook his head disapprovingly, but maintained a faint smirk.
Pickett waited eagerly for Jacob to rip him a small piece of meat from his fork. Using his boney fingers, the Bowtruckle held the ham and gobbled it down with a few large bites. Being the scientist he was, Newt watched his leafy friend eat the meat, observing how the Bowtruckle reacted. Pickett's species was omnivorous, but most of their protein came from devouring small insects, not pigs.
The small creature chewed and swallowed before scrunching up its face.
"Not for you, huh?" Newt questioned the creature.
Pickett stuck out his tongue in response to his caretaker's question. An amused chuckle radiated around the table from everyone.
"C'mon." Newt held out his arm, and the Bowtruckle carefully crawled back onto his sleeve and onto his shoulder.
When dinner came to an end and the four of them felt as though they wouldn't need to eat for a few months, Newt and Jacob obligingly offered to do the cleanup; after all, it had been the girls who prepared their delicious meal. The wizard swiftly cast an enchantment on the dishes to wash themselves while he and Jacob dried them and put them away. As the guys did their chores, the sisters relaxed. Queenie happily twirled round the tree, making sure every ornament was perfectly in place while Tina remained at the table. Her nose was buried in the book Newt had given her. Every chance he could the Magizoologist stole a glance in her direction, pleased to see the smile on her face as she read through the pages. Seeing Tina happy made Newt happy.
"Hey, why don't I take you all to the bakery?" Jacob offered as he and Newt were finishing the dishes. "I could even whip up some fresh treats."
Queenie was onboard the moment Jacob thought up the idea, and it didn't take long for her sister and the wizard to agree to tag along. Seeing Jacob's bakery was a thought that hadn't crossed Newt's mind, and he was thrilled his friend suggested the idea. The Muggle also suggested walking in hopes that their journey would make room in their filled stomachs for a little more food. A leisurely stroll down the New York streets sounded surprisingly enjoyable to Newt. He hadn't gotten the chance to do a lot of sight-seeing during his last trip and now could make up for it.
Tina closed her book and placed it on the table while Jacob helped Queenie into a velvet-textured emerald coat. Newt stood next to the rack, watching the couple, all the while wondering if maybe he should do the same for Tina. The blonde witch must have been eavesdropping on his thoughts because a moment later she gave him a subtle nod and eyed her sister's coat.
He hesitated a moment, working himself up to the task before reaching for her gray coat, only to catch Tina's hand instead. "Sorry," Newt looked to his feet immediately, feeling his cheeks get red hot, and pulled his hand away.
"I can get it," she assured him, shrugging into the long piece of clothing.
"Right, good," he said, grabbing his own coat and scarf, still refusing to meet her eyes after the awkward exchange. Her scarf, however, drew his attention away from his feet. The wrap she threw around her neck was striped red and blue - Ilvermorny colors - embroidered with a golden Thunderbird on each end. Newt smiled at the sight, amused at the irony. Of course she was from the Thunderbird house - the house shared its mascot with the creature he'd trusted her to look after.
Once they were all in their coats and ready to leave, a grueling task presented itself. Two of the four of them were not supposed to be in the building, which meant getting outside was going to be tricky. For fear of the landlady catching them, Newt insisted he and Jacob simply Apparate to the sidewalk just outside. He wasn't about to work up a sweat trying to get both himself and his friend past all the noisy wooden slats he'd fought with when he could easily teleport them where they needed to be. Tina, however, objected, mentioning a No-Maj could catch them.
"We'll just go down first," Queenie tugged at her sister's coat. "That way we can tell 'em if the way is clear or not."
Tina still looked skeptical.
"We'll be down in a jiffy." Newt encouraged Tina to follow her sister out into the hall. She waited a minute, giving Newt one more stern, apprehensive look before exiting the apartment a few paces behind Queenie.
Newt lead Jacob over to the window facing the street blow. The delicate lace curtains were just sheer enough to make out the girls when they stepped into the empty New York street. The wizard and his Muggle friend waited for their queue, a thumbs up from Tina, and instantaneously the two of them Disapparated out of the apartment and next to the girls. Jacob staggered and blinked wildly, trying to gather himself after the quick transition. Queenie smoothly looped her arm with his to help steady him. The moment his vertigo subsided, he and she proudly lead the way.
Queenie and Jacob walked as if the two of them were a single being – arm in arm – marveling at the falling snow raining beautifully from the heavens. They were in their own world, completely oblivious to Newt and Tina ambling a few paces behind.
"You know," Newt said after a few blocks. "I'm glad the venom didn't take to Jacob." An amiable smile shaped his face as he watched the Muggle walking in front of him. Newt never wanted to obliviate him, and even though it was against the magical law in America, he was fairly certain Tina didn't want to either. Jacob Kowalski and his pastries were no threat to the wizarding world, a fact that the wizard was sure of. Rules were made to be broken as they said, and on occasion doing so was the right thing to do. Jacobs's knowledge of magic was like Newt feeding his Bowtruckle human food; maybe not in their best interest, but he couldn't bring himself to spoil their fun.
"I am too," Tina was slow to answer. "Mostly I hated seeing Queenie right afterword." Tina brushed stray hairs from her face the wind had sent into a tangled frenzy before she spoke again. Newt observed her, enchanted by every movement, waiting for her to continue.
"A couple of couple months later, she'd come home acting more like herself. I thought maybe she'd moved on, but a week or so later I saw an ad for his bakery and suddenly I knew why she was acting the way she was. I'd get home before her 'cause she'd go visit him at the bakery after work. It was easy to tell what days she'd gotten to see him and what days she hadn't."
Tina's eyes followed her sister's chipper stride in front of her. She said no more, withdrawn into her own thoughts as she and Newt sauntered side by side down the empty, snow covered sidewalk. The sky that broke over the tops of the buildings encircling them delivered a warm glow, and in the stillness Newt felt at ease. He thrived on the silent company that Tina provided; made more serene with the tumbling snow. Seldom he figured were nights that the city slept along with its residents. New York was an illustrious, expanding metropolis of lights and triumph -yet with only a blanket of snow, the buzz of the city died away to expose the true nature of the land.
A sudden gust of wind caught the tail ends of Newt's scarf and sent the yellow and gray tassels fluttering into Tina's face. The unexpected attack startled the witch out of her thoughts, but made her laugh nonetheless.
"I'm so sorry!" Newt moved to quickly stuff as much of the rogue scarf into his coat as possible, trying to subdue a laugh.
"No, no," Tina replied between giggles. "It's fine. Is that your house scarf?"
"Yes, Hufflepuff house," he told her proudly.
Tina grabbed at her own scarf, flashing one of the embroidered Thunderbirds in the amber light of the lamppost they were walking near. "Thunderbird house." She sounded just as exultant.
Newt nodded dotingly. "I noticed when you put it on, although I admit, I don't know much about Ilvermorny houses."
She shrugged, "I don't know a lot about Hogwarts houses, so we're even."
"I always thought it strange that there were other wizarding schools besides Hogwarts…" Newt thought aloud a moment later.
"I know what you mean," Tina agreed fondly. "Ilvermorny is this grand estate tucked away in the hills, and as a kid, it seemed like the pinnacle of all magical locations." She laughed to herself. "I didn't even know there were other wizarding schools until my second year."
The wizard not only found her comment relatable, but also endearing. He too was well into his school days before he was aware of the other schools. He'd grown up with magical parents and an older brother who praised Hogwarts, and to him, it was the only school that counted.
"How many years did you get to complete?" she asked after a moment.
"I, uh, was expelled the middle of my sixth year," Newt said hesitantly, looking away. Usually when he talked about his early exit from Hogwarts, he brushed it off. Talking to Tina about it was different. She'd completed her schooling and was an Auror for MACUSA; a rather impressive resume. Newt hadn't completed school and was – he was sure – a joke to some of his fellow wizards at The Ministry, plus he lived most of his life in a suitcase. His writing was really the only thing he'd done that would be construed as 'impressive'. Other than falling short in comparison to Tina, he genuinely didn't care.
He sighed, deciding to offer a more detailed, however short, answer to her question. "As to why I was expelled: a fellow student who, like me, had a connection with magical creatures, got careless and ended up putting another student in danger."
"And you took the blame for it?" Tina looked sad, but not disappointed. "That's why your teacher spoke up in your defense; he must have known it wasn't you."
He shrugged, "it all worked out, really."
Newt could never bring himself to be upset that he'd missed those last years of school. Sure, there were many people at the Ministry that didn't take him seriously, but he'd still done so much good despite his education. He saved many creatures, wrote a book to help his fellow wizards understand the complexities of them, and helped capture a dark wizard. If he had stayed in school, who was to say any of that would have happened. More than likely, he would've landed a teaching job, and in comparison to what he'd been able to do, being a professor seemed like a downgrade.
"We're here!" Queenie's voice rang over the silent air.
The exterior of Jacob's quaint bakery was still crisp and clean - so much so that Newt could almost smell the fresh paint. While the Muggle fiddled to find his keys, the wizard ventured over to the windows to wonder at the arrangements on the other side of the glass. A three-tiered Christmas village sat protected by the transparent casing, made exclusively out of gingerbread. Jacob went into fine detail, placing every candy piece and white line of frosting representing his holiday cheer and the excellence of his talent. Newt was never more proud.
An overwhelming aroma of sweets cascaded around them as they all shuffled inside; Newt couldn't resist the urge to stop and take in a deep breath. The enthusiasm he felt was almost childlike as his eyes scanned the shelves of scrumptious treats the bakery had to offer. His expression shifted when his gaze brought him to a table of pastries in oddly familiar shapes.
"These…these look like Occamies," he pointed out in slight awe.
"Is that what those are called?" Jacob teased, watching Newt with a smile.
"And these," the wizard excitedly pointed to a shelf of more bulbous looking breads. "They're Erumpents!" He chuckled in disbelief. "This is absolutely extraordinary."
Newt was past the point of trying to suppress his excitement, as he often did when it came to magical creatures. Not even the wizarding world had a shop full of creature pastries. He would have never guessed he'd find miniatures of his creatures being sold in a Muggle bakery in New York City.
"Those was one of the clues that got me thinkin' maybe Jakey remembered us," Queenie commented, leaning over Jacob's shoulders from behind. She stood a few inches taller than the man due to the height she gained from her heels. The blonde witch placed her head next to his and she and Jacob both smiled at Newt.
"I kept having these dreams, so I made the creatures in them just to see if they would sell. Then Queenie walked in…" he stopped and looked off in almost a dreamlike state. The couple whispered to one another, giggling, before he elegantly twirled her in front of the counter. Queenie's red dress fanned and hugged her frame as he did, while the sequins and beads glistened playfully.
"He made some of Dougal, too," Tina nudged Newt with her elbow to gather his attention, and pointed to a case of Demiguise pastries.
Newt's eyes met hers first, captivated that she'd correctly recalled the name of one of his favorite creatures. "Truly magnificent," he murmured looking at them.
The ape-like shaped treat had large raisin eyes and dripped with white glaze to mimic Dougal's long, silvery fur. Newt was seriously considering purchasing one of every creature, for the sole purpose of showing them to the beasts they mirrored. However, he doubted his creatures would value them as much as he did; they would most likely just want to eat them.
"How is Dougal?" Tina asked.
"Good," Newt replied with a faint smile. He was so pleased she cared enough to ask. "Very good, in fact. I managed to teach him some sign language."
Tina looked impressed.
"I'm afraid he still gets some gestures confused," the wizard admitted. "But he's learning."
"That's quite an accomplishment," she beamed, draping her coat and scarf over the counter.
Newt shrugged, not one to boast. "Bit of busy work, really."
Tina shook her head, still holding an impressed smirk. "Nevertheless, still an accomplishment." Her expression morphed into one that was more endearing and sincere. "Don't sell yourself short. You're quite an extraordinary person, Newt Scamander."
Newt felt his heart flutter and his face turn red from her compliment; he wasn't even sure how to reply. He wanted to say the same about her, but to him she was so much more than one word. All the words he knew raced in his mind as he struggled to find one that could appropriately express how he felt.
"Thank you," he finally managed, and immediately frowned, disappointed in himself. Dougal would've been able to sign a better reply.
Near the counter Jacob hung his coat on a hook and flung on a white apron, gesturing for his guests to hang their coats as well. "Alright," he clapped his hands together. "What would you guys like me to whip up?"
He looked so at ease in the baker's apron, surrounded by his fresh breads and pastries. The eagerness and joy on his face to show off his skills were contagious.
"Oh! How 'bout Christmas cookies?" Queenie hopped as she offered her suggestion.
"That does seem the most appropriate," Newt agreed, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows.
Jacob was already moving around the spacious kitchen, gathering the supplies he needed before the wizard even spoke. He was an unstoppable force, and the three of them watched him do what he did best. He mixed the ingredients with such skill he didn't need to measure out anything. It was as if he was performing his on sort of magic. Every gesture, every ingredient poured and mixed, was done with skillful, knowing hands. When the dough was prepared he handed Queenie a spare rolling pin, insisting she help.
Tina stood back watching the two of them as she leant against a table with a soft smile on her lips. Newt was observing her. The dark-haired witch radiated a tranquil aura from seeing her sister so happy which, unknowingly to her, started a domino effect. Queenie's joy of being with Jacob had flowed into Tina; who found peace knowing that her sister was happy. Her bliss in turn flowed over to Newt; who was content knowing that Tina was in such a peaceful state of being.
"Newt? Teenie?" Queenie chimed, holding up a collection of cookie cutters. "Wanna help?"
There was a soft clicking sound echoing in the quaint bakery as the timer counted the minutes while the oven baked the cookies. The warmth that rolled through the room made Newt glad he'd removed his coat and pushed his long sleeves past his forearm. Jacob didn't seem bothered by the heat from where he sat on the counter with Queenie next to him. The pair of them leaned against each other, one of Queenie's arms intertwined around Jacob's. They smiled and laughed softly, as if they were sharing a joke only the two of them would understand.
Newt had situated himself near the opposing counter, leaning on it, extremely aware of the few inches that separated him from Tina. She still beheld her sister with the same indulgent look on her face. Again he was so utterly transfixed with her standing so close to him that his focus fell away from Jacob and Queenie. There was a pinch of flour covering a lock of her hair, and he had to fight the urge to reach over and brush it off.
"She really did miss him," Tina's hair bobbed as she nodded in Queenie's direction. "She must have been keeping an eye on him the whole time he was setting this place up."
"I'm glad he had someone watching out for him." A thoughtful smile crossed Newt's face as he stole a quick glance at the pair. Their intimacy, however, made him blush and look back down at his hands. "I wanted to do more for him, but I just didn't know how."
Tina laughed lightly. "You did plenty. Because of you, he got his dream."
Newt fidgeted slightly, still not looking up from his hands. "Well, it was really the least I could do after all the help he gave me. Especially what I put him through."
"Hey! You two talkin' about me?" Jacob interrupted with a laugh.
"Only good things," Tina answered as she turned to face him.
"I hope so."
Queenie swiftly sat up straight and waved her wand at the radio, causing the volume to rise as a quick-paced song started to play. "Oh my goodness, I love this song!" She hopped off the counter and pulled Jacob to his feet. Almost instantly, the two of them started doing a quickstep that Newt was unfamiliar with. The two moved in perfect sync with the rhythm of the tune; Jacob was surprisingly nimble as he spun Queenie around the open space. "C'mon you two!" the blonde witch waved at her sister energetically.
Tina held up her hands shaking her head slowly. "It looks like you two have it under control," she laughed.
Queenie rolled her eyes, but was distracted as Jacob lifted her up into the air.
"What are they doing?" Newt asked, closely observing the steps.
"The Charleston," Tina cocked her head as she looked at him. "You've never heard of it?"
The wizard shook his head, his reddish-brown hair falling over his eyes. "I don't get invited to many parties," he explained honestly. He'd never been one for social gatherings, in fact, just being in the bakery with three other people was arguably the most 'party like' situation he'd ever been in.
"You've never been dancing!" Queenie spun around with a wide-eyed expression. "Oh honey, we're going to fix that. Come here." Before he could offer any form of protest she pulled Newt to his feet. "Now, just do what I do, alighty?" Clicking heels accompanied Queenie's steps as she demonstrated the full dance with ease. Newt frowned somewhat, as he tried unsuccessfully to mimic her quick movements. "Don't worry, I'll go slower," the blonde giggled.
Queenie went step by step, making sure Newt was able to keep up with her. Despite his valiant efforts and determined expression, along with tireless repetition, he still managed to stumble over his shoes every time.
The timer sounded above the song on the radio and Jacob hurried to take the cookies out of the oven.
"I'm gonna go help Jakey. Tina will help you practice some more," she forcibly twirled her sister over to Newt, who was still trying the steps by himself. "I want to see real progress when I get back." She turned away with a wink.
"You don't need to teach me," Newt immediately assured, not wanting to be a bother. Tina, however, seemed enthused by the idea.
"Nonsense," she straightened her blouse and stood up straighter. "Now let's start from the top."
The pair of them took a few attentive strides before Newt accidentally stepped on her foot.
"It's okay," she kept up the dance without faltering. The wizard stepped on her again within moments.
"Sorry, I just—" Newt dropped his hands and stepped away.
"Really, I'm fine," she said softly. "Everyone steps on toes when they are learning."
Newt maintained his distance, however. He wasn't ordinarily that klutzy when trying to learn something, nor did he usually feel so vexed. If anything, he had only accomplished making himself look like a fool in front of a beautiful woman.
"Hey, Newt, didn't I see you dance once?" Jacob took on a pensive expression as he was moving cookies to a cooling rack.
"You did?" Queenie frowned quizzically, no doubt trying to focus on Jacob's foggy thoughts. "You did! Oh Newt," she giggled. "I had no idea you were so graceful."
A blush spread across his face and he chuckled. "I wouldn't call it dancing, per se."
The Muggle remained unconvinced. "Course it was. A mating dance for that – what did you call it?"
"Erumpent," the Magizoologist quickly provided.
"Yeah, that's right." Jacob started doing a poor imitation of the mating dance in question. Queenie laughed behind her hand and happily hopped in place, while Tina raised a brow at the strange stomping motion the baker was performing.
"That's certainly interesting," she said.
Jacob chuckled. "It looked a lot better when he did it. Why don't you show the girls, Newt? Or maybe a different one. There ain't much room in here to roll on the ground."
"Oh yes! Please show us one." Queenie nodded encouragingly.
While it was easy to tell their comments came in jest, the three of his friends seemed genuinely intrigued to see him perform a mating ritual. A few different dances flashed through his mind, from dragons to Nargles. One kept coming to the forefront of his mind, however. It was the first 'dance' he ever learned; one he'd memorized a long time ago as a child watching the Hippogriffs his mother raised.
Coincidently a slower song came over the radio and Newt took his position with confidence, standing only a few steps away from Tina. With a breath he bowed deeply, his arms stretched out to either side of himself and his right foot extended out in front of him. He waited for a couple of seconds or so, and then slid his left foot up to meet his right, standing up straight. He continued with his bowed head, stepping slightly forward while angling his right shoulder toward Tina. The wizard circled around his dance partner, stomping with pride, keeping his shoulder angled in her direction. He repeated the same process with his left shoulder. The moment he reached Tina's front again, he spun on his heels and met her eyes directly. He held her gaze, moving to push his right shoulder against her left, turning her in numerous narrow circles. Without breaking eye contact, his hands found hers; he gripped them tight as their spinning picked up in speed. Soon they were relying on each other to stay upright as they leaned apart, and their feet moved faster and faster. The song was nearing its conclusion when Newt yanked Tina towards him, holding her tight as her feet came off the ground and his eventually slowed to a stop. Jacob and Queenie applauded them.
"Newt, that was beautiful," the blonde witch gushed.
The wizard almost forgot Jacob and Queenie were in the room – still high from the thrill of it all. "It's a lot better when the Hippogriffs do it. They fly while they are spinning and it's really quite fascinating."
"It's a lot more entertaining than the Charleston," Tina commented. She was still pressed against Newt's chest, in his arms.
"Oh, well, I don't know about that." Newt quickly released his hold on her and stepped back to a more respectable distance. As he did, he couldn't help but notice the rosy color that had spread across the bridge of her nose.
With the cookies fresh out of the oven, the aroma of the delicious treats was mouthwatering. All the dancing nonsense allowed the surgery goods to cool just enough to start decorating them; a skill Newt was unaware he possessed. Each of them took to decorating a batch with the sweet, colorful frosting. Even Jacob commended him on his skillful hands. What the wizard lacked in his ability to dance he made up for in his ability to ice cookies. Tina, however, seemed to be struggling.
"Here," Newt offered his help. He slid in behind her, gently moving her hands into the proper position to hold the pastry bag. Beneath his, her hands were soft and un-calloused; she even leaned into him slightly. "Like this," he whispered into her ear. "Then gently, give it a squeeze," Newt gingerly pressed her hands to force the colored frosting from the pattern tip of the bag.
"See," he grinned. Tina caught on quickly. "Easy peasy."
She laughed quietly and flashed him a toothy smile as she continued piping out the icing on her own.
By the time all the cookies were finished the four of them had worked up enough of an appetite to eat their creations. Even though the bakery offered little room to relax, they used the space to its best ability. Queenie took to Jacob's lap – sitting on the only chair they could find, while Newt and Tina chose to balance themselves on the sturdy countertop. Their light-hearted conversation drifted to tales of Christmases past, remembering their favorite traditions and what it was like spending the holiday at school. Jacob loved those stories the most.
"Oh, I adored going caroling in those neighboring towns!" Queenie reminisced, a twinkle in her eye. "Whichever house could get the most people to participate was awarded more points."
Tina chuckled to herself. "Yeah, and every other house hated it because yours always won."
Queenie shrugged heedlessly, "I had a lot of friends at school."
Newt laughed softly to himself, easily imagining Queenie with a herd of friends wandering from house to house singing carols in festive attire.
"What about you, Newt?" Tina asked. "What do you remember most about Christmas at school?"
Her unexpected question caught him off guard as he bit off a large piece of cookie. He chewed quickly, shielding his mouth with the side of his hand. "Sorry, what?" He managed just before swallowing. He childishly wiped the crumbs away from his mouth with his arm as he waited for Tina to repeat her question.
"What was Christmas like at Hogwarts?" She queried.
Newt wasn't sure what to say. Unlike them, he didn't have many friends to share the holiday cheer with during his few years at Hogwarts. Most years he went home to spend Christmas with his family, and on the occasion he didn't opt to return home, he spent his time at the library reading about magical creatures. Sometimes he even helped the Care of Magical Creatures professor, but there weren't really any stories truly worth telling.
"Um," he stalled, still wracking his brain for a memory to share. "During my last year, my friend Leta and I spent Christmas Eve in Hogsmeade Village. Usually she went home over break like me, but that year she elected to stay - so I did, too. The both of us stayed out and drank at least two pints each of Butterbeer together, just talking and watching the snow outside…" Even to Newt, his story seemed more melancholy than cheerful. All his other Christmas memories were filled with him listening to his extended family gossip and rave about their own children, or about how great a student Theseus was.
Queenie gave him a doleful but sweet smile. "That's okay, honey," she told him. "It ain't that sad."
He only offered a half smile in return; she must have been prying in his mind again.
"So what's Butterbeer?" Jacob asked, shifting the subject of conversation. "I ain't ever heard of that."
"Probably because it's a wizarding drink," Newt explained, taking another bite of cookie.
"It any good?" Tina asked, intrigued.
Newt bobbed his head. "I enjoy it, although my mum actually makes her own during the holidays that's worlds better than what's sold publicly."
Jacob suddenly looked excited and enthusiastic. "Maybe we should make some. I'm sure I've got the ingredients laying around."
Newt scratched the back of his head. "Considering there's currently a ban on alcoholic beverages in this country, doing so might be difficult."
The muggle's face faded into a frown. "Yeah…"
"Promise me you'll take me out for a Butterbeer someday." Tina nudged him with her elbow gently. The slightest hint of a rosy flush flourished over her cheeks, as if her forward request embarrassed her.
"Happily," Newt vowed.
She didn't look directly at him, but he was still able to make out the grin lighting up the features of her face behind her waterfall of dark hair. Newt's attention was stolen away as he felt a tiny stir in his vest pocket. He broke off a small corner of cookie and held it close to the underside of his waistcoat. Two twig like arms reached out and took the crumb greedily. Feeding table scraps to Pickett had become second nature to the wizard - so much so that the creature expected a little taste of whatever Newt was eating. The Bowtruckle begged so sweetly for different foods that he could never resist.
Tina chuckled at the sight, and her laugh made Newt smile. "He's incorrigible."
"So it seems," she agreed.
(A/N): Any favorite parts? Love hearing your guys' input!