goldsteins
"Arresto Momentum!"
Willow stopped in mid air with the tip of her nose barely 2 inches away from the ground. After just a few seconds, she crashed to the ground with her suitcase cushioning her fall. It was nighttime in New York, 5 hours behind London. She felt like she was about to throw up. Portkeys were never a comfortable way of travel, but it was the quickest way to get from one country to another without splinching from apparating so far.
Willow quickly stood up and collected herself, making sure no one was around. Looking at her surroundings, she found herself in the middle of a grass field with a sidewalk a few feet away. She took out the letter from her coat pocket.
Tina Goldstein resides at 679 West 24th Street. Please report to her as soon as you arrive.
Willow sighed and crumpled the letter back into her pocket. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the location in her mind. She whispered the location back to herself and disapparated, hoping she'd end up in the right place.
She reappeared in front of a brown door with the number 679 on it. She knocked on the door a few times and heard someone running up to the door. It swung open and Willow was met with the beautiful dark eyes and black hair of Tina Goldstein.
"Tina!" Willow exclaimed with a smile.
"Oh, Willow, thank god you're here!" Tina looked like she was on the verge of tears, stressed, but happy to finally see her old friend. They both embraced each other with a sigh of relief. "Today has been absolutely insane."
"You have to tell me what's been happening. Why did you summon me here specifically? We could've met up at MACUSA the next morning."
They let go of each other and Tina went back to leaning on the door frame. "This is more of a private matter, really, but MACUSA is involved. Here, come on in." Tina held the door open for Willow who slowly walked in. The first thing Willow was greeted by was a man drowsily sitting at the dining table and Tina's sister Queenie cooking and attending to him.
"Queenie, Willow's here."
The blonde whipped around with a bright smile. "Wills! It's been forever!" She ran over, leaving her cooking utensils mixing and stirring by themselves. "How've you been? Have you eaten yet? The sun's been setting earlier here, it's annoying." She paused and leaned in close, whispering. "Oh, you know Mr. Scamander? Why, he's right over there!" She pointed over to her right.
Willow's eyes widened and her face flushed pink. "Queenie, please stop reading my mind." She wanted to take a peak and couldn't resist herself. She leaned over and saw Newt Scamander in a blue trench coat, yellow vest, and black ribbon tied into a bow around his neck. His hair was the same shade of golden brown. It was like he never changed. His light blue eyes were just as mesmerizing as before even from afar, soft and almost perfect. He was pacing in the guest bedroom, talking to himself, unable to focus on anything except his own thoughts.
She was so nervous she felt like her heart was on the verge of jumping out of her chest. Willow quickly took a deep breath and reminded herself that once this trip ended, Newt would probably never contact her again and she could go back to her house and her wonderful bandmates in the gloomy town of London, and in a few decades she could die alone and peacefully in her house, with possibly no husband still, but satisfied.
Queenie giggled and grabbed Willow's empty hand, dragging her out from behind the wall separating the doorway from the rest of the apartment. "And this is Mr. Jacob Kowalski. He's a No-Maj." She gestured at the man sitting at the table. Willow waved and he chuckled, waving back at her. Something was clearly wrong with him. There were bite marks on the side of his neck and he was acting like he was drunk. Maybe he was drunk, Willow couldn't tell. "Make yourself at home." Queenie laughed and went back to her cooking.
"What have you been up to lately?" Tina asked, looking at Willow while getting pink floral teacups out of the cabinet, most likely bought by Queenie.
Willow sat her suitcase down by the door and took off her coat, hanging it over a chair. She was trying her best to not pay any attention to Newt who was focused on other things, still pacing. "Nothing really. I don't work for the Ministry anymore, I started a band and stuff. We were supposed to perform at the Royal Albert Hall, but that's okay."
"I'm sorry for dragging you here. I just can't deal with these two anymore." She tilted her head towards Newt and eyed Jacob, clearly irritated. Willow laughed, nodding. "One of them's a No-Maj and I'm sure the letter mentioned how Mr. Scamander here has broken the Statute of Secrecy."
"Hm?" Newt stopped and looked up, hearing his name. His eyes met Willow's and it was suddenly quiet. All that rang throughout the room was the sound of Tina setting the table and clanging pots. His eyes were still set on hers. This was striking to Willow. Her appearance has changed ever since 6th year. She wouldn't keep her hair in curls anymore, straightening it every morning had become routine. Not being forced to wear the same oval glasses every day was a change too. Newt was never known to be good at eye contact. During their time in Hogwarts, he would keep eye contact with creatures longer than people.
"Willow?"
"Newt."